“Babylon 5”的意思、由来-开放百科全书

Unlike most television shows at the time, Babylon 5 was conceived as a "novel for television", with a defined beginning, middle, and end; in essence, each episode would be a single "chapter" of this "novel".^[3] The series consists of a coherent five-year story arc unfolding over five seasons of 22 episodes each. Tie-in novels, comic books, and short stories were also developed to play a significant canonical part in the overall story.^[4]

The series follows the human military staff and alien diplomats stationed on a space station, Babylon 5, built in the aftermath of several major inter-species wars as a neutral focal point for galactic diplomacy and trade. Babylon 5 was an early example of a television series featuring story arcs which spanned episodes or whole seasons. Whereas contemporary television shows tended to confine conflicts to individual episodes, maintaining the overall status quo, each season of Babylon 5 contains plot elements which permanently change the series universe.^[5] Babylon 5 utilized multiple episodes to address the repercussions of some plot events or character decisions, and episode plots would at times reference or be influenced by events from prior episodes or seasons, which was relatively unusual at the time.^[6]

Many races of sentient creatures are seen frequenting the station, with most episodes drawing from a core of a dozen or so species. Major plotlines included Babylon 5s embroilment in a millennia-long cyclical conflict between ancient, powerful races, inter-race wars and their aftermaths, and intrigue or upheaval within particular races, including the human characters who fight to resist Earth's descent into totalitarianism. Many episodes focus on the effect of wider events on individual characters, with episodes containing themes such as personal change, loss, subjugation, corruption, defiance, and redemption.

Setting

Babylon 5, set primarily between the years 2257 and 2262, depicts a future where Earth has a unifying Earth government and has gained the technology for faster-than-light travel. Colonies within the solar system, and beyond, make up the Earth Alliance, which has established contact with other spacefaring species. Ten years before the series is set, Earth itself was nearly defeated in a war with the intellectual Minbari, only to escape destruction when the Minbari unexpectedly surrendered at the brink of victory; since then, Earth has established peaceful relationships with them.

Among the other species are the imperialist Centauri; the Narn, who only recently gained independence from the Centauri empire; and the mysterious, powerful Vorlons. Several dozen less powerful species from the League of Non-Aligned Worlds also have diplomatic contact with the major races, including the Drazi, Brakiri, Vree, Markab, and pak'ma'ra. An ancient and secretive race, the Shadows, unknown to humans but documented in many other races' religious texts, malevolently influence events to bring chaos and war among the known species.

The Babylon 5 space station is located in the Epsilon Eridani system, at the fifth Lagrangian point between the fictional planet Epsilon III and its moon.^[7] It is an O'Neill cylinder {{convert|5|mi|km}} long and {{convert|0.5-1.0|mi|km}} in diameter. The station is the last of its line; the first three stations were all destroyed before completion, while Babylon 4 mysteriously vanished shortly after being made operational.^[8] It contains living areas which accommodate various alien species, providing differing atmospheres and gravities. Human visitors to the alien sectors are shown using breathing equipment and other measures to tolerate the conditions.^[9]

Cast

Regular cast

Babylon 5 featured an ensemble cast which changed over the course of the show's run:

Recurring guests

In addition, several other actors have filled more than one minor role on the series. Kim Strauss played the Drazi Ambassador in four episodes, as well as nine other characters in ten more episodes.^[11] Some actors had difficulty dealing with the application of prosthetics required to play some of the alien characters. The producers therefore used the same group of people (as many as 12) in various mid-level speaking roles, taking full head and body casts from each. The group came to be unofficially known by the production as the "Babylon 5 Alien Rep Group."^[12]

Synopsis

The five seasons of the series each correspond to one fictional sequential year in the period 2258–2262. Each season shares its name with an episode that is central to that season's plot.

Season 1 – Year 2258

During 2258, Commander Jeffrey Sinclair is in charge of the station, assisted by executive officer Susan Ivanova and security chief Michael Garibaldi. The season traces his gradual recollection of his capture by the Minbari during their war with humans. The Minbari came to believe that Sinclair carried the soul of Valen, a revered Minbari leader. Inferring that Minbari souls were being reborn as humans, the Minbari surrendered to avoid further fratricide. This action is a source of internal strife between some Minbari.

Meanwhile, tensions between the Centauri Republic, an empire in decline, and the Narn Regime, a former Centauri dominion which successfully rebelled, are increasing. Seeking for his people to regain their former prominence, Mollari makes a deal with a mysterious ally, Mr. Morden, to strike back at the Narn. On Earth, some humans resent the influence of aliens, and seek to eliminate them from Earth-owned property, including Babylon 5.

Minbari Ambassador Delenn is revealed to belong to the Grey Council, the Minbari ruling body. She eventually transforms into a Minbari/human hybrid, ostensibly to build a bridge between the humans and Minbari. The year ends with the death of Earth Alliance president Luis Santiago, which the staff of Babylon 5 believe to have been an assassination.

Season 2 – Year 2259

Captain John Sheridan assumes the military governance of the station after Sinclair is reassigned, without explanation, to Minbar. He and the command staff discover that now-president Morgan Clark arranged the assassination of President Santiago. Conflict develops between the Babylon 5 command staff and the Psi Corps, an increasingly autocratic organization which oversees and controls the lives of human telepaths.

Ambassador Mollari, in preparation for the death of the ailing Centauri Emperor, works with Lord Refa to assassinate any challengers to the throne, while continuing to utilize Mr. Morden and his "associates"—the Shadows—against the Narn. When the emperor dies, Mollari and Refa place the emperor's unstable nephew, Cartagia, on the throne. Through him they instigate full-scale war with the Narn, using weapons of mass destruction to conquer the Narn homeworld.

Earth's government becomes more totalitarian, suppressing dissent and broadcasting propaganda. Kosh and other Vorlons approach Sheridan and reveal themselves to be the enemies of the Shadows, asking for Sheridan's help to fight them.

Season 3 – Year 2260

Earth's government continues to become more xenophobic, while on Babylon 5, Sheridan and Delenn, who have become romantically involved, create a "conspiracy of light" to try to reveal the truth behind the Shadows' influence. Historically tense relations between Earth and its Mars colony reach breaking point when Mars declares independence and Earth's government declares martial law and attacks. Sheridan, outraged, withdraws Babylon 5 from the Earth Alliance, supported by the Minbari.

The fate of Babylon 4 is discovered when Sinclair returns to the station to request Sheridan's help: Sinclair had been destined to use time travel to take Babylon 4 back in time to the previous Minbari-Shadow war, where he is transformed into the revered Minbari leader, Valen, using the same device Delenn used for her transformation.

Ambassador Mollari realizes his deal with the Shadows has become dangerous and tries to sever ties with Mr. Morden, but fails. Kosh informs Sheridan that the Shadows can be fought with telepaths. The Vorlons attack the Shadows at Sheridan's insistence, but the Shadows kill Kosh in retaliation.

Sheridan's wife, presumed dead on an archaeological dig on the planet Z'ha'dum years earlier, arrives at the station and convinces Sheridan to accompany her to Z'ha'dum. The Shadows attempt to force Sheridan to join their cause, their ships threatening Babylon 5. Sheridan, guided by Kosh's words, flies a vessel loaded with explosives into the planet while jumping into a large chasm. The Shadow ships withdraw, but Garibaldi, deployed to defend the station, does not return.

Season 4 – Year 2261

Sheridan returns from Z'ha'dum with the help of a strange being known as Lorien, who has given Sheridan 20 more years to live. The Vorlons alarm the other races when they begin destroying entire planets that have been influenced by the Shadows. Mollari, fearing the Vorlons will destroy Centauri Prime, destroys the Shadow base there and executes Mr. Morden. Sheridan learns that the Vorlons and Shadows were tasked as caretakers for younger races in the galaxy, but due to profound differences in ideology have been at war for eons, using the younger races as pawns in a proxy war. With the help of other ancient races, Sheridan convinces the Vorlons and Shadows to leave and cease interfering with the younger races.

Garibaldi returns to Babylon 5, with no explanation for his disappearance. He has unexplained changes in behavior and distances himself from the command staff, resigning and relocating to Mars to work with tycoon William Edgars. He also subdues Sheridan, allowing the latter to be kidnapped. It is revealed that Garibaldi was co-opted by the Psi-Corps to spy on Edgars, who is found to be developing a virus to destroy telepaths.

With the Vorlons and Shadows gone, Earth's totalitarian government attempts to use the captured Sheridan as a propaganda tool, but Garibaldi - now free from Psi-Corps influence - rescues him. A brief civil war breaks out on Earth, culminating in President Clark's suicide and Sheridan's surrender to Earth forces. Ivanova is critically injured in the war, and decides to leave Earthforce.

The League of Non-Aligned Worlds are reorganized into a Interstellar Alliance with Earth, Minbar, Narn, and Centauri, acting as a United Nations across the galaxy, with the Rangers as their enforcers. Sheridan is made president of the Alliance, and he and Delenn marry.

Season 5 – Year 2262 and beyond

In 2262, Earthforce Captain Elizabeth Lochley is appointed to command Babylon 5, which is now also the headquarters of the Interstellar Alliance. A conflict arises between Psi-Corps and a group of rogue telepaths that are seeking their own homeworld after learning that the Vorlons created telepaths as weapons against the Shadows. When several telepaths martyr themselves, Lyta leads attacks against the Psi-Corps, becoming an enemy of the state.

