Subj: Re:Eating Crow...Part 2 Date: 96-03-01 03:23:12 EST From: Jms at B5 {how about giving us fans one of those infamous cryptic previews of the things we can expect in April and March....Please!!!!!} How do you like your crow? Medium? Well-done? It can't be rare because crows are hardly ever rare. What's coming up? Hmmm...the world is turned upside down, other people turn their backs on everything they think they believe in, a voice comes from the distant past, there's a change in fashion sense, there's romance (intended and unintended), heroics, the return (as it were) of Babylon 4, revelations, revolutions, treaties and a whole lotta gunfire. jms Subj: Re:Lyta Alexander Date: 96-03-01 03:24:22 EST From: Jms at B5 {I read somewhere that Lyta is deaf.} No, the novelist didn't blow it, Joe blew it, because in proofreading the manuscript, Joe missed that line somehow, and didn't catch it. It's my job to catch these things. (Just spent a whole week going over the A-Z of Babylon 5 coming out from Boxtree Books in the UK to keep it as accurate as possible.) jms Subj: Re:Point of No Return - Spoi Date: 96-03-03 01:42:03 EST From: Jms at B5 Wendy: thanks. We do try.... jms Subj: Re:Hour 25 Date: 96-03-03 01:22:27 EST From: Jms at B5 Ehh...I'm not really a radio personality kind of guy...still working on ANY kind of personality...and I don't know if I would have much of anything worth saying to a national audience. So it's pretty much a moot point. jms Subj: Re:Sick feeling Date: 96-03-03 01:24:30 EST From: Jms at B5 Thanks. We disturb, from time to time; other times we amuse, or inform. That's what TV should be for. "Be sand, not oil, in the machinery of the world," as someone said. jms Subj: Re:JMS: Earthforce officer Date: 96-03-03 01:25:32 EST From: Jms at B5 Wanda's tied up elsewhere, but we do plan to use more hispanics in the show, as well as other ethnic groups. jms Subj: Re:JMS: Withdrawels Date: 96-03-03 01:25:56 EST From: Jms at B5 Yes, I think those two will be rerun in short order. jms Subj: Re:JMS: Withdrawels Date: 96-03-03 01:28:58 EST From: Jms at B5 It's perfectly okay to show this stuff in class, as far as I know, so it's cool. jms Subj: Re:Foreign Markets Date: 96-03-03 01:30:28 EST From: Jms at B5 We're on in a lot of countries: France, Germany, Norway, Canada, Taiwan, Singapore, England, Australia, Israel, Jordan and a number of others. jms Subj: Re:Frankly, You Amaze Me Date: 96-03-03 01:33:44 EST From: Jms at B5 "...you're doing the same thing without the pain of two "bad" records." Hrmmm...I dunno about that. There are a number of things I've done in the course of learning my craft that I wouldn't necessarily want to put back on the air just now. It's like the first time you learn carpentry; eventually you can make swell stuff, but you know that hidden in the other room is the napkin holder you made where the angles don't come together, the glue is visible, the dowels don't quite fit properly.... Any form of art is trial and error. You make the same mistake 999 times, so the 1,000th time you don't make that mistake anymore. jms Subj: Re:Space Potatoes? Date: 96-03-03 01:34:29 EST From: Jms at B5 The ship was hidden there to avoid it being destroyed during the war. May or may not see General Franklin again anytime soon. jms Subj: Re:JMS- And The Rock Cried Date: 96-03-03 01:35:15 EST From: Jms at B5 "And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place" is a quote from the Bible, from a passage also used in various gospel songs. jms Subj: Re:Boom Today? Date: 96-03-03 01:35:47 EST From: Jms at B5 Boom April 3rd. jms Subj: Re:Actors Date: 96-03-03 01:36:50 EST From: Jms at B5 I'm directly involved in casting; all cast, guest and regular, must be approved through my office. jms Subj: Re:JMS: PONR Questions (Spoi Date: 96-03-03 01:38:23 EST From: Jms at B5 If I were to answer any of these questions, which will be answered in the very next batch of new episodes...well, there wouldn't be much point in showing them... jms Subj: Re:LuvSerfie Date: 96-03-03 01:20:42 EST From: Jms at B5 Wow...I've never seen a tactical nuke used in battlefield combat before.... jms Subj: Re:JMS: Any cons? Date: 96-03-04 05:30:04 EST From: Jms at B5 Yes, I'll be at the Chicago Comic Con in June in neighboring Rosedale. Am tentatively planning to be at the Syndi-Con convention in San Francisco over the weekend of April 12-14. jms Subj: Re:Inquisitor quotes Date: 96-03-04 05:28:34 EST From: Jms at B5 Thanks. The Inquisitor was a great episode to write, and Wayne did a killer job with it (so to speak). That one episode has received more mail than most others, particularly from those in the religious community, as well as at universities, crisis centers, you name it. Something there seemed to strike a chord. It's easy in an SF show to cut to the EFX and let it rock; to me, the challenge is what's shown in those scenes: two people, locked in a room, no (or few) EFX, no car chases, not even much of a set...with explosions of dialogue and character. Ah loves it. jms Subj: Re:Messages from Earth Date: 96-03-04 05:22:45 EST From: Jms at B5 Allow me to disagree with you. Re: "The Nine Billion Names of God," the whole purpose of that story had nothing to do with alien contact; it had to do with gettting all the earthbound names of God into a computer, so they could create the end of the world. The monks are on B5 in an attempt at studying the different religions out there for the purpose of better understanding...or more succinctly, comparitive religious studies, which long predate Clarke by, oh, about 500 years. The buried shadow vessel was put there to hide it from destruction. Are you suggesting that every time someone buries something alien it's 2001? jms Subj: Re:praise for PoNR Date: 96-03-04 05:25:08 EST From: Jms at B5 Tiger: thanks. All I can say is that when you see "Severed Dreams," I think you'll find it was worth the wait. jms Subj: Re:Syndicated ratings: 2/11/ Date: 96-03-04 05:19:23 EST From: Jms at B5 There are usually anywhere from 250 to 275 or more syndicated shows every week; at #43 or 38 out of that, we're in the top 15-20%. jms Subj: Re:Trek vs. B5 on AOL part 2 Date: 96-03-04 05:34:23 EST From: Jms at B5 Jeez...I'm surprised one of them didn't write "Go back to russia where you came from!" All I can offer is that that reaction is not typical of all ST fans, only the noisy minority who show up at cons in Spock ears and make the majority of open-minded, mature ST fans shake their heads in dismay. jms Subj: Re:favorite episode Date: 96-03-04 05:35:29 EST From: Jms at B5 The episode you cite was "The Geometry of Shadows." jms Subj: Re:Delenn in PoNR Date: 96-03-07 03:04:26 EST From: Jms at B5 Delenn was taking care of some business on Minbar. jms Subj: Re:Great episodes Date: 96-03-07 03:04:58 EST From: Jms at B5 Darla: thanks. jms Subj: Re:Hello??????? Date: 96-03-07 03:05:45 EST From: Jms at B5 The info came from the Vorlons, and from the last war the Minbari fought against them. jms Subj: Re:Why didn't we see the fig Date: 96-03-07 03:07:41 EST From: Jms at B5 We could've easily played the EFX full-screen, as WB used them in the promos, after all. But it's a slow tease, a reveal. You do it big in Messages, hold it back just a bit, at arm's length, in PoNR, then bring it all REAL close again in the next episode. By putting it at some remove in PoNR, it makes the viewer almost like one of those in the Zocalo, fighting for a better look, stranded out far away, trying to figure out what's