lurkers-guide/ftp/GEnie/jms94-04-15

Babylon 5 posts by JMS on GEnie for April 15-30, 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). 


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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.
503 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 351       Thu Apr 21, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:37 EDT

     Steve...nothing personal, but...what the *hell* are you talking about?

                                                             jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 386       Sat Apr 23, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:13 EDT

     I was asked to keep quite about this until April 23rd, which is when the
announcement is to be made at the Nebulas, but now that it's indeed the 23rd,
and that announcement either has been made or is being made now, I'm pleased
to report that the Babylon 5 pilot movie, "The Gathering," has been nominated
for a Hugo.

     Since we're up against Jurassic Park, I think I pretty much know where
THAT award is going...but it is a tremendous honor and everyone involved with
the show is very pleased by it.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 417       Sun Apr 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:27 EDT

     Thanks.  As it turns out -- I today saw the list of nominees -- B5 is the
ONLY TV-SF nominated for the Hugo.  The rest are all feature films (JP, Addams
Family, Nightmare Before Christmas, Groundhog Day).

     As for questions for Mira...we'll play it by ear, and leave it to her
discretion.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 422       Mon Apr 25, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:18 EDT

     Abbut was not -- repeat, NOT -- an imitation of Harlan, as some have
suggested.  It was originally written for Gilbert Gottfried, who we later
learned was unavailable.

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 451       Wed Apr 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:54 EDT

     Agreed, the pilot movie was much darker...unfortunately, it was SO dark
that we actually veered into what're called "illegal blacks," that is, the
picture is too dark, and this causes problems with foreign distributers.
(This is what they tell me, and through an act of faith I have come to believe
them.)  We're still about a half-stop or full stop below what's typical.  Be
advised that many stations, when they broadcast the show, pump up the
brightness a *lot*.  They just dial it up.

                                                     jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 479       Fri Apr 29, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:19 EDT

     My copies here at the house are SVHS, and they're a *quantum* jump over
what I see over the air.  So I can only guess what more would come out on
disk.  Eagerly awaiting the day.  As for the pilot...I ordered a copy (yes,
folks, I have to pay for one just like everybody else) some time ago; still
hasn't come in yet.

                                                                   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.

459 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 315       Tue Apr 19, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:53 EDT

     I knew there was something I liked about Stern.  (And proper that he
played a sound "bite.")  We sent Howard a B5 cap today, we'll see if it
actually gets to him or not.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 321       Wed Apr 20, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:43 EDT

     Jim, your thesis comes from the underlying assumption that, as in the
Trek universe, All Things Must Be Done Fairly, the government must in the end
be wise and fair and sensible.

     That ain't our universe.  That ain't even *this* universe.

     Sinclair must follow orders.  He didn't want to escort Deathwalker off
and on to Earth, those were his marching orders.  *The same marching orders
would be given to an ambassador representing Earth*.  So your career diplomat
would be in exactly the same position.  What, do you think that career
diplomats are independent agents of goodness?  They all work for SOMEone,
representing their interests.

     Earth put in the majority of the money required to build and operate B5.
They have the right, as such, to appoint a provisional governor, nad (and)
that is the function that Sinclair mainly serves.  He runs this place, AND he
is responsible for maintaining good relations with other  representatives.  He
is also on a short leash.  And in some cases, as in "By Any Means Necessary,"
other people are sent in to handle certain kinds of negotiations.

     Yes, it is a conflict of interest.  So what?  Do you think Earth cares
much about that?  Is it awkward?  Yes, of course.  It *should* put him in
moral quandries.  The Earth Government is constantly getting him into binds.
What they wanted him to do in "Deathwalker" was more or less of a dubious
nature.  But in the end, he found a fairly moral solution to the problem.
That's what he does.  He finds an honorable way out of very difficult and
morally ambiguous situations.  What you suggest is that we remove the moral
ambiguities.  Ehhh.  I find that boring as hell.

     Do the other species like it?  Of course not.  Okay, so what're they
going to do?  Boycott B5?  And let other species take advantage of all the
economic and political benefits the station provides?  Let others grow in
familiarity and form alliances that might in time turn against them?  Not a
chance.  Fair or not, it's the only game in town.

