Babylon 5: The Wheel of Fire

Babylon 5 was unique in television. The main plot for the entire series was mapped out before the show even started. As a result, it developed a loyal fan base that still loves it.This book is the fifth in a series of five episode guides to the series. Covering the fifth season, it has a separate chapter for each of the twenty-two episodes. Each starts with a plot summary, but then goes into behind the scenes stories and commentaries. Through interviews with cast, crew, and creator J. Michael Straczynski, author Jane Killick is able to give a full picture of what went into each episode. Some of my favorite parts are the stories of bloopers or jokes the cast played on each other. I also find the summaries useful if I'm looking for a particular episode to rewatch. Since the fourth season finale was actually the first episode of the fifth season production schedule, it's actually the first episode discussed here, creating a bonus, twenty-third chapter.Starting out the book are two essays. The first is a summary of just what the show accomplished over its five year run. While fans and those reading these books will find little new, it's nice to have it all summarized in one place. I especially like the page of quotes from cast members about what the show meant to them. The second in an introduction to the fifth season, painting broad strokes of the story arcs introduced and developed over the course of the season.Any fan will love to have this well researched book for a behind the scenes look at a wonderful piece of science fiction television history.

This is a really good book series for B5 fans. It makes a great companion & fun reading after you have watched each show. But I would recommend it mainly for those that have seen the series & are watching it again. The reason I say that is because it is laced with spoilers all throughout the commentaries. That's fine if you've seen the whole thing already, but it stinks if you are watching it for the first time. If you don't mind that sort of thing...go for it, but this is the only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars. For a good "non-spoiler" companion guide, I highly recommend The Babylon File: The Definitive Unauthorized Guide to J. Michael Straczynski's TV Series Babylon 5 by Andy Lane (Versions 1 & 2). He shows no mercy sometimes. If he does or doesn't like the show, he let's you know. But it's a blast to read.

Compliments the other books in the series quite well. A bit less detailed than the 4 other series guides, in my view, but still a welcome non-on-line resource for the series.

Like the series, this book caps the progression of events and adds some behind the scenes notes. I enjoyed reading about episodes that I had missed and loved reliving the ones I had seen. I hope that Jane Kiillick continues her association with Babylon 5 and does the same thing for Crusade.

I've read Jane Killick's other episode guides, and I thought this was the best of the lot. It was a real treat to watch the cast and crew bring the 5th season, and the show, to its long-awaited end. Reading about how they felt when filming their last scenes, watching the sets being pulled down, and saying their last farewells, on and off the screen, was a very moving experience. This one will become a "keeper" for me.