going on. jms Subj: Re:Religion on B5 Date: 96-03-07 03:11:28 EST From: Jms at B5 We hope to have Harlan's script for next season. "I hope that perhaps you have done some searching in areas of your faith as a result of that episode." No. Don't see any reason to do so. I wasn't *exposed* to that episode, I *wrote* it, the same way I'd write a convincing show about Minbari...I don't have to believe they exist to write convincingly about them. I keep being astounded that others are astounded that an atheist can write well about religion without being religious. Writing is writing. Characters is characters. Either you're honest as a writer, or you ain't; either you're telling a story, or you're using the medium for propaganda. jms Subj: Re:JMS:LOTR and the Future Date: 96-03-07 03:12:27 EST From: Jms at B5 There's a lot more here than anything like LoTR; the show uses mythic archetypes, so you tend to see whichever myth-cycle you're most familiar with. And we do certainly hope to get this story finished, yes. jms Subj: Re:Corwin Date: 96-03-07 03:13:43 EST From: Jms at B5 Thanks. Corwin's question is really one that hits a lot; you see things starting to fly apart, but you keep thinking it's gonna work out..then it all goes to hell, and you're standing there trying to figure out how it all slipped away. It's a very innocent, yet universal question. jms Subj: Re:Inquiries from the Rim Date: 96-03-07 03:15:05 EST From: Jms at B5 I'd love to see an Aggy micromachine. As for the rest...why would I tell you what each of her prophecies means, thus defeating the surprise or the impact when they're shown? That would be absolutely self-defeating. jms Subj: Re:ISN's role Date: 96-03-07 03:15:39 EST From: Jms at B5 Yes, that's a very good question. It'll be answered in *the very next new episode*, in fact. jms Subj: Re:B5 on TNT? Date: 96-03-07 03:16:18 EST From: Jms at B5 TNT starts rerunning the show in 1998. It doesn't guarantee our renewal, however. jms Subj: Re:Equality on B5 Date: 96-03-07 03:21:50 EST From: Jms at B5 Cristine: thanks. For what it's worth, I have always admired/been attracted to strong, capable, intelligent and witty women. I like independence of thought, and nothing delights me more than being surprised, or topped in a verbal exchange. And I've seen some women police officers and soldiers who could clear out a bar without even breaking a sweat. Several women friends of mine are very much into the martial arts. Wimmin iz peoples too. I don't understand why some folks have such a hard time with that concept. jms Subj: Re:JMS: Narn Religion Date: 96-03-07 03:24:20 EST From: Jms at B5 G'Quan was the greatest of the Narns, a prophet, a religious figure of great proportions; G'Lan was one of those second-tier types who showed up afterward. (The comparable human analog would be if G'Quan -> Mohammed, G'Lan -> Angel. (And yes, I know I've crossed religious structures there.) jms Subj: Re:Bad transliterations Date: 96-03-07 03:25:37 EST From: Jms at B5 Yes, and "sure" should be spelled "shoor." jms Subj: Re:Misunderstanding Date: 96-03-07 03:26:04 EST From: Jms at B5 Nope, we did San Diego ourselves. jms Subj: Re:Battles as Tales Date: 96-03-07 03:26:46 EST From: Jms at B5 The only comment I would have is, be patient a bit.... jms Subj: Re:marcus and the link Date: 96-03-07 03:30:30 EST From: Jms at B5 I just summoned up Marcus in my head. Here's what he said: "Because I won't wear the bloody thing, that's why. Bad enough you've got those pagers you wear in 1996, no privacy, no chance to get away, always at somebody's beck and call. Why not just put a leash around your neck and get it over with? It'd be faster and a good deal more honest. I'm down in the bar trying to be inconspicuous, dangerous characters on all sides, trying not to be noticed...and the link goes off, and I'm dead. Or at minimum seriously thumped. No, absolutely not. You'll never get me to wear one of those." (This is btw the reason why I absolutely *refuse* to wear a pager myself.) jms Subj: Re:New episodes Date: 96-03-07 03:30:58 EST From: Jms at B5 April 3rd. jms Subj: Re:Just Wondering Date: 96-03-07 03:31:23 EST From: Jms at B5 The good guys *always* get whacked, at some point.... jms Subj: Re:Hi again, JMS, thanks & a Date: 96-03-07 03:33:30 EST From: Jms at B5 There are no immediate plans for Talia's return...but we haven't heard the last of that relationship, and the reference I promised is in the very next batch of new eps. jms Subj: Re:Names Date: 96-03-07 03:39:29 EST From: Jms at B5 Actually, it's Clark, not Clarke, so that one's not a tribute; neither is Morden, though it has some of the sounds of Mordred and Mordor and other Murderous names. I'd actually suggest that 90% of the names used have no other reference than their own identity. jms Subj: Re:Shadows/Vorlons Date: 96-03-07 03:39:50 EST From: Jms at B5 {does Kosh merge with his ship? Aren't the Vorlon ship organic too?} Yes, but only in a manner of speaking. jms Subj: Re:stuff Date: 96-03-07 03:47:35 EST From: Jms at B5 "For I Am Become Death" was a working title; I finally decided that "Point of No Return" was a more apt title for the year. If one is being accurate in Eastern-European terms, it's pronounced strah-chin-ski; in general Americanized terms (which is what I go by), it's strah-zin-ski. jms Subj: Re:click... *click*... CLIC Date: 96-03-07 03:50:55 EST From: Jms at B5 I was the Supervising Producer brought on under Executive Producer David Moessinger when "Walker, Texas Ranger" was first being produced for CBS. I left in fairly short order to do B5, which had already been commissioned prior to doing Walker, but David asked for some help, and I never decline a friend. Unfortunately, the studio was Cannon TV, which is not exactly known for its sterling rep, so after a while I was driven mad and ran screaming out into the night. "WTR" was eventually transferred to a different, better studio. jms Subj: Re:Bad transliterations part Date: 96-03-07 03:56:53 EST From: Jms at B5 Nope, still don't buy it. How many versions have we seen of names in Vietnam or China in English? Look at an atlas for China in the 1960s, and now. Notice that now X is used where once Ch was used. (Chou becomes Xiou.) Technically, my name is pronounced strachinski, but it's got a czy in the middle of it. There's also a difference between transLATION and transLITERATION. The latter is often less accurate than the former. You may choose to take any linguistic position you choose; however, the language as it is used does not reconcile with that stance. jms Subj: Re:Misunderstanding Date: 96-03-09 05:15:12 EST From: Jms at B5 How big was the San Diego Nuke? Big enough, and dirty enough, to make the area officially uninhabitable for a long time. jms Subj: Re:Hi again, JMS, thanks & a Date: 96-03-09 05:16:44 EST From: Jms at B5 I can't send you a copy of the ep; but if you use the www jumpgate at the top of the B5 area here, it will take you to the Lurker's Guide at hyperion.com, and you'll find all you need there. jms Subj: Re:No, no! Don't touch...ACK Date: 96-03-09 05:18:09 EST From: Jms at B5 I think you're misremembering; Bester nudged up his right sleeve with his left hand and held it out; Franklin stuck the needle in. I don't believe he held his hand (which was gloved in any event). jms Subj: Re:To: JMS Date: 96-03-09 05:19:56 EST From: Jms at B5 The syndicated market is changing so much I don't think it'd be feasible in anothr year or two. jms Subj: Re:Harlan Ellison Date: 