This project aims to foster better articles on Babylon 5. This page and its subpages contain suggestions on formatting and layout of articles, which can be discussed at the project's talk page.
- There is lots of work to be done, including restoring and improving most of the articles on the episodes. As of 2024, most of these are hidden: due to difficulties in proving their notability, and poor writing, they were replaced with links to the List of Babylon 5 Episodes in 2019. Now that more online sources are available to establish notability, these can be restored and improved.
- To participate or express interest, you may simply add your name at the participants section.
- Alternatively, you can just start improving an article without signing up on this page.
- You don't need to be logged in, (or even have a Wikipedia account) to contribute.
- If you are new to editing, help on how to edit. is available.
Restore and improve episode articles with encylopedic content referenced to reliable sources.
- In the early years of Wikipedia, stub articles for all B5 episodes were written. Most were mainly plot outlines. Those with real-world information were usually referenced to unreliable sources (as far as encyclopdia writing goes), such as the Lurker's Guide, imdb, self-published and fan sites, which were often used by editors as sources in those days. Since then, Wikipedia guidelines have become stricter in terms of:
- In 2019 nearly all episode articles were blanked and redirected to the List of Babylon 5 Episodes (the only survivors were Severed Dreams and The Coming of Shadows). The 106 episode articles were not actually deleted: they can be rescued if they are improved and referenced to reliable sources (see details below). Note primary sources and self-published sources do not establish notability.
- At that time, most episodes had limited reliable secondary sources available on the internet (although three sets of printed write-ups existed): this meant that it was difficult to prove the episodes were notable, unless you had printed books available.
- Since then, more online reviews and online book content previews have made it much easier to prove notability.
- Many episodes have some coverage in more scholarly-type books, which are the best sources for proving notability. Some useful ones:
- Yost, Kimberly (12 December 2013). From Starship Captains to Galactic Rebels: Leaders in Science Fiction Television. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 88. ISBN 978-1-4422-2986-0. Limited online preview Many episodes referenced, see chapter footnotes.
- Helford, Elyce Rae (30 May 2000). Fantasy Girls: Gender in the New Universe of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. pp. 236–. ISBN 978-0-7425-7969-9. Searchable text online
- Vint, Sherryl (2008). "Babylon 5: Our First Best Hope for Mature Science Fiction Television". In Telotte, J.P. (ed.). The Essential Science Fiction Television Reader. Essential Readers in Contemporary Media and Culture. Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0813138732.
- As at 2024, every episode now has multiple sets of independent reliable review/commentary articles available, of which the printed books probably have the most useful real-world information (it's worth buying a couple). Note the sources below are published under editorial supervision and are not self-published.
- Rowan Kaiser in The A.V. Club. He was commissioned to write a full set of reviews for all of the Babylon 5 episodes, 2012-2014. The editorial team is headed by Scott Robson. https://www.avclub.com/tv/reviews/babylon-5
- Ensley F. Guffey, K. Dale Koontz A Dream Given Form: The Unofficial Guide to the Universe of Babylon 5. Has a chapter on each episode. ECW Press 2017 ISBN 9781770412651 (ISBN10: 1770412654). Limited preview: Purchase on Kindle:
- Elias Rosner in Multiversity Comics. Editor-in-chief Brian Salvatore. Rosner has completed a full set of episode reviews, completing the write-up in 2023. http://www.multiversitycomics.com/?s=Babylon+5
- Jane Killick's books (generally print only, but some have Kindle versions), every episode has its own chapter (New York: Ballantyne, 1997-1999). Worth buying any relevant volumes:
- Signs and Portents (season 1)
- The Coming of Shadows (season 2)
- Point of No Return (season 3)
- No Surrender, No Retreat (season 4)
- The Wheel of Fire (season 5)
- Andy Lane's two-volume The Babylon file: The definitive unauthorized guide to J. Michael Straczynski’s TV series, Babylon 5. Virgin. (Print only) Vol 1 1997; Vol 2 (1999) Every episode has a section.
- Additionally, the following reviews are as of December 2024 being written on reactormag.com (formerly called tor.com): currently up to Season 2. Very useful for fixing uncited plot events in existing or blanked articles.
How to rescue an episode article which has been blanked and redirected to the list of episodes:[edit]- Choose any blanked-and-redirected episode article (generally any that doesn't appear as a blue link in the List of Babylon 5 episodes) you with to restore (from any season: episode articles can be restored and improved in any order). Ensure it does not currently exist as a live stand-alone article. As of December 2024 much of Season 1 is already completed, and volunteers for episodes in seasons 2–5 are wanted.
- Search the episode title or locate it in the List of episodes from before November 2019: The article won't appear yet: the List of Episodes will reload, but will add below the title at the top, the words: "(Redirected from _______)"
- Click the episode name at "(Redirected from _____)" An article will appear but with no content other than the reversion template.
- Click the "History" tab
- Select a previous version of the article from before it was blanked, which was usually around 2019. The older version of the article will load.
- Add content referenced to reliable sources, such as those listed above. While all B5 episodes have at least five reliable reviews or commentaries available online or in print, other Wikipedia editors may not know this, and might blank and redirect your article if multiple reliable secondary sources are not cited, claiming the article topic is not notable.
- Information should preferably be from reliable secondary sources such as those listed above. Primary sources, (e.g. Joe Straczynski or interviews with production crew) may sometimes be possible if used with care, but these do not establish notability.
- Any previously written information from the Lurker's Guide, IMDb etc should have a better source referenced if possible. If you don't have time to do so, consider removing it or adding a
{{better source needed}} (short form: {{bsn}} ) tag.
- Rescue and improve "War Without End" and make it the example which other episodes are held up to. Specifically, include greater arc significance and link to appropriate articles which use scenes from this episode and vice versa.
- Improve source referencing to refer to more reliable sources for the following articles (*indicates currently no source referencing as at December 2024). References to the unreliable soures (e.g. Lurker's Guide) should be traced to a more reliable source if possible.
- Babylon 5: The River of Souls*
- Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers*
- Babylon 5: The Gathering
- Babylon 5: Thirdspace
- Babylon 5: A Call to Arms
- Severed Dreams
- Add real-world information referenced to reliable sources for the following articles:
- G'Kar
- John Sheridan (Babylon 5)
- Londo Molari
- Lyta Alexander
- Susan Ivanova
- Civilizations in Babylon 5
- The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5
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