lurkers-guide/ftp/GEnie/jms94-02

Babylon 5 posts by JMS on GEnie for February, 1994

This file includes a compilation of posts on GEnie by J. Michael
Straczynski in the Babylon 5 category.  The posts are copyright by
JMS (and compilation copyright is by GEnie). 


 ************
Topic 1         Mon Oct 26, 1992
SF-MARSHALL [Dave ]          at 18:50 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 - The Series  (Non-Spoiler)

Welcome to the Babylon 5 category and main topic for the new series. Here is
the place for all general information on the series. Topic 2 is the location
for SPOILERS. And please, NO STORY IDEAS are to be posted either.
455 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 6         Tue Feb 01, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:19 EST

     Boy, this has been some kinda day....

     Phone goes off *early* in the morning, "Just making sure you know about
the satellite interviews today."  I'm in bed.  Scratch.  Snuffle.   Look at
clock.  Snuffle.  Scratch.  "Satellite interviews...when?"

     "In about two hours, across town."

     WAAAAAAUUUGGGHHHH!

     Never a jump gate when you need one.  Haven't moved that fast in ages.
Me and Claudia for about 5 hours, on and off, giving interviews to TV stations
around the country.  Plus one segment with just Claudia and Peter...of which
the *funniest* stuff was in-between, while waiting for NY to come on line, a
mass of improv, all of it going out over the station...Peter and Claudia
improv'ing lunch at a NY deli, a fashion conversation between J. Edgar Hoover
and Eleanor Roosevelt...on and on and on, put *everyone* away.

     The camera loves them both.  Me...at the moment I went on camera,
hundreds of people around the country no doubt started calling America's Most
Wanted and screaming, "I SAW HIM!  HE'S ON TV!"

     Then a zip back to the studio to meet with Larry and give story notes on
his new script, "TKO," which has a *very* interesting Ivanova B-story; then
another meeting; then race across town to spot (slug where music and sound EFX
go) one episode, finish the mix on another episode, race back to the stage for
a final meeting, leave late this evening, find literally *hundreds* of
messages on various systems now that the show is airing (this in the last 24
hours), plow through those...and now will be up the rest of the night writing
the second part of the two-parter we're shooting this season, "A Voice in the
Wilderness."

     Yikes!

     (And lest anyone think I'm not paying attention...*many* thanks for the
many kind comments here.)

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 13        Tue Feb 01, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:13 EST

                                 eeeek!

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 41        Thu Feb 03, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:37 EST

     Oh, god, did the Dance Theater of Harlem line get in there?  I don't
believe it....

     Yes, you'll see places in the show where they can and do congregate; the
briefing room, the conference room, the mess hall...the observation dome is a
place to *do* stuff, not so much talk about stuff.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 44        Thu Feb 03, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:33 EST

     Re: blue collar nuts and bolts types..."By Any Means Necessary."

                                                          jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 48        Thu Feb 03, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:05 EST

    Yes, post away.

                                                     jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 73        Sat Feb 05, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:31 EST

     What a weird day...filming "Babylon Squared," and one minute I'm standing
in the anteroom/hallway of a Minbari cruiser that leads into the Great Hall
and the chambers of the Grey Council...a few minutes later I'm standing in a
section of Babylon 4, and the whole atmosphere of the crew is *very*
different, the whole sensibility is strange...very strange.

     Just cast Theodore Bickell in an episode entitled "TKO," written by Larry
DiTillio.  Also Greg McKinney appears in that episode.

     Finished writing the second half of our two-parter, "A Voice in the
Wilderness."  We go off the station for this one.

     Just one last episode to write, and we're finished with the scripts for
this season.  How weird.  Seems like we barely started.  Finishing filming on
#17.

     "Babylon Squared" has a *very* different look to it, and a very eerie and
foreboding feel about it, which I like a lot.  Jim Johnston, who directed
"Soul Hunter" and several others is doing it.  Very moody.

                                                             jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 84        Sat Feb 05, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:19 EST

     At some point this season we will go down to the planet, yes.

     And yes, Babylon 4 is the one that vanished.  And the end of this one
should raise a LOT of new questions....

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 98        Sun Feb 06, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:51 EST

     Chris and Terry...general agreement.  With a point to add: when I've
spoken highly of this series, from my POV I'm talking about the series as a
whole being something very different.  Yes, you'll see it in flashes here and
there, but the cumulative effect is what I'm going for.  (Now obviously you
can't expect everyone to see the whole thing, that's not going to happen, and
I'm not planning on it, every episode *must* still stand nominally by itself
and be entertaining on its own terms.)

     To use a metaphor, this is a marathon.  I intend for this show to go
further than has been seen before.  Some people, seeing that only a faew first
steps have been taken on that journey, say they're not impressed because it
hasn't gone very far.  And they're missing the point.  We're barely out of the
starting gate, and we have miles to cover.

     But they're *entitled* to feel this way, and I have no real problem with
it.  I have been very patient for seven years; now we wait, we put the show
out there, we ride out the ST comparisons...and then, gradually, as the show
goes on week after week, people are going to begin seeing where we're
going...and wondering just how far we'll manage to go with it.
 So by the end of the season, the full cumulative effect will be there.

     Fortunately, most folks will have a pretty good sense of what that is
after episode #6, "Mind War."  I don't think someone should have to wait
around a full season to start picking up stuff and seeing, for lack of a more
original term, the shape of things to come.

     This is going to be a revolutionary series, with the emphasis on the word
SERIES.  Some episodes -- like "Parliament," "Sky," "Mind War" and others --
are definitely extraordinary.  But for me, it's always been the series as a
whole.

     I'm glad the episodes are doing well, and glad they hold up to some
pretty close scrutiny.  But this is a marathon...and we have far to go.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 108       Sun Feb 06, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:47 EST

     I watch *every* version.  I watch the daililes.  I look at the director's
cut.  Then John Copeland and I go in to make the producer's cut.  We watch it
again a few times, futzing with it as we go.  I watch the on-line version.  I
watch the color-corrected version.  I watch it again after we've added in the
SFX.  I watch it while we spot the episode (determing where music and sound
effects go).  I watch it again when we do the mix-down to add music and sound.
I watch it again to make sure it's all cohesive, on my home system, to make
sure it translates okay (we mix in a fancy sound stage, with killer speakers,
which most folks won't have).

                                                             jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 123       Tue Feb 08, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:40 EST

     I've only had B5 related dreams a few times...thankfully.  I need SOME
time away from it.

     Re: the statement that it took the soul hunter's ship "literally seconds"
to reach B5...nope.  Sinclair left the observation dome, went down to the
bays, got into his EVA suit, and had the ship prepped.  So it was more than 2
seconds.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 127       Tue Feb 08, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:17 EST

     We've had a couple of dj's on the show, don't recall the names off hand.
And yes, in general, for most practical purposes, P12 is about the upper
limit.

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 136       Wed Feb 09, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 15:42 EST

     I'm confused...I got a note today about an RTC here tonight, but it's not
on the schedule  or on the opening screen.  Is it tonight that I'm due on, or
Friday night?

                                                       jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 147       Thu Feb 10, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:56 EST

     Major fan of The Prisoner, yes.

                                                            jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 150       Thu Feb 10, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:32 EST

      Here's the tentative schedule for episodes past "Mind War," which
 airs in three weeks:

      March 9 -  "The War Prayer," by D.C. Fontana
        "   16 - "And the Sky Full of Stars," by jms
        "   23 - "Deathwalker," by Larry DiTillio
        "   30 - "Believers," by DAvid Gerrold
      April 6  - "Survivors," by Marc Scott Zicree

      At first it looked like there was going to be a batch of reruns
 after "Mind War," but PTEN is so happy with the ratings that they do NOT
 want to interfere with the momentum.  Which makes me very happy as well.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 158       Thu Feb 10, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:29 EST

     There was a fairly negligible drop in #2, from 7.0 to 6.5 rating, mainly
because the week of the second show was the beginning of sweeps period, which
is when all the networks and local stations drag out their big guns and the
competition increases *considerably*.  In addition, a show generally drops 1
or 2 ratings points after its premiere; only  one-half of one-percent is
extremely good.  Apparently, from PTEN ratings research, we're performing well
above their expectations.

     The demographics are *extremely* good...hitting exactly the audience that
advertisers want.  For a series with no franchise going in, we're still far
beyond expectations.  The overnight from L.A. -- which is all I have in hand
at the moment -- from "Purple" is a 7.4 rating with an 11 share, which is
consistent with the prior weeks, so we're holding steady.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 163       Fri Feb 11, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:14 EST

     Well, open mouth, insert foot....as I said, it had been *tentatively*
decided to fully revise the schedule, for the reasons given.  Then someone
remembered the November sweeps.  If we do all new episodes through as
planned, we'd have *nothing* for the November sweeps, we'd be done.  So we had
to ajust a bit, so there will be 2 or 3 more after "Mind War" that're new,
culminating in "Sky," then 3-4 reruns, then picking up again.  Sweeps are
*very* important for the stations, and since the show is doing well, they
don't want to waste episodes in non-sweeps periods.

