lurkers-guide/ftp/GEnie/jms94-11

This file contains messages posted by J. Michael Straczynski on GEnie
for November, 1994.  Postings are copyright 1994 by J. Michael Straczynski
with compilation copyright 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 General category.  This is the main topic for  the
hit SF series.  We discuss all general information on the series in this
topic.  Topic 2 is for SPOILERS!  DO NOT POST STORY IDEAS!

444 message(s) total.
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SFRT II RoundTable
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 652       Tue Nov 01, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:41 EST

     The stations were put on notice *by* Warners about the error made by
Modern Video, and told which one NOT to air.  This isn't between us and PTEN,
but a station thing.

     "Chrysalis" will be rerun in time, but don't offhand know when (my guess
would be sometime around Christmas/New Year).

                                                                    jms



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SFRT II RoundTable
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 675       Thu Nov 03, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:16 EST

     We're dedicated to improving all of these elements on a regular basis;
CGI, sets, directing, lighting, name it.

     The music will change every year, to get in sync with where the season is
going; the tone and tenor and mood will shift.

     Re: the narration...last year, Michael had the benefit of being able to
see the sequence prior to reading the narration, and reading with the images.
That was when we were shooting in July to air in January.  In this case,
shooting in August to air in November, Bruce had to wing it, without any
images for reference, just text.  Now that we've got the opening completed
(and we weren't satisfied with it or done tinkering with it until a few days
before delivery), we'll probably let him do it again with the visuals before
him, so he knows what he's reading to, since it'll have a *big* impact on how
he delivers the stuff.

                                                             jms
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SFRT II RoundTable
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 392       Fri Nov 04, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:42 EST

     As noted elsewhere...we have previously established that the Dome is
periodically on Standby Mode, when the system is performing autmoated
(automated) backups, routine maintenance, that sort of thing.  It was in
"Midnight," when Garibaldi informs Ivanova that that's where he likes to go,
when it's on standby, and is quiet.  It was in "Sky," when Ivanova asks Tech 1
if there are any more ships due in for a while, is told no, and she puts her
feet up on the console, nobody else around.

     Also, B5 tends to run on human cycles of day and night, something we try
to reflect in the sets and effects, showing the Garden bright during day
times, and dark during night stuff (as around dinner time in the Fresh Air
Restaurant).  Maintaining such cycles has been found to be critical in these
kinds of environments.

     The standby mode only happens every 36-48 hours, for about an hour.
Most departments also have their own control areas, using C&C mainly when
command personnel are required.  In addition, there are folks monitoring C&C,
and if anything *should* happen, someone could be there within seconds.

                                                                   jms
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SFRT II RoundTable
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 394       Fri Nov 04, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 15:41 EST

     In fact, we just re-did the narration yesterday, now that we have the
visuals in hand, and it's MUCH improved.  And since we're re-dong (er, re-
doing) that part anyway, we had Ron re-do the faceplate pull back shot, which
I think is good, but can be better.  Now it is.

                                                                jms
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SFRT II RoundTable
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 396       Fri Nov 04, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:58 EST

     Probably episode 4.

                                                                  jms

SFRT II RoundTable
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 410       Sat Nov 05, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:25 EST

     Yes, Delenn does explain why she entered the cocoon after emerging.

     Not that it's the truth, of course....

                                                                   jms
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SFRT II RoundTable
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 411       Sat Nov 05, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:44 EST

     BTW, having now edited seven episodes, and seen several finished ones, I
think that of the first three, "The Geometry of Shadows" (#3) is my personal
favorite.  "Revelations" is certainly a biggie, a staggering chunk of the
arc...but "Geometry" is just an absolute hoot, something of a breather from
the intensity, and largely for fun with some undertones.   If you liked "The
Parliament of Dreams," you'll probably love "Geometry."

                                                                   jms
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SFRT II RoundTable
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 431       Sat Nov 05, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:01 EST

     Actually, G'Kar's makeup wasn't changed this year; the actor put on a few
pounds over hiatus, which shows in the face, which changes how the prosthetic
looks.  This was dropped very quickly by Andreas, however, and the makeup has
adjusted itself.  (Hell, we all put on a few pounds during hiatus.)

                                                               jms
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SFRT II RoundTable
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 443       Sun Nov 06, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:55 EST

     The voice of B5 is done by Haley, our script-person on the set.

     Re: the theme music...to me, one is neither worse nor better than the
other.  They're *different*, and meant to convey different moods and themes.
Each year it'll change.  This year was heavy on strings and brass; next year
it'll be heavy on percussion.  The main theme will be reinterpreted and
interpolated in different ways.  In the B5 universe, change is the only
constant.

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SFRT II RoundTable
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 467       Sun Nov 06, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:11 EST

     Because of the many actors we have in our main title sequence, we have
roughly two seconds in which to show their faces (the minimum SAG will allow).
If you show someone in action, you won't see their faces well enough to
recognize them, and there isn't enough time to do any kind of action.

     Now, we could, as stated, do both...we could show some action on each
character, and then a closeup.  But the opening title sequence as it is now
isn't long enough for all of the actors.  So our choice is as follows: 1)
exclude some of the actors, or 2) make the main title longer, and cut time out
of the episode to compensate.

     Those are the ONLY two options.

     There is a point where reality and art intersect.  This is one of them.

     If we're going to show their faces, then we need to show them in closeup.
And there isn't time for anything else.

                                                                  jms
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SFRT II RoundTable
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 479       Mon Nov 07, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:44 EST

     After the hassle last year with Kawasaki and Zima, I'm inclined NOT to do
brand names anymore.

     Re: split-screen...you end up seeing less of both in the final analysis.
It's TOO busy.  And either you put the name of the actor over one half of the
picture (meaning you squeeze it down, all the more so since the titles are
letterboxed, making them practically unreadable), or you spill them across the
two sides of the split screen which'll look real bad.

                                                               jms
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SFRT II RoundTable
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 527       Tue Nov 08, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:42 EST

     (He coughs and speaks in his Executive Producer Voice:)  "I *LIKE* the
opening title sequence."

     Now...onto other matters.

     We re-mixed the narration and music today in the titles, and it's a LOT
better.  I slightly shifted the placement of some of the lines, and Bruce's
rendition is very nice.  Really carries the weight.  Look for it to appear
starting in episode #4.

     Also, yesterday I turned in script #11, "All Alone in the Night," which
now marks the half-way point through season two.  Just eleven more scripts to
go....
                                                                jms

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SFRT II RoundTable
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 576       Fri Nov 11, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:16 EST

     This is something we've discussed with Christopher, and as long as we're
messing with the main title, he's going to slightly adjust his music cue so
that, rather than kind of a sustained note after the big B5 logo
(monologue/gallery transition), it'll be cleaner and bigger going in.  This,
btw, is kind of emblematic of what we do in the show; we are constantly
looking for ways, big and small, to improve things; often we never mention
them.  We continue to improve the sets as we work; after we finish shooting an
episode in a set, we'll sometimes go in and refine it a bit more.  I wasn't
very happy with some of the screen displays in the observation dome, so they
were changed last week, and will probably show up starting around episode 8 or
9.  We made a very tiny modification in one CGI shot in the main title that
probably nobody will notice, but it's better.  And cleaned up another shot in
the title sequence.

