star trek deep space nine vs babylon 5

Understanding the Babylon 5 vs. Deep Space Nine Plagiarism Allegations

I'm sure this won't cause any negative reactions at all....

1993 was a banner year for fans of space station-based science fiction. Not one but two prominent series got their start that year.

The first, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , a continuation of the long-running Star Trek franchise. The second, Babylon 5 , a brand new universe and IP by J. Michael Straczynski (often referred to as JMS).

But while the two series would both go on to become beloved sci-fi classics, their beginnings were much more tumultuous with allegations of plagiarism causing a rift between the two shows that led to more than a few heated exchanges.

Though those differences appear to be resolved between the shows themselves, it’s an issue that has divided science fiction fandom and remains a sore spot for many nearly 30 years later.

So what happened and why do so many science fiction fans believe Deep Space Nine was a plagiarism of Babylon 5 ? The answer is a long, winding story that actually starts nearly a decade before either show made it to air.

The Background of the Two Shows

The story of the shows actually begins in the mid-1980s . JMS, frustrated with shows running over budget and a long-time fan of science fiction sagas, began work on a treatment and a “Bible” for Babylon 5 .

The idea for the show was straightforward. It was going to be a more realistic science fiction series that would feature a single overarching plot that would be told over multiple seasons. JMS viewed it as a novel in television format and wrote it accordingly.

By 1988 he was pitching the show to various networks. Among those was Paramount, which JMS approached sometime in the summer of 1989. JMS also approached Warner Bros. with the project and they were the ones to eventually pick it up for their new Prime Time Entertainment Network (PTEN). This was announced formally in 1991 November.

(Note: In 2013 a commenter alleged that Paramount and Warner Bros. were working on a network together around the time both shows were being developed. However, I’ve not been able to find any independent confirmation of this.)

However, 1991 was also the year that things got rolling for Deep Space Nine . Recently hired President Motion Picture Group for Paramount Brandon Tartikoff approach Star Trek writer and producer Rick Berman about the idea of expanding the show to another series to run parallel and after Star Trek: The Next Generation .

According to reports, executives were not comfortable with having two ship-themed shows and opted for a space station as a way to cut down costs. They also wanted a darker and more serious series.

Deep Space Nine began production in 1992 and Babylon 5 began production on its pilot movie at about the same time. However, Babylon 5 ‘s first full season wouldn’t begin airing until 1994, a full year after Deep Space Nine would begin. As a result, JMS began to get worried that, even though he had been working on his series for nearly a decade at this point, it would be seen as a cheap knock off of Star Trek .

“I know full well that even if the Warners PR machine got working 24 hours a day on this, half of all viewers will see this show, coming out after DS9, and think it’s just a last-minute knockoff or ripoff of DS9” JMS, September 1992

Similarities between the two shows (and the fact that Paramount had access to the Babylon 5 Bible) quickly led to allegations of plagiarism.

However, even though the war of words was often heated, it never spilled into legal action. JMS, for his part, saw such a lawsuit as being nonproductive and felt it would only harm both shows.

(Note: In 2017 Patricia Tallman, who played Lyta on Babylon 5 and was JMS’ romantic and business partner for much of the 2000s, claimed in an interview that there was a lawsuit and it was settled out of court . However, I’ve been unable to find any legal fillings but have found many sources where JMS said that a lawsuit wouldn’t have been productive . Still, it does not mean there was not a serious threat of a lawsuit.)

Eventually, the two shows would establish their own unique identities despite their somewhat similar concepts. The two shows even reached peace with each other with Majel Barrett, the “first lady of Star Trek ” and widow to the series creator Gene Roddenberry, guest-starred in an episode of Babylon 5 . Babylon 5 actor Bill Mumy did the same on Deep Space Nine .

The two shows also shared friendly softball games and seemed to get past the initial animosity.

That said, the fans were not so quick to let go of things.

Even now, nearly 30 years later, fans still debate the issue of whether Paramount plagiarized Babylon 5 when producing Deep Space Nine . Though most feel that both shows were great, the great plagiarism debate has never died down with fans arguing about if and how much was copied between the shows.

The Allegations

The allegations of plagiarism are literally too long to even effectively outline here. Many sites have done deep dives into the similarities between the shows and have found hundreds of things to point to.

The alleged similarities range from the very superficial to the very detailed and cover a wide range of the shows’ runs. Examples include:

• Names of the Shows/Stations: Both are Name of Station + a Number
• Character Names: Both Shows feature characters with names pronounced as Lyta and Dukhat but with different spellings.
• Villains: Both shows feature shadowy external threats that seem to take over the region both through military might and internal manipulation.
• Captains: Both stations had captains that were religious leaders for an alien race, dated freighter captains and ultimately disappeared.
• Purpose of the Station: In both cases, the space station is intended as a place for diplomacy and trade.

The list goes on and the similarities vary wildly in how convincing they are.

However, the allegations aren’t necessarily that this is a straightforward kind of plagiarism. One thing that has remained consistent is that no allegations were ever hurled at Rick Berman and Michael Piller, the creators of Deep Space Nine .

“have never, ever felt, or believed, or thought, that Berman or Pillar (sic) EVER saw or knew about the B5 information. Had anyone suggested anything of a less than straightforward nature, they would have refused; of that I have no doubt.” JMS, June 1995

Instead, the allegations were that Paramount executives were aware of Babylon 5 and steered the show to be more like it. It isn’t that Deep Space Nine was written to be a Babylon 5 rip off, but that executives used their creative control to bring elements from the show they liked to Deep Space Nine .

However, that is belied by the fact that many of the similarities seem very pointed and include names and specific plot points. If the writers and producers of Deep Space Nine were, by all accounts, unaware of Babylon 5 at the start of production, at what point could those similarities have been introduced?

In short, it’s pretty much impossible to claim that all of these similarities were the result of plagiarism while also vindicating the writers and producers of the show. Though executives can and do exert creative control, it rarely has this fine of a touch.

However, this awkward conundrum is easily avoided by simply looking away from the similarities and toward the differences.

My Personal Take

Disclosure: I am a long-time fan of Star Trek but am still new to Babylon 5, only recently finishing the main series. However, I’ve enjoyed both shows and don’t have an axe to grind with either.

Back in September 2018, I created my own fake plagiarism story comparing The Rocky Horror Picture Show to, ironically enough, an episode of Star Trek . The goal was to show how easy it is to look at just the similarities between two works and see plagiarism.

Though the two shows are both science fiction shows that take place on a space station and feature a single plot thread that carries throughout the run, they are still very different shows.

Babylon 5 can almost be described as a dystopian show. Though it has a hopeful message, the universe its set in doesn’t put much faith in humanity. Meanwhile, Deep Space Nine is part of the Star Trek universe and takes a much more optimistic look at humanity’s future, even if it is set during a war that is often bleak.

The writing was also drastically different. Though Deep Space Nine did feature a series-long arc, it also had many standalone episodes. With Babylon 5 , every episode was a chapter in the story and drove that plot forward in some way (though often small).

Watching the two series close together, they have very different tones. Though Deep Space Nine was clearly darker and heavier than any Star Trek prior to it, that still doesn’t put it in the same league as Babylon 5 in that area.

Even many of the most pointed similarities ignore crucial differences. The fact that there were two characters name “Lyta” (though with different spellings) belies the fact they are very different characters. The Babylon 5 one is a powerful telepath that plays a key role in the war, the Deep Space Nine one is a dabo girl (basically a cocktail waitress at a casino) that was mostly seen as a romantic interest.

Other similarities are likely the product of having two shows with similar premises being made at the same time. It’s logical that space stations are going to be near interstellar travel points (especially for the purpose of plot) and that they will be homes for commerce and diplomacy. It would be difficult to have a space station show without that.

Even the inclusion of shapeshifters in both (albeit only in one episode of Babylon 5 ) can be attributed to the popularity of Terminator 2 , which was released in 1991.

And that’s the key problem. Once you strip away the things that could be just coincidence, the items that literally come from producing this kind of show at this point in history and items where major differences are ignored, you’re not left with much.

Even if the two shows had a completely independent creation, they would have been extremely similar. Two science fiction shows about space stations made in the early 90s were always going to have a lot of overlap.

Ultimately, despite their similarities, the two shows ended up being very different. Babylon 5 a true hard sci-fi with more dystopian overtones and Deep Space Nine a slightly-darker Star Trek series complete with the usual technobabble and optimism that comes with it.

