Follow-up to ‘Babylon’ looks to be a winner

Lately in his career, writer-producer J. Michael Straczynski has been successful bucking trends in TV programming. He designed his science-fiction epic “Babylon 5” as a contained program set to run for five years. It aired on syndicated TV for four years, then TNT picked it up for its final season after its dedicated fans cried out for closure.

Tonight, “Crusade,” Straczynski’s follow-up to “Babylon 5,” begins at 10 on TNT, in its regular time slot. Previewed in January’s “Bab 5” movie, “A Call to Arms,” “Crusade” is a 13-episode miniseries. And if the first episode, “War Zone,” is any indication, Straczynski has come up with another winner.

“Crusade” is set in the year 2267 after a brutal attack on Earth by the Drakh, allies of The Shadows, an evil, ancient race defeated during the run of “Babylon 5.” Humans succeeded in fending off the Drakh attack, but not before the aliens unleashed a biogenic plague that will eliminate all life on Earth in five years unless a cure can be found.

So the mission for the White Star fleet — led by the prototype warship Excalibre — is to comb the ruins of more advanced races, hoping to locate a cure for the plague. The Excalibre is commanded by Capt. Matthew Gideon, played by Gary Cole.

Gideon is aided in his mission by a telepathic first officer, a Thieves’ Guild member, an arrogant archaeologist and an exiled technomage, who uses advanced technology to simulate the effects of magic. Tracy Scoggins’ Capt. Elizabeth Lochley, who ran the Babylon 5 station in that show’s final season, is supposed to help Gideon as well, but the premiere episode didn’t spell out her role.

Cole (“Midnight Caller,” “American Gothic”) is one of TV’s underappreciated gems. He’s usually understated in his roles, but his Gideon is more in the two-fisted, Capt. Kirk action mode. “I’m not subtle, I’m not pretty and I tend to [tick] people off,” Gideon says when explaining himself.

The most interesting other cast member is Carrie Dobro (“Hypernauts”), who plays thief Dureena Nafeel. She’s the last of her race, after her world was wiped out by the Drakh. She’s been directed by technomage Galen (Peter Woodward) to assist Gideon, and this she does with aplomb, using the many skills necessary in her profession.

Despite bursts of action, “War Zone” is, as it must be, rather methodical, as the key characters and extensive backstory are introduced. “Crusade” also enjoys dynamite special effects for a TV show.

As it explores strange new worlds and long-dead civilizations, “Crusade” will give “Bab 5” fans the fix they’ve been needing since original episodes of their show ended, and also offers new viewers a chance to jump aboard for what should be an exotic albeit brief journey.

The premiere of “Crusade” will be preceded by an encore presentation of “A Call to Arms.”