by Rich Handley
During
the past two decades, fans of
Babylon 5
and
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine have
noted many similarities between the popular science fiction franchises. Such
comparisons were inevitable, given the controversy involving the two series'
genesis. It has been suggested by J. Michael Straczynski that Paramount, after
considering his proposal for
B5,
passed on the project but then rushed to get a
Star Trek-based version of its plot to television first. Paramount,
meanwhile, denies this was the case.
B5 and DS9: Where species can settle their differences peacefully.
(Image courtesy sweetpaul.com)
It really
doesn't matter which series was created first, however, or which production
company may have swiped concepts from the other, as each was brilliant in its own
right—plus, each borrowed elements of other tales predating both shows. Since this
month marks the 20th anniversary of
Deep
Space Nine's premiere, "The Emissary," with
B5's pilot, "The Gathering," celebrating its 20th anniversary
in February, both shows deserve their proper place in sci-fi history.
The
following list illustrates how closely the two shows mirrored one another in
terms of concept and characterization. Although Walter Koenig, Majel Barrett
and other actors appeared on both series, this list pertains only to
story-related similarities, as it's quite common for actors to work on a number
of different TV series.
Read more »Labels: Babylon 5, Deep Space Nine, Star Trek