For all the things they do share, it’s what separates them that makes them both great and special.

Bottom Line

It’s interesting that, after nearly 30 years, fans still passionately and even angrily debate this topic. Long, long after the shows’ creators have buried the hatchets and found their own voice, the fans keep it alive.

The fact of the matter is both shows managed to carve out their own niche and find their own success. They did this by not being similar to one another but being far enough apart that direct comparison, while still a common activity for fans, is almost impossible.

We live in a world where two characters named Dennis the Menace debuted on the exact same day on opposite sides of the Atlantic . Coincidences do happen and, if we’re to believe that the details we explored are plagiarisms, we have to implicate the people who actually worked on the show, which no one has.

That said, we will never really know for certain how much (if any) influence Babylon 5 had on Deep Space Nine . To me, the most likely thing that happened was that Babylon 5 , especially it being picked up by Warner Bros. pushed Paramount’s executives to create a darker, harder and more saga-like version of Star Trek .

Paramount, understandably, didn’t want to fall behind when it came to science fiction and saw the broad strokes of what Babylon 5 was trying to do as a path forward. But that is pure speculation at best and a far cry from making Deep Space Nine a “rip off” or a plagiarism of Babylon 5 .

If Babylon 5 pushed Star Trek to innovate on their formula, that is ultimately a good thing. Both shows pushed science fiction on television forward and both brought their own voice to the genre.

For all of the talk about their similarities, it’s their differences that really make them shine.

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Babylon 5 vs. Star Trek

What's the difference.

Babylon 5 and Star Trek are both iconic science fiction television series that have captivated audiences with their unique storytelling and futuristic settings. While both shows explore the vastness of space and the interactions between different alien species, they differ in their approach and themes. Babylon 5 is known for its complex and intricate plotlines, focusing on political intrigue, diplomacy, and the consequences of actions. On the other hand, Star Trek often presents a more optimistic and utopian vision of the future, emphasizing exploration, moral dilemmas, and the potential for humanity to evolve and overcome its flaws. Despite their differences, both Babylon 5 and Star Trek have left a lasting impact on the genre, inspiring generations of fans and pushing the boundaries of what science fiction television can achieve.

Further Detail

Introduction.

Science fiction has always been a beloved genre, captivating audiences with its imaginative worlds, futuristic technologies, and thought-provoking themes. Two of the most iconic and influential science fiction television series are Babylon 5 and Star Trek. While both shows have left an indelible mark on the genre, they possess distinct attributes that set them apart. In this article, we will explore the key differences and similarities between Babylon 5 and Star Trek, examining their storytelling, characters, world-building, and overall impact.

Storytelling

When it comes to storytelling, Babylon 5 and Star Trek take different approaches. Babylon 5, created by J. Michael Straczynski, is known for its serialized narrative, where each episode contributes to an overarching story arc. This allows for complex character development and intricate plotlines that span multiple seasons. In contrast, Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry, primarily follows an episodic format, with self-contained stories in each episode. While there are recurring storylines and character arcs, the focus is often on standalone adventures that explore various themes and moral dilemmas.

The characters in both Babylon 5 and Star Trek are integral to the success of their respective series. Babylon 5 boasts a diverse ensemble cast, each with their own unique motivations and flaws. From the enigmatic Ambassador G'Kar to the stoic Commander Susan Ivanova, the characters in Babylon 5 are multi-dimensional and undergo significant growth throughout the series. Star Trek, on the other hand, is known for its iconic characters such as Captain James T. Kirk, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and Spock. These characters have become cultural icons, representing different aspects of humanity and embodying the values of exploration, diplomacy, and teamwork.

World-Building

Both Babylon 5 and Star Trek excel in creating rich and expansive universes that captivate viewers. Babylon 5 takes place on a massive space station of the same name, serving as a hub for various alien races and political intrigue. The show delves into the complexities of interstellar politics, exploring themes of war, diplomacy, and the struggle for peace. Star Trek, on the other hand, envisions a future where humanity has achieved interstellar travel and formed the United Federation of Planets. The series showcases a vast array of alien civilizations, each with its own unique culture, technology, and challenges. Star Trek's optimistic vision of the future often emphasizes the potential for cooperation and understanding between different species.

Both Babylon 5 and Star Trek have had a significant impact on the science fiction genre and popular culture as a whole. Babylon 5, despite facing initial challenges, gained a dedicated fanbase and is praised for its ambitious storytelling and world-building. It introduced serialized storytelling to the television landscape, paving the way for future shows to explore long-form narratives. Star Trek, on the other hand, has become a cultural phenomenon, spawning multiple spin-offs, films, and a devoted fan community. Its optimistic view of the future and its exploration of social issues have made it a touchstone for science fiction and a source of inspiration for countless fans and creators.

In conclusion, Babylon 5 and Star Trek are two iconic science fiction series that have left an indelible mark on the genre. While Babylon 5 is known for its serialized storytelling, complex characters, and political intrigue, Star Trek is celebrated for its episodic adventures, iconic characters, and optimistic vision of the future. Both shows have contributed to the rich tapestry of science fiction, inspiring countless fans and influencing future generations of storytellers. Whether you prefer the intricate web of Babylon 5's narrative or the episodic exploration of Star Trek, there is no denying the lasting impact and enduring appeal of these two beloved series.

Comparisons may contain inaccurate information about people, places, or facts. Please report any issues.

Den of Geek

How Babylon 5 Made Star Trek Better

The last best hope for peace in the 23rd century was a space station on the edge of a frontier. But could Star Trek have been reborn without Babylon 5?

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There are a few patient zeroes for  proving serialized storytelling on TV viable. Breaking Bad , Mad Men , Battlestar Galactica , and the so-called “golden era” of TV aren’t possible without a few under-the-radar precedents. Different critics will point to different examples, but when it comes to science fiction and fantasy shows, that list gets a lot smaller. Some might say Buffy ’s interconnected season-long arcs are the most influential, while Trekkies tend to lean heavily on the innovation and risk-taking of Deep Space Nine ’s serialization in later seasons. In fact, one prominent DS9 podcast — The Rules of Acquisition — has effectively argued that DS9 created the foundation for all contemporary TV that followed. And then there’s The X-Files . 

All of these examples are valid because, clearly, in the late 1990s, there was a vortex swirling that led to a revitalization of TV conventions that was most noticeable in genre shows. Buffy and DS9 probably deserve equal credit, but in terms of its influence on science fiction, and Star Trek in particular, the series that is (sometimes) overlooked is Babylon 5 . By July 1994, Babylon was wrapping up its first season, and the future of science fiction on TV would never be the same… 

In retrospect, Babylon 5 made Star Trek better in the 1990s. Like Paul McCartney being inspired by the Beach Boys in the ‘60s, Babylon 5 was the scrappy ‘90s sci-fi underdog that, in a roundabout way, inspired the best of Trek to be better. Here’s why…

Did Deep Space Nine rip-off Babylon 5 ? (Or vice versa?)

If you were watching sci-fi TV in the ‘90s, you probably had at least an argument about whether or not the two TV shows about people living on a space station were ripping off each other. I had an ill-informed one with my dad in 1995. My dad claimed he thought it was clear that Deep Space Nine (which premiered on January 3rd, 1993) had ripped-off Babylon 5 (which premiered on January 26th, 1994), and I claimed the reverse. Neither of us was right, but it’s easy to see why fans we’re so perplexed at the time. Here’s the list:

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• Both shows featured a cast of humans living with aliens on a space station, trying to work out various peace deals. 
• Both had no-nonsense female first officers, Kira on DS9 , Ivanova on B5 (though in the B5 pilot episode, “The Gathering,” the first officer was Laurel Takashima, played by Tamlyn Tomita , who very recently turned up on Star Trek: Picard .)
• In the first season, both had lead characters who were “Commanders” not “Captains.”
• Both of these Commanders (Sisko and Sinclair) were veterans of major battles/wars, and their characters were (initially) defined by this experience.
• Both space stations were positioned next to a strategic portal through space; the Wormhole in DS9 and a major JumpGate in B5 .
• And finally, both shows expected the viewer to have watched some, if not all, of the previous episodes in order to know what was going on. Again, in the ‘90s, this was not common for any TV.