     Meanwhile...it occured to me the other day that I've finished the last
script I'm going to write for this season of B5.  Seems like we just got
started, and now I ain't got no more scripts to write for a while, until PTEN
decides whether or not to pick us up.  It's weird; kinda like coming home one
day to find your car is no longer in your garage.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 169       Fri Feb 11, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:35 EST

     Don't you threaten me....

                                                          jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 204       Sun Feb 13, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:22 EST

     A couple of network affiliates have bumped their regular programming and
have just taken on B5.  Including an ABC affiliate.  Interesting...

     Took a bit of a day to myself, got out, saw "Fool Moon" in its L.A.
appearance (saw it in NY last year, off-broadway), with Bill Irwin and his
partner, and if you're in L.A., *see* this thing.  Just wonderful.  Went with
Harlan and Susan, and just before it stared, in comes Mick Jagger with his
wife and three kids, and they sit in the row in front of us, and Harlan (who
toured with 'em for a while for some articles) and he strike up a
conversation, and we're all chatting.  A very nice fellow, very quiet believe
it or not.

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 236       Tue Feb 15, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:12 EST

     Groups like the Grey Council, the Bene Gesserit, and others are part and
parcel of mythology...whether it's the council of the gods, the twelve
apostles, the councils of wizards and elves in Lord of the Rings...they are
consistent with the myths we have created for ourselves, and thus pop up all
over the place.  (Did I mention the Round Table of Camelot?)

                                                            jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 241       Tue Feb 15, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:44 EST

     Well, we're doomed...I just realized today that our first *really* strong
episode, "The Parliament of Dreams," airs the same night (in most markets, the
23rd) as the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan face off in the olympics.

     Imagine a silence vast as space...that sound is neilsen ratings meters
stuck unmovingly on CBS....

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 249       Wed Feb 16, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:22 EST

     Remember, the bears are not what they seem.....

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 262       Thu Feb 17, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:15 EST

     Okay...here's a request for a favor.

     As of this week, "Infection" is more or less past us, and now two of our
better shows are coming up; two real favorites, "The Parliament of Dreams" and
"Mind War."  These give a much better sense of what this show is *really*
capable of doing.  (BTW, add "Raiding Party" and "Babylon Squared" to my list
of favorites from this season; the former shows that you can come damned close
to the level of action-oriented space EFX in "Return of the Jedi" in TV.
Really amazing stuff.)

     Anyway...if there are people you know who haven't given the show a look,
or have been uncertain...these are the shows to have them watch.   You can
tell commend these two episodes to them without reservation.  If you would
want to convey that to those you know, we'd appreciate it.  This is really a
chance were B5 can shine.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 265       Thu Feb 17, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:39 EST

     We'd gotten Patrick for Knight 2 in "Sky," based on his reaction to the
script...only to discover that he was going to be out of the country when we
were going to shoot it.  He's *very* particular about what he does, and the
scripts he does, so this was something of a compliment (and I think he
could've related to where we were going with it), but we'll just have to try
again on something else; I'd love to have him in an episode sometime.

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 273       Thu Feb 17, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:08 EST

     Dana: please list for me any promises that I have not kept.  I have
spoken about the series overall, and I have spoken about those individual
episodes that I think are terrific.  I said that "Sky" would be like a leap
ahead of most anything produced for american SF-TV before. And I stand by
that.  "Sky" hasn't aired yet.  It will in 4 weeks.  I said that I liked
"Soul," loved "Parliament" and "Mind War," and wasn't terribly big on
"Infection," with "Midnight" and "Purple" somewhere toward the back of the
pack of this first batch.

     I am, and have been, *very* careful about what I say here, and to avoid
over-hyping.  You're keeping me to promises that I haven't made, or applying a
promise made about one episode to another, which is more than a little unfair.
Show me what I've said here that has been inaccurate.   Otherwise, I have
nothing to apologize for.

     And one other thing: I'm not "begging" fans to do anything.  I'm pointing
out that the next two are killer episodes, and if there's anyone somebody
knows who hasn't been wowed yet, *those* are the shows that'll do it.  That's
all.

     Dana, if you don't like it, don't watch it.  It's really that simple.
I've said before that this show will stand or fall on its own quality, not on
anything I've said here.  And I stand behind that.

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 289       Fri Feb 18, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:39 EST

     Dana, I've sat here for ten minutes trying to figure out how to explain
and answer your question...but I think that the very best way of conveying
that information is contained in the next two episodes, with "Sky" as the
capper.  We've barely been on the air yet, have shown only the basic episodes
designed to slowly bring people into our unvierse before getting weird...I've
said from the start: don't give us a season to get interesting.  Just six
episodes.  If we don't grab you by then...switch channels.

     The other element to all this -- and I said this many times, here, prior
to the episodes -- is that if someone says to you, "This is gonna be a great
series," you or I begin to imagine and see in our heads the show WE would
consider perfect.  And the product is destined never to be that show, unless
you're actually creating it.  Some people will hate or be disappointed by ANY
series, regardless of quality, and some people will love a show, again
regardless of quality.  There's a bell-curve of viewers.  The question is
where does the curve skew the most, toward the positive or the negative?  We
talk about HIll Street a lot...but there are a LOT of people who couldn't
*stand* the show.  Still can't.

     In a hit series -- *major* hit -- 50% of the people really enjoy the
show, 30% think it's okay, and 20% think it's absolutely horrible.   That
happens.  As long as those numbers don't reverse themselves, you're okay.

     But like I said...when TNG hit the air, everybody was willing to give it
the benefit of the doubt for the *entire first season* and hope it got better
in the second year.  We're not asking for that.  All I can say is that
"Parliament," "Mind War" and "Sky" are far more emblematic of what this show
is, and will become, than any of the other episodes.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 290       Fri Feb 18, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:57 EST

     P.S.  Just as a reminder to anyone looking on...before we began airing
episodes, I posted my list of favorite episodes of the first six.
 I'll repost that here now:

     1) "The Parliament of Dreams"
     2) "Mind War"
     3) "Soul Hunter"
     4) "Midnight on the Firing Line"
     5) "Born to the Purple"
     6) "Infection"

     Plugging in the addition of two new episodes that'll be aired after "Mind
War," I'd put the new lineup of the first eight in this order of personal
favorites:

     1) "The Parliament of Dreams"   
     2) "And the Sky Full of Stars"       (A tie with "Parliament")
     3) "Mind War"
     4) "Soul Hunter"
     5) "Midnight on the Firing Line"
     6) "Born to the Purple"
     7) "The War Prayer"
     8) "Infection"

     I think that the first list comes pretty close to the majority of views
I've seen expressed here thus far.  We'll see more after the next two air.

                                                             jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 294       Fri Feb 18, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:14 EST

     I dunno...I think there's a difference between a genuine difference of
opinion, and a hatchet job.  Reactions to a show are going to vary, and all
observations can be learned from.

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 334       Sat Feb 19, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:23 EST

     I'd be inclined to ask your friend at the store to hold back any such B5
vs. DS9 debate until we've aired the first season.  Otherwise it's really not
very fair.  It's like comparing two books, one of whom you've read completely,
the other of which you've read only the first couple of chapters.

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 351       Sun Feb 20, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:56 EST

     ST/B5 definitely isn't an either/or situation, neither is it a
competition since in most markets, they're on the *same station*.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 360       Mon Feb 21, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:44 EST

     BTW...for those in the L.A. area...our Conceptual Consultant on B5,
Harlan Ellison, is having a special presentation, "On Being a Writer, An
Evening with Harlan Ellison."  It's being put on by the Learning Tree
University one time only on March 1st from 7-10 p.m.  He'll be talking about
writing, ethical standards, cultural illiteracy and politica (political)
correctness, among many and varied other topics.

     The price is a pittance -- $39 -- and information can be had on this by
calling 818-882-5599.

                                                             jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 403       Thu Feb 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:40 EST

     Na'Toth is played by Caitlin Brown.

                                                     jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 404       Thu Feb 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:42 EST

      BTW, for the satellite-people among us, the uplink of B5 has been moved
to Fridays at 2 p.m. pacific time.

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 443       Sun Feb 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 17:58 EST

     It depends; in most places, it's held solid, other places it dips if
there's something of local interest on another channel (i.e., a local sporting
event), other places it's gone up.  As long as it stays overall within a point
or two of the goal, if it generally builds over the previous hour, and the
demographics are good (which they are), you're in good shape.  There's a *LOT*
of variance in syndicated ratings.

     Needless to say, though, we got *creamed* by the Tonya/Nancy Show.
Which got a 64 share, the 3rd biggest ratings for a sporting event in history.
But then, *everybody* got beat up by that one, so again it's okay.

                                                        jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 448       Mon Feb 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:30 EST

     B4 never got as far as having a commander attached to it.  The last
stages of construction on Babylon 4 were supervised by one Major Krantz,
assigned specifically to that task.  He managed to get the station completed,
and on-line, and Earthforce was just beginning the process of selecting a
commanding officer to run the station when, 24 hours after the station became
operational, it vanished, taking roughly 1,200 of its skeleton crew with it
(including Major Krantz).

