The cult classic '90s sci-fi series Babylon 5 spellbound audiences with its intricate storytelling and complex political subplots, but the show didn't make it past season 5 — here's why. Beginning in 1993 on the Primetime Entertainment Network, Babylon 5 was a dramatic space opera featuring story arcs that spanned seasons long and drew comparisons to Star Trek. Set on the space station Babylon 5, the series primarily documents the events of the future, from 2257 to 2262 to be exact, after Earth established one unified government and discovered faster-than-light travel technology called "jump gates."

However, the main source of conflict came from the impending war between the ageless Shadows and the immortal Vorlons. Caught in the middle was Captain John Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner) and his crew, who tried to facilitate peace and order for as long as they can. Michael Straczynski's show was successful in its own right, running for 110 episodes and spawning a spinoff series called Crusade along with six movies. In 2021, it was announced that The CW would even create a reboot of Babylon 5, proving that it's a cult TV show revival that audiences want to see. However, the original Babylon 5 went off the air after season 5, and here's why.

Babylon 5 Ending With Season 5 Was Planned Ahead Of Time

Babylon 5 cast posing together

Babylon 5 wasn't canceled; rather, creator Michael Straczynski felt that the show ran to its natural conclusion. When Straczynski went about creating Babylon 5 he wanted to make a space epic that would tell a complete story, and that planned story lasted a predetermined five seasons. Planning its arc as one would write a novel, Straczynski thought the series would do best having a beginning, middle, and ending, which is why the show is so famous for its season-long arcs rather than episodic storytelling. In addition, the amount of control that Straczynski had with his creation is hardly seen in the world of television.

Michael Straczynski was responsible for writing 92 of Babylon 5's 110 episodes, including every single installment of seasons 3 and 4, which contain some of the best episodes of Babylon 5. Straczynski ran Babylon 5's writing and storyline processes with an iron fist, making sure guest writers like the prolific Neil Gaiman were aware of the overall narrative arc so that the production could come out under budget. Scripts were penned six episodes in advance, and absolutely no changes could be made once filming had started. It's clear that Straczynski had full creative control of his series, meaning that the season 5 finale was anything but outside of his control.

How Network Changes Affected Babylon 5's Run

Bruce Boxleitner as John Sheridan in Babylon 5

While Straczynski had the upper hand for most of Babylon 5's televised run, the series almost faced cancelation after season 4 due to network changes. Babylon 5 ran on the Primetime Entertainment Network (PTEN) for seasons 1-4 and then slid over to TNT for its final installment. The PTEN was a conglomeration of independent television stations that was successful enough to give other networks like ABC a run for their money. However, the PTEN dissolved into the WB and the UPN going into Babylon 5 season 4, spelling major trouble for the show. Straczynski made frantic plans in the meantime, ending the Shadow war in season 4, just in case.

Luckily, TNT stepped in and took Babylon 5 for season 5, so Straczynski was able to end the narrative how he wanted to. However, Babylon 5's network issues have only carried over to the future. With the planned Babylon 5 reboot taking place at The CW, thanks to the acquisition of the station by Nexstar in 2022, the future of their programming remains blurry. Updates about the Babylon 5 reboot have been chaotic, sometimes hearing too much and other times nothing at all. Bruce Boxleitner recently gave a grim update regarding the Babylon 5 reboot, but it's possible that the series could face the exact same issues as its predecessor.