So, what’s the deal? Well, as Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski has gone-on record saying many, many times: “Were Pillar and Berman [DS9 creators] aware of B5 at any time? No. Of that, I am also confident. The only question in my mind is to what degree did the development people steer them?” 

Babylon 5 had been in development since 1987, but there’s not really any reason to believe that camp Star Trek was super-interested in ripping off a space station show and using it for its own purposes. So, the theory floated by JMS and others is basically this: Because B5 had been pitched to Paramount before landing with Warner Bros, it’s feasible that Paramount Studio executives encouraged the DS9 team to use various elements from the B5 pitch without telling them about the existence of B5 . There’s also one rumor t hat states that Warner and Paramount were planning on launching a joint network in the early ‘90s, and that from a studio-level point-of-view, at some point in time, Babylon 5 and DS9 WERE THE SAME SHOW, even if the people making the shows were unaware of that. That last one is pretty out-there, and also hasn’t been publicly verified, so, there’s a good bet it might not be accurate. 

Bottom line: Today, most consider the similarities between B5 and DS9 to be superficial and mostly coincidental. It’s water under the space bridge, Wormhole or Jumpgate. And yet, there are more concrete connections.

The Babylon 5 + Star Trek connections 

In front of the camera, Babylon 5 had a few obvious Star Trek connections. The recurring villain Alfred Bester (named after the famous SF novelist) was played by Walter Koenig, best known to Trekkies as Pavel Chekov. Patricia Tallman, who played telepath Lyta Alexander on B5 , was a familiar stunt performer on The Next Generation and DS9 (often doubling for Gates McFadden, Nana Visitor, and Terry Farrell ) and also appeared in notable episodes like “Starship Mine.” On top of that, at the height of the rivalry between B5 and Star Trek , Majel Barret — the first lady of Star Trek and Gene Roddenberry’s widow — guest-starred in the 1996 Babylon 5 episode “Point of No Return.” She played a character named Lady Morella, the widow of the Emperor of the planet Centauri Prime. This cameo was a calculated move on the part of B5 creator JMS and Barret. Basically, the goal here was to send a message to all fandoms: Be cool.

Behind-the-scenes, there were a few more big Star Trek connections. Harlan Ellison was a “Creative Consultant” for Babylon 5 and Trekkies obviously know his mega-famous Trek episode, “City on the Edge of Forever.” And, JMS himself was also a big Trekkie. But we’ll get to that.

How Babylon 5 (maybe) made Trek writing better in the ‘90s

Okay. So, there’s no reason to believe that Deep Space Nine ripped-off Babylon 5 in the ‘90s, but that doesn’t mean Deep Space Nine and Voyager weren’t made better by the existence of some friendly competition. Documentaries like What We Left Behind make it clear that DS9 had its own agenda, separate and apart, from, well, pretty much anything. That said, DS9 didn’t start out as a serialized show. Those big story arcs came later. Babylon 5 on the other hand, did start out serialized, which when you consider that most seasons were 22 episodes long, that’s really saying something. DS9 always had ongoing storylines, but the heavy serialization — the types of back-to-back story arcs that happened during the Dominion War — happened years after the show got off the ground. Did Babylon 5 give the writers’ room of DS9 the confidence to go this route? Most would probably say no. And yet, B5 ’s serialization was its signature. With DS9 , the serialization became its signature eventually . 

Adam Nimoy, son of Leonard Nimoy, directed the most pivotal episode of Babylon 5 , the 1996 season 3 finale, “Z’ ha’dum.” These days, this kind of thing happens all the time — Jonathan Frakes directs episodes of Star Trek: Discovery and The Orville in the same year. But back in 1996, this kind of thing was more shocking. It’s not provable, but with so many Star Trek people working on Babylon 5 , it feels unlikely that the writers and producers never watched the show. Because if they had, it seems like they would have been fired-up. 

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How Babylon 5 saved Star Trek’s special effects in the ‘90s

In the early 1990s, real sci-fi on TV didn’t use CGI. If you wanted to do spaceships, you used models. Even the sci-fi epic seaQuest DSV got away with heavy CGI use because, in essence, the ships were half-hidden underwater. But not Babylon 5 . From 1994 onward, everything about the series was CGI. Initially, the VFX company that provided these effects was a company called Foundation Imaging. Because B5 had a budget of roughly a third of a Trek series of that era, CGI effects were the only way to survive. You might not think the CGI on B5 looks that realistic now, but you have to put it in context. Outside of maybe The Last Starfighter , nobody had really dared to do outer space ship VFX with anything other than models. B5 proved it could be done. The series also pioneered virtual sets, a practice that every single sci-fi show benefits from to this day.

But this isn’t an instance of Star Trek noticing someone doing CGI and thinking that it was a good idea. Foundation Imaging literally became a part of the Star Trek franchise in 1996. After 1995, Warner Bros decided to create the CGI for Babylon 5 in-house, which left Foundation Imaging in trouble. Luckily in 1996, the company started doing CGI for Star Trek: Voyager , which led to a longtime association with the Trek franchise. Up until 1996, for spaceship exteriors, Trek almost always used models. But that started to change after Foundation Imaging began working on Voyager . Though another VFX company — Digital Muse — did a bunch of DS9 ’s effects, Foundation Imaging was eventually needed on DS9 as well. Remember the greatest spaceship battle in all of DS9 ? Yep, that’s (mostly) Foundation Imaging.

In “Sacrifice of Angels,” the scope of the starship battle was too big for models to be used, and the workload too large for Digital Muse to handle alone. And so, Foundation was responsible for the epic moment in which the USS Defiant breaks through the Dominion lines. For most DS9 fans, this exact scene defines why the series is legit awesome. And, the truth is, if Babylon 5 hadn’t employed Foundation Imaging, if Babylon 5 hadn’t relied on CGI effects, the Defiant might not have flown like that. Everyone knows great VFX can’t save a bad sci-fi movie or TV series. But, in the late 90s, it was also true that bad VFX could prevent great sci-fi from being accepted. If Trek hadn’t slowly made the switch to CGI, it’s hard to believe Voyager would have continued to be exciting. Without Babylon 5 and Foundation, you can forget “Year of Hell.”

How Babylon 5 ’s creator predicted a Star Trek reboot

 In 2005, after the cancelation of Enterprise was announced, JMS and Bryce Zabel co-authored a treatment for a possible reboot of Star Trek . This outline wasn’t done because anyone asked them to. It was done out of love for Star Trek . The basic concept was, at the time, fairly radical — do an entire reboot of Star Trek , in fact, the pitch was called Star Trek: Re-Boot the Universe . The idea was to give a new origin story for Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and the rest of the TOS crew. JMS used examples from his work in comic books: Fans can accept that this happens in a different universe. Sound familiar? 

By 2009, the entire trajectory of Star Trek was redefined by the first J.J. Abrams reboot movie, which, superficially, is what JMS and Zabel pitched. True, the current Star Trek renaissance has gone away from the reboot universe. But, the viability for big-budget, cinematic Star Trek probably couldn’t have happened without the reboots. Again, we can’t prove that the JMS/Zabel pitch inspired Paramount to do their own reboot, but just like there may have been some synergy between DS9 and B5 , the basic pitch is just too similar to ignore. 

Babylon 5 was a not a Star Trek rip-off, but it did take place in the 23rd Century, and like the classic Trek , featured heroic human starship captains and their alien allies teaming-up to save the galaxy. In a sense, there was a retro-feeling to all of Babylon 5 that probably reminded ‘90s Trekkies more of TOS than of TNG or DS9 . Throw Walter Koenig and Harlan Ellison into the mix, and B5 was like a tribute band for Star Trek: The Original Series . These days, fans of The Orville make similar comparisons between that series and the TNG heyday of the ‘90s. The difference, of course, is that B5 was created by J. Michael Straczynski, a guy who cut his teeth literally creating the scripts for your favorite ‘80s cartoons; from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe to The Real Ghostbusters . In short, Straczynski was someone who understood what sci-fi TV was in the ‘90s, and he knew its limitations. When he set out to make B5 he clearly did it with a lot of love for Star Trek . JMS  hired Star Trek actors for Babylon 5 . He attempted to bridge the divide between Trek fandoms and the B5 fandoms. He even dreamed up a way to bring Trek back from the dead after it was seemingly canceled in 2005. J. Michael Straczynski maybe never formally wrote for Star Trek , but without him, and without Babylon 5 , the world of Trek would have been much, much darker.

