R.I.P. Crusade 1998-1999

Babylon 5 is gone. Babylon 5 is gone.

Those words echoed through the vastness of my mind this afternon while reading an article from AICN. I feel the inevitable had finally arrived, but I don't want to believe it. I've only been watching Babylon 5 for a few months. In fact, the first episode that I saw was Sleeping in the Light, which still pisses me off to this day.

JMS issued and official press release saying that the Sc-Fi channel didn't have the funds to keep the pulse of Crusade going. JMS has said that SFC should be commended for their efforts to keep B5 going and that fans had done their part to do the same. He also added that he has received offers from networks to do other shows and he is planning to take up one of those offers. I wish that Crusade could have lasted, but this is the pathway that fate has chosen.

For further torment, TNT (in my opinion, Turner is one step below Bill Gates) will air the first 13 episodes that were filmed. If ratings warrant it, a second season will be produced. Although this is unlikely, I try to remain hopeful. But the methodically insane minority of Babylon 5 fans, in my opinion are not enough to keep Crusade alive. Maybe in ten years it will be ressurected, much like Star Trek was.

Why couldn't Capt. Lockhley have been on Earth for vacation? I could've done without her still being around. I would have thoroughly enjoyed watching her slowly rot away on the planet rather than her remain the captain of Babylon 5.

I wish that my first article for DFFQI didn't have to be this depressing, but now is as a good of a time as ever to start writing. This is truly a sad day in my life and the lives of my colleagues.

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Stephen Pause
2.26.1999