Meanwhile, Alliance trade and civilian ships are being attacked by an unknown force, and evidence is discovered that the Centauri may be involved. Mollari discovers that the Drakh, a Shadow-allied race, have forced the Centauri leadership to precipitate war with the Alliance, in part as revenge for Mollari's turn against the Shadows. Mollari is forced to co-operate when he becomes Emperor, and withdraws the Centauri from the Alliance. Vir becomes the Centauri ambassador on the station.

Separate stories show the long-standing members of Babylon 5 making plans to leave the station: Sheridan and Delenn move to the Alliance's permanent headquarters on Minbar. Garibaldi, having relapsed in his alcoholism, is aided by Lise, and the two marry and return to Mars. Dr. Franklin takes a position on Earth as head of xenobiology. G'Kar discovers he has become a religious figure, and unable to stay on the station or return to Narn, exiles himself to travel the galaxy, taking Lyta with him since she is in a similar position.

Twenty years after his return from Z'ha'dum, Sheridan feels his life fading. He has the Rangers gather his old friends on Minbar for a farewell party. The next day, Sheridan attempts to leave while Delenn is asleep, but she stops him to say a final goodbye. Alone, Sheridan revisits Babylon 5, now being decommissioned, before continuing to the location of the final Vorlon/Shadow encounter. Drawing his last breaths, he is met by Lorien, who invites Sheridan to travel beyond the galactic rim. Sheridan's ship is found adrift and empty some days later.

Production

Origin

Having worked on a number of television science fiction shows which had regularly gone over budget, Straczynski concluded that a lack of long-term planning was to blame, and set about looking at ways in which a series could be done responsibly. Taking note of the lessons of mainstream television, which brought stories to a centralized location such as a hospital, police station, or law office, he decided that instead of "[going] in search of new worlds, building them anew each week", a fixed space station setting would keep costs at a reasonable level. A fan of sagas such as the Foundation series, Childhood's End, The Lord of the Rings, Dune and the Lensman series, Straczynski wondered why no one had done a television series with the same epic sweep, and concurrently with the first idea started developing the concept for a vastly ambitious epic covering massive battles and other universe-changing events. Realizing that both the fixed-locale series and the epic could be done in a single series, he began to sketch the initial outline of what would become Babylon 5.^[13]^[14]

Straczynski set five goals for Babylon 5. He said that the show "would have to be good science fiction" as well as good television – "rarely are shows both good [science fiction] and good TV; there're {{sic}} generally one or the other [emphasis in original]." It would have to do for science fiction television what Hill Street Blues had done for police dramas, by taking an adult approach to the subject. It would have to be reasonably budgeted, and "it would have to look unlike anything ever seen before on TV, presenting individual stories against a much broader canvas." He further stressed that his approach was "to take [science fiction] seriously, to build characters for grown-ups, to incorporate real science but keep the characters at the center of the story."^[16]^[17] Some of the staples of television science fiction were also out of the question (the show would have "no kids or cute robots").^[18] The idea was not to present a perfect utopian future, but one with greed and homelessness; one where characters grow, develop, live, and die; one where not everything was the same at the end of the day's events. Citing Mark Twain as an influence, Straczynski said he wanted the show to be a mirror to the real world and to covertly teach.^[13]

Following production on Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future, Straczynski approached John Copeland and Doug Netter, who had also been involved with Captain Power and showed him the bible and pilot script for his show, and both were impressed with his ideas.^[19] They were able to secure an order for the pilot from Warner Bros. who were looking at the time to get programming for a planned broadcast network.

Writing

Straczynski wrote 92 of the 110 episodes of Babylon 5, including all 44 episodes in the third and fourth seasons;^[20] according to Straczynski, a feat never before accomplished in American television.^[21] Other writers to have contributed scripts to the show include Peter David, Neil Gaiman, Kathryn M. Drennan, Lawrence G. DiTillio, D. C. Fontana, and David Gerrold. Harlan Ellison, a creative consultant on the show, received story credits for two episodes.^[22] Each writer was informed of the overarching storyline, enabling the show to be produced consistently under-budget. The rules of production were strict; scripts were written six episodes in advance, and changes could not be made once production had started.^[23]

Though conceived as a whole, it was necessary to adjust the plotline to accommodate external influences. Each of the characters in the series was written with a "trap door" into their background so that, in the event of an actor's unexpected departure from the series, the character could be written out with minimal impact on the storyline.^[24] In the words of Straczynski, "As a writer, doing a long-term story, it'd be dangerous and short-sighted for me to construct the story without trap doors for every single character. ... That was one of the big risks going into a long-term storyline which I considered long in advance;..."^[25] This device was eventuallly used to facilitate the departure of Claudia Christian and Andrea Thompson from the series.

Ratings for Babylon 5 continued to rise during the show's third season, but going into the fourth season, the impending demise of network PTEN left a fifth year in doubt. Unable to get word one way or the other from parent company Warner Bros., and unwilling to short-change the story and the fans, Straczynski began preparing modifications to the fourth season in order to allow for both eventualities. Straczynski identified three primary narrative threads which would require resolution: the Shadow war, Earth's slide into a dictatorship, and a series of sub-threads which branched off from those. Estimating they would still take around 27 episodes to resolve without having the season feel rushed, the solution came when the TNT network commissioned two Babylon 5 television films. Several hours of material was thus able to be moved into the films, including a three-episode arc which would deal with the background to the Earth–Minbari War, and a sub-thread which would have set up the sequel series, Crusade. Further standalone episodes and plot-threads were dropped from season four, which could be inserted into Crusade, or the fifth season, were it to be given the greenlight.^[27] The intended series finale, "Sleeping in Light", was filmed during season four as a precaution against cancellation. When word came that TNT had picked up Babylon 5, this was moved to the end of season five and replaced with a newly filmed season four finale, "The Deconstruction of Falling Stars".^[28]

Costume

Ann Bruice Aling was costume designer for the show, after production designer John Iacovelli suggested her for the position having previously worked with Bruice on a number of film and theatrical productions.^[29]

With the variety of costumes required she compared Babylon 5 to "eclectic theatre", with fewer rules about period, line, shape and textures having to be adhered to.^[30] Preferring natural materials whenever possible, such as ostrich leather in the Narn body armor, Bruice combined and layered fabrics as diverse as rayon and silk with brocades from the 1930s and '40s to give the clothing the appearance of having evolved within different cultures.^[31]^[32]

Normally there were three changes of costume for the primary actors; one for on set, one for the stunt double and one on standby in case of "coffee spills". For human civilians, garments were generally purchased off-the-rack and altered in various ways, such as removing lapels from jackets and shirts while rearranging closures, to suggest future fashions. For some of the main female characters a more couture approach was taken, as in the suits worn by Talia Winters which Bruice described as being designed and fitted to within "an inch of their life". Costumes for the destitute residents of downbelow would be distressed through a combination of bleaching, sanding, dipping in dye baths and having stage blood added.^[31]

Like many of the crew on the show, members of the costume department made onscreen cameos. During the season 4 episode "Atonement", the tailors and costume supervisor appeared as the Minbari women fitting Zack Allan for his new uniform as the recently promoted head of security. His complaints, and the subsequent stabbing of him with a needle by costume supervisor Kim Holly, was a light-hearted reference to the previous security uniforms, a design carried over from the pilot movie which were difficult to work with and wear due to the combination of leather and wool.^[32]

Prosthetic makeup and animatronics

While the original pilot film featured some aliens which were puppets and animatronics, the decision was made early on in the show's production to portray most alien species as humanoid in appearance. Barring isolated appearances, fully computer-generated aliens were discounted as an idea due to the "massive rendering power"^[34] required. Long-term use of puppets and animatronics was also discounted due to the technological limitations in providing convincing interaction with the human actors ("...if you want any real emotion from the character, you're going {{notatypo|to have to have}} an actor inside").^[34]

Visuals

In anticipation of future HDTV broadcasts and Laserdisc releases, rather than the usual 3 format, the series was shot in 9, with the image cropped to 4:3 for initial television transmissions.^[35] Babylon 5 also distinguished itself at a time when models and miniature were still standard by becoming one of the first television shows to use computer technology in creating visual effects. This was achieved using Amiga-based Video Toasters at first, and later Pentium, Macs, and Alpha-based systems.^[36] It also attempted to respect Newtonian physics in its effects sequences, with particular emphasis on the effects of inertia.^[37]

Music and scoring

Initially concerned composing for an episodic television show could become "annoying because of the repetition", Franke found the evolving characters and story of Babylon 5 afforded him the opportunity to continually take new directions.^[50]^[51] Given creative freedom by the producers, Franke also orchestrated and mixed all the music, which one reviewer described as having "added another dimension of mystery, suspense, and excitement to the show, with an easily distinguishable character that separates "Babylon 5" from other sci-fi television entries of the era."^[43]^[44]

With his recording studio in the same building as his home located in the Hollywood Hills, Franke would attend creative meetings before scoring the on average 25 minutes of music for each episode.^[43] Utilizing the "acoustic dirt produced by live instruments and the ability to play so well between two semitones" and the "frequency range, dynamics and control" provided by synthesizers, he described his approach "as experimental friendly as possible without leaving the happy marriage between the orchestral and electronic sounds".^[51]

Utilising Cubase software through an electronic keyboard, or for more complex pieces a light pen and graphics tablet, he would begin by developing the melodic content round which the ambient components and transitions were added. Using playbacks with digital samples of the appropriate instruments, such as a group of violins, he would decide which tracks to produce electronically or record acoustically.^[43]^[45]

Scores for the acoustic tracks were emailed to his Berlin scoring stage, and would require from four musicians to the full orchestra, with a maximum of 24 present at any one time. One of three conductors would also be required for any score that involved more than 6 musicians. Franke would direct recording sessions via six fibre optic digital telephone lines to transmit and receive video, music and the SMPTE timecode. The final edit and mixing of the tracks would take place in his Los Angeles studio.

