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The Babylon 5 Official Viewing Order Pt. 1 (Intro)

INTRODUCTION

Anyone who desires to view the entire run of Babylon 5 cannot suffer from a feint heart. The task appears overwhelming, and many have dubbed the television series the most intimidating Sci-Fi show in existence. Some even labeled it the “Gravity’s Rainbow” of TV. Babylon 5 originally aired from 1993-1998. During and after the course of this five season run, the show presented 110 episodes, spawned four television movies, one (incomplete) spin-off series of thirteen episodes, a pilot for a second (but never commissioned) series, and one direct to DVD release consisting of two episodes.

The show’s creator (producer and primary writer), J. Michael Straczynski (JMS), crafted a richly mythic, overreaching tale -- a virtual science fiction epic -- with a clear and specific “Five Year Arc,” which had a set beginning and would have a definite ending. The downside of such an approach, however, meant that a viewer could not simply start watching the show at just any point. They would not recognize not to mention appreciate the more important story developments. They would not enjoy the complex character interactions, revel in their growths and changes, nor would they care about any of this. By the 3rd season, moreover, they would utterly fail to understand the plot.

Nevertheless, JMS sought to make a great “science fiction television series.” That meant the show must prove itself both good science fiction and good television. JMS succeeded spectacularly, and Babylon 5 quite rightly earned a reputation for excellence. He geared it towards adults. He tackled complex and controversial topics. He zealously kept his vision unaltered, and he relentlessly drove the series toward his preconceived conclusion.

FORMAT


Babylon
5 thus tells an ultra-serialized story. When it began, the show not only aired individual episodes (i.e. a “conflict of the week”), but each episode served as one part of a slowly forming ongoing plot for the season, still watchable as a separate chapter, yes, but, taken together, formed a larger story. Ultimately, that first season became, as fans would come to learn, the opening chapter of a much grander space opera, which grew more complex and more pressing as the seasons progressed.

In other words, each season presented a set number of episodes with specific plots that took place during a given year. Taken together, these episodes revealed a larger plot for that season. The five seasons together then formed one enormous and sweeping plot. In short, we find plots within plots within a single plot: telling us the story of Babylon 5’s founding (the last of the Babylon Stations) to the formation of the Interstellar Alliance (AD 2258-2262).

This novel approach for a television series, in fact, would prove wildly ahead of its time, and thus became the influence for future serialized television shows (e.g. LOST, 24, Fringe, Walking Dead, Designated Survivor, et alii). Babylon 5, however, in many ways surpasses anything that has followed, precisely because JMS knew how the series would end before it began. Babylon 5 is so sweeping, in fact, that many who claim to have watched the whole thing to its bittersweet end actually have not.

Why?

COMMITMENT


The original series alone seems, at first glance, stunningly long -- 110 hrs of viewing -- and then it adds almost 30 hours of movies and spin-offs. Some of the episodes can prove quite dense at times, others rather corny, but they all require your attention. Moreover, the viewer suffers occasional cheesy dialogue, performances offer some over-the-top and, at other times, sub-par acting. The earliest episodes also possess cost effective and somewhat obviously reused sets (though production quality increased greatly by the 3rd Season), and, as with any TV series, the audience must claw through a handful of plodding episodes -- especially during the show’s 1st and 5th Seasons.

Nevertheless, Babylon 5 claims many of the genre’s most spectacular moments -- many of those still unparalleled on television. These moments include some of the most dramatically powerful, humorous, climatic, and heart-wrenching scenes. The show seized many great triumphs with its captivating and intricate plots as well as having a whole pantheon of complex, multi-faceted, ever changing, and widely diverse characters. These characters encounter intense intrigue; frustrating mysteries, suffer reversals of fortune, and provide their audiences moments of brilliant introspection with a fair number of shocking revelations -- all peppered throughout with light humor, clever interactions, and quite sly inside jokes and dialogue.

REPUTATION

Even with all this acknowledged brilliance, Babylon 5 still remains the most underrated science fiction show in existence, because it requires such a serious commitment, and this necessarily limits its fan base. For any viewer to experience fully everything it offers, they must watch the whole show from beginning to end. Only with such a commitment, will any aficionado of science fiction come to cherish all these particulars, which the show’s most vocal adherents expound, that gave rise to this well-deserved reputation.

At its best, Babylon 5 challenges the audience’s ideas of democracy, the power of faith, government authority, legitimacy, loyalty, censorship, privacy, slavery, imperialism, sacrifice, tolerance, xenophobia, honor, devotion, existential threats (like plagues, invasions, suppression), racism, fanatic religions (and religious intolerance), as well as force its audiences to witness clashes between moralities and beliefs.

The show depicts diplomatic maneuvering, civil conflicts, wars, coups, assassinations, genocide, legal fights, romance, political campaigns and intrigue, betrayal, revelation, and ethical dilemmas. During those events, the show’s often rotating ring of rich and unique characters will grow, develop, change, mature, overcome, display flaws, and, in several cases, even fail or die (long before killing-off major characters on TV became “vogue,” a trick now practically driven into the ground [e.g. Game of Thrones]).

The relationships of Babylon 5 in fact often come to drive the show’s development as much as the underlying plots through which they move. Character developments become most prevalent during the show’s fifth and final season.

VIEWING
AND PRODUCTION


While the majority of single episodes, or in a couple of cases, a pair of episodes, of the 1st Season, as well as a handful from the 2nd Season and a few from the 3rd and 5th, stand alone as self-contained dramas, a certain number of those episodes become pivotal to the “big picture” (which JMS called "WHAM" episodes). Nevertheless, JMS’ incredible focus on a multi-season plot meant that even the earliest, most self-contained episodes, and, in most cases, the more “plodding” ones, have singular moments connected to future episodes, revealing key information or some important clue, which, if missed, make understanding the “larger picture” JMS painted more difficult to understand let alone appreciate.

The practical realities of syndicated television production also meant JMS planned from the outset for the logistics of creating such an ambitious series on a limited budget with the necessities of broadcasting, which a fluctuating schedule demanded (e.g. “sweeps week,” which still existed at the time). He also knew he had to allow for and even anticipate unforeseen circumstances, which might arise during the course of filming and airing a show -- a show that required years to tell its story -- such as actor availability (the unexpected early departure of Michael O’Hare being the most well-known example among the show’s fans).

JMS called those specific contingencies, for example, “trap doors.” He could exit any character at any time and transfer the major developments to another one. He could also move story lines, expand or retard them as required, alter particular plot points, while still remaining true to his original vision.

When production began, moreover, such advance planning allowed JMS to schedule together the filming of specific episodes that might use the same sets or featured a recurring guest star, thus greatly reducing costs, or, alternatively, allow for additional post-production time on the more visually complex ones. Once completed, JMS would then set the actual airing order. For example, the crew filmed the 1st season finale 12th, but obviously aired it last
 
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The Babylon 5 Official Viewing Order Pt. 2

CONTINUITY

Still, the logistics of the initial two seasons, but especially the 1st season, almost immediately created continuity-of-storyline problems for such a serialized series, a type of show, we must remember, almost unheard of before Babylon 5. Occasional scheduling problems, or network demands, required some episodes to air in an order deviating from JMS’ intent. In most cases, the impact proved minor: some discontinuity in dialogue, maybe an abrupt or unexplained change in tone from one episode to the next. In a couple of occasions, an episode ended with obvious foreshadowing or a cliffhanger that became inexplicably separated by another unrelated episode -- though, in one particular case during the 3rd season, the airing out-of-intended-order actually improved continuity and has now become canonical.

For some of the episodes, however, the broadcast sequence would not really matter. JMS purposely designed a handful for the first three seasons (and the fifth, because the show had moved to a new network) specifically for insertion anywhere in the season. Rearranging these episodes would not break the overall continuity. This practice became nonexistent during the most important and dramatically powerful 4th Season. Nevertheless, even the “plug-and-play” episodes possess an original intended “slot.”

