Vera Wylde and Jessie Gender take up residence on Babylon 5 and the Excalibur on its Crusade, taking in one episode at a time.

When given the opportunity to make a Babylon 5 film for DVD, creator J. Michael Strazinski opted instead for a collection of two shorter stories. Fans appear not to have taken to them. Are these some overlooked gems? Let’s find out.

Vera Wylde and Jessie Gender take up residence on Babylon 5 and the Excalibur on its Crusade, taking in one episode at a time.

Even with Crusade behind us, we have the pilot movie for another pitched spin-off. This one wasn’t picked up but we can still see what the set up was and get a sense of what the show might have been, for better or worse.

Vera Wylde and Jessie Gender take up residence on Babylon 5 and the Excalibur on its Crusade, taking in one episode at a time.

Crusade is over, and now it’s time to take a look at the plans that never came to be and arrive at an overall assessment of this short-lived spin-off.

Vera Wylde and Jessie Gender take up residence on Babylon 5 and the Excalibur on its Crusade, taking in one episode at a time.

Crusade: The Rules of the Game – Gideon tries to get Lochley’s help in getting permission to land on a planet with a potential cure lead, and the two flirt up a storm in the process. Meanwhile Max bumps into his ex and makes a bad situation worse, despite the failure of the episode to acknowledge that’s what he’s done.

Vera Wylde and Jessie Gender take up residence on Babylon 5 and the Excalibur on its Crusade, taking in one episode at a time.

Crusade: The Well of Forever – The Excalibur is diverted from its species saving mission, because it’s a day that ends in “y,” but this time it’s because of their resident technomage. What a change of pace.

Jessie and Vera are putting the journey through the universe of Babylon 5 on hold to talk about how the year has gone. Mostly in terms of entertainment, and a little about personal lives. Not so much about the state of the world… we don’t… we don’t need to go there.

Vera Wylde and Jessie Gender take up residence on Babylon 5 and the Excalibur on its Crusade, taking in one episode at a time.

Crusade: Patterns of the Soul – The Excalibur is diverted again on a mission to recover possible infected humans from a would-be colony. Naturally there’s some shady stuff going on, and it’s not just the questionable acting choices.

Vera Wylde and Jessie Gender take up residence on Babylon 5 and the Excalibur on its Crusade, taking in one episode at a time.

Crusade: Ruling from the Tomb – The Excalibur is diverted from its species-saving mission to… have the on-board doctor give a speech. Meanwhile Captain Gideon buts heads with Lochley from Babylon 5 because… just because.