Crusade

Crusade is an American spin-off TV show from J. Michael Straczynski's Babylon 5. Its plot is set in AD 2267, five years after the events of Babylon 5, and just after the movie A Call to Arms. The Drakh have released a nanovirus plague on Earth, which will destroy all life on Earth within five years if it is not stopped. To that end, the Victory class destroyer Excalibur has been sent out to look for anything that could help the search for a cure.

Crusade (1999) is an American space opera spin-off created by J. Michael Straczynski for TNT, extending his earlier Babylon 5 saga. Set in the year 2267, five years after the events of its predecessor, the series follows the crew of the Victory class destroyer Excalibur, led by Captain Matthew Gideon (Gary Cole) and his second in command John Matheson (Daniel Dae Kim). Their engine is a race against time: the Drakh have released a nanovirus plague that will destroy all life on Earth within five years unless a cure is found, so the Excalibur roams the dark between worlds searching for anything that could help. Each episode carries the crew into new encounters, political double-dealing and telepathic intrigue, while the ticking clock pushes the mission forward. The single season of thirteen episodes has a brooding, earnest tone, with its emphasis on duty, loyalty and the question of who to trust. Fans of Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek: The Next Generation will find resonance in its blend of military camaraderie and far-future space adventure, set against a sweeping, ambitious backdrop of a dying Earth.

Critics found the single season uneven, and its short run was cut after thirteen episodes, though its space opera scale and Gary Cole's lead were noted.

• Babylon 5space opera setting, serialized sci-fi drama with military crew, plague threat
• Star Trek: The Next Generationspace exploration, crew-driven sci-fi adventure, shipboard drama
• Battlestar Galactica (2004)serialized space military drama, fleet survival under threat

Created by

J. Michael Straczynski

Release Date

1999-06-09

Episode runtime

43 min

Rating

6.7 / 10 (136)

What is Crusade about?

A military starship crew hunts for a cure to an alien nanovirus plague that threatens all life on Earth within five years.

What is Crusade like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Crusade as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.

Is Crusade violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Crusade as moderate.

What did critics think of Crusade?

Critics found the single season uneven, and its short run was cut after thirteen episodes, though its space opera scale and Gary Cole's lead were noted.

Which shows are like Crusade?

Shows with a similar feel include Babylon 5, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Battlestar Galactica (2004).

How long is Crusade?

Crusade: 1 season, 13 episodes.

Is Crusade still running?

No, Crusade has ended.

Where can I watch Crusade?

In United States, Crusade is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home.