lurkers-guide/ftp/CompuServe/cs95-09

JMS CompuServe messages collected by The Green Meddler <kilgalen@tde.com>.


Subj:  Pirate Warning from jms		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  David Henninger, Friday, September 01, 1995 1:13:02 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#318703

     Simplest way to tell: if it has the PTEN copyright notice, it's 
usually authorized, same for any other product by other shows.  If 
not, not.

     One-offs, paintings of characters, that's one thing, but if 
somebody's selling mass-produced stuff like links, PPGs, patches 
without any kind of ID on them, you can be sure it ain't legit.

                                                         jms


Subj:  Pirate Warning from jms		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Mark Slater, Friday, September 01, 1995 1:19:03 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#318706

     Just so we're clear, the problem isn't getting WB moving on 
licensing; ever since we got started here, I've been dragging my 
feet on licensing stuff, because I've seen merchandising become the 
tail wagging the dog on TV shows.  I don't want that to happen 
here.  So as stuff comes in, I approve only a few things, selectively, 
that I think can be done, and done well.

     Re: the UK videotape situation...that's something that I have no 
input into whatsoever, as it falls under the jurisdiction of another 
country, and the approval steps are several steps removed from me.

                                                         jms


Subj:  Pirate Warning from jms		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Alan Katz, Friday, September 01, 1995 11:01:20 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#319178

     I've been involved in approving the comics, the micromachines, 
the novels, the screen saver, the Fleer cards, and other stuff.

                                                         jms


Subj:  Pirate Warning from jms		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Stephen Burrow, Saturday, September 02, 1995 9:33:00 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#320089

     As with the disks, eventually we'll have tapes out, it's just a 
matter of convincing WB that there's interest out there.

                                                         jms


Subj:  Pirate Warning from jms		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Anne L. Warner, Sunday, September 03, 1995 7:20:08 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#320985

     It's a different division of Warners, run by Jim Cardwell at
Warner Home Video, that makes the decision about cassettes.

                                                         jms


Subj:  Pirate Warning from jms		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Tom Knudsen, Friday, September 01, 1995 11:01:23 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#319179

<Has any company requested a license for a calendar?>
  
     If someone comes to us with the right package, I'm sure we could 
work that out.

                                                         jms


Subj:  Foul Ball			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Benoit Langevin, Friday, September 01, 1995 1:13:04 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#318704

     The B5 baseball cap is available by phone order from Creation 
Entertainment or at any Creation convention.

     As for the sound mix...yeah, we put a great deal of work into 
that aspect, for the surround effect.  If you fire up "Race" there's 
a LOT going on in that one.  It takes a great deal of time, but it's 
worth it.

                                                         jms


Subj:  Foul Ball			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Benoit Langevin, Friday, September 01, 1995 11:01:17 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#319176

     Alas, I don't have their number right at hand, but if you call 
818 area code information, for the Creation Entertainment offices 
in Glendale, you'll get the info.

                                                         jms


Subj:  Pirate Warning from jms		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Blackadder, Saturday, September 02, 1995 9:33:31 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#320088

<I have heard rumors of B5 being offered in laser disk in the near 
future. Is there any truth to it?>

     Eventually it'll be done, but there's no target date for that 
now.

                                                         jms


Subj:  B5 vs. Trek fans			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Sam W, Sunday, September 03, 1995 7:32:16 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#320995

      BTW, someone should point out to the "ST doesn't use CGI" crowd 
that, from what I saw, LOTS of the Voyager stuff was CGI last ep, 
including that shot where the legs extend from beneath.

                                                          jms


Subj:  B5 vs. Trek fans			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Louis H. Levinson, Sunday, September 03, 1995 7:32:14 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#320994

     There are limits to what the healing device can do, for starters; 
it can't repair physical damage to the body, mainly it works with 
disease and basic low-energy stuff; also, bear in mind that it was a 
device used for *capital punishment*...meaning that to save one person's 
life, another must sacrifice his or her own, if it's that far along, 
so it's not really something you can trot out everytime somebody gets 
nailed.

                                                         jms



Subj:  What's legit?			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Glen Guenther, 71163,75		Monday, September 04, 1995 3:21:18 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#321904

     T-shirts are available from Creation and All-U, with caps and mugs from
Creation (and there's a GREAT new mug with the station on the obverse side),
along with a great jacket with the station embroidered on the back.  There
are 4 micromachine sets out now, with 2 more to come.  And the trading cards
from Fleer are due out in about a week or so.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Pirate Warning from jms		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Jeannette Fornadel, 76371,3057	Monday, September 04, 1995 3:21:21 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#321905

     Sheridan's obsessive streak may be the only thing that gets them out
of this alive.  And as far as I know, the kid hasn't been born yet.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Pirate Warning from jms		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Mark D. Smith, 70254,107		Monday, September 04, 1995 3:21:24 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#321907

     Novel 3 is due out now, or in a week or so.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Pirate Warning from jms		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Anne L. Warner, 71513,1177	Monday, September 04, 1995 10:16:20 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#322437

     Yes, that's the correct address.

                                                                        jms


Subj:  Pirate Warning from jms		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Anne L. Warner, 71513,1177	Tuesday, September 05, 1995 11:18:14 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#323593

     Yeah, thanks, we're finally starting to get some attention on the show;
I think we've come to that annoying point where it's just about impossible
to keep ignoring us....

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Pirate Warning from jms		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Mark Slater, 100600,3605		Monday, September 04, 1995 10:16:21 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#322438

     I've always said...the day I approve Babylon 5 Underoos is the day
you'll all know I've sold out....

