Messages collated by Bill Bottke ******************************************************************************* * Compuserve messages: (Courtesy of The Green Meddler at C.I.U.P.K.C. Software) ******************************************************************************* Subj: M TV & R and B5? Section: Babylon 5 To: Emily Christensen, 73362,3512 Saturday, March 04, 1995 12:52:20 AM ~From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#131266 Thanks for sticking with it all this time. It's kind of funny; Mark Hamill talks about how he went to several conventions just prior to the release of STAR WARS, and practically couldn't get arrested. He'd sit there at a table, all alone, and nobody would even come by. Six months later.... At those first few B5 panels, back when the show was still only in the "here's what I'm going to do" stage, before we'd aired a frame of film, the usual reaction was "yeah, sure," or hostility, or disbelief, or just no reaction at all. But at many of the cons, there was this core group of people who believed in the project from the first word...who lent their belief and their support to something they hadn't even seen, in the hope that maybe this time their dilligence and faith would be rewarded. And to those who make Babylon 5, those are the special ones, and we are very mindful of them. Stepping out on faith takes a certain degree of courage, and that's not something to be taken lightly. So thanks for being one of them. Re: your question...at this juncture, I think I'd have to choose "The Coming of Shadows" as the one episode I'd use to represent the series. That one episode came out so close to perfect, so close to what I saw in my head when I wrote it, that the difference is no difference at all. It has all the elements I'd feature in a B5 discussion...the CGI, the characterization, the complexity, the politics, the language, the performances. There are, by the way, some really extraordinary episodes coming up. The first one in the next cycle of new episodes, "And Now for a Word," will, I think, be very popular, and to my knowledge does something that has never been done in SF television before; "There All the Honor Lies" is a fun episode with some nice characterization and solid humor; "In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum" is an episode that is as emotionally raw as "Chrysalis" with some major revelations that force Sheridan to make the most important decision of his life; "Confessions and Lamentations" I'd put right next to "Believers" in intensity, a terrific Franklin episode; "The Long, Twilight Struggle" is probably the biggest episode of the entire two years to date, story and EFX and character wise, and will have a profound effect on the series that I'd compare to a cross between "Signs and Portents" and "Chrysalis"...and "Divided Loyalties" will produce a stunning revelation about one of our major characters. The latter half of this season is all about tightening the screws until you hit the screaming point. I've got to send this show over the edge, because THAT'S where the really interesting stuff begins to happen. I have a big sign on my office wall. It's a quote from Franz Kafka. (And by big I mean 2' x 3'.) "The point of no return; that is the point that must be reached." The latter half of this season will send us tumbling end over end beyond the point of no return...and taking many of our characters with us. jms Subj: B5 T-Shirt/Caps Info Section: Babylon 5 To: All Saturday, March 04, 1995 2:40:24 AM ~From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#131322 A while back, in discussing merchandise, I mentioned that All-U was doing some *great* shirts, but that they were mainly supplying direct to distributers. Because of demand, they've begun selling now directly, on individual orders. How long this will last is anyone's guess, but they're doing it now, and I figured I'd give everybody a head's up. They're doing short AND LONG SLEEVE t-shirts and caps. The caps are with the B5 symbol embroidered. The shirts are black, with full-color artwork from photographs and CGI images supplied directly by Foundation. The shirs are of the following kind: cast with station; station with B5 logo and the words "the last best hope;" station, logo and the nearby planet; and station, logo with a starfury flying past in foreground. They're nicely done, without the usual thickness associated with color inking on black shirts. These are authorized and approved. When we saw how nifty these shirts were, we ordered boxes of them for the stage, and these are the same kind worn around the B5 set by cast and crew. (They practically flew out the door upon arriving, by the crew in particular.) They're really nifty. Apparently there are CIS rules about giving out the prices of the shirts, so I won't, but I will say they're very reasonably priced. Their phone number is 1-800-424-2558, ext. 105. They're a very enthusiastic bunch of guys who love the show, and want to do it right. jms Subj: Sci Fi and Producers. Section: Babylon 5 To: Richard Cunningham, 71213,3504 Wednesday, March 22, 1995 2:45:03 AM ~From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#149451 I'm constantly amazed at the quality of work coming out of Matt Wagner. His MAGE continues to be one of the best graphic novels out there. And while I'm quite enamored of his GRENDEL series in all theirf various incarnations (literally), it started as a MAGE backup, and I'd like to see him finish the promised sequel one of these days. For what it's worth, in case anybody's interested, the books I'm finding of constant interest include just about anything from Grant Morrison, Neil Gaiman's SANDMAN, the FLASH has gotten really kind of interesting, all the ALIENS/PREDATOR stuff from Dark Horse tends to be just briliant, Steven Grant's X, the current SPIDERMAN clone-identity stories, Stan Sakai's USAGI YOJIMBO, plus BOOKS OF MAGIC, SUPERMAN, the new STARMAN has potential, and it looks like DC may finally have gotten LEGION OF SUPERHEROES onto a track worthy of its origins. (Yeah, if you haven't figured it, I've got about a $40 per week habit at my local comics store.) jms* (*vainly hoping to one day see more MIRACLEMAN titles, maybe this time from Alan Moore.) Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Monday, May 15, 1995 9:12:16 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#209630 No, the Sinclair storyline would not have been introduced the same way as the Sheridan story vis a vis the shadows. That was kind of my problem as I got into this; how to tie him to that part without straining credulity, given everything ELSE he was into. Science/exploration vessels are privately funded, and go into areas of considerable hazard. They arrive by piggy-backing on a larger, jump capable ship, with an appointment X-number of days or weeks later with another ship to go home. While it's gone, it's on its own. EA can't afford to send out more ships into a situation like this, where they have no real idea what's gone wrong, and it's a private venture, any more than the US can send out the Coast Guard to investigate every single ship that disappears at sea halfway across the globe. Re: Voyager, I feel that the characters have great potential that has not yet been really explored. jms Subj: >Along these lines, is there any chance we might see -- on the nets or in a magaizine -- a >>story on the creation of a random episode, beginning from when the script is written to air >>date (including pre-production, filming, and post-production)? If any magazine ever wants to write that article, we're up for it, but so far, no one's approached us on it. jms Subj: B5 Comics #5 and #6 Section: Babylon 5 To: Tuesday, May 16, 1995 9:02:21 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#210954 The comics vary in applicability. I don't see why the events in the current arc wouldn't apply. BTW, I'm writing a new 4-issue arc, which introduces a character who will be seen in the (one hopes) third season. So this will provide all the canon background on the character, and have it out before the airing itself. jms Subj: Za'Ha'Dum and Mind War Section: Babylon 5 To: Tuesday, May 16, 1995 9:32:01 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#211040 The Rim is the edge of explored or known space. jms Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Wednesday, May 17, 1995 8:45:21 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#212073 Actually, it wouldn't be the first time for a series; Blake's 7 ended by knocking off all the characters. Frankly, I find that kind of thing vaguely dissatisfying. jms Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Wednesday, May 17, 1995 8:45:23 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#212074 "I distrust any female who bites the male's head off after mating." Ah...I see we dated the same women back in college. jms Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Wednesday, May 17, 1995 8:45:27 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#212077 Re: disliking the idea of god...I don't, and don't feel its correct to dislike ANY idea. Ideas are simply that: words and thoughts. The idea that one sex or race is better than any other is harmless; the PRACTICE of treating one race or sex better than any other, and acting upon that idea, IS odious and wrong and must be stopped. We should never be afraid of ideas. Good can only be properly understood in the context of evil, as balance points on our intellectual fulcrum. I've always wondered why the notion "Lead us not into temptation" was something to be praised. Rather, I think it should be "lead us INTO temptation," because it is only when a belief, or an idea, or a faith is most fully tested, and one can REFUSE temptation, rather than just avoiding it, that growth takes place. jms Subj: What do Shadows want? Section: Babylon 5 To: Wednesday, May 17, 1995 8:46:00 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#212078 Just for the record...it's J'Quon. jms Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Wednesday, May 17, 1995 8:46:01 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#212080 "Joe is storing a bit of a surprise for us among the Narn." Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm....could be. jms Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Wednesday, May 17, 1995 8:46:03 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#212081 Yeah, I kinda wanted the current arc in the comic to come out around this time; it's good for showing a flashback that ties into several parts of the story at once. (One biggie is yet to come, at the end of the comic arc.) I'm currently writing a new 4-issue arc, which is designed to give all the backstory of a new character that will (if we're renewed) be introduced in the third season, all of it canon, and which weaves in and out of many of the major events we've seen in year two. In theory, the first issue of that would hit the stands about the same time the first episode of the series is aired (assuming the above). jms Subj: Za'Ha'Dum and Mind War Section: Babylon 5 To: Wednesday, May 17, 1995 8:46:04 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#212082 Anything I write can be reposted anywhere else (and usually is). jms Subj: B5 Comics #5 and #6 Section: Babylon 5 To: Wednesday, May 17, 1995 8:46:05 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#212083 Thanks. The 4-issue arc I'm writing is fairly large in scope; it goes to an area near the Rim, to Minbar, Earth, Narn, Centauri Prime, Babylon 5, and involves the majority of our characters, plus we learn a lot more about the Rangers. (Why do I seem genetically incapable of just writing a simple little story...?) jms Subj: BABEARLON 5 INFO Section: Babylon 5 To: Wednesday, May 17, 1995 8:46:07 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#212084 That bear, by the way, also provided our best