Glen Here: this article originally contained incorrect assertions as to why a few B5 characters are not appearing in the Crusade episodes they were supposed to be in.
This incorrect information has been replaced in the text of the article below, but I have left TALKBACKS referring to the original and incorrect infromation in place, as they also contained other significant ideas and thoughts I did not want to delete.
So, if you see TALKBACKS referring to something that appearnetly ws in the article but isn't now, that's what happened...
Glen here...
...with a friendly reminder that the fourth TNT Babylon 5 TV movie will air this Sunday (January 3) on...well...TNT, obviously. The movie's name is A Call to Arms.
Why am I mentioning this?
Well, I have come across a great many people who simply do not know A Call to Arms is even airing on January 3. This is attributable to several factors I think - including creator J. Michael Straczynski's recently diminished involvement with the Internet, and TNT's peculiarly un-splashy promotion of this film. Even though ACTA is the "launch" film for TNT's new B5 spin-off series Crusade, there simply hasn't been too great a push for ACTA's Sunday debut.
I am guessing this is the case because, originally, Crusade was to debut a few days after ACTA hit the airwaves in Jan. Now, the new series will not debut until sometime between March and June (apparently). So, on Sunday, TNT is effectively showing a "pilot" or "premiere" for a series which won't be along for quite a few months. As TNT had already announced a January 3 air date for A Call to Arms before the delays on Crusade became evident, I'm guessing TNT is airing the movie now just to keep the "vibe" going, but will promote the telefilm and its accompanying series more heavily once a full-blown start-up matrix is in place.
Usually, Coaxial would have run a rather lengthy and detailed review of a Babylon 5 TV movie such as this. Alas, there were no "screener" copies to be snagged - despite the best efforts of my usual sources. I have, however, read the script for A Call to Arms, and liked it very much.
Where Thirdspace and River of Souls deviated (somewhat controversially) from the B5 arc / mythos...leaving some viewers to ask the question "Why did we see *that* story when there were so many B5 stories left to tell?"... A Call to Arms is firmly grounded in B5 tradition and mythology. It feels like Babylon 5, but it also feels like - something new.
In A Call to Arms, you will meet a few characters who will re-appear in Crusade, but you will not get to meet Captain Matthew Gideon (who will be the commanding officer in the follow-up series).
One of the characters we encounter...Galen...plays a profound role in preparing humans for an alien onslaught which will eventually poison Earth in ACTA (seeking the cure for said poison being the premise of Crusade itself).
You will see Crusade's main ship ( the Excalibur), and see some of the funny problems experienced in an effort to get her going. You will also see Excalibur's sister ship, Victory, and learn the meaning of heroism from her way-cool Earth Alliance captain, played by Star Trek's Tony Todd.
You will hear a new kind of Babylon 5 music - as composer Evan Chen takes over scoring duties from Christopher Franke (Chen will also score the Crusade series).
And for those well familiarized with the Babylonian universe. Remember that "death cloud" which was floating around, nuking the hell out of all those hapless worlds during the Shadow War? Well, it's back too. And there's something inside of it!
In A Call to Arms, should have something of a mystical feel as various characters are "called" or "drawn" from various points in the galaxy to assemble in defense of (and preparation for) the aliens' poisoning of Earth. Much like knights coming together for a quest...or crusade...different faces, (some old and some new) are assembled to face the devastating and frightening crisis facing humanity.
And this may be the last time we see a few of our Babylon 5 heroes.
I've heard some indication that (as previously indicated on this page) B5 characters like Garibaldi, Lyta, and Sheridan are being taken out of the loop as far as involvement in Crusade goes. Seems there was an intent to visit them once or twice during the new series, but at least some these plans have either been scuttled entirely, or fallen-through.
I am told Garibaldi's office on Mars had already been designed for an episode called "Ruling from the Tomb". However, said designs were tossed out - and there's no longer any sign of Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle) in Peter David's current script. Also, an already written flashback to Lyta Alexander (Patricia Tallman) during the Telepath War has been excised from an episode called "The Path of Sorrows". Interestingly enough, an extremely similar sequence...featuring a different character and actress...subsequently replaced Tallman's cut appearance. I am told now that Mr. Doyle's non-appearance in "Ruling" was an economic matter, and Ms. Tallman was busy on a film project.
These things happen.
But it sure would stink if we never got to visit these (and other) B5 regulars again, for whatever reason. ((Thanks to UMBRASPRITE for the episode specific details mentioned above)).
As such, there's always the outside chance that ACTA may be the last time we see some of our "old friends". So, enjoy watching Garibaldi and Sheridan doing their thing one last time in A Call to Arms, 'cause TNT's tag line indicating this film is "The Final Babylon 5 Adventure" may be more correct than some of us would care to acknowledge.
I suppose the only question left to address about A Call to Arms...and about Crusade in general...is a rather simple but profound question. Because of the way Babylon 5's chronology was laid out, we have already seen Earth's future beyond this spin-off series. Twenty years down the road...a million years down the road.
We already know humanity survives the contamination and plague presented in this spin-off series, and that (one way or another) the "cure" sought by Gideon and the crew of Excalibur is found. So, will Crusade be able to generate a genuine sense of struggle and suspense, or will the fact that the outcome is already clear to viewers negate the entire purpose (and storytelling potential) of this series?
Creator J. Michael Straczynski once said something to the effect of: even if you already know the outcome of a story, *getting there* is most of the fun. I hope he is right about this, I really do. The few Crusade scripts I've read, and the people I've talked to who have seen episodes of the series, all indicate that...indeed...the concept works. The show works. Can't wait to see for myself. But still, one has to wonder...
Finally, it should also be pointed out that the "attitude" of Crusade is quite different than A Call to Arms. ACTA will give you as *sense* of what to expect from the spin-off series itself, but they will be two totally different beasts when all is said and done. ACTA is still restrained by established B5 sensibilities, but Crusade has a harder edge, is organically different, and is much sassier. None the less, ACTA is a fun script, and should make for a fun movie - pointing towards a promising future.
