The Audio Guide to Babylon 5

Episode 112: “Sleeping in Light”

Sun, 26 Aug 2018 02:09:50 +0000

Steven Schapansky

It’s the end, but the moment has been prepared for. Steven Schapansky joins us for the Babylon 5 finale. We’ll be back, after a good long hiatus, to cover the spinoff episodes and movies. Thank you so much for joining us on this journey. (This episode is dedicated to the memory of Kay Sudderth.)

Erika, Chip, and Shannon

Episode 111: “The River of Souls”

Sun, 12 Aug 2018 04:37:57 +0000

Jason Snell

The station may be emptying out, but we’re not quite done yet. Jason Snell reminded us this Babylon 5 “movie” aired before the series finale, so we’re dutifully covering it now–and making Jason join us. He’s our very own Ian McShane. (We still like him, or he’d be our Martin Sheen.)

Episode 110: “Objects at Rest”

Sun, 22 Jul 2018 02:32:04 +0000

Final departures, fateful errors, and a first-and-last message to a child. Not to mention THE SHOT. Which SHOT are we talking about? Find out as we discuss the penultimate-penultimate story of Babylon 5’s fifth season!

Episode 109: “Objects in Motion”

Sun, 08 Jul 2018 03:20:13 +0000

So many feels: a huge chunk of our cast reaches their points of departure and Babylon 5 approaches the fall of night. JMS’s endgame is in sight.

Episode 108: “Wheel of Fire”

Sun, 24 Jun 2018 03:23:15 +0000

So we can all just breathe now that the conflict with Centauri Prime is over, right? You would be wrong, friend! See Lyta go rogue as she’s never gone rogue before. See John and Delenn realize they’re going to have to add a dependent to their tax status once they’re on Minbar.. See Garibaldi reach … Continue reading →

Episode 107: “The Fall of Centauri Prime”

Sun, 10 Jun 2018 04:03:21 +0000

L.M. Myles

What more can we say? Lizbeth Myles joins us as all of Londo’s chickens come definitively home to roost.

Episode 106: “Movements of Fire and Shadow”

Tue, 29 May 2018 01:18:48 +0000

All year long, Sheridan and Delenn have been trying to pull together a historic political alliance. They’ve been contending with not only the forces of history, but the fundamental forces of people. In “Movements of Fire and Shadow” it all comes to a head. Boom today, and the promise of more booms tomorrow….

Episode 105: “And All My Dreams, Torn Asunder”

Mon, 14 May 2018 02:02:36 +0000

Steven Schapansky

Reckoning. War. One of the most powerful episodes of Babylon 5 ever, during the underrated Season 5. So powerful, in fact, that our Control Group, one Steven Schapansky, demanded to be let on the podcast…

Episode 104: “Darkness Ascending”

Sun, 29 Apr 2018 21:23:05 +0000

Things are ramping up: Lennier, the hero. Lyta, the opportunist. Garibaldi, the watched. Londo, the lonely. The threads are all coming together as we approach the end of Babylon 5….

Episode 103: “Meditations on the Abyss”

Sun, 15 Apr 2018 12:34:08 +0000

Almost the full ensemble gets together for what might be the calm before the storm, with lots of character beats in an episode that–spoiler alert–we all pretty much believe is FABOO.

Episode 102: “The Corps is Mother, the Corps is Father”

Mon, 02 Apr 2018 14:00:21 +0000

“I want to see the TV series set in the HR department at Psi Corps.” –James Thomson

Episode 101: “Day of the Dead”

Sun, 18 Mar 2018 14:41:40 +0000

The legendary Neil Gaiman made his American television debut writing the only episode of B5 not authored by Joe Straczynski since late Season 2. Was this mystical character piece too much of a departure from the “house style”? What the heck was Morden doing in Lennier’s quarters? We bring back the Space Mob’s biggest fan, … Continue reading →

Episode 100: “The Ragged Edge”

Wed, 07 Mar 2018 01:38:56 +0000

This episode has epic ’90s computer matte compositing of a balcony, set to a particularly stirring Christopher Franke score! Oh, and Garibaldi does the secret agent thing, hamstrung by his return to the bottle; G’Kar becomes the Narn Pope; Franklin gets a job offer (name-checking a character not mentioned in 99 episodes), and Londo inadvertently … Continue reading →

Episode 99: “Phoenix Rising”

Sun, 18 Feb 2018 14:00:44 +0000

It’s the end of the Byron arc, in dramatically tragic fashion–which means it is of course time for our own harbinger of doom, Jason Snell, to return to delight in misfortune.

