The Gathering (1993)

The opening of a crucial space station is put in jeopardy when the commanding officer is accused of the attempted murder of a diplomat.

Director:

Richard Compton

Writer:

J. Michael Straczynski

Stars:

Michael O'Hare, Tamlyn Tomita, Jerry Doyle

Won 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael O'Hare	...	Cmdr. Jeffrey Sinclair
Tamlyn Tomita	...	Lt. Cmdr. Laurel Takashima
Jerry Doyle	...	Michael Garibaldi
Mira Furlan	...	Delenn
Blaire Baron	...	Carolyn Sykes
John Fleck	...	Del Varner
Paul Hampton	...	The Senator
Peter Jurasik	...	Londo Mollari
Andreas Katsulas	...	G'Kar
Johnny Sekka	...	Dr. Benjamin Kyle
Patricia Tallman	...	Lyta Alexander
Steven R. Barnett	...	Eric Hazeltine
Billy Hayes	...	Traveler (as William Hayes)
Linda Hoffman	...	Dome Tech #2
Robert Jason Jackson	...	Dome Tech #3

Storyline

This TV movie is the pilot for the "Babylon 5" TV series. Set on a space station in the late 23rd Century, Babylon 5 is a centre of diplomacy and trade, in neutral space located between many rival space empires. The project's success, already shaky, is put further in doubt when incoming Commander Jeffrey Sinclair is the key suspect in the attempted assassination of Kosh, a mysterious alien ambassador.

---

Plot Keywords:

woman wearing a gas mask | woman in uniform | space station | 23rd century | alien | 

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi

---

Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

TNT: The Home of Babylon 5

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 February 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

B5

Box Office

Budget:

$3,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Babylonian Productions, Rattlesnake Productions, Synthetic Worlds

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min 94 min (special edition)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This takes place from January 3 to January 8, 2257.

---

Goofs

At about 1:14:03, when Sinclair and Garibaldi exit, the door shakes as it closes.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Ambassador Londo Mollari: [voiceover] I was there at the dawn of the third age of mankind. It began in the Earth year 2257, with the last of the Babylon stations located deep in neutral space. It was a port of call for refugees, smugglers, businessmen, diplomats, and travelers from a hundred worlds. It could be a dangerous place, but we accepted the risk because Babylon 5 was our last, best hope for peace. Under the leadership of its final commander, Babylon 5 was a dream given form. A dream of a galaxy ...

---

Alternate Versions

The original PTEN airing of the film did not include The Gathering as part of the title; it was simply called Babylon 5. The Gathering was added for future airings (the special edition).

---

Connections

Featured in Science Fiction: A Journey Into the Unknown (1994)

User Reviews

Not bad, but there's room for better

As a Babylon 5 fan I have watched it more than once, last time today, after seeing yesterday another B5 movie "B5:In the Beginning". I must confess that the latter is much better. Still, it is not bad for a series' start. Some of the characters are portrayed differently than I've grown accustomed to in the series (like G'Kar for example), Delenn's makeup is less than perfect (compare it with the one in "In the Beginning") and she really looks unusual (after seeing her later transformation...).

But there are some good lines and Peter Jurasik(Lando Mollari)'s act is delightful and so is Mr Jerry Doyle(Garibaldi)'s. A good start for a B5 beginner and a must re-watch (after seeing the rest of the series).

When J. Michael Straczynski conceived B5, he really wrote a great story!