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Are you a fan of science fiction TV shows? If so, you’ve probably heard of Babylon 5 and Deep Space Nine, two beloved space operas that aired in the 1990s.
In this video, we explore the history and controversy of Babylon 5 and its impact on the sci-fi genre, as well as the Deep Space Nine controversy. From J. Michael Straczynski’s innovative use of serialized storytelling, we examine how Babylon 5 paved the way for modern TV shows like Game of Thrones and The Expanse.
We also touch on the similarities and differences between Babylon 5 and Deep Space Nine. And we explore the controversy surrounding allegations of plagiarism, as well as the ways in which both shows have influenced sci-fi TV in the decades since their respective premieres.
So if you’re a fan of Babylon 5, Deep Space Nine, or just great sci-fi storytelling, be sure to check out this in-depth look at the history of Babylon 5 and the show that ripped it off (maybe).
SOURCES:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon_5
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon_5_(franchise)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Time_Entertainment_Network
https://www.gamesradar.com/jms-babylon-5-25-anniversary/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105946/trivia/?ref_=tt_trv_trv
https://web.archive.org/web/20000817234058/http://www.midwinter.com/b5/GEnie/jms92-04
https://www.atarimagazines.com/compute/issue166/68_The_making_of_Babylo.php
https://www.deseret.com/1997/7/4/19321826/tnt-comes-to-the-rescue-of-sci-fi-series-babylon-5
Understanding the Babylon 5 vs. Deep Space Nine Plagiarism Allegations
https://www.space.com/babylon-5-remastered-streaming-amazon-itunes-hbo-max
https://www.engadget.com/babylon-5-remastered-hbo-max-digital-download-080058907.html
http://figure-archive.net/toyline.aspx?toylineID=1097
https://www.figurerealm.com/actionfigure?action=seriesitemlist&id=226
https://movieweb.com/the-babylon-5-reboot-in-trouble/
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41 Comments
Sucks that Paramount pulled some dirty shenanigans, but damnit if DS9 isn’t one of my favorite TV series of all time.
It dinnae need a reboot, it just needed the CGI to be overhauled.
I really like B5. I have watched it several times. In my opinion it could have ended after season 4. Season 5 was a bit boring, because it had this vibe of just tying up all the loose ends. I watched and enjoyed Crusade and was very sad that it got cancelled after only one season. I did not fully watch hat other spin off about the rangers, was there even more than the pilot?
New Babylon 5 😀
on the CW ☹
Loved Babylon 5
I just finished the entire series on HBO Max 2 months ago
Babylon 5 was everything Star Trek wasn't. A modern space opera with plot strands which paid off and made sticking with it long term very rewarding.
It's sad that so many of the original cast have passed away but the show is a fitting tribute to them all RIP.
If DS9 was intended as competitor, it never managed to pull that off.
The shows are so fundamentally different, I watched both and did not even consider them as remotely similar.
As for the reboot:
"A good story has many readings. This is but one of them." – Extra Credits.
It is said that sometimes "real life writes the plot". It will be interesting to see how the Co-Writer will change it this time.
I know you have this 20 minute cap on episodes and that's your format, but it would be nice to have a deeper dive. I pretty much hate shorter form cliff notes content, although I have watched 95% of your episodes.
Love B5. Remember watching it originally.
The books were very well done, particularly the ones based on the Psi Corps.
I LOVED the card game. It was much more than a battle game, you could win with diplomacy and subterfuge
9:25 it shocks me everytime that not less than 5 of this group left us…. 😥
I meet Bruce boxLightner at my local pop culture con few years ago
I watched some episodes on the first airing in germany, i missed some and i got a bit confudes, but liked the look and the writing.
years later i found the first two seasons in shop and bought the first season, i was happy to get it much cheaper than Star Trek seasons cost.
As i finished the first season i was addicted!
I bought the second season and got much more excited!
Luckily i found season 3 and consumed also that within days, had almost no sleep!
The i realized, damn for the fourth season i have to wait weeks, it was almost like i had to wait for the next drug delivery as junkie!
I got also the fourth season an sucked it up in record time, not realizing that would have to wait for the fifth season over 2 months or so, it was real pain!
Rewatches just satisfied my addiction a bit.
Anyway, i own al seasons and movies including Crusade.
I am looking forward to the reboot!
Not like Star Trek i am confident that JMS is doing his best and when he can do what he wants to do, it will be awesome!
I live for the one, i die for the one!
BTW i liked Bruce Boxleitner already in the secret agent show, it had a different name in Germany, so i dont know the english name.
Oh and, i meet Jerry before he died, he was at FedCon in Düsseldorf Germany, where he stayed longer to look around a bit and then, got robbed, i am so sorry for that!
Sadly i always missed Miras appearances also those of Bruce and never had an encounter with Peter or Andreas, neither the rest of the cast.
Nope. Not true.
There was no copying involved. This has been proven many times and stated outright by writers of BOTH shows
Thank you for your completely uninformed clickbait nonsense.
