You Gotta Check This Out!
This is “You Gotta Check This Out” With Mike Slater and Dre Alvarez. Each season, we take a deep dive into one of our nerdy obsessions - giving each show, book, band, game, sport, hobby… whatever as much time as we see fit to get each other and you up to speed with something we love. For our first topic, we’re exploring the epic 90’s Sci-Fi series, Babylon 5. We’ll guide you through all five seasons of the show - featuring key episodes and using them as discussion points across the series. If you're curious about getting into Babylon 5, this is a good place to start. To follow along with us, you can watch these episodes of Babylon 5, available now for free on Tubi. Season One. • Episode 4: "Infection" • Episode 9: "Deathwalker" • Episode 13: "Signs & Portents" • Episode 22: "Chrysalis" New episodes release every other Sunday. Articles on each episode available at https://mikeslater.com/ Mike & Dre Socials https://bsky.app/profile/slatron.bsky.social https://bsky.app/profile/nerdnumbers.com https://www.instagram.com/slatron11/ https://www.instagram.com/nerdnumbers/ All music by Mike Slater Show Website: www.mikeslater.com
Episodes
Mike & Dre talk with Najmah Salam about her many skills.
In This Episode… game design, the ukulele, what its like being a villain, what it's like being a secondary villain, and the design of specific ships on Babylon 5.
You can watch Babylon 5 for free on Tubi, or check out the DVDs from your local library.
For our next full episode, we will be covering Season 3 Episode 6 of Babylon 5: "Dust to Dust".
Mike & Dre discuss Season 2 Episode 22: "The Fall of Night" with special guest Najmah Salam.
In this episode…
Londo is the Grinch, Kosh is the angel, Sheridan is a balloon, Ivaonava is god, G’Kar is a plant, Toe-pick is a fascist, Lt. Eyebrows is a human bomb, and Kyle McSkeevy skeeves across Babylon 5.
Naj wants you to check out…
Battlestar Gallactica (TV Series)
Panda Cat Games - Spirits of Heartwood
Asian H...
Mike & Dre talk with special guest Megan about all the stuff that didn't fit into last week's show.
In This Episode… Jewish representation on Babylon 5, circumstances when a child can interrupt working parents, and an original song about that by Bad Mead.
You can watch Babylon 5 for free on Tubi, or check out the DVDs from your local library.
For our next full episode, we will be covering Season 2 Episode 22 of Babyl...
Mike & Dre discuss Season 2 Episode 17: "In the Shadow of Za'Ha'Dum".
In This Episode… Vir gives the thumb to Morden's question, Morden's smug grin works against him, Sheridan is revealed as the ultimate Wife Guy, and Mike is frightened by a ghost.
You can watch "In the Shadow of Za'Ha'Dum" for free on Tubi, or check out Babylon 5 on DVD from your local library.
For our next full episode, we will be covering Season 2...
Mike & Dre talk with special guest Taylor Anthony about all the stuff that didn't fit into last week's show.
In This Episode… Mr Freeze, future mayo, Sheridan's Dad energy, more smuggler talk, captain swap dictated plot resets, But I'm A Cheerleader, Kosh the drifter hobo, cosplay in space, and a funny puffy coat.
Taylor is promoting at thetrevorproject.org. The Trevor Project is an organization dedicated to provid...
Mike & Dre discuss Season 2 Episode 13: "Hunter, Prey" with special guest Taylor Anthony.
In This Episode… Moll Memories, continuing the muppet connection, Michael and the Gari-deli-s, the dumbest secret message of all-time, undercover cosplay, Mike learns all about hats, And the Inaugural Talia Winters Memory Maze Quiz
Taylor is promoting at thetrevorproject.org. The Trevor Project is an organization dedicated to ...
In this episode... Jaina talks about her time running a Buffy fan site. Mike then explains the Shatner-Picard index and how it pertains to Captain Sheridan.
Jaina Mistry is an email marketing expert. You can follow her on LinkedIn and Instagram
You can hear more Jaina on her podcast "No Stupid Questions, Just Marketing Ones"
For our next full episode, we will be covering Season 2 Episode 13 of...
