Remembering "BABYLON 5" Season Five (1998)

 

REMEMBERING "BABYLON 5" SEASON FIVE (1998) For years, I have been aware that many fans of the 1990s science-fiction series, "BABYLON 5" have expressed disappointment in its final season - "The Wheel of Fire" (1998). Some have found it anti-climatic. And some believe it was simply terrible. However, I do not agree with either assessment.

The two biggest conflicts featured in "BABYLON 5" - the Shadow War and the Earth Civil War - finally ended during the series' fourth season, "No Surrender, No Retreat" (1996-1997). Showrunner and creator J. Michael Straczynski had originally planned for one or both of these arcs to end after five seasons. But Warner Brothers shut down its Prime Time Entertainment Network (PTEN) channel (which aired "BABYLON 5") during the series' Season Four, the series' fifth season seemed in danger. This situation had led Straczynski to complete the Shadow War and the Earth Civil War during the fourth season. However, the Turner Network Television (TNT) network picked up the series for its fifth and final season. This led Straczynski to concentrate the fifth season around the consequences of both conflicts and the creation of the Interstellar Alliance. However, a good number of fans found it difficult to accept or appreciate this new narrative. Many, even to this day, believe that Straczynski should have allowed the series to end following the end of the Earth Civil War and the Interstellar Alliance creation in the Season Four episode, (4.21) "Rising Star" and the series' final episode, (5.22) "Sleeping in the Light", which had been taped during Season Four. Allow the series to end on a high note, following a great victory for the series' protagonists, instead of the bittersweet note upon which it had actually ended. When I had claimed that Season Five had focused a lot on the consequences of the Shadow War and the Earth Civil War, I was not kidding. This especially seemed to be the case with the Shadow War. To be honest, some of those consequences had originated in previous seasons. Discovering that Shadow technology was susceptible to telepaths, the Volons had created telepaths within the younger races a long time ago. This act had eventually resulted in the creation of the Psi Corp on Earth; along with telepath Lyta Alexander's revelation of this fact to Byron Gordon, leader of a group of telepaths that had arrived on the station; the hostage situation that developed inside the Medlab; and Lyta's developing as the rogue telepaths' new leader. Michael Garabaldi's disappearance in early Season Four, along with his confrontational behavior during that scene and his discovery that Psi Corp had brainwashed him for a certain task, led toward a renewal of his alcoholism during Season Five. The Shadow War had not only ended with the Vorlons and Shadows' departures from the galaxy, but also with some of the latter's allies at loss. One of those allies were the Drahk, who first made their appearance in the Season Three episode, (3.17) "War Without End (Part 2)". They appeared again in two Season Four episodes - (4.07) "Epiphannies" and (4.11) "Lines of Communication". The Drahk finally became the major villains during Season Five. But unlike the Shadows, the Vorlons, and President Clark; they were never defeated - at least in Season Five. Chances are many years had passed - probably close to two decades - before the Interstellar Alliance and Centauri Prime finally rid themselves of the aliens. But since "BABYLON 5" had ended years before the Drahk left, audiences never saw what happened to them in the end. I would not be surprised if this was a source of frustration. Personally, I believe that the series’ fifth season proved to be a lot better than many had believed it was. I think it had suffered in popularity, due to its focus on the consequences from both the Shadow War and the Earth Civil War. Especially the Shadow War. People rarely want to see a story that explores the aftermath of a major war or event. Which is probably why it has rarely done in movies and television. I can only think of three sagas that did this - "ROOTS", the "NORTH AND SOUTH" trilogy and "BABYLON 5". The "STAR TREK" franchise, on the other hand, had never explored the aftermath of the Dominion War, following the end of "STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE". The TREK franchise was never able to explore this in "STAR TREK VOYAGER", since that series was set in another part of the galaxy, the Delta Quadrant. And the "STAR TREK: NEXT GENERATION" movie that had followed - "NEMESIS" - never bothered to explore the consequences of the Dominion War. Instead, the franchise has focused on the years before the 1966-69 series, "STAR TREK" or way into the future. As I had earlier stated, most stories tend to finish with the end of a major conflict or event. If "BABYLON FIVE" had finished with the end of the Earth Civil War in late Season Four, I suspect many fans would have been happy or satisfied. If I must be honest, I would have been satisfied with this ending. But I have to give kudos to Stracynski's willingness to explore the consequences of the show's conflicts during Season Five, especially since he had already hinted the consequences through dialogue, flash forward scenes and brief character appearances in earlier episodes. These consequences were explored through the situation regarding the telepaths, the fate of certain major characters and the emergence of the Drahk. Would they have preferred if Sheridan and his forces had defeated the Drahk by the end of Season Five? Perhaps. But (3.16-3.17) "War Without End" had established that the Drahk still had control over Centauri Prime as late as 2278, nearly 16 years after the events of Season Five. Such a resolution would have been false and against canon. Did I have any problems with Season Five of "BABYLON 5"? Well . . . yes. My major problem proved to be the underwhelming quality of most of its early episodes - something that has been the norm for the show's other seasons (aside from early Season Four) and shows like "BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER" and "ANGEL". I had a problem with the initial portrayal of the telepath fugitive Byron Gordon and his followers. I do not mean to seem biased, but they reminded me of some clichéd version of the Flower Children from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Very irritating. I also had a problem with Stracynski's portrayal of Lyta Alexander. In a character arc that began in mid-to-late Season Four, Stracynski had portrayed Lyta as someone who had used by Sheridan and the station's command staff during the Shadow War . . . and later callously discarded. She had eventually rejoined the Psi Corps as a means to support herself. I found this portrayal problematic, since Lyta had her own reasons for supporting Sheridan's efforts during that war. The idea that she was simply used by the Babylon 5 staff and then discarded, because she was a telepath, never really worked for me. But I really had a problem with her characterization in Season Five. Lyta eventually became romantically involved in Byron and his attempts to blackmail or coerce the Interstellar Alliance Council into finding a home world for Human telepaths. Following Byron's death, Sheridan ordered those telepaths involved with Byron off the station . . . except Lyta. And I never understood why she became the exception or why Sheridan had waited until she became a real threat in order to kick her off the station. I also had a problem with the two episodes that proceeded the series finale - (5.20) "Objects in Motion" and (5.21) "Objects in Rest". I found them dull and slow-paced. These two episodes brought back bad memories of the second half of the series finale for "DEEP SPACE NINE", (7.26) "What You Leave Behind - Part II". Many fans had problems with the fate of Lennier, aide to the Minbari ambassador Delenn, during Season Five. Following Delenn's marriage to Sheridan near the end of Season Four, Lennier left his post as her aide and joined the Anla'Shok aka the Rangers, a small elite force first commanded by Jeffrey Sinclair to serve as peacekeepers and watchers of the galaxy. Despite becoming a Ranger, Lennier managed to appear on Babylon 5 every now and then. He had been with Delenn when her White Star ship had nearly been destroyed by a Drahk-controlled Centauri battleship. In a move that surprised and outraged many fans, Lennier had left Sheridan and another Ranger behind to die during a toxic leak accident aboard their White Star ship. Many fans felt Lennier would never do such a thing. I never understood their reaction. Stracynski had established Lennier's motive as far back as mid-Season Three, when he had revealed his unrequited love for Delenn in the episode, (3.11) "Ceremonies of Light and Dark"</i> to the former Ranger, Marcus Cole. Although Lennier had admired Sheridan as a leader, I do not recall him ever being emotionally attached to the latter. But I do recall his caustic, yet silent disappointment over Sheridan's return from dead in Season Four's (4.03) "The Summoning". When it came to fandom's outrage, their anger over Lennier's fate seemed like nothing in compared to their outrage over the portrayal of former Security Chief Michael Garibaldi's alcoholism. The latter had first reared its ugly head in a single episode, Season One's (1.11) "Survivors". Garabaldi had fallen under the suspicion of being a terrorist plotting to assassinate the late Luis Santiago, Earth Alliance's former president. These same fans seemed to resent Stracynski's decision to allow Garibaldi to succumb to the bottle again, after so many years. What can I say? Perhaps they had regarded Garibaldi's addiction as something that had been cured by the end of "Survivors". But that is not how alcoholism or any addiction work. No one can be cured of an addiction. Former addicts and alcoholics have to struggle to manage and refrain from giving in to addiction for all of their lives. It is a lifelong struggle. But many fans had not only resented the return of Garibaldi's alcoholism, but they also seemed to resent how it affected Garibaldi's performance as the Interstellar Alliance's intelligence chief and help set in motion the tragedy that engulfed Centauri Prime near the end of Season Five. Strange. These fans used to consistently make jokes about Dr. Stephen Franklin's stim addiction during Season Three. But when it came to Garibaldi's alcoholism - the least shown, the better - as far as they were concerned. You know what. Perhaps it was not strange . . . just hypocritical on their parts. Yes, I had my issues with Season Five of "BABYLON 5". Then again, the show's other seasons also provided some issues for me, as well. For years, I could recall many "BABYLON 5" fans expressing a desire for the series to end following the Earth Civil War in late Season Four. And there have been many complaints about Lennier's fate and the impact of Michael Garibaldi’s alcoholism on Season Five's overall plot. For some reason, people did not want to see stories about the aftermath or consequences of a major war. I suspect they still do not. And I cannot help but wonder why.

