PR in the Philippines

(SeaPRwire) –   In the music video for the Flight of the Conchords song “Fashion is Danger,” Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement are seen wearing uniforms from the Babylon 5 universe’s Earthforce. McKenzie’s uniform is specifically from the B5 spinoff Crusade, while Clement wears the standard Earthforce uniform used by the main human characters until midway through Season 3. However, in a key episode that aired the week of April 8, 1996, Babylon 5 had its characters abandon these familiar uniforms for new, sleeker ones that symbolized the space station’s newfound independence. Essentially, Captain Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner) removed his Earthforce uniform in 1996, allowing Clement to wear it in 2009. The episode “Ceremonies of Light and Dark” demonstrated that on Babylon 5, a change in fashion was not merely a risk but a necessity for the series’ progression.

A frequently overlooked strength of Babylon 5 was its ability to both embrace and subvert space opera conventions. Similar to Star Trek, it presents a crew of spacefaring heroes in standard roles, yet the storyline consistently defies expectations. The episode preceding “Ceremonies of Light and Dark,” titled “Severed Dreams,” shifted the show’s tone from a Star Trek feel to one more reminiscent of Star Wars. While this is a simplified description of extensive serialized plot development, it raises an interesting question: if a Star Trek series had main characters who seceded from Starfleet, what would they wear afterward? More broadly, are there other sci-fi shows where uniforms are changed for deeply symbolic and plot-centric reasons?

Visual style is significant in space opera. Even in Star Wars, coordinated outfits at certain points serve a subconscious narrative function. Therefore, when B5 replaced the overtly militaristic Earthforce uniforms with sleek, black ones denoting loyalty specifically to the space station, it was a masterstroke. For contemporary fans, this rebranding signaled a bold, risk-taking series that also made its heroes appear cooler. Following the airing of “Ceremonies of Light and Dark,” the AOL B5 portal was inundated with high-resolution photos of the cast in their new action-ready attire. The old Earthforce uniforms had a baggy, somewhat dated 1980s look (which inspired the Flight of Conchords ’80s jokes in 2009), whereas the new black uniforms were more lightweight and flattering. Their design nodded to the previous style while also paying a subtle tribute to the famous maroon uniforms from the Star Trek franchise, which first appeared in The Wrath of Khan. (It is also interesting that those Trek uniforms were partly inspired by the 1952 film The Prisoner of Zenda.)

That said, the new Season 3 B5 uniforms were unmistakably different from Trek attire. If anything, outfitting the heroes entirely in black with a small grey patch felt like an homage to Star Wars; characters like Sheridan and Ivanova suddenly resembled Luke Skywalker from the Return of the Jedi era, prepared for serious action.

Although the uniform change happens at the episode’s conclusion, most of the plot focuses on deeper transformations. This includes Londo (Peter Jurasik) attempting to manipulate the Shadows, and the crew participating in a rebirth ritual where they confess long-held secrets. In 1997, series creator J. Michael Straczynski explained this episode as a moment to shift gears: “…we had to have some moments when you pop the clutch and move it into the next gear, and episodes like this one help do that.”

“Ceremonies of Light and Dark” was the 11th episode of Babylon 5 Season 3 and marked the start of a sequence that transformed a solid, slow-burning series into one of the most daring and stylish sci-fi shows ever. This was when Babylon 5 embarked on a grander, more epic journey, with the added benefit of the cast looking excellent in the process.

Babylon 5 is available on Blu-ray, or for rental and purchase on Apple TV, Prime Video, and elsewhere.