     So I don't buy your solution because I don't think it's a problem.   You
do.  That's life.  Political situations are rarely fair, or logical, or
ethical.  If politics were based on ethics this would be a MUCH better world.
But politics are generally based on who has the power, and the money, and the
guts.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 324       Wed Apr 20, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:28 EDT

     Jose: you are deliberately mischaracterizing the events in "Midnight."
Sinclair did not -- repeat, did NOT -- "tell Ivanova to defy Earth's orders
and deceive the council."  He set up a situation in which he would say that he
was unable to catch up with her and pass along the Senator's instructions
before he had to leave.  Her line would be that "The Commander never told me,"
and he would back this up.  (And that he would hedge the truth this way is
hardly "perfect.")

     Defying the Senator's orders would be telling them that the vote will NOT
be made as ordered.  That never happened.

     Y'know, I don't mind if folks criticize, but it would be nice if what
people criticized had actually HAPPENED...like the similar problem over in 19,
when it was stated that the line, "There's a shuttle leaving in one hour, be
on it" was made in three different episodes...when in fact it only happened in
one.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 335       Thu Apr 21, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:34 EDT

     Just to clarify...the Vorlon ship destroyed only Deathwalker's ship, not
an EA vessel.  And the Vorlon ship waited until Deathwalker's ship was far
from B5, just before entering the gate, before coming out to strike.   At that
range, it couldn't miss, and at that distance, B5 couldn't react fast enough.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 352       Fri Apr 22, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:15 EDT

     The suspect was a) catatonic, b) a missing person's life was at stake, c)
the next of kin gave permission, d) the information was not used at trial, was
not admissible, and only the pertinent information on the missing person was
ever used.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 362       Sat Apr 23, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:07 EDT

     Tolkien's work had a *profound* effect on me in college; as I later read
all of the background material, the reams and reams of "history" that he wrote
to background his novels, I began to realize that *that's* the way to do it.
So I tried to take that kind of approach, filling out as much as humanly
possible about the universe, characters and history.  It's the only really
sensible way to tackle something this large.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 371       Sat Apr 23, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:12 EDT

     Bugs...very well done.  You're paying attention.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 376       Sun Apr 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:16 EDT

     My notes would have to be *seriously* reworked to be made publishable.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 382       Sun Apr 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:45 EDT

     If you count "Deathwalker," then 9 episodes have aired so far.

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 395       Mon Apr 25, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:47 EDT

     Lennier is not in the cargo area during the beating, nor is he in BG
during the negotiations.  That's a Minbari of the worker class.  (You can
generally tell from the orange-ish smock-thingie they wear.)  Sorry.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 400       Tue Apr 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:16 EDT

     The type of Minbari flyer used is a one-person (at most two) ship; she
came alone to the station, and left alone.  (You'll see this kind of ship, and
the limit of space, more in another episode.)

     Psi Cops are *authorized* to carry firearms.  The Knights had an in with
Security, and by virtue of high government contacts, got their stuff on board.
Those seem to me not requiring much explanation.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 415       Wed Apr 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:55 EDT

     On the "predictable" argument...I can only shrug.  The kid has a 50/50
chance...he'll survive or die.  And guessing the end isn't, for me, the key;
this isn't a who-dunit; it's how our characters react on the way there, and
what it *does* to them, I think.

     And yeah, TV generally doesn't do this kind of ending.  Which is why we
did it...and our liaison at Warner Bros. deserves a lot of credit for letting
us do it.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 418       Thu Apr 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:40 EDT

     Since I suggested the ending to David, right down to the candles, I
suppose I'll take the rap...but the question you're raising isn't the issue.
There are only two possible results: the kid lives, or the kid dies, there
ain't much in-between.  You ask, "Who on earth is going to side with people
who kill their own child?"  The audience isn't being asked to *side* with
anyone, there IS no easy solution, and no one is 100% in the right.