Several syndicated and foreign networks, furthermore, would ignore the episode “broadcast order” provided by Warner Bros and simply aired the episodes in production order. This resulted in an entirely scrambled storyline for Season 1 and hit an audience with some jarring inconsistencies during Season 2. It also presents difficulties for incorporation of the movies, and this practice especially complicated Crusade, because of extremely difficult circumstances behind the camera, which effectively obliterated JMS’ intended plot for that series’ (admittedly less intense) three year arc of a planned five year run.

ARRANGING
THE EPISODES

Since Babylon 5 and its spin-offs aired, however, JMS (and to some extent the most devoted fans) established an “official viewing order,” which maintains not only the continuity of storyline but also displays the fashion, tone, effect, manner, and tale that JMS intended. This “official order,” i.e. the precise episode plotting within the season plotting within the overall series plot, thus established a canonical timeline -- a definitive calendar that creates an in-universe chronology -- only alluded to or mentioned quite casually in a few of the episodes during the show’s run. That chronology not only dictates the order one should watch the series itself but also shows how a viewer incorporates the movies, the spin-off series, and the DVD release.

I will post later in this thread that “official viewing order” as originally sanctioned by JMS (with certain caveats) along with the most widely accepted chronology it created for the fictional Babylon 5 universe. I have listed the episodes below by title in the order one should watch them all to experience the entire epic from beginning to end. This order, of course, differs considerably from the one in which the series and films actually aired during their initial runs (especially in the case of Crusade).

Caveat 1:
ongoing and strong arguments exist among diehard fans about the 2nd made-for-television movie In the Beginning. It takes place a decade before the series itself begins, but production occurred during the 4th Season. The story reveals several “mysteries” presented and subsequently uncovered during the run of those four seasons (especially illustrated, for example, by the very first appearance of Delenn). Because of this, some fans advocate one should view this film during or after Season 4 while still others say after Season 5 (as a kind of flashback).

Technically, the movie opens during Season 3’s The War Without End, after Lando has Sheridan taken to his cell, and it ends just before Lando sends guards to bring both Sheridan and Delenn back to the throne room.

Nevertheless, JMS voiced his preference: “frankly, if I were going to introduce someone off on B5, I’d definitely want to start with In the Beginning, which sort of skims in and out of the overall storyline in a beautiful fashion.”

The result becomes one of effect. The movie will act as an Ancient Greek Chorus. It lays the foundation for the Babylon 5 universe and sets-up the tale of the series to follow. Thus, the audience begins the show already knowing most -- but not all -- of the answers for several of the questions that surface during the pilot and first three seasons (though in several cases they know only part of the answer). The characters, however, do not know those answers nor, with a couple of mysteries, even understand the actual question. The audience thus watches to see how all of these revelations come to affect them.

A quick side note
: In the Beginning also creates two “mysteries” in its final scene. One of these, however, the audience will not even recognize as a mystery until the 3rd season. Then, when the audience watches War Without End, they will realize both mysteries while receiving the answers at the same time (unique, as far as I know, in television history) and then be hit with a third mystery.

Regardless, the four seasons, as they unfold, offer the characters the needed revelations while at the same time adding a fuller context and even some missing information for the audience regarding these questions that practically land in our laps by viewing the prequel movie first.

Having experienced the show both ways, I strongly prefer this route.

Caveat 2:
fans simply cannot agree on the 1st Season. It contains the largest number of “self-contained” episodes for the entire show. Moreover, the show was, of course, brand new, and the “growing pains” it experienced meant several episodes, as explained above, aired “out-of-order.” Nevertheless, this season, above all others, could in any case move around episodes without jeopardizing (given some thought) the overall dramatic continuity. This actually makes sense, given that this season serves as an extended introduction for everything that follows and serialization remained at a minimum, so the show could collect an audience.

When the show first aired, furthermore, the crew employed internet marketing to create a “buzz” among online readers in advance of episode broadcasts, with JMS participating in online communities such as USENET (in the rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated newsgroup) as well as GEnie and CompuServe. In 1995, Warner Bros. started the Official Babylon 5 Website (on the now defunct Pathfinder portal). In September 1995, furthermore, they hired a fan to take over the site, move it to its own domain, and to oversee the Keyword B5 area on America Online.

During this time, some of the show’s most ardent devotees created the Lurker’s Guide to Babylon 5. It grew to become the most complete online resource for fans of the show. JMS provided his “official arrangement” of the episodes, which had a handful of deviations from the broadcast schedule.

This is the order I prefer.

Nevertheless, JMS has also sanctioned the monograph Across Time and Space: The Chronologies of Babylon 5. It contains two complete calendars: Terry Jones' “Babylon 5 Historical Database” and I. Marc Carlson's “Timeline of the Babylon 5 / Crusade Universe.” Together, these two documents remain the only sources that provide the complete picture of the Babylon 5 universe, and how it fits in the history of the world, while also weaving the entire Babylon 5 universe into one, cohesive narrative.

In doing so, it completely rearranged the episodes for Season 1 from both the initial airings as well as JMS’ originally sanctioned ordering. While interesting, this new chronology also moves only a couple of episodes in Season 2 but simply restores the broadcast order for Season 3, that latter of which ignores the comments JMS made online during and after production. It then goes on to create jarring inconsistencies for Crusade, because it takes into account episodes that never aired (see next caveat).

I have nonetheless listed the order dictated by Across Time and Space as an alternative -- for those of you not prejudiced like I am by JMS’ original preferred sequence.

I opine it a coin toss as to which order proves better or more cohesive
.
 
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Re: The Babylon 5 Official Viewing Order Pt. 3 (Crusade)

Caveat 3: Crusade presents a particularly thorny problem for any viewer, as the series suffered serious production problems from its outset. Most critically, after production began, TNT demanded an actual “introductory episode,” which JMS considered the made-for-television movie A Call to Arms provided. A “pilot” would therefore prove redundant. TNT disagreed. Production on the series therefore halted to film this hastily scripted pilot.

At the same time, TNT also decided to allocate additional money to build expanded sets, ordered new costumes, and generally sought to better the production quality of the show. This created a not insignificant change in tone. Moreover, TNT fought JMS on which episodes to broadcast first. They wanted a more traditional action-packed, conflict of the week approach (read: Star Trek).

This resulted in mandated changes that altered the show's trajectory after the filming of five episodes had already completed. Crusade's originally intended airing order, for the most part, would have reflected the order of production up to that time -- with the exception of "Racing the Night" (103). JMS wanted this episode to introduce the series to the viewers. In other words, JMS felt the show should open medias res with Gideon and company already months into their mission.

After the hiatus for the “pilot,” which necessarily featured the new uniforms and sets, JMS subsequently elected to air several new-uniform episodes first. "Appearances and Other Deceits" (113) transitioned viewers to the old-uniforms to be followed by the five pre-hiatus episodes. The show would then transition back to the new uniforms with the episode "To the Ends of the Earth" (114), scripted and in pre-production. TNT, however, had come to hold that the series did not meet their demographic needs and abruptly cancelled production on the back 9 episodes.

JMS attempted to locate a new network for Crusade but failed, and TNT would eventually air just the 13 existing episodes. Unfortunately, no episode featuring the transition back to the new uniforms existed, and the completed episodes thus aired in a “makeshift order,” which ignored several points of continuity by simply placing the five old-uniform episodes after the eight new-uniform episodes. This improvised order exists on the DVD release of the series.

The entire experience was, without hyperbole, a fiasco.