"SCARECROW AND MRS. KING": Top Favorite Season Three (1985-1986) Episodes

 

Below is a list of my favorite Season Three episodes from the CBS series, "SCARECROW AND MRS. KING". Created by Brad Buckner and Eugenie Ross-Leming, the series starred Kate Jackson and Bruce Boxleitner:




"SCARECROW AND MRS. KING": TOP FIVE FAVORITE SEASON THREE (1985-1986) Episodes



1. (3.05) "Welcome to America, Mr. Brand" - Amanda King is recruited to serve as babysitter for a vacationing British accountant, a clumsy James Bond wannabe who claims he has stumbled upon evidence that reveals the identity of a Soviet spy. Harvey Jason guest starred.






2. (3.18) "Wrong Number" - Following Agent Francine Desmond is kidnapped in Beirut, Amanda and Agent Lee Stetson become embroiled in a plot created by the latter's old KGB nemesis, Gregory, that involves the kidnapped Francine, an American mathematician and the latter's Soviet doppelganger. James Cromwell, Andrew Divoff and Peter Jurasik guest-starred.






3. (3.07) "Utopia Now" - Amanda and Lee has a camping trip in the Virginia backwoods in order to spy on an outspoken tax protester who may have more than political reform on his agenda and a stash of explosives. Geoffrey Lewis, Frank Bonner, Dan Lauria and David Faustino guest-starred.






4. (3.17) "The Eyes Have It" - While Lee recovers in the hospital from a car accident, his contact lenses, which contain a valuable microdot, goes missing. Gary Lockwood guest starred.






5. (3.02) "We're Off to See the Wizard" - Lee recalls an old tragedy when a series of murders claim the lives of women he used to work with or dated. Stephen Macht and Michael Patuki guest-starred.






Honorable Mention - (3.20) "Dead Men Leave No Trails" - When Amanda becomes involved in a traffic accident, she accidentally exposes a dead terrorist, who turns out to be living and preparing to strike at an Embassy gathering. Stanley Kamel and Roger Burgos guest-starred.

"JUDITH KRANTZ'S TILL WE MEET AGAIN" (1989) Review

"JUDITH KRANTZ'S TILL WE MEET AGAIN" (1989) Review

One of the most popular romance novelists to emerge during the 1970s and 1980s was Judith Krantz, whose series of novels seemed to be part romance/part family saga. At least six (or seven) of her novels were adapted as television miniseries. One of them was the 1988 novel, "Till We Meet Again", which became the 1989 CBS miniseries, "JUDITH KRANTZ'S TILL WE MEET AGAIN".

