This file contains messages posted by J. Michael Straczynski on GEnie from Dec 1 - Dec 15th, 1994. Postings are copyright 1994 by J. Michael Straczynski with compilation copyright by GEnie. ************ Topic 1 Mon Oct 26, 1992 SF-MARSHALL [Dave ] at 18:50 EST Sub: Babylon 5 - The Series (Non-Spoiler) Welcome to the Babylon 5 General category. This is the main topic for the hit SF series. We discuss all general information on the series in this topic. Topic 2 is for SPOILERS! DO NOT POST STORY IDEAS! 696 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 463 Sun Dec 04, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:29 EST Correct, "Soul Mates" is next up. Then 5 or so reruns (second season eps), then "Race." BTW, logging in from my notebook. The controller on my old system (not the nifty Dell at the office) just died, so I may not be on quite as regularly for the next few days. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 473 Sun Dec 04, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:42 EST I was kinda hoping that they'd continue the season one reruns as well, but PTEN thinks it'd be kind of confusing to intersperse episdoes (episodes) with two different commanding officers at the same time, and thus keep the two separate, at least until the end of the season. (They add that someone seeing B2 mid-season year two might not know it's a rerun, and not know what the hell's going on.) jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 521 Thu Dec 08, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:09 EST Emmy presenters are generally those who've *done* something, so that would pretty much eliminate Jarvis. Internet gateway's down again...sigh.... There's a screwup in next week's TV Guide. The synopsis is of the episode "A Race Through Dark Places," but it's actually Peter's "Soul Mates." jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 562 Sat Dec 10, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:01 EST I just can't imagine a book of my posts here being that interesting, or able to be followed; it's all like this, quickies for the most part, and out of context. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 581 Sat Dec 10, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:54 EST ....yeeps...I'm being modem-mugged.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 596 Sun Dec 11, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:34 EST Okay, okay, okay-okay-okay, we'll put a pin in this and come back to it (and I still think that selling the thing would be a marginal chance at best). Re: Murder, She Wrote...I *believe* that our budget there was generally in the $1.3 and $1.5 million range per episode. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 629 Mon Dec 12, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:14 EST BTW, B5 producer John Copeland will be on CNN's Showbiz Today on Wednesday the 14th (2:30 and 9:30 p.m. PST, and 1:30 am. Thursday). jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 633 Mon Dec 12, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:40 EST Rathenn said Sinclair did not *entirely* remember their meeting; he then refreshed this memory. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 646 Tue Dec 13, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:27 EST After TAXI, Jeff had some hard times. We're all entitled to make mistakes. He's doing very good work, and we're pleased to have him, and he does recur. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 662 Wed Dec 14, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:33 EST BTW, look for Bill Mumy on "Break a Leg," on the America's Talking cable channel, Tuesday the 13th, 11:00 a.m. PST. jms ------------ ************ Topic 2 Wed Nov 20, 1991 STARR [Arne] at 19:41 EST Sub: Babylon 5 -- The Series!! >>SPOILERS<< Babylon 5 is moving into a second season of 22 episodes. This series can be seen at 8 Pm on Wednesdays, in most areas. This topic is for SPOILERS only. Just remember our NO STORY IDEAS rule and we'll let you live. 430 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 323 Wed Dec 07, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 15:42 EST *What* second attack wasn't there? jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 353 Fri Dec 09, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 15:24 EST An attack on the Shire? Goodness, another LoTR reference. Local in-house joke: Abby's last name...Normal. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 392 Mon Dec 12, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:15 EST If you're a telepath, Psi Corps IS your family. (And no, that wasn't Abby, too young; also not a case of programming/rebuilding...the DECEASED is a cover to get her out.) jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 401 Tue Dec 13, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:09 EST Actually, the age on Abby is fairly straightforward...Talia came to the Psi Corps as a young child; she was assigned to an adult Psi Corps member to help her adjust. So Abby would be anywhere from 15-20 years older than Talia. Or more. jms ------------ ************ Topic 4 Tue Nov 03, 1992 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:12 EST Sub: Babylon 5 - Cast & Characters For discussion of the actors who will be bringing BABYLON 5 to life with their performances...for information before, and discussion after the airing of "The Gathering" pilot. 