By this time, then, Crusade had JMS’ original "intended dramatic order,” the TNT “impacted intended order,” and finally the actual ”TNT broadcast order” -- all of which had internal chronological inconsistencies and contradictions resulting in considerable continuity problems. Consequently, the "correct" order for viewing Crusade became totally unclear. All three sequences contained conflicting evidence between episodes, notably seen with the details for two “mini-arc” trilogies that took place: a) the Gideon/Lockley meetings and b) use of the Nanite Mask.

JMS subsequently re-ordered the episodes for the Sy-Fy’s Channel’s re-broadcast of the show when they purchased the rights to Crusade in 2001. JMS disregarded the uniform changes and sequenced the episodes to begin with “general stories” to establish the show’s “scenario” before moving into “character-based” stories. He also placed "War Zone" and "Appearances and Other Deceits"—the two episodes that existed entirely due to TNT's interference—at the end of the run, effectively outside any continuity.

JMS later, after some prodding by fans, re-reordered the episodes in an attempt to incorporate both his intended dramatic presentation as well as (some of) the in-universe chronological order established by the episodes themselves, but this new sequence still ignored the “pilot” (which he never liked) and retained a glaring anachronism between two episodes of the Gideon/Lochley trilogy: “Ruling from the Tomb” and “Each Night I Dream of Home,” which he intended to fix with corrected dialogue but never completed.

B5 fans nonetheless now had five possible (albeit unsatisfactory) orders in which they could view Crusade. Soon, two additional orders would emerge. First, a “chronological order” established in Across Time and Space: The Chronologies of Babylon 5. Then, a second “all-inclusive chronological order” formed with the publications of Crusade: What the Hell Happened? and Crusade: Other Voices, where a wealth of new material revealed that none of the previously existing sequences adequately ordered the episodes into a “cohesive whole.”

The “chronological order” acknowledged the uniform changes and took into account several onscreen details -- e.g. the banner at the Mars conference ("Ruling from the Tomb”) -- but ignored others: e.g. the Gideon/Lochley trilogy from “Each Night I Dream of Home” to “Ruling From the Tomb.” The “all-inclusive chronological order,” furthermore, incorporated material not onscreen as well as accounted for scripts written but had never gone into production -- most notably, it presumes the second uniform change intended to occur in "To the Ends of the Earth" (114), though this episode does not exist, and rearranges the final episodes for further plotlines that would have emerged from it.

All of these “viewing orders” nevertheless possess continuity problems with the episodes as they exist.

Finally, fans of the show filled this need and have constructed two “continuity based orders.” These sequences focus first and foremost on all of the onscreen details: the uniform changes, dialogue, various details between episodes, and the two mini-arc trilogies, while only then taking into account JMS’ original intentions (sans his disposition toward the “pilot”).

For example, a strict internal chronological ordering requires "Ruling From the Tomb" (111), which features the first meeting of Gideon and Lochley, to occur very early (i.e. Gideon's assertion that, if a saboteur aboard his ship existed, then it would have “blown-up weeks ago") – though this remains contradicted by the conference banner. It also allows for the exit of Trace Miller, who appears only in this episode and “War Zone.” "The Long Road" (107), furthermore, takes place approximately just two months while the "The Memory of War" takes place four months
after A Call to Arms.

From here, the Gideon/Lochley meetings occur in the following order: "Ruling from the Tomb" to "Each Night I Dream of Home” to "The Rules of the Game," which also requires "Ruling from the Tomb" to precede "Appearances and Other Deceits." The continuity order of the Nanite Mask is "The Memory of War" to "Each Night I Dream of Home" followed by "Patterns of the Soul." “The Memory of War” must also precede “The Well of Forever” (i.e. if the Apocalypse Box can be taken at its word).

Unfortunately, for the viewer, both of the fan constructed continuity based orders succeed (the differences concern only six episodes, and only one of those is a “significant” switch), and the show suffers remarkably little under either sequence.

Neither one can claim definitively to be “the official viewing order.” I therefore simply present my preferred order for watching, having sat through the series several times, but I also list for consideration the alternative order that works
 
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The Babylon 5 Official Viewing Order, Pt. 4

KEY TO THE LISTINGS

In addition to the whole “official viewing order,” the entire listing below provides both Run and Production numbers, i.e. the order in which the episodes originally aired and the order in which JMS produced them. Because the made for television movies have different production numbers than the two series or the DVD release, and no run numbers, I have also included the original airing date, so any fan can (if they so desire) reconstruct and experience the show like those of us who watched it when first aired.

I also provide the most widely accepted “in-universe” chronological timeline, so you may know when an episode supposedly takes place relative to other episodes. Because I prefer JMS’ originally expressed desires, however, this chronology differs from the two publications, which present subsequently established definitive times.

Lastly, the titles with an “*” after them indicate what JMS considered “WHAM” episodes, those episodes absolutely critical for the overall story arc. Titles with “+” after them indicate episodes, which contain more than just passing references to the larger plot development (or semi-WHAM episodes). Someone who wants to watch Babylon 5 but cannot commit to the entire run could conceivably watch just the WHAM and semi-WHAM episodes and still at least understand the essence of this saga.

A special note concerning Season 4:
JMS made considerable alternations to the plot structure for the show’s fourth season, because, when Season 3 ended, Babylon 5 had entered a “ratings death watch.” A fifth season might not actually have happened. Consequently, he compressed what should have taken two seasons into one. It therefore becomes impossible to skip any episodes as he abandoned all one-off, self-contained stories for full blown ultra-serialization.

Arguably, more happens in the first six episodes of this season than during the entirety of either Seasons 1 or 2. Then, at the end of what essentially becomes this six part miniseries, the audience (sans Thirdspace) immediately becomes pulled into 16 more episodes that resolve the second conflict, which had slowly and meticulously grew since Season 1. This “second-half” also ties-up all loose ends developed during the first three seasons.

The 4th Season thus significantly increases the action, tension, drama with an almost relentless pace of divulgements and resolutions. Interestingly enough, ratings, this one inescapable reality of television production, forced Babylon 5 to reach its zenith.

Season 4 is, without question, Babylon 5 at its finest.

Nevertheless, the threatened cancellation did not alter the show’s ultimate ending. It merely postponed it. When Babylon 5 earned a fifth season, JMS simply expanded greatly on several plot threads “concluded” by the 4th Season. He was now able to provide much greater detail, while also setting conflicts (like the Telepath War and “The Hand”) for the then planned spin-off series, a possible theatrical movie, and future miniseries or made-for-television movies, while also adding significant depth to the conclusion of Babylon 5 itself.

In short, even after all the forced changes, which the falling ratings and a move to a new network created, the show itself concluded precisely as JMS envisioned from the very beginning. In essence, then, a viewer could conceivably skip the final movies, the entire 5th Season, the spin-off series Crusade, the failed pilot, and DVD release yet still enjoy the show’s last two episodes, originally produced during the 4th Season.

Special Note on Season Four’s Final Two Productions:
JMS intended the final two episodes produced for the 4th Season to end the show effectively (and they do). In this format, the next to last episode offered a “glimpse” into the future and revealed the final fate of the human race, while the last episode then closed the story. With the advent of a 5th Season, then, JMS simply moved the finale to air after it completed. The episode leading into that finale, however, now appeared jarringly out-of-place.

Deconstruction of Falling Stars
begins with a flashback that takes place just after the resolution of the six episode “mini-series.” It also foreshadows an incident during (what would become) one episode from the 5th Season, an incident they thought they would never actually film, but then it skips the rest of the (arguably more) important events from that year to jump ahead 100, 500, 1000 and finally 1 million years into the future. The show’s more ardent fans have come to view this episode as a kind of “epilogue” -- to be viewed after the series’ finale. I agree -- any other viewing makes it feel misplaced if you commit to watching the entire run.