Ryan Britt is a longtime contributor to Den of Geek! He is also the author of three non-fiction books: the Star Trek pop history book PHASERS…

The Most Pivotal Sci-Fi Show of All Time Was Almost Murdered by Star Trek

The first, best hope for sci-fi serialization had a tough road to the screen.

In the beginning, Babylon 5 was almost murdered by Star Trek. Back in 1987, the same year Star Trek: The Next Generation brought space-based sci-fi back to mainstream TV, writer J. Michael Straczynski took his pitch for a sci-fi “novel for television” to studios and networks.

Today, Straczynski is best known for co-writing the first Thor movie in 2011 and co-creating Sense8 with the Wachowskis. But in 1987, his big credits were writing for Masters of the Universe and being a story editor on The Real Ghostbusters . His pitch for Babylon 5 was a unique and radical departure.

In the late ’80s and early ’90s, serialized TV didn’t really exist outside of soap operas. But on Jan. 26, 1994, the first episode of Babylon 5 debuted and insisted on a new kind of viewing habit: Fans had to catch nearly every episode to understand the story, which was set to last for five years. Today, this kind of sprawling sci-fi epic is much more common, from The Expanse to Foundation and For All Mankind , and even the contemporary Star Trek and Star Wars series like Discovery and Andor . But 30 years ago, the concept and format of Babylon 5 were a revolution that almost didn’t happen.

In 1987, Straczynski was working with producers Douglass Netter and John Copeland on a live-action kids’ sci-fi series called Captain Power, a glorified toy commercial for Mattel. Everyone wanted to do something better, and Straczynski pitched “ Casablanca in space.” The idea was to do a serious sci-fi epic set on a pivotal space station at a crossroads between various alien governments. This way the show could be big and small at the same time, telling an epic story while being made on a reduced budget compared to its sci-fi rivals.

In the 1990s, an average episode of B5 was completed for around $600,000 , whereas Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine generally had a budget of $1.3 million per episode . Babylon 5 used a production plan created by Copeland, drawing on experience from Captain Power, to pinch pennies without sacrificing ambition. The biggest cost Copeland cut? Visual effects. Unlike almost every other sci-fi series at the time, B5 used CGI for all of its spaceships and space stations, and many of its aliens. While Star Trek shows were still building models, Babylon 5 saved a ton of money by digitally rendering its universe.

Deep Space Nine was seen as a step-sibling to Babylon 5 .

Because Babylon 5 was pitched in 1987, the same year The Next Generation appeared, there has long been a belief that the next Trek spinoff, 1993’s Deep Space Nine , was a rip-off. Before landing at Warner Bros., Straczynski and his crew did pitch B5 to Paramount. By 1993, Deep Space Nine debuted its premiere episode, while that year also saw the pilot movie for Babylon 5 , “The Gathering.” So by 1994 , when Babylon 5 truly got underway with its first real episode, “Midnight on the Firing Line,” it was easy for sci-fi fans to believe B5 ripped off DS9 , not the other way around.

Did the Star Trek camp rip off Babylon 5 ? Maaaybe, but there’s no smoking phaser. Because B5 was pitched to Paramount before being acquired by Warner Bros., there is evidence that some studio suits encouraged Deep Space Nine producers Rick Berman and Michael Pillar to borrow elements from Babylon 5 for the DS9 pilot without telling them where those ideas came from.

Here’s why it’s fishy. Both shows take place on pivotal space stations, both feature Commanders (not Captains, initially) who have a mysterious connection to an alien race, and both were focused on said space station keeping the peace in that part of the galaxy. Back in 1992, Straczynski said : “Were Pillar and Berman aware of B5 at any time? No. Of that, I am also confident. The only question in my mind is to what degree did the development people steer them?”

Ultimately, the two shows became very different, but the specter of Star Trek loomed over B5 . There is also evidence that Paramount and Warner Bros. were considering launching a joint network, which wouldn’t have had room for two space station sci-fi shows.

Our human and alien heroes.

On top of all of this, the very idea of Star Trek made selling Babylon 5 difficult. Before convincing Warner Bros. to do Babylon 5 , Straczynski, Netter, and Copeland were repeatedly told that Star Trek was a unique phenomenon and didn’t represent a greater hunger for space-based sci-fi. As Straczynski said in the 1998 Jane Killick nonfiction Babylon 5 book Signs and Portents : “The general sense in Hollywood [at the time] is that there’s only an audience for Star Trek ; that if there truly were an audience for SF, Star Trek would have bred more science fiction shows.”

There were, of course, other science fiction shows set in space between 1969 and 1994, but none of America’s space-based sci-fi shows lasted very long. Even a cult classic like the 1978 Battlestar Galactica was only on for one season, partly because it was way too expensive to make. Babylon 5 proved there was an appetite, and most non-Star Trek space shows owe a debt of gratitude to B5 today.

If you return to the first episode, “Midnight on the Firing Line, ” you’ll see much of what made the show great. The debut artfully sets up several series storylines, some of which aren’t resolved for two more seasons and one of which isn’t fully explained until the finale. Babylon 5 ’s scrappy production values may be jarring for modern audiences. But if you can look beyond the aesthetics, the drama, ambition, and heart of this little space station that could are still as powerful as ever.

Babylon 5 is streaming on Tubi . Plus, here’s the Inverse hack to watching just five episodes to get a sense of the entire show.

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• Star Trek Series | 2364 - 2378
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Poll   Babylon 5 vs Deep Space 9? Which one is better in terms of graphics?

• Thread starter Hadrian
• Start date Mar 6, 2016

Babylon 5 vs Deep Space Nine in terms of graphics?

Deep space 9, both of them sucks, both of them are awesome, lieutenant junior grade.

• Mar 6, 2016

The title says it all.  

Vandervecken

Fleet captain.

Maybe I'm not so exacting but I was ok with both. But some of the designs in B5 were just sooooo awesome--especially the Shadow ships. And then when they showed all the different ships of the First Ones...And all in all I thought B5 space battles were more convincing. The Shadows themselves were graphics and I thought wonderfully alien. The one time we saw a Vorlon outside of its encounter suit could have been done better though. also the Vorlon ships were very good (Voy 8472 ships being a rip-off of these).  

I'm assuming by graphics you mean special effects?  

TheSubCommander

Where is the option "Both were awesome?" Oh, wait. I get it. This thread is trolly click bait, isn't it?  

Tosk said: I'm assuming by graphics you mean special effects? Click to expand...

Vandervecken said: Maybe I'm not so exacting but I was ok with both. But some of the designs in B5 were just sooooo awesome--especially the Shadow ships. And then when they showed all the different ships of the First Ones...And all in all I thought B5 space battles were more convincing. The Shadows themselves were graphics and I thought wonderfully alien. The one time we saw a Vorlon outside of its encounter suit could have been done better though. also the Vorlon ships were very good (Voy 8472 ships being a rip-off of these). Click to expand...

TheSubCommander said: Where is the option "Both were awesome?" Oh, wait. I get it. This thread is trolly click bait, isn't it? Click to expand...

Rear Admiral

Sure, compared to some CGI done at the same time, B5's could be slightly lacking. But it still swept me away, now and then. So for me, both are equally awesome.  

Bad Thoughts

Vice admiral.

Being colorblind, I found B5 difficult to watch.  

Seven of Five

Stupid sexy flanders.

They're both good to watch. DS9 overall may have some better CGI, but it had more of a budget than Babylon 5 did.  

Do you mean CGI or FX?? DS9 had considerably more resources and looked like it in either case. RAMA  

The Lensman

DS9 had higher quality FX and did the same bland and boring shit until Babylon 5 showed up. B5 was far more ambitious FX wise from the get go and this bled over into DS9 much to it's benefit. I typically prefer ambitious FX to realistic FX, because one shows creativity the other is just technical proficiency.  

Fleet Admiral

IMO -- Deep Space Nine had better graphic design on their sets. (fake computer displays) Babylon 5 had better design on their computer generated special effects. (fake space ships)  

The Lensman said: DS9 had higher quality FX and did the same bland and boring shit until Babylon 5 showed up. B5 was far more ambitious FX wise from the get go and this bled over into DS9 much to it's benefit. I typically prefer ambitious FX to realistic FX, because one shows creativity the other is just technical proficiency. Click to expand...