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Pirate Warning from jms		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Bob Perse, 75310,3312		Wednesday, September 06, 1995 11:52:19 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#324597

<They'd want you to model the Underoos...>

     Naah...the whole nation would be struck blind, and I don't want to be
held accountable for that.

                                                                       jms

Subj:  B5 vs. Trek fans			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Carl BUSSJAEGER, 102065,1635	Monday, September 04, 1995 3:21:22 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#321906

     The two machines would only be distantly related.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  B5 season Three			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Rae Augenstein, 72752,1653	Monday, September 04, 1995 10:16:24 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#322439

     New sets: yes, and we're creating situations in which we can see more of
Earth, Mars, our other local planets, plus Narn, Centauri, Minbari and one
other major world.  As the Shadow War cranks into gear, you're going to need
a place to meet in security and plan for it, so we're also building that.
We'll see more of Draal's place on Epsilon 3.  And there's one other major
set that we'll see in the first episode, and quite a bit thereafter.

     New characters: well, there's Marcus Cole, a Ranger assigned permanently
to Babylon 5, played by British actor Jason Carter; we'll see Lyta Alexander
more this year; and Theo...what can I say about Theo...well, perhaps better
to let you see for yourself.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  B5 season Three			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Anne L. Warner, 71513,1177	Tuesday, September 05, 1995 11:18:13 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#323592

     Theodore.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  B5 season Three			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  SysOp Dupa T. Parrot, 70040,104 Wednesday, September 06, 1995 11:52:20 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#324598

     No, since Theo is a fictional character and Theo Bikel is a real person,
and they're two different things.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  B5 Comics			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Jeffrey Martino, 73477,1506	Wednesday, September 06, 1995 2:45:03 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#324077

     Yeah, as I understand it, because the book will be published on something
other than a monthly basis, subscriptions don't apply, that's exclusively for
their regular, monthly titles.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Cast & Crew view eps?		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Z. Michael Milutinovic, 71532,2231Thursday, September 07, 1995 10:19:00 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#325449

     Not really, no...sometimes, one or another cast or crew person will
ask to screen an episode, but it's very spotty; we don't provide personal
copies until after the episode airs, and only to direct cast and crew
members.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Cast & Crew view eps?		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Jeannette Fornadel, 76371,3057	Friday, September 08, 1995 2:29:01 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#325901

     Well, though they haven't seen the eps, they *have* read the scripts,
so they do know what happened in those eps.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  B5 move in SF			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Thomas McDonough, 73641,474	Thursday, September 07, 1995 10:19:02 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#325450

     Well, I'm not surprised, in that stations generally don't run promos
when the show is in reruns; we'll see what they do closer to debut.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  B5 @ Emmys			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Rae Augenstein, 72752,1653	Thursday, September 07, 1995 10:19:03 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#325451

     No, I won't be there, due to work.  The noms we've gotten are in hair,
makeup and  cinematography.  They're up against stiff competition, though,
so we'll see.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  John Shuck			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Mojo Jones, 71555,271		Friday, September 08, 1995 2:29:02 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#325902

<I thought I recognized John Shuck as Draal, when he wasn't doing the
Draal voice.  Is that the Commissioner's assistant from McMillan and Wife?>

     Same guy.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  B5 makes "Jeopardy"		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Richard P. Manny, Friday, September 08, 1995 11:04:03 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#326352

<If you haven't already been told, B5 became a Jeopardy question 
(answer?) last week.>

     Actually, it's a repeat of an earlier Jeapordy.

                                                      jms


Subj:  The Vorlons			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Daniel M. Upton Friday, September 08, 1995 11:04:04 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#326353

     What, I should begin catering to prurient interests?  
Broadcasting picture postcards (likely French) of Vorlons 
in provocative poses, in lingerie?  A terrible thing, that 
a nice young man such as yourself should be asking about.  
Does your mother know you're out here doing this?  Good 
heavens.

     And who said they reproduce anymore?

                                                      jms


Subj:  The Vorlons			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Jeannette Fornadel Saturday, September 09, 1995 6:33:27 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327062

<"Wouldn't that Minbari bone be awfully hard on the mother?">

     Like elk antlers, they grow after birth.

                                                      jms


Subj:  Walter on QVC			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Richard M. Perry, Friday, September 08, 1995 11:04:05 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#326354

     What's this fascination with underoos and sheets and uncut 
something or others...?

     Have you started rooming with Daniel or something?

     Sigh...y'know, I remember when this was a clean place to 
hang out, kids could play in the streets, mothers could take 
their babies out in strollers, you could hang out on the front 
stoop and talk to people...now it's all underoos and nudie 
cutie Vorlon pictures.

     What's the world coming to?

                                                      jms


Subj:  Fury landings			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Kenneth Porter Friday, September 08, 1995 11:07:15 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#326355

     We have shown, in other episodes, including "Survivors," 
that the starfuries come back in via the central docking bay, 
and are lowered into their proper bays from there, where 
they are recharged and repaired.

                                                       jms


Subj:  Theo				Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Jeannette Fornadel, Saturday, September 09, 1995 6:33:27 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327061

<Not that I expect a straight answer on the first post <GDRVVF>, 
but what sort of character is this 'Theo'?>

     Here's a hint: he arrives with about a dozen of his brothers.

                                                       jms

Subj:  Theo				Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Daniel M. Upton, Saturday, September 09, 1995 10:51:06 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327315

     Nope, not a technomage.

                                                       jms


Subj:  Theo				Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Bruce D. Sinclair Sunday, September 10, 1995 4:25:22 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327850

<If Theo is part of another brotherhood you've established on the show, 
I think it's time to leave B5 - Pronto! <g,d,r>>

       Nope.

