Crusade

To those of you who only saw it when broadcast on TNT, the broadcast "opener" was not in fact the true opening episode. The series is now being rebroadcast in the order in which it was intended by Sci-Fi Channel, and after only a week it remains far more satisfying than it was two years ago. The story detailed on all the chatrooms at the time. Basically, B5 was bought for TNT by the people who bought re-broadcast rights, but supervision for Crusade was taken over by people who supervised original series and evidently didn't like it -- they were into westerns. They wanted a new character added, a female who 'explored' other species sexually. They were responsible for the change in uniforms, and they demanded a new opener, one which gave away too much. JMS went as far as he could, then told them to stuff it. They took 13 episodes, no more, and at the time the Sci Fi channel had committed its financial future to Farscape. I liked Farscape -- now I love it -- but I LOVE Crusade. Watch the series as it is broadcast here, and write Sci-Fi asking if they can't get new episodes. Marjean Holden may be trapped in Beastmaster, but I suspect the other actors would jump at the chance to play such complex characters.

Crusade was a bold step in another direction for the ultra successful Babylon 5 TV series. Set up in the prologue movie 'A Call to Arms' and taking place 5 years after B5 ends, Crusade follows the crew of the experimental destroyer Excalibur in a search for a cure from a deadly alien plague which is slowly killing the Earth, something in itself is amazing. Not many shows would cut off mankind's homeworld for the sake of a story, and in doing so lifted Crusade to a new level of Sci Fi.

The Excalibur is a mixture of Minbari, Vorlon and Earth technology, and resembles the Liberator from Blake's 7. The highlight of the ship has to be the Main Guns which converts all of the ship's energy into one savage laser beam, but renders the ship without power for one minute as it recharges. J. Michael Strackzynski, the show's creator, is a forward thinker, so much so that this ship was first mentioned back in Babylon 5's 5th season episode 'Movement of Fire & Shadow'.

Season One was a mixed bag. Lasting only 13 episodes due to a conflict with JMS and broadcaster TNT, there were only a handful of episodes that stood out. Out of those made, 'Racing the Night' was arguably the best. A desperate species suffering from the same plague as Earth, using any means necessary to find a cure; this episode posed more questions than people think. Had the series continued, it was promised the show would have taken on a new aspect, and the plague wouldn't have been the only thing the crew should be worried about...

All in all the show was definitely killed off before it's time. It had potential to rival or even surpass Babylon 5 in terms of excellence, but it seems we'll never know.

Alright, ready for this? I've watched B5 since before it was a series, watching the movie every time it came on th'tube. I hooked everyone I could who likes sci-fi on it and in it. When I caught a whiff of the coming of Crusade I was beside myself with joy. The Rangers concept excites me. :) Didn't hurt that I had an emotional attachment to the Rangers I had already encountered in the B5 universe. I didn't know quite what to think about the Technomage thing, having had limited and unpleasant exposure to them on B5. Lordy, was I in for a pleasant surprise on that note! Then came the news that TNT were being pig-head and flighty again. This always tends to bite them in the backside, otherwise their network would be on my tv constantly (sporting events aside; I find those just irksome, especially when they disturb my weekly viewing pleasures - that's hearlded the death of many good shows on th'tube). So we were only going to get teased with a single season of this show. Major Bummer! It's been wonderful to have a show so in depth and versitile NOT set in the blasted Star Trek universe. (Don't take that wrong, I'm a trekkie, too - but to me, B5 and Crusade hold a spot closer to my heart; Star Trek has never made me cry.) Despite the continued depressing news (no future home for a second season <or more> for Cursade) I, along with countless others, tuned in to the show. Someone else in these comments compared it to Space: Above and Beyond. To me, that's like comparing it to Earth2. It just doesn't. You could only compare it to ST & B5... and maybe Starship Troopers. Though it had a rough start (ala B5 finding it's footing), it quickly captured diehards like myself - and newbies. Yeah, I got some MORE people hooked on it. :) I would say the most popular characters in my lil'world would be Galen, Dureena and Gideon. Previously, Technomages seems to be just pompous evil lil'men with dreams of grandeur. Now I know some of them have souls, and hearts. Dureena didn't interest me at all at first, but I've come to trust and even admire th'lil'thief. :) She's uber-kewL, as the saying goes. Then there's Gideon. I've never really watched Gary Cole do anything before, at least I've not paid attention to him in particular. I will from here on out. He's the really quirky one in the cast, in my opinion. But I believe that's why his character is singled out for this mission. His unconventional manner tends to save his own hide, why not the rest of humanity along with it?! When your options are few, why not consider the seemingly impossible. The chemistry between the three of the characters and actors makes the show. I would personally like to shoot Eilerson off into space myself, though. Lt. Matheson has a lotta potential, too, being a telepath on such an unconventional crew. Possibilies are/were endless, truely, once you actually sit and consider the show. So much space in the universe, so little time. Well, now the show is over. No big fanfare saying "last chance to catch the magic that is..." ...no warning... I knew it was coming, but it was such a crushing disappointment (exclusively in TNT). If, by some chance, you get the opportunity to see taped episodes (or some network DOES pick it up, tho don't hold your breath), see if I'm not right in the things that I've said. It is a MISTAKE and crime against the sci-fi/fantasy community to kill off such a wonderful creation.

I've read a lot of the comments, and I see an overwhelming trend here: people don't know what they're talking about. Crusade is NOT a bad show. It is an excellent show, and a worthy addition to the B5 universe. It was originally scheduled to air after the movie "A Call To Arms", and the pilot episode was to be "Racing The Night". They had 5 episodes ready and were about to film more when TNT paused production. They wanted serious changes to the show: new uniforms, more violence, more sex. They forced JMS to write a new pilot, "War Zone" with ridiculous requirements, such as a fistfight in the opening.

He later refused to add more sex and a 'sexual explorer', so TNT canceled the show after 13 episodes were filmed. The show was canceled before it even aired. It was not canceled because it was bad, but because TNT made it bad. They did eventually air it, but totally out of order. If you ignore "War Zone" and watch the other 12, it's a great show. The show clearly has an arc, and it was about to begin when the show was canceled. Hopefully the SCI-FI channel will pick it up in the future and continue this great series.

Crusade was an excellent show and a very worth successor to Babylon 5. The premise was original and exciting, picking up where the last Babylon 5 movie (A Call to Arms) left off. But sadly Crusade was cancelled... before a single episode even aired. Why? Because series creator JMS would not put in what TNT wanted (example: lots of sex). Sadly it's true. The 13th episode was the last and no renewal is in sight. A lot of the episodes were pretty good. I curse TNT for cancelling this science fiction gem. Hopefully, some day, a SMART network will revive the show.