Summary
Despite the apparent rivalry between them, multiple actors fromStar Trekhave crossed over intoBabylon 5, and vice versa. Created by J. Michael Straczynski,Babylon 5premiered in 1994, and ran for five seasons. A much-loved series from the 1990s heyday of science fiction drama on network television,Babylon 5was never quite as big as their contemporaryStar TrekTV shows, butB5had major crossover appeal for fans, not least among the variousTrekalumni connected with the show. For example,Star Trek: The Original Serieswriters D.C. Fontana, David Gerrold, and Harlan Ellison all wrote episodes ofBabylon 5.
While it may be exaggerated, the rivalry between the two sci-fi propertieswas rooted in accusations thatStar Trek: Deep Space NineplagiarizedBabylon 5.However,J. Michael Straczynski, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller all concede that the similarities betweenDS9andBabylon 5were likely an unfortunate coincidence. Still, the similarities between the two heavily serialized space station shows are inescapable, butDS9andB5each have their own unique stories and characters. Even if they do occasionally share the odd guest star in common.
Star Trek: DS9 Changed A Big Detail To Avoid Another Babylon 5 Clash
Amid accusations of plagiarism, a crucial name change in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was the last, best hope for peace between DS9 and Babylon 5.
10Star Trek’s Walter Koenig in Babylon 5
Playing Alfred Bester
Walter Koenig is best known for playing Pavel Chekov inStar Trek: The Original Seriesand sevenStar Trekmovies.While less globally famous than Chekov, Alfred Bester was one ofBabylon 5’s best-loved recurring characters. Walter Koenig’s notorious Psi Cop first appeared inBabylon 5, season 1, episode 6, “Mind War”, in which he boarded the station to track down a fugitive telepath. Koenig went on to appear in 12 episodes ofBabylon 5, his final episode being the Bester-centric, “The Corps is Mother, the Corps is Father”.
Walter Koenig was supposed to appear in theBabylon 5spin-offCrusade, but the series was canceled before his episode was filmed.
J. Michael Straczynski specifically wrote the character of Alfred Bester forStar Trek’s Walter Koenig, after the actor was unable to play Knight Two inBabylon 5, season 1, episode 8, “And the Sky Full of Stars”. It worked out great for Koenig, who got to become the recurring character that the regulars, and the audience, loved to hate. Interestingly, the role of Knight Two went to Christopher Neame, who went on to play Unferth inStar Trek: Voyagerseason 1, episode 11, “Heroes and Demons”, and the German General inStar Trek: Enterpriseseason 4, episodes 1 & 2, “Storm Front”.
9Babylon 5’s Tracy Scoggins in Star Trek: DS9
Playing Gilora Rejal
Tracy Scoggins is best known for playing Captain Elizabeth Lochley in bothBabylon 5andCrusade. However, in the years before she debuted inBabylon 5season 5, Tracy Scoggins played a Cardassian scientist inStar Trek: Deep Space Nineseason 3, episode 15, “Destiny”. Gilora Rijal was a memorableDS9character because she became attracted to Chief Miles O’Brien (Colm Meaney), challenging the characters' anti-Cardassian prejudice, and his commitment to his wife Keiko (Rosalind Chao).
While playing Gilora Rijal, Tracy Scoggins walked the Paramount lot in her Cardassian make-up, trying to frighten the school kids who would pass by on buses.
Tracy Scoggins’Star Trek: Deep Space Ninerole was also notable because she appeared alongsideTwin Peaks' Wendy Robie as fellow scientist Ulani Belor. “Destiny” was also the second ofErick Avari’s threeStar Trekappearances. Avari went on to star inBabylon 5before Scoggins signed on, guesting as Rabbi Leo Mayers inseason 3, episode 20, “And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place”. Scoggins recently reprised the role of Elizabeth Lochley for theBabylon 5animated movie,The Road Home.
All 6 Babylon 5 Actors That Return In The Road Home
Six of the original Babylon 5 actors returned to reprise their characters from the classic science fiction series in the animated film The Road Home.
8Star Trek’s Majel Barrett Roddenberry in Babylon 5
Playing Lady Morella
Dubbed the “First Lady of Star Trek”, Majel Barrett Roddenberry appeared inBabylon 5season 3, episode 9, “Point of No Return”. At this stage in her career, Majel Barrett was best known for playing the flamboyant Betazoid diplomat, Ambassador Lwaxana Troi in bothStar Trek: The Next GenerationandStar Trek: Deep Space Nine. InBabylon 5, Barrett played Lady Morello, the wife of the late Emperor Turhan. Much likeLwaxana Troi inTNG, Morello also had telepathic gifts, seeing into the mind of Londo Moralli (Peter Jurasik) and delivering a prophecy about his rise to Emperor.
