I have always moved to my own drummer. Drawn to perplexing stories that hold no easy answers and tease in ways one doesn’t expect. This was what drew me into the world of Darwin. The attraction started several years ago, when David Renegar, then head of VirtuallyAudio, and myself, came up with the idea for a new kind of western series. Originally intended to be called “Darwin’s Law”, a story that featured a well-educated former Boston lawyer, named Christopher Darwin. He would become a gun-for-hire, who finds himself at a moral crossroads. The concept at the time included a young nurse, named Sarah, disillusioned by a male-dominated profession. They would solve mysteries in the ‘wild west’, as they struggle to stay alive. Fast-forward eight years, the name of the series has evolved to illustrate its much broader scope and universal theme: “The Darwin Chronicles”.
The main character of Darwin has evolved. Now, he has picked up the attributes of ‘reformed alcoholic’ and ‘lapsed Catholic’. Although he still finds himself at that crossroads, he now has a demon inside to keep him company. The nurse’s name is now Katherine, who is more mature and sports a Scottish accent. She has a serious opium addiction and now harbors a few demons and secrets of her own. An organization known only as the New South has reared its head at the end of the American Civil War. It’s composed of a group of powerful men, who stop at nothing to see a New Confederacy resurrected. Even, if that involves the taking of innocent lives, in a series of brutal terrorist acts. Post-war America has become a chess game, with pieces moving swiftly across the board and assured victory going to the highest bidder.
CRUSADER is a further addition to the name and the chronicles have become densely populated with an assortment of interesting characters. Each of them deal with their own personal demons, real and imagined. A motley collection of souls caught in a struggle of good against evil, with an unholy puppeteer holding tight to the strings. This is a story of strong men and equally strong women making hard choices and facing the consequences of their actions. This is the reason a brave and talented cast and crew embarked on this journey. Though battered and bruised, we’re eager to share what’s been created.
Welcome to the world of CRUSADER: The Darwin Chronicles!
J. Hoskins
Writer/Director