Episode 98: “A Tragedy of Telepaths”

Sun, 04 Feb 2018 05:39:03 +0000

The two threads–the telepath colony crisis and the secret Centauri attacks on ISA ships–get pulled tighter together, with an unexpected rescue of Na’Toth (the real one!) and an entirely expected return of Bester. We’d call it the calm before the storm, but it’s not very calm….

Episode 97: “In the Kingdom of the Blind”

Sun, 21 Jan 2018 15:13:54 +0000

No more pastels for the Regent, no. Damian London portrays a very different Regent from the sweet old man we used to know as Londo begins to suspect very dark things are afoot in his supposedly liberated world. It’s an episode full of delightful double acts (Londo/G’Kar), palace intrigue, clumsy politics (hello, Byron) and dark … Continue reading →

Episode 96: “Secrets of the Soul”

Sun, 07 Jan 2018 14:00:40 +0000

As Steven discovers a long-buried secret about an Alliance race, Byron discovers an even more deeply buried secret about telepaths in EVERY race–just as life is getting even rougher for his followers in Down Below. How is the telepath story arc faring, now that we’re looking at it 20 years later? And what the heck … Continue reading →

Episode 95: “Strange Relations”

Sun, 24 Dec 2017 19:23:08 +0000

We all come together in a better place to find a roomful of singing telepaths, an irritated Bester, an irritated Lochley, an irritated Garibaldi, and (thank heavens) a gleefully mischievious Delenn and G’Kar. How’s that master plan of Sheridan’s working out now, eh?

Episode 94: “Learning Curve”

Sun, 10 Dec 2017 04:27:22 +0000

We use the word “spackle” a few times in this podcast. We like that word. Rolls off the tongue. MEANWHILE, for the second episode in a row the stars of the show aren’t our regulars. What’s up with that? Is it worth it to get the delightful Turhan Bey back? It’s a deep dive into … Continue reading →

Episode 93: “A View from the Gallery”

Sun, 26 Nov 2017 21:08:41 +0000

DEPLOY THE GREEK CHORUS! Two never-before-seen minor characters Rosencrantz and Guildenstern their way through the space station and their cast. In Spoiler Space for the previous episode, our intrepid podcasters expressed their dread of “A View from the Gallery.” Was it misplaced? Did the memory cheat? Are we on Team Mack and Bo now?

Episode 92: “The Paragon of Animals”

Sun, 19 Nov 2017 02:41:44 +0000

Telepath politics. Gunboat diplomacy. Newlywed apartment living. Doesn’t sound like much. SPOILER ALERT: We absofragginlutely loved this episode.

Episode 91: “The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari”

Sun, 29 Oct 2017 18:04:51 +0000

It’s the second episode of a brand new season with a brand new status quo, so what do you do? Ignore all the new people and new situations, and do a character study about alllll of the bad decisions one man made over four years. It’s Londo’s “Come to Jesus moment” paired with Lennier’s “I’m … Continue reading →

Episode 90: “No Compromises”

Sun, 15 Oct 2017 04:27:18 +0000

Somewhat to their surprise, the cast and crew and showrunner got their fifth season. But to quote some guy way back in the first, “Nothing’s the same anymore.” Sheridan’s wearing a suit, not a uniform. Ivanova’s gone. There’s a new face in the command center wearing a regulation Earthforce uniform. And then there’s Byron. Welcome … Continue reading →

Episode 89: “Thirdspace”

Mon, 02 Oct 2017 02:28:30 +0000

Creepy Cthulhu aliens from beyond Firstspace and Secondspace! This Untold Tale of Babylon 5 was produced after the fourth season when they had no hint there would be a fifth. Is this a better “movie” than “In the Beginning”? Does it actually fit into Season 4’s continuity? Where the deuce has Deuce been all this … Continue reading →

Episode 88: “In the Beginning”

Sun, 17 Sep 2017 21:50:43 +0000

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 87: “The Deconstruction of Falling Stars”

Sun, 03 Sep 2017 14:04:36 +0000

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 86: “Rising Star”

Sun, 20 Aug 2017 05:03:06 +0000

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!

Episode 85: “Endgame”

Sun, 06 Aug 2017 17:54:23 +0000

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!

Episode 84: “Between the Darkness and the Light”

Sun, 23 Jul 2017 17:22:33 +0000

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.

Episode 83: “Intersections in Real Time”

Sun, 09 Jul 2017 23:47:04 +0000

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

Episode 82: “The Face of the Enemy”

Wed, 28 Jun 2017 02:14:54 +0000

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…

Episode 81: “The Exercise of Vital Powers”

Sun, 11 Jun 2017 13:00:55 +0000

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.