                                                        jms


Subj:  Theo				Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Lynn Dimock, Sunday, September 10, 1995 11:09:01 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#328201

     He's definitely human.

                                                        jms

     (Suddenly this has become "What's My Line.")

Subj:  Theo				Section: Babylon 5
  To:  John McAuley Sunday, September 10, 1995 4:26:02 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327853

<How about Theo and his brothers being 
the first Organic ships (other than the Vorlon ship) to be 
stationed on B5?>

       Nope.

                                                     jms


Subj:  Theo				Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Tom Knudsen, Sunday, September 10, 1995 11:09:02 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#328202

<Is he one of the singing monks in the Moment of Perfect Beauty?>

     Nope.

                                                      jms


Subj:  The Dodgers			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Randall A. Schanze, Saturday, September 09, 1995 6:33:29 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327063

     Actually, much of what's been reported is misconception or 
actors who somewhat...misremember things.

     Bill was never considered a one-shot as Lennier.  It was always 
a recurring role.  That's what we put out in the casting breakdowns 
that went to agents, and that was the understanding when we did 
auditions, and when we negotiated with Bill, and did the main 
titles.

     Pat Tallman's character was *never* intended as a male; at one 
time, I'd considered making Delenn male to start with, then female 
after emerging from the chrysalis, but Lyta...never.

     So there really hasn't been as much divergence as might seem.

                                                       jms


Subj:  OTHERSYDE			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Raggedy Ann Sunday, September 10, 1995 4:25:25 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327851

     Thanks.  Characters, for me, are the point of a novel, and 
any good story.  Long after the plot becomes fuzzy in memory, you 
remember the people...you remember Ahab and Michael Valentine Smith 
and Charles Dexter Ward....

     Re: not having adjective/adverb disease...there's something 
funny there you wouldn't know about.  See, when I was in high school, 
they had Career Day for the tops in various areas (dance, acting, 
athletics, whatever).  I ended up in the Writing group.  It was held at 
Southwestern College down by San Diego.  I was stuck in this little 
room, and nobody came by, because who wants to see writers when you can 
see athletes and dancers and mimes?

     Finally, a short fellow with salt-and-pepper hair wandered in, 
and went down the line of manuscripts-with-writers, paused at my table.  
(I was writing stories in the Lovecraft/dark horror vein at the time.)  
Took one of my stories, walked off, sat in one of the lawn chairs, 
read it through. Came back, returned the story, took another.  Read that 
one over.  Put it back.  Looked at me for a long moment.

     Then he said: "You have a great and substantial talent for your age. 
Two pieces of advice: one, don't ever let them stop you from telling the 
stories you want to tell; two, cut every third adjective."

     Then he walked off, and as soon as he was out the door, the faculty 
advisor came running at me at warp nine.  "What did he say, what did he say, 
whatdidhesay?"  I told her.  "Don't you know who that was?" she asked.

     I said no, though there was something kinda familiar about him, and 
remember it's always different when you see somebody out of context.  
"That was Rod Serling," she said, "he's here to speak at the college later 
today."

     Had there been a gun within easy reach, I would almost certainly have 
put a bullet into my brain.  By the time I ran out, he was gone.

     That was one of three weirdnesses in my life involving Rod.  
The other two...are stories for another day.

     So when you say I've managed to keep the adjectives down...
I'm very pleased.

                                                        jms


Subj:  About your lighting		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  David Corbin, 75663,623		Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:27 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330433

<Why does B5 have so many 'moving spotlights'?>

     They look cool....?

                                                                       jms

Subj:  OTHERSYDE			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Linda Woeltjen, 76711,1142	Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:03 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330438

<How many people there are in the world who have as much confirmation as you
do that they're doing with their lives what they were *meant* to do?>

     I'm not sure some days if this is what I was *meant* to do...or if I'm
simply incompetent to do anything *else*....

                                                                       jms

Subj:  Joe's name plagiarized		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Jerry D Bookter, 75453,2257	Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:30 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330435

<There's a guy with the name 'Micheal J. Superzcynski' on CompuServe>

     Actually, I think I once ran into him hereabouts...small world....

                                                                       jms


Subj:  The Dodgers			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Philip Hornsey, 74053,2101	Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:00 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330436

<Re: Lennier never being considered as a one-shot character: I'll be d@mned.
Didn't this make it into TV Guide or something?>

     Yeah, it did, and I'm kinda surprised by it, since Bill should really know better.

                                                                       jms

Subj:  'Convictions' ep title		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Elyse M. Grasso, 70302,3304	Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:13 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330443

<Does the episode title 'Convictions' refer to strongly held opinions, or to
the aftermath of court proceedings?>

     As it happens, yes, it kinda refers to both.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  B5 Story Line Static?		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Hugh Kennedy, 70042,710		Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:16 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330444

     I'd be a fool not to build in trap doors all over the place, so that
the story can continue no matter what happens to individuals...in the same
way that the story of WW II continued, even though some lived and some died
before the end.

                                                                       jms

Subj:  Nowhere Man/Prisoner		Section: Nowhere/DeadlyGames
  To:  Rob Wu, Monday, September 18, 1995 10:10:00 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#336538

     I approached the show with great hopes, but have stopped watching.  
It just stretches credulity; this is a nationally famous photographer...
have they eliminated/co-opted his publisher?  Every bookstore in the 
country that carries his books (which doubtless also have his photo), 
every library, every person who's ever seen his work, sent 
him a letter...it's just too big and too improbable.

                                                         jms


Subj:  Marshall Teague/Narn?		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Elyse M. Grasso, Monday, September 18, 1995 10:10:01 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#336539

     Yes, it's the same character, and his name is Ta'Lon.

