A classic space opera series will soon be free to watch, albeit with a bit of a twist.
The new year has been a good one for fans of genre television who are looking to sink their teeth into an old favorite or discover something that they missed for the first time around. The X-Files came to Pluto TV on the first day of January as part of a dedicated free channel, allowing viewers to watch every Mulder and Scully mystery. Another sci-fi staple of the 1990s, Babylon 5, is also rolling out in an intriguingly old-school way.
Episodes of Babylon 5 are available to watch for free on YouTube. The move comes courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery, which produced the five-season drama under Warner Bros. Television banner in the mid-1990s, but what’s interesting about the approach is that it will post one episode a week. So far, the 90-minute pilot and the subsequent two installments, “Midnight on the Firing Line” and “Soul Hunter,” are available. The episodes can be found by typing Babylon 5 in the search bar, followed by the episode number.
The move to make the space saga available on YouTube comes after it was removed from Tubi. It is perhaps most notable, however, because of the weekly release drops, which mimic the traditional way that the original Babylon 5 was released. It could speak to the fact that audiences, especially those who grew up watching the space saga, would like to harken back to a weekly experience.
With an ensemble Babylon 5 cast that included Bruce Boxleitner, Michael O’Hare, Claudia Christian, Jerry Doyle, Mira Furlan, Richard Biggs, Andrea Thompson, Bill Mumy, Jason Carter, Tracy Scoggins, Stephen Furst, Patricia Tallman, Peter Jurasik, Andreas Katsulas, Jeff Conaway, and Robert Rusle, the original ran from February 1993 to November 1997 for five seasons.
Created by J. Michael Straczynski, the story centered on the human military staff and alien diplomats on the titular space station as they toggled between moments of conflict and understanding in a rich Babylon 5 timeline. That premise helped the series to become a fan-favorite of its decade, winning two Emmys and featuring guest stars such as Bryan Cranston in a one-off role.