Episode 80: “No Surrender, No Retreat”

Mon, 29 May 2017 03:36:25 +0000

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?

Episode 79: “Moments of Transition”

Sun, 14 May 2017 13:00:40 +0000

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 78: “Rumors, Bargains and Lies”

Sun, 30 Apr 2017 18:50:35 +0000

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 77: “Conflicts of Interest”

Sun, 16 Apr 2017 17:45:04 +0000

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 76: “Lines of Communication”

Sun, 02 Apr 2017 13:00:28 +0000

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 75: “Racing Mars”

Sun, 19 Mar 2017 14:07:24 +0000

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 74: “Atonement”

Sun, 05 Mar 2017 03:16:39 +0000

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 73: “The Illusion of Truth”

Sun, 19 Feb 2017 14:00:15 +0000

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 72: “Epiphanies”

Sun, 05 Feb 2017 19:44:32 +0000

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.

Episode 71: “Into the Fire”

Sun, 22 Jan 2017 14:00:32 +0000

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 70: “The Long Night”

Sun, 08 Jan 2017 02:32:22 +0000

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 69: “Falling Toward Apotheosis”

Mon, 26 Dec 2016 03:09:03 +0000

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.

Episode 68: “The Summoning”

Sun, 11 Dec 2016 14:42:08 +0000

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.

Episode 67: “Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi?”

Sun, 27 Nov 2016 04:29:03 +0000

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 66: “The Hour of the Wolf”

Tue, 15 Nov 2016 01:16:24 +0000

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 65: “Z’ha’dum”

Sun, 30 Oct 2016 13:00:33 +0000

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!

Episode 64: “Shadow Dancing”

Sun, 16 Oct 2016 17:48:07 +0000

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 63: “And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place”

Sun, 02 Oct 2016 12:44:21 +0000

In this episode: we talk about one of the most delicious/creepy comeuppances in science fiction television history, Erika makes a hip-hop reference that is one letter away from being brilliant, and pause to remember all the poor crew on the White Star shifting uncomfortably just off-screen.

Episode 62: “Grey 17 is Missing”

Sun, 18 Sep 2016 20:01:25 +0000

One or more of your co-hosts buck the Received Fan Wisdom about Grey 17, the Zarg, and Freddy Kreuger. One or more of your co-hosts vow to do a Phantom Edit of the episode. Find out who! (There is also an unsurprising amount of Neroon admiration within this podcast.)

Episode 61: “War Without End”

Tue, 06 Sep 2016 01:23:45 +0000

Epic. Convoluted. “War Without End” answers questions from the dawn of the Third A…er, from the pilot movie and first episode, and sets up new questions for The One Who Will Be. We reach back into time and space, and pluck Liz Myles out of our “Babylon Squared” episode to help us delve into the … Continue reading →

Episode 60: “Walkabout”

Sun, 21 Aug 2016 04:04:55 +0000

Shannon, Chip and Hugo Award winner Erika take a leisurely saunter with Stephen Franklin down the dark alleys of Downbelow as he goes on “Walkabout” to find himself. Along the way they explore just why the heck they couldn’t remember that this episode also has a kick-butt Shadow War subplot, discuss whether Stephen’s walkabout is … Continue reading →

Episode 59: “Interludes and Examinations”

Sun, 07 Aug 2016 13:00:57 +0000

Chaos! Loss! Destruction! So much awfulness happens to our poor characters in this episode, so of course Jason “Schadenfreude” Snell is back with us! (Also, he’s sitting in for Shannon, who was out sick for this one.) It’s the full meal deal: meat (Kosh and the Vorlons), potatoes (Stephen and the stims), and undefined vegetables that … Continue reading →

Episode 58: “Ship of Tears”

Sun, 24 Jul 2016 22:49:41 +0000

Since the station’s secession from the Earth Alliance, it was inevitable that Our Intrepid Heroes’ relationship with perennial antagonist Bester would change. Did you see this coming, however? More to the point, did you expect that in the closing seconds of the episode, “This cold war just got hot”? (We’ll give you bonus points worth … Continue reading →

Episode 57: “Sic Transit Vir”

Sun, 10 Jul 2016 13:00:20 +0000

It’s that lovable scamp Vir’s turn for a love story, and it’s also time for an exploration of the banality of evil and the horrors of genocide. Plus Ivanova gives sex advice and Delenn seasons flarn! You might think that “Sic Transit Vir” has the makings of an uneven episode. Several of your co-hosts might … Continue reading →

Episode 56: “A Late Delivery from Avalon”

