Babylon 5

Babylon 5 is a science fiction television show that ran from January 1994 to November 1998, airing for five seasons. It was created by J. Michael Straczynski, who served as executive producer and wrote nearly all of the show's 110 episodes. During its initial run, the show received two consecutive Hugo Awards for "best dramatic presentation," as well as several other television awards. It has grown to be considered a cult classic and is frequently listed among the best sci-fi shows in fan and critic polls alike.

The show takes place on Babylon 5, an Earth-run space station used as a diplomatic center for the various alien races. The cast of major characters consists of both the space station's Earth staff (including Captain John Sheridan, Chief of Security Michael Garibaldi, and Commander Susan Ivanova) and ambassadors from the most prominent alien planets (Delenn from Minbar, Londo Mollari from the Centauri Republic, G'Kar from Narn, and the mysterious Kosh from the Vorlon Empire).

The show was noteworthy for its consistent story arc that spanned several seasons. Straczynski described the show as "a novel for television," and although the show was often divided into stand-alone episodes and stories, most episodes, especially in seasons 3 and 4, played heavily into the overall "big picture" story. Early in the series, an alien race known only as The Shadows is revealed as the major villain, and the next several seasons follow the protagonists' attempts to use Babylon 5 to bond together all the support they can from as many worlds as possible, as this is the only way they can ultimately defeat The Shadows.