     The only real aberration here is that generally, we do this fairly
quietly, over a long time.  Because this time it's in the main title, it's a
bit harder to do it discreetly.  No detail is too small to be noticed and
improved.

                                                                jms

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SFRT II RoundTable
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 585       Fri Nov 11, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:11 EST

     I'm sorry, Lynda, but your friends are pinheads who seem to have no
broader reference in their lives than Star Trek.

     Boxleitner was not "doing" Kirk consciously or otherwise; he brings his
own natural speech qualities and movements to the character.  The way he is as
Sheridan is very close to how he is in real life.  Those are his natural
speech inflections, and his natural movements.  I know, I've sat across from
him at lunch.  That's just him.

     You'll excuse me if I'm a bit cranky here, but I'm getting pretty damned
tired of people who, themselves unable to see past Star Trek, naturally assume
everybody else is trying to *do* Trek.  I did not work seven years to get this
show on the air to "do" Trek, and Boxleiter has not worked to perfect his art
as a performer to suddenly "do" Shatner or Kirk.  The problem here is in the
person doing the observation.

     "I think the actor did it subconsciously, trying to get a feel for the
role."  The role is not Kirk.  So why would someone do someone who is NOT the
role in order to get a feeling FOR the role?

     "...because I didn't notice any similarity to Kirk in episode two."
Because there IS no similarity in EITHER episode, or in the performance.

     I'm sorry to be angry about this, but I've heard this from people again
and again whose frame of reference extends no further than Star Trek, and they
make it OUR fault that THEY can't get beyond their own narrow frame of
rerence, and you'll excuse me if I'm getting a bit tired of it.  Looking at
Boxleitner's performance, which is NOTHING like Shatner, to see him get gigged
on THIS of all things is pathetic and laughable.  Like or don't like his
performance, fine, but does anyone  even VAGUELY think that this guy is
sacrificing his chance to create his on character in order to "do" Kirk?
C'mon, that's fanboy thinking of the lowest order, and frankly deserves
nothing more than contempt and ridicule.

                                                                jms
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SFRT II RoundTable
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 589       Sat Nov 12, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:21 EST

     I did not call her a pinhead, I called her friends pinheads.

     Jose: this has got nothing to do with slamming B5 or slamming Trek.   I'm
not defending B5 against a Trek slam, and I have no interest in defending
Trek.  I'm talking about the weird individual mindset that  can't see past
that.  Nowhere in  my message do I slam Trek, nor do I ask people to stop
comparing B5's quality to Trek's quality.  Your message has nothing to do with
the message that I wrote, or the topic.

     Y'know, I sit here, reading 500+ messages a day, some with the most rude,
snide, condescending, insulting content I've ever seen...nobody ever thinks
twice.  I get a little tired of the same attitude on the part of a few people,
leave one message, and suddenly I'm being taken to task.   If I'm upset, I
have a right to state that.  Jose, you have been pretty damned vicious, and
insulting in many of your messages.  Even when you find something positive to
say, you phrase it in an insulting way 99.9% of the time.  So please take your
lectures somewhere else.

     If Lynda's friends think Boxleitner is "doing" a James Kirk imitation,
consciously or otherwise, they are exactly what I stated: pinheads.  If that
doesn't sit well, if it isn't politically correct, I'm sorry, but I don't do
that.  It's simply one of the most breathtaking moronic things I've heard this
year.  If that hurts, I'm sorry, but it's true.  Should I sit here and pretend
it's not a stupid idea?  Everyone here is quite free with their opinion;
should I not be allowed equal freedom?  I spend half my time on various
systems biting back replies to some pretty mean spirited comments; I let them
slide.  Sometimes, though, something rises out of the background noise enough
that I have to notice it, and respond.

     Reality check: anybody who could conceivably believe, and tell others,
that an accomplished actor with successful series, and highly rated movies,
one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood, would suddenly, one day,
turn around and start doing a William Shatner imitation in what is his lead
role in a series is simply out of his or her respective gourd.  I'm sorry if
that offends, but it's true.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 20        Sat Nov 12, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:11 EST

     1) Restatement, especially to Lynn: this has nothing to do with anyone
comparing the quality of show A and show B, but rather the insinuation that
person A is copying person B's behavior, which is untrue.

     2) Personal attacks name individuals.  You can't personally attack a
group you don't know.

     3) If that "personal attack" rule were exercised here as stated, you
could not post half the messages in this forum.  When actors are called "lame-
o," is that not a personal attack?  And there the actor is named.   That has
happened here *countless* times.  But nobody ever seems to have a problem with
that.  So you'll forgive me if I think this is just a bit skewed.

     I have seen my work, and that of my actors, and directors, on this system
and others, characterized as "lame, stupid, mindless, boring, ridiculous,
cheesy," and about a hundred other adjectives I could bring up.  Nobody
blinks.  No discussions about whether or not that person should be allowed to
say that, or the person was out of line.  If you're going to allow one, it's
hypocritical not to allow the other.

     If everyone here is supposed to express their opinions, in whatever harsh
terms they choose, except me, then just say so, and I'll keep my opinions to
myself from now on.  Either we all play by the same rules, or we don't.  And
if we don't, you'll forgive me if I feel that's more than a tad unfair.
Message after message about Michael O'Hare, right here in this forum, calling
him wooden, calling him a bad actor, calling for actors to be spaced,
replaced, fired...that's fine...but one comment from me and the fabric of the
universe begins to unravel?

                                                                    jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 24        Sat Nov 12, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:55 EST

     I've been called a hell of a lot worse on these nets, and here; including
a liar, untrustworthy, a shill, a sellout...please.  Pinhead?
 I don't think I'd even notice.

     Y'know what this reminds me of?  Ever play Whack-A-Mole?  I had this
image while I was shoving a carton of Kung Pao Chicken down my gullet prior to
getting back to the writing, of the Whack-A-Mole game, and for two years,
everybody whacks the mole, whack-whack-whack-whack-whack, and one day, the
mole -- with stuffing leaking out of his ears, one eye missing, nose hanging
on by a thread -- mutters, under its breath, "...pinhead"...and suddenly
everybody runs around screaming "EEK!  EEK!   Get it!  Get it!"
WHACK!WHACK!WHACK!WHACK!WHACK!

     Really stupid thing is, the mole was a volunteer.

     Ah, well...I knew the job was dangerous when I took it....

                                                       jmoles
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 33        Sun Nov 13, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:11 EST

     I guess I do tend to get defensive on the part of other people,
because...I don't know, I guess I'm just wired-up funny that way.  It may come
from being raised in the kind of family I was raised in, and those of you
who've come from families with heavy drinking above you will know instantly
what I'm talking about: you start protecting others around you, whatever the
personal cost might be.

     When it comes to stuff directed at me...unless it's absolutely off the
wall stuff like allegations of lying...it tends to just wash off because I
can't take myself very seriously on the best of days, and thus it doesn't
bother me.  I'm goofy on the best of days, I sometimes screw up
*monumentally*...the kind of screw-ups that can just take your breath away and
make one *very* relieved that I've had a vasectomy...so when someone points
out that I committed a dumbness, it basically goes into the pile with all the
others that creep out from under the bed at night and dance behind my eyes
when I'm trying to get to sleep.

     John: thanks for the good words, and my condolences (I guess) on your
change in perspective.  More than anything else, I wanted to create with
Babylon 5 something that would outlive me, that would *excite* people and get
them talking, thinking, debating, arguing.  We're not here to preserve a
franchise, we're here to tell a story.  If we succeed in that attempt, then
everything, *everything*, was worthwhile.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 56        Sun Nov 13, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:00 EST

     ...intellidrivel?  What an interesting new word.

     One of the things we've noticed at the B5 offices, from mail from folks
and in some cases teachers (not that they're different), is that we seem to be
cutting across all age groups.  A *lot* of kids are hooked on the show.  But
we also seem to be getting the old-time SF types, and seem to be drawing more
or less equally from print and media SF fans (though, curiously, slightly more
from those who consider themselves print SF fans than media SF fans).

     BTW, late notice...there will probably be a B5 piece on EXTRA tonight.

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 78        Mon Nov 14, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:30 EST

     Actually, that kind of dedication and attention is really only required
if you're trying to figure out what's going to happen BEFORE it happens, which
is primarily a thing on the nets.  Most folks non-wired in seem content to see
what happens WHEN it happens...and there, *all* of the information needed to
follow it is always provided in the episode in question.  (You don't need to
have seen "Quality" to understand what the healing machine was, and what it
was designed to do, for instance, in "Points."  Franklin recaps that info for
the viewer.)  One person, just as an experiment, watched the episodes
completely out of order, and found that he could follow it just fine either
way.

     On an unrelated note...just finished another script tonight, "Acts of
Sacrifice," which despite its rather ominous title is more a slice of life
episode...and contains probably the funkiest, weirdest sequence that I have
ever written.  Full tilt whacko.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 85        Mon Nov 14, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:15 EST

     Might it be better to say that Star Trek is the best Star Trek that has
ever been made, and that Babylon 5 is the best Babylon 5 that has ever been
made...?

     Some level of competitiveness is good, in the sense that it should
promote us and the ST folks to work harder to out-do one another; in that
fashion, the viewers win every time.  At the same time, remember that a lot of
the hard-core ST fans *really* dumped on B5 bigtime when it first came out,
and may be perhaps a bit annoyed at having the tables switched around and for
the first time being asked hard questions (whcich, or which, if answered, will
make both shows continue to improve).

     The thing to remember is that this marks the *first time* since the
original Star Trek that there has been an American series set in our future,
with humans as spacefaring entities building colonies and forming relations
with other races.  (Space Rangers came after, and is now gone in any event,
and Battlestar was about others coming here in our present.)  So on that
level, we're going toe to toe, but with the goal, one hopes, of wedging the
door open enough for MORE shows to come down the pike of this sort.  Can you
*imagine* the Lensman books, or the Foundation books, done for television?
That will NOT happen untiland unless it can be shown that just one other such
spacefaring futuristic show can be done successfully for television.

     My criterion has always been, what does the show bring to the table that
is new?  The original ST brought transporters, phasers, starships,
communicators, medical scanners, air-injectors and warp speed into common
parlance; they weren't throwaways, they were important parts of this new
universe.

     Babylon 5 has introduced O'Neil stations, gravity through rotation, jump
gates, non-aerodynamic Starfuries, use of the full x-y-z axis in showing
movement, non-atmospheric combat (flying backwards and firing forwards),
alternate atmosphere sectors, and other stuff.  I think that this will in time
become common parlance and part of the culture, assuming we stay on the air
that long.

     (What new elements -- not one-episode throwaways, but new, regular
technologies like transporters -- TNG and DS9 have developed, I don't know,
only because I don't tend to watch.  So I'll leave that to others.)

     Which is all a long and roundabout way of saying that I think the whole
question of "better" is less the issue than what the series leaves in its
wake; does it contribute, does it ennoble, does it illuminate, does it
educate?  And that generally can't *really* be known until well after the
fact.  The original ST was considered a failure when it was cancelled; there
was little evidence of it affecting society, the ratings were low...it was
only with the passage of time that it took on a new life, and became part of
the popular culture.

     Now if only I can lean on Bruce to stop saying the new Enterprise looks
like a park fountain....

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 106       Tue Nov 15, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:20 EST

     Elissa: I think your analysis is quite good.

     Doc: actually, funny thing is, I'd say about half of the message I see
(make that messageS) are from folks either directly or indirectly involved
with real space...from NASA, from JPL, the High Altitude Observatory, various
space science research organizations...so I'm sure this aspect will come in
time.

     Some rather astonished reactions at the studio today to a just published
script...lots of folks found out somebody isn't entirely who they've been
assuming.  I love doing this....

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 123       Tue Nov 15, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 16:41 EST

     Actually, I think the positronic brain/android brain was introduced in
TOS, as were replicators.

     BTW, I heard the other day about planned Mars observers and landers to be
launched every two years starting in '96, but haven't heard more about it
since.  Anybody got the skinny on this?

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 148       Tue Nov 15, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:22 EST

     What I found weird about the Mars thing was the comment from somebody at
NASA that they were sending the lander/observer missions in order to "learn
more about the patterns of extinction."  Which seemed an awfully odd comment,
and wasn't followed up on.  If a planet has ALWAYS been dead, then sending a
probe to look into patterns of extinction seems kinda pointless....

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 155       Wed Nov 16, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:54 EST

     Arne: I generally don't let the actors know what's coming unless it's
important to the current performance.  Otherwise you risk having the actor
play the *result* instead of the *process*.  Had to make one divergence from
this recently, so that Peter could understand better a sequence in "The Coming
of Shadows," which you'll understand when you see it.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 175       Thu Nov 17, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:23 EST

     Yeah, the actors love being surprised by turns in their characters,
because it gives them more opportunity to explore the range of their craft
rather than playing the same attitude week after week after week.

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 197       Fri Nov 18, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:50 EST

     Random 2 AM thoughts...can you go into an International House of Pancakes
in Germany and order Luftwaffles...?

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 215       Fri Nov 18, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:57 EST

     That's Mira's hair, yes...and barring genetic engineering or alteration,
reproduction between varying species is not possible in the B5 universe.

                                                                    jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 219       Fri Nov 18, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:54 EST

     I covered the aspect of genetic engineering in the course of G'Kar's
conversation with Lyta.  He said he could clone her, "...but we'd STILL have
to alter its genetic structure," same as with anything she would do.   And,
frankly, he was more just trying to get laid than anything else.

                                                             jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 256       Sun Nov 20, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:44 EST

     I heard the news about Peter early this morning, but didn't want to say
anything here until Christy had allowed the news to come out.

     It's very strange...you kind of have to understand who and what Peter
was.  He was close to my height, maybe 6'3 or 6'4, and just MASSIVE, muscular,
solid from toes to fingertips.  Solid in his voice.   Solid in his views.
Solid in his appetite.  We sometimes referred to him as Peter "The Mad
Australian" Ledger.  He could take over an entire table and turn it into a
party with himself as huckster, ringmaster, cannonballer and fireworks show
all rolled into one boisterous, funny, irresistible force of nature.  We all
burn from time to time, but Peter burned brightly twenty-four hours a day.  He
was full of turns of phrases that could put you away; "slippery as a bucket of
monkey's foreskins" being one of the more...memorable.  He was into exercise,
food, had endless stories about the Australian outback, hunting, traveling the
world...he was a gourmet cook and a sculpter and an artist and a
raconteur...when he used to look at how I eat (red meat, everything fried or
broiled to within an inch of its life), live (haunting the midnight hours,
"the vampire people" he  called Kathryn and I in our cave, not getting enough
exercise), he said that I was doomed and he would be sure to come by and pay
his respects when my entire cardiovascular system seized up finally in protest
and pulled a work stoppage.

     And it was easy to believe, that Peter would go on forever.

     I have lost too goddamned many friends to traffic accidents, and this one
is hardest of all.  Though we hadn't spoken much since he moved up  north,
schedules and work being what they are, it is a loss, for those who knew him,
and those who now won't have the chance.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 324       Wed Nov 23, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:07 EST

     This is kind of an alert, more of a heads-up, I suppose....

     I have now had something on the order of half a dozen reports from people
who have either been told, or heard indirectly, that stations are being
pressured to drop B5 or they won't get Voyager.  I suspect the reason for this
is fear; DS9 support was always soft; according to some of the demographics,
it looks like DS9 has been steadily losing viewers, albeit gradually...at
about the same rate that B5 has been *adding* viewers...leading to the clear
implication that they're going here from there.

     If anybody out there knows about this, or has any first-hand info, or can
*find out*...please let me know in email.  It has to be specific, with names
and dates, and we'll need a letter, possibly an affidavit.   (Some viewers in
Rochester, NY were apparently told this flat-out by their local cable
company.)

     The seriousness of this comes from the fact that there's a certain
threshold of markets required to maintain enough coverage to suit  national
sponsors; if you drop beneath that threshold, they drop out, and you're in
serious yogurt.  We're nowhere near that at the moment -- we'd have to lose 20-
30 stations for that to happen -- but we'd like to try and nip this in the
bud.

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 347       Thu Nov 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:12 EST

     I have no problem with the monolog being posted.

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 355       Fri Nov 25, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:47 EST

     I have *no* idea what they're talking about, since "the distributer"
is/was the satellite uplink, and everybody ELSE got it...I dunno....

                                                             jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 356       Fri Nov 25, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:11 EST

      Just an update to stuff like ratings...and while the ratings continue to
 be strong, and build in the overnights, the demographics are improving at a
 buying commercials, this is very good news.

      Overall, B5 comes in #3 in ALL syndicated dramatic series, as opposed to
 talk shows and game shows, which are in a separate category and fill up the
 upper echelons of the syndie ratings.

      Here's the breakdown for one week:

                       M 18-34  M 18-49  M 25-54  W 18-34  W 18-49  W 25-54
 Star Trek: DS9           5.4      6.1      6.5      5.2      5.4      5.5
 Baywatch                 4.7      4.3      4.1      5.3      4.9      4.6
 BABYLON 5                3.3      3.8      4.0      3.3      3.4      3.3
 Renegade                 2.5      2.3      2.3      2.0      2.3      2.5
 Kung Fu                  2.4      3.0      3.7      2.1      2.2      2.5
 Forever Knight           1.8      1.3      1.1      1.6      1.4      1.4
 Time Trax                1.8      1.9      2.1      1.9      2.0      2.2
 Highlander               1.4      1.5      1.6      1.9      2.0      2.1
 Thunder in Paradise      1.3      1.2      1.3      1.4      1.2      1.2
 Lonesome Dove (series)   1.1      2.2      2.6      1.9      1.9      2.3
 Sirens                   1.1      1.3      1.5      1.7      1.6      1.9
 High Tide                1.0      1.1      1.0      1.7      1.4      1.5
 Heaven Help Us           0.8      1.0      1.2      1.7      1.6      1.4
 Robin's Hoods            0.8      0.9      1.1      2.1      1.8      1.5
 Space Precinct           0.8      0.9      0.8      1.2      1.0      0.9
 Hawkeye                  0.3      0.9      1.0      0.9      1.3      1.4

      Number 3 out of 17 dramatic series is VERY good placement, and PTEN is
 very encouraged by this, very pleased.  (You'll note a fairly big drop
between
 #3 and #4, while the difference between, say, 20 and 21 are not (is not) as
 substantial.

                                                                      jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 381       Sun Nov 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:29 EST

     Never said Kosh was going to get an assistant anytime soon.

     BTW...as an aside...for the last 3-5 days, my GEnie Internet gateway has
been down, which means it has to be re-opened...but I'm wondering if that's
such a smart thing after all.

     The problem ain't negative opinions, or anything like that; I get plenty
of comments everywhere, of all kinds.  And I'd say 90% of those on rec.arts.b5
are only terrific; intelligent, funny, thoughtful, critical, insightful...but
the problem with rec.arts.b5 is that because there's no fee, and anybody can
get on, and there's no moderation, it tends to attract people who come in
*deliberately* trying to cause trouble mainly because *they know I'm there*.
I hear from time to time from folks on the alt.b5 area, and apparently there's
a lot less trouble there.  What's the main difference?  Well, the knowledge
that some folks can come in and screw with the producer of the show for
fun...which by itself isn't a problem, I can handle that...but I'm getting
genuinely concerned that it's poisoning the well for everybody *else*...that
they're getting into fights, for only the best of reasons, and the atmosphere
is just getting really tense, making it difficult for those using the service.

     I'm really in kind of a quandry over the whole thing.  It's like enjoying
the company you get at a local bar, but you know that every time you go in,
somebody's going to pick a fight or drag the whole place down, so is it really
fair to everybody else to keep going there?  And it's only a small number, but
they seem obsessed with making life unpleasant for everybody else.

                                                                    jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 417       Wed Nov 30, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:01 EST

     Well, in today's Variety, B5 climbed back into the top 20 again, and the
third highest dramatic series overall (not counting the Action Pack, since
it's a movie each week).  DS9, Baywatch, B5, then everything else.   We're
hanging in there.

     (These are, again the syndicated ratings, not the network ratings.)

                                                                     jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 427       Wed Nov 30, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:59 EST

     That's a great story.

     Mira's makeup is now a notch closer to her regular skin tone in general.

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

Babylon 5 is moving into a second season of 22 episodes.  This series can be
seen at 8 Pm on Wednesdays, in most areas.  This topic is for SPOILERS only.
Just remember our NO STORY IDEAS rule and we'll let you live. <g>

293 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 78        Thu Nov 03, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:19 EST

     We decided on visuals, showing our cast with their names and their
characters names because it's clear, after a season, that a LOT of people
still don't know which actor goes with which character, or how the characters'
names are spelled.  We need to identify them more clearly.

                                                                   jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 124       Mon Nov 07, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:45 EST

     Actors contracts specify where, and how often, they appear in the
credits.

                                                                   jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 159       Fri Nov 11, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:36 EST

     It ain't B4, basically a different display.

     BTW, to those who've inquired, the correct spelling on the name of the
Shadowmen world is Z'ha'dum.

                                                                  jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 193       Tue Nov 15, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:22 EST

     Oh, I'm quite sure there was backup made of the data.  But step back for
a moment and ask what that entails, and will any of it stand up in ANY court
of law?  There's a difference between that which we knor or (make that know
or) believe, and that which we can prove.  Without the one most important
piece of all, Garibaldi's aide, the rest is speculative, inconclusive,
circumstantial and conjectural.

                                                              jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 213       Thu Nov 17, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:48 EST

     I'm starting to get the impression that our pals at Modern Video may have
done it to us again; they are the company that also inserts the national
sponsors into the show prior to uplink, and I'm beginning to suspect that
somehow they clipped some acts at the last clear frame before the fadeout;
we're currently investigating.

                                                             jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 227       Sat Nov 19, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 17:07 EST

     We do our own cut on film, and deliver to Modern Video.  MV then handles
the closed captioning (about which the less said the better), and readies the
film for uplink, puts in the national spots, leaving room for local
commercials, that sort of thing.  All of our pieces are also stored there in
case there's any kind of glitch.

     Sheridan wasn't talking to himself, but rather to the tech who just
seconds before asked if they should let the techno-mages go.  (I'd trimmed the
first part of his speech which made this a little clearer, figuring it'd be
evident who he was talking to.  What can I say...sometimes you get the bear,
sometimes the bear gets you.)

     And yeah, purple/green sashes make pretty easy costuming....

                                                                 jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 255       Thu Nov 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:32 EST

     A couple of thoughts on Sheridan, btw...triggered by messages I've seen
or had alluded to in which he's gigged for smiling too much, unlike
Sinclair...just checked back in some of my archives, and for the first four or
five episodes, the number one complaint about Sinclair was that he either
smiled or smirked too much....

     Meanwhile, just a little something for the folks on-line to
contemplate...remember the first rule of Babylon 5: nobody is what they
appear.  Not entirely, anyway.  There's always something going on,  something
that somebody's not telling.  Some folks are making the error of looking at
Sheridan -- as they looked at Sinclair, or Londo, or Vir, or G'Kar -- and
thinking "this is all that he is."  Except, of course, that they weren't and
he's not.  I would not create a character that is just what you're seeing.

     Aside from that, and this is a separate issue...there are really two ways
to deepen a character and give him a dark side.  One is to do something to him
*before* you meet him, which he's still recovering from (Sinclair).  The other
is to meet him, and THEN drop him down a well.   In a way, Londo is
illustrative of the latter; you get to know him, and he's funny,
colorful...and then you start to move him.

     So suffice to say that Sheridan is going to end up getting more and more
conflicts, and getting booted to the head, and as someone noted above, caught
in the conflict between being a good officer and being a patriot...which can
sometimes be the same, and sometimes VERY different things.

                                                                   jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 277       Sun Nov 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:32 EST

     Dave: talk turkey all you want; what I said was that we would be seeing
Sinclair again *this season*.  I have been very careful NOT to specify when,
because I want it to come as a complete and total surprise; many folks assumed
it would be the first few, and stated such, and as is typical because this had
now been seen, speculated and commented upon, it was assumed that I'd said it.
Didn't.  Consequently, nothing has changed in plans, footage hasn't changed,
nada.

                                                                   jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 286       Wed Nov 30, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:03 EST

     "All Alone in the Night" also has Robert Foxworth in it, and is directed
by Mario Di Leo.  (Janet directed "The Coming of Shadows.")   Jim Johnston
directed "GROPOS," and will also direct "Acts of Sacrifice," which guest-stars
Paul Williams and Ian Abecrombie.

     Following "Acts" is another jms script, "Hunter, Prey."

                                                               jms
 ------------
 ************
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.
305 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 3
Message 266       Wed Nov 02, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:41 EST

                         .....thud.

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 3
Message 271       Thu Nov 03, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:46 EST

     Can someone confirm if, indeed, somebody in Stargate is seen reading a
copy of Universe Today?

                                                                   jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 3
Message 298       Wed Nov 16, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:56 EST

     No royal Centauri vessels this week.  That's from the trailer, which
doesn't intersect reality at any two contiguous points.

                                                                   jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 4         Tue Nov 03, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:12 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 - Cast & Characters      

For discussion of the actors who will be bringing BABYLON 5 to life with their
performances...for information before, and discussion after the airing of "The
Gathering" pilot.
376 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 263       Mon Nov 07, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:15 EST

     Additional cast members in guest starring roles: Terhan Bey, Malachi
Throne, and Paul Winfield.

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 269       Tue Nov 08, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:38 EST

     Yup, *that* Turhan Bey.

                                                               jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 275       Fri Nov 11, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:41 EST

     Re: Na'Toth...you have to remember this was not our decision, but rather
Caitlin's, in order to pursue some romantic lead parts.  We made an offer
equal to the other cast, but she opted out to pursue films.  We cast the best
actor to come in the door to fill Na'Toth's boots, and we need that character
there because of the prior knowledge she needs to have to fill her role in the
story.  Mary Kay is, I think, trying to reinterpret the character.  We're
nudging in the other direction.  One way or another, this will be made to
work.

                                                                   jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 309       Tue Nov 15, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:26 EST

     It's really a question of what would work in the real world.   Ivanova
doesn't have anywhere NEAR the experience needed to run a station like this;
it isn't given because somebody's a nice person, or because they know you;
it's based on rank, and experience, and she has neither at this juncture at a
level sufficient to command a major operation like this.  The ONLY reason that
Sinclair had it at Commander rank was that it was a condition of the Minbari
in funding the place.

     In ST, the actress who played Beverly Crusher felt she needed a chance to
show she could command, to be more featured, so they put her in command for an
episode.  It had nothing whatsoever to do with reality, just servicing the
cast.  I don't think that's appropriate; the moment you do that, you
compromise the reality of the program, and it's just a TeeVee show.

     And there's lots of other reasons why Sheridan is there; I'd say wait
until mid-season, after about episode 11 or so, and you'll learn some more of
them, and they might not be what you'd expect.

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 323       Sat Nov 19, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 17:09 EST

     Except, of course, she's *not* first officer.  You don't DO this in the
real military.  You'd go through about ten different command ranks before you
even got *near* anyone from the medical division.  If you go into this with
the sense of, okay, it doesn't matter if this is realistic or not, then it's
not a problem.  Otherwise...it is.

                                                                 jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 331       Mon Nov 21, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:28 EST

     Okay, you beam down your senior officers *in their areas*.  The Captain
goes down.  Now your First Officer, usually a commander, takes the helm.  The
commander goes down, now the lieutenant-commander takes the helm.  The
lieutenant commander goes down, now the major or a lieutenant goes down (I
know I'm muddying this a bit, just tracking the theory here).  Divisions in
the military are specific; you don't jump from a command type officer to a
physician if one person leaves the bridge; it just Doesn't Happen.

     In ST, it seems there is rarely any real chain of command; there are the
Top Guys, a few in-between button-pushers, and ensigns.  There should by all
rights be LOTS of command officers of mid-level rank to fill that job.  It's
got nothing to do with reality.

                                                                   jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 338       Tue Nov 22, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:45 EST

     Star Trek is military when it is convenient for the storyline that it be
military; and not-military when it is not convenient for it to be military.
Sort of a supermarket approach.

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 352       Thu Nov 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:18 EST

     Pat: sorry, but you're strictly wrong about "all the inhabitants of B5
speak English."  Yes, the ambassadors do, because this is an Earth run
station, for which English has been selected as the baseline language, and if
you're going to be an ambassador to Russia, you learn the language you're
working in.  This is simple common sense.

     There are MANY races on B5 that either don't speak English, or do so in
very primitive ways (like the Drazi).  The pak'ma'ra, which we saw in
"Legacies," use a physical translation device, which we saw being used when
Garibaldi interrogated one of them; nagrath also used a translation device
hung over his chest because his mandibles aren't capable of making human
sounds; similarly, Kosh speaks in musical tones, which are translated by the
flashing device on his encounter suit.  When B5 ran into a new species in
"Voice in the Wilderness," they were shown taking our langauge and translation
files, and using them very haltingly in order to communicate with us.

     So I'm sorry, but you're simply wrong on this point.

                                                                 jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 370       Thu Dec 01, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:44 EST

     Morden is human.

                      
     Morden dat I can't say.

                                                               jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 9         Wed Nov 11, 1992
T.RESTIVO [Little Guy]       at 18:27 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 Humor                    

From *Beep Beep*, to Top Ten Lists, to full-blown parodies, this is where to
put your funny bone in writing!
359 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 9
Message 339       Sat Nov 26, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:08 EST

     At Alices' Restaurant......

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

 BABYLON 5 Topic Drift
 If you feel like talking about it, but it doesn't fit anywhere else... If its
only connection to B-5 is that you thought of it in this CAT...
 This is where to come and get it out.
232 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 11
Message 184       Sun Nov 13, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:02 EST

     What is this song, where can I find it, and is it public domain?

                                                                jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 11
Message 208       Tue Nov 22, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:49 EST

     We're already on top of this.  At this point what it looks like we'll be
doing (having run some experiments and test runs) is to transfer all of our
composite shots/CGI to film, and recut the negative using the added
replacement footage.  We have to do this *anyway* to do the change back to the
original aspect ratio, so it's not that big a deal.  I think one reason ST
simply doesn't think it's worth the time is that they aren't shooting in HDTV
widescreen format *anyway*, so any changes to accomodate that format would be
of limited use anyway.

                                                              jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 11
Message 212       Wed Nov 23, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:07 EST

     "Ulysses" is available in most anthologies of Tennyson's work, and in
many anthologies of british verse.  It's just a lovely and moving piece of
work.

     Don't know where things currently stand re: HDTV out in the real
world...though I just bought a new IDTV set, so at least I'm starting to get
ready....

                                                            jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 11
Message 214       Wed Nov 23, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:04 EST

     It's a Proscan, widescreen format.  34"; the old set was 32".  First one
blew up out of the box; hope for better luck now.

                                                             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.
489 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 12
Message 480       Thu Nov 17, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:28 EST

     Also, this week's Comics Buyers Guide has the first of three Peter David
columns (long ones) about his experience on the set while we were shooting his
episode.

     On reading the first installment, next time maybe we'll just shoot
him....

     (jokejokejokejokejoke)

     Re: LoSH...yeah, I agree.  But hell, nothing in the DC universe has been
the same for me since Byrne royally screwed over Superman.  I have the last
two issues of the original Supes books written by Alan Moore, and those for me
are the last issues of the real Superman.  Who this new guy is, I dunno....

                                                                   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.
308 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 263       Tue Nov 15, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:25 EST

     The Narns were belted in.

     Matt...how else is a person supposed to behave?  Look at the shuttle
footage when a fairly short-haired person is strapped into his seat; they look
about normal.  It's only if something is loose and floating, or if they get
out of the chair, that you can really notice the difference.

                                                                  jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 272       Wed Nov 16, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:57 EST

     Older model.  Different race.

                                                              jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 278       Thu Nov 17, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:29 EST

     The Hyperion was built before the EM war, and survived.

     The Agamemnon, a much superior ship, was built afterward.  Sheridan was
not commanding the Aggy during the war.  It's one of the best ships we've got,
almost the equivilent of an aircraft carrier or battleship, and it took a lot
of seniority and work to get it.

                                                              jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 288       Sun Nov 20, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 17:10 EST

     Re: the comparison to Coast Watchers...that's exactly what was done, as
gets mentioned in some detail in "The Long Dark."  Good to know that so far
the military campaign as worked out seems to scan.

                                                                    jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 299       Wed Nov 23, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:09 EST

     What I *don't* understand is why the pen was weightless and he wasn't.

     Yes, you will see the Agamemnon again.

                                                                 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.
280 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 14
Message 255       Sat Nov 05, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:05 EST

     Gary...whilst you're here...lemme ask you a question.  (And please don't
take this in any way requiring defense; I'm honestly curious about something
that you mentioned that others have mentioned, and I'm trying to wrap my brain
around this.)

     You say, "I avoided the early (B5) episodes."  This is something I hear a
lot, particularly in the mail I'm getting these days.  Many of them were ST
fans, but some didn't say one way or another.  Some of them simply avoided it,
some of them VEHEMENTLY avoided it, and some of them admitted to ripping the
hell out of the show simply on principle without ever having actually SEEN it.

     So what I'm curious about -- and again, please, there's no need to  feel
put upon by this, we're glad to have you -- is your statement; can you in any
way elaborate upon your feelings at the time, and why you avoided it?

                                                             jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 16        Fri Jan 15, 1993
T.ORTH [Mr. Rico]            at 01:02 EST
Sub: "No kids or cute robots, ever!"    

This is a topic for discussion of the unofficial slogan of Babylon 5.
221 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 16
Message 182       Tue Nov 15, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:26 EST

     It's actually kinda funny...at no time do I get more positive comments on
B5 than when SeaQuest and E2 went on the air....

this time, replicating the Planet of the Apes denouement, I mean, come ON....

                                                                   jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 16
Message 193       Mon Nov 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 15:23 EST

     Chats...calm down.  It's got nothing to do with the actor,and everything
to do with the characters.  You're talking apples and oranges.  It's nearly
traditional in SF that you stick in a kid genius, or a kid liability, and skew
the show towards kids (talking regulars here).  We won't do that.  Period.

                                                                  jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 16
Message 202       Tue Nov 29, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:47 EST

     I know it *can* be done.  I just don't wanna do it.  It's my show an' I
don't hafta, and I can hold my breath until I turn blue, and...and...I don'
WANNA.

     (In adult voice now): If others are doing it, fine, let them do it.   I'm
telling a story for the most part about grownups.  Just because a thing CAN be
done doesn't mean it MUST be done.  And because it HAS been done so much, on
so many shows, I'd kinda like to keep this show free of that, for the most
part.

                                                                 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
390 message(s) total.
 ************
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 17
Message 303       Thu Nov 03, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:17 EST

     Can't remember if I mentioned it here, but I also did the liner notes for
the CD.

                                                            jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 17
Message 307       Fri Nov 04, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:46 EST

     No rubber stamp deals have been made.  (Oh, nearly forgot, there's a
MicroGames hand-held B5 game that should be out shortly, if not already out.
It's one of those noisy LCD screen jobbies, where you use B5 to collect
damaged ships.  It doesn't fire at the incoming enemy (Vorlons), because a)
that's a very bad idea with Vorlons, and b) given that kids are the primary
audience for this stuff, I didn't want a shoot-em-up.)

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 17
Message 324       Sun Nov 06, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 17:28 EST

     To help with record ordering info, here's the ID on the B5 CD from Sonic
Images: SI 8402-2.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 17
Message 327       Sun Nov 06, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:14 EST

     I think it's probably the same number for both.  And there will be a
table at LosCon; don't know what the rules are going to be about buying
multiples.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 17
Message 371       Fri Nov 18, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:57 EST

     The Script City sales of B5 scripts comes under the heading of pirated
material.  They do not have the rights to sell this material.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 17
Message 373       Sat Nov 19, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:04 EST

     Scripts are sometimes sent to actors' agents when getting an actor to
come in for an audition, or to accept a part without auditioning if the actor
is a Name.  This is the #1 source of pirated scripts.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 17
Message 377       Mon Nov 21, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:30 EST

     Lemme know if the toys are there (and what's TRU?).  Also, yes, Creation
does have a non-exclusive license to make shirts and other stuff, as does a
company called All-U, the latter of which are *real* nifty.

                                                                    jms
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Category 18,  Topic 17
Message 386       Tue Nov 29, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:48 EST

     Thanks, Rob.

                                                              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.
490 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 442       Thu Nov 10, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:11 EST

     SA.

     Have to check on the others.

                                                           jms
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Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 445       Fri Nov 11, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:43 EST

     I'll have to go back and check my notes, but I believe standard Air Force
terminology is FA = Fighter Attack and SA = Strike Attack; but will backtrack
to be sure.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 452       Sun Nov 13, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:04 EST

     I think they're picked up by the arms, and lowered into the cobra bays,
where they hang until dropped.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 455       Mon Nov 14, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:25 EST

     Looked at dead-on, they have a thin neck (on the outside), and then
flange out almost like a cobra-head.  Hence the name.

                                                                jms
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 ************
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.
386 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 25
Message 379       Thu Nov 03, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:17 EST

     Me, probably Larry, still seeing if anything else gets added.

                                                            jms
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Category 18,  Topic 25
Message 382       Mon Nov 28, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 15:27 EST

     We nailed a piece with Michael before he left for New York; when we shot
"Points," he had long since returned to NY and was in the process of pursuing
other things.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 25
Message 385       Thu Dec 01, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:45 EST

     No current plans for ICON this year.

                                                              jms
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Topic 29        Thu Jun 30, 1994
B.SHERRIS [Brett]            at 00:03 EDT
Sub: The Master Plan                    

WARNING!  THIS TOPIC MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT IS VITAL TO THE FIVE YEAR
 STORY ARC OF BABYLON 5.  DO NOT READ THIS TOPIC IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO
 POSSIBLY DISCOVER THE PURPOSE OF THE FIVE YEAR STORY ARC!
224 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 29
Message 181       Tue Nov 15, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:29 EST

     The Narn aren't waiting.  Or, more accurately, G'Kar isn't.  The rest of
the Kha'Ri (Narn inner circle government) are still somewhat skeptical.

     The Minbari know the shape of what's coming, but they know full well that
if they go to us with this, we won't believe them; there's still enough
residual dislike over the war that they feel we have to find this out for
ourselves (and we will).

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 29
Message 201       Fri Nov 18, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:38 EST

     Agrarian usually means not very technologically sharp; they never really
went after the tech required to go into space.  Heck, there are cultures here
on our own planet that are as old as all humans here, but which have barely
moved past the bronze age.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 29
Message 205       Sat Nov 19, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:06 EST

     The answer to your question involves ancient Narn history, a certain
outpost long ago on the Narn homeworld, and some other stuff which you'll just
have to wait and see.

                                                                    jms
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 ************
Topic 36        Wed Nov 02, 1994
BOB-WALKER [P12+]            at 22:13 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 Trivia Questions         

Help contribute questions to a B5 trivia game.  Our goal is to get 300
questions for each season.  We need easy, medium, hard and killer questions in
both True/False and Multiple Guess formats.
22 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 36
Message 2         Thu Nov 03, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:52 EST

     Shouldn't there also be Kosh level...in which you can give any answer you
want to any question, provided it's obscure, and it's up to the other person
to assume your answer has meaning...?

                                                                   jms
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 ************
Topic 37        Sat Nov 12, 1994
DUNEWALKER                   at 00:25 EST
Sub: Questions, answers and/or speculations

General questions, and answers or speculations concerning plots and sub-plots
of Babylon 5.
11 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 37
Message 4         Sun Nov 13, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:15 EST

     They're all three the same style ships.  It was rendered on the darkish
side, because a real problem is how do you show a black ship against the black
of space?  Lately, though, Ron has come up with some rather nifty ways to get
light kicks and some specularity off the ships, which has the side effect of
making them look even MORE creepy.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 37
Message 7         Thu Nov 17, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:53 EST

     Shon'Kar.  Satai Delenn.  Frallis 12.  Ikarra.  Xon.  G'Quan.   G'Quan
Eth.  (Also, in Narn stuff in that episode, the other religion is G'Lan, and
the ship was the Tal'Quith.)  Jala.  Kha'Ri.  Shai Alyt (which is a title, not
a name; a commander of a ship absent the captain is just the Alyt).

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 37
Message 10        Fri Nov 18, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:39 EST

     Mollari.

     Londo Mollari.  Vir Cotto.  Delenn.  Lennier.  G'Kar.  Na'Toth.   Kosh
Naranek.

                                                                    jms
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Topic 26        Mon Apr 18, 1994
STARR [Arne]                 at 00:03 EDT
Sub: #112 - "Chrysalis"                 

by JMS. Directed by Janet Greek.  Season finale.
226 message(s) total.
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Category 19,  Topic 26
Message 164       Tue Nov 01, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:14 EST

     That's correct.  "Chrysalis" was filmed last November, as episode #12.
We are now, for instance, shooting #8, and will again be shooting around #11
or so in November.  (We started shooting a few weeks later this year than
last.)

                                                              jms
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Category 19,  Topic 26
Message 167       Tue Nov 01, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:15 EST

     Negative; more passes than just a few minutes.  The reporter says that
they're sending rescue ships, but she doesn't see how anyone could have
survived an explosion that massive.  Then, considerably later, the death is
confirmed (it's not even in the same act).

     Also, *too* much power exerted at the outpost would've signalled
something terribly massive.  They don't want to tip too much, too fast.   They
want it to look like it was something others could've done.

                                                               jms
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 ************
Topic 27        Mon Aug 29, 1994
STARR [Arne]                 (Forwarded)
Sub: #201 - "Points of Departure"       

by JMS. Directed by Janet Greek.
161 message(s) total.
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Category 19,  Topic 27
Message 29        Thu Nov 03, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:11 EST

     Nothing has been dumbed down or simplified; in a first season episode (in
other words, the first episode of any given season), you get a lot of
sampling.  If the show is obscure, or there's too much prior knowledge
required to get into it...they go away fast.  So there was a bit more
straightforward exposition in this episode in order to avoid scaring off new
viewers.

     And I stated, some time ago, that this was a lighter episode because it's
sandwiched between two very intense episodes, "Chrysalis" and "Revelations,"
and I think you need some relief there.

     And as Walker noted, there are times when the dome is on standby, as
noted in "Midnight."  The systems every 36 hours or so go through a period of
self-repair and maintainance for an hour or two; if anything comes out of the
gate or into local space, someone's there within seconds.

                                                                   jms
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Category 19,  Topic 27
Message 32        Thu Nov 03, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 16:35 EST

     I'll have to go check, but they may be fighter doors.

                                                              jms
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Category 19,  Topic 27
Message 48        Fri Nov 04, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:35 EST

     Sure, you could blind-fire at a Minbari cruiser, but it's pretty heavily
armored.  And while you're shooting at it, you're not only being hit by
cruiser blasts, but the several dozen Minbari fighters coming in behind you.
And shooting at a sublight traveling fighter by eye would absolutely never
work.  It *has* to be computer guided.

     (BTW, for the sharp of eye...if you go back and sill-step through some of
the cockpit screen shots in "Sky," you'll note that on the tac screen in
Sinclair's cockpit it says something to the effect of "Unable to lock-onto
target.")

                                                              jms
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Category 19,  Topic 27
Message 60        Fri Nov 04, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:18 EST

     You'll actually see several of those admissions by Garibaldi over the
first few eps after his return.  And some suspicion.  And some lack of trust.

     We'll change Delenn's shot in the titles after she's revealed.

                                                           jms
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 ************
Topic 28        Mon Aug 29, 1994
STARR [Arne]                 at 23:31 EDT
Sub: #202 - "Revelations"               

by JMS.  Directed by Jim Johnston.
144 message(s) total.
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Category 19,  Topic 28
Message 70        Sat Nov 12, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:07 EST

     Well, the pace overall of year two is about 50% faster story-wise than
season one; season three will be 50-75% faster than *that*.  And so on.  This
sucker's got to start cranking.

                                                              jms
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Category 19,  Topic 28
Message 81        Sun Nov 13, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:00 EST

     The amount of money involved in bluescreening the starfield would be
prohibitive.  We spend a LOT of time out there, and you have to matte this
stuff in frame by frame, and at 24 frames per second, even with digital
cutting, you're looking at a *massive* amount of rendering time.

     We could do it...but it would tie up our compositing and rendering
machines so we couldn't do much of anything *else*....and I'll swap one nifty
shadow fighter/collision shot for a whole SEASON of moving stars.

                                                                jms
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 ************
Topic 29        Mon Aug 29, 1994
STARR [Arne]                 at 23:32 EDT
Sub: #203 - "The Geometry of Shadows"   

by JMS.   Directed by Mike Vejar.
79 message(s) total.
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Category 19,  Topic 29
Message 21        Thu Nov 17, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:37 EST

     Actually (and not that this matters), the last Sheridan bit was half of
what was originally there.  The first half (cut for time) showed that he was
talking to the Tech who moments earlier tells him that the ship is ready for
jump.

                                                                 jms
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Category 19,  Topic 29
Message 41        Thu Nov 17, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:45 EST

     The technomages are from various races and worlds; there are some who are
Centauri, some who are human, even other races such as the Vree and the
pak'ma'ra, though these in particular happened to be from Earth.   (If they
were Centauri, why would Sheridan have been interfering with their
emigration?)

     Re: the Drazi...yeah, they all look different in that episode.  Our
prosthetics folks did a great job with that, as did the actors, and I think
this one should earn Optic Nerve another emmy.

     And yeah, Garibaldi's "joke" was supposed to be pretty lame; we even
edited it to widen the awkward pause, to make it more difficult.  He's trying
to hard, and his spirit isn't in it.

     Of the first six episodes, btw, as I may have mentioned over in 18, this
is my personal favorite.  It's wonky and fun and just a hoot.

                                                                jms
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Category 19,  Topic 29
Message 49        Fri Nov 18, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 16:01 EST

     My philosophy in general is that it's better to have more story than
time, rather than more time than story....

                                                                 jms
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Category 19,  Topic 29
Message 67        Wed Nov 23, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:00 EST

     Yes, Ivanova's title in the opening credits *will* be changed to
Commander, to reflect her change in rank.  And we'll be adding a rank for Lt.
Keffer.  It's kind of funny; we keep treating the opening title this year as a
work in progress, reflecting little changes here and there...changes in faces,
narration, little musical changes that will come by about episode five or
six.....

                                                             jms
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 ************
Topic 30        Mon Aug 29, 1994
STARR [Arne]                 at 23:34 EDT
Sub: #204 - "A Distant Star"            

by D. C. Fontana.  Directed by Jim Johnston.
97 message(s) total.
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Category 19,  Topic 30
Message 34        Thu Nov 24, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:08 EST

     I'd have to sit down and work it out if you'd want specifics, but it
would have to be *huge*...in the tens of thousands, given that you need not
just the people to run the ship and maintain it, but you'd ALSO need all the
construction crews AND the materials and everything else.

                                                                    jms
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Category 19,  Topic 30
Message 69        Sun Nov 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:19 EST

     To be filed under the heading of, "What I does, I takes the rap for; what
I does not, I doesn't take the rap for," when we discussed the hyperspace
accident in our production meetings, Jim -- our director -- asked if he could
so some fratzing and sparking, some fire...I said I did not *want* huge gouts
of flame, just a few small sparks, fine, a bit of smoke from components burned
out, fine...and that day I was over in the other facility overseeing a mix-
down of the audio...and guess what he did in my absence?  Yup.

                                                                 jms
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 ************
Topic 31        Mon Aug 29, 1994
STARR [Arne]                 at 23:35 EDT
Sub: #205 - "The Long Dark"             

by Scott Frost.   Director: TBA
38 message(s) total.
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Category 19,  Topic 31
Message 3         Sat Nov 19, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 17:41 EST

     I understand that the satellite time is changing starting with this
episode; I think it's now going out on Tuesdays....

                                                                 jms
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Category 19,  Topic 31
Message 6         Tue Nov 22, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:41 EST

     They are brothers; also, Scott has worked on the X-Files.

                                                                  jms
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Category 19,  Topic 31
Message 26        Thu Dec 01, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:41 EST

     Tom: the quibble you raise is one of the points I'm trying to make.
 You say someone from 1890 would go crazy.  I vehemently don't agree.  Go back
and read letters from the 1890s.  Heck, go read letters from 1776; the
language, the emotions, they're all very much the same.  The chrome of
technology has changed, some social styles and attitudes have changed, but
people still go through school (usually), get married, raise kids, hold jobs,
and look to a better future one day.

     Mariah was also a scientist, sent forth expecting and prepared to see new
things; this isn't the same thing as an average person just plucked out of
time.

     I think people -- Americans in particular -- over-emphasize how much
things change with time, in large measure because in a country that's only
200+ years old, we *really* don't understand what time IS here.  The Romans
who left grafitti all over parts of England are only one step removed from the
South Central taggers of today....

                                                                   jms
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 ************
Topic 32        Mon Aug 29, 1994
STARR [Arne]                 at 23:36 EDT
Sub: #206 - "A Spider in the Web"       

by Lawrence G. DiTillio.  Director : Kevin Cremins
5 message(s) total.
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Category 19,  Topic 32
Message 5         Sun Nov 27, 1994
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:19 EST

     Director: Kevin Cremins.

                                                                    jms
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