CONCLUSIONS


In sum, to enjoy fully all the multi-faceted, multi-character developments and changing dynamics, both the small and large moments, the grandeur of the entire story JMS sought to tell, that is, the majestic epic, which indeed the Babylon 5 universe became, one should view every episode, every movie, every spin-off in the order presented below.

You will experience moments of tension, laughter, sadness, shock, and a chain of revelations too numerous to count. You will, despite your best efforts, invest in all of these characters and fall captivated and often surprised by their individual and interconnected stories. The arcs of Lando and G’Kar, without question, deserve top honors here -- with Vir, Lennier, and Garibaldi taking honorable mentions along with Sinclair.

Season 1 will carefully craft the entire vista and slowly begin to sow intricate threads, which will eventually culminate in Season 4: that is, the coming Shadow War and then the Earth Alliance Civil War. Season 2 will plant the specifics for both, while also cementing a virtual mosaic of intricate, interconnected, and ever changing character relationships. As G’Kar so correctly observed during this season: “No one here is exactly who he seems.”

Season 3 will expand on all three legs of this now established stool, while building your expectations. All of the relationships will grow and evolve. The great Shadow War will begin, and the Earth Alliance will slip away. Season 4 will simply leave you exhausted. The story moves relentlessly from the struggle against the Shadows, the greatest ever fought, only to find it promptly replaced with the Earth Alliance Civil War, a war with critical consequence for the future of the human race.

The fifth and final season, takes a breath and seeks to build an even larger world, an Interstellar Alliance, while still ending in massive conflict for Centauri Prime. The season will introduce even more characters, suggest that further stories still exist to tell, and ultimately leave you quite somber as the original characters we have come to know and admire finally leave the station for new chapters in their lives.

The subsequent movies will make you appreciate that there indeed existed far more to this universe than broadcast. You will also become amazed at how surprisingly good Crusade actually was, despite all its production problems, and leave the experience without answers and utterly frustrated at what it could have been, while the Legend of the Rangers will drop a shocking mystery onto the table then promptly never resolve it.

Finally, the next to last episode (the actual original series finale) will make most fans cry -- or at least seriously tear-up, while the “epilogue,” will then offer closure: an eloquent footnote, which, with In the Beginning, not only bookends the entire epic, but reveals the final future and ultimate destiny of the human race. It’s all too brief summation will nevertheless leave you, despite Crusade and Rangers, satisfied that you have spent your time wisely.

The reward for this effort, in short, thus remains nothing short of outstanding.
 
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The Babylon 5 Official Viewing Order, Pt. 5 (Seasons 1&2)

Okay, I couldn't format this properly, so on to plan B ...

The first listing for each season provides by title -- with production number -- the preferred viewing as JMS sanctioned online shortly after the initial broadcast, followed by the (Run#), then the airing date.

The second listing provides by title -- with production number -- the subsequently established "chronological order," followed by the (Run#), then the airing date.

The date the episode takes place in the fictional universe then appears underneath the title.

* = WHAM
+ = semi-WHAM

Babylon
5: In the Beginning TNTCF2 (n/a) Jan 4, 1998
Mar 2245-Dec 2247
Babylon
5: The Gathering 100 (0x00) Feb 22, 1993 *
3 Mar 2257

Babylon 5: Season One (Preferred Continuity Order)
(Signs and Portents)

-Midnight on the Firing Line 103 (1x01) Jan 26, 1994 *
Feb 2258
-Soul Hunter 102 (1x02) Feb 2, 1994 +
2 Mar 2258
-Born to the Purple 104 (1x03) Feb 9, 1994
8 Mar 2258
-Infection 101 (1x04) Feb 18, 1994
22 Mar 2258
-The Parliament of Dreams 108 (1x05) Feb 23, 1994 +
30 Mar 2258
-Mind War 110 (1x06) Mar 2, 1994 *
3 Apr 2258
-The War Prayer 107 (1x07) Mar 9, 1994
11 Apr 2258
-And The Sky Full Of Stars 106 (1x08) Mar 16, 1994 *
24 Apr 2258
-Deathwalker 113 (1x09) Apr 20, 1994
May 2258
-Believers 105 (1x10) Apr 27, 1994
Jun 2258
-Survivors 111 (1x11) May 4, 1994
Jun 2258
-By Any Means Necessary 114 (1x12) May 11, 1994
Jul 2258
-Signs and Portents (1x13) May 18, 1994 *
3 Aug 2258
-Grail 109 (1x15) Jul 6, 1994
Aug 2258
-Eyes 122 (1x16) Jul 13, 1994
Sept 2258
-A Voice in the Wilderness1 120 (1x18) Jul 27, 1994 +
Sept 2258
-A Voice in the Wilderness2 121 (1x19) Aug 3, 1994 +
Sept 2258
-Babylon Squared 118 (1x20) Aug 10, 1994 *
Nov 2258
-The Quality of Mercy 117 (1x21) Aug 17, 1994
Nov 2258
-TKO 119 (1x14) May 25, 1994
Nov 2258
-Legacies 115 (1x17) Jul 20, 1994 +
Dec 2258
-Chrysalis 112 (1x22) Oct 26, 1994 *
30 Dec 2258

Babylon 5: Season Two (Preferred Continuity Order)
(The Coming of Shadows)

-Points of Departure 201 (2x01) Nov. 2, 1994 *
6 Jan 2259
-Revelations 202 (2x02) Nov. 9, 1994
19 Jan 2259
-The Geometry of Shadows 203 (2x03) Nov. 16, 1994 +
27-9 Jan 2259
-A Distant Star (2x04) Nov. 23, 1994
19 Feb 2259
-The Long Dark 205 (2x05) Nov. 30, 1994
25 Feb 2259
-A Spider in the Web 206 (2x06) Dec. 7, 1994 +
7 Mar 2259
-A Race Through Dark Places 207 (2x08) Jan. 25, 1995 *
14 Mar 2259
-Soul Mates 208 (2x07) Dec. 14, 1994
Apr 2259
-The Coming of Shadows 209 (2x09) Feb. 1, 1995 *
15 Apr 2259
-GROPOS 210 (2x10) Feb. 8, 1995
20 May 2259
-All Alone in the Night 211 (2x11) Feb. 15, 1995 +
Jun 2259
-Acts of Sacrifice 212 (2x12) Feb. 22, 1995 *
Jun 2259
-Hunter, Prey 213 (2x13) Mar. 1, 1995 *
Jul 2259
-There All the Honor Lies 215 (2x14) Apr. 26, 1995
Jul 2259
-And Now For a Word 214 (2x15) May 3, 1995 *
16 Aug 2259
-Knives 216 (2x17) May 17, 1995
Aug 2259
-In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum 217 (2x16) May 10, 1995 *
24 Aug 2259
-Confessions and Lamentations 218 (2x18) May 24, 1995
Sept 2259
-Divided Loyalties 220 (2x19) Oct. 11, 1995 +
Oct 2259
-The Long, Twilight Struggle 218 (2x20) Oct. 18, 1995 *
Nov 2259
-Comes the Inquisitor 221 (2x21) Oct. 25, 1995 +
11 Dec 2259
-The Fall of Night 222 (2x22) Nov. 1, 1995 *
23 Dec 2259

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Babylon 5: Season One (Chronological Order)
(Signs and Portents)