A total of 24 episode and three television film soundtracks were released under Franke's record label, Sonic Images Records, between 1995 and 2001. These contain the musical scores in the same chronological order as they played in the corresponding episodes, or television films. Three compilation albums were also produced, containing extensively re-orchestrated and remixed musical passages taken from throughout the series to create more elaborate suites. In 2007 his soundtrack for The Lost Tales was released under the Varèse Sarabande record label.

Themes

Throughout its run, Babylon 5 found ways to portray themes relevant to modern and historical social issues. It marked several firsts in television science fiction, such as the exploration of the political and social landscapes of the first human colonies, their interactions with Earth, and the underlying tensions.^[58] Babylon 5 was also one of the first television science fiction shows to denotatively refer to a same-sex relationship.^[46]^[47] In the show, sexual orientation is as much of an issue as "being left-handed or right-handed".^[48] Unrequited love is explored as a source of pain for the characters, though not all the relationships end unhappily.^[49]

Order vs. chaos; authoritarianism vs. free will

The clash between order and chaos, and the people caught in between, plays an important role in Babylon 5. The conflict between two unimaginably powerful older races, the Vorlons and the Shadows, is represented as a battle between competing ideologies, each seeking to turn the humans and the other younger races to their beliefs. The Vorlons represent an authoritarian philosophy of unquestioning obedience. Vorlon characters frequently ask, "who are you?" focusing on identity as a catalyst for shaping personal goals;^[50]^[65] the intention is not to solicit a correct answer, but to "tear down the artifices we construct around ourselves until we're left facing ourselves, not our roles."^[51] The Shadows represent another authoritarian philosophy cloaked in a disguise of evolution through fire, of fomenting conflict in order to promote evolutionary progress.^[52] Characters affiliated with the Shadows repeatedly ask, "what do you want?" emphasising personal desire and ambition, using it to shape identity,^[65] encouraging conflict between groups who choose to serve their own glory or profit.^[53] The representation of order and chaos was informed by the Babylonian myth that the universe was born in the conflict between both. The climax of this conflict comes with the younger races' exposing of the Vorlons' and the Shadows' "true faces"^[54] and the rejection of both philosophies,^[55] heralding the dawn of a new age without their interference.

The notion that the war was about "killing your parents"^[54] is echoed in the portrayal of the civil war between the human colonies and Earth. Deliberately dealing in historical and political metaphor, with particular emphasis upon McCarthyism and the HUAC,^[56] the Earth Alliance becomes increasingly authoritarian, eventually sliding into a dictatorship. The show examines the impositions on civil liberties under the pretext of greater defense against outside threats which aid its rise, and the self-delusion of a populace which believes its moral superiority will never allow a dictatorship to come to power, until it is too late.^[57] The successful rebellion led by the Babylon 5 station results in the restoration of a democratic government and true autonomy for Mars and the colonies.^[58]

War and peace

The Shadow War also features prominently in the show, wherein the Shadows work to instigate conflict between other races to promote technological and cultural advancement, opposed by the Vorlons who are attempting to impose their own authoritarian philosophy of obedience. The gradual discovery of the scheme and the rebellion against it underpin the first three seasons,^[63] but also as a wider metaphor for competing forces of order and chaos. In that respect, Straczynski stated he presented Earth's descent into a dictatorship as its own "shadow war".^[64] In ending the Shadow War before the conclusion of the series, the show was able to more fully explore its aftermath, and it is this "war at home" which forms the bulk of the remaining two seasons. The struggle for independence between Mars and Earth culminates with a civil war between the human colonies (led by the Babylon 5 station) and the home planet. Choosing Mars as both the spark for the civil war, and the staging ground for its dramatic conclusion, enabled the viewer to understand the conflict more fully than had it involved an anonymous colony orbiting a distant star.^[65] The conflict, and the reasons behind it, were informed by Nazism, McCarthyism and the breakup of Yugoslavia,^[56] and the destruction of the state also served as partial inspiration for the Minbari civil war.^[66]^[67]

The post-war landscape has its roots in the Reconstruction. The attempt to resolve the issues of the American Civil War after the conflict had ended, and this struggle for survival in a changed world was also informed by works such as Alas, Babylon, a novel dealing with the after-effects of a nuclear war on a small American town.^[68] The show expresses that the end of these wars is not an end to war itself. Events shown hundreds of years into the show's future tell of wars which will once again bring the human race to the edge of annihilation, demonstrating that mankind will not change, and the best that can be hoped for after it falls is that it climbs a little higher each time, until it can one day "take [its] place among the stars, teaching those who follow."^[69]

Religion

Many of Earth's contemporary religions are shown to still exist, with the main human characters often having religious convictions. Among those specifically identified are the Roman Catholic branch of Christianity (including the Jesuits), Judaism, and the fictional Foundationism (which developed after first contact with alien races).^[71] Alien beliefs in the show range from the Centauri's Bacchanalian-influenced religions,^[70] of which there are up to seventy different denominations,^[72] to the more pantheistic as with the Narn and Minbari religions.^[73] In the show's third season, a community of Cistercian monks takes up residence on the Babylon 5 station, in order to learn what other races call God,^[74] and to come to a better understanding of the different religions through study at close quarters.^[75]

References to both human and alien religion is often subtle and brief, but can also form the main theme of an episode.^[76] The first season episode "The Parliament of Dreams" is a conventional "showcase" for religion, in which each species on the Babylon 5 station has an opportunity to demonstrate its beliefs (humanity's are presented as being numerous and varied),^[70] while "Passing Through Gethsemane" focuses on a specific position of Roman Catholic beliefs,^[77] as well as concepts of justice, vengeance, and biblical forgiveness.^[78] Other treatments have been more contentious, such as the David Gerrold-scripted "Believers", in which alien parents would rather see their son die than undergo a life-saving operation because their religious beliefs forbid it.^[70]

When religion is an integral part of an episode, various characters express differing view points. In the episode "Soul Hunter", where the concept of an immortal soul is touched upon, and whether after death it is destroyed, reincarnated, or simply does not exist. The character arguing the latter, Doctor Stephen Franklin, often appears in the more spiritual storylines as his scientific rationality is used to create dramatic conflict. Undercurrents of religions such as Buddhism have been viewed by some in various episode scripts,^[79] and while identifying himself as an atheist,^[70] Straczynski believes that passages of dialog can take on distinct meanings to viewers of differing faiths, and that the show ultimately expresses ideas which cross religious boundaries.^[80]

Addiction

Substance abuse and its impact on human personalities also features in the Babylon 5 storyline. Garibaldi is a relapsing-remitting alcoholic, who practices complete abstinence throughout most of the series until the middle of season five, only recovering at the end of the season. Zack Allan, his eventual replacement as chief of security, was given a second chance by Garibaldi after overcoming his own addiction to an unspecified drug. Dr. Stephen Franklin develops an addiction to injectable stimulant drugs while trying to cope with the chronic stress and work overload in Medlab, and takes a leave of absence from his position to recover. Executive Officer Susan Ivanova mentions that her father became an alcoholic after her mother's suicide. Captain Elizabeth Lochley tells Garibaldi that her father was an alcoholic, and that she is a recovering alcoholic herself.^[81]

Influences

While the series is replete with elements which some argue are intended to invoke other works of fiction, myth or legend, there are a number of specific literary references. Several episodes take their titles from Shakespearean monologues,^[84]^[85] and at least one character quotes Shakespeare directly.^[86] The Psi-Cop Alfred Bester was named after the science fiction author of the same name, as his work influenced the autocratic Psi Corps organisation the character represents.^[87]

There are a number of references to the legend of King Arthur, with ships named Excalibur appearing in the main series and the Crusade spin-off, and a character in "A Late Delivery from Avalon" claiming to posess the sword itself. Straczynski links the incident which sparked the Earth-Minbari war, in which actions are misinterpreted during a tense situation, to a sequence in Le Morte d'Arthur, in which a standoff between two armies turns violent when innocent actions are misinterpreted as hostile.^[88]

The series also references contemporary and ancient history. The Centauri are in part modelled on the Roman empire.^[89] Emperor Cartagia believes himself to be a god, a deliberate reference to Caligula.^[90] His eventual assassination leads to the ascension of Londo and eventually Vir, both unlikely candidates for the throne, similar to Claudius' improbable ascension after Caligula was assassinated.^[91] The series also references the novel I, Claudius by Robert Graves when Cartagia jokes that he has cured a man of his cough after having him beheaded, something also done by Caligula.^[92]

In more recent historical references, in the episode "In the Shadow of Z'ha'dhum," Sheridan ponders Winston Churchill's Coventry dilemma, of whether or not to act on covertly gathered intelligence during a war. Lives would be saved, but at the risk of revealing to the enemy that their intentions are known, which may be far more damaging in the long term. The swearing in of Vice President Morgan Clark invokes the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, being deliberately staged to mirror the scene aboard Air Force One when Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as President.^[93]

Although Straczynski is a professed atheist, Babylon 5 refers to the Christian faith in a number of places. Several episodes have titles which refer to the Christian faith, such as "Passing Through Gethsemane", "A Voice in the Wilderness," and "And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place," the latter being a line from the gospel song "There's no Hiding Place Down Here." The monks led by Brother Theo who, in the episode "Convictions," take up residence on Babylon 5, belong to the Dominican Order, a Roman Catholic monastic Order.

