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The following is brief summary of each Babylon 5 e
First Revision 6/1/94 Colin Glassey
Second Revision 6/2/94 Colin Glassey
Third Revision 7/27/94 Colin Glassey
Fourth Revision 8/18/94 Colin Glassey
Fifth Revision 12/1/94 Colin Glassey
The following is brief summary of each Babylon 5 episode that
has been shown in the U.S. along with an evaluation of the show.
Note that the word "ARC" indicates that this episode contains
information that is especially important to the overall story
line of Babylon 5 (in other words, the arc of the plot).
Note: JMS stands for Joe Michael Straczynski. Mr. Straczynski
is: the inventor of Babylon 5; the co-executive producer of B5;
and the main writer of B5 episodes.
Grades: A = A great episode, worth repeated viewings.
B = A worthwhile episode, enjoyable.
C = An average effort, likely to be superior to
90% of the rest of TV fare.
D = A weak effort with poor characters and or huge
logical flaws. So far no show has this rating.
Ratings are all entirely subjective. Feel
free to harass me about them. -- Colin Glassey
PILOT MOVIE (02/22/93?) The Gathering Writer: JMS
Grade B ARC Summary: The Vorlons have agreed to send a
representative to the B5 station. This is the first time
anyone (?) has seen a Vorlon despite their apparent power.
The ambassador is poisoned and Commander Sinclair must find
out who is responsible. Review: In retrospect this show seems
better than when it first appeared. On the other hand, I
haven't seen it since it first appeared either.
SEASON ONE (overall title for this season: "Signs and Portents")
#1 (01/26/94) Midnight on the Firing Line Writer: JMS
Grade C ARC Summary: Raiders are getting weapons from an
unknown source. The Narn attack a small Centauri outpost,
Ambassador Molari's cousin is captured by the Narn.
Review: Some scenes did not work for me, Sinclair was
unconvincing, and the resolution of the problem lacked
excitement. (For those who care, this was the first episode
after a long break following the pilot).
#2 (02/02/94) Soul Hunter Writer: JMS
Grade B Summary: A mysterious alien called a Soul Hunter has
gone mad and threatens one of the Ambassadors. Review: I
thought the torture scene was excessively graphic, however,
the final scene with Delenn and the spheres was just
wonderful.
#3 (02/09/94) Born to the Purple Writer: DiTillio
Grade B Summary: A lovely young woman steals valuable secrets
from Londo at the bidding of her master. Review: A very funny
episode where Londo really shines as a character.
#4 (02/16/94) Infection Writer: JMS
Grade C Summary: A very dangerous bio-machine is brought to
B5 by a friend of B5's doctor. Review: Not one of B5's high
points but notable for good ideas and a very unusual final
scene.
#5 (02/23/94) The Parliament of Dreams Writer: JMS
Grade A Summary: G'Karr is threatened by a killer from his
home world. The Centauri and Minbari present their religious
ceremonies. An old love of Sinclair's appears. Review: The
first great episode consisting of some very enjoyable
character/cultural studies. G'Karr has some great moments
including a very funny opening sequence. Note: this episode
received an Emmy nomination for costumes (!?! What about the
writing!!!)
#6 (03/02/94) Mind War Writer: JMS
Grade A ARC Summary: A telepath flees to B5 with the Psi
Corps in hot pursuit. Sinclair's old flame explores a planet.
Review: I really like this episode, the secondary plot
involving the planetary explorer was very well done. Seeing
Walter Koenig was fun also.
#7 (03/09/94) The War Prayer Writer: D.C.Fontana
Grade C Summary: A Mimbari "poet" is attacked by Earth
extremists. Two young Centauris seek help from Londo's aid de
camp. Review: Although this episode had some great lines by
Londo, the episode as a whole seemed flat and uncomplicated.
This was unlike the good B5 episodes where things are usually
not what they seem at first glance.
#8 (03/16/94) And The Sky Full Of Stars JMS
Grade A ARC Summary: Two dangerous men try to pry information
out of Sinclair about the missing 24 hours in Sinclair's life
at the Battle of the Line. Review: A rivetting episode focused
entirely on Sinclair and his experiences 10 years earlier.
#9 (04/20/94) Deathwalker Writer: DiTillio
Grade A Summary: An evil alien has a drug that prevents
ageing; the non-aligned races demand her trial. Kosh involves
the station telepath in an odd encounter. Review: A well done
evil character, very good political machinations, and fun
space ships. Kosh gets to say "We will meet at the hour of
scampering". This episode gains from a second viewing.