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 449       Mon Feb 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:42 EST

     BTW...before I forget (again), the syndicated radio show, the Mike and
John Show will be broadcast *live* from the B5 studios this Monday (tomorrow)
from 3-7 p.m. EST.  It's on WJFK in D.C., and also carried in Baltimore,
Miami, Tampa Bay, Indianapolis, Reno, Rochester, Buffalo and Fresno.  Most of
the cast will be interviewd, along with me and some of the other producer-
types.  Walter Koenig will also be on the air.

                                                               jms
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 ************
Topic 2         Wed Nov 20, 1991
STARR [Arne]                 at 19:41 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 -- The Series!! >>SPOILERS<<

Babylon 5 offically became a series on May 28 '93. There will be 22 hour eps
for season one (in addition to the pilot). Airs Wednesdays at 8PM in most
places starting Jan. 26 '94.  This is the SPOILER topic where anything goes.

557 message(s) total.
 ************
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 244       Wed Feb 02, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:05 EST

     The alien sector is *primarily* for those who require alternate
atmospheres; oxygen-breathing aliens can live elsewhere.

                                                            jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 251       Thu Feb 03, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:59 EST

     Many aliens (all who require alternate atmosphere) live in the alien
sector.  Those who can breathe oxygen can live in other areas, but tend to
congregate with other non-humans in the oxygen sections of the alien sector.
The ambassadors have their own environment supported quarters in the Green
Sector, which is the high-security area for diplomats.

     Humans have the highest clearance level because this is a human run and
operated (for the most part) station.  This isn't the Federation; the Earth
Alliance would *never* allow a non-human to have highest clearance.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 274       Fri Feb 04, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:57 EST

     Re: Sinclair's actions toward the Soul Hunter...the device he uses was
trained on Delenn.  It was spiraling up to full power throughout the scene.
Just as Sinclair's thrown, you see it starting to come to critical mass...it's
shooting at Delenn.  There isn't/wasn't time to sit there and figure out how
it works, and shut off the right button.  He turned it so that it faced away
from her...and the Hunter was caught in his own machine.

     There was nowhere else to go with the machine.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 295       Sat Feb 05, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:23 EST

     To the question about a Soul Hunter's strength...yes, it is *very*
considerable.  Even with one arm he was able to slam the hell out of the
commander, pick him up and again slam him against a wall before throwing him
about 10 feet across the room.  Had he not been stopped, and stopped good,
yes, he would've torn Sinclair to ribbons.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 320       Tue Feb 08, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:43 EST

     It was "Med-Alert."  Not "Bab-Alert."

                                                             jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 385       Thu Feb 17, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:03 EST

     Louise: thanks.

     Anything else in response would be redundent.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 421       Sat Feb 19, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:31 EST

     Nope, we don't do the threaten-ambassadors stuff much; in fact, as I
think of it, that *might* be the last real biggie, though certainly they get
into considerable trouble from time to time in other ways.  That's too easy a
story, thus it behooves us not to do it overmuch.

     And like I said...I have problems with "Infection" as well, so there is
no flame from me.  I guess part of it is knowing what was in the script that
should've been carried off better, but wasn't.  And part of it is my fault; I
tried to use the Nelson/machine as a metaphor; it wasn't supposed to be about
the Nelson/machine, but about the kind of people who would create it, the kind
of people who would sell it, and the kind of people who would confiscate it
even KNOWING what it was (and of course the kind of people who would *use*
it).  Unfortunatly, when you put  somebody in that kind of suit, that
*becomes* the story, and from that point on you're pretty much doomed.  It was
also in places too much an obvious metaphor, and the "hand of the author" is
showing too much.  It was the first script written for this season, after the
long break after the pilot, and I think I was trying to find the characters'
"fingerprints" and getting into the flow of the series, which took a script or
two.

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 426       Sun Feb 20, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:09 EST

     Mike: for you to say that the racism issue is one that has been beaten to
death in the last X-years, that including it in the first 22 episodes is "a
sad tale:"

     I live in L.A.  Does the name Rodney King ring a bell?  Or the L.A.
riots?

     Maybe you don't like the treatment of an issue -- that's fine -- but I
reserve the right to try and address issues that I consider important.   Maybe
you think it's been said.  But it bears repeating.  As someone once noted, "Of
course everything has already been said.  But since no one was listening, we
must begin again."

`                                                                 jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 429       Sun Feb 20, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:58 EST

     I'd slice this a little finer and suggest that it wasn't so much the
*stupidity* of racism and the whole genetic purity aspect, but the
IMPRACTICALITY of such ideas.  If you follow the idea to its logical
conclusion, *nobody* is pure.  Which was kind of the point.

     And oddly enough, there's a pro-genocide discussion in "Deathwalker."

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 450       Thu Feb 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:22 EST

     A parliament is a gathering of representatives, in this case the
representatives of various belief systems; the dreams are the religions
themselves.

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 453       Thu Feb 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:04 EST

     I think it would've done better as a Short Subject.

     Sorry; there's no one more critical of my work than me, and when it comes
to "Infection," I'd just kinda prefer it if it kinda vanished in the night.  I
feel that way about only two episodes out of 22, so that's not too bad, I
suppose.  But in any event, I don't think there's *nearly* enough there to
make into a two-parter.

                                                                   jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 456       Thu Feb 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:30 EST

     The Xon?  Dead.  All of them.  And good riddance.

     RE: the glasses...it's not something I've been able to figure out how to
mention, but the Narn pride themselves on their physical perfection.  Hence
there is no market for physical aides; it's something to be ashamed of.  So
they have to crib stuff from other species, like glasses that have a
prescription close enough to be useful.

     I have *no* idea how to work that into a script, and am not sure it is
even a good idea to do so.

     Kosh was otherwise engaged....

                                                          jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 465       Thu Feb 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:13 EST

     Actually, many of the alien races do *not* have monolithic religious
beliefs.  You'll note that G'Kar didn't take part in the festival from the
Narn POV.  You'll see Narn beliefs in "By Any Means Necessary," and there it's
mentioned that there are many different beliefs among Narns, G'Quon and G'Lan
being the two larger systems.

                                                             jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 478       Fri Feb 25, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 15:46 EST

     The problem with "Infection" from a writing POV is that it was the FIRST
one written for this season, and I was having a hard time finding the
"fingerprints" of the characters again after so much time had passed after the
pilot (it was nearly a year between the revising/shooting of the pilot, and
the writing of the first series script).  As on *any* show, it takes a while
to get up to speed once you hit series.  That was the real problem, and there
wasn't any real way to get past it except to write it, re-acquaint myself with
the characters, and move on.  I probably would have opted out of doing it had
we had more scripts on hand, but we didn't.  And oddly, many on the production
team *liked* the script quite a lot, and kept saying it had to be done.

     Of all the scripts I've written, the only one that I'm less than
absolutely 100% thrilled with is "The Quality of Mercy," because I wrote it
while absolutely sick with the flu, and have NO memory even of writing it.  As
it is, though, I'm about 90% happy with it, particularly the B-story with
Londo and Lennier, which came out great.

     So out of 12 scripts that I've done for this season, I'm absolutely
pleased with 10 and 1/2 of them.  I created this show because I wanted to
write for it; to not do so kind of misses the point.  I think that my scripts
for "Parliament," "Mind War," "Sky," "Babylon Squared," "A Voice in the
Wilderness," and "Chrysalis" represent some of the best work I've ever done.
And I think you'll agree.

                                                            jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 481       Sat Feb 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:23 EST

     Is this 470/13/5?  I haven't been in a while...maybe I'd better look....

                                                           jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 483       Sat Feb 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:23 EST

     They don't.  Never said they did.  Centauri have a pantheon.  The Narns
(as we'll see in "By Any Means Necessary") have several different competing
religions.  Only two religions -- Centauri and Ikarran -- have a similar
historical thread in the Great Maker, with the small addition of those worlds
conquered by the Centauri which have adopted Centauri religion (or been forced
to do so, as has happened here on our own world).

                                                               jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 496       Sat Feb 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:23 EST

     Sure, I could've gotten them into bed by the second act...but that wasn't
the point.  What I wanted to show, what interests me, is the give and take
leading up to that moment, the feints and parries and "how do we get past
this?"  That to me is some of the most interesting stuff in a relationship.

     Re: the newspaper...it's not printed in conventional fashion.  You
program in your interests, and every morning a pre-filtered copy of UT is
printed up in your quarters, on synthetic recycleable material.  You ript it,
carry it, toss it.  Very simple, and probably within our own grasp in the next
5 years.

     (I.e., imagine a computer set to scan the wire services, look for certain
keywords, download the articles, and during the night load the articles into a
pre-set design format and automatically print them up on your laser printer so
they're waiting in the morning.)

     I didn't say that Earth was the ONLY one with diverse religions.  I don't
understand why it is that when ONE thing is shown, it means that's the ONLY
thing.  It's not.  Narns, as we'll see in "By Any Means Necessary," have
several competing beliefs.  The idea of the festival wasn't to compare and
contrast, only to show what *we* (whoever *we* is) believes.

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 500       Sat Feb 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:21 EST

     Oh, there's *lots* more surprises and sucker punches than that in the
show...trust me.

     BTW...someone dropped me an email note mentioning in passing that
somewhere else there's a discussion going on about *this* discussion, and
indicating that my presence here inhibits criticism of B5.