RAMA said: Even back then I thought the CGI on B5 looked like video games, and looking at them today DS9 holds up a million times better, even without HD. Click to expand...

Babylon 5 had the better arc--DS9 the better individual episodes--that's the common wisdom anyway.  

• Mar 7, 2016

DS9 special effects and photography were vastly better. They had a big budget, and Babylon 5 had an Amiga. In B5's defense, I should add that their idea of space battles was a lot closer to what they would probably really be like. Although, B5 was set in the nearer future than DS9, so that might be just how much development happened in the meantime.  

Grendelsbayne

I would've voted for both of them being roughly equal if there was an option for that (that didn't say they sucked) , but since it isn't there, I gave the slight edge to DS9. Part of this is based on memory and it's been a long time since I've watched B5, but the main comparison I remember making between them was that: B5 had cooler, stranger more interesting and unique designs (Shadows, White Stars, those blocky fighters, etc) - but they weren't as well executed as DS9's (still very cool) designs were. Watching DS9 I never really noticed the cgi much, it blended in to the show very well, but on B5, it stuck out like a sore thumb.  

Good Bad Influence

As much as I love the design aesthetic of Babylon 5 and enjoy their multitude of ship designs etc., they just can't compare to the level of quality achieved on Deep Space Nine . At least not for me. The ship, set and visual designs by John Eaves, Jim Martin, Herman Zimmerman, Mike Okuda and Rick Sternbach are brought to live wonderfully by people like Gary Hutzel and Tony Meininger. Their effects and model work has a sleekness and a lived-in reality to it, that Babylon 5 with its computer rendered effects could never have achieved at the time.  

Griffeytrek

B5 has some striking and innovative designs. And I love how they attempted a more realistic space combat physics. But while the designs are fantastic, the actual on screen CGI graphics have not aged all that well. DS9 with their CGI enhanced practical effects and motion control model work, was more limited in some of what they could present, at least early on. But the images and graphics stand up better over time.  

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Deep Space Nine and Babylon 5: Remarkably Similar… Or Similarly Remarkable?

Ever since the 1990s, fans of  Babylon 5  and  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine  have noted many similarities between the popular science-fiction franchises. Such comparisons were inevitable, given the controversy involving the two series’ genesis. It has been suggested by J. Michael Straczynski that Paramount, after considering his proposal for  B5 , passed on the project but then rushed to get a  Star Trek -based version of its plot to television first. Paramount, meanwhile, denies this was the case.

It really doesn’t matter which series was created first, however, or which production company may have swiped concepts from the other, as each was brilliant in its own right—plus, each borrowed elements of other tales predating both shows. Ultimately, both shows deserve their proper place in sci-fi history.

The following list illustrates how closely the two shows mirrored one another in terms of concept and characterization. Although Walter Koenig, Majel Barrett, and other actors appeared on both series, this list pertains only to story-related similarities, as it’s quite common for actors to work on a number of different TV series.

THE STATIONS • Both shows were set on massive space stations with single-digit names (Deep Space 9 vs. Babylon 5) located near transit points of immense power that were not of Terran design (the Bajoran wormhole vs. the Centauri-made jumpgate). • Both stations were used to foster peace between former enemies following a terrible war (the Bajoran-Cardassian conflict vs. the Earth-Minbari War), and were intended as a stopping-off point for diplomats, merchants, smugglers, and other travelers. • Both stations were administered by an Earth-based government (the Federation vs. the Earth Alliance), but were located outside Earth’s solar system (Bajor vs. Epsilon III). • Both stations contained a marketplace for commercial activity that included bars, restaurants, and casinos (the Promenade vs. the Zócalo), as well as holographic sex joints (holosuites vs. a holobrothel). • Both stations received massive weapons upgrades approximately mid-series, and later formed alliances with several formerly competing species in order to win a galactic conflict (the Dominion War vs. the Shadow War). • Both stations had a security force composed of fighters from two formerly non-aligned governments (Starfleet and Bajor vs. Earth and Narn). • Both stations included sections deemed dangerous that were no longer used by their owners (the damaged levels of DS9 vs. Down Below).

THE CONCEPTS • Both shows focused on an enslaved, deeply religious people fighting to assert itself against its oppressors (the Bajorans from the Cardassians vs. the Narns from the Centauri). • Both oppressive species eventually saw their homeworlds devastated by the resultant war, due to an outside manipulative force (the Dominion vs. the Shadows). • Both shows featured enigmatic god-like entities revered as deities by less advanced beings (the wormhole aliens vs. the Vorlons). • Both enigmatic god-like species had “evil” counterparts they’d battled for eons, culminating in an ultimate face-off toward the end of the series (the Pah-wraiths vs. the Shadows). • Both shows featured a grand story arc with aliens infiltrating Earth’s government to conquer it from within (the Dominion vs. the Shadows). • Both shows involved a planetary civil war (on Bajor vs. on Earth). • Both shows featured a shadow department within Earth’s government (Section 31 vs. Bureau 13—the same number in reverse—as well as Night Watch and Psi Corps). • Both shows, during the first episode of the third season, added small, special-armored spaceships built using alien technology (the  Defiant  with Romulan tech vs. the  White Stars  with Minbari tech), and both ships were destroyed and later replaced. • Both shows had pilot episodes featuring an alien shape-changer (Odo vs. the Minbari assassin).

THE COMMANDERS • Both stations’ commanders (Benjamin Sisko vs. Jeffrey Sinclair and John Sheridan) were traumatized by a recent war with a devastating enemy (the Borg at the Battle of Wolf 359 vs. the Minbari at the Battle of the Line). • Both stations’ commanders recently lost a wife (Jennifer Sisko vs. Anna Sheridan), leaving them depressed and angry—and both eventually lost that same wife a second time (Jennifer in the Mirror Universe vs. Anna in her Shadow-altered state). • Both stations’ commanders had independent ship captains for girlfriends (Kasidy Yates vs. Carolyn Sykes and Catherine Sakai). • Both stations’ commanders remarried during the series (Kasidy vs. Delenn) and both, upon dying, left behind that second wife and a son (Jake Sisko vs. David Sheridan). • Both stations’ commanders eventually became a spiritual leader, fulfilling a prophecy (Sisko for the Bajorans vs. Sinclair for the Minbari and Vorlons, with Sheridan being worshipped, centuries in the future, as part of a divine trinity). • Both stations’ commanders vanished, their fate a mystery to the masses (Sisko becoming a Prophet vs. Sinclair becoming Valen and Sheridan joining the First One beyond the Rim).

THE CREWS • Both stations had a hotheaded female second-in-command who had lost loved ones during a war (Kira Nerys vs. Susan Ivanova), and both found it difficult to trust their new commander (Sisko vs. Sheridan). • Both shows had an “everyman”-type character with a first name starting with “Mi” (Miles O’Brien vs. Michael Garibaldi), whose assistant betrayed him during the season-one finale (Neela vs. Jack). • Both shows had a chief of security constantly under scrutiny by Earth (Odo vs. Garibaldi), and plagued by personal issues (Odo facing loneliness, homesickness, and unrequited love for Kyra vs. Garibaldi battling alcoholism, paranoia, and unrequited lust for Talia Winters). Both security chiefs were eventually manipulated by others, compromising their ability to perform their job (Odo by the Founders vs. Garibaldi by Alfred Bester). • Both shows featured an idealistic doctor hiding a secret (Julian Bashir’s genetic engineering vs. Stephen Franklin’s drug use and telepath underground activities), and both doctors had strained relationships with their fathers. • Both series featured a side character who, despite being from a selfish, egocentric species, displayed uncharacteristic morals and personality traits (Rom vs. Vir Cotto). Both were initially viewed by their world as a loser, but ended up revered by series’ end as their people’s new leader. • Both shows had a major female character replaced by another during the final season after the actor playing the first character decided to leave (Jadzia Dax and Ezri Tigan vs. Ivanova and Elizabeth Lockley)—and in both cases, the in-universe explanation stemmed from the death of a jovial character with great wit, intelligence, and fighting skills (Jadzia vs. Marcus Cole). • Both series had characters whose loyalties and attitudes changed over time, transforming them from villainous to heroic, or vice versa, and sometimes back again (Quark, Garak, and Dukat vs. Londo Mollari, G’Kar, and Lyta Alexander). • Both series featured characters who carried on illegal activities at the stations, much to the security chief’s frustration (Quark vs. N’Grath, Deuce, and others). • Both series featured recurring characters who ultimately turned traitor and were later killed (Michael Eddington vs. Lennier and Talia Winters). • Both shows featured a member of the top brass staging an attempted  coup d’état  of Earth’s government (Admiral Leyton vs. General Hague—and both were portrayed by actor Robert Foxworth).

