Babylon 5: In The Beginning

Babylon 5Cable channel TNT airs Babylon 5: In The Beginning, the first of two TV movies contracted by TNT to accompany its package of Babylon 5 reruns (which begin the following night). Set years before the series, In The Beginning chronicles the oft-mentioned-but-never-seen Earth-Minbari War. Premiering the same night is a “special edition” of the 1993 pilot movie, The Gathering, which brings its slightly dated effects and music more in line with the rest of the series. Read more Hear about it on the Sci-Fi 5 podcast

Babylon 5: View From The Gallery

Babylon 5Cable channel TNT premieres the 92nd episode of J. Michael Straczynski’s science fiction series Babylon 5. The episode breaks the record-setting string of consecutive episodes of American television written by a single writer, with series creator J. Michael Straczynski having written the previous 52 episodes (53 if the series finale, filmed at the end of the fourth season, is included). Straczynski writes this one as well, but shares a story credit with Harlan Ellison. Read more

Babylon 5: Day Of The Dead

Babylon 5Cable channel TNT premieres the 96th episode of J. Michael Straczynski’s science fiction series Babylon 5. Guest starring magicians Penn & Teller, this episode is written by Neil Gaiman, and is the first episode of Babylon 5 since the second season to be wholly written by someone other than series creator J. Michael Straczynski (and it’s also the last such episode as well, as Straczynski is either sole writer or co-writer of all of the series’ remaining episodes). Read more

Babylon 5: Thirdspace

Babylon 5Cable channel TNT premieres Thirdspace, the second Babylon 5 TV movie produced as part of the network’s rescue of the former syndicated series. Though it airs second, Thirdspace was filmed first to utilize the standing Babylon 5 sets before they were struck to make way for new sets used in the previous movie, In The Beginning. Shari Belafonte guest stars. Read more

Babylon 5: Sleeping In Light

Babylon 5Cable channel TNT premieres the 110th and final episode of J. Michael Straczynski’s science fiction series Babylon 5. Claudia Christian returns as Ivanova in an episode filmed before the actress allowed her contract to lapse in 1997 (at a time when it appeared that Babylon 5 would end with its fourth season). Though further TV movies and direct-to-video movies are produced, as well as the spinoff series Crusade, this is the end of the main Babylon 5 storyline, and also marks the directorial debut of series creator J. Michael Straczynski. Read more Hear about it on the Sci-Fi 5 podcast

Babylon 5: A Call To Arms

Babylon 5Cable channel TNT premieres A Call To Arms, the fourth and final Babylon 5 TV movie produced for TNT. The movie features a mixture of familiar Babylon 5 characters as well as new characters who would later appear in the spinoff series Crusade; A Call To Arms is effectively a two-hour pilot for Crusade, which would premiere later in 1999. Read more Hear about it on the Sci-Fi 5 podcast

Crusade: War Zone

CrusadeTNT airs the first episode of J. Michael Straczynski’s short-lived Babylon 5 spinoff Crusade. Starring Gary Cole (Office Space) and Daniel Dae Kim (Lost), the series concerns an Earth ship scouring the galaxy for the cure to a biological weapon that has left Earth quarantined and the human race’s days numbered. Tim Thomerson guest stars. Read more