Babylon 5 was a new series that quickly became one of my favorite sci-fi television series of all time. I usually find myself rewatching it once a year. Babylon 5 was a breathtaking achievement in television history. It holds many records, acclaims and awards. In a brief, and due to that slightly inaccurate, summary it is the story of a Space Station that is the last best hope for peace in the universe. The story is why I enjoy this show. Of course, the writing and plot are entertaining and thought provoking. Those are true facts. But there is another reason this story is special and magical.
You see J. Michael Straczynski started the show with something called “The Babylon Project”. It was a five-year-long story arc that called for a lot of planning and direction to make happen. It got a little sketchy at times. You may be shocked to learn that networks don’t always stick to writers or creators plans. It was in it’s fourth season when the network canceled the show and it wasn’t until the last minute that another network picked them up to finish the fifth and final season. By the time the creative team received the word, they had already fast tracked many of the plot points. Luckily for us humble viewers, they were able to save the main story arc of the last season.
Ad-libbing by the actors or changes to the script were unheard of on the set. Every word that was spoken was controlled and watched closely. The integrity of the story was of the utmost importance.
The more I thought about it the more I began to think about my own life. How different would my life look if I truly lived it intentionally? What if I held every thought captive? What if my first question at every decision was “how will this action effect my story?” What if the story of my life was important enough to protect it’s integrity.
