Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers
Encyclopedia
Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers (pilot telefilm title: To Live and Die in Starlight) is the fifth feature-length film set in the Babylon 5
universe (not including the pilot, The Gathering
).
It originally aired on January 19, 2002 on the Sci Fi Channel
, and was intended to be the pilot of a new series entitled The Legend of the Rangers. It was written by J. Michael Straczynski
and directed by Mike Vejar
.
The film's initial airing in the US
was opposite the NFL
AFC
Divisional Championship game
; as such, the movie received poor ratings on the east coast (although west coast ratings were above expectations), and the Sci Fi Channel decided not to pursue a series. Straczynski posted the following to Usenet
group rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated on January 27, 2002:
ended, hundreds of civilizations were devastated. It is up to the Interstellar Alliance
, with the help of the Rangers
, to rebuild what the great war destroyed and to hold peace among the worlds of the ISA.
In the year 2265, David Martel (Dylan Neal
), a Ranger, is given the command of a twenty-year-old Ranger starship, the Liandra
, and is asked to escort a Valen-class cruiser to a secret location carrying several diplomats, including Ambassador G'Kar (Andreas Katsulas
). However, upon arrival, the two craft are attacked on behalf of an unknown, mysterious, and ancient force known only as The Hand whose lethal power is far greater than any previously known to Earth or any other world in the Interstellar Alliance.
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
universe (not including the pilot, The Gathering
Babylon 5: The Gathering
Babylon 5: The Gathering is the pilot movie of the science fiction television series Babylon 5. The telefilm aired on February 22, 1993...
).
It originally aired on January 19, 2002 on the Sci Fi Channel
Sci Fi Channel (United States)
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
, and was intended to be the pilot of a new series entitled The Legend of the Rangers. It was written by J. Michael Straczynski
J. Michael Straczynski
Joseph Michael Straczynski , known professionally as J. Michael Straczynski and informally as Joe Straczynski or JMS, is an American writer and television producer. He works in films, television series, novels, short stories, comic books, and radio dramas. He is a playwright, a former journalist,...
and directed by Mike Vejar
Mike Vejar
Michael "Mike" Laurence Vejar is an American television director, with directing credits on the four most recent Star Trek series, as well as directing other notable series, such as Zorro, Babylon 5, MacGyver, The Dead Zone, The X-Files and Jeremiah.- Notes :In Babylon 5 episode "The Geometry of...
.
The film's initial airing in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was opposite the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
Divisional Championship game
NFL playoffs, 2001-02
The NFL playoffs following the 2001 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXXVI.For the first time, the NFL scheduled prime time playoff games for the first two rounds in an attempt to attract more television viewers. Saturday wild card and divisional playoff games were moved from 12:30 p.m. and 4:00...
; as such, the movie received poor ratings on the east coast (although west coast ratings were above expectations), and the Sci Fi Channel decided not to pursue a series. Straczynski posted the following to Usenet
Usenet
Usenet is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It developed from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name.Duke University graduate students Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis conceived the idea in 1979 and it was established in 1980...
group rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated on January 27, 2002:
Plot synopsis
As the Shadow WarShadow War
The Shadow Wars are a fictional series of wars involving the Shadows in the television science fiction series Babylon 5. There have actually been many Shadow Wars since ancient times in the galaxy. Roughly every thousand years, the Shadows begin a new Shadow War to promote chaos in the universe in...
ended, hundreds of civilizations were devastated. It is up to the Interstellar Alliance
Interstellar Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Interstellar Alliance is a fictional interstellar government of civilizations in the Babylon 5 universe.Formed in 2261 AD in the aftermath of the liberation of Earth and the Shadow War, the Interstellar Alliance was formed between the Minbari, Narn, Centauri, the Earth Alliance and the...
, with the help of the Rangers
Ranger (Babylon 5)
Rangers are a fictional class of warriors that play a prominent role in the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-History:...
, to rebuild what the great war destroyed and to hold peace among the worlds of the ISA.
In the year 2265, David Martel (Dylan Neal
Dylan Neal
Dylan J. Neal is a Canadian actor who has appeared in a large number of television shows and in feature films. He is best known for role as Dylan Shaw on The Bold and The Beautiful from 1994 to 1997 and his supporting role as Pacey Witter's older brother, Doug on the American television drama...
), a Ranger, is given the command of a twenty-year-old Ranger starship, the Liandra
Liandra
The Liandra is a fictional starship in the Babylon 5 television movie Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers.- History :The Liandra is of Minbari origin, and although only around 20 years old it is considered an obsolete design standard by Minbari. The Liandra was given to Ranger Capt...
, and is asked to escort a Valen-class cruiser to a secret location carrying several diplomats, including Ambassador G'Kar (Andreas Katsulas
Andreas Katsulas
Andrew "Andreas" Katsulas was a Greek-American actor known for his roles as Ambassador G'Kar in the science fiction television series Babylon 5, as the one-armed villain Sykes in the film The Fugitive , and as the Romulan Commander Tomalak on Star Trek: The Next Generation...
). However, upon arrival, the two craft are attacked on behalf of an unknown, mysterious, and ancient force known only as The Hand whose lethal power is far greater than any previously known to Earth or any other world in the Interstellar Alliance.
Cast
- Dylan NealDylan NealDylan J. Neal is a Canadian actor who has appeared in a large number of television shows and in feature films. He is best known for role as Dylan Shaw on The Bold and The Beautiful from 1994 to 1997 and his supporting role as Pacey Witter's older brother, Doug on the American television drama...
: David Martell - Andreas KatsulasAndreas KatsulasAndrew "Andreas" Katsulas was a Greek-American actor known for his roles as Ambassador G'Kar in the science fiction television series Babylon 5, as the one-armed villain Sykes in the film The Fugitive , and as the Romulan Commander Tomalak on Star Trek: The Next Generation...
: G'Kar - Alex ZaharaAlex ZaharaAlex Zahara is a Canadian actor & a voice actor.Alex was born in Northern Alberta, and, according to his mother, has always enjoyed performing for others. He grew up loving the classics in acting, Bogart, Cagney, etc. Got involved with theatre while still in school, performing in a stage version of...
: Dulann - Myriam SiroisMyriam SiroisMyriam Sirois is a Canadian actress and voice actress, mainly known for being the voice of Akane Tendo in the English version of Ranma ½. She also portrayed Sarah Cantrell in the Babylon 5 movie The Legend of the Rangers: To Live and Die by Starlight.- External links :...
: Sarah Cantrell - Dean MarshallDean MarshallDean Stewart Marshall is a Canadian actor, known for his role as a Sgt. Bates on Stargate Atlantis.Marshall began performing from a young age in a steel band. His family was originally from Trinidad and Tobago. He joined the Canadian Forces as a teenager for a short time...
: Malcolm Bridges - Warren Takeuchi: Kitaro 'Kit' Sasaki
- Jennie Rebecca Hogan: Na'Feel
- Mackenzie GrayMackenzie GrayMackenzie Gray is a Canadian film, television, and stage actor. He is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and Canada. He divides his time between Toronto and Vancouver....
: Kafta - David Storch: Tafeek
- Enid-Raye Adams: Firell
- Gus Lynch: Tirk