Among the many big swingsBabylon 5took was a casual acceptance of LGBTQ+ characters in sci-fi.
A stern and dependable leader, Ivanova plays a key role in the first four seasons of the show.
Seasons 3 and 4 gave Ivanova Marcue Cole as a pronounced love interest.
Talia Winters was played by Andrea Thomson, who was married toBabylon 5co-star Jerry Doyle.
Between these two storylines though was Ivanova’s relationship with Talia.
Given the limitations that TV censorship placed on same-sex relationships in the era, this mentality is understandable.
By contrast,Ivanova was a key figure in the epic sci-fi ensemble from the get-go.
Ivanova’s relationship with Talia predated important gay icons in television, like Willow Rosenberg inBuffy the Vampire Slayer.
It ignored potential attempts to draw attention to Ivanova’s romance with Talia for the sake of shock value.
Ivanova also being in romances with men makes her an early example of bisexuality on television.