Use of the Internet

The show employed Internet marketing to create a buzz among online readers far in advance of the airing of the pilot episode,^[94] with Straczynski participating in online communities on USENET (in the rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated newsgroup), and the GEnie and CompuServe systems before the Web came together as it exists today. The station's location, in "grid epsilon" at coordinates of 470/18/22, was a reference to GEnie ("grid epsilon" = "GE")^[95] and the original forum's address on the system's bulletin boards (page 470, category 18, topic 22).^[96]

Also during this time, Warner Bros. executive Jim Moloshok created and distributed electronic trading cards to help advertise the series.^[97] In 1995, Warner Bros. started the Official Babylon 5 Website on the now defunct Pathfinder portal. In September 1995, they hired series fan Troy Rutter to take over the site and move it to its own domain name, and to oversee the Keyword B5 area on America Online.^[98]

Broadcast history

The pilot film, The Gathering, premiered on February 22, 1993, and the regular series initially aired from January 26, 1994 through November 25, 1998,^[99] first on the short-lived Prime Time Entertainment Network, then in first-run syndication. The fifth season aired on cable network TNT. The show aired every week in the United Kingdom on Channel 4 without a break; as a result the last four or five episodes of the early seasons were shown in the UK before the US.^[100] The pilot film debuted in the United States with strong viewing figures, achieving a 9.7 in the Nielsen national syndication rankings.^[101] The series proper debuted with a 6.8 rating/10 share. Figures dipped in its second week, and while it posted a solid 5.0 rating/8 share, with an increase in several major markets,^[102] ratings for the first season continued to fall, to a low of 3.4 during reruns,^[103] and then increasing again when new episodes were broadcast in July.{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}

Ratings continued to remain low-to-middling throughout the first four seasons,^[104] but Babylon 5 scored well with the demographics required to attract the leading national sponsors and saved up to $300,000 per episode by shooting off the studio lot,^[101] therefore remaining profitable for the network.^[105] The fifth season, shown on cable network TNT, had ratings about 1.0% lower than seasons two through four.

In the United Kingdom, Babylon 5 was one of the better-rated US television shows on Channel 4,^[106] and achieved high audience Appreciation Indexes, with season 4's "Endgame" achieving the rare feat of beating the prime-time soap operas for first position.^[107]

On November 25, 1998, after five seasons and 109 aired episodes, Babylon 5 successfully completed its five-year story arc when TNT aired the 110th (epilogue) episode "Sleeping in Light". That finale had been filmed at the end of Season 4 when Babylon 5 was under threat of not being picked up for its fifth season. After the fifth season was assured, a new Season 4 finale was used so that the already filmed "Sleeping in Light" could be used to cap off the final fifth season of the story arc.

Reception

Awards

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Paramount plagiarism controversy

Straczynski indicated that Paramount Television was aware of his concept as early as 1989,^[111] when he attempted to sell the show to the studio, and provided them with the series bible, pilot script, artwork, lengthy character background histories, and plot synopses for 22 "or so planned episodes taken from the overall course of the planned series".^[112]^[113]

Paramount declined to produce Babylon 5, but later announced Deep Space Nine was in development, two months after Warner Bros. announced its plans for Babylon 5. Unlike previous Star Trek shows, Deep Space Nine was based on a space station, and included similar themes related to alien species formerly at war coming to resolve their differences, which drew many to compare it with Babylon 5. Straczynski stated that, even though he was confident that Deep Space Nine producer/creators Rick Berman and Michael Piller had not seen this material, he suspected that Paramount executives used his bible and scripts to steer development of Deep Space Nine.^[114]^[115]^[116] Straczynski and Warner did not file suit against Paramount, largely because he believed it would negatively affect both TV series. He argued the same when confronted by claims that the lack of legal action was proof that his allegation was unfounded.^[116]

Influence and legacy

Generally viewed as having "launched the new era of television CGI visual effects",^[117] Babylon 5 received multiple awards during its initial run, including two consecutive Hugo Awards for best dramatic presentation,^[118]^[119] and continues to regularly feature prominently in various polls and listings highlighting top-rated science fiction series.^[120]^[121]^[122]

Straczynski has claimed that the multi-year story arc, now a feature of most mainstream televised drama, is the lasting legacy of the series. He also claims Babylon 5 was the first series to be shot in the 9 aspect ratio, and to use 5.1 channel sound mixes.^[127] It was an early example of widespread use of CGI rather than models for space scenes, which allowed for more freedom and larger scale in creating said scenes. While praised at the time, due to budgetary and mastering issues these sequences are considered to have aged poorly.^[125]^[128]

A recurring theme among reviewers is that the series was more than the sum of its parts: while variously criticising the writing, directing, acting and effects, particularly by comparison to current television productions, reviewers praised the consistency of plotting over the series' run, transcending the quality of its individual elements. Many retrospectives, while criticising virtually every individual aspect of the production, have praised the series as a whole for its narrative cohesion and contribution to serialized television.^[126]^[129]^[130]^[131]

Babylon 5 media franchise

In November 1994, DC began publishing monthly Babylon 5 comics. A number of short stories and novels were also produced between 1995 and 2001. Additional books were published by the gaming companies Chameleon Eclectic and Mongoose Publishing, to support their desk-top strategy and role-playing games.

Three telefilms were released by Turner Network Television (TNT) in 1998, after funding a fifth season of Babylon 5, following the demise of the Prime Time Entertainment Network the previous year. In addition to In the Beginning, Thirdspace, and The River of Souls, they released a re-edited special edition of the original 1993 telefilm, The Gathering. In 1999, a fifth telefilm was also produced, A Call to Arms, which acted as a pilot movie for the spin-off series Crusade, which TNT cancelled after 13 episodes had been filmed.

Dell Publishing started publication of a series of Babylon 5 novels in 1995, which were ostensibly considered canon within the TV series' continuity, nominally supervised by Straczynski, with later novels in the line being more directly based upon Straczynski's own notes and story outlines. In 1997, Del Rey obtained the publication license from Warner Bros., and proceeded to release a number of original trilogies directly scenarized by Straczynski, as well as novelizations of three of the TNT telefilms (In the Beginning, Thirdspace, and A Call to Arms). All of the Del Rey novels are considered completely canonical within the filmic Babylon 5 universe.

In 2000, the Sci-Fi Channel purchased the rights to rerun the Babylon 5 series, and premiered a new telefilm, The Legend of the Rangers in 2002, which failed to be picked up as a series. In 2007, the first in a planned anthology of straight-to-DVD short stories entitled, The Lost Tales, was released by Warner Home Video, but no others were produced, due to funding issues.^[134]

Straczynski announced a Babylon 5 film at the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con,^[135] but stated in 2016 that it had been delayed while he completed other productions.^[136] In 2018 Straczynski stated that although he possesses the movie rights, he believed that neither a film nor television series revival would happen while Warner Bros. retained the intellectual property for the TV series, believing that Warner Bros would insist on handling production, and that other studios would be hesitant to produce a film without also having the rights to the TV series.^[137]

Home video releases

In July 1995, Warner Home Video began distributing Babylon 5 VHS video tapes under its Beyond Vision label in the UK. Beginning with the original telefilm, The Gathering, these were PAL tapes, showing video in the same 4:3 aspect ratio as the initial television broadcasts. By the release of Season 2, tapes included closed captioning of dialogue and Dolby Surround sound. Columbia House began distributing NTSC tapes, via mail order in 1997, followed by repackaged collector's editions and three-tape boxed sets in 1999, by which time the original pilot telefilm had been replaced by the re-edited TNT special edition. Additional movie and complete season boxed-sets were also released by Warner Bros. until 2000.

In November 2001, Warner Home Video began distributing Babylon 5 DVDs with a two-movie set containing the re-edited TNT special edition of The Gathering and In The Beginning. The telefilms were later individually released in region 2 in April 2002, though some markets received the original version of The Gathering in identical packaging.

DVD boxed sets of the individual seasons, each containing six discs, began being released in October 2002. Each included a printed booklet containing episode summaries, with each disc containing audio options for German, French, and English, plus subtitles in a wider range of languages, including Arabic and Dutch. Video was digitally remastered from original broadcast masters and displayed in anamorphic widescreen with remastered and remixed Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. Disc 1 of each set contained an introduction to the season by Straczynski, while disc 6 included featurettes containing interviews with various production staff, as well as information on the fictional universe, and a gag reel. Three episodes in each season also contained commentary from either Straczynski, members of the main cast, and/or the episode director.

Since its initial release, a number of repackaged DVD boxed sets have been produced for various regional markets. With slightly altered cover art, they included no additional content, but the discs were more securely stored in slimline cases, rather than the early "book" format, with hard plastic pages used during the original release of the first three seasons.