Sun, 26 Jun 2016 13:00:35 +0000

We all find different ways to cope with hardship. David Macintyre grabs some chainmail and a prop sword and becomes King Arthur. Cheesy? A weird departure from the story arc? Thematically relevant and touching? What can you say about an episode where the biggest villain is the post office? Oh, and because B5’s gone Arthurian … Continue reading →

Episode 55: “Ceremonies of Light and Dark”

Thu, 16 Jun 2016 01:16:12 +0000

After hype, hype and hype again about the Holy Trilogy and especially “Severed Dreams,” is it time for a sudden crash to earth? Or, in the midst of rapidly devolving Nightwatch members and the most insufferable spoken-word computer interface since Siri, do we still find lovely things to chew on? Alert your tailor: it’s time … Continue reading →

Episode 54: “Severed Dreams”

Sun, 29 May 2016 13:31:10 +0000

“Why not? Only one human captain has ever survived battle with a Minbari fleet. He is behind me. You are in front of me. If you value your lives, be somewhere else.” Here to celebrate the greatest line in Babylon 5 so far is our returning Control Group, Steven Schapansky!

Episode 53: “Point of No Return”

Sun, 15 May 2016 12:22:17 +0000

Poor Zack Allan. He just doesn’t know where to turn. Loyalty drives him to stick with Nightwatch, but he sure doesn’t know where to turn. Poor President Clark. A big scary alien ship destroyed his big scary alien ship, and now he just doesn’t have any other choice but to implement his martial law, dissolve … Continue reading →

Episode 52: “Messages from Earth”

Sun, 01 May 2016 18:48:55 +0000

Chicago Sun-Times technology columnist and renaissance geek Andy Ihnatko rejoins us as various stuff hits the fan. Shadow ships on Mars? Shadow ships on Ganymede? A desperate mission into the solar system? Things getting worse at Earthdome? Yeah. Stuff meets fan.

Episode 51: “Exogenesis”

Sun, 17 Apr 2016 12:41:23 +0000

We read the comments. We know that many of you question the worth of “Exogenesis.” But perhaps there’s another perspective out there, perhaps shared by some of your co-hosts, revolving around the unlikely word, “pleasant.” Also, Chip makes the single stupidest title joke in the history of the podcast.

Episode 50: “Dust to Dust”

Tue, 05 Apr 2016 04:41:41 +0000

Bester’s back! Just in time for a thrilling police procedural…er, no. Because the telepathic drug plot is just the means to an end: a wholly unexpected and powerful confrontation between Londo and G’Kar. Is the episode really All That? With G’Kar screaming “All of it!” inside Londo’s mind, does it have to be?

Episode 49: “Voices of Authority”

Sun, 20 Mar 2016 13:00:44 +0000

In which Tiki Gods are real, not-Aragorn REALLY gets on Susan’s nerves, a PR consultant has extreme ideas about transparency and exposure, and an intercepted phone call brings the two major plot arcs of Babylon 5 crashing together. (Hey, do you like B5AG? Please leave us a review on iTunes!)

Extra: “The Whovian Guide to Babylon 5” from Long Island Who

Tue, 15 Mar 2016 02:18:30 +0000

From the Long Island Who convention on, well, Long Island: here’s the audio of Chip and Erika’s panel, “The Whovian Guide to Babylon 5.” Mild spoilers for the series are ahead as a roomful of Doctor Who and B5 fans compare and contrast the two series and look back on a beloved moment in time … Continue reading →

Episode 48: “Passing Through Gethsemane”

Sun, 06 Mar 2016 22:31:49 +0000

This is possibly one of the best done-in-one episodes of B5: meaty, great sci-fi concept, cultural commentary, well directed and (mostly) acted, psychological drama, and a surprising amount of fodder for the spoiler section. And because someone dies horribly in it, that means it’s time for that cheery soul Jason Snell to join us again!

Episode 47: “A Day in the Strife”

Sun, 21 Feb 2016 19:43:58 +0000

This is the trail mix of Babylon 5 episodes: a little chunk of plot here, a chewy nugget of insight here, a scattering of tasty character development, and an A-plot that doesn’t really hold everything together. Which is why it’s a trail mix and not an energy bar. And now Chip’s hungry.

