Captain Matthew Gideon - Gary Cole
Lt. John Matheson - Daniel Dae Kim
Max Eilerson - David Allen Brooks
Galen - Peter Woodward
Dr. Sarah Chambers - Marjean Holden
Dureena Nafeel - Carrie Dobro
Captain Elizabeth Lochley - Tracy Scoggins

Even among the extraordinary group of men who command Explorer-class ships, Gideon is unusual. Soft-spoken and brooding, he can explode into action without warning. These qualities explain why he was chosen to be captain of the Excalibur - and why the choice was controversial. Gideon will do what he feels is right, no matter how many people he offends. He is also fiercely loyal and unswerving in fulfilling his ultimate duty.

Words from jms (18/8/98):

"Gary Cole as Captain Gideon is a thinkings man's character; there's a lot going on behind the eyes, and I know that when I write Gideon it will be in mental close-ups. Lines that could have been delivered with braggadocio or overweening confidence are brought down and honed into sureness of intent, clarity of purpose."

Matheson is the ultimate second-in-command, seeming to read his commander's mind. This he most assuredly does not do; Matheson is a telepath, one of the first to be allowed into the Earth Alliance since the disbanding of the Psi Corps. His steadfast commitment to his duty is occasionally leavened by a puckish sense of humor.

Words from jms (18/8/98):

"Daniel Dae Kim as Lieutenant John Matheson brings an unexpected intensity to the part, a seriousness and earnestness that is simultaneously endearing and sobering: you know that if he said he would plant his feet on the bridge and await your return, that you could go awary for two weeks, and he would still be there, just as you left him, and woe to anyone who tried to move him off that spot."

As an employee of InterPlanetary Expeditions, Eilerson has only one real question: how much money can an artifact bring on the open market? He is mercenary, cynical, self-serving ... and those are his more pleasant qualities. But, as an archaeologist and as a linguist beyond compare - Eilerson often translates as he hears a spoken language! - he is a necessary evil whom Capt. Gideon is willing to put up with.

Words from jms (18/8/98):

"David Allen Brooks as Max Eilerson speaks with an utter confidence that says he owns everything around him that is not moving or on fire, even more so than was at first indended in the dialogue as written. He brings a wonderful eccentricity to the role, a sence of humour that prevents the character from sliding into cliche'. I know I can write this character as broadly as I want, and the actor will take it home and make it real."

Galen is a Technomage, a member of an Order which uses advanced technology in "magical" ways. A mysterious and melancholy being, Galen has been expelled from his Order because of his intense desire to help "lesser creatures" ... such as Matthew Gideon. He accompanies the mission, but - as he often stays in his ship - is apart from its people.

Words from jms (18/8/98):

"Peter Woordward's Galen, a techno-mage, is a thing of beauty to behold. Every word crisp, delivered laser-like to its intended target. I like to find characters where I can wind them up to the point where they can let fly with pronouncements and Jeremiads, meditations and prophecies of doom... and the occasional one-liner just to keep you off your game. Galen is now one such character, and I plan to have a great deal of fun with him in months to come."

The head of the Excalibur's medical department is a dedicated professional. She left a sister back on Earth - a situation Dr. Chambers would have preferred to repair by joining her sister on the poisoned world. Instead, she ferociously applies her knowledge to finding a cure for the plague, and clings to her humanity in the face of possible extinction.

Words from jms (18/8/98):

"Marjean Holden's Dr. Sarah Chambers is the emotional heart of the show, the voice of reason and morality delivered with a sheer joy of living, able to be our conscience without appearing in the least judgmental."

Filch, pickpocket, lock-pick, tunnel rat: all of the above epithets give Dureena, member of the notorious Thieves' Guild, a glow of satisfaction. But she has a melancholy side as well: while Dureena was off-world, her planet was murdered by the Drakh. For her, the Excalibur's mission to find a cure for the Drakh Plague is a chance to pay back the Drakh, and undo what they hoped to achieve.

Words from jms (18/8/98):

"Carrie Dobro as Dureena is simply a kick in the head. An intensity in the eyes, a smile and a threat behind a curled lip, able to be that kind of vulnerable tough character who holds forth from joy because she will no longer abide pain, and the two are too closely linked for Dureena's comfort."

A career member of the Earth Alliance from a tradition of loyalty to Earthforce, Lochley is the current commander of the space station Babylon 5. Serious to the point of severity on duty, she has a quirky side when off-duty. Lochley also works hard to keep herself in shape ... perhaps to burn off the calories from her "forays" of the seedier parts of Babylon 5.

Words from jms (18/8/98):

"Tracy Scoggins as Captain Elizabeth Lochley, already known to viewers, still the commanding officer of Babylon 5 in 2272, independant and successful on her own terms, whose own story will be weaving in and out of the lives of the other characters, especially Captain Gideon."