=========================================================================== | This text is compiled from posts by J. Michael Straczynski on the Usenet | group alt.tv.babylon-5. This document contains material Copyright 1994 | J. Michael Straczynski. He has given permission for his words to be | redistributed online, as long as they are marked as being copyright JMS. | This document, as well as other Babylon-5 related material, is available | by anonymous FTP at ftp.hyperion.com. =========================================================================== From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 2 Jan 1994 03:13:03 -0500 Subject: B-5 pilot: "The Director's Cut The odds are zero, since the first version of the B5 pilot existed only as a computer-graphic file edited movie. It wasn't edited on film, for real, until we'd pared it down. We'd have to go in and totally re-edit and re-score, and I doubt that's going to happen. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 2 Jan 1994 19:30:59 -0500 Subject: Re: Sunday Newsprint (Spoilers RE: the newspaper...Stephen Furst's contract brings him up to 22 episodes in year 3 and doesn't mention anything beyond that only because there are no further increases in episodes; our seasons run 22 episodes. The plan is to have his character present throughout the full 5 year run. As for the review...I have a sneaking suspicion that he's talking about the pilot, since the cassette tapes of the first episode only went out on Friday. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 2 Jan 1994 20:03:33 -0500 Subject: Re: B-5 pilot: "The Director's The computerized cut of the pilot is now dumped out of memory, and those portions only exist on a few VHS tapes of marginal quality. Also, the footage in computer file form is *very* low grade, like a poorly scanned gif file, very low resolution. It would be useless on a laser disk. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 3 Jan 1994 02:57:04 -0500 Subject: Re: B-5 pilot: "The Director's I'm certainly not showing disdain for the missing material; I'm just saying it ain't *there*. Now, if B5 turns out to be a megahit, there may be money set aside to re-edit the pilot some years down the road, but I'm not currently counting on it. My chief concern now has to be the series. As for keeping a record...I try, if spottily. Oddly enough, the very best record of this process exists in the multi-megabytes that have been exchanged here, on GEnie and elsewhere. It's something of a living chronology. I try to take photos on the set (when I remember), and I'm keeping 1 copy of each day's dailies, instead of recycling the tapes. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 4 Jan 1994 02:10:24 -0500 Subject: Re: B-5 pilot: "The Director's The bloopers reel/christmas reel we did is just for internal use, I'm afraid (though it's *very* funny). As for the computer program...it hould be out in about a week, on schedule. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 4 Jan 1994 02:23:34 -0500 Subject: Re: Babylon Five List of Lists Neame is Knight Two, Scott is Knight One. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 4 Jan 1994 02:36:06 -0500 Subject: DEMON ON THE RUN We're still working out the dynamics of how these two universes would cross seamlessly, without doing damage to either. We've got some solid leads, but this is 'way too early to get into them. More down the road, one hopes.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 4 Jan 1994 04:45:08 -0500 Subject: Interesting Babylon 5 ad... Just as a point of reference, because there's no way to tell this from the ad...that's not G'Kar speaking, that's the Soul Hunter. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 4 Jan 1994 23:52:15 -0500 Subject: jms's creds Yikes; that's an awful lot of ground to cover. I've worked as story editor or producer on such series as the new Twilight Zone, Murder She Wrote, and the live-action SF series Captain Power (seen by maybe ten people in the country before it was yanked off the air for being "the most violent show on television," a post now occupied by Brisco County Jr., we are told by congress). I've written something on the order of 120-130 produced episodes of television, and story edited probably twice that. (I began in animation, story editing shows such as the Real Ghostbusters, the syndicated and first network season, before walking off the show when they compromised Janine's character.) I've been nominated for Gemini, Writers Guild, Bram Stoker and Ace Awards. Two nominations were for the adaptation I did for Showtime's Nightmare Classics series, "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," with Anthony Andrews and Laura Dern. I was on Murder for about two years before leaving to do B5. I've written produced radio dramas (including for Mutual Radio Theater and Alien Worlds), published dark fantasy novels (hardcover from Dutton, Demon Night and OtherSyde), produced stage plays, and something on the order of 500 published articles. Started out as a reporter and ended up working for the L.A. Times, TIME Inc., and others. Anyway, that's a quick overview of it. (And no, no show in the 70s; my TV credits begin around 1984.) jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 5 Jan 1994 00:41:39 -0500 Subject: Re: B-5 pilot: "The Director's The computer program will be uploaded all *over* the place; it'll be around.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 5 Jan 1994 01:11:57 -0500 Subject: Why the delay? (was Re: B5 Pil We'd always figured on going right to series, but once we had done the pilot, the studio said, in essence, "Well, we've got a pilot, we don't know if the market will sustain more than one space SF series, no other SF series has done well lately...maybe we ought to air the pilot first, and get the ratings, before committing to a series." And that's what happened...much to our consternation at first, but in the long run it was a blessing in disguise, because that interim period allowed us to really do a lot to make the show better. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 6 Jan 1994 00:43:37 -0500 Subject: too violent..... Oh, believe me, take it seriously they did. Power was characterized in the press by leading magazines as the most violent show on TV, there were organized protests, I ended up in televised debates on this concerning the show...and gradually the sponsor folded. These things do happen.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 6 Jan 1994 03:47:26 -0500 Subject: Re: jms's creds I've always found "how/when did you get your break into writing" to be a very weird question, at least in my case; like asking a doctor, "when did you get your break into foot surgery." It wasn't one thing at one time. This is a career that I've prepared for, and worked toward, and entered incrementally over a very long period. I always knew that I would be a writer, used to collect pencils and paperclips and could determine the better grade of erasers and #10 pencils at an age when most kids were still trying to figure out which end to hold. It's just a quirk. When I was 16, after having read comprehensively in every genre I could get my hands on, I decided that now was a good time to start. So I began writing. Short stories, poems, playlets, articles, you name it, I wrote it. I didn't show anyone at first, just kept slamming words together in the process of learning how to make little explosions of character and action. When I felt ready -- six months later -- I began showing it around. The high school I was attending began producing some of my one-acts, and commissioned a full play from me; I began selling articles to local newspapers and magazines; even placed a one-act with a local theater, which decided to produce it before discovering that I was only 17 years old. (When I showed up, they kept waiting for my parents to arrive, until I pointed out that *I* was the JMS on the script.) After that, it was just a process of *writing* and *sending it out*. There is no mystery, no big break, no sudden revelation or secret handshake. Bit by bit, I sold more articles, sold more plays, sold some short stories, and bit by bit, almost without noticing, the list of credits got longer until one day, people started asking me when I knew I'd Made It as a writer, when it hadn't ever occured to me that I *had* made it as a writer...I hadn't realized it'd happened. It's the difference, I suppose, between buying a finished house, and there it is...and watching the house go up brick by brick over a long period of time. At what point did it "become" a house? It's probably not a helpful answer, but it's the only one I have.