“And Now For a Word”
Babylon 5 episode
Episode no.	Season 2 Episode 15
Guest stars	Kim Zimmer (Cynthia Torqueman) Christopher Curry (Rondld Quantrell) Granville Ames (Psi Cop) John Christian Graas (Johnny) Leslie Wing (Mother)
Written by	J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by	Mario DiLeo
Production no.	214
Original airdate	3 May 1995
Episode chronology ← Previous Next → "There All the Honor Lies" "In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum"
List of Babylon 5 episodes

And Now For a Word is an episode from the second season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. Babylon 5 is an epic American science fiction television series created, produced, and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Kim Zimmer Kim Zimmer (born February 2, 1955 in Grand Rapids, Michigan) is an American actress. ... Joseph Michael Straczynski (born July 17, 1954) is an award-winning American writer/producer of television series, novels, short stories, comic books, and radio dramas. ... is the 123rd day of the year (124th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... There All the Honor Lies is an episode from the second season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. ... In the Shadow of Zhadum is an episode from the second season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. ... This is a list of Babylon 5 episodes. ... Babylon 5 is an epic American science fiction television series created, produced, and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. ...

Plot synopsis

Cynthia Torqueman, a popular reporter for the ISN network on Earth, is the host of an ISN news series called "36 Hours". As the episode begins Torqueman is seen sitting in her anchor booth at ISN headquarters; she announces that the next segment of "36 Hours" will be a feature on the Babylon 5 station and whether it is worthwhile for the Earth Alliance to continue funding and supporting the station. A number of public opinion polls are shown throughout the episode, the polls indicate that humanity's support for the Babylon 5 project is dwindling as the station's proclaimed mission of "keeping the peace" falters. A key theme of the "36 Hours" segment is the ongoing Narn-Centauri War. As Torqueman's civilian starliner approaches the station, its cameras record several Narn and Centauri merchant ships opening fire on one another. A brief battle then ensues; it is ended only when Starfury fighters from Babylon 5 destroy or disable the fighting merchant vessels from both races and arrest their crews. Torqueman interviews Dr. Steven Franklin, B5's medical chief, who is obviously irritated by her questions as he rushes to save the lives of various Narn and Centauri who have been wounded in the battle. Interstellar Network News (ISN) is a fictional TV news network in the Babylon 5 universe. ... The Earth Alliance is the name of at least two fictional governments or alliances in modern science-fiction. ... Opinion polls are surveys of opinion using sampling. ... Andreas Katsulas as GKar in Babylon 5 The Narns are a race of humanoid aliens in the television series Babylon 5. ... Peter Jurasik as Londo Mollari in Babylon 5 The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional Babylon 5 universe. ... The Starfury is a fictional one or two person starfighter in the science fiction television series Babylon 5 and Crusade and the Babylon 5 movie Babylon 5: In the Beginning. ...

Torqueman spends most of her time on Babylon 5 interviewing the station's human command staff, its leading alien ambassadors, and talking with ordinary humans on the station (such as dockworkers). She also interviews a pompous Earth Alliance Senator named Ronald Cantrell, who dismisses the Babylon Project as a failure and claims that Earth only supported the station immediately after the Earth-Minbari War, when Earth's weakness forced it to promote galactic peace. Cantrell claims that, since the Earth Alliance has rebuilt and improved its military forces to a much greater strength since the war, the Alliance no longer needs to promote galactic peace or fund the expensive Babylon 5 station. His comments are strongly criticized by Captain John Sheridan, B5's commanding officer, who argues that Earth still doesn't have the level of technology to fight the Minbari, Centauri, or Vorlons, and that Babylon 5 is still the "last, best hope for peace" in the galaxy. However, Sheridan's message is belied by the continued fighting between the Narn and Centauri. Ambassador G'Kar of the Narn claims that the Centauri have been using Babylon 5 (supposedly neutral territory) to load illegal mass driver weapons onto their merchant ships to attack the Narn. Ambassador Londo Mollari of the Centauri disputes this and says that the Narn are lying. Both ambassadors are interviewed in their quarters by Torqueman; G'Kar tells her of the Centauri occupation and enslavement of his homeworld, and of his people's determination to never let it happen again. Londo tells Torqueman that the Centauri only occupied Narn to "help" the Narn raise their standard of living and claims that his people "voluntarily" left Narn when they were asked to do so. Torqueman also interviews Delenn, the Minbari Ambassador, and quizzes her about her physical change into a half-Minbari, half-human hybrid; Delenn is so upset that she cannot finish the interview. Torqueman also gets a first-ever televised glimpse of Kosh, the reclusive and mysterious Vorlon ambassador, but he refuses to talk with her. The Earth-Minbari War is a fictional war that takes place in the science fiction series Babylon 5. ... John Sheridan was a character in the sci-fi series Babylon 5 John Sheridan is an Irish footballer This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Babylon 5 Universe: Topic index - Episode list - People list Articles by category Characters - Crusade - Episodes - Films Novels - Planets - Races - Ships - Wars GKar, played by the late Andreas Katsulas, is a fictional character in the universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. ... A mass driver for lunar launch (artists conception) A mass driver or electromagnetic catapult is a method of spacecraft propulsion that would use a linear motor to accelerate payloads up to high speeds. ... Londo Mollari is a fictional character in the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Peter Jurasik. ... Delenn, played by Mira Furlan, is a fictional character in the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5. ... This article is about the Babylon 5 character. ... The Vorlons are a fictional alien race in the Babylon 5 universe. ...

When Sheridan tells Ambassador Londo that he has ordered all Centauri merchant vessels to be searched for illegal weapons, Londo tells him that this "violation" of the Centauri's sovereign rights will not be tolerated. Shortly afterwards a huge Centauri Primus-Class battlecruiser exits hyperspace directly above Babylon 5 and targets its weapons on the station. Londo announces that the battlecruiser will blockade Babylon 5 unless Sheridan revokes his order to search Centauri ships. Sheridan believes the Centauri are bluffing and, to prove it, he sends a single merchant ship past the Centauri cruiser. When the cruiser doesn't fire and allows the merchant vessel to leave unharmed, the crew in the command center applauds their commander's seeming victory, and Torqueman congratulates him. However, a Narn G'Quan-Class Heavy Cruiser suddenly exits hyperspace and attacks the Centauri cruiser. A fierce battle erupts between the two ships; Sheridan frantically tries to get the ships to stop fighting, but to no avail. The Narn cruiser destroys the Centauri cruiser, but is heavily damaged in the process. When it tries to flee, its jump engines explode and the Narn cruiser is also destroyed. Torqueman concludes the segment of "36 Hours" by stating that, while Babylon 5 is definitely a dangerous place and will continue to be a source of controversy and conflict, it should also be given more time to fulfill the dreams of its founders.

Arc significance

• Continues the Narn/Centauri war.

Andreas Katsulas as GKar in Babylon 5 The Narns are a race of humanoid aliens in the television series Babylon 5. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Production details

Trivia

This episode is presented as if it were an actual news broadcast of the fictional ISN, even to the extent of having a fake "advertisement" for Psi Corps inserted. During this advertisement, there is a very brief, pseudo-subliminal message displayed: "The Psi Corps is your friend. Trust the Corps.". Spoiler warning: In the fictional universe of Babylon 5, the Psi Corps was an agency of the Earth Alliance responsible for telepathic individuals. ...

External link

• And Now For a Word at The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5