To say that there has been a lot of sci-fi series on TV over the decades is an understatement, especially given the state that Star Trek is in with all sorts of shows being made within its universe. But at one point in time, a certain TV show was a “rival” to it in the best way, and that show was Babylon 5. It was created by J. Michael Straczynski (who is also known for many comic and novel works) and he told a 5-year story with incredibly deep characters and plotlines. While it never became a “super smash hit” (it did win Emmys though!) it was a classic, and now…it’s getting a reboot.
Yes, according to Deadline, J. Michael Straczynski will be helping pen a Babylon 5 reboot to air on the CW of all places. According to Straczynski, this won’t be a simple retelling but a “from the ground up reboot”. This can be proven via the synopsis for the reboot:
“The reboot revolves around John Sheridan (played by Bruce Boxleitner in the original series), an Earthforce officer with a mysterious background, who is assigned to Babylon 5, a five-mile-long space station in neutral space, a port of call for travelers, smugglers, corporate explorers, and alien diplomats at a time of uneasy peace and the constant threat of war. His arrival triggers a destiny beyond anything he could have imagined, as an exploratory Earth company accidentally triggers a conflict with a civilization a million years ahead of us, putting Sheridan and the rest of the B5 crew in the line of fire as the last, best hope for the survival of the human race.”
Fans of the original show know that the first season starred Michael O’Hare as Commander Sinclair before he departed due to medical reasons and was replaced by Boxleitner who remained the star for the rest of the series. So starting out with him is a clear change from the original show. One has to wonder how it will all look when it comes out, but you can bet with Straczynski in charge, it’s not going to be small-scale in terms of story.