dailies...there, on screen, was our EFX supervisor standing against a blue screen, a cockpit window in front of him, and a long pole stuck up the bear's butt, slamming it into the glass, over and over and over.... I *live* for this sort of thing. jms Subj: Big Bang Section: Babylon 5 To: Wednesday, May 17, 1995 8:46:08 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#212086 The Big Bang convention is not a B5 convention, and is deliberately NOT sanctioned or endorsed by either Warner Bros. or Babylonian Productions. We've taken considerable pains to distance ourselves from it. jms Subj: Notes from jms Section: Babylon 5 To: All Friday, May 19, 1995 1:13:19 AM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#213448 Bits of this and that.... 1) Claudia Christian, Bill Mumy and I will all be appearing (in separate appearances, I believe) at the Creation Mega-Show in Ahaheim, CA at the Anaheim Convention Center the weekend of May 27-28. I don't know which day(s) they'll be appearing, but I'll be there that Sunday. For more info, call Creation at 818-409-0960. Should be a big convention. (Side-note: Creation has produced some *very* nifty B5 jackets, some in denim, others in suede/leather, with the station embroidered on the back.) 2) To parents of small children who watch B5...next week's episode, "Confessions and Lamentations," is a very strong, intense, uncompromising episode. You *may* want to watch it first, in order to better decide if it should be seen by them, and what you may want to discuss later. 3) To sum up various threads here...yes, Warner Bros. has decided that the last four episodes of this season will be aired in October, in order to get a running start on a (hopeful) third season in November, though there has as yet not been any confirmation about a third season. 4) For our Irish viewers, Peter Jursasik will be blipping in for a one-day appearance in Dublin this weekend. Contact Gerard Keating here on CIS for more info. 5) A number of cast .avi files have been uploaded here; they can be re-uploaded to other systems, and are a great deal of fun. You may want to check them out. jms Subj: Notes from jms Section: Babylon 5 To: Friday, May 19, 1995 8:01:09 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#214141 The last new ep for this month is "Confessions and Lamentations," next week. Then the long wait. jms Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Friday, May 19, 1995 11:37:15 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#214380 "Are people in the 23rd century REALLY this naive?" Are people in the 20th century really this naive? Answer: Senator Joseph McCarthy. J. Edgar Hoover. jms Subj: Notes from jms Section: Babylon 5 To: Friday, May 19, 1995 11:37:16 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#214381 You can probably contact Creation about the jackets at 818-409-0960. jms Subj: Notes from jms Section: Babylon 5 To: Friday, May 19, 1995 11:37:18 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#214382 With luck, sometime in the coming week we'll get the formal word. The two sides involved in the negotiations between PTEN stations, and Warner Bros. will both be back in town again, and with luck they can lock down the deal points remaining to be settled. jms Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Friday, May 19, 1995 11:46:04 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#214406 You're making a mistake in semantics. First, if someone is trying to introduce legislation based on this anti-female POV, then that is an action based upon the idea, and as I've said, that is where you now draw up sides and try to convince the majority that this idea is wrong. More importantly, the issue at hand is the right simply to *express* or hold unpopular beliefs. A free society allows all kinds of ideas. A wise society chooses with care which ideas it implements. At its best, we must be both free and wise. jms Subj: Notes from jms Section: Babylon 5 To: Saturday, May 20, 1995 4:45:04 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#215006 Not so much the future of PTEN, no; every year they go through various and sundry negotiations, some more intensive than others. jms Subj: Tribute to Wise Guy? Section: Babylon 5 To: Saturday, May 20, 1995 4:45:05 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#215007 No, Wiseguy did not have any influence on writing my show. The story arc was written 7 years ago, long preceding that show. Nor was Ivanova's ankle-break a tribute to anything, since it was written in to accommodate a real accident in which Claudia broke her foot. jms Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Saturday, May 20, 1995 4:45:08 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#215008 The grapevine's info is wrong. We have not yet been formally or officially renewed. In retrospect, the only problem with having given nods of respect to other works of SF is that now it seems that's the main thing people look for, seeing it even when it's not there. The show was never intended to be a pastiche, but that's how some choose to, incorrectly, perceive it. "Oh, this is a tribute to the Spock/Kirk pon farr fight." NO it's not. Part of the problem may be in the frame of reference; those with backgrounds in literature see parallels to Homer or MacBeth; those who primarily have an SF background see it all as riffs on Blake's 7 or somesuch. It's enough to make me consider yanking OUT all nods and references forever down the road, to avoid people saying, "Oh, he's just doing X" when the simple fact is that I never SAW X in most cases, wasn't doing X, have no DESIRE to do X, and I thunk up this scene myself while sweating blood at 3 a.m. It's kind of hard to go through that much pain, creating a scene, and then have someone say, "Oh, he based that scene on the cabbage sequence in "Mighty Mouse."" So I'm giving some measure of thought to this whole issue. jms Subj: Notes from jms Section: Babylon 5 To: Saturday, May 20, 1995 4:45:09 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#215009 No, the UK will shows the episodes straight through, without a break, and will see the last 4 eps months before they're aired in the US. jms Subj: Notes from jms Section: Babylon 5 To: Saturday, May 20, 1995 4:45:12 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#215011 No, the Warner stores generally carry little to nothing from their series, including B5. jms Subj: Notes from jms Section: Babylon 5 To: Saturday, May 20, 1995 4:45:13 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#215012 I think Creation can do mail order or phone orders via their Glendale office, 818 409-0960. jms Subj: Notes from jms Section: Babylon 5 To: Saturday, May 20, 1995 10:06:25 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#215312 It's legally possible for a station to do a marathon, I just don't think it's likely. jms Subj: Notes from jms Section: Babylon 5 To: Saturday, May 20, 1995 10:06:26 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#215313 Right now, there's nothing much to be done until they finish their negotiations. It's in the lap of the execs.... jms Subj: Thanks for the AVI's Section: Babylon 5 To: Saturday, May 20, 1995 10:06:27 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#215314 A few lines were suggested by WB PR, and a bunch of others I wrote. jms Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Sunday, May 21, 1995 10:17:18 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#216296 Hey! A reasonable, thought-out message! Stop that, you know the rules on that sort of thing.... jms Subj: UK B5 ratings? Section: Babylon 5 To: Sunday, May 21, 1995 10:17:23 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#216299 We don't do the sound of engines droning all the time, but we do a fair amount of audio mapping, very subtle stuff, most noticeable if you run it through a good Dolby surround sound system. If you're running it through a straight TV set, you may lose a fair amount of it. The UK ratings are published somewhere, but I don't have it at hand. jms Subj: B5 Jackets Section: Babylon 5 To: Monday, May 22, 1995 12:41:25 AM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#216403 The expensive jackets are leather, and quite nice; but they also make a denim version as well, which should be far less. jms Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Monday, May 22, 1995 12:52:26 AM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#216404 On one level, this does indicate that we really *are* crazy over here at B5. Here we developed this race for nearly two years. Developed their culture. Mentioned them prominently just last episode. Had them speak before the full Council (in "Long Dark"). Spent substantial amounts of money making them the biggest single alien group we've got (some of the group shots had 40-50 or more Marcabs, all in full prosthetics and full costume)...and now, never to be seen again. It couldn't be a race we've never seen before, not if it was to have the impact I wanted. It had to be a group that's been with us from the start. In Council scenes for the balance of the season, the Marcab seat remains empty. jms Subj: Data Crystals Section: Babylon 5 To: Monday, May 22, 1995 7:24:22 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#217128 There's a code imbedded inside the crystal itself, which though the camera doesn't pick it up, can be read fairly easily by the naked eye. If you try to change the code, it requires breaking the crystal, which defeats the purpose. jms Subj: Conference? Section: Babylon 5 To: Tuesday, May 23, 1995 1:01:31 AM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#217562 Well, I *did* stop in for the Tallman CO here briefly. And yes, the narration should be shorter next year. jms Subj: Notes from jms Section: Babylon 5 To: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644Tuesday, May 23, 1995 12:17:15 PM ~From: Joe: Q: How many PTEN Executives does it take to screw in a lightbulb? A: Two. One to screw it in 4/5 of the way, and the other to come along four months later and finish the job. man, it's going to be a loooooooong Summer . . . - Steve Subj: UK B5 ratings? Section: Babylon 5 To: Tuesday, May 23, 1995 8:08:21 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#218423 >>Is Babylon 5 filmed in widescreen format? Yes, it is, and eventually it'll be released in that format. jms Subj: RoB5: 'Cheezy' quotes Section: Babylon 5 To: Wednesday, May 24, 1995 2:56:19 AM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#218783 I actually couldn't believe that episode. I hadn't watched the show in a very long time, and finally set aside time to look at it...and the ship is menaced by the deadly cheese virus? How could *anyone* pitch this with a straight face? jms Subj: Notes from jms Section: Babylon 5 To: Wednesday, May 24, 1995 8:32:07 PM From: <> to: Dick Robertson, President Warner Brothers Domestic Television Distribution 4000 Warner Blvd. Burbank, CA 91522 United States tel. (818) 954-5877 fax. (818) 954-5820>> Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Thursday, May 25, 1995 8:17:04 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#220833 "No disease in human history is 100% fatal." Not correct. The Black Death was fatal to everyone infected by it. It was not, as Drafa, 100% contagious, but it *was* about 90% contagious. The Black Death wiped out *three-quarters of the entire European population*. Roll that around for a while. Three-quarters. The only thing that saved areas of Europe was that there wasn't as much travel then as today between countries; it was reserved for those with enough money to afford it, which were very few. There were also fewer means of entry; a river and a bridge closed to refugees was often enough to keep people out. There is now MUCH freer travel. Had there been freer travel in the 14th century, it's entirely possible that the