Suspiria
Star Trek: Voyager
Majel Barrett’s appearance inBabylon 5was heralded by a press release (viaMidwinter) declaring that “The First Lady of Star Trek Makes A Royal Visit To Babylon 5”. While the rivalry betweenStar TrekandB5was likely exaggerated in the entertainment press back in the 1990s, it did add a suitable degree of drama to her casting as Lady Morello. In the 1996 press release, J. Michael Straczynski highlighted how her appearance should bring the rival fans together. Read Straczynski’s quote below:
“We’re very pleased to have Majel appearing on ‘Babylon 5.’ Because as the wife of ‘Star Trek’ creator Gene Roddenberry, her appearance on our show will help dispel the notion – held by some – that one cannot be a fan of both series. “Majel and I discussed this between us, and we both view this rivalry as unproductive. We are both extending our hands across our respective fictional universes in a show of solidarity. So we’re very happy that she has chosen to endorse ‘Babylon 5’ in this way, and hope that science fiction viewers of all stripes will check out the series.”
7Babylon 5’s Bill Mumy in Star Trek: DS9
Playing Crewman Kellin
Although still probably best known for playing Will Robinson inLost in Space, Bill Mumy played the regular character of Lennier inBabylon 5. Nobody really knows what happened to Lennier after he went rogue inBabylon 5season 5, episode 21, “Objects at Rest”. However, Lennier actor,Bill Mumy went on to appear inStar Trek: Deep Space Nineseason 7, episode 8, “The Siege of AR-558” as Crewman Kellin. Mumy was a friend ofDS9showrunner Ira Steven Behr, and the two men had wanted to work together for quite some time. Theend ofBabylon 5finally allowed them to fulfill this ambition.
Bill Mumy had previously co-written aStar Trekcomic book with Peter David, in which the USS Enterprise-A encountered aliens resembling the cast ofLost in Space.
Bill Mumy’s only stipulation for appearing inStar Trek: Deep Space Ninewas that he play a human character, having spent years in the heavy Minbari head dress and alien prosthetics onBabylon 5. Mumy’s appearance inDS9is hugely memorable, as “The Siege of AR-558” is perhaps the bleakest hour ofStar Trekever made. A harrowing depiction of warfare, the classicDS9episode pushedStar Trekinto new territory, and Bill Mumy’s likable Kellin, and his tragic fate helped to emphasize the devastation.
6Star Trek’s Jeffrey Combs in Babylon 5
Playing Harriman Gray
Jeffrey Combs is one ofStar Trek’s most prolific guest stars, playing the iconic recurring characters Brunt, Weyoun, and Shran.However, beforeJonathan Frakes cast Jeffrey CombsinStar Trek: Deep Space Nine, the star played the telepathic Harriman Gray inBabylon 5season 1, episode 16, “Eyes”. Gray was a Psi Corps liaison with Earthforce, who arrived at Babylon 5 to test the loyalty of Commander Jeffrey Sinclair (Michael O’Hare) and his crew. However, Gray realized that his mission was driven by the petty motivations of his superior, and ultimately helped the Babylon 5 crew to turn the tables.
Every Star Trek Species Played By Jeffrey Combs
Star Trek’s Jeffrey Combs has made a career from giving nuanced performances behind layers of alien prosthetics from DS9 to Enterprise, and beyond.
5Star Trek’s Robin Curtis in Babylon 5
Playing Ambassador Kalika
The second ofStar Trek’s two Saavik actors,Robin Curtis, appeared as Ambassador Kalika inBabylon 5season 1, episode 9, “Deathwalker”. Curtis' character was the spokesperson for the League of Non-Allied Worlds, who wished to have the war criminal Jha’dur (Sarah Douglas) executed for their crimes. Kalika butted heads with Commander Sinclair over the suitable punishment for the Deathwalker’s crimes, eventually winning out when the Vorlons destroy Jha’dur’s ship.
