15 ‘Babylon 5’ Facts That Are Out of This World

10. The Costumer Designer’s Historical Perspective

The show’s costumer, relative TV newcomer Ann Bruice Aling, had a keen interest in history. As a result, she conducted conversations with Straczynski in order to get a sense of each race’s overall attitude and societal leanings; then Aling would look through history in order to find cultural inspirations for each look.

11. The ‘Deep Space Nine’ Standoff

If the whole “life and times of humans and aliens chilling at a space station” set up strikes you as familiar, that’s because it is. At the same time as Babylon 5 was being developed, Paramount developed Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, a show about the life and times of humans and aliens chilling at a space station. Straczynski has always cried foul about the timing for Paramount’s idea.

12. O’Hare’s Unfortunate Mental Illness

Michael O’Hare was originally set to head up Babylon 5. Unfortunately, halfway through the first season, O’Hare became the victim of burgeoning schizophrenia. He began suffering delusions on set, which necessitated his departure from the show. Straczynski actually offered to shut down production while O’Hare recuperated, but O’Hare wouldn’t allow it. He felt the show must go on.