                                                         jms


Subj:  Query about Shadow Ships		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Mark Sloan, Monday, September 18, 1995 10:10:03 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#336540

     They have alternate means of flipping into and out of hyperspace.

                                                         jms


Subj:  Baby 5?				Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Rae Augenstein, Tuesday, September 19, 1995 10:14:14 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#337813

<What is your reaction to people referring to your show as 
"Baby 5?">

     Doesn't really bother me.  Bombings, ships sinking, mortar fire, 
*that* bothers me...the rest...ehh.
                         
                                                    jms

Subj:  Nowhere Man/Prisoner		Section: Nowhere/DeadlyGames
  To:  David Farsaad, Wednesday, September 20, 1995 8:13:25 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#338847

     "In real life they do it all the time."

     Really?  What was the last famous author/photographer/celebrity 
who had his identity removed and then couldn't find anyone in the 
continental United States who knew who he was?

                                                          jms

Subj:  Season Three			Section: seaQuest DSV/2032
  To:  Rob Wu, Friday, September 22, 1995 1:17:10 AM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#340342

     Haven't seen it, can't comment.

                                                           jms


Subj:  Query about Shadow Ships		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  John M. Kahane, Friday, September 22, 1995 1:17:12 AM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#340343

     I can imagine there'd be different kinds of technology that 
can accomplish the same goals, yes.

                                                            jms


Subj:  <Long Twilight Struggle>		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Michael  Zitaglio, Saturday, September 23, 1995 4:40:11 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#342223

     "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

                                                          jms

Subj:  <Long Twilight Struggle>		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Michael  Zitaglio, Sunday, September 24, 1995 4:15:28 AM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#342827

<JMS, Father, you are wise.>

     Thank you, son.  Now clean up your room before your mom gets home.

                                                           jms


Subj:  Narn v. Centauri?		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Paul Sulkowski, Saturday, September 23, 1995 4:40:10 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#342222

     The colonies mainly came during the Centauri occupation, first with 
Narns transported there as slave labor or as convenient penalty (a la 
Australia's early history).

                                                           jms


Subj:  Mira Furlan in LA Play		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  All	Sunday, September 24, 1995 6:01:02 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#343703

     Mira Furlan, best known here as Ambassador Delenn, is currently 
starring in a production of Sophocles' classic play ANTIGONE.  This 
modernized version is directed by Mira's husband, Goran Gajic, and 
adapted by Deanne Stillman.  It's a chance to see Mira out of makeup, 
and in a very different kind of role than you've seen before.

     The play is currently running at the Hudson Guild Theater, 6543 
Santa Monica Boulevard, in Hollywood.  Performances are Thursdays-
Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7.  Tickets can be acquired by 
calling 213-660-TKTS.

                                                              jms



Subj:  Pirate Warning from jms		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Kevin J. Goulding, Monday, September 25, 1995 2:34:22 AM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#344181

<Are any of the B5 episodes going to be release to LASER DISC??>

     Eventually, yes, but no clear indication at this time of when that 
might happen.

                                                              jms



Subj:  Random Queries			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Anne L. Warner, Monday, September 25, 1995 10:34:18 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#345526

<1.  Will the WB-Turner merger affect you and B5?

2.  Will we see Sarah (General Hague's messanger) again, or is Live Shot 
taking all of Wanda De Jesus' time?

3.  Rewatching All Alone in the Dark last night,rom:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#345687

     I haven't actually gotten a copy of that issue of Foundation yet; are 
there any other articles or essays in it mentioning B5?  I sent James an 
email, but so far, no reply, on getting a copy.

                                                        jms

     (First time I ever wrote for a nominally "literary" publication; 
hope I didn't come off as too much of a doofus.)


Subj:  Random Queries			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Scott Orwig, Tuesday, September 26, 1995 10:36:29 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#346921

<Might this affect syndication?  Is there a chance of WB "selling" B5 episodes 
to TBS for $100?>

     Dunno...it's all beyond my ken.

                                                        jms


Subj:  Stunned by B5			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Neville White, Wednesday, September 27, 1995 1:45:10 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#347493

     Thanks.  There does seem this odd rule that when a new viewer tries out 
the show for the first time, it's invariably one of our few dorky shows; but 
if you stick around, the next one is usually dead-on.

     What do *I* want?  To finish this story.

                                                                  jms


Subj:  Mira Furlan in LA Play		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  R-Laurraine Tutihas, Wednesday, September 27, 1995 1:45:13 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#347494

     That I don't know; I imagine how long it runs will be a function of how 
many show up.  Best to call the phone number given and ask what they are
currently projecting.

                                                                  jms


Subj:  Major B5/ST News			Section: Star Trek
  To:  All				Thursday, September 28, 1995 12:46:11 AM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#348451

     Before you hit the *kill* button...a thought or two in your general
direction.  First, if you're eager for the actual news part of this message
-- and it is kinda important -- it appears at the end of this message.  If
you've got a second, stick around.

     In every interview he's given on the subject, Walter Koenig has spoken
glowingly of BABYLON 5, as a show he feels is fighting for genuine quality
SF in television, with serious, mature stories for fans who grew up on STAR
TREK and are looking for more of that quality...none other than Majel
Barrett Roddenberry has gone on record at conventions, including Toronto
Trek and the recent Wolf 359 convention, as saying that BABYLON 5 was "the
only other intelligent science fiction series out there" besides the ST
shows, and urged ST fans to support it.

     If you've tried the show, and it wasn't to your tastes...fair enough.
No one should be expected to like everything.  If you'd like to give it
another shot, that's fine, but there is no need to defend your opinion; we
respect it.  Not every show works for every viewer.

