If You Miss Battlestar Galactica, Watch This 5-Season Sci-Fi Series That Actually Did Have A Plan

Fans of Battlestar Galactica have another five-season sci-fi epic that they have to see. Hailed as one of the most influential shows of the 21st century, the Battlestar Galactica reboot that debuted in 2004 followed a successful TV miniseries the year before remains a highmark of the sci-fi genre on TV. The show, which focused on the last surviving humans struggling to escape the robotic Cylon hordes chasing after them, was a massive critical success.

The show ran for four seasons and developed a complex overarching storyline that wasn’t quite as fully planned out as it first appeared. Nevertheless, the show remains a compelling watch over twenty years since it debuted. Fans who love Battlestar Galactica‘s story can find similar shows to delve into however, with one of the best companion pieces actually debuting a decade earlier. Another ambitious sci-fi epic that proved what the genre could be like on TV, this five-season show is the ideal new obsession for fans of Battlestar Galactica.

Babylon 5 Is Perfect For Fans Of Battlestar Galactica

Babylon 5 Flew So Battlestar Galactica Could Soar

Fans of Battlestar Galactica should make sure to check out Babylon 5, which helped lay the groundwork for the success of the latter show. Debuting in 1993 and running for five seasons, Babylon 5 focuses on the titular space-station. Serving as neutral ground for the various species that populate the galaxy and have found uneasy peace with one another, Babylon 5 becomes a hot-spot for galactic intrigue, conspiracy, and unity. Similar to Battlestar Galactica, the broad scope of the universe is explored through a core crew of main characters, many of whom follow a military chain of command.

The cast of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and the Babylon 5 space station

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While Battlestar Galactica only had the humans and the Cylons, Babylon 5 focused on a wide range of alien species interacting with humanity. This includes the advanced and quasi-spiritual Minbari, the ruthless imperialist Centarui, and the defiant Narn who recently broke free of Centarui control. At the core of the narrative are Babylon 5 station commanders like Jeffrey Sinclair and John Sheridan, the collected Lt. Commander Susan Ivanova, snarky Chief of Security Michael Garibaldi, dedicated chief medical officer Doctor Stephen Franklin, and various ambassadors from alien races like Delenn, Londo, and G’Kar.

Babylon 5 Had A Long-Term Plan From The Very Beginning

The War Between The Vorlons And The Shadows Bled Into The Overarching Story

While the show initially appeared to be a standard sci-fi series, the show steadily revealed an overarching plotline that embraced a fully episodic approach to storytelling. At the heart of Babylon 5 is the overarching conflict between two ancient races known as the Vorlons and the Shadows. Both groups seek to eliminate the other and further influence the galaxy going forward, with their respective machinations and alliances factoring into the personal conflicts and intergalactic battles of the main cast. As the series progresses, these plotlines bleed into other subplots, such as revolutions amid human colonies and psychic black-ops groups.

Series creator J. Michael Straczynski wrote many episodes of the show, ensuring the overarching plotline remained consistent.

These overarching plots came years before Battlestar Galactica attempted something similar, and notably had a more concrete storyline set in place than the later show did. Each season of Babylon 5 took place over the course of one year in-universe, with plotlines bleeding directly into one another. Series creator J. Michael Straczynski wrote many episodes of the show, ensuring the overarching plotline remained consistent. Although there were some hurdles during production (including a near cancelation that forced the planned five-year arc to resolve some elements prematurely), the show ultimately concluded its intended storyline.

Babylon 5 & Battlestar Galactica Shared The Same Basic Mission

Long-Running Sci-Fi Storylines Could Thrive On TV

Babylon 5 characters

At the core of both Babylon 5 and Battlestar Galactica is the idea that TV sci-fi could be more than episodic adventures. Both shows approach the sci-fi genre from a completely dramatic perspective, playing the idea of alien civilizations and space battles completely seriously. The shows explored mature themes and adult storylines, with both exploring the moral cost of expansion, the bloody price of personal ambition, and the struggles of internal divisions bleeding out into greater conflict. Both shows used compelling and nuanced characters to explore these themes, with even stand-alone stories blending into the overarching story.

The result is two of the most important sci-fi shows of the last forty years, which helped reshape the overall landscape of genre storytelling on television. Battlestar Galactica may not have even been given the chance to fly if it hadn’t been for the success of Babylon 5, which proved that long-running serialized sci-fi had a place on TV. Both shows share a lot of elements but feel uniquely defined by their creatives and cast, making them ideal companion pieces. Fans of Battlestar Galactica who haven’t seen Babylon 5 are in for a treat when they embark on that journey.