Mastering problems

While the series was in pre-production, studios were looking at ways for their existing shows to make the transition from the then-standard 4:3 aspect ratio to the widescreen formats that would accompany the next generation of televisions. After visiting Warner Bros., who were stretching the horizontal interval for an episode of Lois & Clark, producer John Copeland convinced them to allow Babylon 5 to be shot on Super 35mm film stock. "The idea being that we would telecine to 4:3 for the original broadcast of the series. But what it also gave us was a negative that had been shot for the new 16×9 widescreen-format televisions that we knew were on the horizon."^[139]

The scenes containing live action ready to be composited with matte paintings, CG animation, etc., were delivered on tape already telecined to the 4:3 aspect-ratio, and contained a high level of grain, which resulted in further image noise being present when enlarged and stretched for widescreen.^[141] For the purely live-action scenes, rather than using the film negatives, "Warners had even forgotten that they had those. They used PAL versions and converted them to NTSC for the US market. They actually didn't go back and retransfer the shows."^[142]

With the resulting aliasing, and the progressive scan transfer of the video to DVD, this has created a number of visual flaws throughout the widescreen release. In particular, quality has been noted to drop significantly in composite shots.^[143]^[144]

See also

References

1. ^{{Cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903212653/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/PRIME+TIME+ENTERTAINMENT+NETWORK+ANNOUNCES+EXPANSION+PLANS+AND...-a013164529|title=PRIME TIME ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK ANNOUNCES EXPANSION PLANS AND PROGRAMMING SLATE FOR JANUARY 1994 - Free Online Library|last=Lieberman|first=Cynthia|date=May 27, 1993|website=PR Newswire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903212653/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/PRIME+TIME+ENTERTAINMENT+NETWORK+ANNOUNCES+EXPANSION+PLANS+AND...-a013164529|archive-date=September 3, 2015|dead-url=yes|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
2. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=23963|title=Babylon 5 Returns|author=Merrick|date=July 24, 2006|work=Ain't It Cool News|publisher=Harry Knowles|location=Austin, Texas 78767-1641|accessdate=October 24, 2009|quote=Anyway, they asked if I wanted to do a feature film but I declined mainly because I can't yet picture structuring a B5 movie as long as [Andreas Katsulas] and [Richard Biggs] insist on staying dead.}}
3. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=20481|title=JMSNews You say, "New characters and sets...|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=January 22, 1993|website=jmsnews.com|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019|quote=One final note: B5 has always been conceived as, fundamentally, a five year story, a novel for television, which makes it very different as well.}}
4. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=12967|title=JMSNews Re: ATTN: JMS Books and TV Plot|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=April 26, 1996|website=jmsnews.com|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019|quote=My theory is that *in general* the novels and comics tend to be canon, but the details may not always be, mainly because it's virtually impossible to ride herd on every single line of all this the way I do the show. It physically can't be done. But where possible, we keep it as close to cointinuity [sic] as possible.}}
5. ^{{Cite web|url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-babylon-5-5876320|title=Everything You Need To Know About Babylon 5|last=Shankel|first=Jason|date=January 18, 2012|website=io9|language=en-US|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 6, 2019}}
6. ^{{Cite web|url=https://www.inverse.com/article/44949-babylon-5-streaming-amazon-prime|title=The Most Important Sci-Fi Show of the '90s Hits Amazon Prime in June|last=Britt|first=Ryan|date=|website=Inverse|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 16, 2019|quote=in the Nineties it was still exceedingly rare for a TV show to have episodes directly lead into each other. Two-part episodes were a big deal, and season long story arcs (with the obvious exception of daytime soap operas) were unheard of. But, Babylon 5 changed all that.}}
7. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/universe/station-1.html|title=Babylon 5 Universe: The Station|author=Straczynski, J. Michael|date=October 8, 1995|accessdate=July 28, 2009}}
8. ^{{cite web|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1996-11-21/features/9611210323_1_straczynski-earth-minbari-war-space-station-babylon|title='Babylon 5' Plans Explosive 4th Season|author=Ian Spelling|date=November 21, 1996|work=Chicago Tribune (reprinted from The New York Times)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104012950/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1996-11-21/features/9611210323_1_straczynski-earth-minbari-war-space-station-babylon|archive-date=November 11, 2012|accessdate=January 14, 2011}}
9. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=21366|title=There are, in fact, a number of...|author=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=January 3, 1992|website=JMSNews|publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|accessdate=February 26, 2019}}
10. ^{{IMDb name|id=0287480|name=William Forward}}
11. ^{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0833836/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1|title=Kim Strauss - IMDb|last=|first=|date=|website=IMDb|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|accessdate=August 26, 2007}}
12. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=17146|title=JMSNews JMS: Utility Actor????|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=November 16, 1994|website=jmsnews.com|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
13. ^¹{{cite web|url=http://www.midwinter.com/b5/GEnie/jms92-04|title=Babylon 5 (GEnie) posts by JMS for April, 1992|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|authorlink=J. Michael Straczynski|date=April 1992|work=The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5|publisher=Steven Grimm|archiveurl=http://mirrors.ntua.gr/b5/GEnie/jms92-04|archivedate=March 13, 1994|accessdate=October 19, 2009|quote=I *love* sagas, and B5 will present a chance to tell that kind of saga. ... But this is hardly revelation; the world of SF print has been doing this now ever since the Lensman books. The job now is translating that approach to television...}}
14. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=16576|title=Re: ATTN JMS: Why Accelerate t|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=January 25, 1995|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
15. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=16576 |title=Re: ATTN JMS: Why Accelerate t |last=Straczynski |first=J. Michael |date=January 25, 1995 |website=JMSNews |access-date=February 24, 2019}}
16. ^{{cite web|url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-strange-secret-evolution-of-babylon-5-5985727|title=The Strange, Secret Evolution of Babylon 5|last=Shankel|first=Jason|date=February 21, 2013|work=io9|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|accessdate=August 31, 2018}}
17. ^{{cite web|url=http://ftp.midwinter.com/b5/GEnie/jms92-01|title=Babylon 5 (GEnie) posts by JMS for November 1991 through Jan, 1992|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|authorlink=J. Michael Straczynski|date=November 1991|work=The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5|publisher=Steven Grimm|archiveurl=http://mirrors.ntua.gr/b5/GEnie/jms92-01|archivedate=March 13, 1994|accessdate=October 20, 2009|quote=For years, at conventions, I have heard fans lament, and even sat in on panels entitled WHY CAN'T THEY GET IT RIGHT?}}
18. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=21376|title=Well, lemme comment on that. One...|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=December 5, 1991|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019|quote=How they want solid characters, imaginative stories, no kids or cute robots, using science the way it should be used, not talking down to the audience. That desire has been noted.}}
19. ^{{cite web | url = https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/an-oral-history-of-babylon-5-the-beloved-tv-novel-that-showed-a-different-way-to-tell-sci | title = An Oral History Of Babylon 5: The Beloved Tv Novel That Showed A Different Way To Tell Sci-fi |first = Lisa | last = Granshaw | date = June 27, 2018 | accessdate = August 31, 2018 | work = Syfy Wire }}
20. ^{{cite web |publisher=Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5 |title=Writers/Directors list (JMS entry) |url=http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/making/write-direct.html#JMichaelStraczynski |accessdate=November 8, 2007}}
21. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=13039|title=Re: ATTN: JMS I heard that with you writing the entire season, you will be the 1st in tv history?|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=April 22, 1996|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
22. ^{{cite web |publisher=Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5 |title=Writers/Directors list |url=http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/making/write-direct.html#write |accessdate=November 8, 2007}}
23. ^{{cite news |url=http://tech.mit.edu/V118/N24/discuss.24n.html |title=Straczynski, Jablokov Discuss Television, The Future |author=Brett Altschul |work=The Tech |date=May 5, 1998 |accessdate=December 13, 2007}}
24. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/misc/cc-leave.html |title=JMS on Claudia Christian's departure |accessdate=November 14, 2006| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20061019022537/http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/misc/cc-leave.html| archivedate= October 19, 2006 | deadurl= no}}
25. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=13003|title=Re: ATTN: JMS Changes in the Story due to Actors|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=April 24, 1996|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
26. ^{{cite web |title=From jms re: yr 4/5 |last=Straczynski |first=J. Michael|date=December 18, 1996 |publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC |url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=10251 |accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
27. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/Messages/Message?id=10251|title=Year 4/5|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=December 18, 1996|website=JMSNews|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 18, 2019}}
28. ^{{cite web |title=How will this play out |author=Straczynski, J. Michael|date=May 21, 1997 |publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC |url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=9221 |accessdate=February 26, 2019}}
29. ^{{cite AV media|url=|title=Designing Tomorrow: The Look of Babylon 5|date=2003|people=Iacovelli, John|first=|type=|language=|publisher=Warner Bros. Entertainment|format=|medium=DVD Featurette - Babylon 5, Season 3 Box Set}}
30. ^¹²{{cite web|url=http://www.midwinter.com/b5/America-Online/bruice-iacovelli.txt|title=Behind the Scenes Interview with Ann Bruice Aling and John Iacovelli|author=Bruice Aling, Ann|first=|date=October 15, 1995|website=The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5|publisher=OMNI Online, Archived on Midwinter.com|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120095916/http://www.midwinter.com/b5/America-Online/bruice-iacovelli.txt|archivedate=November 20, 2012|deadurl=yes|accessdate=February 8, 2019}}
31. ^¹²{{cite web|title=Online Chat Transcripts: Ann Bruice Aling and Kim Holly |author=Bruice Aling, Ann |date=May 21, 1998 |url=http://www.harrellnews.org/babylon5/transcripts/annbruicealingchat.html |publisher=Official B5 Fan Club |accessdate=December 27, 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426080858/http://www.harrellnews.org/babylon5/transcripts/annbruicealingchat.html |archivedate=April 26, 2012 }}