Set between 1913 and 1952, the early 1950s, "JUDITH KRANTZ'S TILL WE MEET AGAIN" (aka "TILL WE MEET AGAIN") focused on the lives of Eve, the daughter of a French provincial middle-class doctor and her two daughters, Delphine and Marie-Frederique 'Freddy' de Lancel. The story began in 1913 when Eve met a traveling music hall performer named Alain Marais. When she learned that her parents planned to agree to an arranged marriage for her, Eve joined Alain on a train to Paris and the pair became lovers and roommates. Within a year, Alain became seriously ill and Eve was forced to find work to maintain their finances. With the help of a neighbor and new friend, Vivianne de Biron, Eve became a music hall performer herself and Paris' newest sensation. Out of jealousy, anger and embarrassment, Alain ended their romance.

During World War I, Eve met Paul de Lancel, the heir to an upper-class family that produces champagne who had been recently widowed by a suicidal wife. Following Eve's marriage to Paul, the couple conceived Delphine and Freddy and Paul became a diplomat. The latter also became estranged from his son Bruno, who was eventually raised by his maternal aristocratic grandparents, who blamed Paul for their daughter's suicide. By 1930, Eve and Paul found themselves in Los Angeles, where he served as that city's French consul. And over the next two decades, the de Lancel family dealt with new careers, love, the rise of fascism, the movie industries, World War II, post-war economics, romantic betrayals and Bruno's villainous and malicious antics.

"JUDITH KRANZ'S TILL WE MEET AGAIN" is not what I would call a television masterpiece. Or even among the best television productions I have ever seen. Considering its source, a period piece romance novel - something most literary critics would dismiss as melodramatic trash - it is not surprising that I would regard the 1989 this way. Then again, the 1972 Academy Award Best Picture winner, "THE GODFATHER", was based on what many (including myself) believe was pulp fiction trash. However, "TILL WE MEET AGAIN" did not have Francis Ford Coppola to transform trash into Hollywood gold. I am not dismissing the 1989 miniseries as trash. But I would never regard it as a fine work of art.

And I did have a few problems with the production. I found the pacing, thanks to director Charles Jarrott, along with screenwriters Andrew Peter Marin and (yes) Judith Krantz; rather uneven. I think the use of montages could have helped because there were times when the miniseries rushed through some of its sequences . . . to the point that I found myself wondering what had earlier occurred in the story. This seemed to be the case with Eve's backstory. Her rise from the daughter of a provincial doctor to Parisian music hall sensation to a diplomat's wife struck as a bit too fast. It seemed as if Jarrott, Marin and Krantz were in a hurry to commence on Freddy and Delphine's story arcs. Another problem I had was the heavy emphasis on Freddy's post war story arc. Both Delphine and Eve were nearly pushed to the background, following the end of World War II. It is fortunate that the miniseries' focus on the post-war years played out in its last 20 to 30 minutes.

I also had a problem with how Marin and Krantz ended Delphine's relationship with her older half-brother Bruno. In the novel, Delphine ended her friendship with Bruno after his attempt to pimp her out to some German Army official during the Nazi's occupation of France. This also happened in the miniseries, but Marin and Krantz took it too far by taking a page from Krantz's 1980 novel, "Princess Daisy" . . . by having Bruno rape Delphine after her refusal to sleep with the German officer. I found this unnecessary, considering that the two screenwriters never really followed up on the consequences of the rape. If this was an attempt to portray Bruno a monster, it was unnecessary. His collaboration of the Nazis, his attempt to pimp out Delphine, his sale of the de Lancels' precious stock of champagne and his participation in the murders of three locals who knew about the sale struck me as enough to regard him as a monster.

