Cancellation: Crusade was green-lit by TNT following the success of the fifth season of Babylon 5 on that network. Actors were cast and production had begun when a series of memos were sent to the producers ordering changes to the show. Production was even halted after five episodes while sets were redesigned. Production resumed and the memos continued. The producers had enjoyed a level of non-interference with Babylon 5, but were not afforded the same for Crusade. The memos carried instructions that moved the show further and further from its premise.
Finally, after thirteen episodes, it was put on hiatus. This all happened before a single episode even aired! After some time, it was officially cancelled. It turns out that TNT wanted out of the show because though Babylon 5 enjoyed high ratings, demographics showed that the audience had tuned into the network only for Babylon 5 and then tuned out when the show was over. These detailed demographics did not arrive until after Crusade had been greenlit. As a result, TNT had to create a paper trail so that they would not be held in breach of their agreement with Warner Brothers, who held the rights to the Babylon 5 property.
The Story: The hook that drives the start of Crusade is that the crew of the Excalibur are in search of a cure for the Drakh plague and they have no more than five years to find it. Following on the heels of five years of Babylon 5, this premise seems straight forward. However, it turns out that the cure would have been found sometime during the second season and the show would actually have been about something entirely different: the crew discovers rogue elements within Earthdome that have ties to the Shadows, which puts the crew on the run from their own government. The mysterious destruction of the Cereberus, Gideon's ship from ten years before, hinted at this. Other story threads dangled for exploration were Gideon's Apocalypse Box and the mysteries of Galen and Technomages.
Episode Air Dates and Production #'s:
Episode Name:
Ep. #:
Prod. #:
War Zone
The Long Road
The Well of Forever
The Path of Sorrows
Patterns of the Soul
Ruling from the Tomb
The Rules of the Game
Appearances and Other Deceits
Racing the Night
The Memory of War
The Needs of Earth
The Visitors from Down the Street
Each Night I Dream of Home
Racing the Night
The Needs of Earth
The Memory of War
The Long Road
The Visitors from Down the Street
The Well of Forever
Each Night I Dream of Home
Patterns of the Soul
The Path of Sorrows
Ruling from the Tomb
The Rules of the Game
War Zone
Appearances and Other Deceits