-Midnight on the Firing Line 103 (1x01) Jan 26, 1994 *
Feb 2258
-Soul Hunter 102 (1x02) Feb 2, 1994 +
2 Mar 2258
-Infection 101 (1x04) Feb 18, 1994
8 Mar 2258
-Born to the Purple 104 (1x03) Feb 9, 1994
22 Mar 2258
-The Parliament of Dreams 108 (1x05) Feb 23, 1994 +
30 Mar 2258
-The War Prayer 107 (1x07) Mar 9, 1994
3 Apr 2258
-And The Sky Full Of Stars 106 (1x08) Mar 16, 1994 *
11 Apr 2258
-Mind War 110 (1x06) Mar 2, 1994 *
26 Apr 2258
-By Any Means Necessary 114 (1x12) May 11, 1994
May 2258
-Deathwalker 113 (1x09) Apr 20, 1994
Jun 2258
-Believers 105 (1x10) Apr 27, 1994
Jul 2258
-Survivors 111 (1x11) May 4, 1994
Jul 2258
-A Voice in the Wilderness1 120 (1x18) Jul 27, 1994 +
Aug 2258
-A Voice in the Wilderness2 121 (1x19) Aug 3, 1994 +
Aug. 2258
-Babylon Squared 118 (1x20) Aug 10, 1994 *
Sept 2258
-Legacies 115 (1x17) Jul 20, 1994 +
Sept. 2258
-Grail 109 (1x15) Jul 6, 1994
Sept. 2258
-Signs and Portents (1x13) May 18, 1994 *
Oct 2258
-TKO 119 (1x14) May 25, 1994
Nov. 2258
-Eyes 122 (1x16) Jul 13, 1994
Nov. 2258
-The Quality of Mercy 117 (1x21) Aug 17, 1994
Dec. 2258
-Chrysalis 112 (1x22) Oct 26, 1994 *
30 Dec 2258

Babylon 5: Season Two (Chronological Order)
(The Coming of Shadows)

-Points of Departure 201 (2x01) Nov. 2, 1994 *
6 Jan 2259
-Revelations 202 (2x02) Nov. 9, 1994
19 Jan 2259
-The Geometry of Shadows 203 (2x03) Nov. 16, 1994 +
27-9 Jan 2259
-A Distant Star 204 (2x04) Nov. 23, 1994
19 Feb 2259
-A Spider in the Web 206 (2x06) Dec. 7, 1994 +
25 Feb 2259
-A Race Through Dark Places 207 (2x08) Jan. 25, 1995 *
7 Mar 2259
-Soul Mates 208 (2x07) Dec. 14, 1994
14 Mar 2259
-The Long Dark 205 (2x05) Nov. 30, 1994
Apr 2259
-The Coming of Shadows 209 (2x09) Feb. 1, 1995 *
15 Apr 2259
-GROPOS 210 (2x10) Feb. 8, 1995
20 May 2259
-All Alone in the Night 211 (2x11) Feb. 15, 1995 +
Jun 2259
-Acts of Sacrifice 212 (2x12) Feb. 22, 1995 *
Jun 2259
-Hunter, Prey 213 (2x13) Mar. 1, 1995 *
Jul 2259
-Knives 216 (2x17) May 17, 1995
Jul 2259
-There All the Honor Lies 215 (2x14) Apr. 26, 1995
Aug 2259
-And Now For a Word 214 (2x15) May 3, 1995 *
16 Aug 2259
-In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum 217 (2x16) May 10, 1995 *
24 Aug 2259
-Divided Loyalties 220 (2x19) Oct. 11, 1995 *
Sept. 2259
-Confessions and Lamentations 218 (2x18) May 24, 1995
Oct 2259
-The Long, Twilight Struggle 218 (2x20) Oct. 18, 1995 *
Nov 2259
-Comes the Inquisitor 221 (2x21) Oct. 25, 1995 +
11 Dec 2259
-The Fall of Night 222 (2x22) Nov. 1, 1995 *
23 Dec 2259
 
Last edited:
The Babylon 5 Official Viewing Order, Pt. 6 (Seasons 3, 4 & 5 + Movies))

* = WHAM
+ = semi-WHAM


Babylon 5: Season Three (Preferred Continuity Order)

(Point of No Return)

-Matters of Honor301 (3x01) Nov. 6, 1995 *
1 Jan. 2260
-Convictions 302 (3x02) Nov. 13, 1995
16 Jan. 2260
-A Day in the Strife 303 (3x03) Nov. 20, 1995
20 Jan. 2260
-Passing Through Gethsemane 305 (3x04) Nov. 27, 1995 +
25 Jan. 2260
-Voices of Authority 304 (3x05) Jan. 29, 1996 *
13 Feb. 2260
-Dust to Dust 306 (3x06) Feb. 5, 1996 *
21 Feb. 2260
-Exogenesis 307 (3x07) Feb. 12, 1996
11 Mar. 2260
-Messages from Earth 308 (3x08) Feb. 19, 1996 *
18 Mar. 2260
-Point of No Return 309 (3x09) Feb. 26, 1996 *
8 Apr. 2260
-Severed Dreams 310 (3x10) Apr. 1, 1996 *
13 Apr. 2260
-Ceremonies of Light and Dark 311 (3x11) Apr. 8, 1996 +
12 May 2260
-A Late Delivery From Avalon 312 (3x13) Apr. 22, 1996
3 Jul. 2260
-Sic Transit Vir 313 (3x12) Apr. 15, 1996
12 Jul. 2260
-Ship of Tears 314 (3x14) Apr. 29, 1996 *
20 Jul. 2260
-Interludes and Examinations315 (3x15) May 6, 1996
3 Aug. 2260
-Walkabout 318 (3x18) Sept. 30, 1996
Aug. 2260
-War Without End 1 316 (3x16) May 13, 1996 *
13 Aug. 2260
-War Without End 2 317 (3x17) May 20, 1996 *
13 Aug. 2260
-Grey 17 Is Missing 319 (3x19) Oct. 7, 1996
27 Nov. 2260
-And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place 320 (3x20) Oct. 14, 1996 *
7 Dec. 2260
-Shadow Dancing321 (3x21) Oct. 21, 1996
14 Dec. 2260
-Z'ha'dum 322 (3x22) Oct. 28, 1996 *
19-26 Dec. 2260

Babylon 5: Season Four
(Preferred Continuity Order)
(No Surrender, No Retreat)

-The Hour of the Wolf 401 (4x01) Nov. 4, 1996
3 Jan. 2261
-Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi? 402 (4x02) Nov. 11, 1996
4 Jan. 2261
-The Summoning 403 (4x03) Nov. 18, 1996
17 Jan. 2261
-Falling Toward Apotheosis 404 (4x04) Nov. 25, 1996
19 Jan. 2261
-The Long Night405 (4x05) Jan. 27, 1997
22 Jan. 2261
-Into the Fire 406 (4x06) Feb. 3, 1997
25 Jan. 2261
-Epiphanies 407 (4x07) Feb. 10, 1997
1 Feb. 2261
-The Illusion of Truth 408 (4x08) Feb. 17, 1997
28 Mar. 2261

Babylon 5
: Thirdspace (TNTCF1) Jul. 19, 1998
3 Apr. 2261

-Atonement 409 (4x09) Feb. 24, 1997
11 May 2261
-Racing Mars410 (4x10) Apr. 21, 1997
13 May 2261
-Lines of Communication 411 (4x11) Apr. 28, 1997
16 Jun. 2261
-Conflicts of Interest 412 (4x12) May 5, 1997
12 July 2261
-Rumors, Bargains and Lies 413 (4x13) May 12, 1997
19 July 2261
-Moments of Transition 414 (4x14) May 19, 1997
2 Aug. 2261
-No Surrender, No Retreat 415 (4x15) May 26, 1997
2 Sept. 2261
-The Exercise of Vital Powers 416 (4x16) Jun. 2, 1997
15 Sept. 2261
-The Face of the Enemy 417 (4x17) Jun. 9, 1997
30 Sept. 2261
-Intersections in Real Time 418 (4x18) Jun. 16, 1997
11 Oct. 2261
-Between the Darkness and the Light 419 (4x19) Oct. 6, 1997
23 Oct. 2261
-Endgame 420 (4x20) Oct. 13, 1997
1 Nov. 2261
-Rising Star 421 (4x21) Oct. 20, 1997
3 Nov. 2261

