Top Five Favorite Episodes of "BABYLON 5" (Season Four: "No Surrender, No Retreat")

Below is a list of my top five (5) favorite episodes from Season Four (1996-1997) of "BABYLON 5". Created by J. Michael Straczynski, the series starred Bruce Boxleitner, Claudia Christian, Jerry Doyle and Mira Furlan:


TOP FIVE FAVORITE EPISODES OF "BABYLON 5" (SEASON FOUR: "NO SURRENDER, NO RETREAT")



1. (4.15) "No Surrender, No Retreat" - Provoked by EarthForce President Clark's latest actions, former Captain John J. Sheridan leads the White Star fleet against EarthForce to liberate Proxima 3.





2. (4.17) "The Face of the Enemy" - Thanks to his new employer, CEO William Edgars, former Security Chief Michael Garibaldi is faced with the decision of whether or not to betray Sheridan to EarthForce. Babylon 5's Dr. Stephen Franklin and telepath Lyta Alexander arrive on Mars with a cargo of frozen telepaths for the final battles in the Earth Civil War.





3. (4.05) "The Long Night" - Sheridan make plans for the final strike against the Shadows and the Vorlons during the Shadow War. Meanwhile, Centauri Prime Ambassador Londo Mollari and his aide, Vir Cotto, make the final plans for assassinating Emperor Cartagia.





4. (4.20) "Endgame" - Following his rescue by Garibaldi, Franklin and Lyta; Sheridan leads the final assault against President Clark's forces with the help of his rescuers and the Mars Resistance.





5. (4.14) "Moments of Transition" - During the last days of the Minbari Civil War, the Warrior Caste demands the surrender of Ambassador Delenn and the Religious Caste. Meanwhille, Psi cop Alfred Bester makes an offer to an increasingly desperate Lyta and Sheridan receives horrible news from Ivanova.





Honorable Mention: (4.06) "Into the Fire" - Sheridan stages a final showdown between the Vorlons and the Shadows at Coriana 6 toward the end of the Shadow War.

Top Five Favorite Episodes of "CHARMED" Season Three (2000-2001)

Below is a list of my top five (5) favorite episodes from Season Three (2000-2001) of "CHARMED". Developed for television by Constance Burge, the series starred Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs and Alyssa Milano:


TOP FIVE FAVORITE EPISODES OF "CHARMED" Season Three (2000-2001) 



1. (3.06) "Primrose Empath" - As payback for the trap he had encountered in the last episode, "Sight Unseen", Cole Turner aka Belthazor leads Prue Halliwell to a shut-in that turns out to be a demon cursed with a strong empath ability. Stuck with the ability, Prue is unable to deal with the load of emotions from others.





2. (3.16) "Death Takes a Halliwell" - An encounter with the Angel of Death forces Prue to deal with the loss of her loves ones and others she was unable to save. Meanwhile, her sisters Piper and Phoebe help Cole deal with demonic bounty hunters.





3. (3.07) "Power Outage" - Cole finds a way to break the Power of Three, by utilizing Andras, a demon who creates petty anger within others, against the sisters.





4. (3.01) "The Honeymoon's Over" - In the Season 3 premiere, the sisters help police Inspector Darryl Morris deal with a series of demons known as guardians, who help mortal murderers go free in exchange for the souls of their victims. Meanwhile, they first become acquainted with ADA Cole Turner; and their whitelighter, Leo Wyatt, proposes marriage to middle sister Piper.





5. (3.18) "Sin Francisco" - This hilarious episode features the problems the Halliwells and Leo encounter when they are infected with the seven deadly sins by a demon, in order to release their personality flaws.

Top Five Favorite Episodes of "BABYLON 5" (Season Three: "Point of No Return")

Below is a list of my top five (5) favorite episodes from Season Three (1995-1996) of "BABYLON 5". Created by J. Michael Straczynski, the series starred Bruce Boxleitner, Claudia Christian, Jerry Doyle and Mira Furlan: 


TOP FIVE FAVORITE EPISODES OF "BABYLON 5" (SEASON THREE: "POINT OF NO RETURN")



1. (3.10) "Severed Dreams" - In this outstanding episode, President Clark of Earth Alliance tries to seize control of Babylon 5 by force, forcing station commander Captain John J. Sheridan and the command crew to take arms against their own government and initiating the Earth Civil War. The episode won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in 1997.





2. (3.15) "Interludes and Examinations" - Captain Sheridan struggles to gather a force against the Shadows, when the Shadow War begins in earnest. Ambassador Londo Mollari looks forward to a reunion with a past lover, and Dr. Franklin falls further into his stims addiction.





3. (3.09) "Point of No Return" - When President Clark declares martial law throughout Earth Alliance, the command crew tries to stop Nightwatch from taking control of the station. Meanwhile, Ambassador Londo Mollari receives a prophecy from Emperor Turhan's widow when she visits the station.





4. (3.17) "War Without End (Part 2)" - This is the second half of a two-part episode in which the station's former commander, Jeffrey Sinclair, returns to participate in a mission vital to the future survival of Babylon 5 - traveling back in time to steal Babylon 4.

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 the series, "BABYLON 5", over twenty years ago. But several years ago, I had experienced an epiphany about the episode that still makes me shake my head to this day.

My opinion of "Into the Fire" had always been somewhat lukewarm in the past. When I first saw it, I had 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 not to the extent that I would consider it as an action-heavy episode.

Sue me. I had been young and stupid in those days. I had believed 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 had always understood since I first viewed the episode. But I was so disappointed by the lack of a real battle that I had allowed the message to pass over my head.

But not during that viewing some ten to twelve years ago. Anticipating to be bored out of my mind, I had finally allowed J. Michael Straczynski's message to filter into my brain. 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.