96-03-09 05:20:50 EST From: Jms at B5 Harlan is generally quite jovial and funny in person; but he feels outrage deeply when it takes place, and isn't afraid to do a deserved Jeremiad when necessary.... jms Subj: Re:Lennier (mis)information? Date: 96-03-09 05:22:35 EST From: Jms at B5 I have no idea where that came from; not from me (re: Lennier). As for Sinclair, I think you'll get what you're asking for in the two-parter. jms Subj: Re:To: JMS Re: Renewal? Date: 96-03-09 05:24:33 EST From: Jms at B5 I won't know until April/May. The main issue, I think, is going to be the second-runs in most markets. It wasn't a problem the first two years, but now with so much new syndicated product on the market, the logical and understandable reaction is, "Why should I rerun an episode of one show when I can put on a *new* episode of *another* show and make *more money*?" But the advertising is sold based on double-runs in some cases, or at least a certain percentage of double runs. So we'll have to see. I am, for now, cautiously optimistic. jms Subj: Re:Questions, Schmestions! Date: 96-03-09 05:25:22 EST From: Jms at B5 B5 orbits Epsilon Eridani. jms Subj: Re:Just Thinking Date: 96-03-09 05:26:59 EST From: Jms at B5 "Since Warner Brothers does not seem to have an understanding of what they have on their hands, (Don't they realize the cash potential they have?!) Would you object to us, (loyal following) writing to them (Snail or E-Mail) and expressing more promotions or recognition be given the show? If so, can you publish the CEO's name and address here? (preferably, E-Mail address)" That would be Robert Daly, at WB in New York; don't have his address at hand. jms Subj: Re:Att'n JMS: The Equalizer Date: 96-03-09 05:28:47 EST From: Jms at B5 I enjoyed the Equalizer, though I didn't see all the episodes, and it wasn't anywhere in my head when I was coming up with the show. The key to *any* good character is to make them real. You have to invest a lot of yourself into that process, differentiating how they move, walk, talk, think, believe. It's a lot of work, but the result is worth it. jms Subj: Re:Other aliens in backgroun Date: 96-03-09 05:29:30 EST From: Jms at B5 It does sorta look like that, on reflection, but it ain't Sandman-esque. jms Subj: Re:Susan's revelation- a ? Date: 96-03-09 05:30:29 EST From: Jms at B5 That information was sent to Earth, where it's led directly to the series of current investigations that were launched...and which forced Clark's hand into declaring martial law to distract from all that. jms Subj: Re:Z'ha'dum Date: 96-03-09 05:30:56 EST From: Jms at B5 {Why didn't the Vorlons destroy the Shadows on Z'ha'dum} It's not that easy; you'll figure out why soon. jms Subj: Re:Religion on B5 Date: 96-03-09 05:39:46 EST From: Jms at B5 I've always been a writer. Even when I was just a kid, I was "preparing," always checking out different kinds of writing instruments, collecting the artifacts of writing...took 3 years of typing in high school until I got to 120 wpm...but I didn't start writing until mid-high school, when I finally decided I had read enough, thought enough about it, and was *ready*. That day, I started writing finally. I wrote a story I placed with the school magazine done out of one of the writing classes. The next thing I wrote ended up in a small outside magazine. Then I began writing and placing articles and plays and stories.... I took some writing classes in college, but the only ones of value were the workshops, not the ones where you're taught to write the way the teacher *wants* you to write. The whole theory of writing is to find your unique voice; if you surrender that by writing the way somebody else writes, you've sacrificed the only commodity you had to offer: your unique vision of the world. In any event, as stated, I was writing and selling long before I took my first writing class. Since 1971, I have written 5-10 pages per day (the last 12+ years generally 10 or better) every day of the week, 52 weeks a year, except for my birthday, christmas, new year's, and my spouse's birthday. On my first trip to England, I swore I wouldn't write, I'd take some time off; I ended up sneak-buying a small notepad and, by the time I got back, had outlined my first novel, later published by Dutton. I've written over 500 published articles, dozens of published short stories, 12 produced plays, a number of songs recorded here and there (including two for a prime time ABC special), 2 published novels, 1 published anthology, a number of screenplays (some made as TV stuff, some not produced), and 145+ produced TV scripts, among other stuff. I write all the time. It's not what I do, it's what I *am*. jms Subj: Re:Levels we haven't conside Date: 96-03-09 05:40:20 EST From: Jms at B5 {Are there higher levels in the show that we aren't considering} There aren't higher levels per se....but different levels. You'll see. jms Subj: Re:JMS: Question for a frie Date: 96-03-09 05:42:03 EST From: Jms at B5 Your friend needs to switch to a decaffeinated coffee. jms Subj: Re:Z'ha'dum Date: 96-03-10 04:01:36 EST From: Jms at B5 Delenn and Kosh told the truth as they knew it. And the trailer for Severed Dreams won't be available until closer to airtime. jms Subj: Re:Actors imput Date: 96-03-10 04:06:17 EST From: Jms at B5 This is a hard question to answer. When you create a character in your head, you always hear them a certain way. Sometimes, when you bring in an actor, you hear it a different way, and you have to adjust. Sometimes the actor sounds just like what you had in mind (as with Jason Carter and Claudia). For me, what's interesting is when an actor finds something in the text that was there, that I didn't recognize even though I'd written it, and illuminates a corner of the character. (And sometimes I discover I've revealed more about myself than I'd intended in a scene, only finding this out when I see the actor saying the words.) Probably the biggest impact in B5 terms was in seeing the humor that Claudia could bring to the part, and the vulnerability that Peter summoned up. The scene in the pilot movie where Londo goes to Garibaldi and says, basically, yes, I messed up, and yes, I'd do it again, showed a great depth of feeling, of conflicting emotions that lifted that scene way beyond what was on the page, and showed me that I could take Londo anywhere I wanted, and the actor behind the character could and would take it all the way without ever stumbling. jms Subj: Re:Minbari Bone Ridges Date: 96-03-10 04:07:36 EST From: Jms at B5 Worker caste tend to fade into the background; we've seen them here and there; pilots and traders (visible in "Strife") are worker caste, and others. They don't have as much a stylized manner of bone-carving as the other castes. jms Subj: Re:writer's block Date: 96-03-10 04:11:23 EST From: Jms at B5 No, I've never had writer's block. (I hate saying that; it's like saying out loud at the top of the 9th inning that you've got a no-hitter going...the universe loves to trip you up.) I think it comes from being a generalist; if I don't have a script at hand to think about, I flip over to writing a short story, a novel, an article, something else. Also, I never sit down to write out a scene or a section until I've "seen" it in my head so many times that it's practically transcription at that point. jms Subj: Re:re wrists and stuff Date: 96-03-10 04:12:03 EST From: Jms at B5 Won't work. I've tried dictating, didn't work (despite allegations that I'm a dictator). I