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The epic sci-fi series Babylon 5 was a unique experiment
in the history of television. It was effectively a novel for
television in five seasons, consisting of 110 episodes with a
clear beginning, middle, and end. The first season introduces
the main characters, headed this year by Commander Jeffery
Sinclair (Michael O'Hare) and Security Chief Michael Garibaldi
(Jerry Doyle), and familiarizes the audience with the unique
environment of a five-mile-long space station in the year 2257.
The first episode, "Midnight on the Firing Line," plays at a
breathless pace, introducing Commander Susan Ivanova (Claudia
Christian) and establishing the conflict between the Narn and
Centauri races as represented by their ambassadors, G'Kar
(Andreas Katsulas) and Londo Mollari (Peter Jurasik). Then
follow several mediocre episodes that initially give the
impression that B5 is a Star Trek clone afflicted
with "silly alien of the week" syndrome. With "And the Sky Full
of Stars," B5 really begins to hit its stride, Sinclair
being forced to relive his mysterious experiences during the
Earth-Minbari war. Filler shows such as "TKO" are notable only
for being controversially violent, while the disappointing
"Grail" points to writer-creator J. Michael Straczynski's
fascination with Arthurian mythology. "Signs and Portents"
introduces the sinister Mr. Morden (Ed Wasser) and offers the
chilling first appearance of the Shadows, an ancient alien
threat.
B5 hits warp speed with a run of exceptional episodes
building to the season finale. The two-part "Voice in the
Wilderness" has Mars breaking into open revolt against Earth and
the discovery of a "Great Machine" on the dead world Epsilon 3.
Referencing 1950s sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet, the
story leads to the superb time-travel-based "Babylon Squared."
Season finale "Chrysalis" proves more than just the usual
television cliffhanger, placing Minbari ambassador Delenn in
conflict with her ruling Grey Council and forcing on her a
decision that laid the groundwork for Babylon 5's
eventually becoming a great love story. --Gary S. Dalkin
Product Description
The award-winning series about the space station that's the
tumultuous center of the 23rd Century's bid for peace among
humans and aliens hyperdrives onto DVD in a Deluxe 6-Disc Set.
Featuring 22 episodes digitally remastered for upgraded picture
and sound as well as enticing Exclusive Extras, Babylon 5: The
Complete First Season - Signs and Portents is an
adventure-packed, state-of-the-universe collectible that will
mesmerize fans and space creatures everywhere.
DVD Features: Audio Commentary:Audio commentary on two key episodes by
series creator J. Michael Straczynski Documentary:The Making of Babylon 5; Back to Babylon 5 Episodic Previews Featurette:Enter the Universe of Babylon 5: take a
station tour and explore the humans, aliens, political
situations, scientific data, tech files, weaponry and hardware
of this unique futuristic era Interactive Menus Introduction:Series introduction by creator J. Michael
Straczynski Scene Access
Season 1: Signs and
Portents
“
It was the dawn of the third age of mankind –
ten years after the Earth-Minbari War. The Babylon Project
was a dream, given form. Its goal: to prevent another war,
by creating a place where humans and aliens can work out
their differences peacefully. It's a port of call – home
away from home – for diplomats, hustlers, entrepreneurs, and
wanderers. Humans and aliens, wrapped in two million, five
hundred thousand tons of spinning metal... all alone in the
night. It can be a dangerous place, but it's our last best
hope for peace. This is the story of the last of the Babylon
stations. The year is 2258. The name of the place is Babylon
5.
A badly damaged ship is brought into the
station, and the strange alien inside is identified as a
Soul Hunter - an immortal race who can sense death and
supposedly steal someone's soul.
Londo's career is in jeopardy when a
beautiful slave seduces him and steals a sensitive computer
file. Garibaldi investigates an unauthorized use of a
restricted communications channel.
Dr. Franklin gets a visit from old friend and
mentor, xenoarcheologist Dr. Hendricks. He wants Franklin's
help to analyze hi-tech organic artifacts he found on a dead
world. But the artifacts seem to have a will of their own,
and start to manipulate Hendricks' assistant.
Sinclair's old flame, Catherine Sakai,
arrives during a weeklong festival when humans and aliens
demonstrate their religious beliefs. An old enemy sends an
assassin to kill G'Kar.
A rogue telepath with exceptional powers
takes refuge on Babylon 5, and two PSI Cops arrive to
capture him. Catherine Sakai heads to Sigma 957 to survey it
for Quantium-40, ignoring G'Kar's grave warnings.
A racist group is terrorizing aliens on
Babylon 5, stabbing and branding them. Meanwhile Londo has
trouble with two young Centauri who want to break tradition
by ignoring their arranged marriages, and instead marrying
for love.
Na'Toth attacks an alien woman that has just
arrived on the station, claiming that she is the Dilgar war
criminal Jha'dur - known as Deathwalker. And Talia is hired
by Kosh to oversee some rather strange negotiations.
An alien couple comes to Dr. Franklin with
their fatally ill son. The child could be cured by a simple
operation, but the parents' religion specifically forbids
it. Meanwhile Ivanova escorts a damaged star liner through
raider territory.
There is an explosion in one of the fighter
bays just days before the president is to visit Babylon 5. A
dying man implicates Garibaldi, which is just what the head
of presidential security wants to hear, as she blames him
for her father's death.
An accident in the docking bays starts a
series of problems on Babylon 5, when a Narn freighter is
destroyed and one of the workers is killed. The dock workers
demand better conditions or they'll go on strike. And G'Kar
has to get a replacement G'Quan-Eth plant for an important
religious ceremony.
A Centauri noble comes to Babylon 5 to
transport an important Centauri relic in Londo's possession
back to the homeworld. And a mysterious man visits all the
alien ambassadors asking them an unusual question.
Garibaldi is surprised when an old friend
comes to Babylon 5 to fight in the "Mutai" - a savage alien
fighting arena. Meanwhile Ivanova has trouble dealing with
her father's death.
A man comes to Babylon 5 asking the alien
ambassadors for information that can help him with his quest
to find the Holy Grail, while a Downbelow gangster gives
security problems by
mindwiping all who oppose him.
Sinclair's decisions of the last year catch
up with him, when an internal affairs investigator arrives
to test the crew's loyalty to Earth Force with the help of a
telepath. And Lennier shows great interest in Garibaldi's
attempt at assembling a 1990's motorcycle.
A Minbari war cruiser comes to Babylon 5 to
display the body of a recently dead Minbari leader, while
Ivanova and Talia battle for the fate of a young girl with
newly discovered telepathic powers.
Strange signals start coming from Epsilon 3,
the planet below Babylon 5. A science ship is sent to
investigate, but is fired upon by a defense system on the
planet. Meanwhile Garibaldi worries about a lover he left
back on Mars, when fighting breaks out there.
The situation heats up when an Earth Force
heavy cruiser arrives to "protect earth's interests", and
the fusion reactors on Epsilon 3 start going out of control,
and may blow up the planet and Babylon 5.
Babylon 4 reappears at the same place it
disappeared four years before, and Sinclair and Garibaldi
lead an expedition to evacuate its crew. Meanwhile Delenn is
summoned by the Grey council. They inform her that they have
selected a new leader - her.
Dr. Franklin investigates an unlicensed
medical practitioner in Downbelow, while Londo takes Lennier
for a tour of Babylon 5's seedier locales. And in the brig,
a convicted murderer waits for his sentence to be carried
out - the death of personality.
The Centauri are about to withdraw from a
quadrant of space because the Narns are harassing them, when
Londo gets an offer to take care of the problem. Meanwhile
Garibaldi tries to find out what his informant stumbled upon
that got him killed.