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 6 Jan 1994 03:51:36 -0500 Subject: Re: Why the delay? (was Re: B5 No, we generally don't announce the day/month in the episodes, though sometimes dates or seasons are referred to tangentially or offhandedly. The real significant progression is year to year, which is why each year of the show will be marked in the opening narration and parallel real time (season 1: 2258, season 2: 2259, etc.). jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 6 Jan 1994 04:50:57 -0500 Subject: Re: jms's creds Only if the SciFi Channel picks up CP. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 6 Jan 1994 07:26:38 -0500 Subject: The Big Promo in LA The half-hour making of promo will be shown on channel 13 twice; the first date I don't recall, but it'll definitely be on after the Clippers game airing before we debut. (That game will actually be "Brought To You By Babylon 5.") jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 6 Jan 1994 08:48:29 -0500 Subject: Re: jms's creds The first network season of The Real Ghostbusters, and its only official first-run syndicated season, the show was a monster hit. Major league numbers, #1. Naturally, as soon as that happened, everyone started to try and figure out how to "fix" it. Everyone starts protecting his investment. They want to play it safe. Which inevitably leads to the show getting screwed up, but that never stops them. So the network brought in consultants, who said that this is a kid's series, so you have to have *kids* in it (this after steadfastly refusing to diverge from the desire on our part to continue the tradition of the movie, using only adult characters). The Junior Ghostbusters, one of the lamest ideas in TV history. Then they started on Janine...who was much to their dismay a strong female character. They felt that she should be changed to a more warm, nurturing character, that her dry sense of humor was too aggressive, and that she should be made more into a "mommy figure" (to use their terms). Her clothes, eccentric and personalized, were deemed "slutty," and had to be replaced by dresses and soft blouses. She should be made more deferential to the male characters. She had to lose the pointed glasses she wore, replacing them instead with round glasses because "sharp objects frighten children." Janine was a strong, forceful, independent character who could take care of herself, and you didn't mess with her. She was sharp, and funny, and just a real kick to write for. This was the kind of character I'd fought to preserve, and it had proven to be a hit...and now they wanted to turn that upside down and turn her into a mommy. Ain't nothing wrong with mommies. But there's plenty of mommy-figures in cartoons; why not provide an alternative view...a working career woman who is generally satisfied with her life? Leaving aside the role-model question for the moment, I happen to really, really, *really* love writing strong female characters. I love strong female characters in general. Most of my relationships have been with strong-willed, independent, very bright women. I love it when I'm outsmarted or one-upped; it makes me work harder. So when they did *this*...I shot back a very loud "Not a chance." NOt on this show. I went to meetings. Got into huge arguments with these so-called consultants. Finally, I said that if they were going to do this, they'd have to do it without my participation; I refused to participate in the lobotomy of that show, or that character. So I resigned. Later, when their new "approach" to the show began to nosedive, I was asked if I'd return. I was then working on POWER, and couldn't...but agreed to write some episodes on the following conditions: 1) the new story editors were not to so much as *touch* my scripts, or the deal was off; 2) in my unverse the Junior Ghostbusters did not exist, and would not appear in any of my scripts; and 3) I wrote the old Janine, not the "new" Janine, and that was with all of her attitudes intact. They agreed. And that is the story. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 6 Jan 1994 22:22:44 -0500 Subject: Re: jms's creds No plan to make the scripts available at this time, but who knows...? jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 6 Jan 1994 22:25:50 -0500 Subject: Will Joe be at I-Con? Tentatively plan to be at I-Con, yes. As for TRGBs, that was the series based on the movie, correct. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 6 Jan 1994 22:38:37 -0500 Subject: Violence You're correct, particularly with reference to "Infection." That episode has a lot of action, which you'd expect, and a big conclusion, which you'd expect. What you *won't* expect, I think, is what happens afterward, in a conversation no one generally has in TV after big action stuff has gone down. And it's something to chew on, I think.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 6 Jan 1994 22:39:39 -0500 Subject: Re: jms's creds Oh, they're there, all right...you've just been lucky. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Jan 1994 01:59:22 -0500 Subject: Re: jms's creds There's no way to replace them that I know of, other than just taping the shows all over again off the syndicated channels. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Jan 1994 03:35:31 -0500 Subject: JMS - Conflict of Interest? There's really very, very little that I would want to say in regards to Starlog. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Jan 1994 23:41:26 -0500 Subject: cons What is a PNW convention? jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 8 Jan 1994 00:59:10 -0500 Subject: Morn type in B5? What is a Norm/Morn type? jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 8 Jan 1994 06:07:22 -0500 Subject: Re: jms's creds My software is not easily set up to let me quote from stuff. I get a list of messages...anywhere up to 50-55 at a time. I read in batches, and when I see something requiring a response, the GEnie software is set up so that I type REP 25 (for message 25) and begin typing. My personal software isn't set up to quote stuff; I'd have to re-list the message, capture it, edit it, all by hand...it becomes a major pain in the ass, adn (and) would increase several-fold the amount of work involved. Meaning that I would have less time to respond, and thus could respond to fewer messages. In general, I try to paraphrase or restate or clarify the original question in my reply, and usually I think it's clear enough. But I'll work harder to be clear. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 9 Jan 1994 02:47:55 -0500 Subject: AOL connection... There are B5 .wav files over on AOL? Really? Which ones? I'd love to get hold of a few. Just to clarify, btw, the trading cards are *not* the ones that have been circulating (the gifs). These are new, and are mainly of the cast. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 9 Jan 1994 02:49:35 -0500 Subject: Re: Missed promo on WNAC! (But Thanks. Glad you liked it. (And yeah, the Fresh Air Restaurant does look pretty cool.) As for me...the TV camera doesn't like me, it just sorta slides over me and adds 10 years to me. Complicated by the fact that when I'm shoved in front of a TeeVee camera, my head retracts like a turtle, my neck disappears, and everything goes everywhere. Harlan, on the other hand, is comfortable before a camera. The camera *loves* Harlan. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 9 Jan 1994 07:56:21 -0500 Subject: Hows B5 doing in the States? It hasn't even aired yet.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 9 Jan 1994 21:37:19 -0500 Subject: Re: Missed promo on WNAC! (But Actually, thus far, nearly everyone on our crew has appeared in the background of one episode or another, except for me. Which is the way I like it.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 11 Jan 1994 01:10:41 -0500 Subject: Babylon 5 in Writer's Digest M Larry DiTillio's episodes this season are "Born to the Purple," and "Deathwalker." He's currently working on a third, tentatively entitled "TKO." And yes, he uses blood instead of ink...unfortunately, it's mine. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 11 Jan 1994 01:10:44 -0500 Subject: Earth in B5 While we will not be *seeing* much of Earth in B5 (as in going there), what's going on back home will be a *constant* undercurrent to the series. You'll learn a lot about the state of Earth in 2258 in our universe during the course of the series. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 11 Jan 1994 01:10:50 -0500 Subject: Toaster Spaceship Data Files? I really don't know if they'll be released as autocad stuff or not, but will try to remember to inquire. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 11 Jan 1994 01:11:40 -0500 Subject: Will we see you! Nope, I don't do cameos; for me, it ruins the illusion. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 11 Jan 1994 02:37:13 -0500 Subject: Re: CRITICAL COMMENTS: "The Ga The dustbuster guns are history. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 11 Jan 1994 03:34:17 -0500 Subject: Re: JMS: Old and new stuff... Oh, absolutely; I'd say that "Parliament," "Mind War," "Soul" and "Purple" are (to my mind at least) much better than "Midnight." Mind, that's just my personal preference, your mileage may vary. But I'd say that our two *best* so far are still "And the Sky Full of Stars" and "Chrysalis." I just watched a cut of "Chrysalis" today which finally had all the CGI in it, and had to scrape my brain off the opposing wall, it's *that* good. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 11 Jan 1994 10:02:49 -0500 Subject: Script, New Character==dead Ch You'll get your wish...and you'll wish you hadn't.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 11 Jan 1994 14:57:15 -0500 Subject: Yo Joe! Some Questions... On the theory that some of the militaries have blended, the system of ranks is kind of a cross between the navy and the air force (at least the ones with which our characters will have any interaction). Probably an admiral would be more likely to run this place. At some point, we'll probably see what it looks like from the ship' POV leaving or entering hyperspace, yes. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 11 Jan 1994 15:11:37 -0500 Subject: A word about B5 in the press.. Part of the problem is that many reporters have come to expect, and come to associate that SF-shows = crap. Or kid's stuff. They've gotten very jaded with the same old promises every year. So on that level, it's understandable. There are areas where it's *not* understandable or defensible, but I'll leave that topic for another time.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 11 Jan 1994 19:21:44 -0500 Subject: Re: Will we see you! As a matter of fact, in a couple of episodes you'll see a photo of the Earth Alliance president. The photo itself is of Doug Netter, my associate on the show and fellow executive producer. (The woman running against the incumbent president in the election featured on "Midnight" is played, in photo, by our wardrobe designer, Ann Bruice.) jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 12 Jan 1994 03:29:21 -0500 Subject: Please JMS!! We've been pitched the Die Hard/Under Seige approach many times. I turned it down. It's been done. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 12 Jan 1994 18:11:04 -0500 Subject: Expanded seasons? At this point, it's way too early to even *think* about topics like expanded seasons. Obviously, yes, we could easily expand each season's worth of episodes from a story point of view. That ain't no kind of problem. As for the rest...only time will tell. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 12 Jan 1994 18:12:02 -0500 Subject: Spoiler Question (minor spoile I have nothing to do with the description applied to the show by others. In that episode, the affected person isn't "turned into" a machine. It is sort of a living armor-like compound that grows over the person's body, and begins to influence the person in question. That is the sum and substance of it; he isn't transmuted, his biology isn't changed, his brain isn't replaced, and so on. My suggestion: judge the episode based on the episode, not on what choice of words someone else used in trying to synopsize the episode. Because Moby Dick can be summed up as, "A nut chasing a big fish." But there's obviously more to the story than that, and it's not entirely accurate. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 12 Jan 1994 18:12:51 -0500 Subject: Skeptical about B5 There's nothing wrong with skepticism about the show. I've said, from the start, judge us on what you see, not what I say. Will you be disappointed? That's not for me to say. Inevitably, some people will be because *no* show can be the show you see in your head, the one you'd make if it were your show. The problem with a show like this is that everyone begins to attach their dissatisfaction from other shows to it, and saying, "Well, THIS one will be my perfect vision of an SF series." And it won't be. It's my vision of what an SF series should be. Some folks will feel the same way, some won't. NYPD Blue is a very popular show. Many people like it. I can't get into it. Tastes vary. Will the show be well-produced? Well acted? Well written? Well directed? Will the EFX be what they should be: imaginative and rich and textured? Yes. These things I can promise. Will the final result ring your particular chime? That we'll have to see. I can say that all the pieces are there. Re: the commercials...the pacing of the commercials has nothing to do with the pacing of the show. The show is the show, a commercial is a commercial. They serve different masters and different needs. No, not everything will be solved with a gun. Sometimes, though, a gun is necessary as part of a solution to a problem. Other times, it isn't. And sometimes, the problem really isn't solved; sometimes our characters fail. Sometimes things don't work out for the best at the end of the show. Because life's like that. One other thing that I can guarantee you is that our characters aren't stupid, they don't do things for dumb reasons. Sometimes, in shows, it seems they make their characters momentarily stupid because that's the only way to get them into trouble. We try to be smarter than that. Our characters are as sharp as they come...which makes it more interesting when they get into trouble. Sometimes being sharp isn't enough. No two episodes are really alike. "Midnight," aside from the task of re-introducing the characters, is something of an action piece, a run-and-jump. "Soul" is a much smaller, more personal story, more character based. "Purple" is funny, and sad, with a fair amount of action. "Infection" is a heavy-duty action piece for the most part. "Parliament" is a character piece with a very little action, but lots of fun. "Mind War" has a hell of a lot of action, but also a mystery element to it as well. Not a lot of humor in that one. I think people will like the show. I think they'll like the characters a lot. But obviously I'm biased. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 13 Jan 1994 02:02:22 -0500 Subject: Gays To give that information out now would defeat the dynamic of its revelation. There's some stuff I can talk about, some that I can't. That is one of them. And how do you know you haven't already seen this character? jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 13 Jan 1994 03:11:19 -0500 Subject: Harlan Ellison & Babylon 5 The SF writing material I can't comment on just now, for a number of reasons. Regarding any outside commentary...Harlan has commented on the show in his Sci-Fi Channel commentaries, and will do so in future. He's also given several interviews about the show. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 13 Jan 1994 17:32:06 -0500 Subject: B5 Tech Readout v.0.0 : The Qu There's too much to cover in one message, so in brief: The station is a touch over 5 miles long. It can hold roughly 250,000 humans and aliens (many of whom are in transit at any point). The fighters are the SA-23E Mitchell-Hyundyne Starfuries, and B5 has four fighter wings, each with approximately 12 fighters. The rings are classified, as is the encounter suit. Psi Corps ratings are assigned from within the Academy, based on test results and personal interviews/training. Restrictions: NO unauthorized scans -- you need the permission of the person, tacit permission, or written permission of next of kin -- and no "dipping," going into other areas not relevant to the current scan. In criminal cases, psi's may not scan defendants during a trial or before to determine guilt or innocence, as this violates the right of due process. After a conviction, a psi may be called upon to function in various capactities (which will be seen in "The Quality of Mercy"). A psi *may* scan the victim of a crime unable to remember details of an attack, but that information must be backed up by physical evidence, or it is inadmissible. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 13 Jan 1994 21:48:45 -0500 Subject: Starfury specs? The starfuries are *only* non-atmosphere craft, and they can't hold more than one person. The other specs are over at Ron's, and I'll try to remember to snag them at some point. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Jan 1994 15:29:43 -0500 Subject: Psis and Trials [was Re: B5 Te No, the accused cannot ask for a psi to validate his or her innocence; the trial can ONLY proceed on the basis of evidence. This is to prevent abuse, trials where a Psi looks at you and determines your guilt. When a life is at stake, you can't risk the possibility of some hidden agenda on the part of the telepath. You'd have to use a telepath to verify the first telepath's scan, and on and on. Best simply to exclude them from that aspect of the law. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Jan 1994 15:34:36 -0500 Subject: Making of B5 outlets I have no idea why a non-PTEN station would be showing the Making Of piece, but will look into it. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Jan 1994 20:37:14 -0500 Subject: Scheduling It's a good suggestion, and I appreciate the thought; how much direct influence I have over the rerun schedule is a question of some debate, though. If I do have any influence, I will definitely apply it, but it's still being defined. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 16 Jan 1994 01:26:25 -0500 Subject: Too many cooks... What you are noticing is the same thing suffered by anyone who creates something; for a long time, it's just yours, and maybe a few others' as well. But the point is to get it *out there*. And when that happens, as with creating B5, it isn't *yours* any longer, it belongs to the viewers. It can take some getting used to, and you just have to learn to let go. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 16 Jan 1994 01:33:13 -0500 Subject: Re: jms's creds Yeah, you're right; I'd nearly forgotten about the "And Winston, the black character, drives the car and repairs it." I pretty much went right through the roof on that one. The consultants said that you have to keep characters to within a child's expectations. I came within an inch of going over the table at them. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 16 Jan 1994 01:42:08 -0500 Subject: ST vs B5 thematic musings What you post in your message is *exactly* right. I don't believe in the notion that, when we go to the stars, we have to leave behind our individual languages, and cultures, and ethnic backgrounds, and fashions of dress. We bring that with us as part of who and what we are. It's our differences that *strengthen* us. It's not all going to vanish in 200 years. There are cultures in the eastern part of the world that have survived with minor changes for literally thousands of years. 250 years is the blink of an eye. It's really a Western phenomenon; to us, 200 years is a long time, the whole history of our nation. That changes when you go outside. I stood on the cobblestone walks of Trinity College in Dublin, and realized that on those same cobblestones some eager student raced across to the living quarters to announce news of a big revolution in the American colonies. I stood in the neolithic burial mounds at New Grange, the oldest man-made stuctures in the world, older even than the pyramids...and realized that in human terms, 250 years isn't even a blip. We're not going to change that much. 250 years ago, people worked, got married, had families, separated, had affairs, and hoped for a better world for their children. 250 years from now, it will be exactly the same. Only the chrome of technology will vary. For a good example of this, go find an SF movie musical called "Just Imagine" made in the 1930s. Set in the 1980s, it pictured a world of people with names instead of numbers, pills instead of food, and birth by machine. Much of TV SF makes the similar error. The other point you raise is equally valid. The one thing that to me always typified SF was the sense of *wonder*. Of something mysterious out there. And that is the one thing that I feel is so missing from much of TV SF; not to pick on ST, but the reality is that going from world to world seems like going from 7-11 to 7-11. It's all established, there's not much mystery. (Not in all cases, I'm sure that one or two could be found, but in general.) There should be *differences*, and things we don't understand and will *never* fully understand. (For me, one of the best episodes in this regard is "Mind War," specifically the tag of the episode, which still gives me a shiver even though I've now seen it over a dozen times.) Anyway, point being...you're right. And the first six episodes we air will give some indiciation as to whether or not we got it right. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 16 Jan 1994 01:44:08 -0500 Subject: Re: Psis and Trials [was Re: B Exactly. The inadmissibility of telepathic scans of the accused, and even the *prohibition* against same, is the reason Sinclair wasn't and couldn't be scanned by Lyta in the pilot. I could've explained this in some detail, but the pilot was already *so* exposition heavy that I figured it'd be better to wait until (I thought at the time) the next few episodes, which would get into that. (That was when I figured we'd be going straight to series.) Another example of what was assumed to be a lapse in story logic, but which was actually a plot point.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 16 Jan 1994 18:02:50 -0500 Subject: Re: jms's creds Regarding the ads...when you have 14-16 regular and recurring characters, you have to determine which of them will end up in an ad, because anyone not included is bound to be offended unless you come up with some unbiased way of selecting them. What was finally chosen was the number of episodes in which they appear. The cut-off point was 13 episodes. At that point and above, you have Sinclair, Delenn, Garibaldi, Ivanova, G'Kar, Londo. Below that you have Franklin, Lennier, Vir, Talia, Na'Toth, etc. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 16 Jan 1994 20:53:57 -0500 Subject: Late B5? No, the show isn't a year and a half late. As it is, it's less than one year since the pilot aired. It was our initial hope, and my initial belief, that we'd go straight into the series as soon as we finished the pilot. But the studio, in its infinite wisdom, decided that since they HAD a pilot, it kinda behooved them to air it and get the ratings before committing to a series. So we then waited until February for the airing, got the go-ahead to production around April/May, began shooting in July, got a whole bunch of episodes in the can, and now we're hitting the air. That is the sum and substance of it. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 16 Jan 1994 21:07:09 -0500 Subject: Franke footage... Chris does appear in the "Making Of" piece. Beyond that, I don't know about ET or anything else. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 16 Jan 1994 22:04:33 -0500 Subject: To JMS Regarding B5 electronic Let me make it clear: I have nothing to do with the manufacture of the electronic press kit, or the platforms selected. What I can say is that Warners distribution is not in the computer business (at least, not as of this moment). They have a limited budget. In testimony to the great commitment on-line for the show, they put together this EPK, and could afford to pick two formats in which it could be made. They settled on MAC and IBM because those two are the dominant formats numerically, whatever the benefits, values and positives associated with the Amiga. It was something never in the original plans, is done as a compliment to BBSers, is the first time ANY TV series has done this at *all*, and it has been met by some hostility from Amiga users because that platform wasn't included. Yes, Amiga has provided Foundation (which we don't own) with some nifty tools. And those tools have received, and will continue to receive *substantial* publicity through B5. Millions more people will be reached concerning what the Amiga (and Toaster) can do because of this show. So on that level, I consider the scales balanced. As far as an Amiga version...Jim Moloshok, head of marketing for Warners, has given permission to a couple of people to hack the program into an Amiga format. This is because whatever you might think, studios do not have infinite amounts of time or money. I imagine that version will be out sooner or later. We all do what we can. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 17 Jan 1994 03:31:47 -0500 Subject: JMS... A question about tech I believe that Ron is working to put together a possible B5 tech manual sometime soonish. The history of Earth for about the last 100 years prior to the time of B5 is broken out, and though it isn't laid out in detail in the series, it forms a reference backdrop for us, so it's all consistent when we refer to any part of it. The pilot was 2257, the first year of the series is 2258, year two would be 2259, and so on. The story requires 5 years of story time as well as 5 years of real time to tell. Things have to go through some real time lapse for the story to work out properly. Consequently, the narration at the top of the show ("...the year is 2258, the name of the place is Babylon 5") will be changed each season. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 18 Jan 1994 18:52:39 -0500 Subject: Earth Shake! Came through pretty much okay, all considered. At the house, the living room fireplace is now IN the living room (on the floor), the patio has separated from the rest of the house, there's major cracks all over the place, everything that was on shelves is now on the floor...but the stage came through okay, and we're back to shooting today, if possibly on a reduced schedule. (Everyone was given the option of not coming in today, but everyone wanted to show support, get back on the horse again, and get going. Some even came in on their own time Monday to help with cleanup.) Onward. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 18 Jan 1994 18:53:32 -0500 Subject: Earth Alliance Starships Yes, we will be seeing Earth Alliance starships. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 18 Jan 1994 18:53:41 -0500 Subject: Re: Psis and Trials I'm sorry, but whether or not you personally agree with the structure, the prohibition on the use of telepaths in court is NOT irrational, OR based on an irrational government. Members of the Psi Corps are NOT just individuals walking around; they are *governmentally regulated and controlled*. Any good defense or prosecution attorney could turn that against them. Also, the Law Profession isn't ABOUT to turn over control of its actions to a bunch of government-regulated telepaths. There are already restrictions in place on hearsay evidence, even on anecdotal or eyewitness testimony. People are entitled to a fair trial, and due process, *based on evidence*, not the opinions of a State employee or someone controlled by the State. This has been the history (at least in theory) of jurisprudence in this country for the last 200 years. Finally, the judicial arm of the government itself will not relinquish control over the courts to an outside agency. Look at human nature; this simply will NOT happen. It is not irrational, it is relentlessly logical, and based upon what happens now in our court system, and what is likely in the event of actual telepaths being discovered. And again, you have to remember that there are competing governmental agencies involved here, this isn't just a bunch of civilian witnesses roaming around. And on another level, there are LOTS of reasons for wanting the Psi Corps NOT to get this kind of control or influence. Some might say (and in the course of this series, some WILL say) that the Psi Corps have too much influence as it is, they're trying to worm their way in all over the place. They represent the all-seeing Big Brother, with the potential for massive abuse. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 18 Jan 1994 18:54:09 -0500 Subject: What I didn't like (minor Midn A few small quibbles with your quibbles: 1) In "Midnight," Sinclair is really not given a chance to show his character, since it's basically a reintroduction to the series, and there is a lot to cover. He functions throughout the episode only in his official capacity. In other episodes, you'll get to see some very different sides to his character, particular in "Parliament of Dreams." 2) The line, "You're too young to hurt that much," which actually is, "You're too young to experience that much pain," isn't from "Midnight." It's from "Infection." 3) I agree, most of the plot lines are tied up pretty well (except for the telepath issue introduced at the end, which comes back at us again...as does, incidentally, the Raghesh 3 incident and other stuff). In responding to some of the criticism of the pilot, I tried to make this one far more self-contained. Which is why I much prefer "Parliament," "Mind War" and "Soul Hunter" over "Midnight." 4) Yes, Vir is very obsequious in "Midnight." That's done in order to give his character somewhere to go, as gradually he begins to stand up to Londo and talk back. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 18 Jan 1994 22:07:16 -0500 Subject: Re: Psis and Trials [was Re: B A telepath is allowed to function neither way, to scan someone to determine he's innocent, or to act as accuser. You mention the pilot, but *in* the pilot, Lyta didn't scan Sinclair. She scanned a *victim* of a potential crime. She was not asked to go in and look for the killer, she was asked to find out how the poison got into Kosh's system. A telepath can do this. (A telepath can, on some situations, also scan a victim unable to testify for physical reasons to find out who did the act, as I said before, **BUT** that must still be backed up with physical evidence, you can't just take the telepath's word for it, there MUST be physical evidence.) All of which is why, in the pilot, it was *also* stipulated that the information gained was "inadmissible" (in Kyle's testimony). There are a lot of reasons why this has been worked out to within an inch of its life, none of which I can comment on yet. (The other aspect of all this that has to be borne in mind is that a LOT of people, many of them important, do NOT like the Psi Corps, don't *trust* the Psi Corps, and are actively against them extending their power. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 18 Jan 1994 22:09:17 -0500 Subject: Re: Psis and Trials The point you raise is very valid. People forget the privacy issue as being very important. (That's one problem I have with Troi, I'll have to grudgingly admit; there she goes, intruding into anybody's and everybody's mind without even so much as a by-your-leave, including aliens they've just met, as well as humans. Mind your own business.) One other element to consider in all of this is real simple: at the time in question, it's possible to alter one's memories. (Remember, Sinclair is missing 24 hours from his memory.) One can blank certain memories. So it's possible that a person who committed a murder might pay big bucks to have that memory wiped. Then you have to be sure to find a telepath who's good enough to see the "seams" (for lack of a better term) in the person's memory to know it's been modified. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 18 Jan 1994 22:21:44 -0500 Subject: STTNGvs.B5 sociopolitical ramb Your assumptions regarding the differences between the two universes, and our political/social setup, are quite correct. We've taken the idea of a planetary government (not necessarily American in nature; we've gone back to some older ideas on the operation of a republic) with a senate and a President that is not looking to take care of everybody else's problems, and has enough problems on its own. (In fact, at one point in the pilot, a Senator tells Sinclair "The Earth Alliance can't go around being the galaxy's policeman.") I read, a long time ago, that what you have to do in a story is to get your character up a tree and then start throwing rocks at him. So instead of making everything easy for our characters, I've constructed universe that is *difficult*, where you have to work for everything you get, and nobody wants to cooperate unless they have to. Never arbitrarily, though; characters have to have good reasons (or at least what they consider good reasons) for what they do. For me, the process of overcoming a problem is more dramatically interesting -- and in a way more positive -- than a universe in which all over the problems have already been solved. I want to show characters who have to deal with the same BS as the rest of us, but who manage to persevere regardless. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 18 Jan 1994 23:50:42 -0500 Subject: Re: STTNGvs.B5 sociopolitical Re: your note about humans rolling up their sleeves, eyeing each other warily, while also trying to figure out the Outsiders...you've just done a very good synopsis of "By Any Means Necessary," which will air sometime around our second or third batch of episodes this season (batches being measured in sixes). jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 19 Jan 1994 15:40:23 -0500 Subject: Re: B5 and Trek Actually, if you want to verify which came first, there's a very simple and easy way to do it that doesn't require taking my word for it. 1) There's an interview with me in Starlog during the time I was story editor on the new Twilight Zone series. I mention there about having been trying to sell a show called Babylon 5 for some time. Also, I slipped a reference to B5 into my second novel, "OtherSyde," published around 1991 in hardcover by Dutton. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 19 Jan 1994 15:40:55 -0500 Subject: Questions on the Series Thanks. I hope that you will find the series bears out your optimism. To your questions: 1) The method of transit is called a Jump Gate. 2) We're still in the process of drawing up a detailed starmap with the distances from B5 to each of our major governments, but we're looking at roughly 25 light years from Earth. 3) The Earth/Minbari war lasted almost five years. The terms of surrender were conditional; there was to be no reparation. It was simply a cessation of hostilities. It was not a clear-cut issue of being beaten or doing the beating; it just stopped...which left a lot of people feeling about the same way some did after Vietnam. Peace with honor? Maybe, maybe not. 4) The Earth government -- located in Earthdome -- is basically a republic, with reps from each nation serving as senators or in other capacities. 5) Earth has fougth in some other conflicts, on a smaller scale; prior to the Earth/Minbari war, they came to the assistance of the Non-Aligned Worlds against a race known as the Dilgar, which devastated whole worlds. (You'll see the last survivor of this race in "Deathwalker.") jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 19 Jan 1994 15:41:15 -0500 Subject: Digital Cards and so forth The person responsible for the digital trading cards and the EPK is Jim Moloshok, at Warner Bros. marketing. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 19 Jan 1994 15:41:22 -0500 Subject: TV Guide Rating You have your characters confused. Bill Mumy's character, Lennier, is not the station's underground "fixer." His character is Delenn's diplomatic attache, who has lived virtually his whole life within the confines of the religious caste, and has now been sent to B5. The one you're thinking of is n'grath, who looks kinda like a 7 foot tall praying mantis. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Jan 1994 18:17:05 -0500 Subject: Heraldry in Star Fury Markings There are a number of influences that go into the markings on the Starfuries. (And not all 'furies are so marked; only those that are generally used by only one pilot, to whom the ship is assigned.) We took in general the WW II model, where pilots used to decorate their craft with nose art to personalize it. So some of it is of that flavor, while others echo more ancient heraldry. (Ivanova's 'fury has an old Russian two-headed eagle in stylized form.) Yes, again, an attempt to connect past, present and future. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 21 Jan 1994 19:08:33 -0500 Subject: Re: Earth Shake! The worst part of the quake, really, was that my house was without electricity until Midnight Thursday night. So I'd write (up against a real deadline because of the quake) at the office, charge up my notebook computer, go home, fire up the notebook, and write scripts by flashlight. Yikes. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 21 Jan 1994 19:08:54 -0500 Subject: Re: B5 & Earthquake There *are* steps in Harlan's house, in his office leading from the pool room below to the second floor office proper. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 22 Jan 1994 06:26:54 -0500 Subject: Religious vs. Warrior Caste Mi The religious and military castes have rarely disagreed on anything, until the religious caste ordered the surrender at the Battle of the Line. Since then, things have not been proceeding as smoothly.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 22 Jan 1994 06:29:35 -0500 Subject: Skeptical about B5 (I "one's an apple, the other's an orange." I've got dibs on the apple. Regards to Eve. jms ("One's an apple. The other's an orange. Together, they fight crime.") From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 22 Jan 1994 06:34:49 -0500 Subject: Time Between Movie and Series Approximately nine months have passed since the time of the pilot and the birth of the series. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 22 Jan 1994 06:39:05 -0500 Subject: "Midnight" and the council (No The Babylon 5 Advisory Council and the League of Non-Aligned Worlds functions in much the same fashion as the Security Council and the General Assembly in the U.N. The smaller worlds and alliances can't weild as much power as any of the Big Five. Together, they as a group get a vote equal to one of the Big Five; they can deputize one of their number to speak for them and cast that vote, which can often break ties or create ties. It is not a terribly equitible situation, but it was the only workable solution that would be accepted by the other Ambassadors. We'll see them chafing at this in "Deathwalker." jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 02:04:50 -0500 Subject: B5: Universe Today Babylon 5 E Just a minor correctin: B5 did not miss even *one* day of filming due to the quake. We gave everyone the option of staying home, but they wanted to come in...so we were shooting first thing Tuesday morning (Monday, remember, was a holiday). jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 02:15:20 -0500 Subject: Firearms B5 doesn's have tractor beams; for the most part, they don't exist in Earth tech of 2258, though other species might have them. (There are differences in tech between races.) I'd rather not say too much about B5's defense system until you see it in action later this season. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 02:18:58 -0500 Subject: Delenn's gender? Delenn was originally going to be a fairly sexually-ambiguous character...a male character, played by a female, with a computer altered voice...but we couldn't make the alteration sound good enough to satisfy us, so we left her a her. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 02:18:58 -0500 Subject: Re: STTNGvs.B5 sociopolitical Yes, "Demon Night," published in hardcover by Dutton (and later nominated for a Bram Stoker Award) was my first published novel. My second novel was "OtherSyde," also from Dutton. Writing novels gave me the foundation I needed to really outline and prepare B5 as a novel-for-TV. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 02:23:57 -0500 Subject: Earth government The status of the Mars Colony is in considerable debate in B5's time. It's chafing under the EA's tight controls. I wouldn't be surprised to see it try to secede at some point.