Top Five Favorite Episodes of "BABYLON 5": Season One (1994) "Signs and Portents"

Below is a list of my top five (5) favorite episodes from Season One (1994) of "BABYLON 5". Created by J. Michael Straczynski, the series starred Michael O'Hare, Claudia Christian, Jerry Doyle and Mira Furlan: 


TOP FIVE FAVORITE EPISODES OF "BABYLON 5":  SEASON ONE (1994) "SIGNS AND PORTENTS"



1. (1.13) "Signs and Portents" - In this episode, 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 named Mr. Morden visits all the alien ambassadors in order to ask them an unusual question.






2. (1.08) "And the Sky Full of Stars" - Commander Sinclair is kidnapped and interrogated by two war veterans determined to prove that he had betrayed Earth at the Battle of the Line, during the Earth-Minbari War.






3. (1.20) "Babylon Squared" - The previous Babylon station, Babylon 4, reappears at the same place it had disappeared four years earlier. Sinclair and Garabaldi lead an evacuation team for the station's crew. The story concludes in Season Three. Meanwhile, Ambassador Delenn is summoned by Minbar's Grey Council and is asked to become the new leader.






4. (1.22) "Chrysalis" - In the season finale, Delenn commences upon a physical transformation, Ambassador Londo Mollari receives an offer from Mr. Morden to deal with a problem regarding the Narns, and Garabaldi uncovers a deadly conspiracy against the President of Earth Alliance.






5. (1.12) "By Any Means Necessary" - Following a fatal accident in the station's docking bay, an increasingly exhausted Sinclair is forced to deal with a potential labor uprising. And Ambassador G'Kar has to get a replacement G'Quan-Eth plant for an important religious ceremony.

Top Ten Favorite TIME TRAVEL Television Episodes

Below is a list of my top favorite television episodes that feature time travel: 


TOP TEN FAVORITE TIME TRAVEL TELEVISION EPISODES



1. "Future's End" ("Star Trek Voyager"; 1996) - A 29th century timeship causes a time paradox when it accidentally sends itself and Voyager to two different periods in 20th century Earth.





2. "Tempus Fugitive" ("Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman"; 1995) - Lois Lane and Clark Kent are brought back to the past by H. G. Wells, in an attempt to stop the time-travelling villain Tempus from killing the infant Superman.





3. "Endgame" ("Star Trek Voyager; 2001) - Admiral Kathryn Janeway comes from the future to try and shorten Voyager's trip home.





4. "War Without End" (Babylon Five; 1996) - Former Babylon 5 commander, Jeffrey Sinclair, returns with a mission vital to the survival of the station - travelling back in time to steal Babylon 4.





5. "LaFleur" ("Lost"; 2009) - The remaining survivors of Flight 815 and the freighter find themselves permanently in the 1970s and become part of the Dharma Initiative, following John Locke's disappearance.





6. "The City on the Edge of Forever" ("Star Trek"; 1967) - After accidentally overdosing on a powerful stimulant, Dr. McCoy acts erratically and disappears through the Guardian of Forever, a newly-discovered time portal on a remote planet. Captain Kirk and Commander Spock follow after learning that McCoy somehow changed history. Arriving in the 1930s, the duo meet Edith Keeler, a New York social worker who gives them a place to stay. As the days pass, and McCoy is nowhere to be seen, Kirk finds himself falling in love with Keeler... but Spock discovers that Keeler must die to restore the timeline.





7. "Déjà Vu All Over Again" ("Charmed"; 1999) - As a demon makes plans for his attempt to kill the Charmed Ones, he receives a visit from another demon named Tempus, who will turn back time until the demon succeeds in killing all the sisters.





8. "Babylon Squared" ("Babylon Five"; 1994) - A previous station, Babylon 4, reappears at the same place it disappeared four years before; and Jeffrey Sinclair and Michael Garibaldi lead an expedition to evacuate its crew. 





9. "Chris-Crossed" ("Charmed"; 2003) - A mysterious woman from the future named Bianca arrives to take Chris Halliwell's powers and bring him back forcefully to the future. 





10. "D.O.A." ("Timecop"; 1998) - After Jack Logan and his boss, Gene Matuzek are murdered, Claire Hemmings takes an unauthorized trip back to the past to warn Logan.

Understanding "BABYLON FIVE" (4.06) "Into the Fire"

UNDERSTANDING "BABYLON FIVE" (4.06) "INTO THE FIRE"

I have seen the Season Four episode, (4.06) "Into the Fire" on numerous occasions, since I first started watching "BABYLON 5" some thirteen years ago.

My opinion of "Into the Fire" had always been somewhat lukewarm in the past. When I first saw it, I assumed it would be another episode that featured a large-scale battle - similar to episodes like (1.13) "Signs and Portents", (3.10) "Severed Dreams" and (4.15) "No Surrender, No Retreat". There were battle sequences featured in "Into the Fire", but to the extent that I would consider it an action-heavy episode.

Sue me. I was young and stupid in those days. I thought a top-notch "BABYLON FIVE" episode should always consist of a large-scale battle. But I finally saw the light. I finally understood what "Into the Fire" was really about. Well, I take that back. I have always understood since I first saw it. But I was so disappointed by the lack of a real battle that I allowed the message to pass over my head.

But not this time. Anticipating to be bored out of my mind, I finally allowed J. Michael Straczynski's message to filter through. I finally understood and accepted the messages about parental or colonial figures letting go and allowing the young - whether they were individuals or nations to grow in their own ways. And in the end, it brought tears to my eyes. Much to my surprise. Thank you Mr. Straczynski for a first-rate television episode. And please accept my apologies for allowing so many years to pass before finally getting the message.