J. Michael Straczynski Movies

Jessica (Angela Lansbury) is invited to speak at an exclusive club where only men are permitted as members. Despite her gender, Jessica is asks by the club's governing committee to help them solve a mystery involving the murder of a "rogue" member. This proves difficult when it becomes apparent that the killer may himself be on the committee. This episode is chock full of sly science-fiction and fantasy references--no surprise, inasmuch as it was written by J. Michael Straczynski, a guiding force behind the popular series Babylon 5. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jessica (Angela Lansbury) decides to retire her trusty typewriter and signs up for a computer course. While deep in study, she stumbles across a case of illegal computer hacking--which of course leads to murder. The victim this time out is one of the two men in charge of the computer school, while the suspects include the dead man's wife, his mistress, and the elusive hacker (or at least, the hacker was elusive until Jessica entered the scene!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This unforgettable episode is set at Universal Studios, where Jessica (Angela Lansbury) has arrived to supervise the film version of her novel "Messengers of Midnight." It isn't long before Jessica has had a confrontation with the film's abrasive producer Darryl Hayward (Ron Leibman), who seems to revel in making enemies, among them his leading lady Leonora Holt (Paula Prentiss). While paying a visit to the infamous "Bates Hotel" set from Hitchcock's Psycho, Jessica stumbles across Darryl's dead body--in the shower, of course! Henry Gibson appears as an obsessed fan of Leonora's, who just happened to be in the "Psycho House" when the killing occurred. Naturally, the episode is brimming with "inside" movie and pop-culture references, courtesy of scriptwriter (and future Babylon 5 maven) J. Michael Straczynski. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cabot Cove has been chosen as the location for the pre-Broadway staging of a new play starring David North (Peter Donat), a prominent actor who is emerging from a 10-year retirement. No sooner have rehearsals started than a murder occurs, with North's business manager Eric Benderson (Bradford Dillman) as the victim. Needless to say, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) is determined to find out "who done it"--and this time, there are plenty of subtle pop-cultural clues at hand, thanks to the cunning of screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Londo sparks an intergalactic crisis when he locates "The Eye", a long-lost sacred Centauri relic. Lord Kiro (Gerrit Graham), ambassador of Centauri, arrives to take possession of the icon, just when a band of pirates converges upon B5 for the same purpose. And who is that mysterious stranger asking cryptic questions of everyone on board? Originally titled "Raiding Party," "Signs and Portents" (which also served as the blanket title of Babylon 5's inaugural season) was written by J. Michael Straczynski, and first telecast on May 18, 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

David McCallum guest-stars as xeoarcheologist Dr. Vance Hendricks, Dr. Franklin's mentor. Hendricks recelessly endangers the lives of everyone on B5 by smuggling aboard some deadly biotechnological samples from the long-dead planet Ikarra 7. The far-from-dormant samples infect Hendrick's assistant Drake (Marshall Teague), turning him into a unwitting--and indestructable--assassin. Written by J. Michael Straczynski, "Infection" was originally broadcast on February 16, 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Two strange men (Judson Scott, Christopher Neame) abduct Cmdr. Sinclair and place him in a state of computerized reality. Using a mind-probe device, the strangers try to reconstruct Sinclair's activities during Battle of the Line, when he experienced an inexplicable 24-hour blackout -- and may have betrayed the Earth. Outside of its somber main plotline, this episode features a terrific pop-culture joke involving the 23nd century periodical Universe Today (which boasts such headlines as "Is There Somthing Living In Hyberspace?") First seen on March 16, 1994, "And the Sky Full of Stars" was written by J. Michael Straczynski. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Londo's political ambitions nearly prove to be his downfall when he manages to alienate a visiting Techno-Mage (a humanoid wizard) named Elric (Michael Ansara). Newly promoted to a diplomatic post, Ivanova arbitrates an ancient rivalry. And Garibaldi, at last recovered from his wound, makes a fateful decision. First broadcast on November 16, 1994, "The Geometry of Shadows" was written by J. Michael Straczynski. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Security Chief Garibaldi remains comatose after being shot while investigating the assassination of the Earth Alliance president. In hopes of saving Garibaldi's life, Dr. Franklin performs a forbidden alien medical procedure. Meanwhile, Delenn takes on an entirely new appearance after emerging from her cocoon, Sheridan's sister arrives to reopen the Commander's grief over the loss of his wife, G'Kar returns from the destroyed Quad 37 armed with new information about an old enemy of the Narn. Written by J. Michael Straczynski, "Revelations" first aired on November 9, 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

June Lockhart, who previously appeared with Babylon 5 regular Bill Mumy on Lost in Space, guest-stars as Laura Rosen, an unlicensed doctor. Though Dr. Franklin welcomes the "miracle" cure for all diseases developed by Rosen, he cannot shake the feeling that something is seriously amiss. Meanwhile, Talia participates in the "execution" of a condemned man's personality, while Londo and Lennier embark upon a wild B5 pub crawl. Originally titled "The Resurrectionist", "The Quality of Mercy" was written by J. Michael Straczynski. When the episode originally aired on August 17, 1994, it was advertised as Babylon 5's first-season finale -- though there was still one more episode, "Chrysalis", in the series' manifest. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the second half of the two-part "A Voice in the Wilderness," Epsilon 3 is taken over by hostile aliens. Should the planet's reactors fall into the wrong hands, it may mean the end of Babylon 5. Making a bad situation worse, the heavy Earthforce cruiser Hyperion shows up, prepared to defend the planet to the last drop of everyone's blood. Written by J. Michael Straczynski, this episode includes an inside joke that will probably be spotted only by Internet aficionados. Part Two of "A Voice in the Wilderness" was originally broadcast on August 3, 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Lyta Alexander (Patricia Tallman), B5's first telepath, makes another return visit, this time at the invitation of Koth. Having spent a great deal of time on the Vorlon homeworld, Lyta has enjoyed a resurgence of health and vitality. But for every bit of good news, there's a bit of bad --- especially for Brother Edward (Brad Dourif), who has been experienced flashbacks to a possible previous life as a murderer. Written by J. Michael Straczynski, "Passing Through Gethsemane" first aired during the week of November 27, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Centauri emerge victorious in their war against the Narn, largely due to the leadership of Londo. Ordered to surrender G'Kar to the Centauri, Sheridan temporarily offers sanctuary to his comrade in arms. And the mysterious Draal (John Schuck) contacts Sheridan with some startling information.J. Michael Straczynski's script for "The Long, Twilight Struggle" was full of suprising plot twists to which viewers in England were privy long before the series' American fans. The episode first aired in the United Kingdom on August 1, 1995, then made its belated US debut on October 19 of that year. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide