Babylon 5: A Voice in the Wilderness – Part 1

The week-long national syndication window opens for the 18th episode of Babylon 5. Thanks in part to its mid-season debut, this is one of several episodes of Babylon 5 aired during the usually-ignored July ratings sweep, an unusual move for any series, syndicated or network.

Seismic disturbances on the surface of Epsilon 3, the planet B5 orbits, draw the attention of the crew. A shuttle manned by a science team leaves the station to investigate, but it is thrown off course by a burst of intense energy from Epsilon 3’s surface. A further attempt to survey the planet activates an automatic defense system which fires heat-seeking missiles from an installation hidden beneath the planet’s surface. In the meantime, news reaches the station that the Mars Colony has been engulfed in a full-fledged political revolt, and a mysterious image is sighted aboard B5 pleading for help. Deciding that the recent attack constitutes a threat to station security, Sinclair and Ivanova are the next shuttle crew to try to land on Epsilon 3. Evading the defense systems, they dive below the surface and discover an underground installation filled with astounding technology on a scale never before seen. And at the center of this vast complex, the being from the mysterious image begs Sinclair and Ivanova for help – and warns that anyone near Epsilon 3 is in grave danger.

written by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Janet Greek
music by Christopher Franke

Cast: Michael O’ Hare (Commander Jeffrey Sinclair), Claudia Christian (Lt. Commander Susan Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Security Chief Michael Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Ambassador Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin), Andrea Thompson (Talia Winters), Stephen Furst (Vir Koto), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Caitlin Brown (Na’Toth), Andreas Katsulas (Ambassador G’Kar), Peter Jurasik (Ambassador Londo Mollari), Louis Turene (Draal), Curt Lowens (Varn), Craig Barnett (Security Guard), Langdon Bensing (Derek Mobotabwe), Kelly Coyle (Earthforce Liaison), Kathryn Cressida (Bartender), Jim Ishida (Dr. Tasaki), Lenore Kasdorf (ISN Reporter), Marianne Robertson (Tech #1), Patty Toy (Psi Corps Rep), Jerry Weil (Technician)

LogBook entry by Earl Green