32. ^¹{{cite web |title=Interview with Kim Holly, Babylon Podcast #45|author=Holly, Kim|date=December 13, 2006 |url=http://www.babylonpodcast.com/2006/12/13/babylon-podcast-show-45/|publisher=The Babylon Podcast|accessdate=December 28, 2011}}
33. ^{{cite video|people=Iacovelli, John (Production Designer)|date=August 17, 2004|title=Babylon 5: The Movie Collection, Disc 5 Extras: "Creating the Future"|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105946/dvd#B0002B15UQ|medium=DVD|publisher=Warner Home Video|location=|archiveurl=http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56388948|archivedate=December 6, 2009|accessdate=December 6, 2009|id={{UPC|085393343729}}|isbn=0-7907-9132-3|first=|language=|type=}}
34. ^¹{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=17581|title=Alien looking aliens|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=September 6, 1994|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
35. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=20076|title=We are shooting in 16:9|author=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=September 22, 1993|website=|publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|accessdate=February 26, 2019}}
36. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/making/effects.html|title=Babylon 5 Behind the Scenes: The Effects|last=|first=|date=August 12, 1997|work=The Lurker's Guide To Babylon 5|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|accessdate=February 8, 2019}}
37. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=20155|title=Re: Physics of Babylon 5|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=September 10, 1993|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
38. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.babylonpodcast.com/tag/jms/ |title=Babylon Podcast #161: Interview with JMS, Part 1 |author=Straczynski, J. Michael|date=June 16, 2009 |publisher= Babylon Podcast|accessdate=November 28, 2009| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20091109005352/http://www.babylonpodcast.com/tag/jms/| archivedate= November 9, 2009 | deadurl= no}}
39. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=11343|title=Re: ATTN JMS: Foundation Imaging Collapse - Sinking into the sand?|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=September 11, 1996|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
40. ^{{Cite web|url=https://makeupmag.com/optic-nerve-co-founder-john-vulich-dead-55/|title=Optic Nerve Co-Founder John Vulich Dead at 55|last=Nazzarro|first=Joe|date=October 17, 2016|website=Make-Up Artist Magazine|language=en-US|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
41. ^{{cite web |title=Babylon 5: Sleeping in Light (Television Soundtrack)|author=Ankeny, Jason |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/babylon-5-sleeping-in-light-television-soundtrack-r400716|publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=December 28, 2011}}
42. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=19189|title=Music change from Gathering to|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=February 8, 1994|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
43. ^¹²³{{cite AV media|url=|title=Celestial Sounds|date=2003|people=Franke, Christopher|first=|type=DVD Featurette - Babylon 5, Season 4 Box Set|language=English|publisher=Warner Bros. Entertainment|format=}}
44. ^{{cite web |title=Babylon 5: Messages from Earth|author=Editorial Review|date=July 7, 1999 |url=http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/b5_messages.html|publisher=Filmtracks.com|accessdate=December 27, 2011}}
45. ^¹²{{cite web |title=Babylon 5: Messages From Earth – The Interview |author=Franke, Christopher| date=April 23, 1995 |url=http://christopherfranke.com/interview.html|publisher=Rudy Koppl (interviewer)|accessdate=January 3, 2012}}
46. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.dykesvision.com/en/interviews/lesbian-babylon5.html|title=First Lesbians in Space|author="Ivanova", DykesVision Staff|date=January 19, 2004|work=DykesVision|location=Germany|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041011155941/http://dykesvision.com/en/interviews/lesbian-babylon5.html|archivedate=October 11, 2004|accessdate=October 18, 2009|quote=I think I...loved Talia.}}
47. ^{{Cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020614005253/http://www.webpan.com/dsinclair/tng.html|title=Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Star Trek|last=|first=|date=|website=Webpan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020614005253/http://www.webpan.com/dsinclair/tng.html|archive-date=June 14, 2002|dead-url=yes|access-date=February 24, 2019|quote=When Babylon 5 revealed two of its lead characters to be bisexual or lesbian in its second season, and established that gay marriage is legally recognized, and generally accepted, on Earth in the 23rd century, there was no uproar, no drop in ratings, and no boycotts.}}
48. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=19037|title=Re: BABYLON 5 To Include Gay/B|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=February 23, 1994|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
49. ^{{Cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001216112200/http://www.space.com/sciencefiction/tv/soap_opera_babylon_000317.html|title=Soap Opera 'Babylon' - B5 and the Soaps|last=Parks|first=Jo-Ann|date=March 17, 2000|website=SPACE|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001216112200/http://www.space.com/sciencefiction/tv/soap_opera_babylon_000317.html|archive-date=December 16, 2000|dead-url=yes|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
50. ^{{cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/Messages/Thread?threadid=_%3E%3EZHD%20-%20Thoughts%3C%3C&messageid=10775|title=ZHD – Thoughts|author=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=May 11, 1996|website=JMSNews|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
51. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.fsl.cs.sunysb.edu/pipermail/b5jms/1995-October/000003.html|title=JMS on Compuserve: October 1, 1995|last=Poster|first=B5JMS|date=October 9, 1995|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
52. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=7430|title=Re: Attn JMS: Shadows and Hegel?|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=April 28, 1998|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
53. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=10546|title=Questioning...|author=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=November 23, 1996|website=JMSNews|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|accessdate=September 2, 2006}}
54. ^¹²{{cite web |title=JMS Speaks |author=Straczynski, J. Michael|url=http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/072.html#JS |publisher= Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5 |accessdate=November 7, 2007 |quote=The notion of the Vorlons and Shadows representing Order and Chaos goes back to the Babylonian creation myths, that the universe was born in the conflict between order and chaos, hence part of the reason I decided to name this show after Babylon. That's called *research*. It informs the show, but it is not the show.| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20071013085744/http://midwinter.com/lurk/guide/072.html| archivedate= October 13, 2007 | deadurl= no}}
55. ^¹²{{cite web|url=http://www.space.com/sciencefiction/tv/babylon_5_signs_portents_001013.html|title=A B5 Milestone Remembered|author=O'Callaghan|first=Scott|date=October 13, 2000|website=|publisher=Space.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001027204131/http://www.space.com/sciencefiction/tv/babylon_5_signs_portents_001013.html|archive-date=October 27, 2000|dead-url=yes|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
56. ^¹{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=14128|title=Re:nightwatch|author=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=February 28, 1996|website=|publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
57. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/Messages/Message?id=13917|title=Point of No Return|author=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=March 7, 1996|website=|publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|accessdate=February 24, 2019|postscript=}}
58. ^Episode 4x21, "Rising Star"
59. ^{{cite web |title=Great Job (as usual) |last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=February 2, 1997 |url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=9894 |publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
60. ^{{cite web |title=Since it is now January 1st, time... |author=Straczynski, J. Michael|date=December 31, 1991 |url=http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-7707 |publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|accessdate=November 5, 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20071010152146/http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-7707| archivedate= October 10, 2007 | deadurl= no}}
61. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=16470|title=Coming of Shadows *SPOILERS*|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=February 6, 1995|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
62. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=7354|title=Season 3 voiceover|author=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=May 17, 1998|website=JMSNews|publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
63. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=14592|title=|author=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=February 4, 1996|website=JMSNews|publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
64. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=14458|title=Re: Instant Gratification|author=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=February 13, 1996|website=JMSNews|publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
65. ^¹{{cite web|url=http://www.space.com/sciencefiction/tv/mars_babylon5_991203.html|title=Babylon 5 and the Red Planet|author=Aylott|first=Chris|date=December 3, 1999|website=SPACE|publisher=Space.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010211102406/http://www.space.com/sciencefiction/tv/mars_babylon5_991203.html|archive-date=February 11, 2001|dead-url=yes|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
66. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=13899|title=The Future of B5|author=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=March 9, 1996|website=JMSNews|publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
67. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-6010|title=Richard Hatch|author=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=August 24, 1996|website=JMSNews|publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
68. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=9783|title=Re: ATTN JMS: Comparison to "Lucifer's Hammer"|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=February 14, 1997|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
69. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=8433|title=Re: to JMS: deconstruction|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=October 30, 1997|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
70. ^¹²³⁴{{cite web |url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=20161 |title=Religion in B5 |last=Straczynski |first=J. Michael |date=September 9, 1993 |website=JMSNews |access-date=February 24, 2019}}
71. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=16598|title=Christianity in 23rd century|author=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=January 23, 1995|website=JMSNews|publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
72. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-15929|title=Re:Franklin and Ivanova|author=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=December 11, 1995|website=JMSNews|publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
73. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.philjohn.com/rev_tv/pjkdt_b52.html#Myths07 |title=Myths and Fiction |author=Philipp Kneis |date=April 17, 1999 |accessdate=December 13, 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20071217192440/http://www.philjohn.com/rev_tv/pjkdt_b52.html#Myths07| archivedate= December 17, 2007 | deadurl= no}}
74. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=14871|title=9 Billion Names of God and Bro|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=November 22, 1995|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
75. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=13986|title=Re:Messages from Earth|author=Straczynski, J. Michael|first=J. Michael|date=March 4, 1996|website=JMSNews|publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
76. ^{{cite newsgroup |title=Pilot Question? Religion? |author=Straczynski, J. Michael|date=December 6, 1993 |newsgroup=rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated |url=http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-15341 |accessdate=November 23, 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20071028180104/http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-15341| archivedate= October 28, 2007 | deadurl= no}}
77. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.space.com/sciencefiction/tv/babylon_5_305_001208.html|title=Babylon 5 – 'Voices of Authority'|author=Tom Janulewicz|first=|date=December 8, 2000|website=|publisher=Space.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010211100756/http://www.space.com/sciencefiction/tv/babylon_5_305_001208.html|archive-date=February 11, 2001|dead-url=yes|accessdate=February 23, 2019}}
78. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.space.com/sciencefiction/tv/babylon_5_304_001207.html|title=Babylon 5 – 'Passing Through Gethsemane'|author=Janulewicz|first=Tom|date=December 7, 2000|website=|publisher=Space.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010211102400/http://www.space.com/sciencefiction/tv/babylon_5_304_001207.html|archive-date=February 11, 2001|dead-url=yes|accessdate=February 23, 2019}}
79. ^{{cite news|url=http://www.hundredmountain.com/Pages/foundobjects_pages/sum01_babylon5.html |title=Tuning in to some Buddhist undercurrents in the alternate universe of TV's "Babylon 5" |publisher=Hundred Mountain |date=Summer 2001 |accessdate=December 13, 2007 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070902174919/http://www.hundredmountain.com/Pages/foundobjects_pages/sum01_babylon5.html |archivedate=September 2, 2007 }}
80. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=4492|title=Re: Attn JMS: Southern Baptists and B5 -- Was: S2 commentary comment|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=June 21, 2003|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
81. ^{{Cite web|url=https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/BabylonFiveS05E19TheWheelOfFire|title=Babylon Five S 05 E 19 The Wheel Of Fire / Recap|last=|first=|date=|website=TV Tropes|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 19, 2019|quote=...children of alcoholics usually wind up one of two ways, either they try to help everybody else because they couldn't help themselves, or they become alcoholics. I couldn't stop what was happening to my father, so I became the very thing I hated.}}
82. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/find/Usenet/jms95-03-usenet/142.html|title=Usenet post by JMS|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=March 19, 1995|website=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021102170520/http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/find/Usenet/jms95-03-usenet/142.html|archive-date=November 2, 2002|dead-url=|access-date=February 8, 2019}}
83. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.fsl.cs.sunysb.edu/pipermail/b5jms/1995-December/000212.html|title=JMS conference on Compuserve: full logged text|last=|first=|date=December 3, 1995|access-date=February 8, 2019|quote=I knew that the best series set up where the stories come to you, in a police station or a hospital or a law office, and decided in an SF environment a space station would work well for that...added the backdrop of myth and archetype, constructed a Hero's Journey, and took it from there.}}
84. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/091.html|title=Guide Page: "The Paragon of Animals"|last=|first=|date=July 13, 2004|website=The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 8, 2019|quote=The title is from Shakespeare's "Hamlet," specifically Hamlet's What a piece of work is a man speech in act 2, scene 2}}
85. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/021.html|title=Guide Page: "The Quality of Mercy"|last=|first=|date=July 13, 2004|website=The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 8, 2019|quote="The Quality of Mercy" title is drawn from the same source as Compton's book, Shakespeare.}}
86. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/004.html|title=Guide Page: Infection|last=|first=|date=November 5, 1999|website=The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 8, 2019|quote="How sharper than a serpent's tooth." (His reply to Garibaldi's joking guess that Sinclair's interview would get him shipped off the station and himself promoted into Sinclair's position.) This is a quote from Shakespeare (King Lear.)}}
87. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/making/literary.html|title=Babylon 5 Behind the Scenes: Literary and Historical References|last=|first=|date=|website=www.midwinter.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 2, 2019|quote=The antagonist in "Mind War" was named after Alfred Bester, author of "The Demolished Man," a classic SF work about telepathy. The novel also featured a telepaths' guild similar in many ways to B5's Psi Corps.}}
88. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/031.html|title=Guide Page: "The Coming of Shadows"|last=|first=|date=July 13, 2004|website=The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5|access-date=February 8, 2019|quote=The G'Kar-Emperor thread was similar to the King Arthur legend: Arthur's and Mordred's armies are poised for battle but make one last attempt to negotiate, but a soldier raises his sword to kill a snake and everyone attacks. There's another applicable metaphor for the sword story; you'll see it a little later [in season 3].}}
89. ^{{Cite web|url=https://www.smashwords.com/extreader/read/237868/1/babylon-5-asked-answered-centauri-excerpt-b5-creator-j-micha|title=Babylon 5 Asked & Answered: B5 Creator J. Michael Straczynski Answers 5,296 Questions About Babylon 5 & Beyond|last=|first=|date=|website=www.smashwords.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 7, 2019|quote="to some extent the Roman civilization is one of the sources for constructing the Centauri"}}
90. ^{{Cite book|title=B5: No Surrender, No Retreat|last=Killick|first=Jane|publisher=Del Rey|year=1998|isbn=978-0345424501|location=|pages=36|quote=(Quoting J. Michael Straczynski) Caligula is probably the most obvious comparison, hence why I had that name reflect that sound a little bit. I wanted someone who you would be very much in fear of, not because he was rampaging around screaming all the time, but because he was completely and totally arbitrary.}}
91. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.sf-foundation.org/publications/academictrack/keen.php|title=I, Cartagia: a mad emperor in Babylon 5 and his historical antecedents|last=Keen|first=Tony|date=2007|website=The Science Fiction Foundation|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070316172902/http://www.sf-foundation.org/publications/academictrack/keen.php|archive-date=March 16, 2007|access-date=February 8, 2019}}
92. ^{{Cite web|url=https://www.sf-foundation.org/publications/essays/keen.html|title=I, Cartagia: a mad emperor in Babylon 5 and his historical antecedents {{!}} The Science Fiction Foundation|last=|first=|date=|website=www.sf-foundation.org|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 7, 2019|quote=...there is a clear reference to I, Claudius included in Babylon 5. In 'Falling Towards Apotheosis', Cartagia introduces Mollari to his secret 'council' of the severed heads of senior figures he has had executed. He mentions that one was always coughing, but that he has now cured this (by cutting his head off). This is a clear reference to a scene in I, Claudius, in the episode 'Zeus, by Jove'. Gemellus, co-heir of the previous emperor Tiberius and therefore rival of Caligula, has a persistent cough. Caligula has him executed, and when his severed head is brought into his presence, he tells Claudius "I cured his cough."}}
93. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/022.html|title=Guide Page: "Chrysalis"|last=|first=|date=July 13, 2004|website=The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5|access-date=February 8, 2019|quote=[Straczynski] I gave very particular instructions to re-create the staging of the photograph in which Lyndon Johnson takes over from JFK after the assassination. The same layout, posture, background, and so on. We even had a photo on set for reference. The creepy thing is that the day we shot the scene was the anniversary of the day it actually took place; very weird atmosphere on set that day.}}
94. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=20359|title=Passage through jumpgates|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=July 9, 1993|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
95. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldsofjms.com/b5/gei.htm|title=Babylon 5 Grid Epsilon Irregulars|last=|first=|date=|website=Worlds of JMS|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 19, 2019|quote=In recognition of their support, JMS placed the Babylon 5 station in Grid Epsilon -- taking the "GE" from GEnie.}}
96. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/resources/fans.html#effect|title=Babylon 5 Resources: Fans|last=|first=|date=|website=The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 19, 2019|quote=The location of Babylon 5 is at Grid Epsilon 470,18,22 which corresponds to the original location of the Babylon 5 topic on GEnie (Page 470, CAT 18, Topic 22).}}
97. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=19386|title=Digital Cards and so forth|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=January 19, 1994|website=JMSNews|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
98. ^{{Cite web|url=https://babylonprojectpodcast.wordpress.com/2014/10/07/bps-002-troy-rutter-interview/|title=BPS-002 Troy Rutter Interview|date=October 7, 2014|website=The Babylon Project Podcast|language=en|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
99. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/master/eplist.html |title=Original US airdates at Lurker's Guide |accessdate=August 22, 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070825175544/http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/master/eplist.html| archivedate= August 25, 2007 | deadurl= no}}
100. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.zocalo.nildram.co.uk/UKAirDates.html |title=Original UK airdates |accessdate=August 22, 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070911120237/http://www.zocalo.nildram.co.uk/UKAirDates.html| archivedate= September 11, 2007 | deadurl= no}}
101. ^¹{{cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR107288.html?categoryid=14&cs=1|title=Warner weblet to 2-night sked|author=Jim Benson|first=|date=May 28, 1993|work=|accessdate=December 5, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114130149/http://www.variety.com/article/VR107288.html?categoryid=14&cs=1|archive-date=November 14, 2007|publisher=Variety}}
102. ^{{cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR118151.html?categoryid=14&cs=1|title='Babylon 5' slips a bit in second week|author=Joe Flint|first=|date=February 9, 1994|work=|accessdate=December 5, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071202224847/http://www.variety.com/article/VR118151.html?categoryid=14&cs=1|archive-date=December 2, 2007|publisher=Variety}}