entire European population might have been completely eradicated, with those few who might've been immune dying from associated diseases, hunger and other problems caused by the presence of the disease. One person I spoke with at the CDC (Center for Disease Control) said that, hypothetically speaking, the sudden eruption of a disease like this is possible. How likely depends on various circumstances. There are, for instance, regions in the Amazon and South America where certain kinds of plant and animal life can only be found; and those specific lifeforms can transfer diseases to humans...diseases that literally melt the flesh off your body, or in another case, cause worm-like infestations to burst through the skin covering the entire body. (Let me tell you, researching this was just a whole lotta laughs.) They are *highly* contagious. The only thing that has (so far) prevented a massive outbreak is the fact that by the time you can generally get OUT of these remote areas...you're dead. A particularly aggressive disease could perform very much like what is described in the episode. jms Subj: Conference? Section: Babylon 5 To: Thursday, May 25, 1995 8:17:05 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#220834 It would be bad luck to release the third year title until I know for sure if it's been renewed. jms Subj: Conference? Section: Babylon 5 To: Thursday, May 25, 1995 8:17:06 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#220835 Perhaps the narration for year five should just be, "RUN FOR IT!" jms Subj: cast change? Section: Babylon 5 To: Thursday, May 25, 1995 8:17:08 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#220836 Stephen <> is definitely not being written out of B5. jms Subj: Conf & Lam Awesome Section: Babylon 5 To: Thursday, May 25, 1995 10:08:08 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#220984 >>Mira Furlan should be getting more Meryl Streep-like roles. Thanks. And Mira's terrific, I definitely agree. jms Subj: Local station: "renewed" Section: Babylon 5 To: Friday, May 26, 1995 5:37:26 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#221631 Unfortunately, no. Baseline problem: both WB and the stations want B5 back, but there are some outstanding, and rather substantive negotiations still ongoing concerning financial issues and other stuff that doesn't involve us directly, but affects our fate. Those negotiations have not been completed, and everything is still in abeyance. jms Subj: Notes from jms Section: Babylon 5 To: Friday, May 26, 1995 10:55:05 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#221956 On the other hand, the new series is from Morgan & Wong, the same guys who made the X-Files (with Chris Carter) a great show, so there's hope. jms Subj: RoB5: Bashing... Section: Babylon 5 To: Monday, May 29, 1995 2:20:15 AM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#223617 "...the fact remains that more people continue to enjoy Trek than Babylon 5." Don't you think it's just the *teensiest* bit unfair to compare a show with a TWENTY SEVEN YEAR HISTORY to something that's only been on the air less than two seasons? If B5 and ST came on the air at the same time, then you could make this comparison fairly. ST has, over nearly three decades, become part of the culture; B5 doesn't have that advantage. On the whole issue of so-called "Trek bashing," part of my brain explodes every time I see this discussion dredged up from whatever place it rests in between sessions. For 27 years, many ST fans held up that show as being the Ultimate in TV SF. "Well, X is okay, but it's not as good as STAR TREK!" "Show Y really sucks next to Star Trek." And so on. So now somebody says, "Well, Star Trek is okay, but it's not as good as BABYLON 5" and suddenly I hear a lot of whining and whinging and "Tell the bad mans to stop making fun of us! That's not fair!" Seems to me it's only not fair because somebody other than ST fans is saying it. (And please don't tell me the former stuff didn't happen; I've been on the nets since 1984 and at cons/in fandom since forever, and I've seen it.) Most of the ST fans, I should point out, are quite accepting of B5; what I see most often is those who did the most bashing of every other show falling entirely to pieces because now they're at the other end of it, as though their show should be sacrosanct. To whom I simply say...tough. Deal with it, pink boy, it's *your* turn in the barrel, and if you don't like it, then maybe you shouldn't have been doing it yourself all these years. This leads to comments like those from (either Berman or) Pillar in a recent magazine interview, in which he stated that yes, there are lots of other SF shows out there, but because his show has the Star Trek name on it, he really doesn't have to keep up with or have any sense of competition with any other show, since that name gives them an automatic advantage. That speaks to the heart of why many ST fans are now having a problem with that show, whose motto seems to be, "We're Star Trek, we don't HAVE to try harder." (Reminiscent of the SNL routine, "We're the phone company. We don't care. We don't have to.") It's sheer complacency. When some ST fans berate or criticize other shows, they feel they do so from a perspective of quality, and thus they're automatically right; if another fan of another show does it to them, well, by golly, that's not informed criticism, it CAN'T be, because ST is the True One Light, it must be BASHING! Screw that. Any show that can't take a little criticism isn't worth squat in the first place. And don't even *try* the notion that B5 gets by without criticism. I see *plenty* of it...a certain percentage comes from misunderstanding, a certain percentage just making trouble...and a great deal of it is quite correct. But it's *there*, believe me, I go through it every day of the week. If maybe people do it a bit *less* than ST, could it possibly, just maybe, be because we generally do