1.1 "Midnight on the Firing Line" and 1.2 "Soul Hunter"

This VHS tape offers up the first two episodes of "Babylon 5" if you do count the two parts of "The Gathering" as the pilot episode(s) for the science fiction series that went on the air a decade ago. These two episodes define the basic division that exists with "Babylon 5" stories between diplomatic squabbles and visitors to the station causing trouble:

Episode #1 "Midnight on the Firing Line" (Written by J. Michael Straczynski, Aired January 26, 1994) focuses on a diplomatic crisis sparked by the Narn attack of the Centauri colony on Ragesh 3, but there is also a plot line having to do with raiders attacking transport ships near Babylon 5 and back on Earth there is a presidential election coming up. Of course Ambassadors G'Kar (Andreas Katsulas) and Londo (Peter Jurasik) are at each other's throats over the attack, but the Centauri ambassador has a more personal concern since his nephew is on Ragesh 3 and is distressed by the decision of his government not to press the matter. In fact, Londo plans on taking matters into his own hands.

There are some significant casting changes already from the pilot movie, which requires working Lt. Commander Susan Ivanova (Claudia Christian), the new number two at Babylon 5, and Talia Winters (Andrea Thompson), a new telepath, into the mix. However this "first" episode also reaffirms that it is the trio of "alien" ambassadors, D'Gar of the Narn, Londo of the Centauri, and Delenn of the Minbari (Mira Fulan) who are much more interesting that the Earth people at this point. Commander Jeffrey Sinclair (Michael O'Hare) has his work cut out for him with this group and it is that more than anything else that keeps your interest at this point.

Episode 2, "Soul Hunter" (Written by J. Michael Straczynski, Aired February 2, 1994) certainly has the feel of a Western when a Soul Hunter (W. Morgan Sheppard, one of my favorite character actors) gets off of a transport and end up in sickbay. Once Delenn gets a look at the visitor she tells Sinclair to kill him and kill him now. It seems Soul Hunters are aliens who capture the souls of the dying and he is on Babylon 5 because he knows someone is about to die. Also, he clearly knows something about Delenn, hinting that there is more to her than meets the eye.

The concept of the Soul Hunter is pretty interesting, especially with regards to the question of whether they really do what they say they do and "preserve" the dead in some significant ways. However, Straczynski moves those interesting aspects more into the background on this story. He also retreats further into the conventions of the genre by having Sinclair play the hero's role once again. No wonder Security Chief Michael Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle) complains about the boss preempting his job so often. One thing to be said for "Babylon 5" at this point early on in the storyline is that it has an excellent sense of history behind it, so that we are always paying attention to every tidbit regarding the various backstories that we can glean from these episodes.

A Good Start to Babylon 5

These early Babylon 5 episodes offer tantalizing glimpses into what will unfold during the series. In "Midnight on the Firing Line" newly arrived Lieutenant Commander Ivanova (Claudia Christian) aids Commander Sinclair (Michael O'Hare) in two separate crises affecting Babylon 5; the Narn attack on the Centauri colony of Ragesh III and a vicious attack by raiders. Both crises will loom large throughout the course of Babylon 5's first season. In "Soul Hunter" a psychotic Soul Hunter arrives on Babylon 5, intent on collecting the soul of a prominent individual. Newly arrived medical chief Doctor Franklin (Richard Biggs) plays an important part in this episode. We also learn a bit more about the mysterious Minbari ambassador Delenn's (Mira Furlan) past.