     First, if I believed that, I wouldn't be here.  Second...it ain't true.

     Along with logging on here and on a number of other systems under my own
name, there are a few BBSs -- regional and national -- which have B5
discussions giong on where I also hang out...but either under a pseudonym, or
without leaving messages, thus no one knows I'm lurking.  I do this in order
to get an unbiased view of the show, without my presence affecting the
discussion one way or another.  Call it a control group, if you will.

     And on those forums where I'm not known to be there, what you get are
generally "I liked it" or "I didn't like it," about as broad as that.   Very
little of the (to use the phrase of others) nits and detailed analyses that go
on on the systems where I *am* known to hang out.  Since there's a conduit for
direct feedback to the show, people here and on the other services where I'm
on as myself tend to provide MORE criticism of the show, not less.  In some
cases, the occasional person may feel that he HAS to find something to nit at,
because there is the implicit request for feedback.

     Nor do I try to get in the way of negative feedback; if I think that
someone is getting personal in an attack, or making an unfair accusation, or
blaming me for something that the show never did...I fire back.  I try to
answer all questions as non-judgmentally as possible, and if someone asks if
something's going to be done, point to the forthcoming episode where it *is*
done.

     I don't try to change people's opinions here (I let the show do that),
don't try to intimidate people into silence (I don't think it's *possible* to
intimidate this particular group in *any* event), and I have a much lower
estimation for those who skulk off in dark corners to mutter their criticisms
of the discussion here than speak openly.  I'm insulted by the allegation, and
frankly think that anyone here who has been taking part in the discussion here
should feel insulted about being portrayed as spineless and toadying, which is
the implicit statement behind the allegation.

     If I *ever* got the impression that my presence here was inhibiting an
open discussion, inhibiting criticism, I'd log off.  But near as I can tell,
being here *encourages* criticism, in greater volume than elsewhere.  The day
that changes, I'm outta here.

                                                                     jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 520       Sun Feb 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:11 EST

     Yes, the meal *was* very expensive, as much as a room for a week.   If
you're going to go after something as costly to import as wine (the major
expense), then you're going to pay *bigtime* for it.

     Mr.T...it was my intent to imply in the scene with the guard and Bester
("nothing, just a drill") that he DID scan the guard's mind.  He found out
what he was hiding (which is how he managed to show up to try and cut
Ironheart off from his escape), exchanged a glance with Kelsey, and headed
away quickly.  If this didn't come through, it might not have been
sufficiently clear.  Note that the guard doesn't finish his sentence, and
sorta drifts off....

     Shane: am I unaffected by what I see here?  How could I be?  I'm as much
flesh and blood as anyone here (well, most anyone).  I listen.  I learn.
Someone once asked the Pope how he'd describe his job: "See everything.
Ignore a lot.  Change a few things."  I generally listen hard to ANY opinion,
and if it makes sense, modify my own.  I've been iffy on how n'grath has been
presented, and with the reactions, I've pretty much decided to either kill him
off or modify the way he is handled come next season (PTEN willing).  On an
emotional level, sure, it's hard, but that comes with the territory.  If
you're going to stay out here on the net, you're going to hear opinions and
reactions -- often stated without much politeness -- that you really don't
want to hear.  That's life.  To quote master philosopher Tom Servo, "Deal with
it, pink boy."  It's kind of like being in a workshop with, oh, 3,000 people
giving you notes on what you've just written, and very rarely do any two of
them agree.  It can make you crazy.  But since I'm long past crazy, I get by.

                                                                 jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 529       Sun Feb 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:15 EST

     (Trying to run it all through my head...I don't think we see Kosh for a
while...he's not in "Mind War," not in "The War Prayer" or in "Sky," and the
first one up after reruns is, I believe "Believers," in which Kosh *does* make
an appearance, being as cryptic as ever.  We tend to use Kosh sparingly.  The
one story in which he plays a significant role and has a lot of on-camera time
is "DeathWalker."  He's also in "Grail," and "Chrysalis," and some others,
though they slip my mind at the moment.)

                                                                    jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 533       Mon Feb 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:32 EST

     Here's the thing...I never said once, *anywhere*, that the Minbari change
sex.  When I mentioned that we were going to have a female playing a male,
somehow this came up...but I *never said it*.  This was just another
speculation that took off and accumulated a life of its own.

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 538       Mon Feb 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 15:08 EST

     The Xon weren't any more evil or good than the race that survived; two
equally sentient species emerged on the Centauri homeworld over the course of
evolution.  They were more or less separated by distance and land masses and
oceans, so there was little contact until either side developed the technology
required to find the other.  It was the next best thing to a first contact
situation, except it's on their own world; they were very much alien to one
another.  Somewhere along the line, it was decided that this world wasn't big
enough for both of them, so they began a campaign of slaughter against each
other.  Londo's people won.

                                                        jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 541       Mon Feb 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:32 EST

     The quote is incorrect in any event; that was one *possibility* that we
had discussed, that's not set in stone.

                                                               jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 546       Mon Feb 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:36 EST

     No, I said that if I genuinely believed that my presence here was
inhibiting open and frank discussion, I would withdraw, because that's unfair
to those using the system.

     Re: the difference as to why Sinclair reacted the way he did...they SPOKE
to him in his head, the same way they did to the guard in customs.   This is
different than just "listening" to someone's thoughts, so to speak.

                                                              jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 551       Mon Feb 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:54 EST

     No, I never said the *Minbari* change sex.  And I didn't.  I indicated
that Delenn would end up female.  There's a difference.  And that's all I can
say on it for now.

                                                                  jms

     (And the Minbari *don't* change sex.)
 ------------
 ************
Topic 4         Tue Nov 03, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:12 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 - Cast & Characters        

For discussion of the actors who will be bringing BABYLON 5 to life with their
performances...for information before, and discussion after the airing of "The
Gathering" pilot.
372 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 239       Tue Feb 01, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:53 EST

    T.Schell...you mean like the hispanic doctors that appear in such B5
episodes as "Believers?"  And "Chrysalis?"  And "Deathwalker?"  And the native
american in "Parliament?"  And the many other black, asian and other-ethnic
guest characters we've used in "Mind War" and other episodes?

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 269       Sat Feb 05, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:25 EST

     For the most part, lower level types don't know the names of those in the
Grey Council (speaking of Minbari for a moment).  They are kept fairly
anonymous to avoid the cult of personality arising.  You'll see the full
extent to which they preserve their anonymity in some of the upcoming
episodes, specifically "Sky" and "Babylon Squared."

                                                               jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 275       Sun Feb 06, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:50 EST

     I try to keep things to a need-to-know basis.  Sometimes you don't want
the future to influence an actor's performance now.  And sometimes you *do*.
Some know a little, some know a lot, some know only what's necessary for an
individual episode.

                                                                  jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 280       Tue Feb 08, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:44 EST

     Better television reception.

                                                            jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 291       Fri Feb 11, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:15 EST

     The computer voice belongs to Haley, our script supervisor.

                                                                jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 5         Tue Nov 03, 1992
T.ORTH [Mr. Rico]            (Forwarded)
Sub: Grid Epsilon Irregulars - News & Info.

This topic is for information about Babylon 5 fan groups, newsletters,
fanzines, get-togethers, B-5 at conventions, and other general fun.
328 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 5
Message 318       Thu Feb 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:24 EST

     Ask Katherine to ask Christy....

     I made it clear I've got nothing to do with this, it's their (Christy's)
responsibility.

                                                                jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 10        Thu Nov 12, 1992
SANDMAN [Henry]              at 19:25 EST
Sub: Sex in Babylon 5                     

Can't do without this one!!


367 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 10
Message 337       Tue Feb 08, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:47 EST

     Well, of course, the other thing to remember about Paul is that he had a
real problem with women doing much of *anything*.  His letters about the role
of women in church came out of his concern that women were taking too big a
place in the church, and had to be pushed down.  If someone wants to yank out
a biblical quote to put women "in their place," it's almost *always* one of
Paul's.  He had a real problem with women.  (Yoko in particular.)

                            jm(who has actually read the bible twice)s
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 10
Message 349       Sun Feb 13, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:26 EST

     Let's just say for now that you'll learn something very unusual about
Centauri "intimacy" in "The Quality of Mercy."

                                                            jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 12        Wed Nov 18, 1992
B.WIST [Brad]                at 18:12 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 Sightings                  

Post here when you've spotted Babylon 5, whether it be on Television,
Magazine, or somewhere else.  Let us know where we can find it/see it, too.
511 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 12
Message 447       Fri Feb 04, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:41 EST

     Look for a B5 piece on Sci-Fi Buzz this Sunday; on KPCC on February 20th
at 3:30 p.m. (or thereabouts); and on Channel 13 L.A. this coming wednesday
(as part of their newscast).

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 12
Message 455       Sun Feb 06, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:52 EST

     ...i hate being interviewed...i don't want my mug on teevee...the STORY
is the star, as far as i'm concerned....feh, feh, and in case you missed it
the first time...feh.

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 12
Message 497       Thu Feb 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:53 EST

     The 2nd B5 issue of Cinefantastique is already out.  Picked up a few
copies the other day.  (They shipped with two different covers; one cover has
Stephen King's The Stand on it, the other has B5 on it.)