Episode 46: “Convictions”

Sun, 07 Feb 2016 21:25:59 +0000

THESE ARE CHAOTIC TIMES, CAPTAIN! This is NYPD BLUE in Space, listeners! And it turned out better than we expected–although we were all looking forward to watching the famous Elevator Scene again…

Episode 45: “Matters of Honor”

Sun, 24 Jan 2016 20:40:04 +0000

New season! New ship! New title sequence! New characters! Babylon 5 takes an assured step forward as Captain Sheridan and Delenn take the fight to the Shadows, while Morden’s malign influence spreads to the capitals of Centauri Prime and…Earth. How do we celebrate this momentous episode? With another stupid song parody. “White Star (A Babylon … Continue reading →

Episode 44: “The Fall of Night”

Mon, 11 Jan 2016 02:02:16 +0000

The second season finale ends with a bang (alas, Centauri warship; alas, core shuttle) and a whimper (alas, kind of, Keffer). How does “The Fall of Night” do in wrapping up a season and whetting the appetite for season three? Let’s ask our returning Control Group!

Episode 43: “Comes the Inquisitor”

Sun, 27 Dec 2015 13:00:16 +0000

The Audio Guide to Babylon 5 welcomes Lynne and Michael Damian Thomas of Uncanny Magazine and numerous SF podcasts to talk about “Comes the Inquisitor”! As you might expect, the five of us go on at great length about whether a Creepy Victorian Antagonist makes this too Star Trekky an episode, a pivotal elevator scene, the … Continue reading →

Episode 42: “The Long, Twilight Struggle”

Sun, 13 Dec 2015 14:02:01 +0000

The Narn-Centauri war comes to a shocking end, Draal gets a makeover, and John Sheridan takes a shower. Pretty routine episode, if you ask me.

Episode 41: “Divided Loyalties”

Sun, 29 Nov 2015 17:50:36 +0000

For a couple of years now, those of us who have seen the entire run of the series have waited for this moment: “What did Steven think of what happened to Talia Winters?” Sadly, Steven couldn’t join us for this one, but our intrepid moderator Erika reports on the Control Group’s reaction (heh, I just … Continue reading →

Episode 40: “Confessions and Lamentations”

Sun, 15 Nov 2015 13:00:33 +0000

Jason Snell rejoins us, which means we have a better than 50-50 chance of this being a really depressing episode. Many Markab died to bring you this podcast. Plus, in the spoiler section, Chip uses the words “arc,” “crucible” and “stealth” in completely nonsensical order.

Episode 39: “In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum”

Sun, 01 Nov 2015 23:01:39 +0000

So perhaps you’d like to know what a good chunk of this TV series is all about. RELEASE THE FLOODGATES. (Apologies for a few audio glitches in Shannon’s track.)

Episode 38: “Knives”

Sun, 18 Oct 2015 12:17:36 +0000

Well, we didn’t hate it. “Knives” is a return to the A-plot/B-plot style of which we saw so much in Season 1. Could either plot have carried an episode on its own? How stunningly effective was the Prime Time Entertainment Network’s trailer? How do you pronounce “Knives”? And what element led Chip to splutter, “It’s … Continue reading →

Episode 37: “And Now for a Word”

Sun, 04 Oct 2015 18:18:00 +0000

We interrupt this program to bring you a show within a show! How novel! But does “And Now for a Word” hold up as a projection of future journalism? Does it advance the story arc? Is it a good introduction to B5 itself? And how about that lovely video transfer?

Episode 36: “There All the Honor Lies”

Sun, 20 Sep 2015 13:00:36 +0000

Sheridan’s framed for murder, Londo’s symbolically cast…in a bad light, Vir’s about to be cast from the station, a new Deep Space Franchise is born, and Lennier’s got family trouble. Just another typical day on Babylon 5!

Episode 35: “Hunter, Prey”

Mon, 07 Sep 2015 15:53:02 +0000

Hunter, comma, Prey. Your humble hosts pretty much agree that this is not only a good episode, it’s the first episode of Babylon 5 that is purely arc-driven: it’s all about what came before and sets up what is to come. Let’s talk about conspiracies, singing ships and hapless doctors!

Episode 34: “Acts of Sacrifice”

Sat, 22 Aug 2015 19:37:48 +0000

The long-awaited Ivanova Dance edition of B5AG is here! Did anything else happen in this episode? As a matter of fact, quite a lot. Weep for G’Kar. Curse Londo. Snicker with Taq. Boom. Shubba-lubba. And, as always, don’t miss our spoiler and non-spoiler discussion threads!