     There is a wonderful short story, which we adapted for Twilight Zone,
called "The Cold Equations," where a small shuttle is going from point A to
point B.  There is enough fuel for the shuttle, and one pilot, and no more.
The ship is bringing medicine to save 500 colonists.  A young girl has stowed
away on the ship to see her brother.  She's discovered.  If the pilot does
nothing, the ship won't arrive, and he and the girl will die, and the
colonists will die.  If he sacrifices himself, she won't be able/won't know
how to guide the ship to its destination.  The only way out is to ask her to
enter the airlock so he can space her and continue the mission.  And that's
what happens.  You can't argue with math.

     Sometimes, there are no-win scenarios.  And what matters then is how your
characters react, what they do and say, and how it affects them.   That,
really, was the thrust of the episode.  And to go back to your question, "Who
on earth is going to side...."

     The operative word in your question is "Earth."  No, no human is going to
side with them (although I'd point out in the Bible that there is the story of
Abraham, who was quite willing to murder his own son at god's request).
They're not humans.  They have a wholly different mindset, cultural background
and belief system.  People ask for ALIEN aliens, then judge them by human
standards, and feel it's wrong if they don't behave like humans.  These
didn't.  That's who and what they are.   If humans side with them, or accept
them, doesn't enter into it.

                                                            jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 432       Fri Apr 29, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:25 EDT

     I can't believe this "explain how the guns get aboard" discussion is
still going on.  This isn't the Enterprise, to use the cited example,  which
is a *military vessel*, and only the occasional rare civilian gets on board.
There are a QUARTER MILLION PEOPLE on board at any given moment.  (People =
humans and aliens.)  Not staying there, but in a state of flux.  Going and
coming.  Anywhere from 50 to 100 ships per day dock at B5.  Thousands upon
thousands of boxes, crates, cargo loads, pallets, you name it.  If you stopped
and inspected every single box that came through, the system would grind to a
halt.  So you do the best you can, you catch whatever you can, scan as much as
possible, and accept that some stuff is bound to slip through.

     Further, this is the kind of explanation that has nothing to do with a
story, only with someone's need to have something explained to them.  I think
the time is spent better elsewhere.

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 444       Sat Apr 30, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 16:18 EDT

     I know from pfingle eggs...I let David have the reference because...
well, I don't know anymore...I think water torture was involved.

     Drys...no.  The choice *had* to be either/or.  That was the point; to put
the characters in a situation of conflict and see how they handle it.
Sometimes in life there are ONLY two choices, neither of them good.  Your
message comes from a position of trying to avoid the hard choices.  But the
episode is ABOUT hard choices.  It *has* to be either/or.

     To support your thesis, you bring up the "Cold Equations" alternate
ending of the pilot cutting off both his legs to make up the weight
differential.  Lemme explain something to you.  I was there.  When we turned
in the script, by Alan Brennert, MGM went nuts.  "You can't have a sympathetic
young woman commit suicide!  It'll kill the ratings!"  So they (the studio
exec) suggested various "fixes."  One was that instead of stepping willingly
out the airlock, the pilot shoots her and has to deal with the guilt.  (This
by them is a *better* idea?)  The other was the notion of the guy cutting off
his legs to make up the weight.

     First and foremost, it was a dumb idea because he'd be in no shape to
pilot the ship.  Second it wouldn't be enough weight.  And finally, the very
*nature* of "The Cold Equations," what the very TITLE means, is that there are
some occasions in which the choices are stark, and there is NO way around
them.  If the ship has X-weight, and the fuel is for Y weight, and Y is less
than X, then you've got a problem that can only -- ONLY -- be resolved by
someone walking out the airlock.  (And yes, they tried dumping things, but the
ship is lean, not much to get rid of.)   That's why it's the COLD equations;
not the LUKEWARM equations.