                                                      js
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 12
Message 506       Fri Feb 25, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:32 EST

     No, I don't think there's a 100% correlation; sometimes a show is
absolutely awful, and is panned appropriately.  Sometimes a show tries to
introduce a paradigm shift, and gets unfairly nailed.  And all of the other
possibilities in-between.

     I have learned from this experience one very important lesson: no matter
what you do, somebody'll gig you for it.  If you put in action, they'll say
the show has nothing to say and is shallow; if you put in esoteric stuff,
they'll say it's pompous; if you spend time building your characters, they'll
say it's slow; if you do a complex plot, they'll say there's no
characterization; if you have no EFX, they'll say you're cheap; if you put in
lots of EFX, they'll say you're just doing the old razzle-dazzle with nothing
of substance...and on and on and on.

     So, fundamentally, the only thing you can do is keep doing what it is
you're doing, and be patient, letting people gradually see the full picture of
what you're doing.  (Oh, yeah, and if you start off going for ambitious stuff,
they'll say you're confusing; if you start gradually and work your way into
the more complex stories after you've introduced the world and the characters,
they'll say you're not innovative.)

     I am content to be patient, and to continue telling the story I want to
tell.

                                                               jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 13        Mon Nov 23, 1992
T.ORTH [Mr. Rico]            at 21:00 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 - Science & Technology     

Jump gates, nanotech, high-tech weapons, starship drives, sound in space, and
other subjects of science and technology in Babylon 5.
523 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 411       Thu Feb 03, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 16:33 EST

     Actually, there's only one jump gate near B5, which can take you into or
out of hyperspace.

                                                            jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 414       Thu Feb 03, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:38 EST

     Of course, the station *does* have a VERY comprehensive defense system,
which could've blown the ship (or any other incoming object) out of existence
at any time; the only reason for waiting as long as possible was because of
the first contact reprecussions....

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 421       Fri Feb 04, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:04 EST

     They weren't amazed that the ship activated the gate; they weren't
expecting any ships in for a while (so sayeth Laurel), and thus were surprised
that he arrived early.

                                                              jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 457       Tue Feb 08, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:50 EST

     I loved the lensman books, and own first editions of just about the whole
cycle.

     Re: the helmets reflecting a tactical display...we actually tried this,
and put in displays where they would actually be.  Problem is, unless you're
shooting at an up-angle, which looks really weird, it's not bright enough to
reflect much, unless you also REALLY make it bright, in which case it looks
REALLY funky.

                                                             jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 459       Tue Feb 08, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 05:06 EST

     That was our first excursion into DownBelow; we began modifying the
wardrobe fairly quickly thereafter to present a more broad-based look.

                                                              jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 520       Sat Feb 19, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:34 EST

     It's made to be adhesive to skin, but easily removed.

                                                    jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 14        Thu Dec 31, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:59 EST
Sub: Lurkers/Introductions: Please Sign In

A place for newcomers to come in, say hello, whether you want to jump into the
conversation or not, just to let us know you're here.
534 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 14
Message 496       Tue Feb 01, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 05:47 EST

     Re: Vertigo...some of the best writing being done today is by Neil Gaiman
in the SANDMAN books...amazing stuff....

                                                              jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 14
Message 502       Thu Feb 10, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:15 EST

     Americanized version: struh-zin-ski.

     Byeloruss (native) version: strah-chin-ski.

                                                             jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 14
Message 533       Mon Feb 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:44 EST

     Victoria...long as you're here...at this point it looks as if I won't be
able to make it to the con.  I knew there was something brewing in August, and
there are several somethings, primarily including San Diego ComicCon about a
week earlier.  When we're in the middle of production, I can get away for
*maybe* one con a month, but two is just impossible.  There's one slim chance
that I might be around there for business purposes at some point around there,
but that's still very much up in the air just now.

                                                            jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 15        Thu Dec 31, 1992
J.ROY18 [Jonathan]           at 21:29 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 - Alien Races              

Aliens races in Babylon 5... their politics, abilties, technology, history,
and any other discussion specificly about non-humans.

451 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 15
Message 421       Sun Feb 06, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:26 EST

     Well, *I* always figured they did, but then I always figured they were
marsupials, not reptilian...but that perception has gotten so much out there
that I don't know if it can be recalled, and if I may have to just give on in
that point.

                                                              jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 15
Message 445       Thu Feb 17, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:07 EST

     Don: Minbari is in part derived from a minbar, which is the name for the
pulpit in a mosque.

                                                                   jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 17        Tue Jan 19, 1993
C.STOBBE [Colin]             at 21:02 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 - Merchandising            

A place to discuss all the neat Babylon 5 merchandising coming out (hopefully)
soon
489 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 17
Message 476       Tue Feb 15, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:38 EST

     I have consultation rights on everything merchandised, to keep it within
the proper B5 framework.  I'd like to keep that hand as light as possible,
though...like I said, I'm curious to see what *others* can do with the show.

                                                                   jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 17
Message 486       Thu Feb 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:25 EST

     BTW, Lee, next time you and I end up at the same con, give me some
advance word, to bring something in exchange for the poster.

                                                                jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 24        Fri Jun 04, 1993
J.ROY18 [Jonathan]           at 21:11 EDT
Sub: Babylon 5 - Weapons and Warfare!     

For discussion about the weapons, counter weapons, armor, shielding, tactics,
logistics, and so forth, of small combat and large scale war in the Babylon 5
universe.
453 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 374       Sat Feb 05, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:29 EST

     Correct; the distortion you're seeing is caused by superheating the air.
When it collapses again -- the heat literally burns through the atmosphere,
the same as lightning -- it would logically make a sound like a small
thunderclap...so we sampled some thunder sounds, and interlaced some of the
PPG sound with that as well.

                                                               jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 378       Sun Feb 06, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:41 EST

     I'd thought Brett had answered that well, about the magnetic field
keeping the stuff in.

                                                               jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 380       Sun Feb 06, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:52 EST

     Yup.  Cumbersome.  And they say, "Here I am, shoot me."

                                                                 jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 383       Sun Feb 06, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:46 EST

     There is a cycle-up period.  Whenever the PPG is going to be used, you
can hear it powering up.

                                                                   jms

    (Of course, once powered up, it doesn't need to do it again until after it
fires the charge.)
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 387       Mon Feb 07, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:49 EST

     Re: bullets...you're essentially shooting bullets inside a tin can.   The
problem with ricochet is *incredible*.

                                                                    jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 396       Tue Feb 08, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:52 EST

     Yes, there are other divisions, including the Marines.  We'll see them,
too, from time to time....

                                                              jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 398       Tue Feb 08, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:57 EST

     Yes to both questions.

                                                        jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 411       Thu Feb 10, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:16 EST

     There are non-lethal weapons, including shock-sticks, which can be used
to disable someone.  It looks something like a large baton and works kind of
like a taser, only moreso.

                                                               jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 431       Wed Feb 16, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:31 EST

     Oh, you will, you will....

                                                             jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 434       Fri Feb 25, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:33 EST

     The article is confused; the station has Alpha, Delta, and Gamma
squadrons, composed of starfuries.  The final squadron, Zeta flight, will
arrive in "Survivors."

                                                               jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 436       Sat Feb 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:24 EST

     Nope.

                                                             jms

     (Larry's last name is misspelled throughout.  A small joy for me.)
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 441       Sun Feb 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:13 EST

     The photo caption is correct.  And I very much wish it weren't.

                                                        jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 443       Sun Feb 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:23 EST

     I didn't think anything was revealed about that...will go back and check.

                                                                 jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 444       Sun Feb 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:26 EST

     Wait...just checked.  No, don't worry...odd as it sounds, that doesn't
reveal anything at all about Kosh.  You'll understand when you see the
episode.  (Scared me for a minute there....)

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 448       Sun Feb 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:16 EST

     Trust me, that ain't it either.  That's all I can say without making this
a spoiler.

                                                                  jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 451       Mon Feb 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:33 EST

     Nope.

                                                           jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 25        Fri Mar 12, 1993
S.SHELLENBAR [>> SHANE <<]   at 08:47 EST
Sub: J. Michael Straczynski Speaks in Public

This is the place to find out where and when JMS will be appearing next.  JMS
has honed his skills as a public speaker and is taking his act on the road.
426 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 25
Message 416       Sun Feb 13, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:38 EST

     Wait...it's *11:30*?  I was told 1 p.m.  Can this be verified?

                                                                  jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 26        Sun Jun 06, 1993
G.PLANA [Gary]               at 01:51 EDT
Sub: Babylon 5 - Episode titles and info  

This topic is for information about individual episodes -- their titles,
writers, and any other information JMS may leak!
195 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 26
Message 192       Tue Feb 01, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:27 EST

     I can't comment on that last part for a while yet; will do so soon.

                                                                 jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 27        Fri Feb 04, 1994
W.SUDLOW [Raffles]           at 19:56 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 and Religion               

A place to discuss Soul Hunters, Minbari reincarnation beliefs and other
>metaphysical subjects. Feel free to compare and contrast with human
religions, but *please* be considerate, and avoid entering realworld
theological debates.
32 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 27
Message 2         Sat Feb 05, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:02 EST

     Because we deal with religion a *lot* in this first season, we're giving
it a break...but yes, there is some cross-fertilization.  I'd written a scene
for one script, cut for time, featuring an alien in Catholic collar, a priest.
And there should be humans who'd get into alien religions that are thousands
of years older than our own.