My remaining problems with "TILL WE MEET AGAIN" proved to minor. Many of Krantz's novels tend to begin as period dramas and end in the present time. I cannot say the same about her 1988 novel. The entire story is set entirely in the past - a forty-year period between pre-World War I and the early 1950s. Yet, I managed to spot several anachronisms in the production. Minor ones, perhaps, but anachronisms nevertheless. One of the most obvious anachronisms proved to be the hairstyles for many of the female characters - especially the de Lancel sisters, Delphine and Freddy. This anachronism was especially apparent in the hairstyles they wore in the 1930s sequences - long and straight. Most young girls and women wore soft shoulder bobs that were slightly above the shoulders during that decade. Speaking of anachronism, the actor who portrayed Armand Sadowski, a Polish-born director in the French film industry, wore a mullet. A 1980s-style mullet during those same 1930s sequences. Sigh! The make-up worn by many of the female characters struck me as oddly modern. Another anachronistic popped up in the production's music. I am not claiming that late 1980s songs were featured in the miniseries. The songs selected were appropriate to the period. However, I noticed that those songs were performed and arranged in a more modern style. It was like watching television characters performing old songs at a retro music show. It simply felt . . . no, it sound wrong to me.

Despite my complaints, I did enjoy "TILL WE MEET AGAIN". In fact, I believe that its virtues were strong enough to overshadow its flaws. One, Judith Krantz had created a first-rate family saga . . . one that both she and screenwriter Andrew Peter Marin did justice to in this adaptation. Two, this is the only Krantz family saga that I can remember that is set completely in the past. Most of her family sagas start in the past and spend at least two-thirds of the narrative in the present. Not "TILL WE MEET AGAIN". More importantly, this family saga is more or less told through the eyes of three women. I have noticed how rare it is for family sagas in which the narratives are dominated by women, unless it only featured one woman as the main protagonist. And neither Eve, Delphine or Freddy are portrayed as instantaneous ideal women. Yes, they are beautiful and talented in different ways. But all three women were forced to grow or develop in the story.

Being the oldest and the mother of the other two, Eve was forced to grow up during the first third of the saga. However, she spent a great deal of emotional angst over her daughters' lives and the fear that her past as a music hall entertainer may have had a negative impact on her husband's diplomatic career. Eve and Freddy had to deal with a disappointing love (or two) before finding the right man in their lives. Delphine managed to find the right man at a young age after becoming an actress with the film industry in France. But World War II, and the Nazi regime's anti-Semitic policies managed to endanger and interrupt her romance. Freddy's love life involved a bittersweet romance with an older man - the very man who taught her to become a pilot; a quick romance and failed marriage to a British aristocrat; and the latter's closest friend, an American pilot who had harbored years of unrequited love for Freddy until she finally managed to to notice him.

Despite the saga being dominated by Eve, Delphine and Freddy; the two male members of the de Lancel family also had strong roles in this saga. I thought both Krantz and Marin did an excellent job in their portrayal of the complex relationship between Paul de Lancel and his only son and oldest child, Bruno de Lancel, who also happened to be Delphine and Freddy's half-brother. I also found it interesting how Bruno's unforgiving maternal grand-parents' over-privileged upbringing of him and their snobbish regard for Eve had tainted and in the end, torn apart the relationship between father and son. Mind you, Bruno's own ugly personality did not help. But he was, after all, a creation of the Marquis and Marquise de Saint-Fraycourt. Ironically, Paul also had his troubles with both Delphine and Freddy - especially during their late adolescence. Between Delphine's forays into Hollywood's nighttime society behind her parents' backs and Freddy's decision to skip college and become a stunt pilot, Paul's relationships with his daughters endured troubled waters. And I thought the screenwriters did an excellent job in conveying the diplomat's complex relationships with both of them.

And despite my low opinion of the hairstyles featured in "TILL WE MEET AGAIN", I cannot deny that the production values featured in the miniseries struck me as quite impressive. Roger Hall did an excellent job in his production designs that more or less re-created various locations on two continents between the years of 1913 and 1952. His work was ably supported by Rhiley Fuller and Mike Long's art direction, Donald Elmblad and Peter Walpole's set decorations, and Alan Hume's cinematography, which did such an exceptional job of capturing the beauty and color of its various locations. However, I must admit that I really enjoyed Jerry R. Allen and Robin Fraser-Paye's costume designs. I thought they did an excellent job of recapturing the fashions of the early-to-mid 20th century.

