Tue Aug 17 13:42:20 EDT 1999

Crusade Actors Drifting Away? Several weeks ago it was announced around the Net that David Allen Brooks, who plays Max Eilerson on Crusade, had gotten a job on The Young and the Restless. (Confirmed in personal communication with David Allen Brooks, Valley Forge, PA, August 7th; Brooks is now appearing on The Young and the Restless.) Before that Gary Cole was reported to have "hedged his bets" by starring in a pilot for a CBS series called Sherman Oaks, slated as but not yet picked up as a midseason replacement. (The Gary Cole Archives: News, "Rumor Control: Sherman Oaks", http://www.writeinstyle.com/gc/news.htm) And just yesterday I received news that Gary had landed a role in a pilot for an HBO comedy series called Lloyd: What Happened. (The Gary Cole Archives: Newsflash, "Gary Signed for HBO Pilot!", http://www.writeinstyle.com/gc/news.htm.) Is Crusade's cast drifting away? While the actors are out looking for other work--and who can blame them?--so far none have said that they will not return if Crusade should be picked up for a second season. 5/6ths of the cast appeared at a recent convention in Valley Forge, PA, hosted by Slanted Fedora. (August 7th and 8th; see also Voice of the Resistance: Conventions for more details (up later this week)). Appearing at the convention were David Allen Brooks, Carrie Dobro, Marjean Holden, Daniel Dae Kim, and Peter Woodward; Gary Cole was invited, but could not attend due to professional commitments. (One wonders now whether those professional commitments included an audition with HBO . . . ) I spoke with each of the actors personally, and they were willing, even eager, to return to work on Crusade. They said that it had been a wonderful experience for them, and I could see that they really enjoyed working together. Carrie and Marjean are both incredibly high on Crusade still, and David said that he really enjoyed working on something that tackled such interesting issues. Peter and Daniel concurred saying that Crusade was a terrific project and they still hoped it might be picked up for a second season. To date, none of the five had projects in development that would prohibit their return to Crusade. The cast was, naturally, reticent about Gary Cole. So, I remain unable to comment definitively about whether or not he would be available should Crusade see another season, a prospect which daily seems more dubious. Still, a pilot is just a pilot, and for now it seems likely that Cole, along with his castmates, would be able to return. The loss of a captain would feel strangely familiar to Babylon 5 fans... Those of us who have grown to love Crusade can only hope that it shares Babylon 5's amazing stick-to-it-iveness as well.