     I fought like hell to retain the original ending, and won.  (You probably
read about this, btw, in my articles for TZ Magazine.)  This is studio-think,
let's find a nice, unthreatening, safe, middle-ground where we can resolve
this without anybody being upset, threatened or offended by the story.  I'm
sorry, but life sometimes hands you hard choices, there ARE either/or
scenarios, in which nobody really wins, and SF should be exploring those as
well as the fuzzy feel-good stories.  It's time SF grew up a little, damn it,
and started confronting hard questions that can't always be resolved by
reversing the polarity on the metaphase unit.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 445       Sat Apr 30, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 16:34 EDT

     Afterthought: I just wandered into the kitchen, still ranting (as I am
wont to do), explained it to Kathryn...who brought me up short (as *she* is
wont to do) by pointing out the antecedent to BOTH stories.  Th  ultimate
"hard choice" example in SF-TV is of course "The City on the Edge of Forever,"
from ST.  There are only two choices, both hard: either Edith Keeler dies, or
the Nazis win WW II.  Kirk *has* to let her die; there's no other choice.

     It is, at the same moment, gratifying and annoying to have someone around
who's smarter than I am....

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 452       Sat Apr 30, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:14 EDT

     Owning your own space ship isn't cheap, but it also isn't as expensive as
it might be.  The investment is about the same as starting up your own
business.  There's not a lot of civilian "touring cars," for lack of a better
term; better to use the liners and shuttles.  But for businesses, surveyers,
explorers, traders and the like...yeah, they're within one's grasp.  And these
sorts of ships are pretty much all run by computer.  No crew required.  Just
go from place to place.  If it's a scientific survey ship, then you'll have
some more.

                                                                    jms
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Topic 3         Tue Nov 03, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:09 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 - Computer SFX Tech-Talk 

Some of the new computer EFX used in BABYLON 5 will be revolutionary, a new
approach never seen before on this scale.  It's all new tech, and this topic
will try and address the new technologies involved.
492 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 3
Message 481       Tue Apr 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:35 EDT

     I've told our people that in season two (Neilsen willing), I want a new
Babcom or general communications standby screen...and if I ever see the old
one again, someone's going to get hurt....

                                                                   jms
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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.
525 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 502       Tue Apr 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:18 EDT

     The female investigator.

     Hell of a makeup job.

                                                               jms
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Topic 11        Sat Nov 14, 1992
J.SHEEN1 [Leviathan]         at 18:09 EST
Sub: B5 Adrift!                         

 BABYLON 5 Topic Drift
 If you feel like talking about it, but it doesn't fit anywhere else... If its
only connection to B-5 is that you thought of it in this CAT...
 This is where to come and get it out.
411 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 11
Message 396       Fri Apr 29, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:00 EDT

     I was on "Murder" for about two years.  I left about the time we were
just finishing post-production on the B5 pilot movie.  I think I wrote about 8
or so episodes of the series.  A couple were Irish type stories, "The Wind
Around the Tower," and "To the Last Will I Grapple With Thee" (I was in a
contest to come up with the longest title in the history of the series), the
murder in the Psycho house "Incident In Lot 7," one or two at the university,
including "Lines of Excellence," and some others.  It was an enjoyable
experience, all things considered, and I still think highly of Angela.  I have
a great deal of respect for her; she's a complete professional.

                                                                 jms
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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.
325 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 299       Tue Apr 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:20 EDT

     You enter the docking bay, and the doors at the other end open.  They
then close behind you, and begin pressurizing.  Your ship is then lowered down
to one of the actual bays.  You'll see this in a lot more detail in
"Survivors" and especially in "By Any Means Necessary."

                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 301       Wed Apr 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:56 EDT

     Well, we put the camera in there and it got crushed....

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 306       Fri Apr 29, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:02 EDT

     The scale of our ships is pretty specific, and those numbers are crunched
into the animation, so it's all constantly in the correct size relationship.
It's the eye that is often fooled.

                                                          jms
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Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 322       Sun May 01, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:26 EDT

     The Earth Alliance funded the first few attempts exclusively; after
they'd dumped all their money into B4, they needed outside funding to get B5
going, and the Minbari were first to contribute money as a show of good faith.
Then the Centauri added additional funding.  Those are the only two other
races that've contributed significantly.

     The world B5 orbits is Epsilon 3.

     PPG = Phased Plasma Gun.

