Four years into BABYLON 5, JMS took a mulligan with a brand new prequel movie that served as a pilot for the series’s relaunch on the TNT network! Is it a better beginning to B5 than the original pilot, “The Gathering”? Does it strain credibility to have our cast of characters interacting during the Earth-Minbari … Continue reading Episode 88: “In the Beginning” →

It’s a season finale, and it’s entirely cuckoo bananapants! We look into the distant future of the B5 universe along with our traditional season-ending appearance by our beloved Control Group, Steven Schapansky. Plot points are seeded for Season 5, soapboxes are climbed upon, and (spoiler alert) one of your four humble correspondents absolutely hated this … Continue reading Episode 87: “The Deconstruction of Falling Stars” →

Boy howdy, does this feel like the last episode of the entire series! Where could B5 possibly go from here? (We’ll talk about that in spoiler space, of course.) Jason Snell was actually at the studio when they were editing “Rising Star,” so he joins us for a peek behind the scenes!

So. Much. Happens. Y’all. All of Sheridan’s planning comes together and the Earth Civil War is at an end. Did it happen too fast, or was the payoff worth the buildup? Join us!

It’s a little known fact that American television regulations were changed following the initial broadcast of this episode because it was determined that so. much. stuff. happening in a single episode was hazardous to viewers’ health. The cards are on the table. The rescue mission is underway. Mars awaits.

Welcome to John Sheridan’s darkest ordeal. Good morning. (Artificial daylight comes on.) Shall we begin?

Steven Schapansky rejoins us because (1) Mike Vejar and (2) Michael Garibaldi–as we find out just exactly WHAT has been going on underneath Steven’s favorite character’s shaved pate. That sadistic so-and-so Bester is back, and your intrepid podcasters question whether we should have sympathized with him or William Edgars before…well, you know…

Two out of three podcasters surveyed loved “(The) Exercise of Vital Powers.” Worldbuilding! One out of three didn’t. Lots of talking! Find out who’s on which side, and where we all stand on the issue of Sudden Telepathy as a Plotline Resurgence.

Well, Sheridan promised us last episode that things would get super serious. JMS wastes no time; there’s a reason all of Season 4 shares a title with this episode. Too much, too quickly, too soon? And how did you feel when G’Kar refused Londo’s drink?

Stuffed to the gills with plot, “Moments of Transition” puts a pin in the Minbari Civil War, puts the screws to Lyta Alexander’s career, puts Michael Garibaldi at odds with both his new employer and his (former?) friends, and puts one Alfred Bester in the catbird seat. Speaking of Bester, that character’s appearance brings independent … Continue reading Episode 79: “Moments of Transition” →

John “Machiavelli” Sheridan manipulates the alien governments into a fiendish conspiracy against Earth! (Or that’s how ISN might broadcast it these days.) Meanwhile, the Religious Caste is not too thrilled with Delenn making overtures toward Neroon, and bless poor Londo’s heart but now he has to lie about what a good Centauri he’s trying to … Continue reading Episode 78: “Rumors, Bargains and Lies” →

On this episode of Garibaldi, P.I., Michael does NOT don a Hawaiian shirt nor acquire a Ferrari. Instead he picks up a new job opportunity that takes him up against his former security forces. Meanwhile, Ivanova’s new job duties lead to comic relief, or is that “comic” relief, with the character sensation of the 1990s. … Continue reading Episode 77: “Conflicts of Interest” →

We are sorry to report that our Control Group, one Steven Schapansky (not appearing in this episode) had a conniption fit over the lack of descriptiveness in this episode’s title. Wait until he gets a load of next week’s. Meanwhile, meet the Drakh! Watch Delenn take charge! See Susan roll her eyes at her next … Continue reading Episode 76: “Lines of Communication” →

Somehow we made it through the whole episode without a John Barrowman reference. Chip considers this a personal failing. But, hey, let’s advance the Earth plot line a bit, spend significant time on another planet, and continue the buddy-movie adventures of Marcus and Steven. Plus, the Sheribaldi shippers take another gut punch… (Is “Sheribaldi” a … Continue reading Episode 75: “Racing Mars” →

OK, did this episode have the best guest casting find ever in B5 history, with Reiner Schone, or did it have the best guest casting find ever? Yeah, the three of us are big fans of Dukhat. Plus, this episode was directed by Wally Cleaver! And Lennier was such a nice guy in this one! … Continue reading Episode 74: “Atonement” →

It’s the B5 directorial debut of one Vir Cotto (not appearing on your screen this time) and the flip side to Season 2’s “And Now for a Word.” Call them Alternative Facts, call it Fake News, call it what you like: Sheridan and Delenn discover the limits of truth-telling before Interstellar Network News in a 1997 … Continue reading Episode 73: “The Illusion of Truth” →

It feels like the first time, only different! Londo’s happily haggling on the Zocalo. Sheridan’s matching wits with Bester. But Garibaldi’s quit his job, and the certainty of the Shadow War’s endgame has vanished. Welcome to Babylon 5 as it was earlier in the series: unpredictable.

There’s a really obvious Hamilton reference that Chip could drop into this podcast, particularly the last half of a certain King George song, but Erika would kill him. Besides, this podcast is chock full of content, so there’s no time for song inserts that would antagonize a co-host. Did we mention that the Shadow War is … Continue reading Episode 71: “Into the Fire” →

It’s special guest star Bryan Cranston! OH EM GEE! But maybe in the ’90s that wouldn’t be what held your attention. Maybe it was the sight of a very determined Narn breaking his unweakened chains, or a formerly cherubic second banana diplomat killing his emperor. Is that breaking bad or what? Stuff happens. We talk … Continue reading Episode 70: “The Long Night” →

How different is Season Four, and how different is John Sheridan now? He sits at the war room table and puts a hit out on a Vorlon. Yeah, things are getting serious in Grid Epsilon. Pull up a chair and listen as we go through all the plots.

Sheridan summons, Garibaldi shrink-wraps, Marcus confesses, Ivanova discovers, Delenn reunites, G’Kar screams, Vir threatens, Cartagia washes, Zack retrieves, Lyta confronts, Kosh abuses, Londo waits. Bit of a day.

OK, so a lot of stuff happens in this not-very-eponymous episode! We find out a bit more about whatever happened to Sheridan, Delenn prepares to go to war, G’Kar trips up, Londo offers a deal, and we learn very little about whatever happened to Mr. Garibaldi. We delve into why Season 4 feels different this time and … Continue reading Episode 67: “Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi?” →

You only just missed a song parody from Chip on this one, but hey, time was short and the songs from Rio aren’t exactly Creative Commons. You will, however, get some excitement over the new titles, a rescue attempt from our Big Damn (Lady) Heroes, a madman on the throne with really small ha– hair, and, of … Continue reading Episode 66: “The Hour of the Wolf” →

Season three ends. John Sheridan ends. Anna Sheridan ends…again. The Shadow War…pauses. Michael Garibaldi…vanishes. And Delenn despairs. Welcome to one of the most devastating episodes of Babylon 5, to yet another turning point, and to our Control Group–with us once again–one Steven Schapansky!

We present a podcast within a podcast, a new addition to The Incomparable Network: Steven Schapansky’s “Vejar or Not”. (The preceding sentence is a complete lie.) We celebrate the outstanding work of Foundation Imaging in the mother of all space battles, of Richard Biggs in the mother of all split-screen performances, and of Laura Ingalls … Continue reading Episode 64: “Shadow Dancing” →