Babylon 5: Signs and Portents

Working on Babylon 5 was quite an experience. Although I have worked on Broadway, in movies, and in TV, this was my first full-time TV series and my first venture into science fiction. What little I knew about the genre when I began the show, I learned from my son, Ben. For years he'd taken me into comic-book shops and bookstores, looking for all the items children collect—books, cards, caps, etc. What I discovered on Babylon 5, however,
was quite different.

Working in TV is not all that dissimilar to working on stage. You follow the instructions of the director, learn your lines, hit your mark,
and do the best job you can with the material. You try to discover who the character is that you are portraying and make that character come to life,
for you and the audience. With Babylon 5, however, computer graphics are a large part of the overall production. While standing in front of a blue screen, you must use your imagination to "see" the creature in "Grail,"
the massive machine on Epsilon 3 in "A Voice in the Wilderness," and the destruction of Babylon 5 in "Babylon Squared." You can get some idea of the image from the director, but it's still very much up to you to make the scene believable.

During that first year of Babylon 5, I was fortunate to work with some truly talented people—including David Warner in "Grail," Theodore Bikel in "TKO," and Morgan Sheppard in "Soul Hunter." They were generous with their insights and advice about the acting profession.

I learned a lot while working on Babylon 5. Joe Straczynski has put together a wonderful story, and working with people like John Flinn, Mira Furlan, Richard Biggs, and Bill Mumy made the experience a very enjoyable one. When I returned to the set to make "War Without End," the cast made me feel right at home, and I very much enjoyed working with Bruce Boxleitner.

My favorite episodes are "By Any Means Necessary," "Babylon Squared,"
and "And the Sky Full of Stars." I like these episodes not only because I had a lot to do in them, but also because each had a significant part to play in the overall story. While "By Any Means Necessary" is not truly an arc story, it gives you a lot of insight into the character of Commander Sinclair.

Going back to Babylon 5 for "War Without End" last year was somewhat like completing a journey—Sinclair's return from Minbar, taking Babylon 4
back in time to fight the Shadows, transforming into Valen. Joe Straczynski has worked very hard to tell this story, and I am happy to have been a part of it.

Michael O'Hare
(Commander Sinclair)