Babylon 5: Season Five (Preferred Continuity Order)
(The Wheel of Fire)

-No Compromises 502 (5x01) Jan. 21, 1998 *
13 Jan. 2262
-The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari 503 (5x02) Jan. 28, 1998
20 Jan. 2262
-The Paragon of Animals 504 (5x03) Feb. 4, 1998
30 Jan. 2262
-A View from the Gallery 505 (5x04) Feb. 11, 1998 +
2 Feb. 2262
-Learning Curve 506 (5x05) Feb. 18, 1998
21 Apr. 2262
-Strange Relations 507 (5x06) Feb. 25, 1998
23 May 2262
-Secrets of the Soul 508 (5x07) Mar. 4, 1998
25 May 2262
-In the Kingdom of the Blind 509 (5x09) Mar. 18, 1998 *
27 May 2262
-A Tragedy of Telepaths 510 (5x10) Mar. 25, 1998 *
16 Jun. 2262
-Phoenix Rising 512 (5x11) Apr. 1, 1998 *
19 Jun. 2262
-The Ragged Edge 513 (5x12) Apr. 8, 1998 +
20 Jun. 2262
-Day of the Dead 511 (5x08) Mar. 11, 1998 +
22 Jun. 2262
-The Corps is Mother, The Corps is Father 514 (5x13) Apr. 15, 1998
24 Jun. 2262
-Meditations on the Abyss 515 (5x14) May 27, 1998
13 Jul. 2262
-Darkness Ascending 516 (5x15) Jun. 3, 1998
13 Jul. 2262
-And All My Dreams Torn Asunder 517 (5x16) Jun. 10, 1998 *
31 Jul. 2262
-Movements of Fire and Shadow 518 (5x17) Jun. 17, 1998 *
9 Aug. 2262
-The Fall of Centauri Prime 519 (5x18) Oct. 28, 1998 *
14 Aug. 2262
-Wheel of Fire 520 (5x19) Nov. 4, 1998
19 Aug. 2262
-Objects in Motion 521 (5x20) Nov. 11, 1998 *
1 Sept. 2262
-Objects at Rest 522 (5x21) Nov. 18, 1998 *
6 Sept. 2262

Babylon 5: River of Souls (TNTCF3) Nov. 8, 1998
Jun. 2263

Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers:
To Live and Die in Starlight (296737) Jan. 19, 2002
Mar. 2265

Babylon 5: A Call to Arms (TNTCF4) Jan. 3, 1999
17 Dec. 2266

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Babylon 5: Season Three (Chronological Order)
(Point of No Return)

-Matters of Honor301 (3x01) Nov. 6, 1995 *
1 Jan. 2260
-Convictions 302 (3x02) Nov. 13, 1995
16 Jan. 2260
-A Day in the Strife 303 (3x03) Nov. 20, 1995
20 Jan. 2260
-Passing Through Gethsemane 305 (3x04) Nov. 27, 1995 +
25 Jan. 2260
-Voices of Authority 304 (3x05) Jan. 29, 1996 *
13 Feb. 2260
-Dust to Dust 306 (3x06) Feb. 5, 1996 *
21 Feb. 2260
-Exogenesis 307 (3x07) Feb. 12, 1996
11 Mar. 2260
-Messages from Earth 308 (3x08) Feb. 19, 1996 *
18 Mar. 2260
-Point of No Return 309 (3x09) Feb. 26, 1996 *
8 Apr. 2260
-Severed Dreams 310 (3x10) Apr. 1, 1996 *
13 Apr. 2260
-Ceremonies of Light and Dark 311 (3x11) Apr. 8, 1996 +
12 May 2260
-Sic Transit Vir 313 (3x12) Apr. 15, 1996
12 Jul. 2260
-A Late Delivery From Avalon 312 (3x13) Apr. 22, 1996
3 Jul. 2260
-Ship of Tears 314 (3x14) Apr. 29, 1996 *
20 Jul. 2260
-Interludes and Examinations315 (3x15) May 6, 1996 *
3 Aug. 2260
-War Without End 1 316 (3x16) May 13, 1996 *
13 Aug. 2260
-War Without End 2 317 (3x17) May 20, 1996 *
13 Aug. 2260
-Walkabout 318 (3x18) Sept. 30, 1996
Aug. 2260
-Grey 17 Is Missing 319 (3x19) Oct. 7, 1996
27 Nov. 2260
-And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place 320 (3x20) Oct. 14, 1996 *
7 Dec. 2260
-Shadow Dancing321 (3x21) Oct. 21, 1996
14 Dec. 2260
-Z'ha'dum 322 (3x22) Oct. 28, 1996 *
19-26 Dec. 2260

Babylon 5: Season Four
(Chronological Order)
(No Surrender, No Retreat)

-The Hour of the Wolf 401 (4x01) Nov. 4, 1996
3 Jan. 2261
-Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi? 402 (4x02) Nov. 11, 1996
4 Jan. 2261
-The Summoning 403 (4x03) Nov. 18, 1996
17 Jan. 2261
-Falling Toward Apotheosis 404 (4x04) Nov. 25, 1996
19 Jan. 2261
-The Long Night405 (4x05) Jan. 27, 1997
22 Jan. 2261
-Into the Fire 406 (4x06) Feb. 3, 1997
25 Jan. 2261
-Epiphanies 407 (4x07) Feb. 10, 1997
1 Feb. 2261
-The Illusion of Truth 408 (4x08) Feb. 17, 1997
28 Mar. 2261

Babylon 5
: Thirdspace (TNTCF1) Jul. 19, 1998
3 Apr. 2261

-Atonement 409 (4x09) Feb. 24, 1997
11 May 2261
-Racing Mars 410 (4x10) Apr. 21, 1997
13 May 2261
-Lines of Communication 411 (4x11) Apr. 28, 1997
16 Jun. 2261
-Conflicts of Interest 412 (4x12) May 5, 1997
12 July 2261
-Rumors, Bargains and Lies 413 (4x13) May 12, 1997
19 July 2261
-Moments of Transition 414 (4x14) May 19, 1997
2 Aug. 2261
-No Surrender, No Retreat 415 (4x15) May 26, 1997
2 Sept. 2261
-The Exercise of Vital Powers 416 (4x16) Jun. 2, 1997
15 Sept. 2261
-The Face of the Enemy 417 (4x17) Jun. 9, 1997
30 Sept. 2261
-Intersections in Real Time 418 (4x18) Jun. 16, 1997
11 Oct. 2261
-Between the Darkness and the Light 419 (4x19) Oct. 6, 1997
23 Oct. 2261
-Endgame 420 (4x20) Oct. 13, 1997
1 Nov. 2261
-Rising Star 421 (4x21) Oct. 20, 1997
3 Nov. 2261

Babylon 5: Season Five (Chronological Order)
(The Wheel of Fire)