Mike & Dre crack open a new season of Babylon 5. This week, they discuss Season 2 Episode 3: "The Geometry of Shadows" with special guest Jaina Mistry.
In This Episode… A new intro, Mike’s plot to ditch Dre fails, techno Space Gandolf, don’t pay attention to the box, green vs purple, Garibaldi’s pizza buddy, 90’s space mages, tony wonder, an abandoned hot tub factory, and an evil AI Mike is unleashed.
Evynne & Mike have a music and comic discussion that was cut from the main episode. Dre then explains .J Michael Straczynski's "Plot Trap Doors" approach to writing.
In this episode...
Serialized storytelling in comics and TV, practice routines or lack thereof, Whiplash as a sports movie for jazz, collaborative vs solo mediums, 90’s CGI takes, the captain is gone… woah, Michaal O’Hare was the most hardcore method actor,...
Mike & Dre discuss Season 1 Episode 22 of Babylon 5: "Chrysalis with special guest Evynne Stitely.
In This Episode… Stifler gets shot, JMS unmasked, the truth behind magnetiles, serialized TV through the years, a deal with the devil, and an evolution of the B5 sucka punch.
Evynne creates video essays on YouTube. Check out her EvynneXEvynne YouTube channel.
You can watch "Chrysalis" for free on Tubi, or check out Baby...
Mike & Dre describe the alien races of Babylon 5 to special guest Carin Slater.
In This Episode… Holes…in his mind!, …some look like birds and some look like people and some look like lizards and some look like turtles and some look like squids and some look like fish…
Check out “NERD!” with Dre & Jeff and other Jeff May Podcasts
For our next full episode, we will be covering Season 1 Episode 22 of Babylon 5: "Ch...
Mike & Dre discuss Season 1 Episode 13 of Babylon 5: "Signs & Portents" with special guest Carin Slater.
In This Episode… Babsterpiece Theatre with Mike & Carin, lack of command redundancy in sci-fi, elevator hijinx, Roald Dahl's space witches, gyroscope bling, a shadow sucka. punch, and the question of the hour… “What do you Want?”.
Check out Carin Slater's interview from Email Peeps
You can watch "Signs...
Mike & Dre discuss J. Michael Straczynski (JMS), the creator of Babylon 5 and the inspirations behind the series.
In This Episode… spinning off the spinoffs, needing recap podcast to watch shows, 90’s DVD menu oddities, smugglers in small locations, PTEN fight for the fifth network, ST:DSN roots, boys watching She-Ra, Captain Power toys and all things JMS.
Check out “NERD!” with Dre & Jeff May and other Jeff May Po...
Mike & Dre discuss Season 1 Episode 9 of Babylon 5: "Deathwalker".
In this episode... our boys explain the premise… again, previously on begins, sucka punchin' across season 1, a bipedal cat takes a full lunge attack in the face and almost Gilbert Gottfried shows brain. Mike & Dre go it alone one last time before guests show up.
You can watch "Deathwalker" for free on Tubi, or check out Babylon 5 on physical media f...
Mike goes solo for the first Minisode and talks about writing and recording podcast music.
In this episode... Dre flies off on a mythic beast...Mike brings up old podcast themes and gets to talk music for a few minutes.
(Hey listener... speaking of Dre, please keep this one one just between you and me. He doesn't know I'm doing this whole minisode thing yet. We'll see how long we can keep this up.)
Mike & Dre discuss Season 1 Episode 4 of Babylon 5: "Infection".
In this episode... J. Michael Straczynski, Babylon 5 origins, monster of the week period, Hulk memories and the origin of the Babylon 5 Sucka Punch! A muppet gets on the command bridge, and we answer the question "Where is Mike From?".
You can watch "Infection" for free on Tubi, or check out the Babylon 5 Series 1 from your local library.
For our next e...
Welcome to “You Gotta Check This Out!” With Mike Slater and Dre Alvarez. New episodes release every other Sunday starting July 27, 2025.
As we get ready for launch, we're dropping this short episode of clips where we discuss the 90's sci-fi TV series "Babylon 5".
Instead of covering every episode of the series, we're covering key episodes from each season. For Season One, we cover "Infection", "Deathwalker", "Signs & Po...
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