BONUS SIMILARITY • This one is admittedly a stretch, but both shows had characters with names pronounced “Dukat” and “Lyta”… though with different spellings in each case.

Despite the above list,  Deep Space Nine  and  Babylon 5  were not merely clones of each other. In fact, there were just as many differences as similarities, and the two shows became increasingly divergent as time passed. Nonetheless, the evidence is pretty conclusive:  B5  and  DS9  were remarkably similar—or maybe they were just similarly remarkable.

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The Puffin-style Babylon 5 Viewing Guide

Around 2009, I did my first real watch of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . It quickly became my favorite Star Trek series, and I’ve gone through it two more times since. The legendary, spoiler-free Puffin.net Deep Space 9 Viewing Guide has been a companion every time. I think the guide is a valuable tool for anyone out to watch the show.

Midway through a rewatch of Babylon 5 I started in 2021, I was inspired to do my own spoiler-free guide for B5, in the spirit of that guide.

Babylon 5 is an oddity – a serialized TV show in an era where such a thing was unheard of. It was an epic space opera told on a modest budget, drenched in maximalist 90’s style and culture (newspapers in space?!). And almost the entire show was written by ONE guy. The Earth Alliance is a peak-capitalist mess – a far cry from the Federation in Star Trek – and the encroaching darkness in the series hits quite a bit closer to home in the 2020’s.

I was delighted to find that, for all its flaws and badly-aged humor, the series is just as gripping and enjoyable as it was when I watched it as a kid. My hope is this guide will help you enjoy it as a new (or returning) viewer.

• I use the standard TV series shorthand “S#E#”. S1E2? That’s season ONE, episode TWO.
• The rating system goes (in descending order): Great ⇒ Good ⇒ Fair ⇒ Meh , and I’ve marked when I consider something essential .
• The guide does not currently include all the TV movies and spin-off media.
• Am I missing something? Leave me a note.

The Viewing Tracks

Here’s a couple of ways you might go through the show:

The ‘Sinclair’ track – The simplest approach. Start with S1E1 , head through the guide in order. Make sure to watch the Essential episodes. Skip anything else you want.

The ‘Sheridan’ track – Let’s skip right to the start of the big serialized arc at the middle of the show. Start with S2E1 to get our feet wet with the characters and world, then watch S2E9 “The Coming of Shadows” and follow guide from there. When you reach S4E9 , skip that and watch the TV movie “In the Beginning” , since it covers the same ground. When you reach the end of Season 4 , watch S5E22 to wrap up the show.

SEASON ONE: SIGNS AND PORTENTS (1994)

• S1E1 • “Midnight on the Firing Line” • Good • Key characters and alien races, earth politics. Essential.
• S1E2 • “Soul Hunter” • Good • Dr. Franklin, Minbari/Human history
• S1E3 • “Born to the Purple” • Fair • Londo, first Vir
• S1E4 • “Infection” • Fair • Filler
• S1E5 • “The Parliament of Dreams” • Good • Alien cultures and partying. Londo.
• S1E6 • “Mind War” • Good • Psy Corps, first Bester. Talia.
• S1E7 • “The War Prayer” • Fair • Earth/Minbari tensions.
• S1E8 • “And the Sky Full of Stars” • Good • Key Sinclair history, Earth/Minbari war history.
• S1E9 • “Deathwalker” • Good • Filler
• S1E10 • “Believers” • Fair • Filler
• S1E11 • “Survivors” • Fair • Garibaldi.
• S1E12 • “By Any Means Necessary” • Fair • Londo/G’kar.
• S1E13 • “Signs and Portents” • Good • Important character introduction. Essential.
• S1E14 • “TKO” • Meh • Ivanova, alien UFC.
• S1E15 • “Grail” • Fair • Filler
• S1E16 • “Eyes” • Good • Earthforce.
• S1E17 • “Legacies” • Fair • Minbari.
• S1E18 • “A Voice in the Wilderness” (Part 1) • Good • Delenn/Draal. Mars.
• S1E19 • “A Voice in the Wilderness” (Part 2) • Good • Earthforce, Epsilon 3, Mars.
• S1E20 • “Babylon Squared” • Good • Babylon 4. Key mysteries set in motion. Essential.
• S1E21 • “The Quality of Mercy” • Fair • Talia, Franklin.
• S1E22 • “Chrysalis” • Good • Garibaldi. Huge developments. Essential.

SEASON TWO: THE COMING OF SHADOWS (1994-5)

• S2E1 • “Points of Departure” • Good • Intro Sheridan. Essential.
• S2E2 • “Revelations” • Good • Delenn, G’kar.
• S2E3 • “The Geometry of Shadows” • Good • Ivanova. Techno-mages!
• S2E4 • “A Distant Star” • Good • Sheridan, cool spaceship.
• S2E5 • “The Long Dark” • Fair • Filler.
• S2E6 • “Spider in the Web” • Fair • Talia.
• S2E7 • “Soul Mates” • Good • Londo, Talia.
• S2E8 • “A Race Through Dark Places” • Good • Bester, telepaths.
• S2E9 • “The Coming of Shadows” • Great • Key Narn/Centauri developments. Essential.
• S2E10 • “GROPOS” • Fair • Filler. Franklin, Garibaldi.
• S2E11 • “All Alone in the Night” • Meh • Kosh. Agamemnon. Sheridan.
• S2E12 • “Acts of Sacrifice” • Meh • G’kar. Badly aged humor.
• S2E13 • “Hunter, Prey” • Good • Earth conspiracy. Fun
• S2E14 • “There All the Honor Lies” • Good • Sheridan. Was there a jump in budget?
• S2E15 • “And Now For a Word” • Great • ISN episode. Narn/Centauri war.
• S2E16 • “In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum” • Good • Mr. Morden. Shadows. Psychics. Nightwatch. Essential.
• S2E17 • “Knives” • Fair • Sheridan, Londo. Centauri culture and politics.
• S2E18 • “Confessions and Lamentations” • Fair • Plague. Cheesy comedy.
• S2E19 • “Divided Loyalties” • Good • Talia. Key Ivanova moments. Psychics, Earthgov.
• S2E20 • “The Long, Twilight Struggle” • Good • Pivotal Narn/Centauri war. Rangers. Essential.
• S2E21 • “Comes the Inquisitor” • Good • Vorlons. Delenn.
• S2E22 • “The Fall of Night” • Good • Vir/Lennier. Nightwatch, Shadows. Great music. Cheesy VFX. Essential.

SEASON THREE:  POINT OF NO RETURN (1995-6)

• S3E1 • “Matters of Honor” • Fair • Mr. Morden. Rangers. Intro Marcus. Essential.
• S3E2 • “Convictions” • Good • G’kar/Londo. Space Catholics?
• S3E3 • “A Day in the Strife” • Good • First contact. Garibaldi. Narn occupation. Franklin.
• S3E4 • “Passing Through Gethsemane” • Fair • Space Catholics. Lyta. Twilight Zone-ish.
• S3E5 • “Voices of Authority” • Good • Earth conspiracy. Nightwatch. Draal.
• S3E6 • “Dust to Dust” • Good • Nightwatch. Bester. Key G’kar development.
• S3E7 • “Exogenesis” • Good • Creepy filler! Very X-files-esque.
• S3E8 • “Messages From Earth” (1 of 3) • Great • Key Nightwatch/Earth developments. Cool space fights. Bad humor. Amazing cheesy fights. Essential.
• S3E9 • “Point of No Return” (2 of 3) • Great • Majel Barrett! Key Londo/Vir. Key Earth developments. Gripping. Essential.
• S3E10 • “Severed Dreams” (3 of 3) • Great • Lots of stuff BLOWS UP. Huge changes. Epic. Essential.
• S3E11 • “Ceremonies of Light and Dark” • Fair • Nightwatch. Bad comedy.
• S3E12 • “Sic Transit Vir” • Good • Vir! Weak food humor.
• S3E13 • “A Late Delivery from Avalon” • Meh • Filler. King Arthur?
• S3E14 • “Ship of Tears” • Good • Bester. Key psychic development. ISN. Starfurys! Politics.
• S3E15 • “Interludes and Examinations” • Great • Adira. Shadows. Mr. Morden. Key Kosh, key Franklin developments. Cool space battle. Essential.
• S3E16 • “War Without End: Part One” • Good • Sinclair. Babylon 4 (make sure you watched S1E20!). Zathras? Essential.
• S3E17 • “War Without End: Part Two” • Good • Key Londo revelations. Sinclair. Babylon 4. Essential.
• S3E18 • “Walkabout” • Great • Franklin. G’kar. Smooth jazz. Space battle.
• S3E19 • “Grey 17 is Missing” • Meh • Even JMS said this one is a skip.
• S3E20 • “And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place” • Great • Refa, Centauri politics and scheming. Religious leaders. Essential.
• S3E21 • “Shadow Dancing” • Great • Key Franklin development. Shadows. Huge battle. Essential. It’s pretty much all essential from here through season four.
• S3E22 • “Z’ha’dum” • Great • Sheridan/Anna. Iconic moments and key Shadows developments. Essential.