103. ^{{Cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090722232531/https://variety.com/article/VR120389.html?categoryid=14&cs=1|title=Sun and hoops sink syndies, rout 'Rush' - Entertainment News, TV News, Media - Variety|date=July 22, 2009|website=web.archive.org|access-date=February 7, 2019}}
104. ^{{cite news |title=U's 'Xena' |author=Andrew Hindes |date=February 13, 1997 |url=http://www.variety.com/vstory/VR1117435926.html?categoryid=38&cs= |publisher=Variety |accessdate=November 6, 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20071202225051/http://www.variety.com/vstory/VR1117435926.html?categoryid=38&cs=| archivedate= December 2, 2007 | deadurl= no}}
105. ^{{cite newsgroup |title=Notes from jms |author=Straczynski, J. Michael|date=October 11, 1995 |newsgroup=rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated |url=http://jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-13613 |accessdate=November 6, 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20071029025150/http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-13613| archivedate= October 29, 2007 | deadurl= no}}
106. ^{{Cite web|url=http://jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=16068|title=JMS: UK C4 ratings|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=April 3, 1995|website=JMSNews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
107. ^TV Zone, January 1998 issue
108. ^¹²{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/shows/babylon-5|title=Babylon 5|last=|first=|date=|website=Television Academy|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
109. ^{{cite web|title=Listing of Past Saturn Awards |url=http://www.saturnawards.org/past.html |accessdate=June 9, 2006 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060507111522/http://saturnawards.org/past.html |archivedate=May 7, 2006 |deadurl=yes }}
110. ^{{cite web| title= Second E Pluribus Unum Awards (1997)| url= http://www.cinemafoundation.com/about/about_the_acf_96_2000.html| accessdate= June 9, 2006| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20060615061324/http://cinemafoundation.com/about/about_the_acf_96_2000.html| archivedate= June 15, 2006| deadurl= yes| df= mdy-all}}
111. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=18023|title=Misinformed|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=December 7, 1994|website=|publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
112. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=14711|title=Actually, we've already *had* ST...|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=January 13, 1996|website=JMSNews|publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
113. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/ds9season1.php|title=Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season One (review)|last=|first=|authors=Sylvain, Nicholas, Judge (Retired)|date=April 8, 2003|website=|publisher=Mike Jackson/DVD Verdict|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031011154632/http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/ds9season1.php|archive-date=October 11, 2003|dead-url=yes|access-date=February 26, 2019}}
114. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=21322|title=nic, you persist in this notion...|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=February 4, 1992|website=JMSNews|publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
115. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/messages/message?id=8676|title=Grand Theft, drama!|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=September 15, 1997|website=JMSNews|publisher=Midnight Design Productions, LLC|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
116. ^¹{{cite web|url=http://mirrors.ntua.gr/b5/GEnie/jms92-02|title=B5 information from GEnie|last=Michael Straczynski|first=J.|date=|website=|publisher=National Technical University of Athens|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|accessdate=6 July 2016|quote=If there is any (to use your term) winking and nudging going on, it's on the level of 'Okay, YOU (Paramount) know what happened, and *I* know what happened, but let's try to be grownup about it for now,' though I must say that the shapechanging thing nearly tipped me back over the edge again. If there are no more major similarities that crop up in the next few weeks or months, with luck we can continue that way.}}
117. ^{{cite web |title=NewTek Honors Visual Effects Artists at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences|author=Donetta Colboch |date=October 24, 2011 |url=http://www.cgw.com/Press-Center/News/2011/NewTek-Honors-Visual-Effects-Artists-at-the-Acad.aspx|publisher=CG World (from press release) |accessdate=December 22, 2011}}
118. ^¹{{cite web |title=List of Hugo Award Winners (1996) |url=http://www.nesfa.org/data/LL/Hugos/hugos1996.html| publisher=New England Science Fiction Association|accessdate=June 9, 2006}}
119. ^¹{{cite web |title=List of Hugo Award Winners (1997) |url=http://www.nesfa.org/data/LL/Hugos/hugos1997.html| publisher=New England Science Fiction Association|accessdate=June 9, 2006}}
120. ^{{cite web |title=The World's Best Space Sci-Fi Ever: Your verdict|date=October 26, 2005 |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8211 |publisher=New Scientist|accessdate=December 22, 2011}}
121. ^{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/news/top-cult-shows-40239/|title=TV Guide Names the Top Cult Shows Ever|last=|first=|date=June 29, 2007|website=|publisher=TV Guide|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}
122. ^{{cite web|title=The Top Science Fiction TV Series |date=May 7, 2010 |url=http://www.themarknews.com/articles/1460-the-top-science-fiction-tv-series |publisher=Doug Mann, Professor of Media Studies and Sociology, University of Western Ontario and King's College |accessdate=December 22, 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111207153425/http://www.themarknews.com/articles/1460-the-top-science-fiction-tv-series |archivedate=December 7, 2011 }}
123. ^{{Cite web|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/an-oral-history-of-babylon-5-the-beloved-tv-novel-that-showed-a-different-way-to-tell-sci|title=An oral history of Babylon 5: The beloved TV novel that showed a different way to tell sci-fi|last=Granshaw|first=Lisa|date=June 27, 2018|website=SYFY WIRE|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 22, 2019|quote=It had serialized plots and adventures to follow from episode to episode and season to season with characters that didn't just reset every week but evolved over time.}}
124. ^{{Cite web|url=https://www.tor.com/2012/10/08/all-alone-in-the-night-when-babylon-5-invented-21st-century-fandom/|title=All Alone in the Night: When Babylon 5 Invented 21st Century Fandom|last=Britt|first=Ryan|date=October 8, 2012|website=Tor.com|language=en-US|access-date=February 22, 2019}}
125. ^¹{{Cite web|url=https://www.geek.com/television/remembering-babylon-5-one-of-the-smartest-sci-fi-series-ever-25-years-after-its-debut-1770010/|title=Remembering 'Babylon 5,' One of the Smartest Sci-Fi Series Ever, 25 Years After Its Debut|last=|first=|date=January 16, 2019|website=Geek.com|language=en-US|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 22, 2019|quote=The show was one of the first to use extensive CGI instead of models for space scenes, which allowed them the freedom to shoot multiple angles. That said, the CGI looks incredibly primitive today and is upscaled for modern TVs badly.}}
126. ^¹{{Cite web|url=https://mattllavin.wordpress.com/2012/09/01/b5/|title=Why Babylon 5 is the Worst Best Thing in Televised Science Fiction – Ever|last=mattllavin|date=September 1, 2012|website=Big Hot Future!|language=en|access-date=February 22, 2019}}
127. ^{{Cite web|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/an-oral-history-of-babylon-5-the-beloved-tv-novel-that-showed-a-different-way-to-tell-sci|title=An oral history of Babylon 5: The beloved TV novel that showed a different way to tell sci-fi|last=Granshaw|first=Lisa|date=June 27, 2018|website=SYFY WIRE|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 22, 2019|quote=The biggest legacy in many ways has been the five-year arc. In the years since B5, starting with Lost and Battlestar [Galactica], which took that concept to its next level, nearly every dramatic series now has a multi-year arc. What started out the aberration has become the rule. That one singular development changed the television landscape forever in ways that we are still discovering.}}
128. ^{{Cite web|url=https://domnardireviews.wordpress.com/2015/03/02/babylon-5-retrospective-legacy/|title="Babylon 5" Retrospective (Legacy)|last=Dom|first=|date=March 2, 2015|website=NardiViews|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=February 22, 2019|quote=Unfortunately, the production values date the show. As TV screens get bigger and audiences become accustomed to HD, I worry that most modern viewers will be put off by the dated effects and low visual quality.}}
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132. ^{{cite web |title=Guide to DC's Babylon 5 comic|url=http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/comic/index.html|publisher=The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5|accessdate=December 23, 2011}}
133. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a855453/babylon-5-revival-wont-ever-happen-j-michael-straczynski/|title=Babylon 5 creator says revival won't EVER happen|last=Joe Anderton|date=April 23, 2018|website=Digital Spy|language=en-GB|access-date=February 7, 2019}}
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135. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.tvwise.co.uk/2014/08/babylon-5-movie-eyes-2016-production-start/|title=J. Michael Straczynski Announces ‘Babylon 5′ Feature Film Reboot, Eyes 2016 Production Start|last=Munn|first=Patrick|date=August 6, 2014|publisher=TVWise|accessdate=August 8, 2014}}
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137. ^{{cite web | url = https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/a-babylon-5-television-revival-or-movie-in-your-dreams-says-j-michael-straczynski | title= A Babylon 5 Television Revival Or Movie? In Your Dreams, Says J. Michael Straczynski | first = Josh | last = Weiss | date = April 20, 2018 | accessdate = September 4, 2018 | work = Syfy Wire }}
138. ^{{cite web |title=Babylon 5: The Gathering / In The Beginning |author=Germano, Derek M|year=2001|url=http://www.thecinemalaser.com/dvd2/reviews/babylon-5-tgitb-dvd.htm|publisher=thecinemalaser.com|accessdate=January 11, 2011| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101230075959/http://thecinemalaser.com/dvd2/reviews/babylon-5-tgitb-dvd.htm| archivedate= December 30, 2010 | deadurl= no}}
139. ^¹{{cite web |title=Interview with John Copeland: page 4|author=Copeland, John|date=June 4, 2008|url=http://www.b5scrolls.com/#Screen1_09_3|publisher=B5Scrolls|accessdate=February 4, 2019}}
140. ^{{cite web |title=Interview with Ron Thornton: page 4|author=Thornton, Ron|date=February 10, 2008|url=http://www.b5scrolls.com/#Screen1_01_6|publisher=B5Scrolls|accessdate=February 4, 2019}}
141. ^{{cite web |title=Interview with Ron Thornton: page 5|author=Thornton, Ron|date=February 10, 2008|url=http://www.b5scrolls.com/#Screen1_01_6|publisher=B5Scrolls|accessdate=February 4, 2019}}
142. ^{{cite web |title=Interview with John Copeland: page 5|author=Copeland, John|date=June 4, 2008|url=http://www.b5scrolls.com/#Screen1_09_4|publisher=B5Scrolls|accessdate=February 4, 2019}}
143. ^{{cite web |title=Babylon 5 – The Complete First Season|author=Ordway, Holly E.|date=November 5, 2002|url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/4929/babylon-5-the-complete-first-season/|publisher=DVDTalk.com|accessdate=January 12, 2012}}
144. ^{{cite web|url=https://uk.ign.com/articles/2004/02/11/babylon-5-the-complete-fourth-season|title=Babylon 5: The Complete Fourth Season|author=Non, Sergio|first=|date=February 11, 2004|website=|publisher=IGN.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}