                                                                 jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 27
Message 10        Tue Feb 08, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:58 EST

     Speaking of handing someone a hot potato, if you think this one is a
toughie, just wait for "Believers."  Yikes.

     What the soul was, who's right, and even whether this is SF or Science
Fantasy, was it explained enough to merit one over the other... how can I put
this...?  I don't want to spoon-feed stuff to people.  What I want is not to
hit someone with a MORAL, or a message, or "This is what a soul is," or "This
is what makes it an SF series," I want to start discussions.  Arguments.
Preferably a bar fight or two.

     We present an issue.  Here are the sides.  Now...what do YOU think about
it?  I want this show to ask, "Who are you?  Where are you going?"  That's
half the fun.  Some of my favorites pastimes in college were sitting in the
commons, or the library, arguing this stuff from every possible angle.  You
think I'm gonna tell you what to think?  What it means?  No.  The goal is to
provoke discussion.  Preferably passionate discussion.

     Otherwise I might as well just start renting billboards and putting up
signs.

                                                               jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 27
Message 14        Thu Feb 10, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:59 EST

     Yes, I do.

     No, you don't.

                                                              jms
 ------------

 ************
Topic 4         Sat Oct 16, 1993
STARR [Arne]                 at 10:46 EDT
Sub: Midnight on the Firing Line  (#103)  

The first episode of the new series appearing in late January.

190 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 4
Message 151       Tue Feb 01, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:07 EST

     Somone crossing *bang-banged* on the grate in the middle of the central
corridor, and so Doyle hesitated, and we found we didn't have the coverage to
collapse that one moment, or a replacement take.

                                                                  jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 5         Sat Oct 16, 1993
STARR [Arne]                 at 10:49 EDT
Sub: Soul Hunter  (#102)                  

by JMS. The second sheduled episode of the new series.

268 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 5
Message 34        Wed Feb 02, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:52 EST

     Mira's makeup is the same between episodes, and we'll be keeping the act
structure you're seeing now.  Many thanks.

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 5
Message 36        Wed Feb 02, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:47 EST

     Normally, I don't tend to respond to negatives, because I don't generally
want to get in the way or be perceived to be getting in the way of criticism.
I don't.  But I feel I have to respond to some of this.   If the show is open
to criticism, then it seems to me that some of the critiques should be open as
well.  And some of these I think are quitge unfair.

     1) When did they move the jump gate (re: the time required to get from
the gate by Kosh's ship, as opposed to the Hunter ship).  They/we didn't.
Once again, and I wish people could remember this, Kosh's ship BEGAN TO
DECELERATE the instant it emerged from the gate, in order to dock with B5
without smashing into it.  The Soul Hunter ship was out of control, careening
in at full speed.  (This was a widely discussed reason why the Vorlon fleet
got to B5 so quickly as vs. Kosh's ship.  They were moving fast to get into
striking position.)

     2) The Hunter's ship was on autopilot, set to come out of the first  gate
it came to.

     3) There was still time for the station's defense grid to blow the ship.
Yes, pieces would have continued onward, but a hell of a lot of its inertia
would've been taken out by the incoming fire, and any remaining pieces
would've either been taken out as well, or would have been so small as to not
damage the hull (which is *very* thick at that point) given its blast-enforced
deceleration.

     4) Yes, Sinclair would've gone up with it.  You pays your money, you
takes your chances.

     5) There was no "the Earth is going to explode" story here; you have a
ship colliding with the station, that has to be stopped.  It has to be stopped
within the period between when it emerges from the gate, and the time it would
collide.  You want to know how much time you have to work in.  Maybe it's a
dramatic device, but it's also exactly what you would do.  What would you
prefer?  "Lieutenant Commander, how much longer until impact?"  "Uh...I
dunno...can you hang on a second?"

     6) Re: the "funny forehead" comment...it was not what I've understood the
FF syndrome to mean...a regular head with a little treatment on the front.
This was a whole-head prosthetic, covering the entire back of the head.  So
wrong on that one.  And re: n'grath having 6 legs rather than 4...who're you
to say that?  Ever seen a praying mantis?  Do all insects all over the galaxy
have to have six legs to qualify?  You don't like minimal makeup, you don't
like full-body prosthetics...you understand that this comes out as "nothing
will please me except a real alien."  You tell me where to find one in Central
Casting, and I'll hire him.

     7) Okay, here's my biggest gripe: the note that the soul aspect was Trek
and "katra."  Let me be clear on this: I don't give a damn what Trek has or
has not done now, long ago, or will do in the future.  We can't be constantly
looking over our shoulder, limiting our universe because of another show.  If
your only frame of reference when it comes to discussing the soul is Star
Trek, then that's profoundly disappointing, but it's got nothing to do with
me.  The basic concept goes back to the beginnings of civilization (that your
soul can be captured somehow).  Further, there were no soul hunters in ST, it
was placement of one's spirit in another body.   I'm getting real tired of the
notion that if Trek did something, nobody else ever can do it.  Like the
person who said that Trek invented nanotechnology, and thus when we used it in
the pilot episode in the nanotech machine G'Kar swallows, we were just copying
Trek's nanites.

     I refuse to surrender creative control of this series to the ghost of
Star Trek's used notions.  From time to time, we'll cross into areas they have
also touched.  We'll touch it differently.  Deal with it.  But please don't
put a Star Trek (tm) tag on the soul, and the history of the soul.

     8) You say a guard's gun was taken *twice* in this episode.  Where is #2
(if #1 is the medlab guard)?  I see a guard being attacked from behind, but
not his gun being taken.

     9) Re: the second soul hunter's makeup being "inferior" to the first:
they were essentially exactly the same...same material, same design, minus the
stone, which varied...I'm sorry, but they were made, applied and used in
exactly the same way.

     10) Why drain her of blood?  Why the hell not?  In some countries, that
was  used as a means of execution.  Bleeding was also used (in theory) to
heal.  Okay, let's say he used poison.  "Why use poison?" you probably
would've asked.  "Oh, it was the old poison gag, and they find a convenient
antidote."  There's no difference.

     11) How did the hunter relate his sense of death to a wall map?  I ask
again...why not?  If you can buy it happens at all, why not?  How is that any
different than walking through a hall, or being drawn to a planet?  This is
strictly a straw-man example, as is much of what you cite.

     This, frankly, is what I find so offensive in your note.  You take things
that as a matter of opinion you might have done differently, and then try to
hold it up as a fault.  You set up straw man arguments that could be just as
easily turned around on anything, mischaracterizing something in order to take
a cheap shot.

     12) Why didn't Sinclair link in when he found the hunter?  Because he
only "found" the hunter when he was being SHOT AT.  And at that point you
don't want to raise your voice because you'll be shot at again.

     13) You complain that the soul globes seemed to wait until the moment
Sinclair freed them to act (as though it were the bag that had been holding
them in).  Sure, they could've emerged...and floated.  A lot of good that
would've done them.  What they needed was someone who could stop him, and that
was Sinclair's task.  They were able to distract the hunter long enough for
that to happen.  Minus Sinclair, what were they supposed to do, bedazzle him
to death?

     14) Re: shining things into the camera = NBC Mystery Movie.  See point
11a above.  I'm not responsible for your cultural reference points.

     I don't mean to yell, but thing is, I don't mind genuine criticism, if we
specifically do something that is objectively *wrong*.  If you don't like
something, that's also fine.  But I'm tired of people who confuse opinion with
fact, and that if it isn't done their way, then it isn't somehow *right*...and
the notion that Star Trek has invented,  patented and qualified for sole claim
on whole aspects of our history, literature, culture, theology and language,
and that anybody who touches on these areas is just doing Trek stuff.

     As far as I'm concerned, the Trek-soul-katra thing treated the soul as
little more than a misplaced pair of sunglasses.  Here we tried to get into
the issues *behind* the soul...where does it come from, where does it go, does
it survive the death of the body, or does it go on...to give some mystery and
beauty to the notion.  To have it dismissed as just another riff on katra is
offensive and insulting and narrow.  And all of those issues just seemed to
flit by without comment.

     I don't mean to get angry, but this is one I'm very proud of, and to see
it sideswiped and mischaracterized and straw-man'd to death in this fashion is
just something that I had to respond to.

                                                                  jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 5
Message 41        Wed Feb 02, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:02 EST

     Just one note...as I mentioned in my reply to your email, Torville, I
have received and waded through literally *thousands* of critiques of B5, from
the pilot to the first two episodes.  In all but maybe 5-6 of those, I keep my
mouth shut.  The only time I can't avoid the tendency to respond is if I see
something that I think is unfair, as I felt your message was unfair.  (And
again in your latest, that the ship being on a collision course "doesn't
advance the story."  That's simply silly.   The soul hunter is unconscious at
the start.  Thus, his ship has to be on autopilot.  Thus if it comes in, once
it's past the gate, it's out of control.  Sure, I suppose that I could've had
it flying off at a whole different tangent, or just laying there in
space...but this is a series with some measure of *action* to it.  I like to
keep a good pace going.   Pacing is part of the story, advances the story.
Thus it *does* advance the story.)