SEASON FOUR: NO SURRENDER, NO RETREAT (1996-7)

• S4E1 • “The Hour of the Wolf” • Good • Centauri politics. Key story developments. Essential.
• S4E2 • “Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi?” • Good • Key G’kar development. Londo. Essential.
• S4E3 • “The Summoning” • Good • Key Vorlon development. Key Garibaldi. Essential.
• S4E4 • “Falling Toward Apotheosis” • Great • Dark. Lots of key developments . Essential.
• S4E5 • “The Long Night” • Great • Crucial developments. Multiple iconic moments. Bryan Cranston! Essential.
• S4E6 • “Into the Fire” • Great • Lots of stuff BLOWS UP. Iconic scenes. Huge payoffs. Big dramatic speeches. Essential.
• S4E7 • “Epiphanies” • Fair • Lyta. Earth. Garibaldi.
• S4E8 • “The Illusion of Truth” • Good • ISN episode.
• S4E9 • “Atonement” • Fair • Delenn. Flashbacks. One semi-important revelation. Optional: Skip this and watch TV movie “In the Beginning,” it covers the same Earth/Minbari war events with more detail/explosions/etc.
• S4E10 • “Racing Mars” • Good • Garibaldi and Sheridan.
• S4E11 • “Lines of Communication” • Good • Drakh. Important Earth developments. Cool space battle.
• S4E12 • “Conflicts of Interest” • Fair • Garibaldi! Zathras! Lots of Zathras?
• S4E13 • “Rumors, Bargains and Lies” • Great • Minbari castes. Delenn. Reebo and Zooty revealed?!
• S4E14 • “Moments of Transition” • Good • Minbari war. Psychics. Lyta.
• S4E15 • “No Surrender, No Retreat” • Great • Key Earth developments. Great Londo/G’kar moments. Cool space battles. Essential.
• S4E16 • “Exercise of Vital Powers” • Good • Garibaldi. Psychics. Intrigue.
• S4E17 • “The Face of the Enemy” • Good • Key Earth developments. Garibaldi! Essential.
• S4E18 • “Intersections in Real Time” • Utterly Great • Sheridan. Pitch black. The best episode of the series (says I). Essential.
• S4E19 • “Between the Darkness and the Light” • Good • Garibaldi. Essential.
• S4E20 • “Endgame” (1 of 2) • Great • Key Earth civil war. Essential.
• S4E21 • “Rising Star” (2 of 2) • Fair • Key Earth civil war. Essential.
• S4E22 • “The Deconstruction of Falling Stars” • Good • Anthology. Any other detail is a spoiler. 🙂

SEASON FIVE: THE WHEEL OF FIRE (1998)

• S5E1 • “No Compromises” • Fair • Interstellar Alliance. Intro Lochley. Psychics. Essential intro to season 5.
• S5E2 • “The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari” • Fair • Londo episode. Lennier.
• S5E3 • “The Paragon of Animals” • Fair • Alliance.
• S5E4 • “A View from the Gallery” • Meh • Lower decks. Psychics. Great vfx.
• S5E5 • “Learning Curve” • Fair • Rangers. Zack. Marvelous cheesy 90s fight.
• S5E6 • “Strange Relations” • Meh • Bester. Psychics. Lots of explosions.
• S5E7 • “Secrets of the Soul” • Fair • Byron. Lyta, Zack. Franklin. Psychic sex!
• S5E8 • “Day of the Dead” • Great • Neil Gaiman-penned. Cool Lochley/Londo/Garibaldi development. Reebo and Zooty?
• S5E9 • “In the Kingdom of the Blind” • Good • Centauri intrigue. Drakh. Essential .
• S5E10 • “A Tragedy of Telepaths” • Fair • Telepaths, Centauri.
• S5E11 • “Phoenix Rising” • Fair • Telepaths.
• S5E12 • “The Ragged Edge” • Fair • Garibaldi, Drazi.
• S5E13 • “The Corps is Mother, the Corps is Father” • Good • Psi corps, Bester.
• S5E14 • “Meditations on the Abyss” • Fair • Lennier, rangers.
• S5E15 • “Darkness Ascending” • Good • Lennier, telepaths.
• S5E16 • “And All My Dreams, Torn Asunder” • Good • Centauri arc.
• S5E17 • “Movements of Fire and Shadow” • Good • Centauri arc.
• S5E18 • “The Fall of Centauri Prime” • Great • Centauri arc.
• S5E19 • “The Wheel of Fire” • Good • Narn religion. Garibaldi.
• S5E20 • “Objects in Motion” • Good • Garibaldi, G’kar.
• S5E21 • “Objects at Rest” • Good • Lennier. Windup to the finale.
• S5E22 • “Sleeping in Light” • Great • The big finale. Essential.

SPIN-OFFS and TV MOVIES

• The Gathering • TV movie • Fair • Fascinating prototype of the show. Many changes, but many things stick. Low stakes, but worth a look for the very cool Michael Mann-esque sets and the original take on Delenn.
• In the Beginning • TV movie • Great • Prequel. Earth/Minbari war. You can watch this in place of episode S4E9 for a lengthier flashback in continuity. Not essential, but you will be blessed by continuity gods if you watch.
• Thirdspace • TV movie • haven’t watched
• The River of Souls • TV movie • haven’t watched
• A Call to Arms • TV movie • haven’t watched • Sets up Crusade spin-off series.
• Crusade • TV series • haven’t watched
• The Legend of the Rangers • TV movie • haven’t watched • Backdoor pilot on Syfy, never went to series.
• The Lost Tales • Direct to DVD anthology • haven’t watched

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10 Ways Babylon 5 & Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Are Basically The Same Show

Two classic Sci-Fi series with a few things in common.

There is an incredible amount of great science fiction on TV, so much so that some of it inevitably has similarities. Normally, those similarities are accidental, generated by telling a story in a genre with many hard and fast tropes. Other times, it seems like science fiction series are the same because one is a copy of the other.

That's kind of what happened with Babylon 5 and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Another installment in the long running Star Trek franchise, DS9 hit airwaves in 1993 and ran for seven seasons. It focused on the crew of a space station which was made up of Bajorans and the Federation. Babylon 5, on the other hand, was an original series that debuted in 1995 but only ran for five seasons. Also on a space station, it was set after a devastating war.

While there are some stark differences between the two series, their similarities run deeper than just the settings. Despite never filing a lawsuit, Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski has indicated in the past that he met with Paramount, the company behind DS9, in the late 1980s to discuss the concept with them. The materials he brought may have been used by executives to build the next Star Trek series.

If any of that is true, it would explain why the two series have so many similar touchstones.

10. Earth Run Stations

At the core of both series are the space stations the stories take place on. That's why each show is named after its respective station. Deep Space Nine and Babylon 5 are the locations for the shows, the driving forces for their narratives. But their biggest similarity is not the venue so much as it is who operates them.

In both cases, it is human run organizations that operate the stations. On Babylon 5, Earth Alliance was responsible for the construction and management of their station. On Deep Space Nine, Cardassians built the station and the Bajorans own it, for all intents and purposes, but it is operated by the United Federation of Planets and Starfleet. There are other races in the Federation, but the driving force is depicted as humanity.

While each station is filled with species from across the galaxy, having these stations under the control of the human run organizations definitely sets the tone. It puts humanity in the driver's seat on Deep Space Nine and Babylon 5, for better or worse.