#10 (04/27/94) Believers Writer: David Gerrold
Grade B Summary: A child is dying and B5's doctor can not
help due to the beliefs of the parents. Ivanova escorts the
ship "Asimov" through raider territory. Review: A very
tightly reasoned plot leads to the conclusion that there
are no good solutions. I personally found it unpleasant to
watch. Others liked this a great deal.
#11 (05/04/94) Survivors Writer: Mark Scott Zicree
Grade B ARC Summary: Girabaldi is falsely accused of
sabotage as the Earth Alliance president comes to visit B5.
Review: No real weaknesses, but nothing really super
either. You can't hit home runs every day.
#12 (05/11/94 12) By Any Means Necessary Writer: K Drennan
Grade A Summary: The dock workers on B5 threaten an illegal
strike. G'Karr must obtain a plant that only Londo owns.
Review: This is the FIRST SF show to give real day to day
politics and economics a believable role in the future.
Sinclair has finally become a great character.
#13 (05/18/94) Signs and Portents Writer: JMS
Grade A ARC Summary: Londo recovers a valuable Centauri
artifact. The raiders stage a major attack on B5. A very
mysterious man appears on B5. Review: The best B5 episode
yet, one of the best SF TV shows ever done. If you see
just one B5 episode, this is the one to see. Wow!
#14 (05/25/94) TKO Writer: Larry DiTillio
Grade B Summary: A human boxer seeks to compete in an alien
martial arts competition. Lt. Commander Ivanova has a visitor
who brings up the subject of mourning for the dead. Review:
Another first for SF: the presentation of an existing human
religion in the future (Judaism). However, I found the
dissonance between the two plot lines distracting and not
effective. Cutting directly from the "shivas" ceremony to a
boxing match really was poorly done. Both should have been
stayed with to completion.
#15 (07/6/94) Grail Writer: Christy Marx
Grade C Summary: A man visits B5 looking for the Holy Grail.
A criminal tries to gain power with the help of an alien.
Review: Not a good episode because, at their core, the two
plot lines were illogical. Also some poor acting from
one of the guest actors (Jinxer/Thomas).
#16 (07/13/94) Eyes Writer: Larry DiTillio
Grade B Summary: Earth Alliance sends an investigation team
to B5 to check on the behavior of the command staff of the
station. Review: A solid episode with no logical flaws and
some fine acting. Ivanova especially shines in this one.
I almost rate this episode an "A" but there were some minor
weaknesses: I felt the tension could have been tighter and
the ending was a bit forced.
#17 (07/20/94) Legacies Writer: D.C. Fontana
Grade A Summary: The body of a Mimbari clan leader
mysteriously disappears. A young girl discovers her
telepathic ability. Review: A really nice episode featuring
Delenn and the young girl telepath. I seem to have a
weakness for stories involving telepaths, other people didn't
seem so thrilled with this episode.
#18 (07/27/94) A Voice in the Wilderness 1 Writer: JMS
#19 (08/03/94) A Voice in the Wilderness 2 Writer: JMS
Grade A ARC Summary: The planet that B5 is orbiting starts
having odd seismic events. Further exploration reveals that
it was once inhabited by a very advanced species (part 1).
The Earth Alliance sends a cruiser to B5 to "take charge".
The planet below B5 starts a process that will lead to it and
B5's destruction (part 2). Review: An awesome two hour
episode with great writing, acting, and special effects.
#20 (08/10/94) Babylon Squared Writer: JMS
Grade A ARC Summary: The mystery of the previous station's
(Babylon 4) disappearance is at least partially solved when it
suddenly reappears. Delenn is summoned to meet the Gray
Council. Review: ARGH!!! What with time travel, hints about
the future, hints about the past, and a surprise at the end,
this episode is one of the most frustratingly fascinating
episodes I have ever seen.
#21 (08/17/94) The Quality of Mercy Writer: JMS
Grade B Summary: B5's doctor discovers another "healer"
working unofficially among the lurkers. B5's criminal justice
system comes down hard on a brutal killer. Londo takes
Delenn's aid on a tour of Babylon 5. Review: Well thought
out script and a good performance by the B5 doctor. Still, the
episode was oddly unsatisfying. Everything was so neatly
wrapped up by the end (this is a criticism?).
#22 Chrysalis (Season Finale) Writer: JMS
Grade A ARC The Narn and the Centauri dispute turns in an
unexpected direction when the mysterious Morden offers to help
Londo get rid of the Narn problem. The Shadows prove to be
very deadly to the Narns. Meanwhile a plot is uncovered on B5
that relates to the president of the Earth Alliance. Review:
a wild episode that left us with lots of questions and few
answers. Great special effects, a great episode.
Season One Notes:
Is it an accident (or just bias on my part) that all of the
"C" rated episodes (Infection, War Prayer, and Grail) were
directed by Richard Compton? For those who care, Compton was
not hired by JMS to work on the second season shows.
