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The following is a spoiler-free list of the essential episodes of Babylon 5.  It is a companion piece for my in-depth analysis of the series, available on IO9.


== Season One Essential Episodes ==

* 101 Midnight on the Firing Line 
* 106 Mind War 
* 108 And the Sky Full of Stars 
* 113 Signs and Portents 
* 118 & 119  A Voice In The Wilderness pt 1&2 
* 120 Babylon Squared 
* 122 Chrysalis

== Season Two Essential Episodes ==

* 201 Points of Departure 
* 202 Revelations 
* 208 A Race Through Dark Places 
* 209 The Coming of the Shadows 
* 213 Hunter, Prey 
* 215 And Now For A Word 
* 216 In The Shadow of Z’ha’dum 
* 219 Divided Loyalties 
* 220 The Long, Twilight Struggle 
* 222 The Fall of Night 

== Season Three Essential Episodes ==

* 301 Matters of Honor 
* 305 Voices of Authority 
* 306 Dust to Dust 
* 308, 309 & 310 Messages From Earth/Point of No Return/Severed Dreams 
* 314 Ship of Tears 
* 315 Interludes and Examinations 
* 316-317 War Without End parts 1 & 2 
* 320 And The Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place 
* 322 Z’ha’dum 

== Season Four Essential Episodes ==

* All of them.

== Season Five Essential Episodes ==

* 509 - The Kingdom of the Blind
* 510 - A Tragedy of Telepaths
* 511 - Phoenix Rising
* 513 - The Corps is Mother, The Corps is Father
* 516 - All My Dreams, Torn Asunder
* 517 - Movements of Fire and Shadow
* 518 - The Fall of Centauri Prime
* 520 - Objects in Motion
* 521 - Objects at Rest
* 522 - Sleeping In Light