Ian Goodwillie is a freelance writer based out of Saskatoon, SK, Canada. He has a BA in English Literature from the University of Saskatchewan and completed the Writing Program at Vancouver Film School. More importantly, Ian is also a wrestling fan, comic book reader, video game player and photographer. He loves to write and writes about what he loves. Ian's also an unrepentant, unapologetic Cougar Town fan, a show he will defend until the day he dies.

Screen Rant

I can’t believe that we’re now living in a star trek: ds9 episode.

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• Star Trek: DS9's "Past Tense" sheds light on homelessness, reflecting societal issues from 2024 in a poignant way.
• The episode explores the struggle of governmental initiatives amidst larger external factors for homeless populations.
• Picard season 2 mirrors DS9's commentary, highlighting social inequalities with an eerie resemblance to reality.

The year is 2024, and I cannot believe that we're living in an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - and not in a good way. Like its 1990s contemporaries, DS9 was set in the 24th century, and so the Federation's utopian ideals were something to aspire to when I was watching as a kid. As Gene Roddenberry had always intended back in the 1960s, Star Trek TV shows present us with a hopeful vision of the future that challenges us to be better. Sometimes these lessons can be clunkily delivered, but other times Star Trek can provide incisive commentary on our times.

"Past Tense", a season 3 two-parter and one of the best Star Trek: DS9 episodes is one such story that incisively comments on the time in which it was written. In "Past Tense", Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) travel back in time to 2024, where they experience life inside one of San Francisco's Sanctuary Districts. While writer Robert Hewitt Wolfe had always wanted to tackle the issue of LA's homeless population in DS9 , his choice to set the episode in 2024 has given "Past Tense" a contemporary resonance that reflects how little we've learned .

10 Most Important Star Trek Time Travelers

Time travel is a staple of Star Trek stories, and several time traveling characters have had a significant impact on the Star Trek timeline.

We’re Living In The Year And Plot Of Star Trek: DS9’s “Past Tense”

In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 3, episodes 11 & 12, "Past Tense", Sisko and Bashir are stranded in 2024 in the lead-up to the historic Bell Riots . In Robert Hewitt Wolfe and Ira Steven Behr's dystopian vision of the United States in 2024, America's unhoused population are held in Sanctuary Districts . The Sanctuary Districts were supposed to give San Francisco's homeless people a roof over their heads while city representatives helped to find them employment and permanent housing. While theoretically a good idea, the increasing number of homeless people in California has led to overcrowding of the Sanctuary Districts.

...in theory, one of Star Trek: DS9 's Sanctuary Districts could work, but "Past Tense" makes the astute point that such initiatives are at the mercy of much larger external factors.

Six years ago, I used to run movie nights in a homeless shelter in London that gave people experiencing homelessness their own room and board. As well as providing accommodation and food, the charity also helped the shelter's residents to secure further education, medical treatment or job opportunities to help them escape the cycle. The movie nights were designed to facilitate discussion among the residents, and I was often moved by how cinema could allow them to discuss their own experiences of homelessness.

So, yes, in theory, one of Star Trek: DS9 's Sanctuary Districts could work, but "Past Tense" makes the astute point that such initiatives are at the mercy of much larger external factors. The charity I volunteered with was reliant on charitable donations and dwindling government funding to do the work. For example, following the 2008 financial crisis, the UK government embarked on swingeing austerity cuts that slashed funding for vital resources like social care at the same time that people lost jobs and needed those initiatives more than ever. Sixteen years and a pandemic later, and life on Earth is eerily similar to DS9 's "Past Tense".

The original pitch for "Past Tense" was entitled "The Cold and Distant Stars", which depicted Sisko as a homeless man in 1994 who had dreams of being commander of a space station. This later factored into the classic DS9 episode "Far Beyond the Stars" in season 6.

Los Angeles’ Homelessness Problem Has Got Worse, Not Better Since DS9

30 years ago, when Robert Hewitt Wolfe and Star Trek: DS9 showunner Ira Steven Behr were conceiving "Past Tense", a Los Angeles Times front page headline announced: "Homeless Camp Weighed In L.A. Industrial Area" . The city's proposal was criticized as " nothing but a prison " by Alice Callaghan, director of social service center Las Familias del Pueblo. I'm struck by the eerie similarities between Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe's dehumanizing dystopia and contemporary Los Angeles and so was Alexander Siddig, who reflected on "Past Tense" in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion :

"I hadn't realized the country was so depressed as to need it, but the episode was almost a cinematic version of that statement by the L.A. Council. "

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 3, episode 11, "Past Tense, Part I" aired on January 8th, 1995. Just over five months earlier, a Los Angeles Times report estimated that on any given night there were " between 43,233 and 77,143 people who are homeless " in LA County. 30 years later, and the figure for Los Angeles County is at the extreme end of the 1994 LA Times report, with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority estimating in January this year that 75,518 people are experiencing homelessness in the county. On top of this, there are an estimated 46,260 people homeless in Los Angeles city.

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It takes a village to bring Star Trek to life, but one particularly difficult episode of Deep Space Nine season 3 was truly a team effort.

Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Returned To DS9’s “Past Tense”

In Star Trek: Picard season 2 , Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the crew of the La Sirena travel back in time to 2024 to foil the plotting of Q (John de Lancie). While never explicitly confirmed in the dialog, Commander Rafaela Musiker (Michelle Hurd) finds herself in a homeless village that bears similarities to the Sanctuary District from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . In Picard season 2, episode 3, "Assimilation", Raffi had a similarly disillusioned perspective on 2024 as Sisko and Bashir in DS9 , observing:

"You know, I've never been able to understand how a society could exist with so many contradictions and not collapse sooner than it did."

It was depressing to watch Star Trek: Picard season 2 because the near-future of 2024 with its large homeless villages and violent immigration officers felt very close to home. Rather than the dystopian sci-fi of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's "Past Tense", the social inequality and poverty in Picard season 2 felt less like Star Trek and more like a documentary . However, while we may have failed to learn the lessons of DS9 's "Past Tense" over the past three decades, both it and the plot of Picard season 2 prove that we still have an opportunity to turn things around for the better.

Why We’re So Far From Star Trek’s Social Utopia

"it's not that they don't give a damn, doctor. it's that they've given up.".

Although it was written 30 years ago, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 3, episode 11, "Past Tense, Part I" has a moment that seems to sum up our own experiences in 2024. When Sisko tells Bashir that people in the 2020s have " given up ", it's hard not to feel like Avery Brooks is talking about us . In the past four years, we've endured the COVID-19 pandemic, devastating conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine, and a massive cost of living crisis. It's overwhelming, and as we struggle to put food on the table day to day, it can be hard to lift our heads above water to see outside our own experience.

Both the Bell Riots in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and the Europa mission in Star Trek: Picard season 2 helped to pave the way for the utopian ideals of Starfleet and the Federation.

In both Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Picard season 2, huge epoch-shifting events help to change things for the better. In "Past Tense", the Bell Riots lead to a radical rethink of how to better meet the needs of Los Angeles' homeless population. In the real-world, the COVID pandemic in 2020 led the UK government to implement several measures to protect the country's homeless population (via Crisis ) from Coronavirus. This just goes to show that, in the right circumstances, governments can rethink their policies on their unhoused citizens and how they solve the root causes of homelessness. We just need to build on that initiative so it's the rule rather than the exception.

Star Trek: Picard season 2's Europa mission brought back a mysterious microorganism that aided humanity in solving the climate crisis. NASA's real-life Europa mission will launch in October this year, in an attempt to find out if Jupiter's moon could support life. Both the Bell Riots in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and the Europa mission in Star Trek: Picard season 2 helped to pave the way for the utopian ideals of Starfleet and the Federation. Hopefully, in the real world, the findings of the Europa mission and a more holistic approach to homelessness can build our own more utopian future.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.

Star Trek: Picard

After starring in Star Trek: The Next Generation for seven seasons and various other Star Trek projects, Patrick Stewart is back as Jean-Luc Picard. Star Trek: Picard focuses on a retired Picard who is living on his family vineyard as he struggles to cope with the death of Data and the destruction of Romulus. But before too long, Picard is pulled back into the action. The series also brings back fan-favorite characters from the Star Trek franchise, such as Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), Worf (Michael Dorn), and William Riker (Jonathan Frakes).