Summary: The first season of Babylon 5 ends with 11 of the 21
episodes getting an "A" rating and none getting a "D"
(although Grail came close). In comparison with STNG and DS9,
Babylon 5 has done a much better job with its first year. It
may even have done as well as Star Trek in its first year,
though I find it hard to judge the original series. Signs and
Portents, Chrysalis, Parliament of Dreams, A Voice in the
Wilderness, and others are sure to be remembered as some of
the best Science Fiction ever shown on television.
SEASON 2 (overall title for this season is unknown)
#1 Points of Departure (11/94) Writer: JMS
Grade C ARC A new commander of B5 is suddenly appointed to
B5. The Mimbari do not like the new commander and a
"dissident" Mimbari warship comes to B5 for no good purpose.
Review: The new commander (Bruce Boxleitner) seems tentative
and with almost all the regular characters gone, the episode
has a displeasing atmosphere. We do learn one piece of
information: why the Mimbari stopped the war against Earth.
#2 Revelations (11/94) Writer: JMS
Grade C ARC The new commander's sister arrives on station
and brings up some sad memories for the commander. G'Karr has
found a world where the Shadows seem to be living(?). Londo
and Morden have a chat. Delenn and Girabaldi reappear.
Review: The interaction between Captain Sheridan and his
sister seemed flat. Girabaldi recovers via a nice trick but
the way his attacker was captured lacked all interest. Lots of
issues get resolved but the result is so blah.
#3 Geometry of Shadows (11/94) Writer: JMS
Grade B Londo is getting delusions of grandeur and thinks
that if he can get the blessing of a Technomage it will
advance his position in Centauri politics. Meanwhile, a civil
war has broken out between two sudden factions in an alien
race. Commander Ivanova gets to deal with the Drazi problem.
Review: A more interesting episode as Londo deals with someone
he doesn't understand. Ivanova and the Drazi was a very good
story with an amusing ending.
#4 A Distant Sun (11/94) Writer: D.C. Fontana
Grade A An Earth Explorer ship stops briefly at B5 before
heading out to map a new area of space. As you might
expect, there are problems with the explorer ship, but they
occur in hyperspace. Review: A very good episode with some
fascinating discoveries about the nature of hyperspace and a
wonderfully odd design for the previously unseen explorer
class starship. Also, the "B" plot with the doctor and his
new diet for Sheridan, Garibaldi, and Ivanova is very funny.
#5 The Long Dark (11/94) Writer: (Scott Frost?)
Grade B A very old space ship from Earth is pulled aboard B5.
One of the two-person crew is alive, the other has been killed
by something. Review: In many ways this seems like a standard
TV script, there is a begining, a middle, and an end. By the
end everything is neatly wrapped up. Some special effects did
not work for me (the homage to a classic scene from the
Forbiden Planet at the end).
Still To Come in Season Two:
A Spider in the Web
A Race Through Dark Places
Soul Mates (formerly Pestilence, Famine and Death)
The Coming of Shadows
The Very Long Night of Susan Ivanova
All Our Songs Forgotten (formerly Unnatural Selection)
Gropos
Demon on the Run
?? The Customer is Always Right (may not be shown)
Season Two Notes:
As of the forth episode, Boxleitner is getting better, but he
is still not at the same level as O'Hare reached in his best
moments. In fairness it must be said that O'Hare got off to a
rocky start as well. At this time I question the decision to
replace O'Hare. To me, it looks like the first two episodes
were seriously distorted due to the need of establishing the
new commander's character. If Sinclair had stayed, both
episodes could have been improved in terms of more plot and
less exposition. Plus, O'Hare would not be going through this
"learning curve". Maybe later JMS will show us all the neat
things that he was able to do as a result of making this
change. At this time, I am unconvinced.
In terms of B5 mechanics, the special effects are improved,
the new sets look nice, and the music is much worse than
before. The opening sequence is inferior to that of Season
One in terms of narration and music, although matching the
names to faces is a good touch. Finally, the "all alone in
the night" bit really bothers me, the image is not right for
the accompanying picture, it is too pat, too simplistic. Plus
B5 seems like a happening place these days, not very lonely at
all, what with Drall running the planet below and all sorts of
ships coming to visit.
Delenn's new look: I don't like it. Before, Delenn was a very
lovely alien. Now she looks like a more ordinary woman with a
rather large and unsightly head band. Why is there hair above
her head bone structure, and below it? To my tastes, it looks
ugly. It is sad that the creators spent a lot of time and
effort on this only to have it turn out so poorly.
-- Colin Glassey 12/1/94
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