Episode 33: “All Alone in the Night”

Sun, 09 Aug 2015 13:00:44 +0000

This is possibly a first in Babylon 5 history: the B5AG crew cites Ross Perot in an otherwise serious critical analysis. Meanwhile, Captain Sheridan is all alone in the night, Delenn is all alone in the night, a pilot whose call sign may as well have been “Dead Meat” is all alone in the night, and … Continue reading →

Episode 32: “GROPOS”

Sun, 26 Jul 2015 13:00:50 +0000

Paul Winfield comes onto the station as General Richard Franklin (no relation to the Doctor Who actor, sorry) and brings 25,000 ground pounders with him as, one episode after the Narn-Centauri war began, our favorite space U.N. quickly takes on a decidedly military tone. Is “GROPOS” underrated? Were you squirming in your seats at Garibaldi and … Continue reading →

Episode 31: “The Coming of Shadows”

Sun, 12 Jul 2015 13:00:58 +0000

In every story worth its salt, there’s at least one pivot point. We’ve already had a couple in Babylon 5. This one won a Hugo. That made it a perfect time for our Control Group, Steven Schapansky of Radio Free Skaro and Lazy Doctor Who, to come back once more. “He said…pick a target.”

Episode 30: “Soul Mates”

Sun, 28 Jun 2015 21:48:39 +0000

Does the love quadrangle drive your three co-hosts to delight or delirium? Talia is given a chance to escape her destiny with the Psi-Corps, but is her reunion with her ex a dream or a date with destruction? Don’t despair: The Audio Guide to Babylon 5 is taking on “Soul Mates”!

Episode 29: “A Race Through Dark Places”

Sun, 14 Jun 2015 13:00:00 +0000

It’s the most pivotal turning point (wait, that’s redundant) yet for Talia Winters, as an underground band of telepaths forces her to face the truth about PsiCorps. All this, a dinner date, Ivanova managing to somehow not kill her commanding officer from his couch, and Bester, too: it’s “A Race Through Dark Places.”

Episode 28: “A Spider in the Web”

Sun, 31 May 2015 17:17:07 +0000

Talia Winters…is back! San Diego…is a wasteland! John Sheridan is…a truther? (Absolutely not!) And there’s something sinister lurking within the station–an eponymous spider…in the web… (Note that we had some audio issues with this recording–not too bad, but a little off our preferred standard. Zathras apologizes.)

Episode 27: “The Long Dark”

Sun, 17 May 2015 23:01:56 +0000

Guest actor Dwight Schultz is more tortured than “Howlin'” in his turn as a former soldier grappling with ghosts in his head and an invisible stalker who likes to snack on human organs. Meanwhile, Dr. Franklin needs to revisit his medical ethics training and a cryogenically suspended visitor from another century is most emphatically not Buck … Continue reading →

Episode 26: “A Distant Star”

Sun, 03 May 2015 13:00:25 +0000

Does Babylon 5 have a footwear agenda? Does Delenn need to pick up a copy of Leadership Lessons for the Newly Follicled? And how about that happy-go-lucky Captain Sheridan who has taken to gnawing his executive staff’s heads off? It’s just another day in hyperspace for the calm, collected crew of the EAS Cortez. (No it’s not … Continue reading →

Episode 25: “The Geometry of Shadows”

Sun, 19 Apr 2015 12:00:27 +0000

The most bitter, vividly remembered conflict in all of Babylon 5 history is barely contained in “The Geometry of Shadows”! But in the cold light of reason, are the Drazi color wars actually entertaining or does the memory cheat? Plus, in Spoiler Space, Chip monologues like no one’s business (or, alternatively, like no one’s listening) on Technomages. … Continue reading →

Episode 24: “Revelations”

Sun, 05 Apr 2015 21:39:43 +0000

Revealed! The fate of G’Kar! Revealed! The fate of Delenn! Revealed! The fate of Garibaldi! Revealed! The fate of the Guy What Shot Garibaldi! Yeah, not much happens in this one.

EXTRA: B5 Animator “Mojo” Interviewed

Mon, 30 Mar 2015 01:52:28 +0000

For our first Extra edition of The Audio Guide to Babylon 5, Chip welcomes “Mojo,” senior computer animator during B5’s first three seasons and pilot, working with Ron Thornton’s Foundation Imaging. Be amazed at the raw processing power of the computers used to make “The Gathering”! Learn just how groundbreaking Foundation’s work was! Find out just what it … Continue reading →

Episode 23: “Points of Departure”

Sun, 22 Mar 2015 13:10:14 +0000

“It’s the end. But the moment has been prepared for.” In this pop culture-poaching edition of B5AG (seriously, we apologize for the Scarecrow and Mrs. King theme) we bring The Incomparable‘s Jason Snell back for something of a regeneration story (OK, that’s our last Doctor Who reference. Ish.) as we welcome the arrival of Bruce Boxleitner as Captain … Continue reading →

Episode 22: “Chrysalis”

Sun, 08 Mar 2015 18:54:42 +0000

The first-season finale is upon us! Joining Chip, Erika and Shannon to tackle “Chrysalis” in a bumper edition of The Audio Guide to Babylon 5 are B5 newcomer Steven Schapansky and longtime fan (and Adventures with the Wife in Space author) Neil Perryman. We talk about revelations and turning points, DVD mastering and pajamas. Thank … Continue reading →

Episode 21: “Legacies”

Mon, 23 Feb 2015 02:00:16 +0000

It’s the penultimate episode of Season 1, the calm before the storm, in which the worlds of the Minbari warrior caste and Earth’s Psi Corps collide in the presence of a human teenager. We’re talking “Legacies,” complete with an “I was right” dance by Chip.