If I must be honest, I cannot think of any performance that blew my mind. I am not claiming that the acting featured in "TILL WE MEET AGAIN" were terrible, let alone mediocre. Frankly, I believe that all of the major actors and actresses did a great job. Courtney Cox gave a very energetic performance as the ambitious and aggressive Freddy de Lancel. Bruce Boxleitner also gave an energetic performance as Jock Hampton, the best friend of Freddy's husband . . . but with a touch of pathos, as he conveyed his character's decade long unrequited love for the red-headed Mademoiselle de Lancel. Mia Sara gave a spot-on portrayal of Delphine de Lancel from an ambitious, yet insecure adolescent to a sophisticated and more mature woman. And again, I can the same about Lucy Gutteridge's portrayal of Eve de Lancel, who developed the character from an impulsive adolescent to a mature woman who proved to be her family's backbone. Hugh Grant was sufficiently sophisticated and hissable as the villainous Bruno de Lancel without turning his performance into a cliche. Charles Shaughnessy skillfully managed to convey to portray the worthy man behind director Armand Sadowski's womanizing charm. John Vickery gave a interested and complex portrayal of Freddy's British aristocrat husband, Anthony "Tony" Longbridge. And Maxwell Caufield was excellent as the charming, yet ego-driven singer Alain Marais. I believe one of the best performances came from Michael York, who was excellent as the emotionally besieged Paul de Lancel, struggling to deal with a stalled diplomatic career, two strong-willed daughters and a treacherous son. I believe the other best performance came from Barry Bostwick, who was excellent as Freddy's first love Terrence 'Mac' McGuire. I thought he did a great job of portraying a man torn between his love for Freddy and his guilt over being in love with someone who was young enough to be his daughter.

Look, I realize that "JUDITH KRANTZ'S TILL WE MEET AGAIN" is basically a glorified period piece melodrama disguised as a family saga. I realize that. And I realize that it is not perfect. Nor would I regard it as an example of the best American television can offer. But at its heart, I thought it was basically a well written family saga that centered around three remarkable women. Thanks to Judith Krantz and Andrew Peter Marin's screenplay; Charles Jarrott's direction and a first-rate cast, the 1989 miniseries proved to be first-rate piece of television drama.

"SCARECROW AND MRS. KING": Top Favorite Season Two (1984-1985) Episodes

Below is a list of my favorite Season Two episodes from the CBS series, "SCARECROW AND MRS. KING". Created by Brad Buckner and Eugenie Ross-Leming, the series starred Kate Jackson and Bruce Boxleitner:




"SCARECROW AND MRS. KING": TOP FAVORITE SEASON TWO (1984-1985) Episodes



1. (2.13) "Spiderweb" - When a secret operation to deliver three Communist defectors is jeopardized by a security leak, evidence points to Amanda King as the mole. Dana Eclar, Joan McMurtrey and Priscilla Morrill guest-starred.





2. (2.19) "D.O.A.: Delirious on Arrival" - Amanda King ingests a mysterious and fatal drug intended for fellow agent Lee Stetson and her behavior undergoes a transformation that leads her to behave in an extreme manner.





3. (2.10) "To Catch a Mongoose" - In this season premiere, Amanda is sent to London to help Lee catch and identify an old high classmate that the Agency believes is a well known assassin called "the Mongoose". Stephen Davies guest-starred.





4. (2.17) "Odds on a Dead Pigeon" - A paroled government convict hires an assassin who looks like Amanda in order to get close to Lee and kill him. Dennis Lipscomb guest-starred.





5. (2.11) "The Three Faces of Emily" - British agent Emily Farnsworth helps Lee and Amanda nab a man responsible for selling stolen secret plans for a futuristic fighter plane developed by the two countries. Jean Stapleton, Randy Brooks and Jeff Osterhage guest-starred.





Honorable Mention: (2.08) "Affair at Bromfiend Hall" - When Lee and Amanda go to England to investigate a major security leak, Amanda is unexpectedly drawn into a sex scandal involving a peer that is designed to lure Lee to his death. John Rhys-Davies, Meg Wynn Owen and James Warwick guest-starred.