fewer stupid things and make fewer dumb mistakes? No, couldn't be that...it must be blind loyalty, check your cerebral cortex at the door and don't question. Nope. We try harder. Work harder. Because we don't have the luxury of a 27 year franchise behind us. The only thing we have to offer is a passion for quality and hard work. We can't rely on the sure knowledge that viewers will come back to us every week because of our name. We have to make every single episode as close to a home run as we can, because we can't afford even *one* foul ball. "...more people continue to enjoy Trek than Babylon 5." Yeah, and more people eat at McDonald's than Chateau Marmont. So what's your point? (And no, I'm *not* saying that ST = McDonalds, I'm just trying to illustrate the numerical fallacy in the argument you proffered.) Numbers prove nothing in terms of quality per se. If it did then BAYWATCH would be the Grail to which all TV should aspire. I would remind you that more people originally watched LOST IN SPACE than ST when it was on the air; that LiS lasted longer than ST out of the gate, garnered more positive reviews than ST, and ST was generally considered, in newspaper and magazine articles, to be just a "cheap attempt to cash in on Lost in Space's popularity," and a vulgar adventure show without substance. That's how it was described. Seems to me that ST fans should know their history, and understand when they are doing to another what was done to them. (And most do, btw.) The *hardest* part, for me, is knowing how many ST fans ARE open minded, and accepting, and living out what was, frankly, Gene's concept of IDIC, infinite diversity in infinite combinations. And it's the majority of them who are nifty, bright, open people, as opposed to a very small minority of whiners. I was at a Creation Convention today, and time after time after time, I had people come up to me to say that they like B5, in many cases more than ST...and many of them said it with a glance over the shoulder, as though nervous that somebody was going to come over and argue with them or berate them about it. There's nothing unpatriotic or disloyal about criticizing ST, any more so than criticizing any other show. In theory, that's how shows get better. Assuming the people in charge are listening. In sum...this isn't a screed or a Jeremiad against ST, or ST fans, or anything of that nature. It's just that I get tired of a very few people who seem to apply the word "bashing" to the show they've been using to bash other shows, and thus dismiss any merit to the critiques by redefining it in terms more convenient for their own beliefs. Here you've got this multi billion dollar MONOLITH that is *STAR TREK*, 27 years of history, multiple series, movies, zillions of merchandising items...and a few people fall apart and get hysterical because somebody raises his hand and says, "Err, umm, I kinda have a problem with something ST does." Please. At least we have the sense to laugh when we see an elephant frightened by mouse, and this situation is not terribly dissimilar. (And, once again, the ST criticism tends to come from ST fans who also watch B5; there is no such thing as a B5 fan who's never watched ST and goes after it. This ain't a B5 problem, it's an ST problem.) The unfortunate part of all this is that ST fandom is generally nothing less than terrific; they kept a show on the air, sustained a vision, and have been ever faithful. It's only a very vocal few who start vibrating into another dimension when the show gets pinked once in a while. The open attitude that I've seen displayed by the vast majority of ST fans is to be commended, and complimented. jms Subj: <> Section: Babylon 5 To: Monday, May 29, 1995 1:31:23 AM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#223602 What Colin misses, obviously, is that not *all* of the markabs are "mindless religious fanatics," in that Dr. Lazarenn was not one, but that was mainly because he had long been exposed to human/outsider ideas, which most of his reclusive people are not. Second, y'know, I get asked a lot, "Give us ALIEN aliens." So I do. And then I get gigged because they don't act like we'd expect humans to act. Sometimes I just throw up my hands.... jms Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Sunday, May 28, 1995 11:30:10 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#223516 Thanks. I was hoping this one would come out okay, since it's kind of important that it do so, and I'm pleased that it's had the reception it has. jms Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Saturday, May 27, 1995 11:04:24 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#222682 You have to listen a little closer. The dormancy period is several days to several weeks, as Franklin says; once the disease *comes out of dormancy*, then it kills within about a day. jms Subj: Conference? Section: Babylon 5 To: Saturday, May 27, 1995 11:04:25 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#222683 People of all sorts have good and bad characteristics. To show the one, and then the other, is not an inconsistency. SF has been too full of all-good or all-bad characters for too long. That ain't life. jms Subj: Conference? Section: Babylon 5 To: Sunday, May 28, 1995 11:30:06 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#223512 I don't think his behavior was boorish at all. After a very long day, in which (he stated) he hadn't eaten a thing, he sits down in a cross legged position for (if you track the time in the story) 3-5 *hours*, alternately eating and meditating in a small, quiet room...who *wouldn't* fall asleep? As for the "golden boy" thing...I'm forever amazed at how many folks just don't learn the lesson. People saw Vir come in, decided he was a comic character, a fop, nothing more, and complained about it...until he started to show his other colors over time, and to *grow into the role*. And people said, "Oh, yeah, he's kinda interesting after