                                                      jms
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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.
610 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 14
Message 579       Sat Apr 23, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:04 EDT

     I think the term usually used to describe B5 viewers is, "People Of
Incredible Taste, Perception and Discretion."

                                                                 jms
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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.

250 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 15
Message 230       Sat Apr 23, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:07 EDT

     Well, let's see...there's the Drazi (slightly purplish heads, the ones
who beat the crap out of the guy in "War Prayer," and brought in the Drazi
Sunhawk in "Deathwalker"), the pak'ma'ra (the ones who shuffle through frame
in greenish robes, with tentacles where their mouths should be...and about
whom there is something very weird, rather icky, which you'll see in
"Legacies"), the Abbai, commonly known around the studio as "fishheads"...will
post a fuller description later.  Those are the ones you see mainly in DW.

                                                             jms
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Category 18,  Topic 15
Message 239       Thu Apr 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:02 EDT

     On the ships...when Ron was pulling together the ships for that episode,
we talked about it on the phone for a while, and I have to take the rap for
the saucers...which I still think are cool.  I said, in essence, why the hell
not?  Ron thought it was a great idea, and went and made it real.  I think if
we ever see this kind of ship again, it'll need some more work, a little more
weight and substance, some more detail, but they're okay.

                                                                     jms
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Topic 21        Wed Feb 02, 1994
S.SHELLENBAR [>> SHANE <<]   at 09:43 EST
Sub: Quotes from BABYLON 5              

Here is where we show the writers, actors, and even the directors that we
appreciate WHAT and HOW the characters say the things they say.

25 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 21
Message 25        Tue Apr 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:21 EDT

     (I really love that line....)

                                                                  jms
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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.
276 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 256       Sat Apr 23, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:09 EDT

     Correct, the main difference between pistols and rifles is the range, and
the number of shots you can get out before slapping in a recharge pod.  A hand
PPG can give you about 10-12 shots per charge, while a rifle nearly doubles
that.  (And yes, we have sat down and worked out a goodly part of this stuff.)

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 263       Tue Apr 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:22 EDT

     Variable settings.

                                                             jms
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Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 265       Tue Apr 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:33 EDT

     "I'm hoping that Star Trek will now learn a lesson from Joe."

     Buy low.  Sell high.

                                                                  jms
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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.
95 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 27
Message 66        Sat Apr 23, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:11 EDT

     Garibaldi is an agnostic verging on atheism.  Sinclair was taught by
Jesuits and raised with a religious background.  Ivanova is Jewish, but very
much lapsed.  Franklin is a Foundationist.  Others TBA.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 27
Message 68        Sat Apr 23, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:12 EDT

     The Foundation is a new religion, started close to the year 2000, which
gradually grew and achieved a fair amount of respectability over  the
following 200 years (as with mormonism, for instance).

                                                             jms
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Category 18,  Topic 27
Message 74        Sun Apr 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:33 EDT

     Narns would be considered kosher.

     Spoo would simply be considered.

                                                                    jms
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Category 18,  Topic 27
Message 81        Tue Apr 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:39 EDT

     Boy, you guys are gonna *love* "By Any Means Necessary" and "TKO."   They
deal with ALL this stuff.

     The Foundation would take a long, long time to explain here.

                                                                    jms
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Category 18,  Topic 27
Message 87        Wed Apr 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 17:29 EDT

     Someone once described Jesuits as god's pit bulls...kinda fits.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 27
Message 93        Thu Apr 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:04 EDT

     BTW, Sinclair mentions his Jesuit teachers (and his relationship to them)
again in "By Any Means Necessary."

                                                                jms
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Topic 7         Sat Oct 16, 1993
STARR [Arne]                 at 10:51 EDT
Sub: Believers   (#105)                 

by David Gerrold. Religion comes into play aboard Babylon-5.
48 message(s) total.
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Category 19,  Topic 7
Message 4         Sat Apr 23, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:06 EDT

     When I developed the basic Believers story, and was looking for someone
to assign it to, David was the first person we went to.  He asked me at the
time why him...he's more generally associated with humorous stuff.  I had my
reasons.  See, lately, David adopted a young boy, about the same age as Shon.
So about halfway into the outline, David called and said, "NOW I understand."
I knew that having a child of his own now would mean that the story would be a
lot more personal.  Especially the end scene, which I knew would have to be
done *very* carefully.