Episode 20: “TKO”

Sun, 08 Feb 2015 13:00:35 +0000

Erika, Shannon and Chip debate the finer points of mixed martial arts and wonder aloud what happens when you have an episode without a discernable “A” plot. Grab a Zima and sit back!

Episode 19: “The Quality of Mercy”

Mon, 26 Jan 2015 01:17:07 +0000

Danger, Will Robinson! OK, now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s enjoy a nice little reunion between two Lost in Space veterans (except they never actually share the screen) and learn the “finer” parts of Centauri physiognomy (“finer” is not meant literally). It’s a legal medical thriller and a barroom brawl thoroughly inhabiting … Continue reading →

Episode 18: “Babylon Squared”

Tue, 13 Jan 2015 10:07:53 +0000

Just a little, inconsequential story about that predecessor station to B5 that disappeared without a trace, right? Presenting “Babylon Squared,” with all of the signs and portents it entails. And because you can’t do a podcast about “something squared” with just three hosts, we brought in our guest L.M. Myles from Doctor Who: Verity! to … Continue reading →

Episode 17: “A Voice in the Wilderness”

Sun, 28 Dec 2014 13:47:22 +0000

It’s two, two B5 episodes for the price of one, as Erika, Shannon and the convalescing Chip tackle both parts of “A Voice in the Wilderness.” What did they think of the mystery of Epsilon 3? Did the Great Machine’s choices of Sinclair, Londo and Draal make any kind of sense? And what did Steven … Continue reading →

Episode 16: “Eyes”

Sun, 14 Dec 2014 01:17:22 +0000

Erika and Shannon are joined once more by Steven Schapansky of Radio Free Skaro to talk about an episode in which all of Sinclair’s chickens come home to roost. If you were one of those fans who wondered how the character could keep sidestepping Bester, military bureaucrats and politicians, “Eyes” cheerfully tells you, “He can’t!” … Continue reading →

Episode 15: “Grail”

Sun, 30 Nov 2014 16:58:26 +0000

Erika and Chip are on opposite ends of the spectrum. One only has eyes for David Warner. The other would prefer a date with a na’ka’leen feeder than to watch “Grail” again. How does Shannon hold it all together? And who’s our special musical guest? (That last one’s easy. It’s the fantastically anthemic rockers out … Continue reading →

Episode 14: “Signs and Portents”

Sun, 16 Nov 2014 12:00:41 +0000

J. Michael Stracynski once described certain B5 episodes as “WHAM” episodes, episodes that kicked the series arc forward or had otherwise momentous events. “And the Sky Full of Stars” was the first. This is a bigger one. Or so Chip repeatedly and excitedly enthuses. To paraphrase Mr. Morden, “So tell me what ya want, what … Continue reading →

Episode 13: “By Any Means Necessary”

Sun, 02 Nov 2014 19:32:14 +0000

Union-busting and horticulture come together in a surprisingly good mixture, as the Dockworkers’ Guild, an officious Senate negotiator, Londo and G’Kar combine to give Sinclair his worst 48 hours yet. There’s a lot of stubble and open-collar acting, but also an intriguing look at the world behind the space station. Won’t you join us for … Continue reading →

Episode 12: “Survivors”

Sun, 19 Oct 2014 15:36:02 +0000

“Podcasting again, Uncle Mike?” Garibaldi has a Really Bad Day, but that’s peanuts compared to what almost happens to the Earth Alliance President. We reflect on what happens when Ivanova and Kemmer let their hair down, Garibaldi lets his guard down and Sinclair just tries to be everyone’s Dad. (Got spoilery thoughts about this and … Continue reading →

Episode 11: “Believers”

Mon, 06 Oct 2014 03:06:59 +0000

Chip: “This is such a depressing (but good!) episode, I’m thinking about editing in a medley into the podcast somewhere to sort of lift our spirits. You know, The Partridge Family theme, Pharrell’s ‘Happy,’ that Ren and Stimpy ‘Happy Happy Joy Joy’ song…” Jason Snell, host and leader of The Incomparable family of podcasts and this B5AG‘s special … Continue reading →

Episode 10: “Deathwalker”

Sun, 21 Sep 2014 02:22:00 +0000

Na’Toth goes nuts. Earth makes a deal for immortality. A genocidal maniac plots her greatest revenge. And a good cigar is a Cuban. It’s “Deathwalker,” wherein one of the quieter races on the B5 Advisory Council flexes its muscle and Talia contemplates leaving the service industry. Who’s on Team Abbut?

