The Gathering

Season 1, Aired
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Episode Summary

The Vorlon ambassador is nearly killed by an assassin shortly after arriving at the station. Commander Sinclair is the prime suspect.
7.9
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Cast & Crew

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Fan Episode Reviews (7)

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  • A rough cinematic start, but a wonderful start to a great epic story.

    9.2
    "Superb"
    By bmoshier, Jan 25, 2011 Report Abuse
    With The Gathering J. Michael Straczynski begins a five year epic journey to expand our minds on the positive and negative possibilities for our race (and others if and when we meet them). This episode lays the foundation for one of the few (if not the only) multi-year arc storyline. While many shows tell a story few (if none other than B5) have their start and end planned before the pilot. JMS gives us the seeds of the story in The Gathering and leaves us as uninformed, curious and yes even as frustrated as the characters in how the recent events will transform their lives.

    As I watch The Gathering again, I wonder, if B5 was real (not a story) and one could be there knowing the full story, how would I interact with the characters/people? But no matter how The Gathering makes you think, it is a great episode because makes you consider, wonder, imagine, explore, or even fantasize.
    moreless

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  • So! This is Babylon 5! How, uhm, nice...

    7.0
    "Good"
    By Jungchen_isti, Nov 05, 2010 Report Abuse
    I just watched this pilot to the series Babylon 5.
    I have never seen any episode of this series, as it has never been broadcasted on TV in Belgium.
    As it seems, the series revolves around 5 major species. Forgive if my spelling isn't accurate, I'm not into this series yet as I probably will be later. The Norns, look kind of evil. The Centauri, who were a great race and put a lot of importance to appearances. The Minbari, who fought the Humans in a great war and surrendered when they were winning. The Volnor, a species that seems very secretive. And of course our beloved us, Humanity.
    Well, from the few episodes I've seen now, this series looks to me like a bad Star Trek immitation! No offense... Tough I have read in the forums that it gets a lot better in the next few seasons, so I will give it a shot anyways!
    7/10moreless

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    2 4

  • This show is about how Babylon 5 gets started. One of the alien ambassadors is attacked ad its up to Cdr. Sinclair to solve the case after he is accused of the attack.moreless

    7.0
    "Good"
    By ajs816, Nov 05, 2010 Report Abuse
    Ambition is at the forefront of this show. Lots of very good eye candy with all the top-notch set designs, costumes and make-up. Even the special effects aren't bad considering a television budget and the advances of CGI technology since the show aired. The plot was sufficient to establish the series, but the writing itself sometimes seemed more in line with a bad B-Movie. The dialogue was hard to watch at times. The acting was even worse as the poorly written lines were delivered. Over the top intensity. I don't know if the writer, director or show's creator decided the show needed to be so serious, but where was the light-heartedness? It's sci-fi!!moreless

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  • The Pilot was very good. The only complaint I have is the fact that they change Lt. Commander was was replaced with the new one in the second episode. I have no complaints there, because the fact the Claudia Christian made a good Lt. Cmdr. then Comander,moreless

    6.5
    "Fair"
    By wayne1284, Mar 22, 2009 Report Abuse
    The episode was rather ok, with Ambassador Kosh life in danger due to an attempted assination. And the fact that G'Kar was up to no good and was in fact evolvement of a Warrior Class with G'Kar. I have only one complaint though. The weapons weapons and communications on the wrist were different than the reglar season. I am glad however, that they did replace both the doctor and the Lt. Commander with new one's in the series premier. In this episode you did not get to see much of the defensive systems in the Pilot. I wasn't expecting to see a new PSI Corp in the second season. But all in all it was a farily decent pilot. What I can't figure out is when the pilot came out, at the beginning or somewhere in the middle of the first season. I hope to see more movie type Babylon 5 shows soon.moreless

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  • this is the story of babylon 5

    10
    "Perfect"
    By seaqueastdsv, Sep 12, 2007 Report Abuse
    this is the start of babylon 5. the station is waiting for the arrival of the new ambassador to babylon 5. which will add up to 4 ambassador of the league worlds. the narns, the centauri arch eminies of the narns and the minbari. they now wait for the arrival of the vorlons. a race that no one has ever seen. on his arrive the vorlon ambassador is nearly killed and the blame is put on to the commandar of the station jeffery sinclari. its up to michael garibaldi, head of security and good friend of sinclare to help clear his freinds name. this is the begining of a great award wining show. the place is called babylon 5 the peace hope of peace.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • Goof: Ambassador Kosh`s encounter suit has two parallel, protrusions sticking out from his chest area above his glowing translation devices. These sticks are gone in the TV series without explanation. Perhaps a new encounter suit was needed after the assassination attempt on Kosh. Edit
    • Trivia : According to a Usenet post by Straczynski dated August 8, 1992, actor Sven Thorsen was supposed to have a part in, or maybe does have an uncredited costume part, in this pilot movie. "(For those who know of "Captain Power," Sven Thorson, who played Tank in that show, came by the stage to say hello and inquire about where the babes were, and to ask where the hell his part is ... he'll play an alien, a fern, whatever ... as long as the part calls for a Danish accent.)" If Thorsen did appear in The Gathering, it would be JMS's inside joke to how he slipped the name Babylon 5 into the Captain Power episode Final Stand back when B5 was gestating in Joe's mind for the first time. Edit
    • Plot Holes: Not exactly a goof, but ... what is the point of completely frictionless sheets? Either you get underneath them, in which case it doesn't make any difference if they're frictionless, or you get on top of them, and ... well, off you go. Edit

  • Notes

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    • Delenn is played by Mira Furlan who is probably more popular as the character Danielle Rousseau of Lost. Edit
    • Each season of Babylon 5 has its own title. The title for Season 1 is "Signs and Portents." Edit
    • A number of television crew members who create B5 can be seen in the opening parts of the episode. Production Designer John Iacovelli, F/X supervisor John Stears, and Christy Marx (who later wrote "Grail") can be seen. One of the two homeless people in Brown Sector is Visual Effects Designer Ron Thomson. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Sinclair: It's a location transmitter, see? It should dissolve in about 5 years. But until then, Ambassador, my friends in my warrior caste have this frequency, and if anything should happen to Babylon 5, they have instructions to track down that transmitter and … well, why spoil the surprise? G'kar: This is an outrage! Sinclair: This is insurance. [a bit later] Garibaldi [to G'kar]: beep beep. Londo: Beep beep? It must be earth humor. Who can figure a species like that? "Beep Beep". G'kar [holding stomach]: Ohhhh! Edit
    • Delenn: On the matter of Commander Sinclair, I am here strictly to observe. Caroline: Observe what? Edit
    • Business Man: Someday I'm going to find the guy that thought of the idea of renting telepaths to businessmen, and I'm gonna kill him. Lyta: Funny, somehow, I knew you were going to say that. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Sinclair: That, as our poet Tennyson once said, is the goal, "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield." [ Sinclair is quoting from Tennyson's novel "Ulysses". ] Edit
    • Sinclair: Sooner or later, everyone comes to Babylon 5. [ This line is a deliberately homage by writer J. Michael Straczynski to the film Casablanca and the line in that movie, "Sooner or later, everyone comes to Rick's bar." ] Edit

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