-No Compromises 502 (5x01) Jan. 21, 1998 *
13 Jan. 2262
-The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari 503 (5x02) Jan. 28, 1998
20 Jan. 2262
-The Paragon of Animals 504 (5x03) Feb. 4, 1998
30 Jan. 2262
-A View from the Gallery 505 (5x04) Feb. 11, 1998 +
2 Feb. 2262
-Learning Curve 506 (5x05) Feb. 18, 1998
21 Apr. 2262
-Strange Relations 507 (5x06) Feb. 25, 1998 +
23 May 2262
-Secrets of the Soul 508 (5x07) Mar. 4, 1998
25 May 2262
-In the Kingdom of the Blind 509 (5x09) Mar. 18, 1998 *
27 May 2262
-A Tragedy of Telepaths 510 (5x10) Mar. 25, 1998 *
16 Jun. 2262
-Phoenix Rising 512 (5x11) Apr. 1, 1998 *
19 Jun. 2262
-The Ragged Edge 513 (5x12) Apr. 8, 1998 +
20 Jun. 2262
-Day of the Dead 511 (5x08) Mar. 11, 1998 +
22 Jun. 2262
-The Corps is Mother, The Corps is Father 514 (5x13) Apr. 15, 1998
24 Jun. 2262
-Meditations on the Abyss 515 (5x14) May 27, 1998
13 Jul. 2262
-Darkness Ascending 516 (5x15) Jun. 3, 1998
13 Jul. 2262
-And All My Dreams Torn Asunder 517 (5x16) Jun. 10, 1998 *
31 Jul. 2262
-Movements of Fire and Shadow 518 (5x17) Jun. 17, 1998 *
9 Aug. 2262
-The Fall of Centauri Prime 519 (5x18) Oct. 28, 1998 *
14 Aug. 2262
-Wheel of Fire 520 (5x19) Nov. 4, 1998
19 Aug. 2262
-Objects in Motion 521 (5x20) Nov. 11, 1998 *
1 Sept. 2262
-Objects at Rest 522 (5x21) Nov. 18, 1998 *
6 Sept. 2262

Babylon 5: River of Souls (TNTCF3) Nov. 8, 1998
Jun. 2263

Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers:
To Live and Die in Starlight (296737) Jan. 19, 2002
Mar. 2265

Babylon 5: A Call to Arms (TNTCF4) Jan. 3, 1999
17 Dec. 2266
 
Last edited:
The Babylon 5 Official Viewing Order Pt. 7 (Crusade and Conclusion))

... and here we now come to Crusade. Have fun! I present here all of the "established" viewing orders in reverse order of preference - though some of these remain nothing more than a historical curiosity.

As stated above, the two "Continuity Orders" work, and you will find it a craps shoot as to which works better.

JMS intended the episodes marked with a "*" actually to open the series. They are necessarily entirely self-contained, and you could view them in any order (and, as you will see, they flip around from order to order).

The Preferred Continuity Order simply preserves the original intended dramatic order as expressed by JMS.

Episodes bracketed ("[ ]") are those JMS purposely placed out-of-continuity, since they exist entirely due to TT's interference, and he never liked them.

Babylon 5: Crusade (Preferred Continuity Order)


-War Zone 108 (1x01) Jun. 9, 1999
1 Jan 2267
-Ruling From the Tomb 111 (1x06) Jul. 14, 1999
15 Jan 2267
-The Long Road 107 (1x02) Jun. 16, 1999
27 Jan 2267
-The Path of Sorrows 109 (1x04) Jun 30, 1999
Feb 2267
-Appearances and Other Deceits 113 (1x08) Jul. 28, 1999
30 Mar. 2267
-Racing the Night * 103 (1x09) Aug. 4, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Needs of Earth* 101 (1x11) Aug. 18, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Memory of War* 102 (1x10) Aug. 11, 1999
May 2267
-Visitors From Down the Street 104 (1x12) Aug. 25, 1999
13 May 2267
-Each Night I Dream of Home 105 (1x13) Sept. 1, 1999
Jun. 2267
-Patterns of the Soul 110 (1x05) Jul. 7, 1999
Jun. 2267
-The Well of Forever 106 (1x03) Jun. 23, 1999
Jul. 2267
-The Rules of the Game 112 (1x07) Jul. 21, 1999
Jul. 2267

Babylon 5: The Lost Tales
Voices in the Dark (235024) Jul. 31, 2007
24 Dec. 2271

Babylon 5: Sleeping in Light 423 (5x22) Nov. 25, 1998
28 Dec. 2281-Jan. 2282

Babylon 5:
The Deconstruction of Falling Stars 422 (4x22) Oct. 27, 1997
2 Jan. 2362, 2762, 3262, 1 Million


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Babylon 5: Crusade (Alternate Continuity Order)

-War Zone 108 (1x01) Jun. 9, 1999
1 Jan 2267
-The Long Road 107 (1x02) Jun. 16, 1999
Feb. 2267
-Ruling From the Tomb 111 (1x06) Jul. 14, 1999
Mar. 2267
-Appearances and Other Deceits 113 (1x08) Jul. 28, 1999
30 Mar. 2267
-The Memory of War* 102 (1x10) Aug. 11, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Needs of Earth* 101 (1x11) Aug. 18, 1999
Apr. 2267
-Racing the Night * 103 (1x09) Aug. 4, 1999
May 2267
-Visitors From Down the Street 104 (1x12) Aug. 25, 1999
13 May 2267
-Each Night I Dream of Home 105 (1x13) Sept. 1, 1999
May 2267
-The Path of Sorrows 109 (1x04) Jun 30, 1999
Jun. 2267
-Patterns of the Soul 110 (1x05) Jul. 7, 1999
Jun. 2267
-The Well of Forever 106 (1x03) Jun. 23, 1999
Jul. 2267
-The Rules of the Game 112 (1x07) Jul. 21, 1999
Jul. 2267

Babylon 5: Crusade (All Inclusive Chronological Order)

-War Zone 108 (1x01) Jun. 9, 1999
1 Jan 2267
-Ruling From the Tomb 111 (1x06) Jul. 14, 1999
15 Jan 2267
-The Long Road 107 (1x02) Jun. 16, 1999
27 Jan 2267
-The Path of Sorrows 109 (1x04) Jun 30, 1999
Feb 2267
-Appearances and Other Deceits 113 (1x08) Jul. 28, 1999
30 Mar. 2267
-Racing the Night * 103 (1x09) Aug. 4, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Needs of Earth* 101 (1x11) Aug. 18, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Memory of War* 102 (1x10) Aug. 11, 1999
May 2267
-Visitors From Down the Street 104 (1x12) Aug. 25, 1999
13 May 2267
-Each Night I Dream of Home 105 (1x13) Sept. 1, 1999
Jun. 2267
-The Rules of the Game 112 (1x07) Jul. 21, 1999
Jun. 2267
-The Well of Forever 106 (1x03) Jun. 23, 1999
Jul. 2267
-Patterns of the Soul 110 (1x05) Jul. 7, 1999
Jul. 2267

Babylon 5: Crusade (Chronological Order)

-War Zone 108 (1x01) Jun. 9, 1999
1 Jan 2267
-The Long Road 107 (1x02) Jun. 16, 1999
27 Jan 2267
-Appearances and Other Deceits 113 (1x08) Jul. 28, 1999
30 Mar. 2267
-The Needs of Earth* 101 (1x11) Aug. 18, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Memory of War* 102 (1x10) Aug. 11, 1999
Apr. 2267
-Racing the Night * 103 (1x09) Aug. 4, 1999
May 2267
-Visitors From Down the Street 104 (1x12) Aug. 25, 1999
13 May 2267
-Each Night I Dream of Home 105 (1x13) Sept. 1, 1999
May 2267
-The Path of Sorrows 109 (1x04) Jun 30, 1999
Jun. 2267
-Ruling From the Tomb 111 (1x06) Jul. 14, 1999
15 Jun. 2267
-The Rules of the Game 112 (1x07) Jul. 21, 1999
Jul. 2267
-The Well of Forever 106 (1x03) Jun. 23, 1999
Jul. 2267
-Patterns of the Soul 110 (1x05) Jul. 7, 1999
Aug. 2267

Babylon 5: Crusade (JMS "Fan Prodded" Chronological Order)