     I have accepted, without comment, a *lot* of things that I disagreed
with...sometimes holding to my own original view, sometimes altering my views
when someone hits me over the head with a fact.  But I reserve the right,
every 3,000 messages or so, to get, as you say in your signature, "miffed."
And I'd note that *you* got miffed after just *one* critique of something you
wrote...try 3,000 on for size some time.

                                                               jms

     ("I can see you're really upset about this, Dave...Dave...?)
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 5
Message 61        Thu Feb 03, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:29 EST

     Delenn was shattering the soul globes in order to let the souls escape,
rather than playing with them.  Look on the floor around her, and you'll see
shattered globes.  There should also be a sound of them breaking in her hands,
the light goes out, and something escapes....

                                                               jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 5
Message 78        Fri Feb 04, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:38 EST

     One thing we discovered after making the pilot was that we had gotten so
dark and moody in the thing that in some cases we walked into what (as I
recall) are referred to as "illegal blacks."  Meaning it was *too* dark in
places, and some foreign distributers (which apparently is where this is a
problem) would balk at picking up the pilot.

     The other thing, BTW, is that I haven't been much aware of any *major*
lighting difference; we've upped it a bit, but not that much.  The other day I
watched (for the first time) one of our shows actually being broadcast, and
noticed that they cranked the luminescence WAY up there.   (This is a problem
rampant through TV; when I was on "Murder," we'd do these great, moody scenes,
and CBS would dial it up until it was nearly daylight.)  Some of the music was
also stomped down, cutting out most of the low frequency stuff.

                                                                 jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 5
Message 104       Sat Feb 05, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:22 EST

     Actually, it's "Med-Alert."

                                                               jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 5
Message 131       Sun Feb 06, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:14 EST

     The spelling is Satai.  There are nine members of the Grey Council.

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 5
Message 145       Sun Feb 06, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:42 EST

     Why is part of me tempted to decide that around the year 2223 the most
revered figure in Earthforce Command was General Ira Asimov, a brilliant
strategist for whom the liner was named....?

     There are certain benefits to a design-your-own-future universe....

                                                                  jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 5
Message 167       Mon Feb 07, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 14:48 EST

     John Drew: regarding your note that naming the starliner the Asimov is
"not original" and "cliche"...I deeply admired Asimov.  Harlan Ellison, this
series consultant, was as dear a friend to Asimov as anyone could be.
 I named the starliner after Asimov shortly after his death, because I will
personally miss him, and for Harlan, as his friend.

     So regarding your "cliche" line...not to put too fine a point on it,
screw off.  Get your own damned show.  This is mine.  The starliner originally
was named something else.  If I choose, as an expression of loss, to name this
ship after him, that's my right.  As far as I am concerned, that is the end of
this discussion.

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 5
Message 185       Tue Feb 08, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:37 EST

     Well, John, you can say it's unprofessional...but in your case, as
someone who hosts/produces a talk show on SF, you of all people should be
aware of the death of Asimov, of the place he held, of the affection many of
us held for him...and to dismiss something meant to honor that memory (and his
death is still fresh for many of us) as "cliche," frankly, as far as I'm
concerned...you should've known better.  It's got nothing to do with me, and
everything to do with knowing SF.

     And maybe next time you'll wait, and inquire, before dismissing someone
else's work as "lazy" and "unimaginative" and "cliche."  Yes, this is a place
for opinion.  And if someone's opinion is based on fuzzy thinking, rudeness,
prejudice or inaccurate information, I reserve the right to bonk that person.
Hard.  Or are you saying that you can critique my writing, but I can't
critique yours?  As I understand BBSs, it's an interactive service...one gives
as well as receives.  I am not here to be a silent punching bag.  This has
been a process of *give and take*.

     And it is as blessed to give as to receive.

     So I am twice blessed.  And so are you.

     Deal with it.

                                                                  jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 5
Message 193       Tue Feb 08, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 14:18 EST

     John...when you go around shooting off your mouth and calling names and
making cheap shots, you're going to have someone hand you your head from time
to time.

     There seems to be this perception of BBS etiquette as, "I can say
anything I want about you, be as unfair as I like, but if you call me on it,
if you respond in the same kinds of terms I use, then that's being
unprofessional."

     But then there have always been people who don't like it when the target
fires back.

                                                                   jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 5
Message 201       Tue Feb 08, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:23 EST

     He split before the third one could be shown to be also empty; when you
know it's not going your way, split fast.

                                                                    jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 5
Message 225       Fri Feb 11, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:46 EST

     BTW...someone sent me a note mentioning that somewhere or other  somebody
was citing Dukhat (S.H.) and Dabo (BTtP) as "obvious pull-overs from ST," the
first being a name in DS9, the latter being a game Quark plays.

     In reverse order...the world mentioned isn't Dabo, it's Davo; second,
Dukhat is a name that goes back as far as the original treatment, seven years.
I am consistently amazed at how everyone thinks that everything emanates from
ST.

     This show does not DO "obvious pull-overs from ST."  Period.  We don't
have to.  We're perfectly happy being our own show.  Why would ANY show,
trying to make its own identity, do this stuff?

     There are times I just despair....

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 5
Message 250       Mon Feb 14, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:57 EST

     No, the coffin was named Jarvis.

                                     jm(tongue firmly in cheek)s
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 5
Message 259       Thu Feb 17, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:57 EST

     Cindy: I don't find your 258 funny in the least regard.  I didn't "get"
the idea from Buck Rodgers, and resent your comment.  Reconsider it.

                                                                  jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 5
Message 264       Fri Feb 25, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:18 EST

     I don't think that's correct, since the same feed went to both monitors.
I think that the film camera may have *pushed in * on the other console, so we
saw less of the picture on the monitor, but as far as I know, it was the same
piece of tape running on both monitors.

                                                                 jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 6         Sat Oct 16, 1993
STARR [Arne]                 at 10:50 EDT
Sub: Born To The Purple  (#104)           

by Larry DiTillio. A Londo episode.
120 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 6
Message 19        Sun Feb 06, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:43 EST

     Yeah, that's a favorite line of lots of folks.  BTW, how did the preview
of "Infection" look?  I haven't seen it yet.

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 6
Message 26        Wed Feb 09, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:26 EST

     Regarding Ivanova...it's not really an attempt to pull at heart strings,
as it is to establish that this is someone who's had, and is still having, a
pretty rough life.  It's a real roller-coaster for her, and the way she
survives it is to absolutely bottle it up inside.  She has had angst
throughout her life, and she's in for more.

     We start to track that in little ways that probably no one will notice,
as well as making it the occasional story point.  A little way nobody'll
notice: after this episode, she starts messing with her hair, which we'd
deliberately set as extremely tight until now.  Suddenly she doesn't have
someone for whom she has to be a certain way, and she has to start finding her
*own* identity, and it ain't easy.

     Re: the club owner recognizing Sinclair (or not)...this is something we
discussed.  Can Sinclair go places in the station and not be recognized?  In
some cases, no.  In a place like the Dark Star, maybe so; this isn't the kind
of place he generally hangs out in.  It's a question of how much day-to-day
interaction somebody would have with him.  Yes, he's an important figure; but
I'm not sure if I'd immediately recognize L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan at first
glance, particularly in different style of dress, in an unusual location.
We're *not* going to do it a lot -- just once this season -- but we thought it
was a reasonable approach.

                                                                 jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 6
Message 58        Fri Feb 11, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:30 EST

     This was a bit cut from the script for time; Gold Channels are ONLY for
official use, they're high-priority channels that can go anywhere back on
Earth.  Commercial communications are less reliable and only have a few
channels available; you've got to wait for a call to go through.  To use a
Gold Channel for personal communications is a No-No.

     Sinclair is shot at in "Infection," yes...but then, EVERYONE is shot at
in "Infection."  However, he *isn't* shot at in the majority of our
episodes...isn't shot at in "Parliament," "Mind War," "By Any Means,"
"Survivors," "Believers," "Chrysalis" or many others.  Like I said, the amount
of personal danger into which he puts himself cuts down a bit after  the
discussion at the end of "Infection."

                                                                 jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 6
Message 60        Fri Feb 11, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:34 EST

     There's a definite improvement arc in the show; the deeper we got into
production, the better the stories generally became, and the better the
production values.  (With a few exceptions.)  The biggest change in the show
came once we began writing scripts *after* we'd begun shooting episodes, so
that we/I could again see the actors and find their fingerprints.
"Parliament" is the first one I wrote after we started filming; "Soul,"
"Infection" and "Midnight" were all written prior to filming starting.

     Re: the GURU reference in this ep...could someone here, in as precise a
manner as possible, indicate the reference, what it was, wehre (where) you saw
it, and what it refers to?

                                                                 jms
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 6
Message 97        Mon Feb 14, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:08 EST

     Yep.  Same guy.  (We briefly considered having this poor shlub get tossed
in various shows, but wisely came to our senses.)  BTW, he's Chuck Norris'
son.