459 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 4 Message 370 Thu Dec 01, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:44 EST Morden is human. Morden dat I can't say. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 4 Message 407 Sat Dec 10, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:56 EST BTW, new guest stars include Richard Moll and Paul Williams, the latter of whom is in "Acts of Sacrifice." A very nice man; got him to autograph my copies of the "Phantom of the Paradise" CD which I got in London (never released here). jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 4 Message 412 Sun Dec 11, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:37 EST Richard and Paul are in *different* episodes. Bear...not a chance. I *love* that movie; Paul mentioned that it continues to have a rabid cult following. When he signed it, he wrote "Trust me. Swan." in addition to his signature. (Funny if you know the movie.) "We're old souls, in a new life, baby...." jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 4 Message 422 Sun Dec 11, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:15 EST Richard Moll: "Hunter, "Prey." Malachi Throne: "The Coming of Shadows." Paul Winfield: "GROPOS." jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 4 Message 430 Mon Dec 12, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:16 EST No, that ain't what "Hunter, Prey" is about; our titles are generally more metaphorical than literal. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 4 Message 435 Tue Dec 13, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:29 EST We're doing a Volkswagon story...? jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 4 Message 455 Thu Dec 15, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:58 EST Also add Bernie Casey. jms ------------ ************ Topic 5 Tue Nov 03, 1992 T.ORTH [Mr. Rico] (Forwarded) Sub: Grid Epsilon Irregulars - News & Info. This topic is for information about Babylon 5 fan groups, newsletters, fanzines, get-togethers, B-5 at conventions, and other general fun. 390 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 5 Message 384 Wed Dec 14, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:02 EST Does anyone actually know how many folks are registered here in the B5 cat(s)? jms ------------ ************ Topic 11 Sat Nov 14, 1992 J.SHEEN1 [Leviathan] at 18:09 EST Sub: B5 Adrift! BABYLON 5 Topic Drift If you feel like talking about it, but it doesn't fit anywhere else... If its only connection to B-5 is that you thought of it in this CAT... This is where to come and get it out. 288 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 11 Message 242 Sat Dec 10, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:57 EST BTW, I understand from some folks who've been involved with them that because of the general decline of SAT scores, they're now allowing a couple hundred points per category *just for showing up*. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 11 Message 255 Sun Dec 11, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:17 EST Don't recall offhand what my SAT score was...but dimly remember that when I was done, I think I *owed* them points.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 11 Message 262 Tue Dec 13, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:15 EST Hey, give me "A Christmas Story" or the George C. Scott version of "A Christmas Carol" (the only definitive version of the story, as far as I'm concerned) over IaWL, which has been seen to death. Scott is the first and only actor to show Scrooge with a sense of *humor* even in his earlier stage. Look at it...anyone who could come up with a line like "every person walking around with Merry Christmas on his lips should be boiled in pudding and buried with a sprig of holly through his heart" (or words to that effect)...that's *funny*. It's very easy to see and portray Scrooge as just a one-dimensional miser, and thus dehumanize him...Scott's portral makes him a PERSON, and thus more interesting and involving and, oddly, likeable (until the end where he goes soft on us, but hey, that's a story problem...). jm(bah, humbug)s ------------ Category 18, Topic 11 Message 272 Wed Dec 14, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:47 EST Just as an aside...I learned this morning that there's a good chance that my Christmas episode of THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS, "Xmas Marks the Spot," will be replayed on ABC either Christmas day or eve; don't yet know if it'll be in prime-time or morning. Still awaiting final confirmation, but they wouldn't call to notify me unless it was pretty solid. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 11 Message 280 Thu Dec 15, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:16 EST Actually, that 800/200 split ain't far off the truth, as I dimly recall. Crummy with figures, good with words. Funny thing, sorta...see, according to most IQ tests, I come in just over the edge on the so-called genius ("Come, Join Mensa, Join Us, Join Us...") level. Around 160 or so. Which, frankly, is absolutely meaningless, except that it helps me skate throuth stuff I have no business doing or no chance of *really* understanding. I come in very high on intuitive scores; I can often figure out *what* is the correct answer, but am damned if I can tell you *why*. As a kid, we moved around a lot for (let's just say this for now and let it go at this) economic reasons. Literally every year from birth through about age 17 was a different house, a different city, often a different STATE. I learned fast that if you were too smart, and showed it...you got beat up a lot. So at a very early stage I found I could just shave it close enough to pass, without raising any red flags or drawing attention. The one thing I didn't want was to be noticed, because that usually preceded getting the stuffings knocked out of me (and being who I am, *that* was usually followed by my mouthing off to whoever just beat the crap out of me...at which point they pound me again...at which point this little bump on the playground mouths off again, at which point, well, you get the idea). I'd gotten pretty good at riding the line, but goofed one year in junior high. I screwed up my math term (no surprise there), but usually I knew I could ace lit classes to make up for it...except I got sick, missed several tests and papers...and dropped beneath the line I needed to get advanced to the next level. So I had to attend summer school to make up the difference. This was under the Headstart Program of those days, and the sort of kids you found in this one in New Jersey...Future Muggers of America founding members. Anyway (and this is a hell of a lot longer and more involved than I'd intended to get), one day they said they were going to give all of us in summer school a series of tests/evaluations to determine just where we stood...what grade reading level, comprehension, math, that sort of thing. Now normally I'd always held back in this stuff, but this wasn't my regular school, I'd be going to high school after this, so what was lost? So I just went for it. A few days later the test results came in, and I got suddenly called to the office of the head of the program. He sat me down and said, honest to god, "You'll forgive my langauge for a moment, but what the HELL are you DOING here?" Apparently for a 9th grader my language, reading, writing, and general intelligence figures came in at approximately that of a college graduate. (Though my math skills were, to be charitable, considerably lower. Bargain- basement, to be precise.) So I told him what I'd been doing all this time. He sat there, slack jawed, the whole time, at the premeditation and all the rest. (Though I wouldn't have gotten nailed if I'd been better at some of the other areas.) Later, to my chagrin, I discovered that he wrote up a memo about all this and attached it to my transcripts, so that when I transferred to the high school, I found myself assigned to several advanced classes in English lit and other areas, college-prep level classes. So I instantly went back to my old habits, and soon enough managed to get out of that one and into a regular class. Tests are fine, advanced classes are fine, but frankly, none of it was worth getting stomped on a regular basis.... jms ------------ ************ Topic 12 Wed Nov 18, 1992 B.WIST [Brad] at 18:12 EST Sub: Babylon 5 Sightings Post here when you've spotted Babylon 5, whether it be on Television, Magazine, or somewhere else. Let us know where we can find it/see it, too. 515 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 12 Message 499 Sun Dec 04, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:45 EST On the two different shows/rules idea...this is something I noticed from way back. People saw "Earth future, spacefaring races, a major commanding officer," and assumed that we would be just like Star Trek. When we weren't, many assumed we were doing Star Trek BADLY, not understanding that it's a *different show*. The biggest crime of this show toa lot of people is that we're not Trek. It's only over time that some of these folks (though not all) have come to understand what we're doing. jms ------------ ************ Topic 16 Fri Jan 15, 1993 T.ORTH [Mr. Rico] at 01:02 EST Sub: "No kids or cute robots, ever!" This is a topic for discussion of the unofficial slogan of Babylon 5. 225 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 16 Message 225 Fri Dec 09, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 15:25 EST David Gerrold will be *very* pleased.... jms ------------ ************ Topic 17 Tue Jan 19, 1993 C.STOBBE [Colin] at 21:02 EST Sub: Babylon 5 - Merchandising A place to discuss all the neat Babylon 5 merchandising coming out (hopefully) soon 480 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 17 Message 421 Tue Dec 06, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:26 EST Actually, I hear they're nearly OUT of the 2,000 first print run on the limited edition, and have 500 on backorder; I'd suggest to anyone that youre best bet is probably to contact Sonic Images directly. These puppies are apparently just *flying* out the door. jms ------------ ************ Topic 24 Fri Jun 04, 1993 J.ROY18 [Jonathan] at 21:11 EDT Sub: Babylon 5 - Weapons and Warfare! For discussion about the weapons, counter weapons, armor, shielding, tactics, logistics, and so forth, of small combat and large scale war in the Babylon 5 universe. 