all, isn't he?" YES, HE IS, YOU LUMMOX, GIVE THE CHARACTER AND ME SOME CREDIT HERE. (Not speaking to you, Anne, this is just what goes 'round in my head when the gerbil's not spinning the wheel.) What's the number one rule of B5? Nobody's what they appear. What's the number two rule? Joe is interested in *process*. You don't start out a character at point A and keep that character there forever; the show is about change and process. Look at Luke Skywalker. Was he in "Jedi" the same person he was in "Star Wars?" No. He went through a growth cycle and maturity cycle. Look at Frodo at the start of Lord of the Rings, and at the end. The classic hero's journey starts with someone who is breathtakingly unprepared for what's coming, and has to develop and grow. Sheridan comes to B5 with a bit of a silver spoon in his mouth and a smile on his face. And he's going to get the crap kicked out of him. And he's going to grow, and mature, and become someone of importance, and great strength, at great cost. So sometimes I lose patience -- probably incorrectly -- with people who look at Sheridan and, despite seeing every other character on this show go through major changes -- assume that what they're seeing now is all there will ever be. On another level, it's kinda wrong for me to feel this way, since though I know where the characters are going, nobody else does, and it's unfair to expect people to react to something that hasn't been shown yet. What can I say? I'm a writer. I'm a little nuts sometimes. jms Subj: Big Bang Section: News/Scheds/Cons To: Sunday, May 28, 1995 2:29:14 AM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#222757 In addition to your note, the Big Bang Con has just had an ad appear in the current STAR WARS INSIDER stating that I will be attending their con, when in fact they have known for a very long time now that this is not to be the case. This advertising is 100% false. jms Subj: Shadows in UK Section: Babylon 5 To: Sunday, May 28, 1995 2:20:15 AM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#222756 Never said that the great war would be over this season; the great war gets GOING this year. jms Subj: Minbari Family Structure Section: Babylon 5 To: Saturday, May 27, 1995 11:05:00 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#222685 Marriages are not arranged per se, but it is generally with the consent and blessings of your caste-leaders, to whose authority one submits. One also generally tends to marry only within one's caste (warrior, religious or worker). jms Subj: Local station: "renewed" Section: Babylon 5 To: Saturday, May 27, 1995 11:04:26 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#222684 No, this has always been part of the ongoing negotiations ever since the big PTEN meeting. As for the rest...as this has dragged on longer and longer, I've started to get a little nervous (but only a little), because the longer it goes on, the more that internal politics will start to manifest themselves, and that always worries me. But there isn't much of anything that can be done from outside, so it's just back to wait and see. jms Subj: Knives confusion Section: The X-Files To: Saturday, May 27, 1995 10:49:20 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#222673 Yes, "Knives" was originally intended to be shown prior to "Shadow," but the heavy CGI requirements of the former caused it to be shown second. It doesn't affect the story much, mainly it was there to re-introduce the audience to certain ideas and concepts (like the Icarus) before dealing with them big-time in "Shadow." jms Subj: What do Shadows want? Section: Babylon 5 To: Thursday, May 18, 1995 1:48:23 AM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#212362 G'Khamazad. And G'Quon's primary follower/co-prophet was G'Lan. Remember that name. jms Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Thursday, May 18, 1995 1:48:24 AM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#212363 "HAVE YOU EVER ANSWERED A QUESTION STRAIGHT IN YOUR LIFE!!!" Yes and no. jms Subj: Ratings Section: Babylon 5 To: Thursday, May 18, 1995 1:48:25 AM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#212364 UPN is considered a network; PTEN is not; different rating systems. jms Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Thursday, May 18, 1995 1:53:15 AM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#212371 "...we have less hair...." Well, boy-howdy, I must be evolving REAAAAALLY fast.... jms Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Thursday, May 18, 1995 9:24:14 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#213256 Okay, let's say you identify a "bad idea," to use your phrase. Let's say racism. You, from your POV, define racism as a bad idea. Now what do you do about it? Try to eliminate the bad idea? How? Now, that's you. That's fine. But Bob over there, at the Four Square Baptist Church, he thinks that feminism is a bad idea. What should he do about that? The problem is many-fold. Who determines what a "bad idea" is? Are you willing to let another define that for you? Or define it yourself for everybody else? What our system of government does is to guarantee freedom of speech and ideas. Even, and especially, the ideas we hate or disagree with. It's easy to protect the ideas we like and agree with. It's the others that need protection. The day we stop defending those rights, is the day somebody else decides that OUR ideas are "bad ideas." jms Subj: Za'Ha'Dum and Mind War Section: Babylon 5 To: Thursday, May 18, 1995 9:24:17 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#213259 Yes, all the .avi files can be uploaded to Genie or elsewhere. jms Subj: What do Shadows want? Section: Babylon 5 To: Thursday, May 18, 1995 8:55:01 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#213226 Nope. Insofar as I recall, I have never typed it as J'Quon. jms Subj: What do Shadows want? Section: Babylon 5 To: Thursday, May 18, 1995 9:24:15 