Babylon 5 was my favorite Sci Fi series ever when it was originally airing and still is to this day. Only other Sci-Fi series that ever got close were Firefly and The Expanse. Not that I dislike DS9. I am a sci-fi fanatic. There are few Sci-Fi series I don't like but DS9 was kind of run of the mill to me and comparable to dozens of other series I've seen over the years while the three I like best just stand out from the crowd.
Oh please, stop, just STOP! I watched both shows when they were first broadcast, and the only similarity is that both shows were set (for the most part) on space stations. Space stations btw, that bore zero similarity to each other.
I watch this only at the time of scampering
I'm a HUGE B5 fan. It was refreshing to see plots and sub-plots, characters that weren't black and white, that evolved, that had flaws and virtues, even the designs of the ships made sense. It touched things like prejudice, racism, how technology didn't magically eliminated inequality. I just felt the urge to watch it once again 🙂
Love Babylon 5 watched it when it orginally aired and still do!
I watched Babylon every week as in the UK on Channel 4 as we got it. It one one of the thing that I did with my mum when I was young as we both loved the show. She sadly passed last year, and it will be one of my most treasured memories of her🥲
Deep Space 9 was way better than Babylon 5.
DS9 exists only because they copied B5. Both are very good. Its a big shame DS9 didn’t get at LEAST 2 or 3 movies, full feature films.
15:07 lol
I was a fan from the beginning, watching it first run on TV. I later met most of the cast, my science fiction writing group acting as their helpers and security at a couple of conventions, just for the experience of getting to know them.
I was a regular correspondent with Richard Biggs. We talked for a long time at that first convention, and struck up a bit of a friendship. He told me he had cancer shortly before he left us, and I miss him.
Some of my other people made friends, too. One young lady befriended both Walter Koenig and Andreas Katsulas. I met Michael O'Hare, and bought a signed script from David Gerrold, whom I had as SF guest of honor for one of my own conventions, years later.
Babylon 5 holds a very dear piece of my heart. I have the entire series on disc, and most of the books. The Technomage series was particularly good.
But I also loved Start Trek. Until NuTrek, then I gave up. I truly hope JMS can keep control of show running a new reboot, because if it goes off the rails, it would be a grave insult to the memories of those we have lost.
It needs to succeed, and be that beacon for a new generation as a monument to those who have gone on ahead, where we shall see them again one day, in the place where no shadows fall.
Great synopsis
Another thing Babylon 5 pioneered was realistic spacecraft motion…tailing a Starfury is not a win! It backflips and blows you away.
I know that DS9 ripped off B5 but DS9 is still the best Trek and I enjoyed B5, so, naughty as it all was, I’m glad we got both. If only we had the quality of the story telling today.
I love Babylon 5 but I don't think I want a follow-up / reboot made in current Hollywood – Not even with JMS behind it (after his involvement in Sense 8).
One wonders if the thesis of Novel “Cloud Atlas” was copied from the “Soul Mates”
Episode of Bab-5. Delenn recounting to Garibaldi how souls of certain people believed are destined to be reborn to walk together over and over thru many lives, again & again.
both shows wars ended to soon
A cool thing about the show is that they explained how it was possible to do a video call between Babylon 5 and Earth or Mars. Both Star Trek and Star Wars just said "it works because it works" Babylon 5 said "Here is how it works." If I remember right, they explain it as part of the plot in an episode.
While Star Trek and Star Wars said "Here is a possible future IF we get some cool new tech we dont know about yet." Babylon 5 said "Here is our future with the tech we are working on for the future." If you had asked me, back in the 90's what our future was going to be. I would have said "Watch Babylon 5. That is our future."
If you go to Zahaa' Doom, you will die.
As far as the reboot goes, please no gender, race, or orientation swaps and no SJW agendas
I just started B5. I'm lukewarm on it. I don't remember any of my friends being fans.
lol the shout out to D.C. Fontana was awesome. I loved B5 as well as DS9 (my fav ST). Grew up watching both and they opened me up to scifi. I never cared if one ripped off the other both were great.
Why would you censor the name of a domestic animal? An ass.
Virgin DS9 and Chad B5.
A couple things:
I am saddened to be reminded that over half of the core cast passed away. Such bright souls… 😢
As a fan of both ST and B5, even though Paramount execs had the audacity to "borrow" the idea of a show set on a space station, it's the producers and writers that took the show in a much different direction. In the end, the only similarities between shows were 1) a space station (with wildly different designs) and 2) a war springing up around 3rd/4th season (my memory is a bit hazy rn, so sorry if I'm off a bit). ST:DS9 succeeded on its own merits without drawing anything from the B5 universe; even B5 had notable guest actors from ST that bumped the viewership of the show, even though it's common for actors in a genre to perform on multiple shows. To this day, I understand the initial complaint that JMS had but, as a fan, the shows are too different for one to be considered a ripoff of the other.