write out of my fingers; I can't dictate the stuff. jms Subj: Re:Janet Greek Date: 96-03-10 04:13:36 EST From: Jms at B5 Janet just signed onto a series -- jeez, I just forgot the name, it fell out of my head -- as a writer and director. If I can drag it out of my brain, I'll post the name. jms Subj: Re:B5 the Series Date: 96-03-10 04:16:14 EST From: Jms at B5 "This is better than sex!" Thank you. Now keep those hands to yourself, mister. jms Subj: Re:Conundrum Date: 96-03-13 18:06:07 EST From: Jms at B5 Warner Bros. is not so much a monolithic company as a series of mutually competing divisions. WBN and PTEN are totally different entities, and there's almost no chance of overlap. jms Subj: Re:Lot's O Q's Date: 96-03-13 17:46:20 EST From: Jms at B5 The station is about 5 miles long, so the rest you can work from there. You *can* see the length of the station from some of the living quarters, such as Londo's, and from Sheridan's office. Yes, the Neville Chamberlain parallel was intentional. jms Subj: Re:PoNR - Fixed Stars! Date: 96-03-13 17:47:26 EST From: Jms at B5 We've gone over this a lot; because the station rotates, you'd need a circular, rotating starfield that would be twice as tall as our stage ceiling to make it work, and it'd be hideously loud. jms Subj: Re:The creative process Date: 96-03-13 17:48:36 EST From: Jms at B5 Because I knew it'd have to be a multi-year format, which limits you to either books or TV, since you couldn't do all of this stuff in films. (You'd need 55 movies.) So...TV. jms Subj: Re:PoNR - Fixed Stars! Date: 96-03-13 17:50:30 EST From: Jms at B5 C&C is *not* in the center of the station, which is the zero-g docking bay; it's 1/3rd of the way down, so it has about 1/3rd gravity. That means a 200 pound person weights 67 pounds, so you're not exactly going to be bouncing around or anything. jms Subj: Re:Uniform Question Date: 96-03-13 17:51:24 EST From: Jms at B5 Only time will tell. jms Subj: Re:World Con... Date: 96-03-13 17:51:49 EST From: Jms at B5 Well, I'll be there; we'll see about the rest. jms Subj: Re:No Free Will? Date: 96-03-13 17:53:14 EST From: Jms at B5 Yes, the characters surprise me...but the characters aren't real, and "they're" not surprising me, it's something that burbles out of my subconscious. Only living beings can truly have free will. Fictional characters don't. jms Subj: Re:Hot Jalla Date: 96-03-13 17:55:32 EST From: Jms at B5 It's not a connection, but a resonance; jalla is made from the jalwah tree, and yes, G'Kar's father was hung from a jalwah tree. But I wouldn't read too much more into that. jms Subj: Re:Name that tune Date: 96-03-13 18:04:47 EST From: Jms at B5 I listen to just about every kind of music there is, except for hard country music. It just grates; not to say it's bad, lots of folks like it, it just gets my teeth grinding like tectonic plates. (The closest I get is bluegrass and folk, with the Red Clay Ramblers being a favorite there.) When I work, I tend to listen to different things as the mood strikes me. Everything from rock to jazz to big band to "new age" to classical to Irish music to Japanese music to Australian aboriginal music to Gregorian chants...you name it. I was heavily into Japanese KODO music for a while, but because I was playing it all the time I kinda got KODO'd out after a while. Among the stuff that turns up most often on the stereo while I'm working these days: Meatloaf, Slade, Enya, Alice Cooper, Melissa Etheridge, Sarah MacLachlan, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Red Clay Ramblers. I'll probably cycle through into more orchestral/instrumental stuff soon. jms Subj: Re:What type of Government E Date: 96-03-13 17:31:17 EST From: Jms at B5 Each nation/state on Earth has its own government internally, and its own leader, who is part of the EA Senate. One senator per nation/state. (Mars is treated as a colony rather than an independent entity, same with the more important colonies, while other, less valuable ones are more loosely attached.) Clark has full military control as Commander of Chief of Earthforce, though the military is funded jointly by all participants. jms Subj: Re:My point exactly KSTEEN! Date: 96-03-13 17:40:54 EST From: Jms at B5 "Nightwatch does, in fact, have an "heraldic banner" which is in the form of its black uniforms." Err...I hate to correct you, but Nightwatch members do NOT have black uniforms. Many of them wear armbands, but others do not. Julie Musante did not wear an armband. Neither did the snitch in C&C who turned in the Narn cruiser in "Fall." B5 security members were given the arm bands as part of their uniform, indicating that they were serving Nightwatch in an official capacity, the same as you'd give a badge or ID to someone working for two agencies. There are and can be others who are part of Nightwatch who don't wear the arm bands. Also, it's not "an heraldic." It's A heraldic. You only use AN if you can't hear the H sound; if you can, then you use A. As in "An hour" and "A horse." Similarly, the use "an historic" is also incorrect. jms Subj: Re: B5 CANCELLED Date: 96-03-15 04:25:44 EST From: Jms at B5 Because, Harokin, this stuff happens *every season* at this time, and after a while, one gets tired of chasing down and denying every rumor that comes along, time after time. I posted a brief note about this in the ask jms category, that should cover it. jms Subj: PS to Harokin Date: 96-03-15 04:26:42 EST From: Jms at B5 Don't take the tone of my prior note as indicating annoyance; it's just that this happens every year, and it wears thin after a while. It's not your fault. jms Subj: Re:Beginnings Date: 96-03-15 04:07:25 EST From: Jms at B5 I first discovered the Red Clay Ramblers when they were the musical accompaniment for the Broadway show (then touring) FOOL MOON. I thought they were absolutely terrific, and still do. (And the show's terrific too; if it comes to your town SEE IT.) "Where did B5 start? What was the germ of the whole idea? Who were the first characters? Were any characters conceived as men that ended up as women and vice versa?" No, the men were men and the women were women (and they LIKED it that way). The primary "germ" of the notion was the setting in this case, a locale where the stories would come to us rathre than chasing new worlds every week. Obviously you need a command staff, and I began filling it out from there. Then, one day, the whole story just sorta unfolded in my head in a moment of total clarity. That happens sometimes.... jms Subj: Re:JMS: Fan Clubs Date: 96-03-15 04:08:03 EST From: Jms at B5 Yes, I do believe the various actors fan clubs are sanctioned by the actors (at least, the ones we know of; not every fan club is sanctioned, obviously.) jms Subj: Re:JMS:88 notes in your musi Date: 96-03-15 04:09:29 EST From: Jms at B5 We never know from year to year on the B5 status, same as with every other TV series. No studio will give you a 2-year buy unless you're Spielberg. We'll have to see.... jms Subj: Re:Station Interior Date: 96-03-15 04:10:31 EST From: Jms at B5 Yes, the interior has been mapped to great detail; as Sheridan falls, you can see perspective on many of the structures, due to the 3d mapping. Don't know if we'll ever make a map available, at least in the short run. jms Subj: Re:Cancellation of B5!? Date: 96-03-15 04:15:33 EST From: Jms at B5 This happens every season. People with too much free time on their hands start posting rumors long before anything has even been *discussed*. This