The investigation of a derelict ship brings a colony of mental parasites aboard the ship. Gideon manages to contain them before they take over the entire ship, but they are only willing to relinquish control of the possessed crewmen if the Excalibur lets them loose on an inhabited world. A security officer gives his life to save Max from the parasites, and Max wonders if the sacrifice was worth it. A designer and public relations consultant from Earth overhaul the “look” of the mission to help reassure the viewers at home of its eventual success.
written by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Stephen Furst
music by Evan H. ChenCast: Gary Cole (Captain Matthew Gideon), Tracy Scoggins (Captain Elizabeth Lochley), Daniel Dae Kim (Lt. Matheson), Carrie Dobro (Dureena Nafeel), David Allen Brooks (Max Eilerson), Marjean Holden (Dr. Sarah Chambers), Peter Woodward (Galen), Luanne Ponce (Janey), John Vickery (Mr. Welles), Wayne Anderson (Kevin Sprach), Christopher Michael (Earthforce Captain)
Notes: John Vickery appeared as Minbari warrior Neroon in Babylon 5, as well as the shifty Mr. Welles in the episode The Fall Of Night. This episode was written as a segue into the first produced episodes of the series, and some of its dialogue was a parody of the real-life problems between Crusade’s producers and TNT executives that eventually killed the series. The references to changes in the Excalibur’s decor and uniforms reflected TNT’s demands; in actuality, the costumes and sets seen in Racing The Night and later episodes were what Crusade was originally intended to look like.
LogBook entry by Dave Thomer