     If you *haven't* tried the show...if you liked the original ST and the
work of Majel and Walter and Harlan and others involved in it...if you like
the work of Peter David, who has written for B5 and supports it...you may
want to give it a shot in October/November.

     The final four episodes from year two will be broadcast starting the
week of October 11th, with the new year three episodes beginning the second
week of November.  These nine episodes in a row contain some of the best
work we have ever done.  Acting, writing, directing, effects...we stand
behind all of them.  (The year two Final Four were held back from earlier
broadcast to lead into the debut, so these are new to the US, although they
have already aired to substantial praise in the UK.)

     If perhaps you have been turned off by some of the more vigorous
messages from B5 viewers, I'd only ask that you consider those comments in
light of the fact that Paramount (NOT the people doing ST, but the studio
itself) has done everything possible to hinder the progress of B5, which
engenders certain reactions from everyone; and that to a man or woman,
virtually all of the more vigorous posts have come from those who have long
considered themselves fans of STAR TREK, voicing many of the concerns which
are stated right here in this forum by current viewers...which they had long
before there was a B5...  as well as some of the praises found here.

     The ironic thing is that there is no problem between those who make B5,
and those who make ST..Jeri Taylor is a friend, Majel supports the show,
when ST does an episode with great EFX we call them, when we do a good one
they call us...it's almost entirely a matter of perception.

     So for what it's worth, direct from those of us who make BABYLON 5, if
you haven't checked out the show before, or if you're curious to see where
we stand now...I would like to personally invite you to check out the new
batch of episodes starting around October 11th.  If you want to give us all
nine episodes, that's great; if less, that's fine too.  If not at all,
that's also fine.

     Over a late dinner with Majel, I observed that after the original STAR
TREK, which for the first time presented truly *human* characters, with all
their flaws and frailties and bravery and nobility, in a science fiction
series, the ball was dropped, and no one picked it up again for years.  She
agreed with this...and it is my hope that you will find this coming season
of BABYLON 5 to be that show.

     Because it isn't an either/or, sum/zero game...one can watch, and
enjoy, BABYLON 5 and STAR TREK equally, for different reasons, since their
approaches are very different.  And this is the perfect time to come into
B5, since these episodes encapsulize a lot of background, and will take you
quickly into the background, the universe and the characters.

     Which is why, I'm pleased to announce, Majel Barrett will be appearing
as a guest star on BABYLON 5 this coming season...a gesture of support from
her, and a gesture of respect from all of us at B5.  The deal has been
signed, it's a done deal...she'll be appearing in episode #9, "Point of No
Return," as Emperor Turhan's third wife, Lady Morella.  We're very much
looking forward to her appearance in the B5 universe.

     For all these and other reasons, I hope you'll give BABYLON 5 a try.

                                                                       jms

     (P.S. For the Internet gang...please don't repost this on the 'net until
after Jeannette has broken the news; I promised I'd let her make the
announcement there, after she heard about it at Wolf 359 in the UK, and agreed
to keep this secret for the last week at my request.)


Subj:  B5/ST News			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  All				Thursday, September 28, 1995 12:46:12 AM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#348452

     Suggest you check out the "Major B5/ST News" thread over on the ST forum.  
Majel Barrett Roddenberry has signed to do a guest appearance on B5's third s
eason as a gesture of mutual respect.

                                                                     ms


Subj:  Major B5/ST News			Section: Star Trek
  To:  Mr. Laser Beam, Thursday, September 28, 1995 1:20:16 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#348928

     Actually, we make as sure as possible that every episode contains the
information required to follow it; any needed background is restated or
contained within the episode.  You can see some, all or any other number of
episodes and be able to follow them...in some countries, they're running the
show *completely* out of order, except by season overall, and it seems to be
doing okay.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Major B5/ST News			Section: Star Trek
  To:  Ted Wilcox, Thursday, September 28, 1995 1:20:14 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#348927

     "He was nasty to the people in the crowd who tried to support ST.  He
literally tried to make them look like idiots and talked them down."

     I'm sorry, Lisa...I hate to say you're exaggerating, or being less than
truthful, but this never happened.  I don't know if you're remembering it
this way out of some defensiveness, but this never happened, and there were
plenty of other people at that panel who can confirm this.

     I have made it a very deliberate point, in any public appearance, not
to put down *anyone* for watching ST.  Never have, never will.  I don't know
if you're attributing comments made by others to me, or simply going off
your emotions of that panel, but it never happened.  I know that Shane
Shellenbarger (noted SF fan/writer based in Arizona) was there that day
videotaping the panel, and I'll drop him a note asking to check the tape and
verify this.

     (I also remember very distinctly at that panel that I kept trying to
change the topic to non-B5 shows, but kept getting yanked back to it by the
other panelists and the audience...in large part because a) I wanted some
info on the other shows, and b) I didn't want to blow the info that I'd come
to use at the big presentation at a small panel, thus eliminating any sense
of drama and becoming redundent.)

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Major B5/ST News			Section: Star Trek
  To:  Ellen Fuscellaro, Thursday, September 28, 1995 11:50:09 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#349855

     Ellen: thanks.  As for the episode in question, it's entitled "Point of
No Return," and the role of Lady Morella was written specifically for Majel.
I hustled to get it finished prior to the Wolf 359 convention, where I gave
her a copy of the script.  She read it overnight, and fell in love with the
story, the character, and what it was going to do with and to the BABYLON 5
universe (to wit: start turning it upside down).  Next morning, she said
"I'm in." And she is.