happened after the pilot ("I just heard from a VERY reliable source that it's never gonna make it to series") after the first season ("a guy I know at WB says the first season was just a fluke, they got pressured, there won't be a second season"), after the second.... Nothing is ever decided on these things until the execs meet to go over it, and that won't happen until late April/early May. Anyone who says he's heard anything definitive before then is simply full of it. jms Subj: Re:Dear JMS:Starfury "Nose A Date: 96-03-15 04:16:56 EST From: Jms at B5 Yes, there's nose art for most (though not all) of the furies. Ivanova's is traditionally Russian, and Sheridan's is the Flying Tigers (we actually got permission from them to use the symbol). jms Subj: Re:No Free Will? Date: 96-03-15 04:17:50 EST From: Jms at B5 Ah, but it wasn't Holmes who forced himself back into the writings of Doyle; it was pressure from readers (real people) who refused to let it go away. jms Subj: Re:Artwork from Atlanta Date: 96-03-15 04:18:49 EST From: Jms at B5 Unfortunately, the answer to both is no, unless you want to give it to one of the actors at Fantasticon to pass along.... jms Subj: Re:JMS: Couple'a Questions Date: 96-03-15 04:20:01 EST From: Jms at B5 Now that S3 of B5 is almost done, I can finish the deal to write the Grimjack movie, which will take me through the next few months to finish. jms Subj: Re:Apologies are in order... Date: 96-03-15 04:23:35 EST From: Jms at B5 This season is an unintended aberration re: writers; I hope to use others next season. As for your story...apology not accepted because it is unnecessary. As it happens, I remember your comments, and yes, at the time, they were hurtful. But they came from honest criticisms of the show, rather than any particular agenda, and I never have a problem with honest, fair criticism. Hell, I had my own problems with the pilot, which I was determined to fix in the series. What you did that counts is that you were sufficiently open-minded and fair to give the show a chance when it hit series, and you found that the promises were true. And now have said as much. What more can anyone ask of one? jms Subj: Re:My point exactly KSTEEN! Date: 96-03-15 04:01:54 EST From: Jms at B5 Nope. Zack did wear an armband the whole time he was involved with Nightwatch. jms Subj: Re:Foundationalism Date: 96-03-17 23:23:03 EST From: Jms at B5 The impact of other alien races on contemporary religions is a good question, and one that I hope to carve out some time to examine down the road a bit. The Foundation was a way of saying, in essence, that there aren't various religions, there's just *human* religion as opposed to what has been developed on other worlds...that every human religion is an aspect of the whole, like blind men describing an elephant by each holding onto a piece of it. They looked to the foundation of all religions, and combined them, so there's aspects of nearly every major and minor belief in them. jms Subj: Re:some questions... Date: 96-03-21 03:23:59 EST From: Jms at B5 There are no shadow vessels buried on Narn, no. The shadow influence on the Psi Corps has been growing for about 7 years now. jms Subj: Re:ATTN: JMS Date: 96-03-21 03:25:52 EST From: Jms at B5 I wasn't really happy with what we did with n'grath; it's not any fault of Optic Nerve, they did a bang up job, it's just...it's a subjective opinion, and when I looked at it, it never really worked for me. So we may not see that group again. jms Subj: Re:Cancellation Date: 96-03-21 03:27:26 EST From: Jms at B5 At this point, we're still assuming we'll be renewed, so it's a moot question. The larger issue comes down to commercials, though. To get national advertisers, you need X number of stations, in Y markets, carrying Z commercials, preferably on two nights (first run and rerun). If you can't get national sponsors, paying enough money, it doesn't matter if the show is over, on, or under budget...you're a dead duck. jms Subj: Re:JMS - Voices of Authority Date: 96-03-21 03:28:45 EST From: Jms at B5 {What did the Walkers say about the Vorlons} Well, this isn't a *literal* translation, because some words don't translate, but the *sense* of the sentence would be "the vorlons can kiss my ____." jms Subj: Re:Dawn of third age Date: 96-03-21 03:29:39 EST From: Jms at B5 The dawning of the third age really happens over the course of the B5 saga. jms Subj: Re:B5 Cast in the UK Date: 96-03-21 03:31:24 EST From: Jms at B5 I don't think the overseas audience numbers will overly affect the decision either way; studios tend to look at domestic as the primary market, and everything else as ancillary, despite the fact that we are now a global electronic community. I think a few of the cast will hang about the UK for a bit while they're over for the cons; in general, many of our cast and crew hang out together and do things while on vacation...they like each other, and getting them apart is tough. jms Subj: Re:Tom Baker Date: 96-03-21 03:31:47 EST From: Jms at B5 I'd love nothing more than to use Tom Baker on the show at some point. jms Subj: Re:protecting your work Date: 96-03-21 03:32:45 EST From: Jms at B5 No, there's not much point to copyrighting the work; if you're really concerned, you can always register it with the Writers Guild, but frankly, stealing is not as common as one might think. jms Subj: Re:The Shadow Wars Date: 96-03-21 03:34:07 EST From: Jms at B5 No, the whole point of a mystery done *right* is that some folks won't ever figure it out, a majority of them will have some vague ideas, and some *will* figure it out. That's the only outcome -- a bell-shaped curve -- if you're playing fair with the audience. The clues have to be out there, and if they are, some will notice. If nobody gets it, you didn't play fair. This was one of the lessons I learned working on MURDER, SHE WROTE. jms Subj: Re:bad copies of b5 Date: 96-03-21 03:35:35 EST From: Jms at B5 I have no idea, unless when the tape was duped en masse, they just got a bad copy and nobody QC'd it to find out. But 90% of all stations pick up the downlink, so this shouldn't be a problem. jms Subj: Re:Black uniform clues/hints Date: 96-03-21 03:35:58 EST From: Jms at B5 No, the black uniform you've seen here and there isn't a Psi Cop uniform. jms Subj: Re:Apologies are in order... Date: 96-03-21 03:38:22 EST From: Jms at B5 Every line an actor speaks is written down in a script; the actor's task is to find the character in that, and breathe life into it via the performance. So when someone asks, "who creates the character?" one can say the writer creates, and the actor interprets...but at the same time, that really isn't indicative of the vast contribution brought by the performer. Londo in the hands of any other actor but Peter wouldn't be *Londo*. jms Subj: Re:JMS: Broken Limbs... Date: 96-03-21 03:44:09 EST From: Jms at B5 Oddly enough, Jerry's broken arm tied *beautifully* into something that had happened in the course of the episode we were filming, so all it took was a line or two to sell it. The funny thing is...in the very next episode after the incident, there was a line in the script I'd written *weeks* earlier, and it freaked everybody out...when Garibaldi asks someone to do something, and the person responds, "What, you've got a broken arm or something?" At first some people thought I'd put it in there to pink Jerry, but it'd been there the whole time. Similarly, in the Claudia incident, there was a line (cut for time) where Sheridan says talking to the Drazi is like trying to talk to your right foot...and Ivanova replies "I'll have you know I have a sublime relationship with my right foot." Yep, the next day...that's the foot she broke. Just recently, I was trying to explain time travel to one of the actors. I used the analogy, over lunch, "Suppose you finished eating your chicken here, then got sick as a dog a few hours later, then got in a time machine to go back in time and warn yourself not to eat the chicken." Well, a few hours after that...the actor got sick as a dog from the chicken. I have been asked, expressly, not to make any further mention of actors' body parts in scripts.... jms Subj: Re:JMS: Game Time Date: 96-03-21 03:44:44 EST From: Jms at B5 No, nobody's approached us about an Ivanova-based game, but it's a great idea. jms Subj: Re:Mr. Morden Date: 96-03-21 03:45:32 EST From: Jms at B5 {Are Morden and his associates equals?