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 02:29:50 -0500 Subject: Fighters There are other kinds of fighters; it's a question of what's intended for use where. The Raider ships, and the Narn heavy fighters, are both atmospheric and non-atmospheric ships. Some fighters, such as B5's Starfuries, the Drazi Sunhawk, the Ipsha Battleglobe and others (you'll see the latter two in "Deathwalker") are configured only for non-atmosphere activities, and have different configurations. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 02:31:57 -0500 Subject: Re: alt.Babylon-5.creative If story ideas start appearing on this group, I'll have to withdraw. It ain't something I like saying, because I know how it sounds, but that's the reality of it, in this very, very litigious society. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 05:54:29 -0500 Subject: Re: Midnight... questions (S And the action *doesn't* always happen conveniently located to a jump gate. Sometimes, it can take *hours* or even days to get to where a ship or other object is located. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 05:56:23 -0500 Subject: Re: Card #15 error Note: Insofar as I know, Warners has only released *10* .gif trading cards. It's altogether possible that this #15 is bogus. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 19:26:06 -0500 Subject: ID of someone in Making of... The fellow to whom you refer is John Copeland, one of our producers on B5. We've got a John Copeland, a John Iacovelli, a John Johnston, a John Radulovic...we've got Johns all over the place on this show, oddly enough. (Though you can never have enough johns, I suppose....) And just as oddly, only one Joe. Go figure. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 19:33:52 -0500 Subject: Finally! A sig! By all means, use the sig, with my blessings. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 20:45:42 -0500 Subject: Re: alt.Babylon-5.creative There's a general difference between "it'd be nice to see Garibaldi in civvies" as a discussion of things people would like to see in a show, and, "okay, Garibaldi is stranded on a planet with a talking moose who proceeds to sing show-tunes all night." The latter is a *story*, and that is the thing I have to be careful not to stumble across. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 20:48:29 -0500 Subject: ALIEN DESIGN CONCEPTS We're taking the position that some things might look similar to Earth life, but others won't. n'grath has a fairly traditional insectoid look, but that is so pervasive here that it's a good chance it'll work out there. On the other hand, the pak'ma'ra, which you'll get a good look at in "Legacies," are *quite* different from earth critters. The basic problem, of course, is that all we have as a frame of reference, in reality, is Earth stuff; we haven't yet seen real alien life. So anything we come up with is in some way, however distorted, based on what we can conceive of. This is limited by experience. This is the problem on ANY level in dealing with aliens. Whatever we conceive will never be a fraction of what the reality would be. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 20:49:07 -0500 Subject: Re: JMS: Earthquake, Budget, e If someone wants to put the V material on the site, I have no objections. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 20:51:10 -0500 Subject: Re: Starfury specs? Yes, you will see space craft carriers in at least one episode, if not more, this season. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 22:54:00 -0500 Subject: Bill Mumy Bill Mumy makes his appearance in "Parliament of Dreams," but under contract the credit appears in all episodes produced. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Jan 1994 23:00:15 -0500 Subject: Re: ST vs B5 thematic musings We'll be taking all KINDS of approaches to ship battles.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 24 Jan 1994 02:12:42 -0500 Subject: Budget Cuts Too Obvious ... I really don't know what you mean by budget cuts affecting the points you mention. If we'd wanted to save money, we would've left the prosthetics and other design elements the same as in the pilot. But after doing the pilot, we looked at the makeup designs for Delenn and G'Kar and decided we didn't much like the way they came out, and set out -- at considerable cost -- to redo them. We did new life-casts, hired new people to re-sculpt the alien headpieces, and went to a somewhat more expensive variety of Delenn's headpiece. As for G'Kar's makeup being a bit "thinner," that's because we went to a finer mask, which tears more easily, has to be replaced more often, at greater cost...but which gives the actor a LOT more freedom of expression. To make a thick mask is a LOT less expensive than a thin one. We changed things, yes...but out of personal preference. Same with the observation dome, where we added an office for Sinclair, did the same with medlab for Franklin...you may or may not agree with a change, but please don't assume automatically that budget was involved when in fact it was not. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 24 Jan 1994 04:13:14 -0500 Subject: Re: CRITICAL COMMENTS: "Midnig You're correct in your appraisal of the "coincidences" in the first episode. Upon finding that Londo's nephew was there, they would of course trot him out to try and undermine Londo's credibility (you'll note that G'Kar made special mention of this, as if to say, "Is the Centauri ambassador calling his own nephew a liar?"). It'd be the same thing if the son of an American ambassador was on-hand when hostages were taken. As for the choice of the attack's location...Londo wanted his nephew "far away from all this." Someplace safe. A fairly safe, mundane place is not going to have a major military presence...and hence is a perfect target for attack. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 24 Jan 1994 08:49:12 -0500 Subject: Query for JMS about "Making of I spoke about the 5-year plan when they did the interview with me for the "Making Of" piece. Why it didn't end up in it is anybody's guess.... Not glitzy enough, I guess. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 24 Jan 1994 18:24:00 -0500 Subject: Re: ALIEN DESIGN CONCEPTS It's interesting you mention the floaters as being something "totally different from any Earth lifeform," because according to what Sagan said at an appearance, they're based to a large degree on jellyfish, combined to some degree (in terms of eating habits) with whales. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 24 Jan 1994 18:27:04 -0500 Subject: Re: ALIEN DESIGN CONCEPTS Okay, but now, the only problem is...let's say we take your advice, and build an alien around the design of an oyster. Now we have Sinclair having a converstion with an oyster. Can you *imagine* the audience reaction? Some things sound nice in theory, but when you build it, and try to play it for drama...it ends up very, very badly. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 25 Jan 1994 01:46:52 -0500 Subject: Midnight: thoughts... Just a note...re: the CGI looking crisp and unblurred...the blurring you're used to seeing is an artifact of atmosphere. There is no air in space, and thus no blurring. (Check the latest NASA footage for more on this.) That's of course why they put Hubble in space, to avoid the problems of blurring caused by atmosphere. We probably could've put in atmospheric blurring to give it a different depth-of-field, but we have this bugaboo about being a -science- fiction show.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 25 Jan 1994 03:13:08 -0500 Subject: EVIL HUMANS? (will there be?) There are *plenty* of humans in B5's universe who are on the dark side of things, take my word for it. I don't subscribe to the "we're nice 'cause we're humans" philosophy. You'll see 'em all over the show as the episodes pass. It seems to me that generally in such shows, all the interesting things happen to aliens, are caused by aliens. I like a show where you have interesting things happen to interesting humans, good, bad and indifferent. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 25 Jan 1994 05:03:52 -0500 Subject: Re: Midnight: thoughts... AND Quick responses: Re the spotlights, we'd figured that since the transport had been freshly attacked, there'd be debris all over the place, and lots of particulate matter which would show up in the light. Re: the council...I tend to agree. The prosthetics on our background aliens and the League started out okay, but we felt we could do better, and began a series of improvements, which can be seen most clearly in "Deathwalker," where they're all proper prosthetics rather than masks. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 25 Jan 1994 07:03:54 -0500 Subject: Re: Budget Cuts Too Obvious .. Your tastes are your tastes. You don't like something, fine, but that doesn't make it "dreck." I like Delenn's makeup a LOT more now than in the pilot. To me, it looks a lot more like what a Minbari SHOULD look like (and as it happens, there's only one person who can make that particular call). I'm sorry you don't like it. But dreck it ain't. I think it's *very* elegant. Tastes differ. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 26 Jan 1994 01:31:29 -0500 Subject: Question for JMS about Making Sigh...no, there's no eye in the jump gate in our show. The people who made the ads put it in, god knows why.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Jan 1994 01:32:28 -0500 Subject: Questions I have no firm information, but would be surprised if B5 doesn't appear Down Under toward late summer/early fall. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Jan 1994 02:49:06 -0500 Subject: _Midnight..._ comments [Minor That the Centauri *claimed* that we were a lost colony is not the same as indicating that we *believed* them. As for the Narns...yes, they are portrayed in a favorable light in many episodes, from "By Any Means" to "Chrysalis" and "Mind War," to name but a few. Nobody is just one thing on this show. Not nobody, not nohow. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Jan 1994 07:07:10 -0500 Subject: Re: B5 review in Cleveland Pla The problem, of course, is that any space-oriented SF series is going to be compared against Trek...which has 25 years of shared history behind it. One episode, or even two of a new series simply cannot compete with 25 years. Some critics observed that after seeing the B5 pilot, they don't know as much about our characters as they know about Spock and Kirk. Well, no...come back in 25 years and then we'll talk. If you spend the time to do lots of character stuff, you get gigged for being slow and plodding (as happened in the pilot); if you go for a story with more action, they gig you for putting action above characterization. This first episode has received *both* complaints; some said it was all action, some said there was no action. You can get dizzy after a while.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Jan 1994 07:07:54 -0500 Subject: Re: V Material No, the info on the future history of Power was mainly in my head and Larry DiTillio's head, not written down. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Jan 1994 07:43:06 -0500 Subject: JMS: Did you expect this? I'm hesitant to get into the question of critics, and why they say what they say, because obviously anything I say is going to proceed from an agenda, and a certain bias on my part. So if we accept that going in, then I suppose I can speculate a little.... As has been pointed out here by others, SF television has a history of getting crummy reviews. I haven't seen one SF show, however good or bad, that didn't start out getting *creamed* by reviewers. Some of the TNG original reviews that've been posted here are a hell of a lot worse than most of what the critics have said about us. The majority of them do not like SF, don't care for SF, don't understand SF, and want to stick it in a pigeon hole, "Oh, it's like this." What they don't recognize, they try to make fit their preconceptions...or they pan it. Also, there's the issue of pride. A lot of critics are (now) saying that TNG is this wonderful show (where once they derided it). Same with DS9, and that everything else is crap. Anything that might be perceived by them as a threat *to their published opinion* is something that they will attack. Mind, I'm separating out those who might not particularly like the show from those who are going out of their way to assassinate the series before it even gets going. I'd point to the USA Today review that just came out as emblematic of that approach. He says that yes, it might get the ratings, it might succeed, but you should in essence be ashamed if that happens. People have targeted this show with *incredible* vehemence bordering on character assassination. I'd separate this out from some reviews that've come in, in the LA Times, and Hollywood Reporter, that didn't gush, that raised concerns, some of which I agree with. They were actual analyses of the show, it's strengths and weaknesses, which are helpful, I think, to us and to the viewer. I've *been* a reviewer, and I'm sorry, but the equivilent of "IT SUCKS" isn't a review. It's a Beavis line. Beyond that, deponent sayeth not. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 28 Jan 1994 04:47:30 -0500 Subject: Questions for JMS (some spoile Quick replies to your questions: Spoo is. What else can one say about spoo? Those running B5 are a branch of what was/will be Earthforce Air Force/Air Command. To reach a certain command level requires piloting experience, preferably under combat situations. That was a Centauri weapon. The scanners on the Starfuries detected no movement, no atmosphere, no signals, no warmth of bodies. The Centauri station actually was rotating, as I recall, it's the camera angle that I believe doesn't showcase it as well as it might. The lights on the fighters during the examination of the rubble were visible due to particulate matter spewed out during and after the attack. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 28 Jan 1994 05:27:07 -0500 Subject: Question to JMS (was Excellent Okay, here are my favorites, in order, of the first six episodes to air: 1) "The Parliament of Dreams," 2) "Mind War," 3) "Soul Hunter," 4) "Midnight on the Firing Line," 5) "Born to the Purple," 6) "Infection." jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 28 Jan 1994 05:47:28 -0500 Subject: B5: "Midnight on the Firing Li Just two quickies: 1) you *did* see somebody pay for a drink; in the bar at the end, Ivanova clicks her drink with her credit chit, which is used to pay for stuff (you'll see them used in more detail down the road). 2) you mention that Londo had evidence he didn't use...what was that? Not the recorder, because by this time the Narna have admitted that they used force, but have couched it in the terms that they were invited in (the way the Germans were supposedly "invited" into some of the countries they invaded). jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 28 Jan 1994 20:12:43 -0500 Subject: Re: 10 Things JMS did... Just for purposes of clarification, I am *not* a member of the NRA, or any similar organization. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 30 Jan 1994 11:50:14 -0500 Subject: Re: Babylon-5 Review in NEWSDA "I just couldn't help think of only one thing: Curly of the Three Stooges with his finger in a socket." Interesting. Curly is/was bald. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 30 Jan 1994 15:15:33 -0500 Subject: Reaction of the Council. Spoil It's interesting what we can read into faces...in Delenn's reaction, I saw concern, angst, but not that she believed the story. That certainly wasn't the intent of the scene, or the script...faces are interesting things. As for the rest, you're right; not everyone wants to do the Right Thing For The Right Reasons. Some would prefer not to get involved. So some might want deniability, want a reason not to go up against the Narns, or have sold out their votes. A human looking at that screen could tell that the person was being coerced...but what about the other alien races, to whom a downcast face could be a sign of joy? In any event, suspicion is one thing, but *proof* is another, and the legal system works on *proof*. Nothing could be done until they had the proof that Sinclair got at the end, and chose to use behind closed doors to the same effect. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 30 Jan 1994 23:39:26 -0500 Subject: Congratulations on Midnight! ( That's terrific, I'm glad you enjoyed it. And as you note, there's even spiffier stuff coming right down the pike.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 31 Jan 1994 11:46:43 -0500 Subject: REVIEW: Midnight on the Firing Thank you for the good words. We're really trying. jms