     Yes, it's a jms script, and is one of the most pivotal of this season,
episode #9, which with the one before it, "Messages from Earth," builds to a
major turning point in #10, so it should be a very popular, intense and
memorable episode in every respect.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Major B5/ST News			Section: Star Trek
  To:  Anne Davenport, Thursday, September 28, 1995 11:50:10 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#349856

     I *think* B5 is shown in San Diego on Saturdays or Sundays around 5 or
6; not entirely sure.  Likely somebody else here who lives down there can
give you the info; also, I believe there's a station list in the library
which may have this info.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Major B5/ST News			Section: Star Trek
  To:  Charles Olsen, Thursday, September 28, 1995 11:50:13 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#349857

     Thanks.  To me, emotion is the *core* of drama...an episode, a story,
should leave you feeling something...make you worry, or think, or get mad,
or laugh.  So the stories tend to proceed very much from an emotional core.
Thanks for jumping in.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  B5/ST News			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Jeannette Fornadel, Thursday, September 28, 1995 4:21:27 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#349188

     She'll be playing a Centauri female, the Lady Morella, Emperor Turhan's
third wife; also a prophetess and seer.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  B5/ST News			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Jeannette Fornadel, Thursday, September 28, 1995 9:34:22 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#349702

     I often work on more than one thing at the same time; on B5, in
addition to the producing jobs, I'm outlining one script, writing another,
editing a third....

     Prior to B5 (which is all-consuming), I'd often be in somewhat lower
pressure jobs (standard writer/producer, not exec), and would be writing the
episodes, plus a novel, plus stories, plus a screenplay, plus other stuff,
all pretty much at the same time.

     The key, though, is to FINISH what you write.  Otherwise it's useless.

                                                                       jms

     P.S.  You misspelled "weird."


Subj:  3rd Season opener...		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Peter David, Thursday, September 28, 1995 11:50:07 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#349854

<Rumor is the 3rd season opener will feature Lord Refa going insane when Londo
slips him hash-filled brownies.  And it's called, "Refa Madness.">

      I won't comment on a joke I told you first....

      We must now go to the WGA and arbitrate this.

                                                                       jms

Subj:  Major B5/ST News			Section: Star Trek
  To:  Jeannette Fornadel, 76371,3057	Saturday, September 30, 1995 1:03:23 AM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#351142

      Yeah, "Messages from Earth" came out quite well as a script; can't
wait for it to roll before the cameras.

      As it happens, episodes 8, 9 and 10 ("Messages," "Point of No Return,"
and "Severed Dreams") are kind of a triptych, linked at the hip and designed
to pull together/blow out several major hanging plot threads once and for
all, and send the show spinning off in an entirely different direction.  The
hardest one to write was 10, because it's a very emotional episode for the
characters, and for me.

      And next is #11, which I begin to write this weekend...and #11, year
three, is the *exact* midpoint of the 5 year story.  This is the hump, the
dead center of the journey.  It took so long to get here, and suddenly we're
halfway finished.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  B5/ST News			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Jeannette Fornadel, 76371,3057	Saturday, September 30, 1995 12:43:07 AM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#351131

     Nothing's crammed; it all fits where it fits.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  3rd Season opener...		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Anne L. Warner, 71513,1177	Saturday, September 30, 1995 12:43:04 AM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#351130

     As Fred Allen said, "Imitation is the sincerest form of television."

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Major B5/ST News			Section: Star Trek
  To:  Colin Knowles, 72152,201		Friday, September 29, 1995 1:16:13 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#350385

     Re: "No Mrs. Troi on B5," I remember the comments when we mentioned for
the first time that we'd have Walter Koenig on the show.  "Oh, lord, Chekov
on B5."  Then they met his character, Mr. Bester...and nobody said that no
more.  He instantly became one of our more popular, interesting characters.

     The role Majel's going to do for us is very different than what she's
done before...otherwise, what's the point?

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Major B5/ST News			Section: Star Trek
  To:  Bette A. Loukakis, 102513,3065	Saturday, September 30, 1995 1:03:24 AM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#351143

     All that can be done is to write your local station.  My hunch, though,
is that this will settle down when the new episodes come on; reruns they
invaribaly mess with.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Old Messages			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Michael Detlefsen, 70156,1636	Saturday, September 30, 1995 12:43:03 AM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#351129

     Thanks; yeah, that show was a hoot.  So was HOUR 25 in general.  But in
time it just became too much of a conflict of interest.  I couldn't keep doing
a show about SF, including media, and make a product FOR SF media.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Wolf 359 Update 1995/96		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  BRIAN COONEY, 100551,1656	Saturday, September 30, 1995 1:03:27 AM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#351144

     Ah, Brian...now that you've appeared in public, allow me to give you one
good-natured, but quite solid thump to the head.

     Remember when we were leaving the hotel the morning after the
convention, and you and your associate gave Kathryn and myself two wrapped
gift boxes?  Well, as you recall, we were in a hurry, so we thanked you
politely, put them in our bags (carry on only, no check through), and
hurried to the waiting cab.

     We got to the airport, and were about to go through the scanners, when
we remembered the boxes.  First rule of international travel: no matter WHO
gives you a package, always open it before going on board, because they'll
ask you.  So we opened the two boxes.

     Which contained letter openers.  About half a foot long.  Reasonably
sharp.

     In other words....KNIVES!  We were about to go into an international
airline with KNIVES in our carry-on bags.

     Do you know, Brian...can you *imagine* the hassle those knives cost us
on the flight?  The conferences with security, the long explanations, the
checking and cross-checking of passports, the knives taken away by security,
then returned in the plane later...then going through the whole thing all
over again at the stop-over in Chicago...having to provide passport and
other ID, getting a Chicago airline security person who happened to know the
show to vouch for me and sign the knives back over to us....