     I think David did a great job, and under his guidance it turned into a
very moving episode.  And with any luck, he'll write more down the road.

                                                          jms
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Category 19,  Topic 7
Message 8         Sat Apr 23, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 17:50 EDT

     To clarify...I was referring to most of David's TV work, not his novels.
At least, that was his own estimation of his work at the time.

                                                              jms
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Category 19,  Topic 7
Message 33        Fri Apr 29, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:48 EDT

     I'm not quite sure if we're talking about the same thing; the two parents
never said that the kid would die if he underwent the surgery, only that his
soul would escape.  This would leave him "soul-dead," for lack of a better
phrase.  And how are we to tell that they weren't right?  I don't think it's
quite as cut and dried as you seem to present.

     (And again, they were acting very much out of their real beliefs of how
the universe operates.  If someone here is injured, and declared brain dead,
most folks think it's okay to pull the plug...even though one could make the
argument that there's still a living soul in the body.  This is the opposite
situation; one may argue that there is still a mind somewhere in the body, but
the soul is dead or gone.  The phrase they use is that they put the shell out
of its misery.  To their mind, he was dead already.)

                                                                jms
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Category 19,  Topic 7
Message 41        Sat Apr 30, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:51 EDT

     She got away by long-distance firing as she retreated as fast as she
could, taking shots as she went.  It wouldn't look real exciting in the long
run.  And the people of the egg emphasize that the body must be *penetrated*;
it has to go into the body cavity itself to release the soul.  Paper cuts
won't do it.

                                                                   jms
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Topic 14        Sun Oct 17, 1993
SF-MARSHALL [Dave ]          at 15:15 EDT
Sub: Deathwalker (#113)                 

by Larry DiTillio. Co-starring Sarah Douglas and Robin Curtis.

156 message(s) total.
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Category 19,  Topic 14
Message 44        Fri Apr 22, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:12 EDT

     Re: Kosh's voice...though we've fixed *most* of the video crap that's
being done to our eps after delivery, we're still being clamped, which is
causing some problems like this.

     Working on it.

                                                                    jms
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Category 19,  Topic 14
Message 71        Sun Apr 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:15 EDT

     You'll see more about Garibaldi's drinking problem in about two weeks.

                                                            jms
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Category 19,  Topic 14
Message 83        Sun Apr 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:23 EDT

     Abbut was screwing around when he said "I'm a 23 myself," just messing
with her.  And yes, the Windswords were the warrior clan involved in the
events in "The Gathering."

                                                                   jms
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Category 19,  Topic 14
Message 86        Sun Apr 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:11 EDT

     H.Mallette...you're reviewing things that didn't happen, or which YOU are
twisting to your OWN convenience.

     You assume the crowd meeting Sinclair could be placated.  They make it
clear, in dialogue: "You will have to kill us all."  They could not BE
placated.  Your assumption has nothing to do with what happened, or what was
said.  Maybe in the ST universe, Picard can turn on the charm and just talk
people out of things.  That doesn't happen here, not easily at any rate.  It
was turn back or kill them.  Those were the choices.

     You misstate when you say that Dr. Franklin was unable to analyze the
serum.  He states that his preliminary analysis of the serum DID confirm her
statements; this was backed up by further evidence that she was Jha'dur, that
she was impossibly younger than she should be, and that her wounds were
healing with incredible speed.  "My assumption would be that she'd invented
something that LOOKED like an antiagapic."  Yes, and your assumption would be
wrong.  All the evidence pointed to it being EXACTLY what she said it was.
Further, the agreement between the League and Sinclair was that scientists
would be on hand during the period of development to *insure* that it was what
it was supposed to be.  Or did you miss that part?  Nobody was saying to use
it now...no one.  You' are reacting to an issue that never appeared in the
show.