507 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 24 Message 501 Sun Dec 11, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:40 EST It's of the same class (Omega class) as the Agamemnon, yes. And it's the EAS Agamemnon, yes. jms ------------ ************ Topic 25 Fri Mar 12, 1993 S.SHELLENBAR [>> SHANE <<] at 08:47 EST Sub: J. Michael Straczynski Speaks in Public This is the place to find out where and when JMS will be appearing next. JMS has honed his skills as a public speaker and is taking his act on the road. 412 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 25 Message 385 Thu Dec 01, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:45 EST No current plans for ICON this year. jms ------------ ************ Topic 37 Sat Nov 12, 1994 DUNEWALKER at 00:25 EST Sub: Questions, answers and/or speculations General questions, and answers or speculations concerning plots and sub-plots of Babylon 5. 16 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 37 Message 15 Tue Dec 13, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:18 EST "There's no such thing as America, or Russia, or China...there's only ITT, and ATT, and Dow Chemical...." -- Paddy Chayefsky, NETWORK jms ------------ ************ Topic 38 Mon Dec 05, 1994 K.BURNFIELD [KB] at 18:05 EST Sub: Babylon 5 - The Comic Book Starting in Dec. 1994, DC comics will present its comic book based in the universe of J. Michael Straczynski's television series. 14 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 38 Message 5 Thu Dec 08, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:08 EST In some cases, as with the next 8 issues, I suggested the basic storyline, and work as necessary with the writers, telling them what they need to know on a need to know basis. jms ------------ ************ Topic 31 Mon Aug 29, 1994 STARR [Arne] at 23:35 EDT Sub: #205 - "The Long Dark" by Scott Frost. Director: TBA 94 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 19, Topic 31 Message 26 Thu Dec 01, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:41 EST Tom: the quibble you raise is one of the points I'm trying to make. You say someone from 1890 would go crazy. I vehemently don't agree. Go back and read letters from the 1890s. Heck, go read letters from 1776; the language, the emotions, they're all very much the same. The chrome of technology has changed, some social styles and attitudes have changed, but people still go through school (usually), get married, raise kids, hold jobs, and look to a better future one day. Mariah was also a scientist, sent forth expecting and prepared to see new things; this isn't the same thing as an average person just plucked out of time. I think people -- Americans in particular -- over-emphasize how much things change with time, in large measure because in a country that's only 200+ years old, we *really* don't understand what time IS here. The Romans who left grafitti all over parts of England are only one step removed from the South Central taggers of today.... jms ------------ Category 19, Topic 31 Message 70 Sun Dec 04, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:30 EST Re: Ivanova and Sheridan going into the Cortez upon it being pulled into B5...this was an Earth vessel, remember, stating it's on a mission of peace, with a cryogenic suspension chamber in use. There was zero perceived danger. Also, if I were the captain of a naval vessel today, and I came across an intact sailing vessel that went missing in the 1890s, you'd have to hold a gun at my head to KEEP me out of that ship. People are, by nature, curious...and this would be a fascinating puzzle to solve. jms ------------ ************ Topic 32 Mon Aug 29, 1994 STARR [Arne] at 23:36 EDT Sub: #206 - "A Spider in the Web" by Lawrence G. DiTillio. Director : Kevin Cremins 99 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 19, Topic 32 Message 7 Fri Dec 02, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 15:12 EST Well, that's weird.... jms ------------ ************ Topic 34 Thu Oct 20, 1994 STARR [Arne] (Forwarded) Sub: #207 - "Soul Mates" Londo's wives in a tale by Peter David. 72 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 19, Topic 34 Message 56 Thu Dec 15, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:04 EST How weird...I hadn't ever seen any messages here, and I couldn't figure why...just checked and for some reason it was IGNored. Odd.... Anyway...the production numbers (207, 208) are not for the order in which they're aired, but the order they're PRODUCED in. So the numbers don't change. We just air 208, then 207. This is very common in TV. jms ------------