     We had such *splendid* things to say about you during all this, Brian.
You should've heard them.  We were half-tempted to leave the bloody things
at the terminal.  You may want to tell your people next time to THINK before
they give someone a package for international travel.  I can just imagine
what would've happened if we HADN'T checked the boxes before going through
the scanners.  "Are you carrying any weapons or any kind?"  "Nope."  "Then
would you care to explain these items, sir?"  CLANG!  They'd throw away the
key.

     That said...if you're still up for having me at the Encounter,
depending on terms and times, I'm up for it.

     But please...no parting gifts....

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Midpoint				Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Elyse M. Grasso, 70302,3304	Saturday, September 30, 1995 1:04:03 AM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#351145

     Yeah, I just noted that elsewhere...at episode 11, we're over the hump.
Strange to think it'll be over in just another couple years.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Major B5/ST News			Section: Star Trek
  To:  TazDevil, 102671,2161		Sunday, October 01, 1995 4:23:15 AM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#352360

     Except, of course, that there wasn't "a quick directional change by
offering a new enemy" (in second season) because that enemy - the Shadows --
was in there right from the git-go, in season one...in "Chrysalis," which we
shot #12 even though it was aired #22 as our cliffhanger, and in "Signs and
Portents," short shortly thereafter.  So it was always there, and has always
been there...they're the primary antagonist, in a philosophical sense,
throughout a major part of the story.

     "...and the mutation of another primary character."  This, also, was in
the outline of the story from the very first episode onward; it's
*important* to the story, and wasn't done for any of the reasons you cite.
(The only change here was that Delenn was originally planned to be a male
character, if androgynous, which emerged female from the chrysalis, but we
couldn't get the male-altered voice to sound right, so this was dropped,
though we kept the more-human aspects.)

     You seem to determine "the maturity of the show" by not offering real
or substantive changes; but this show is *about* change, and the choices we
make that create those changes.  There's this notion that if someone's the
captain, he has to stay the captain all the time; which is the element that
many ST fans criticize in TNG as to why Riker stayed first-officer for seven
years, which would kill any other career.

     So it's not a reset, it's an advancement of the storyline...look at
Londo as we first saw him, and now; ditto for G'Kar...we're talking here
major, substantive changes.  That aspect is at the very core of the story.
You really can't look at this as you would a regular episodic drama in that
one respect; "Oh, they just changed characters, so they're just starting all
over again."  That's not the intent at all.

     "the show (TNG) stayed with its basic core of characters and followed a
similar structure...B5 episodes seem to detract from this formula."  Which
is precisely the intent.  I don't like formula, or predictability, or to
lock down a structure and never change it...that's not life, and I try to
make this show emulate life.  People change, die, get promoted, demoted,
transferred, corrupted, redeemed...change, for me, is the *drama* of the
story; to stay static and unchanging the reverse of that.  It's *process*,
and I find process fascinating.

     "I guess patience is a virtue."  Well, I have to say that if you're
waiting for B5 to settle down into a predictable, unchanging formula, you're
going to have a long wait ahead of you, because that's not in the cards. The
changes and developments only pick up greater speed and ramifications the
deeper we go into the storyline.

								       jms

     (PS...as for "all or some of the credit" for the new SF shows going to
ST, much as one might wish that were true, it isn't.  Otherwise you'd've had
a lot more of them in the last 30 years.  I've been in meetings with network
and studio execs, and one reason it took us 5 years to sell B5 was because,
as we were told verbatim, "There's no market in TV for SF other than Trek;
the market won't sustain more than one SF show like that; people don't want
SF, they want ST."  It was used, repeatedly, to justify why you couldn't do
these kinds of shows...and I'd point out that B5 is the FIRST SF show in 30
years, since ST, to be set in the far future, with mankind as a spacefaring
civilization, and with a fully worked out cosmology of other races,
politics, and governments...and particularly one of the very few to go past
two seasons in general.  Now you're getting more SF on the air because the
networks have finally seen that ST does NOT have a death-grip on TV SF, and
other shows, like B5 and X-Files *can* survive.

     (Certainly it was never ST's intent for this to happen, and I'm not
saying that it is or was; but this has definitely been the result, and the
ST shadow has been something for other SF shows to overcome; it has not made
the process easier, only more difficult.  How many American-made space SF
series have gone past 3 seasons other than ST?  It's after 4 seasons that
the networks/studios begin making back their money, and since the answer to
that is "virtually none," you begin to see why they've been reluctant to do
more than stick their toes in over the last three decades.)


Subj:  B5/ST News			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Jeannette Fornadel, 76371,3057	Saturday, September 30, 1995 10:49:14 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#352249

     I don't tend to leave out things in my stories, particularly B5, as
much as morph them into something else if I feel it'd work better a
different way.  For any writer to be so hidebound to stick to every single
tiny element of the outline, once one is at the script stage (or the novel
writing stage) is foolish, and I can't think of anyone who doesn't diverge
to one degree or another.

     For me, an outline is basically a series of directions on a map; get
here, turn *right*, take highway 407 to here, get off and proceed south. But
if you get into a part of your trip, and suddenly see that there's a fork in
the road you hadn't anticipated that'll cut hours off your trip, you'd be
foolish not to take it.  Non-writers never understand that; they only see
the work when it's done, not the process, which is alien to them.

     If you make a course correction, you have to make sure everything still
tracks with your goal, natch, or risk getting lost along the way...but to
the "experience" part of your question...that's the instinct that keeps you
ever heading toward your destination.  That comes only with time.  And I've
been at this a LONG time.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Wolf 359 Update 1995/96		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  SysOp Dupa T. Parrot, 70040,104	Saturday, September 30, 1995 10:49:17 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#352250

     I had exactly 90 minutes in Chicago, 87 of which were spent explaining
to security people why I was carrying these knives in my carry-on luggage....