-War Zone 108 (1x01) Jun. 9, 1999
1 Jan 2267
-Appearances and Other Deceits 113 (1x08) Jul. 28, 1999
30 Mar. 2267
-Racing the Night * 103 (1x09) Aug. 4, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Needs of Earth* 101 (1x11) Aug. 18, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Memory of War* 102 (1x10) Aug. 11, 1999
May 2267
-The Long Road 107 (1x02) Jun. 16, 1999
May 2267
-The Long Road 107 (1x02) Jun. 16, 1999
27 Jan 2267
-Visitors From Down the Street 104 (1x12) Aug. 25, 1999
13 May 2267
-The Well of Forever 106 (1x03) Jun. 23, 1999
Jun. 2267
-Each Night I Dream of Home 105 (1x13) Sept. 1, 1999
Jul. 2267
-Patterns of the Soul 110 (1x05) Jul. 7, 1999
Jul. 2267
-The Path of Sorrows 109 (1x04) Jun 30, 1999
Aug 2267
-Ruling From the Tomb 111 (1x06) Jul. 14, 1999
Sept. 2267
-Ruling From the Tomb 111 (1x06) Jul. 14, 1999
15 Jan 2267
-The Rules of the Game 112 (1x07) Jul. 21, 1999
Sept. 2267

Babylon 5: Crusade (JMS Preferred Chronological Order)

-Racing the Night * 103 (1x09) Aug. 4, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Needs of Earth* 101 (1x11) Aug. 18, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Memory of War* 102 (1x10) Aug. 11, 1999
May 2267
-Visitors From Down the Street 104 (1x12) Aug. 25, 1999
13 May 2267
-Each Night I Dream of Home 105 (1x13) Sept. 1, 1999
May 2267
-The Well of Forever 106 (1x03) Jun. 23, 1999
Jun. 2267
-The Path of Sorrows 109 (1x04) Jun 30, 1999
Jul. 2267
-The Rules of the Game 112 (1x07) Jul. 21, 1999
Jul. 2267
-The Long Road 107 (1x02) Jun. 16, 1999
Aug. 2267
-Patterns of the Soul 110 (1x05) Jul. 7, 1999
Sept. 2267
-Patterns of the Soul 110 (1x05) Jul. 7, 1999
Jul. 2267
-Ruling From the Tomb 111 (1x06) Jul. 14, 1999
Sept. 2267

[-War Zone 108 (1x01) Jun. 9, 1999
1 Jan 2267]
[-Appearances and Other Deceits 113 (1x08) Jul. 28, 1999
30 Mar. 2267]

Babylon 5: Crusade (Sy-Fy Broadcast Order)

-Racing the Night * 103 (1x09) Aug. 4, 1999
Feb. 2267
-The Needs of Earth* 101 (1x11) Aug. 18, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Memory of War* 102 (1x10) Aug. 11, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Long Road 107 (1x02) Jun. 16, 1999
May 2267
-Visitors From Down the Street 104 (1x12) Aug. 25, 1999
13 May 2267
-The Well of Forever 106 (1x03) Jun. 23, 1999
Jun. 2267
-Each Night I Dream of Home 105 (1x13) Sept. 1, 1999
Jul. 2267
-Patterns of the Soul 110 (1x05) Jul. 7, 1999
Aug. 2267
-The Path of Sorrows 109 (1x04) Jun 30, 1999
Aug. 2267
-Ruling From the Tomb 111 (1x06) Jul. 14, 1999
Sept. 2267
-The Rules of the Game 112 (1x07) Jul. 21, 1999
Sept. 2267

[-War Zone 108 (1x01) Jun. 9, 1999
1 Jan 2267]
[-Appearances and Other Deceits 113 (1x08) Jul. 28, 1999
30 Mar. 2267]

Babylon 5: Crusade (JMS' TNT Impacted Order)

-War Zone 108 (1x01) Jun. 9, 1999
1 Jan 2267
-The Long Road 107 (1x02) Jun. 16, 1999
27 Jan 2267
-The Well of Forever 106 (1x03) Jun. 23, 1999
Feb. 2267
-Ruling From the Tomb 111 (1x06) Jul. 14, 1999
15 Mar. 2267
-The Path of Sorrows 109 (1x04) Jun 30, 1999
Mar. 2267
-The Rules of the Game 112 (1x07) Jul. 21, 1999
Mar. 2267
-Appearances and Other Deceits 113 (1x08) Jul. 28, 1999
30 Mar. 2267
-Racing the Night * 103 (1x09) Aug. 4, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Memory of War* 102 (1x10) Aug. 11, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Needs of Earth* 101 (1x11) Aug. 18, 1999
Apr. 2267
-Each Night I Dream of Home 105 (1x13) Sept. 1, 1999
May 2267
-Visitors From Down the Street 104 (1x12) Aug. 25, 1999
13 May 2267
-Patterns of the Soul 110 (1x05) Jul. 7, 1999
Jun. 2267

Babylon 5: Crusade (JMS' Intended Broadcast Order)

-Racing the Night * 103 (1x09) Aug. 4, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Needs of Earth* 101 (1x11) Aug. 18, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Memory of War* 102 (1x10) Aug. 11, 1999
May 2267
-Visitors From Down the Street 104 (1x12) Aug. 25, 1999
13 May 2267
-Each Night I Dream of Home 105 (1x13) Sept. 1, 1999
May 2267
-The Well of Forever 106 (1x03) Jun. 23, 1999
Jun. 2267
-The Path of Sorrows 109 (1x04) Jun 30, 1999
Jun. 2267
-The Rules of the Game 112 (1x07) Jul. 21, 1999
15 Jun. 2267
-The Long Road 107 (1x02) Jun. 16, 1999
Jul. 2267
-Patterns of the Soul 110 (1x05) Jul. 7, 1999
Jul. 2267
-Ruling From the Tomb 111 (1x06) Jul. 14, 1999
Aug. 2267
-Ruling From the Tomb 111 (1x06) Jul. 14, 199915 Jan 2267

[-War Zone 108 (1x01) Jun. 9, 1999
1 Jan 2267]
[-Appearances and Other Deceits 113 (1x08) Jul. 28, 1999
30 Mar. 2267]

Babylon 5: Crusade (TNT Broadcast Order)

-War Zone 108 (1x01) Jun. 9, 1999
1 Jan 2267
-The Long Road 107 (1x02) Jun. 16, 1999
27 Jan 2267
-The Well of Forever 106 (1x03) Jun. 23, 1999
Jul. 2267
-The Path of Sorrows 109 (1x04) Jun 30, 1999
Jun. 2267
-Patterns of the Soul 110 (1x05) Jul. 7, 1999
Jul. 2267
-Ruling From the Tomb 111 (1x06) Jul. 14, 1999
15 Jun. 2267
-The Rules of the Game 112 (1x07) Jul. 21, 1999
Jul. 2267
-Appearances and Other Deceits 113 (1x08) Jul. 28, 1999
30 Mar. 2267
-Racing the Night * 103 (1x09) Aug. 4, 1999
May 2267
-The Memory of War* 102 (1x10) Aug. 11, 1999
Apr. 2267
-The Needs of Earth* 101 (1x11) Aug. 18, 1999
Apr. 2267
-Visitors From Down the Street 104 (1x12) Aug. 25, 1999
13 May 2267
-Each Night I Dream of Home 105 (1x13) Sept. 1, 1999
May 2267
 
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INTRODUCTION
Anyone who desires to view the entire run of Babylon 5 cannot suffer from a feint heart.

Alkibiades410, thanks for this very informative write-up!

Regarding Crusade, the "Alternative Continuity Order" maintains the best continuity. It only has one minor continuity error with the banner date in "Ruling From the Tomb". The "Preferred Continuity Order" has additional minor continuity errors, per the Babylon 5 Historical Database ordering rationale notes: https://www.dropbox.com/s/9jqk568tcfkcesu/Chronological order of the B5 canon.docx?dl=0

I've referenced this thread in the new Viewing Order page that I've created on Fandom:
https://babylon5.fandom.com/wiki/Viewing_Order
 
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