"JUDITH KRANTZ'S TILL WE MEET AGAIN" (1989) Photo Gallery

Below are images from "JUDITH KRANTZ'S TILL WE MEET AGAIN", the 1989 television adaptation of Judith Krantz's 1988 novel, "Till We Meet Again". Directed by Charles Jarrott, the miniseries starred Lucy Gutteridge, Michael York, Courtney Cox and Mia Sara:



"JUDITH KRANTZ'S TILL WE MEET AGAIN" (1989) Photo Gallery

"SCARECROW AND MRS. KING": Top Favorite Season One (1983-1984) Episodes

Below is a list of my favorite Season One episodes from the CBS series, "SCARECROW AND MRS. KING". Created by Brad Buckner and Eugenie Ross-Leming, the series starred Kate Jackson and Bruce Boxleitner: 

"SCARECROW AND MRS. KING": TOP FAVORITE SEASON ONE (1983-1984) Episodes



1. (1.03) "If Thoughts Could Kill" - After checking into a hospital for a routine checkup, government agent Lee Stetson (a.k.a. "Scarecrow") is slowly brainwashed into becoming an assassin by a former Agency physician.





2. (1.12) "Lost and Found" - While protecting a ESP expert who had defected from the Soviet Union, Lee is reunited with his former lover, the ESP expert's current wife.





3. (1.13) "I Am Not Now Nor Have I Ever Been a Spy" - A case of amnesia causes recently recruited spy and suburban divorcee Amanda King to forget vital information about terrorists.





4. (1.18) "Filming Raul" - Amanda and Lee tries to help a parking lot attendant for the Agency and film director wannabe, who had filmed an attempted kidnapping of an Agency courier. This makes him the target of enemy agents.





5. (1.01) "The First Time" - The series' pilot episode reveals how Amanda became an agent for the Agency, when she is given a package by Lee - an act that leads to their first adventure together.





Honorable Mention: (1.10) "The Long Christmas Eve" - Amanda and Lee's violent encounter with two KGB agents lead to a long night on Christmas Eve, inside an isolated cabin.

Five Favorite Episodes of "BABYLON 5" (Season Five: "The Wheel of Fire")

Below is a list of my top five (5) favorite episodes from Season Five (1998) of "BABYLON 5". Created by J. Michael Straczynski, the series starred Bruce Boxleitner, Mira Furlan, Jerry Doyle and Tracy Scoggins: 




TOP FIVE FAVORITE EPISODES OF "BABYLON 5" (SEASON FIVE: "THE WHEEL OF FIRE")



1. (5.04) "A View from the Gallery" - An attack on Babylon 5 by an alien race is witnessed by two maintenance workers, Mack and Bo, as they work to keep the station running in this entertaining episode.






2. (5.11) "Phoenix Rising" - The standoff between Babylon 5's personnel and the new group of telepaths holding the inhabitants of Med Lab hostage deteriorates into bloodshed and tragedy when Psi Corp cop Alfred Bester arrives. Centauri ambassador Londo Mollari and G'Kar discover an old friend in the Centauri Royal Court.






3. (5.18) "The Fall of Centauri Prime" - As Interstellar Alliance President John Sheridan races to stop the Alliance ships from attacking Centauri Prime, thanks to the presence of former Shadow allies, the Drakh; the fate of Londo and the other Centauri is decided.






4. (5.12) "The Ragged Edge" - In this interesting episode, head of the Interstellar Alliance Intelligence Michael Garabaldi's relapse into alcoholism jeopardizes an important covert mission to the Drazi homeworld. G'Kar discovers that he has become a religious leader to the Narn.






5. (5.08) "Day of the Dead" - Babylon 5 unknowingly participates in the Brakiri's "Day of the Dead" festival, in which individuals like Garibaldi, Londo and new station commander Captain Elizabeth Lochley are visited by the deceased from their past. Famous entertainers Rebo and Zooty also visit the station. A very poignant episode.







R.I.P. Jerry Doyle (July 16, 1956 – July 27, 2016)