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Midpoint				Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Jeannette Fornadel, 76371,3057	Saturday, September 30, 1995 10:49:23 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#352251

     Well, of course, in the best case scenario, after the series has run
its course, the theory is to try and get *out* of TeeVee and back into novels
and plays.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Harlan 'tooned			Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Ray Pelzer, 70475,1263		Saturday, September 30, 1995 10:31:26 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#352240

     Harlan is a *huge* fan of Pinky and the Brain.  As it happens, I know
the actor who does one of the two voices (I can never remember if he's Pinky
or the Brain...I think the Brain...Maurice LeMarche), and had him call Harlan
as his character.  They did competing Brains.

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Majel Barrett on B5		Section: Star Trek
  To:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644Saturday, September 30, 1995 10:31:31 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#352241

     Thanks.  What's compelling, for me, is that the reason the original
Star Trek worked so well is that the actors did a great job portraying those
characters...and ended up becoming tagged as being those characters, so in
the long run were hurt because they couldn't get other work.  But they were
able to make these characters work so well *because they were terrific
actors*.  So if you give a Walter Koenig or others another kind of role,
they'll do just as excellent a job with that as with what went before.

     So the part for Majel will, as stated, be quite different.

     Glad you like the final four; "Inquisitor" is also very much a favorite
of ours, and even though it has far fewer effects than the episodes on
either side of it, lots of folks here consider it possibly our best episode.
And yes, the impact of "Twilight" is pretty much what you describe...just
sort of a stunned silence, and lots of people have said they didn't want to
talk about it for a while afterward, being very moved by it.

     Re: the decision to hold back the final 4...creatively, it was a pain
in the ass, because I wanted them out in July, so people could consider the
implications.  But WB felt that it would give us a leg up on the third
season debut, let us build some momenum with 9 eps in a row rather than just
6-7.  There's an element of truth to that.  So I guess it's a wash....

                                                                        jms


Subj:  Majel Barrett on B5		Section: Star Trek
  To:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644Sunday, October 01, 1995 4:23:05 AM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#352358

     That's weird...I'd sent this to Mary Taylor, and it ended up being sent
to myself...I think I used a wrong commmand in Tapcis....

                                                                       jms


Subj:  Origins of Hokey Pokey		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  John M. Kahane, 102664,773	Saturday, September 30, 1995 10:49:02 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#352252

<"The Hokey Pokey" dates back to slavery; is its use in "A Voice in the
Wilderness" related to that?>

      I've actually heard several variations on what the song means; my guess
is that the real origins have been so reinterpreted and made-up over time that
we may never know the actual basis...what you heard is as valid as just about
anything else.

                                                                       jms





*******************************************************
* SPOILERS FOR FINAL FOUR SEASON-TWO EPISODES FOLLOW. *
*******************************************************





Subj:  <TLTS>				Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Dinie Kloosterboer, Friday, September 01, 1995 1:13:06 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#318705

<Are Shadow ships more like an animal than a StarFury?>

     Well, they're organic technology, so they can feel, but only 
after a fashion.

                                                          jms


Subj:  <<Fall o' Night Ques>>		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Rae Augenstein, Friday, September 01, 1995 11:01:18 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#319177

<During the battle in Fall of Night, when that part of the station 
gets shot off, what exactly is that thing anyway?>

     It's an area for helping secure ships while being offloaded 
into the zero-G cargo bay right behind it.

                                                          jms


Subj:  <<Fall o' Night Ques>>		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Robert Miller, Sunday, September 03, 1995 7:20:02 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#320983


<Will that area be repaired in time for the third season?>

     Repairs will be visible being done in the first episode.

                                                          jms


Subj:  <The Fall Of Night>		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Daniel M. Upton, Sunday, September 03, 1995 7:20:04 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#320984

     The Vorlons aren't yet ready; they can't take on the shadows by 
themselves, and must bring together other forces.

     And in each case, re: Kosh, what they saw was not the *head* of 
their belief, but in essence a supporting being of light; it wasn't 
G'Quon, but G'Lan that G'Kar saw, which was a being that story tells us 
served G'Quon. So you wouldn't see the head of the religion, 
since there can only be one of those, and lots of Vorlons, but each tends 
to have a supporting cast, for lack of a better term.  Those are what 
we perceive the vorlons to be.

     And remember, we didn't see any other human's POV of Kosh but 
Sheridan's.

                                                         jms


Subj:  <The Fall Of Night>		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Tom Knudsen, 72347,1626		Tuesday, September 05, 1995 1:33:09 AM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#322589

     No, she wouldn't.  Again, you don't see the *top* of the echelon of any
belief, because there can be only one of those; it's the servants of light you
see (and even the Old Testament makes reference to such things).

                                                                       jms


Subj:  <The Fall Of Night>		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Eric Baker, 76600,2605		Wednesday, September 06, 1995 5:36:27 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#324201

<Who would Ivanova see?>

     Orson Bean.

                                                                       jms

Subj:  <Long Twilight Struggle>		Section: Babylon 5
  To:  Michael  Zitaglio, Friday, September 22, 1995 11:14:10 PM
From:  J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#341404

     Thanks.  Yes, there's a WW II parallel, not in terms of 
justifying one or the other -- one can make compelling 
arguments for and against the use of atomic weapons to close 
the war, but I leave it to those who were there to have 
made the right decision, because they had to live with it -- 
but in terms of strategy and wartime logic.

                                                      jms