"It's quite a place. A place of good times and bad, of pain and growth, but in the end a place of great hope. - But if you ever do come aboard, remember one thing: No one there is exactly what he seems. But then, who is?"
-- G'Kar (played by Andreas Katsulas)
-- G'Kar (played by Andreas Katsulas)
OK, haters, get this straight: I don't dislike Babylon 5 or any of its derivatives. My issue with it is entirely from outside the (TV) box in that I just don't get why the program meant so much to so, so, so many. I've watched the whole series -- I've avoided the subsequent movies, of which Babylon 5: The Legend Of The Rangers is included, mostly because some ardent fans told me that they were a frustrating experience. I've always said that -- while I found it quite good and with an incredible cast -- it just didn't resonate with me the way other shows have. In some ways, those sentiments are kinda/sorta like folks from the late 1960's who watched Star Trek in its original run while the rest of mankind ignored it, only to discover it in television syndication later. Just because this franchise doesn't mean as much to me doesn't dismiss any of its strengths and/or weaknesses ... so let that (hopefully) be the end of that debate.
In any event, it was on this day back in 2002 that series' creator J. Michael Straczynski sought to bring it back to the airwaves in the form of an all-new serial, but The Legend Of The Rangers failed to gain any traction with audiences. As can often happen in the business of broadcast television, I think it's safe to suggest that the SciFi Channel (now Syfy) is as much to blame as anyone in this missed opportunity (there's a solid summation of Legend's history on Cancelled Before It Began right here, so I won't relive it), and I'd definitely agree with any like-minded thinker who suggested that perhaps the Rangers might very well have been the best opportunity to bring B5 back, especially given that it had really only disappeared a few years previous. Such a narrative focus could've played out in a variety of ways ... but, as they say, it wasn't meant to be.
Written by Straczynski, the telefilm was directed by Michael Vejar, a proven veteran of TV production. The project starred Dylan Neal, Alex Zahara, Myriam Sorois, Dean Marshall, and Enid-Raye Adams; and there's absolutely no doubt that a long-term series could very well have meant returning and/or recurring guest stints from any of B5's regulars. (In fact, Andreas Katsulas was on board for the pilot.) Here's the premise as provided by the good people at IMDB.com:
"A disgraced Ranger takes command of an old, possibly haunted, ship on an escort mission that encounters deadly peril from a new enemy civilization."
In any event, it was on this day back in 2002 that series' creator J. Michael Straczynski sought to bring it back to the airwaves in the form of an all-new serial, but The Legend Of The Rangers failed to gain any traction with audiences. As can often happen in the business of broadcast television, I think it's safe to suggest that the SciFi Channel (now Syfy) is as much to blame as anyone in this missed opportunity (there's a solid summation of Legend's history on Cancelled Before It Began right here, so I won't relive it), and I'd definitely agree with any like-minded thinker who suggested that perhaps the Rangers might very well have been the best opportunity to bring B5 back, especially given that it had really only disappeared a few years previous. Such a narrative focus could've played out in a variety of ways ... but, as they say, it wasn't meant to be.
Written by Straczynski, the telefilm was directed by Michael Vejar, a proven veteran of TV production. The project starred Dylan Neal, Alex Zahara, Myriam Sorois, Dean Marshall, and Enid-Raye Adams; and there's absolutely no doubt that a long-term series could very well have meant returning and/or recurring guest stints from any of B5's regulars. (In fact, Andreas Katsulas was on board for the pilot.) Here's the premise as provided by the good people at IMDB.com:
"A disgraced Ranger takes command of an old, possibly haunted, ship on an escort mission that encounters deadly peril from a new enemy civilization."
I have read a bit of review/reaction to the telefilm online, and -- without getting into some of the particulars -- it does seem as if B5's core fandom wasn't all that impressed with this fledgling property. While some of that might be owed to the obvious push into territory that may've left too much of the established mythology behind or 'on the back burner' as it were, we all know that Straczynski -- with his skills as a storyteller -- could likely have 'righted that ship' if the prospect had been picked up and given life as an ongoing serial. It didn't ... and this is where it all ended, to a great degree.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
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