Another way 'Sleeping In Light' is special.

[Neroon]

This fan-favorite finale of "Babylon 5" is nearly always on everyone's "favorite episode" lists. And why not? There's a great deal to enjoy about it. One thing that I got a kick out of is usually not mentioned - the tribute to the various crews at the end. I'm not referring to the side-by-side comparison show of each character, as creative and original as it was. No, I mean the production crews. Everyone from makeup to sound is shown, albeit juuuust a little quickly.

There's no doubt that the show was a true team effort. It doesn't go anywhere if any oen of those groups doesn't do their job. What's more, I am sure that most series are like this in that they recognize the value of so many people behind the camera as well as in front. What strikes me though, is to be able to see these people in the finale for B5. So what if you have to pause and go frame-by-frame? The faces are still there. Faces of people who by and large to the viewing public are as unknown and mysterious as a keeper.

To whoever thought of it, that was a nice and classy touch!

 

[JonathonWally]

This fan-favorite finale of "Babylon 5" is nearly always on everyone's "favorite episode" lists. And why not? There's a great deal to enjoy about it. One thing that I got a kick out of is usually not mentioned - the tribute to the various crews at the end. I'm not referring to the side-by-side comparison show of each character, as creative and original as it was. No, I mean the production crews. Everyone from makeup to sound is shown, albeit juuuust a little quickly.

There's no doubt that the show was a true team effort. It doesn't go anywhere if any oen of those groups doesn't do their job. What's more, I am sure that most series are like this in that they recognize the value of so many people behind the camera as well as in front. What strikes me though, is to be able to see these people in the finale for B5. So what if you have to pause and go frame-by-frame? The faces are still there. Faces of people who by and large to the viewing public are as unknown and mysterious as a keeper.

To whoever thought of it, that was a nice and classy touch!

I was only aware of JMS in there shutting the power down. I'll have to go back and look, though to be honest, I don't know what everyone looks like.
Kinda like how a lot of the writers and producers were at Vic's at the end of DS9's WYLB

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I love the closing credits, both for the side-by-side cast credits but also for the incredible tribute to the crew. That was awesome.

 

[Colonel Midnight]

Plus, one can't forget... "Faith Manages."



Cheers,
-CM-

 

[Ridcully]

Never fail to put a lumb in my throath....it is one of my alltime fave series ever..
All the little neat details are cool....
There will never be another quite like it!

 

[Neroon]

I was only aware of JMS in there shutting the power down. I'll have to go back and look, though to be honest, I don't know what everyone looks like.
Kinda like how a lot of the writers and producers were at Vic's at the end of DS9's WYLB

That was a little bit different. JMS appears on-screen as part of the episode itself, but all those behind the scenes people get their one-frame moment for us to look after the announcer intones: "For those of you arching this ISN special documentary... the people responsible". It flies by so fast that you can't see the people, but this is where DVDs are a God-send.

I like it because it underscores just how important each person was to the show's success. It also underscores that the producers of the show recognized that importance and thanked them in a public way. Very much like how they did so on DS9, as you mentioned. Regular credits are nice and all, but this is special.

 

[Jan]

One other place where we see many of the crew (and some cast out of costume) is the scene in "Objects at Rest" when Delenn and Sheridan leave the station. Anybody who wanted to was invited to be in that crowd scene, many made up as aliens.

To perhaps answer the question of who thought of having the crew photos, there's a mention of it in a memo from JMS that went out along with the "Sleeping in Light" script where he writes:

A final postscript: "Sleeping in Light" ends
with cameos for everyone associated with
Babylon 5: cast, crew, and support
personnel. A family album, if you will; it
is our way of recognizing and acknowledging
the phenomenal work performed by all of you.
Together we have created something that will
live on for a very long time; so it is only
right that viewers 20 years from now should
see the faces of the people responsible.​

Jan

 

[Neroon]

I was thinking of that scene, as well. In a way, it reminds me of how so many Trek fans were allowed to be part of the "crew" when Kirk addresses them in "Star Trek: TMP".

 

[DWF]

A final postscript: "Sleeping in Light" ends
with cameos for everyone associated with
Babylon 5: cast, crew, and support
personnel. A family album, if you will; it
is our way of recognizing and acknowledging
the phenomenal work performed by all of you.
Together we have created something that will
live on for a very long time; so it is only
right that viewers 20 years from now should
see the faces of the people responsible.​

Well only the people currently working on the show up to the end of season four, I don't think Foundation's people were a part of the end credits and I would've like to have to have seen all of the main character's and actors in the final credits, but it was still a nice thing to do. When it was first taped for me the end credits weren't there because the person taping it for me ended the tapping early so I have him tape the second airing of the ep. just to get the end credits.​

 

[Neroon]

That is a very good point about the people who were no longer working on the show at that time. Foundation Imaging being the perfect example of having had such vital influence on the series' creation