Crusade (1999)

Crusade: The Complete Series (1999)

13 episodes, approx 44 mins each

The first failed spin-off from Babylon 5. In the year 2267 an alien race known as the Drakh, one-time servants of the Shadows, release a plague upon the planet Earth in a final defiant act of douche vengeance. Consequently, all life on the homeworld will terminate in approximately five years if a cure isn't found and successfully administered in time.

Earth Gov orders the destroyer ship Excalibur to scour the galaxy, dig beneath alien rocks and generally make themselves a pain in the butt of everyone else in order to find the magic cure.

The series managed thirteen episodes before being canned. In truth, it wasn't due to the poor quality of the series, it was the TNT network being interfering bints. Listen to the episode commentaries and you'll discover that J. Michael Straczynski had big plans for years 2-5: leftover Shadow tech; government cover-ups; the return of everyone's favourite bad guy behind a badge, Alfred Bester; a magical sword; and something called an Apocalypse Box, which you'll understand if you watch the show. Things could've turned out good.

Much of the cast are unspectacular. Captain Gideon (Gary Cole) is two dimensional; he's supposed to be a stubborn gambler type but comes off as wooden. His second in command, Lt Matheson (Daniel Dae Kim), is limp, restricted in both his abilities and his function. The only two interesting characters, a female thief named Dureena (Carrie Dobro) and a Technomage named Galen (Peter Woodward), are criminally underused. Woodward steals the show; his ability to portray intrigue and pathos are almost equal that of his famous father, Edward Woodward. Additionally, there are a few cameos from B5 cast members to keep fans happy.

"For Goodness' sake somebody smile or we'll get cancelled!"

If you plan to watch it you should know in advance that because of studio interference you've the option of the original TNT broadcast order, the revised Sci-Fi Channel broadcast order, or the chronological order to choose from. Either way, due to unfilmed episodes leaving gaps in the structure, none of those options offer an acceptable linear experience.

The Babylon 5 TV Movie A Call to Arms (1999) is an introduction to the show, so it's a good idea to watch it first. But, unless you're a B5 fanatic, the whole series is a washout. Although, for some folks (including me), the episode titled The Long Road is worth watching. Not because it's any better than the rest, it isn't, but because the guest star is awesome.

Like A Call to Arms before it, the music is by Evan H. Chen. He puts his stamp on the JMS world. For me, long-time B5 composer Christophe Franke's absence was painfully obvious.

See also, B5: Season 1 // Season 2 // Season 3 // Season 4 // Season 5 // Movies