                                                           jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 8         Sat Oct 16, 1993
STARR [Arne]                 at 10:51 EDT
Sub: Infection   (#101)                   

By JMS. The first shot episode though not the first shown.
130 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 19,  Topic 8
Message 9         Thu Feb 10, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:23 EST

     I'll leave my opinion for after everyone else has seen it.

                                                               jms
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Category 19,  Topic 8
Message 11        Fri Feb 11, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:10 EST

     You don't.  The next two after "Infection" are terrific.  My two
favorites of this batch.

                                                           jms
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Category 19,  Topic 8
Message 53        Fri Feb 18, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 15:56 EST

     I think, frankly, that part of the problem here is the misperception that
all Hollywood writers ever do is rip off other stuff, that nobody out here
ever has an original thought, that if there are ANY common themes, it MUST be
because so-and-so ripped off so-and-so.  Which is one reason why I flipped out
a bit in the Soul Hunter topic; I'm tired of that crap, because it's simply
not true.

     Look at all the *thousands* of books that've been published in the last
few years in SF...particularly the sword and sorcery/fantasy books, where you
can't swing an elf without hitting a unicorn, a short fellow with great
wisdom, and a princess trying to reclaim her throne.  Common themes all over
the place.  Nobody thinks twice.  But god forbid somebody should produce a TV
episode that deals with the same issue as some other  series, and it's
*immediately* considered to be a rip-off.  It's biased, skewed, untruthful,
insulting to anyone who works in the field, and just contributes to the
accepted cliche, which doesn't touch reality at any two contiguous points.

                                                                  jms
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Category 19,  Topic 8
Message 85        Sat Feb 19, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:16 EST

     Negative.  The orientation of the control room is correct.  You look at
the docking bay in the direct center of the station (and the center of
rotation), which is zero-G.  Now you pan down.  You come to the observation
dome, *beneath* the docking bay.  (Incoming ships pass OVER the head of
whoever's standinga the main console.)  Their feet point down to the outer
hull of the station, and their heads point toward the docking bay.

                                                                   jms
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 ************
Topic 11        Sun Oct 17, 1993
STARR [Arne]                 at 15:14 EDT
Sub: The Parliament of Dreams   (#108)    

by JMS.

106 message(s) total.
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Category 19,  Topic 11
Message 13        Sat Feb 19, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:11 EST

     The "stay put" line was ad-libbed by Andreas, because the crawfish kept
crawling off the table.

     Re: G'Kar being theatrical...that's who he is.  I like theatrical
characters.  I know many in real life that're much bigger than life, very
broad...and great fun.  Not every character has to be sonorous and serious and
restrained.  The whole point of *having* alien characters is that they should
act differently than the majority of us.

                                                                jms
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Category 19,  Topic 11
Message 16        Sun Feb 20, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:05 EST

     You'll see more about Narn religion and culture in "By Any Means
Necessary."

                                                                jms
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Category 19,  Topic 11
Message 24        Mon Feb 21, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:18 EST

     Chats: back off.

                                                                  jms
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Category 19,  Topic 11
Message 39        Thu Feb 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:19 EST

     You're seeing, btw, why this episode, much as it's a favorite, couldn't
be shown any sooner; there has to be some familiarity with the characters for
this to be most effective.

     As to the interpretation of the final tag scene...my thought was that
it's a way of saying, "Our dominant belief is that ALL beliefs are respcted."

                                                                  jms
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Category 19,  Topic 11
Message 44        Thu Feb 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:18 EST

     Re: establishing and transitional shots...couple thoughts.  The machines
used to render establishers are the same ones used to render the show-specific
shots.  Ron's elves said, in essence, "Pick one."  So for some period of time,
we had to make do with what we had, and take care of the shots we needed for
the episodes themselves in terms of the stories.  As we went along, though, we
gradually began to add new ones.

     The other problem, of course, is that the station isn't going anywhere;
you can change the angles, but you're still stuck with planet, station, stars,
maybe a ship or two.  So even if there *were* new shots being rendered as
establishers/transitional shots for each show, there wouldn't be *that* much
difference between them.  So again, it made sense to putting those hours of
rendering time into doing bang-up shots for the main story in each episode.

     You'll get a clearer sense of some of that cool stuff in "Mind War,"
which has some strictly *gorgeous* CGI, and a LOT of it.

                                                                  jms
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Category 19,  Topic 11
Message 49        Thu Feb 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:06 EST

     That was Thomas Kopache as Tu'Pari.

     Re: the establishing shots you describe...yes, we'll be seeing those as
well.  As I recall there's a nifty one in "Raiding Party," which we just put
in.  The "starlight" gif is taken from one shot that shows the sun in BG.  We
diversity more the further in we get.

                                                                 jms
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Category 19,  Topic 11
Message 52        Thu Feb 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:48 EST

     There was a follower of Islam; right next to the orthodox jew at the
front of the line.  "Mr. Rashid, a Moslem."  I made sure we put them side by
side.

     The "fishy" song was composed by Christopher Franke specifically for that
scene.  I told him I wanted sort of a Narnish Gilbert and Sullivan, and that's
what we got.

     Re: the camera moves...I really have no idea what your friend is talking
about.  Virtually all of our sets are constructed for full 360 degree camera
movement (and we do have a few cases of full 360 degree pans coming along).
This is not, however, a "cutty" show...some shows, presuming that their
audience has the attention span of your average gnat, lean toward fast-fast-
fast- cutting and editing and swishing camera moves.  We *hate* that.  We're
trying to set a mood, not turn the show into an MTV music video.  (Miami Vice
was a terrific example of this kind fo thing.)

                                                             jms
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Category 19,  Topic 11
Message 57        Fri Feb 25, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:29 EST

     The SkyDancer appears in the next episode.  "See you next  Wednesday"
is...well...it's when she's going to be back on the station.   She has to
complete her run by Tuesday, and will be back on Wednesday.

     Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar....

                                                        jms
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Category 19,  Topic 11
Message 62        Fri Feb 25, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:13 EST

     BTW, re: Sinclair remembering all those names...we used many of the real
names of the people standing in line, many of whom *did* belong to the
religion they had come to represent.  We went down this line of 250 people,
and went over their names *twice* with O'Hare.  That's all.  After that, he
got each name right every time; amazingly quick memorization.

                                                                jms
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Category 19,  Topic 11
Message 72        Fri Feb 25, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:20 EST

     The article is incorrect; the Kosh/skintab discussion is in "The War
Prayer," airing in 2 weeks.

                                                                 jms
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Category 19,  Topic 11
Message 84        Sun Feb 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:30 EST

     No, as far as I recall, the company is named in the teaser, during the
robe-scene with Sinclair.

                                                              jms
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Category 19,  Topic 11
Message 86        Sun Feb 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 17:01 EST

     Well, it was my thought that there will always be folks who don't want
their eyes messed with.  I still have my tonsils, and though I could afford
contacts, I won't let ANYbody touch my eyes.  There's surgery that can correct
it, but you can *really* forget that.  I dunno...it just makes sense to me
that it'll still be around.  Not everything vanishes with the passage of time.

                                                               jms
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Category 19,  Topic 11
Message 98        Mon Feb 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:28 EST

     This is something that Andreas and I discussed, and it's not so much that
G'Kar *has* to cook, but that he *likes* to cook.  From the singing, it's
clear he's having a good time....

                                             jms
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Category 19,  Topic 11
Message 103       Mon Feb 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:51 EST

     Freud said there are no coincidences....

                                                        jms
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 ************
Topic 13        Sun Oct 17, 1993
STARR [Arne]                 at 15:15 EDT
Sub: Mind War   (#110)                    

by JMS. Co-Starring Walter Koenig.
31 message(s) total.
 ************
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Category 19,  Topic 13
Message 4         Fri Feb 25, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:34 EST

     The story is *not* about a "freak accident that creates a superman."
This *is* a B5 story, and could only take place in the B5 universe.

     Just a thought, but before rendering judgment, you might want to see the
show first....

                                                                  jms
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Category 19,  Topic 13
Message 10        Fri Feb 25, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 15:36 EST

     I don't know what happened to the closed captioning; it was delivered in
time for the CC, and should've been done.  Will investigate.

                                                                jms
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Category 19,  Topic 13
Message 23        Sun Feb 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 17:03 EST

     BTW...next Thursday, after most folks've seen this ep, somebody here
remind me to mention what's the one thing I like most about this episode; it's
kinda wonky, but fun.

                                                                   jms
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Category 19,  Topic 13
Message 28        Mon Feb 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:55 EST

      "Chrysalis" makes "Mind War" look like a still-life painting by
comparison....

                                                              jms
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Category 19,  Topic 13
Message 30        Tue Mar 01, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:18 EST

     I'll have to check to see about the glitches; we've tracked down the
technical difficulties further, and discovered (among other things) that after
we'd delivered the episode, at one stage along the way they were being
transferred to 1" *used tape*.  Add in going from D2 to 1" and from that 1" to
others to do closed captioning and commercials, and you're bound to get some
weird stuff.  Starting next week, episodes will be going out with most of the
transfer work done on D2, not 1", so they should be cleaner henceforth.

                                                                jms

     (If you could be as specific as possible on where the glitch is, I can
check our master vs. the broadcast master.)
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