     The EA escort got her as far as the gate.  Then peeled away.  And then
the Vorlon ship came out.  That's what Sinclair said: "They will escort you as
far as the gate."  And even if they had stayed with her THROUGH the gate, it
would've made no difference.  Vorlon ship comes through.  Fires at
Deathwalker's ship.  EA ships fire back.  No visible effec, the cruiser shrugs
it off and goes back the way it came.  Single Starfuries wouldn't even *dent*
a Vorlon cruiser.  So same result.

     My bottom line: if you don't like the show, then don't watch the show.
But please refrain from twisting what happened due to your incorrect
assumptions, or for your own convenience in attacking something.

                                                             jms
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Category 19,  Topic 14
Message 88        Sun Apr 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:39 EDT

     Lennier has no such power; Delenn chose to tell Lennier not to mention
that she was a member of the Grey Council.  With Sinclair, Lennier was totally
unaware of Jha'dur's time with the Windswords when it was first mentioned to
him.  He then went and spoke to Delenn and the Council, which explained the
situation to him, and gave him his marching orders.   He did not get Sinclair
to "chat about top-secret information," Sinclair came to him to find out what
he could about Jha'dur's claim.

                                                                   jms
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Category 19,  Topic 14
Message 91        Mon Apr 25, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:17 EDT

     Bear in mind also that until the corridor confrontation, Sincliar had no
idea that the League knew Deathwalker was there (and they didn't, until G'Kar
told them just beforehand).  That makes a major difference; once they knew she
was there, he'd blow the council apart by trying to smuggle her out.  If they
could get her off-station without the League knowing anything about it, THAT
was what Earth was counting on.

                                                               jms
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Category 19,  Topic 14
Message 107       Tue Apr 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:10 EDT

     H.Mallette...when you have waded through as many as 1,000 messages a day
about something you've done, some laudatory, many critical, usually all of
them contradictory, then you can talk to me about knee-jerk defensiveness.

     Once in a while I get cranky -- especially when awaiting word on a pickup
-- but for the most part, I think I've been pretty good in all of this.

     Re: language...if you're going to America from Russia as an ambassador,
you're expected to know English fluently.  B5 is funded by (mostly) and
operated by Earth, and English is more or less the dominant language.  Hence,
they know it well enough to communicate with us.  (BTW, this is already
happening here...every airport on the planet, for example, uses english
consistently in the control tower to planes, and more people outside english-
speaking countries are educated in english than we are in alternate
languages.)

     For others, there are 3 basic options: english, Centauri, and an
interstellar kind of esperanto.  Failing that, mechanical translators, such as
are seen in "Legacies," are brought into service.

                                                                   jms
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Category 19,  Topic 14
Message 110       Tue Apr 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:31 EDT

     Yeah, I really thought the Space Rangers line was out of line and
uncalled for; generally, I react with equal civility to what is first put in
front of my face.

     And no, that wasn't his brain.

                                                               jms
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Category 19,  Topic 14
Message 111       Tue Apr 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:31 EDT

     P.S.  "CAUSTICITY??!"

                                                                jms
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Category 19,  Topic 14
Message 139       Thu Apr 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 17:21 EDT

     Herb, no, I don't agree with you.  As far as we knew, Lennier was going
to vote with Sinclair and the League.  So you hold off his change of vote for
the end.  You get a few no votes, annoy the League, Sinclair raises their
hope, and then Lennier, much as he hates it, dashes that hope.  It's an arc
that way, rather than a descending staircase.

                                                             jms
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Topic 16        Sun Apr 17, 1994
STARR [Arne]                 at 23:42 EDT
Sub: Signs and Portents (#116)          

by JMS. Directed by Janet Greek.  Co-starring Gerrit Graham.
10 message(s) total.
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Category 19,  Topic 16
Message 3         Mon Apr 18, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:36 EDT

     If we can keep the discussion fairly general; I know this is a spoilers
topic, but it's *so* long until broadcast on this one, if we could keep it
fairly general just for the next couple weeks, that'd be great.

                                                                jms
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