} Well, he may sometimes *think* of his associates as equals...and my cat thinks he actually owns this house.... jms Subj: Re:JMS: Shadows ships & bein Date: 96-03-21 03:45:58 EST From: Jms at B5 You can see one of the shadows in the main titles; not too much like their ships. jms Subj: Re:Fan Club Date: 96-03-21 03:47:04 EST From: Jms at B5 We have an address for the fan club, but haven't finalized details of price and material yet. jms Subj: Re:jms: derivation of word a Date: 96-03-21 03:48:10 EST From: Jms at B5 An arc is simply a geometry; it starts at an angle, goes up, and then comes down, like the arc of a flare fired by a flare gun. Similarly, a story has its own dramatic arc. jms Subj: Re:Any Comment on Hypernauts Date: 96-03-21 03:49:10 EST From: Jms at B5 No, I had nothing to do with Hypernauts beyond recommending Christy; it's entirely their work. It's good to see our methods and techniques used to bring more SF shows around; that was what we were hoping for. jms Subj: Re:JMS: complex show Date: 96-03-21 03:50:49 EST From: Jms at B5 Thanks. I think you'll warm to Marcus as we go deeper in; he's a great character, and Jason does a terrific job of it. Not backing away from anything re: Ivanova's diversity...we clarify something about her relationship with Talia very soon, in fact. jms Subj: Re:The Psi Corps Date: 96-03-21 03:51:40 EST From: Jms at B5 The initial tests can indicate if the teep is a P1 to P12, they don't generally start at the same level. jms Subj: Re:Open letter to JMS Date: 96-03-21 03:52:24 EST From: Jms at B5 Fired? I'm surprised you let him live. Next time.... jms Subj: Re:Question going Waaay Back Date: 96-03-21 03:53:55 EST From: Jms at B5 They could've punched their way out, but been even less able to get a direct location in real space because their new position, unpredictable, could be hundreds of light years away, and they couldn't pinpoint exactly where they are. They could then jump back, and because of the math, gotten even further lost. jms Subj: Re:JMS: Casting Question Date: 96-03-21 03:54:23 EST From: Jms at B5 I honestly don't remember what happened with that, or even if we considered him. jms Subj: Re:Who are you/What do you w Date: 96-03-21 03:55:34 EST From: Jms at B5 You miss the point. It's not that there's a *correct* answer, but that there's an *informed* answer. If you decide what you want, before you know who you are, you're likely to get something that will destroy you; if you know who you are, you can then ask for something that will be of greater use to you. jms Subj: Re:Vir's family Date: 96-03-21 03:56:30 EST From: Jms at B5 I can, but I'd rather show it; you'll find out a lot more about Vir and family relations in "Sic Transit Vir" in mid-april. jms Subj: Re:An Open Letter to JMS Date: 96-03-21 18:45:15 EST From: Jms at B5 Good points. I'd point you, incidentally, to an essay by Mark Twain on, I believe, the Boxer rebellion, in which he dissects the phrase "my country right or wrong," the earliest use I've ever seen of that phrase. Also A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, which has some very serious commentary on what *is* patriotism, what what *is* the Nation? Uncritical jingoism is as inherently unpatriotic as uncritical attacks. It's important to see what a goverment does that is good, by our ability to perceive the good, and support it...and to find what is in need of redress, and fix it. But either way, we have to be honest about what we see, and ask ourselves if it's right. Even if we come back toward saying yes, it *is* right, at least we've thought about it, and now have reasons and objective criteria for *why* it's right. Or why it's wrong. jms Subj: Re:4th Season Status Date: 96-03-21 18:46:21 EST From: Jms at B5 What gives is that it's a long process, always is, every year. We'll know for sure when they finally tell us. jms Subj: Re:JMS: Contest Date: 96-03-21 18:47:55 EST From: Jms at B5 I believe Canada is considered part of foreign distribution; I don't know the figures on income from foreign runs, 'cause by the time any of that info gets to us, it's been...fixed...in the books to keep any possible profit from showing, so I have no real idea. jms Subj: Re:JMS: Slade?!?!?!?!? Date: 96-03-21 18:48:52 EST From: Jms at B5 Yeah, I confess I enjoy Slade quite a bit; have most of their CDs. Wish they had more currency here in the US. jms Subj: Re:Hey! Date: 96-03-22 03:50:10 EST From: Jms at B5 Songu, I answered something like 16 or 20 questions in a row; it's not possible for me to answer every single question or I'll never get the show made. I'm not avoiding anyone's questions, and don't yell "HEY!" if I don't. It's rude. jms Subj: Re:Novels & Comics Date: 96-03-22 03:52:33 EST From: Jms at B5 I'm involved in the comics and novels, but the problem with the novels is that I get only a few days to review the manuscript before it has to go back, and given everything else I'm doing, sometimes I miss things. I try to keep it as close to the show as I can, but there are always going to be glitches when you let it out of your direct supervision and into the hands of others. jms Subj: VQT News Date: 96-03-25 02:52:47 EST From: Jms at B5 I just heard this over on CIS, and I'm trying to verify it before saying it officially, but it appears that Viewers for Quality Television has taken the next step and actually *endorsed* BABYLON 5, which is a very important thing for us. If correct, this is great news. jms Subj: Re:JMS: G'Kar's Writing Date: 96-03-23 04:19:16 EST From: Jms at B5 Sometimes things slip through; the on-screen writing was done at Foundation, since we don't have that capability, and they did it left to right. I wasn't able to be on set at the moment we shot that to check (and, likely, wouldn't have been able to change it if I had been there, since we had to go and it takes time to re-do that stuff). Normally, however, Narns write right to left. jms Subj: Re:More silly questions Date: 96-03-23 04:20:08 EST From: Jms at B5 I think both those questions are better answered in the series than blown off here. jms Subj: Re:New B5 book Date: 96-03-23 04:20:57 EST From: Jms at B5 Yeah, initially Dell kept going for one-word titles, and I generally don't like that, so I told them to have the writers come up with more interesting titles. jms Subj: Re:JMS: Kabalistic themes Date: 96-03-25 02:50:26 EST From: Jms at B5 Thanks. The job of the show is to ask questions and pose scenarios for discussion, while at the same time entertaining, which is our primary responsibility. I wouldn't say there's any one dominant area here, whether Kabalistic or strictly Judaeo/Christian or otherwise...it's a hodgepodge of elements. You can find historical, religious, social and political echoes to a lot of things. In the area you mentioned, there's bits and pieces of the two areas you singled out, plus buddhism, moslemism, zoroastrianism, Zen, catholicism, you name it, because it helps to create an authentic feel to the alien cultures and other aspects of the show. Similarly, there are aspects of WW 2, WW 1, Korea, Vietnam, JFK...I try to grab from lots of different areas so that it avoids being about The One Thing and becomes a synthesis that is about *us* in all our various permutations. jms Subj: Re:Mumy on Sci-Fi Buzz Date: 96-03-26 16:37:56 EST From: Jms at B5 I believe the clip in question was from "Ceremonies of Light and Dark." jms Subj: Re:Lincoln Date: 96-03-26 16:40:35 EST From: Jms at B5 "the last, best hope of Earth" was from Lincoln, yes. We quoted it in "Points of Departure." jms Subj: Re:Pilots Date: 96-03-26 16:42:16 EST From: Jms at B5 The story just kinda shifted away from that for a while; I try not to stay too long with any one thread. They sorta come in waves; as with this season, we emphasized Earth stuff for the first 11 or so episodes; then we slide back into the Centauri stuff, then the Minbari, then the Narn. Aspects of the show rise and fall in prominence as needed for the story. We'll get back to the pilots in the fullness of time. jms Subj: Re:West/East End of London Date: 96-03-26 16:46:39 EST From: Jms at B5 What I'd said, and maybe I wasn't sufficiently clear, but my sense was that I wasn't going to change it *prior to the first US airing.* I found out about the mistake -- it was a typo, I knew the difference, I just became momentarily stupid and wrote west when I meant to type east -- after the show aired in the UK, and had a couple of months in which I could've chosen to make the change. But I was concerned that the dub wouldn't have the same power as the original performance, so I was willing to let it go until after it aired, so it would've had that impact, then make the change later. Happily, the loop came out *very* well, so it worked out. jms Subj: Re:Odd Questions Date: 96-03-26 16:48:44 EST From: Jms at B5 The Ranger colony was financially supported by the Minbari; the Drazi allowed them to use one of their colony worlds as a base. If humans are special, and in some measure we are or we wouldn't be in the story, I should think it's more for what we *do* than what we *are*. There is something very unique about us which comes in handily in the series. Delenn's already pointed this out. jms Subj: Re:Ask not. Date: 96-03-26 16:52:47 EST From: Jms at B5 Phil: thanks. A wonderful and very encouraging analysis. Sometimes I forget how much we're really packing into this show until I see it broken down like that. Then suddenly I'm tired...but vastly pleased. As for Trent, we still plan to do that story at some point. jms Subj: Re:Who are you/Whaddya want Date: 96-03-26 16:56:42 EST From: Jms at B5 Exactly. I think the process of transcending is much more interesting than *having* transcended. The struggle is what's dramatic. Re: n'grath...while that didn't work as well as I'd've liked, I'm still looking to explore some alternate ways of showing alien (non-humanoid) life forms. We'll get there. BTW, I note that you use semi-colons correctly in your messages...it's a tiny thing, but it's the sort of thing rarely done anymore; the semi-colon seems to have become a form of vestigal punctuation. jms Subj: Re:dolls Date: 96-03-26 16:58:35 EST From: Jms at B5 If you've got a petition, then a place like Playmates, which tends to make action figure license deals, would be a good place to start. Otherwise, there aren't any character dolls at the time; eventually we'll get to it. jms Subj: Re:Renewal Process Date: 96-03-26 17:10:05 EST From: Jms at B5 The renewal process for B5 is a little different than the norm, due to the PTEN structure. It works in two parts, as I understand it. (If I'm incorrect on any of this, I hope that any of the onlooking WB folks will set me straight.) Part one comes from the stations. Each market looks at the show, and how it's doing in their area, which is a combination of ratings and demographics, and sometimes audience support for a show, though the first two always take precedence over the third. They then decide whether or not to offer to take the show for another season. Part two comes from WB and the national advertisers. As the stations line up yea or nay, you keep a running tally of how *many* stations, when they want to air it, and if they want to do a double run or not. You need a certain percentage of major markets, national coverage, to get national sponsors; and you need to guarantee them a certain number of viewers. Best if you can deliver a certain *kind* of viewer, the kind advertisers look for. The last part of WB's decision is if the show is profitable for the company given all of these elements. (WB gets the advertising money for national spots in general, while local stations can sell other spots for local sponsors, generating their income.) Unlike most TV shows, which can run at a deficit for a number of years, on the theory that they'll make it up in long-term syndication, our show and Kung Fu have to show a profit *from the word go*. So the bear is much closer to us at all times. The problem that all syndicated shows are currently running into is that of diminishing berths for their programs. Most communities have, at most, 1 or 2 local independent stations. When B5 went on the air, these were all available to us. Since then, the Warners Network and UPN have come into existence, with contractual requirements mandating x-hours per week for their programs. And Fox stations have grown, expanded their range of programming. So now you find that there are fewer and fewer available timeslots for syndicated shows not affiliated with one of these weblets. A number of new syndicated shows announced recently have been pulled for the simple reason that they can't find enough stations that have available slots. It's a noose around our neck that we're definitely aware of, particularly given the importance of double runs for the national sponsors, which is even *more* difficult given the current glut of programs and the few slots remaining. The game is trying to finish the story and get out before the noose closes around our neck. It's going to be tight.... jms Subj: Re:JMS: Which Episode does Date: 96-03-27 04:13:37 EST From: Jms at B5 I'll tell you that *after* the episode airs...if I tell you before, you'll be looking for it, and prepared for it, rather than being surprised. jms Subj: Re:Renewal/alternatives Date: 96-03-27 04:15:35 EST From: Jms at B5 I think the WB net would be very doubtful, since they're trying to create their own identity as a network, and taking a syndicated show would likely work against that; UPN is Paramount and I think they'd cut off their own...er...noses before taking on B5, given our relative histories. jms Subj: Re:Five MILES long?! Date: 96-03-27 04:17:50 EST From: Jms at B5 Well, I suppose he could've said six-point-one kilometers (or whatever the figure would be, I'm too tired and it's too late in the evening to do the math), but it'd kinda spoil the flow of the sentence; and if it's total length works out to five miles, give or take a bit, that seems the way to go. jms Subj: Re:Minbari rings Date: 96-03-27 04:18:16 EST From: Jms at B5 {whatever happened to the Minbari Rings Delenn used in the pilot?