4Star Trek’s Vaughn Armstrong in Babylon 5
Playing Security Guard #1
Vaughn Armstrong played Klingons, Romulans, Humans, Cardassians and many more across multipleStar Trekshows between 1988 and 2005. However,Armstrong also played Security Guard #1 inBabylon 5season 3, episode 8, “Messages from Earth”, and episode 9, “Point of No Return”. Although Vaughn Armstrong’sBabylon 5character didn’t have a name, he played a pivotal role in the episodes as a high-ranking member of Nightwatch. This team took over Babylon 5’s security from Chief of Security, Michael Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle), until Captain John Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner) led a coup and shipped them all back to Earth.
3Babylon 5’s Tamlyn Tomita in Star Trek
Playing Commodore Oh
Tamlyn Tomita played Lt. Cmdr. Laurel Takashima in theBabylon 5pilot movie,The Gathering. When the pilot led to a full series order from the network, Tomita declined to return as Takashima. Tamlyn Tomita’sBabylon 5character was subsequently adapted into Lieutenant Susan Ivanova, played by Claudia Christian. More recently, Tamlyn Tomita played the villainous Commodore Oh inStar Trek: Picardseason 1. Interestingly, had Tomita stayed onBabylon 5, her character - much like Oh inPicard- would have been revealed to be a traitor.
Babylon 5’s Susan Ivanova actress, Claudia Christian, was one of several actresses who auditioned to play Jadzia Dax inStar Trek: Deep Space Nine.
2Star Trek’s Dwight Schultz in Babylon 5
Playing Amis
Still best known as “Howling Mad” Murdock inThe A-Team, andLt. Reginald Barclay inStar Trek,Dwight Schultz played Amis inBabylon 5season 2, episode 5, “The Long Dark”. Amis was a traumatized veteran of the Earth-Minbari war, who had been left mentally scarred by his interactions with a terrifying creature. Schultz gave an affecting performance as Amis, bringing the vulnerability and heightened mania that he had previously brought to the character of Barclay inTNG.
1Babylon 5’s Andreas Katsulas in Star Trek
Playing Tomalak
Andreas Katsulas is best known for playing G’Kar inBabylon 5, but he also appeared in four episodes ofStar Trek: The Next Generation. InBabylon 5, G’Kar and Londo were arch-rivals, and Katsulas’TNGcharacter had a similar relationship with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). Andreas Katsulas played the Romulan commander, Tomalak, who faced off against the crew of the USS Enterprise-D twice, both times threatening to destroy Picard and his crew. Katsulas' last appearance as Tomalak was inTNG’s series finale, “All Good Things…” which aired in 1994, the same year thatBabylon 5premiered.
Season 7, Episodes 25 & 26
“All Good Things…”
Andreas Katsulas returned to theStar Trekuniverse in 2003, playing Drennik inStar Trek: Enterpriseseason 2, episode 22, “Cogenitor”. Drennik was a Vissian, whose species had a third gender, Cogenitor, many of whom were poorly treated. Sadly, Andreas Katsulas' lastStar Trekrole was one of his TV appearances, as he died from lung cancer in 2006. WithBabylon 5’s G’Kar,TNG’s Tomalak, and the One-Armed Man inThe Fugitive,Katsulas left behind an acting legacy that will be enjoyed for generations to come.
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is a sci-fi television series that revolves around a group of humans and aliens that work together on a space station known as Babylon 5 during the twenty-third century. The show explores intergalactic relations, conflict, and the relationships of the crew as they try to help their respective species thrive and survive.
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek follows the U.S.S. Enterprise on its five-year mission to explore the galaxy, led by Captain James T. Kirk and First Officer Mr. Spock. The crew confronts a variety of challenges, including Klingons, Romulans, and genetic supermen, as they search for new life and civilizations.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation follows Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew aboard the USS Enterprise NCC-1701D as they embark on interstellar explorations, seeking out new worlds and civilizations.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise acts as a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, detailing the voyages of the original crew of the Starship Enterprise in the 22nd century, a hundred years before Captain Kirk commanded the ship. Enterprise was the sixth series in the Star Trek franchise overall, and the final series before a twelve-year hiatus until the premiere of Star Trek: Discovery in 2017. The series stars Scott Bakula as Captain Jonathan Archer, with an ensemble cast that includes John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery, Linda Park, and Connor Trinneer.
Star Trek: Picard
Star Trek: Picard follows retired Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, played by Patrick Stewart, twenty years after the events of Star Trek Nemesis. The series delves into Picard’s life post-Starfleet, as he navigates a new chapter filled with unresolved past events and new challenges.
