[chasil]

The primary thing to know is that the actor who played Sinclair in season one, Michael O'Hare, suffered from mental illness.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_O%27Hare

His treatments were only partially successful. He reappeared in a cameo appearance early in season two ("The Coming of Shadows") and returned in season three for a two-part episode ("War Without End") which closed his character's story arc. At that time, Straczynski promised O'Hare to keep his condition secret "to my grave". O'Hare told him to instead "keep the secret to my grave", arguing that fans deserved to eventually learn the real reason for his departure, and that his experience could raise awareness and understanding for people with mental illness. He made no further appearances on Babylon 5 but continued to support the show and appeared at conventions and signing events until his retirement from public appearances in 2000.

On September 28, 2012, Straczynski posted that O'Hare had had a heart attack in New York City five days earlier and had remained in a coma until his death that day.[48] Eight months later, Straczynski revealed the circumstances of O'Hare's departure from Babylon 5 at a presentation about the series at the Phoenix Comicon.

[chasil]

Claudia Christian, who played Susan Ivanova, is also well known for her documentary on alcohol addiction.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=crYU4xT1aRI

[TiredOfLife]

It would be easier to list b5 actors without drug or alcohol issues.

[danaris]

And sadly, so many of the main cast are no longer with us—far more than one would expect from their ages.

I know that some of them, indeed, died due to substance abuse issues; I don't know the circumstances of all of them. They will all be greatly missed.

[Findecanor]

Being a B5 fan, I found it heart-breaking to see Jeff Conaway on the reality show Celebrity Rehab a decade later. (the fact that there even existed a TV show called "Celebrity Rehab" ...)

Too many others of the main cast had died relatively young, of "natural causes" though. Richard Biggs, Mira Furlan and Stephen Furst stand out.

[RobotToaster]

The curse of Babylon 5 https://www.imdb.com/list/ls056207990/

[danaris]

Indeed—and Mira Furlan died just a few years ago, at 65.

[chasil]

In the lingo of the show, they have "gone beyond the rim" (of our galaxy).

[danaris]

And we will see them again in the place where no shadows fall.

[sandworm101]

They are actors, young people paid to display exaggerated emotion while living in a world that values youth and appearance over everything. Then we ask them to constantly adopt new characters and shower them with on-again off-again false praise based on whether or not they are working on a given day. Frankly, i am impressed that any of them manage to walk away without profound mental health issues.

[thaumasiotes]

> Frankly, i am impressed that any of them manage to walk away without profound mental health issues.

My impression is that there's not much causation from being an actor to mental fragility. It's the other way around; the pool of people who make good actors is already prone to mental fragility before they become actors.

[chasil]

Look at what she has to say.

It is of profound significance.

[normie3000]

You've linked to a 50+ minute video. Is it recommending naltrexone for alcoholism?

[chasil]

It is, after the well-known book by Roy Eskapa.

https://www.amazon.com/Cure-Alcoholism-Willpower-Abstinence-...

[jostylr]

There is also Katie Herzog's recent memoir/guidebook on it: https://www.amazon.com/Drink-Your-Way-Sober-Science-Based/dp...

[gspetr]

You should delete the spoilers. O'Hare's personal history is important, but the part of the comment about his chronological appearances in the show is not.

[account42]

Eh, being mentally prepared for his sudden departure in Season 2 is not the worst thing. This isn't something he writers intended as a plot twist after all.

[jghn]

Talking about a show that aired 30 years ago isn't "spoilers". Anyone who wanted to not be spoiled has had plenty of time to go rectify that situation by now.

[pavel_lishin]

> Anyone who wanted to not be spoiled has had plenty of time to go rectify that situation by now.

Unless they're a young person hearing about this show for the first time, here.

It's wildly unkind to suggest that just because you know the big plot twists, everyone else should as well.

[jghn]

At some point there needs to be a statute of limitations on this stuff. In general I find spoiler fanatics kind of silly anyways: if I don't want something spoiled I don't read online discourse about that thing. It's my responsibility. But whatever.

But let's suppose I *did* care about spoilers. I shouldn't be expecting everyone to walk on eggshells when they're discussing Gunsmoke or Happy Days.

[TiredOfLife]

Could you list more spoilers!?

[chasil]

If you want to know something about the series, then ask.

I will upvote you now.

Edit: Vir waves.

[largbae]

The Vorlons are really a_____!

[nobody9999]

>The Vorlons are really a_____!

If you believe the actors on the DVD alternate commentary tracks, a Wurlitzer!

[account42]

A bunch of cunts, yes.