} The rings are still there; we just haven't yet had cause to use them. jms Subj: Re:Why Io? Date: 96-03-27 04:20:09 EST From: Jms at B5 {Why is there a base and jumpgate on Io.} Yes, this is the primary jumpgate for Earth. It's positioned at Io (most of the base is actually in orbit outside Io, some of it on the surface, as we showed in "Chrysalis") to keep Earth a bit safer by removing it some distance, and because putting it near the huge energy field of Jupiter makes it more difficult for weapons to target it from a distance. It's mainly a tactical decision. jms Subj: Re:Renewal & Howard Stern Date: 96-03-29 00:55:27 EST From: Jms at B5 Howard, who is a big fan of the show, spoke a bit out of turn, and WB has since been in contact with him about it; he'll correct the statement soon, I'm told. jms Subj: Re:*Where* Jms Learned *?* Date: 96-03-29 00:57:13 EST From: Jms at B5 I learned proper use of the * at a Shao-lin monastary after years of silent meditation upon a drawing of * set before me on a wall. jms Subj: Re:B5 Fan Club and Newslette Date: 96-03-29 00:57:57 EST From: Jms at B5 Hang tight, we'll get out the word on this soon. jms Subj: Re:Morden and Bester Date: 96-03-29 00:58:38 EST From: Jms at B5 That would be telling, wouldn't it? jms Subj: Re:Continue Date: 96-03-29 00:59:46 EST From: Jms at B5 Just noticed the new folder after answering stuff here; can you either leave it for a bit or move the stuff over? jms Subj: Re:JMS-YOUR GREAT Date: 96-03-29 01:01:03 EST From: Jms at B5 {Good luck with the future sucess of the show} Thanks.... jms Subj: Re:B5 micro-machines/new & o Date: 96-03-29 01:00:42 EST From: Jms at B5 I have no idea what the deal is here on this; I think there may be an error somewhere, but will try and find out. And thanks.... jms Subj: Re:Sinclair is the First... Date: 96-03-29 01:01:47 EST From: Jms at B5 "Changes are coming; Sinclair was the first, there will be others." He was referring to more changes coming. jms Subj: Re:JMS - another fan/questio Date: 96-03-29 01:03:07 EST From: Jms at B5 The thing about Ivanova, as noted here and there in the show, is that while she was born in the Russian Consortium, she was raised mainly abroad, going from school to school as her mother kept her one step ahead of the Psi Corps. jms Subj: Re:Observations Date: 96-03-29 01:05:10 EST From: Jms at B5 Thanks...and yes, soldiers are soldiers, female or male. I see no reason, barring some small differences in upper body strength, which can be compensated for, to make female characters any less active physically than male characters. Frankly, in watching the Tyson/Bruno match on Showtime the other night, the best fight of the whole evening was the pre-fight with the two femal boxers who went the distance and showed incredible heart and determination. jms Subj: Re:Line from AtSFoS? Date: 96-03-29 01:06:16 EST From: Jms at B5 Actually, Sinclair says "I know you" in the present, as Delenn comes toward him, in referring to his remembering seeing her on the ship. jms Subj: Re:Keep up the RAD Work! Date: 96-03-29 16:30:02 EST From: Jms at B5 Thanks. The elements you cite are the reasons why it took us 5 years to get this thing on the air; it's something a bit different, for the US at least. We could've sold it a lot faster, and easier, if we'd taken some different approaches -- dumbed it down a little, dropped the ongoing story, made it a bit less ambitious -- but then it wouldn't be the story I wanted to tell. And yes, the bits and pieces add up, and gain further weight by seeing how they relate to different parts of the story. It's a very careful, elegant little dance which I think will be seen even more clearly once we go to daily syndication. jms Subj: Re:B5 is The One Date: 96-03-29 16:31:36 EST From: Jms at B5 James: good suggestions. One of the points of B5 is to encourage discussion about these areas, to be informed, to lead the examined life. If we can add some impetus to read, to explore myth and history and culture, then the effort of making the show has been worthwhile. jms Subj: Re:bother?? Date: 96-03-29 16:33:50 EST From: Jms at B5 If they're the music clips off Franke's BBS, as far as I know that's fine, because they were made available as samples as part of his license. Other sound clips...I can't endorse it, because past I think 20 seconds you run into legal problems. (Actually, it's not within my authority to "endorse" much of anything, it's WB's copyright, I can only offer suggestions or guidance.) jms Subj: Re:conventions Date: 96-03-29 16:35:41 EST From: Jms at B5 The San Francisco con is at the Cathedral Hill Hotel; check the B5 fan events folder here in this area for more info. jms Subj: Re:conventions Date: 96-03-29 16:36:28 EST From: Jms at B5 That's the Worldcon; it's the biggest convention in the world every year. I don't have the info at hand, but I'm sure it's readily available. jms Subj: Re:Mood change or what? Date: 96-03-29 16:38:18 EST From: Jms at B5 The short version of the answer, as yes, I've answered this a lot: it was done primarily for story reasons. I discussed the idea with Michael, to accommodate some changes I wanted to make to the story, he at the same time had some other options he wanted to pursue...so we parted ways very amicably, on the theory that at some point we'd link up again for a bit. And we have, in this year's two parter. jms Subj: Re:B5 Action Figures or movi Date: 96-03-29 16:39:21 EST From: Jms at B5 No immediate plans for action figures; WB has broached the idea of a movie, but so far it's just an idle speculation sort of thing. jms Subj: Re:Question about Kosh & She Date: 96-03-29 16:40:05 EST From: Jms at B5 {What happened with Kosh teaching Sheridan to fight the Shadows?} There's been some follow-up, but not a lot, and Kosh has kind of dropped the ball on some of this. That will have to be dealt with. jms Subj: Re:G'Quon and Valen Date: 96-03-30 03:32:57 EST From: Jms at B5 Valen and G'Quan were not the same person. jms Subj: Re:It's Pat Date: 96-03-30 03:33:47 EST From: Jms at B5 I have no idea what this refers to, and suspect strongly that you're thinking of someone else. jms Subj: Re:B-5's survival Date: 96-03-30 03:35:32 EST From: Jms at B5 It's always chancy on every show as you come to renewal time; the added problem here is that the marketplace is fast running out of slots for syndicated shows due to the committed time slots for WBN, UPN, Fox and others. So there are a lot of factors coming at us from all sides, which didn't exist when we first went on the air, but we remain cautiously optimistic. jms Subj: Re:Season #1 Date: 96-03-30 03:36:40 EST From: Jms at B5 I suggest you go to the opening menu here in the B5 area, for the www jumpgate; then go to the Lurker's Guide, which has info on every episode of the series to date, well presented. That should bring you up to speed on year one, since they don't plan on rerunning anything from year one until we've finished our run. jms Subj: Re:Narn battlecruisers Date: 96-03-30 03:37:13 EST From: Jms at B5 {Why are Narn warships painted in such a manner?} It's just their culture's idea of a good paint job on a warship. jms Subj: Re:JMS: Kosh Assassination Date: 96-03-30 03:38:50 EST From: Jms at B5 No, it was covered in the pilot: the assassin was a member of a radical military caste clan which was against Minbari involvement in B5, and figured they'd sabotage the whole thing from within. jms