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#213257 Damn...apparently I did misspell it...I must REALLY be tired. It *is* G'Quon. jms Subj: What do Shadows want? Section: Babylon 5 To: Thursday, May 18, 1995 9:24:16 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#213258 Ignore previous message. I *did* misspell it in my last note. Creeping senility. jms Subj: BABEARLON 5 INFO Section: Babylon 5 To: Thursday, May 18, 1995 9:24:19 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#213260 >> Umm, where *is* the bear right now...? I'm not entirely sure either of us really want to know that. jms Well, it was important in the sense that there was a lot emotionally at stake for the characters; if it came off as arch, or over-wrought, it would fall flat on its face. jms Subj: What Do You Want? Section: Babylon 5 To: Monday, May 29, 1995 4:43:16 PM ~From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#224100 To finish this story. jms Subj: >> Section: Babylon 5 To: Monday, May 29, 1995 4:43:15 PM ~From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#224099 The last 4 episodes of this season are being held by PTEN until October, in theory to lead into the year three (not yet approved) debut in November. I think I finally sussed out why this is being done; I heard the other day that Voyager is doing the same thing. So that means PTEN is counter programming it. jms Subj: Minbari Family Structure Section: Babylon 5 To: Monday, May 29, 1995 4:43:13 PM ~From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#224098 No, what usually happens is that you sense a calling one way or another early on; you are assigned to (for lack of a better term) a teacher, who guides you and sees if your calling is sincere (the teacher is from the caste you feel called toward), and if the calling is true, you can enter that caste. jms Subj: RoB5: Bashing... Section: Babylon 5 To: Monday, May 29, 1995 4:43:20 PM ~From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#224103 I disagree strenuously with the notion that the universe as presented in the current ST series is a "brighter vision of the future." It looks to me like humans have left behind everything that makes us humans. We've been bioengineered to within an inch of our lives. There seems to be no interest at all in what happens back home on Earth .politics, changes in culture, fashion, new music. One's job description seems to be the end-all and be-all of his or her life. "Recreation" is always the sedate card playing type, the nightmare dinner party of the 1950s, or living out a fantasy world in the holodeck because there's nothing much in the real world. Passions and spikes in our humanity have all been hammered down and eliminated. Remember "Invasion of the Body Snatchers?" That, to me, is the Star Trek future...set aside your passions, do all for the collective good, it's a better world that way. Maybe you call that perfection; me, I call it a nightmare. jms Subj: RoB5: Bashing... Section: Babylon 5 To: Monday, May 29, 1995 10:27:19 PM ~From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#224435 Of course he is, and of course he does. Some folks think the only way to get a reaction is to behave in a way that makes people angry. Me, I kinda think that's juvenile, but hey, what do I know? jms Subj: <> Section: Babylon 5 To: Monday, May 29, 1995 10:27:18 PM ~From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#224434 There's another Lincoln quote that you don't hear very often, I think it was about a book or play, which I think is great... "If you like that sort of thing, it's the sort of thing you'll like." That line has gotten me out of more diplomatic situations than anything else I can think of. jms Subj: Narns on CNN Section: Babylon 5 To: Wednesday, May 31, 1995 3:04:04 AM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#225540 Actually, that is a piece relating to one of the shows for later in the year. But hey, we'll take it.... jms Subj: Section: Babylon 5 To: Tuesday, May 30, 1995 11:50:20 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#225390 I dunno...I've seen much the same thing. I think, on some level, it comes from the top. Seems like every time a politician appears on the horizon, propped up as the latest Knight In Shining Armor, sooner or later we discover that the armor is empty and the knight is off somewhere boffing the innkeeper's underage daughter. Maybe we have too many politicians and not enough leaders. Such cynicism can also be self-reflective, though. We're still reeling from the hangover of the Me-Generation. Self- sacrifice, altruism, these have become "stooge" values, snickered at, derided..."You WHAT? You turned in the wallet you found? What're you, brain-dead?" Someone made an interesting observation lately, that the WW II generation raised their families with the notion that their kids were the most important things in the world. The kids grew up and, well, kinda believed this, and became the center of the world, with *their* kids all too often afterthoughts or part of a process to make *their* life richer, where it is convenient for them. I don't think that's a wide-reaching generality, but I think it's true in enough cases that it merits consideration. Nobody trusts anybody anymore. We all assume the other guy's working an angle somewhere. And here, I think, the perception is inaccurate, because there *are* plenty of people out there working for the greater good of the commonweal; it's just that when the evening news rolls around, it's the crooks and the conmen and the latest Capital Hill scandal that gets the attention. I dunno...it's a conundrum, to be sure. jms Subj: C&L Date Section: Babylon 5 To: Tuesday, May 30, 1995 11:50:16 PM From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#225389 Yeah, you're right, it probably is in October; I was going off a mental countdown, just approximating. The last 4 take place between late October and mid-December, 2259. jms