The year is 2260, and Babylon 5 is in trouble. The mysterious Shadows are on the offensive, Earth is compromised, and the Babylon 5 station finds itself in the firing line. The season is aptly subtitled “Point Of No Return”. As series creator and writer J Michael Straczynski has his characters say, Babylon 5 is heading “straight to hell.”
Babylon 5 Season 3
Babylon 5 set a new precedent in science-fiction television in the 1990s. Envisaged as a five-year novel for television, some episodes stand alone, but most propel the overall story forward, referring back to plot points from seasons one and two, and planting seeds for the future. Arc-based story telling has since became all the rage in television, but Babylon 5 was the pioneer.
Babylon 5 deals with big topics - the slide towards war and dictatorship, the abuse of power and doing the right thing despite the consequences. Straczynki does not believe in wasting time with the small stuff. Yet the heavy themes and science-fiction hardware, as impressive as they are, do not overshadow the characters. They remain centre stage, in all their flawed glory. And they wear cool uniforms.
Characters in Babylon 5 Season 3
Captain John Sheridan (Bruce Boxlightner) is faced with some tough decisions and a shocking revelation in the season finale, while Commander Susan Ivanova (Claudia Christian) finds her Russian pessimism is more than justified. The elegant Ambassador Delenn (Mira Furlan) proves as capable using a fighting staff as she is negotiating a treaty, and the fateful struggle between Ambassadors G'Kar (Andreas Katsoulas) and Londo (Peter Jurasik) continues.
Security Chief Michael Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle), ambassadorial aides Vir (Stephen Furst) and Lennier (Bill Mumy) and Dr Stephen Franklin (Richard Biggs) round out the core cast.
Season 3 of Babylon 5 also sees the arrival of new regular characters, such as security officer Zack Allan (Jeff Conaway) and Ranger Marcus Cole (Jason Carter), a fighter outside the chain of command with a sly sense of humour. The third season also sees the return of telepath Lyta Alexander (Patricia Tallman), sinister psi-cop Bester (Walter Koenig) and the even more sinister Mr Morden (Ed Wasser).
Guest stars include Tucker Smallwood, Brad Dourif, Majel Barrett, Michael York and Melissa Gilbert.
Babylon 5 Season 3 DVD Extras
There are commentaries on selected episodes – Babylon 5's second Hugo Award winning episode Severed Dreams, Interludes and Examinations and season finale Z'ha'dum. Extras also include behind the scenes documentaries and personnel files.
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