Episode 9: “And the Sky Full of Stars”

Mon, 08 Sep 2014 02:41:25 +0000

Radio Free Skaro‘s Steven Schapansky joins Shannon, Chip and Erika as we explore what someone new to Babylon 5 makes of “And the Sky Full of Stars,” probably the first “WHAM!” episode of the series. Sinclair’s character arc kicks into high gear as the mystery of the Battle of the Line is foregrounded, and your … Continue reading →

Episode 8: “The War Prayer”

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 16:34:13 +0000

Like the Mark Twain short story itself (included as bonus audio at the end of the podcast), its namesake B5 episode “The War Prayer” is in no way, shape or form subtle. Find out what Erika, Shannon and Chip thought of this first foray into the B5 universe for legendary Star Trek writer D.C. Fontana.

Episode 7: “Mind War”

Sun, 10 Aug 2014 17:42:42 +0000

We’ve got our first guest co-host, and he’s a doozy: please welcome Chicago Sun-Times columnist and podcaster Andy Ihnatko to the B5AG Advisory Council, as we tackle “Mind War.” The telepath storyline expands significantly with the introduction of the PsiCops and Bester, and for a second straight episode G’Kar and the Narns shed their Klingonish … Continue reading →

Episode 6: “The Parliament of Dreams”

Sun, 27 Jul 2014 12:21:36 +0000

So many fishies, gods by the bushel, curiously attached spectacles and little red fruit: it’s an episode that Shannon and Chip thought would be a perfect jumping-on point and Erika kinda dreaded. Welcome to “The Parliament of Dreams”!

Episode 5: “Infection”

Sun, 13 Jul 2014 13:46:41 +0000

We’ll come right out and say it: “Infection” ain’t exactly high art. There’s some stuff that works, some stuff that REALLY doesn’t, and more than a few allusions to the future of the series. That makes it worth watching, considering and enjoying (in places) with your co-hosts, who debate organic technology and soliloquies. And one … Continue reading →

Episode 4: “Born to the Purple”

Sun, 29 Jun 2014 13:10:41 +0000

Babylon 5‘s first proper love story revolves around the most unlikely subject, Londo Mollari, while security chief Garibaldi tracks down someone who’s making clandestine phone calls over the super-secure line. Will it lead to sabotage? Point to conspiracy? Or provide a weepy character moment? Meanwhile, on 2014 Earth, Chip repeatedly gets himself into trouble for … Continue reading →

Episode 3: “Soul Hunter”

Sat, 14 Jun 2014 21:32:40 +0000

Babylon 5 takes a dip into the metaphysical as a stealer/liberator/preserver/destroyer of souls causes havoc on the station, threatens an ambassador, reveals secrets and chants annoyingly. We’ll talk about regular physics as well as the meta kind, compare the new doctor to the old one (as Doctor Who podcasters tend to do anyway) and argue … Continue reading →

Episode 2: “Midnight on the Firing Line”

Sun, 01 Jun 2014 11:46:45 +0000

Now we’re cookin’ with phased plasma! The first season of B5 opens with “Midnight on the Firing Line,” which moves like a Ferrari compared to “The Gathering.” (Totally a Volvo: dependable and robust, yet slightly lacking in the zero-to-60s.) What do we think of the new faces? Are Ivanova and Winters a step forward or … Continue reading →

Episode 1: “The Gathering” (pilot movie)

Sun, 18 May 2014 11:47:05 +0000

And so it REALLY begins! Erika watched BOTH the original edit and the TNT-funded producer’s cut! Shannon mourned the Gravity Rings! (She wasn’t alone.) That’s right, we’re officially starting the Audio Guide to Babylon 5 with the pilot movie, “The Gathering.” “Holla at MURDER, SHE WROTE. Woo!”

Episode 0: “And So It Begins”

Mon, 05 May 2014 03:03:47 +0000

Welcome to The Audio Guide to Babylon 5! Herewith our manifesto: this is a book club without books, an episode-by-episode walkthrough of one of the most influential and important modern SF series. Each podcast begins with a spoiler-free discussion of the episode for new viewers, then we give listeners a jumping-off point and switch to … Continue reading →