why was crusade rushed?

[HexDSL]

Hello all.

I have only recently signed up to this forum and this is my first post, so with that said hello.

I missed Babylon 5 the first time round (lack of interest and time as i was at my last year of high school) but over the last month i have consumed all 5 of the B5 seasons and have just started watching Crusade.

Now i have not watched the movies yet. i went straight from B5 to Crusade but it seams rushed, every episode (am watching episode 4 now) seamed like a condensed version of a plot line.

One of the things that i liked about B5 was that it took its time over every story, each moment was calculated and every line had hidden meaning. it was a puzzle that unfolded slowly and with grace but Crusade seams rushed and each story could have been four or five episodes instead of one.

don't missunderstand, i like it. its good but not AS good as i expected.

so, what are you thoughts guys? am i alone with this quandary?

 

[Jan]

Re: why as crusade rushed?

Welcome! There are a number of behind-the-scenes reasons why Crusade doesn't feel quite as good as B5 was. For the most part it boils down to network meddling, especially if you're watching them in DVD order (which is fine for a first viewing, let me add, but you may want to experiment later on). When you get to the episodes with the grey uniforms, you'll probably notice an improvement because those were the first ones filmed, before the interference got bad.

Welcome to B5 fandom!

Jan

 

[HexDSL]

Re: why as crusade rushed?

I'm ploughing through what I have left a a good rate and will be all done in a couple of weeks, where can i go next? are there books (only really interested in 'cannon' stuff)

I think Iv'e become obsessed. Iv'e not been this into a TV show since the first season of Farscape.

 

[Sindatur]

Re: why as crusade rushed?

I'm ploughing through what I have left a a good rate and will be all done in a couple of weeks, where can i go next? are there books (only really interested in 'cannon' stuff)

I think Iv'e become obsessed. Iv'e not been this into a TV show since the first season of Farscape.

Hi HEx, welcome

Most of The TV Movies are pretty good.

Cannon Novels:
Title: Book #9 To Dream in the City of Sorrows
Author: Drennan, Kathryn M.
Timeframe: Marcus in 10/2260, recalling events of 1/2259-9/2260.
Isbn1: 0-440-22354-7
Copyright1: July 1997
Publisher1: Dell
Isbn2: 0-345-45219-4
Copyright2: July 2003
Publisher2: DelRey
(Deals with Sinclair's time on Minbar was Ambassador)

Title: Book #7 The Shadow Within
Author: Cavelos, Jeanne
Timeframe: 11/2256 - 01/2257
Isbn1: 0-440-22348-2
Copyright1: April 1997
Publisher1: Dell
Isbn2: 0-345-45218-6
Copyright2: December 2002
Publisher2: DelRey
Deals with the Icarus arriving at Zha'ha'dum

And the three Trilogies. Centauri Prime Trilogy, Technomage Trilogy, Telepath Trilogy

See the FAQ Forum for books, for the remainder.
http://www.b5tv.com/showthread.php?t=11723

Also, there's some short stories floating around

 

[Jan]

Re: why as crusade rushed?

Ah, the sweet music of the newly converted!

Okay, here's my advice, though many others will probably chime in. First, make sure you watch all of B5, the movies and Crusade. Now I know this may sound strange, but you might want to watch it a second time, using one of the lists available that aim for optimized viewing. Believe it or not, in some cases the second go-round is even better because you'll be aware of all of the foreshadowing you missed the first time. Trust me, B5 rewards repeated viewings.

As for books, check out the FAQ forum a couple below this one. KoshN has prepared a great list that'll be helpful. Three trilogies and two other original novels are considered to be canon. Fair warning, one book in each of two of the trilogies can be really hard to find.

Again, welcome.

Jan

 

[HexDSL]

Re: why as crusade rushed?

Thank you allot guys.

I'm going to re-watch as soon as my own DVD box set arrives (I'm watching borrowed discs at the moment)

I take it that the franchise is now dead? or is there any hope of revival?

thank you very much for your input guys its really nice to find a friendly community.

 

[Sindatur]

Re: why as crusade rushed?

Thank you allot guys.

I'm going to re-watch as soon as my own DVD box set arrives (I'm watching borrowed discs at the moment)

I take it that the franchise is now dead? or is there any hope of revival?

thank you very much for your input guys its really nice to find a friendly community.

Best to assume it's dead/stagnant, and not get hopes up, but, several months ago someone asked JMS about future Babylon 5 (as happens frequently) and JMS did reply to ask him again after April. It's after April, and we're still waiting for something more than just vague hints there might be soemthing percolating, that hasn't died yet.

I believe this thread has everything we know (almsot nothing, except a possibility of something, no idea what form it could be though)

http://www.b5tv.com/showthread.php?t=12037

 

[Jan]

Re: why as crusade rushed?

I take it that the franchise is now dead? or is there any hope of revival?

Yes...no...maybe... who knows?!?! Here's how it is - The last thing made in the B5 universe was the Lost Tales. It was the first of what was hoped to be many direct-to-DVD disks with small intimate stories. As usual, Warners wanted to 'test the waters' with a low-budget offering. For various reasons after that, JMS decided not to do any more B5 unless it was sufficiently budgeted to do Babylon 5 credit.

Skip to last fall: JMS mentioned that there might be something in the works but he couldn't talk about it.

Skip to this year: JMS hoped to be able to say something after April.

Skip to recently: Still nothing which could mean that JMS mis-calculated or that whatever it was won't happen. We don't know yet.

What we DO know is that, while Warner's owns all of B5, the one thing that they let JMS keep is the movie rights so if he ever decides that there's a B5 story he really burns to tell, he can take it to any studio who can do the financing and distribution whether it's Warner's or not.

That's majorly compressed but hits the hightlights.

Jan

 

[HexDSL]

Re: why as crusade rushed?

Thank you very much for that, it cleared up a few of my coming questions

 

[KoshN]

Crusade wasn't rushed. It was just continuously meddled with and sabotaged by TNT-Atlanta. Five episodes into the filming of Crusade, but nine months before even one episode was aired, TNT got the results of a survey that showed them that the core TNT audience doesn't like science fiction. They tuned out when B5 came on, but came back for sports and wrestling. So, TNT decided to scuttle Crusade and use the money for Law & Order reruns. Since TNT is a part of Warner Brothers, Warner Brothers wasn't going to essentially sue themselves, TNT got away with it. Then, TNT held onto the B5 and Crusade rerun rights when The Sci-Fi Channel wanted them, so that nobody else could make a success of Crusade and make TNT look bad.

That's business, rotten and underhanded to be sure, but business nontheless.

 

[KoshN]

Re: why as crusade rushed?

Trust me, B5 rewards repeated viewings.

So does Crusade.