=========================================================================== | This text is compiled from posts by J. Michael Straczynski on the Usenet | group rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5. This document contains material Copyright | 1994 J. Michael Straczynski. He has given permission for his words to be | redistributed online, as long as they are marked as being copyright JMS. | This document, as well as other Babylon-5 related material, is available | by anonymous FTP at ftp.hyperion.com. =========================================================================== From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 1 Dec 1994 15:49:43 -0500 Subject: Ship Names (minor ADS spoiler) So tell me, Ligia, if Cortez had NOT landed in northern Mexico, do you think it would have remained undiscovered until now? Fact #1: somebody was bound to discover the Americas. Fact #2: any sufficiently advanced civilization or culture will inevitably attempt to exploit any civilization or culture not sufficiently advanced to fight back on a level playing field. Blaming explorers for exploring has always seemed to me really kind of silly; do people *really* think that if Columbus hadn't landed here, it'd be 1994 and we still wouldn't know the world was round and that this continent was here? It doesn't matter who discovered it, the same result would've come. Somebody had to discover it sooner or later. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 3 Dec 1994 08:57:58 -0500 Subject: JMS: Re: insignia Rank insignia are on the shoulders, as per tradition; the bars under the EA logo are for area; gold for command, green for security, red for medical, and so on. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 3 Dec 1994 09:03:48 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: Baseball game I don't recall the SeaQuest game results; I do know that ST called and challenged us to a game...we said yes...haven't heard back since. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 00:21:32 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: renewal notice when If we bombed in November, we'd get NO. If we did good, we'd get Maybe. So far, we're still (happily) in Maybe. We likely won't know for sure though until March/April. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 00:24:04 -0500 Subject: Dayton Daily News B5 article If somebody has a hard-copy of this article, it'd be great if it could be sent my way. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 00:26:13 -0500 Subject: Boxleitner, the new William Sh First people complained that Sinclair wasn't expressive enough; now they complain that Sheridan's TOO expressive...Sinclair smiled too much, then he was too serious...now Sheridan smiles too much.... The Canadian TV Guide said Sheridan was as "wooden" as Shatner; now he's called as overly expressive as Shatner.... I dunno...maybe the hangup some people have with Shatner is the problem...and maybe they ought to get over it. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 00:34:31 -0500 Subject: jms:interaction on net? I appreciate the thought, Roxanna; I guess my main concern isn't so much nitpicking, that's part of the game going in; it's just whether or not my presence in an unregulated environment brings in so many poison darts from trollers and those out to make a hassle that it ruins it for others. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 00:34:43 -0500 Subject: Re: jms:interaction on net? And, of course, the reality is that there has not been ONE show ever produced in the history of television that could withstand the kind of scrutiny generally given to SF series. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 00:37:17 -0500 Subject: HEEELP!!! Dilgar War???? The war against the Dilgar was the one referenced in "Deathwalker." jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 00:37:40 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: Sex questio Me, I'm just waiting for somebody to refer to "The Long Dark" as "The Long Duck".... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 00:38:06 -0500 Subject: Is B5 really the "best hope fo This is, of course, one of the great ironies of any free society, that in order to BE a free society you have to create the very conditions that could turn right around and destroy that freedom. You have to allow things you don't like in the hope that there are enough checks and balances, and enough attractions to the current system to encourage folks not to change over. (I think it was Che Guevara who said that every nation is three meals short of revolution.) I keep playing with the notion of an opening narration a year or two down the road that says, "the Babylon Project was our last, best hope for peace. It failed." jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 00:38:31 -0500 Subject: Spider in the Web CC fiasco no Apparently there was a mixup on PTEN's side as to the order of episodes, and there wasn't time to get this one CC'd for the first airing, though it *will* be close-captioned for the rebroadcast. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 00:39:35 -0500 Subject: JMS Quick question about comme I actually don't know which sponsors would be considered primary; probably should, huh...? jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 00:41:07 -0500 Subject: Aliens The green/blackish scaly-headed aliens are the Drazi; the ones with the cthulhoid tentacles for mouths are pak'ma'ra; the fish-heads seen in "Deathwalker" are the Abbai...just for starters. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 00:42:38 -0500 Subject: ATT JMS: What would have happ Okay, alternate-universe time to answer your question.... "What if Sinclair had not left Babylon 5?" (Isn't this kinda like the Marvel What If? comics..."What If Dr. Blake's Nurse Had Been The One to Find Thor's Hammer?") The differences would be more noticeable in the later episodes of this season, rather than the first batch, which are still dealing in large measure with the after-effects of the season finale. So the first few episodes would have been somewhat the same in some ways to what is there with Sheridan. The problem that I had was that he was becoming (and would have become) mainly a problem-solver character; there's a squabble or a problem between other characters who are rising in profile (G'Kar, Londo, Delenn, etc.), and he solves the problem in some way. These, to me, were the least interesting episodes of our prior season. It would've been necessary to bring in another character with a direct connection to the shadowmen, since Sinclair's main connection is to the Minbari, and it would've been straining credulity to plug him too much into THAT story as well...hero of the line, missing 24 hours, Minbari soul, AND a tie to the Shadowmen...c'mon, what else does he do, fly under his own power? Had he stayed, the Shadowman tie probably would've gone to either Keffer or Garibaldi. Which, again, further removes Sinclair from the main thrust of the story. He would have stayed on as more of an observer of other people *acting*, while he *reacted*. I can't get too specific otherwise without revealing, by contrast, what's going to happen later on this season. Suffice to say this: watch the show up to and through "The Coming of Shadows," "All Alone in the Night," "Acts of Sacrifice," and "Hunter, Prey." (That's about episode #13.) You can then ask the question again, but I have a real suspicion that once you've seen those episodes, and what Sheridan does, you won't NEED to ask, because you'll see how he fits into the overall story in a very specific fashion with is 180-degrees different than Sinclair. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 00:48:57 -0500 Subject: Sinclair Who? or The Long Dark Re: Sheridan...thanks, and I think you'll continue to like him more the deeper we get into the season and we discover what's *really* going on with him. Last season, "Chrysalis" was the episode at season's end that kind of turned the show on its head; this season it starts a LOT sooner than that...there are several episodes mid-season that whop the series upside the head and send it spinning in a very different direction, and they mainly involve Sheridan. In particular, watch for "A Race Through Dark Places," "The Coming of Shadows," "All Alone in the Night" (which is a biggie, though it's designed NOT to look like that for most of the episode), "Acts of Sacrifice" and "Hunter, Prey." With one or two exceptions, they run in a block come February. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 01:28:56 -0500 Subject: JMS: This show of yours, "Baby Well, it's good to know all those electives in college came in handy SOMEWHERE.... (I think I racked up enough electives in philosophy to come close to a major; as it was I minored in philosophy and literature in my first two degrees.) There's a vast wealth of literature, poety, ideas, philosophy, that people -- average viewers -- know nothing about, because they may have been led to think it's dry,and dusty, and irrelevent, and less than interesting. So if I can slip that in, and make it interesting, and encourage them to seek out this stuff (I can't tell you how many folks have written me to mention they checked out Yeats and Tennyson based on seeing it in this show), then we're doing something worthwhile. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 01:29:04 -0500 Subject: JMS: Ed Wasser-Good actor or n Ed Wasser is sort of our discovery; I pretty much wrote the part of Morden with him in mind for the role. He's great in it. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 01:32:41 -0500 Subject: "The Long Dark" Review -- Spoi RE: Londo looking "more wicked," we're doing some very small, subtle things to his appearance, his wardrobe, pulling him into a darker range of fabrics. (Honest to god, you wouldn't believe how careful and detailed we are in setting this stuff up.) He'll even be getting a new, slightly darker coat, straighter lines, closer in style to Refa's, before the season's out. It's really interesting when you know where you're going.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 01:32:58 -0500 Subject: Re: Where's the Ring? (minor L Anyone who looks too closely for LoTR allegories will over the long haul be disappointed; remember, we're also constructing a story that casts an eye toward the events of the last 25 or so years, our own fall from a vision of the future, and it's designed to have some parallels to the story of the original Babylon. Thus far, though a few have started to get glimmers of where this puppy's going, very few yet really get just how *big* this story is going to get. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 7 Dec 1994 23:10:47 -0500 Subject: IMHO's on LONG DARK **** SPO Yes, we will eventually show the view into sheridan's office; we did it small in "Geometry," but not well, I think; we need to be back further. So we'll do it again. Until we get it right. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 9 Dec 1994 00:22:38 -0500 Subject: Yeats: The Second Coming (spec Joseph: the only thing I'll say is that you stumbled upone one very VERY important element in your message...but I'm not telling you which one. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 9 Dec 1994 00:23:07 -0500 Subject: Hey JMS! Great Show! Many thanks; encouragement like this helps us keep going.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 9 Dec 1994 00:29:20 -0500 Subject: JMS - Are Most T.V. Writers Ti Television writers do, and risk, as much as the industry will allow them to. The television business inclines one toward timidity, toward not making trouble, to the lowest common denominator. The few that rise above that are those willing to take a stand and risk losing everything if they mess up (Bochco, Kelley, others). jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 9 Dec 1994 00:33:44 -0500 Subject: Harlan Ellison gone? Harlan is still with the show, and his credit appears in the opening of each show's first act. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 9 Dec 1994 23:27:41 -0500 Subject: Babylon 5 credits font Serpentine Medium. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 9 Dec 1994 23:36:36 -0500 Subject: JMS: Spelling of Zahadoom? Z'ha'dum. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 9 Dec 1994 23:41:14 -0500 Subject: Uncredited Actor?, Future plot Conaway is credited in the episode. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 10 Dec 1994 00:00:27 -0500 Subject: Bab-5 on German TV??? I believe it'll be on Sat Eintz starting December/January. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 10 Dec 1994 00:02:09 -0500 Subject: JMS: Murder she wrote? Yeah, I was there on Murder for two years; fun show. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 10 Dec 1994 00:02:25 -0500 Subject: JMS: From whence "Understandin I just kinda thunk it up, based on my past experiences with these kinds of essentially theological organizations. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 10 Dec 1994 01:22:43 -0500 Subject: What's in Joe's head? What's in Joe's head? Gophers, mainly. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 10 Dec 1994 15:09:51 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: Can you help with Au This is something I have *zip* control over, alas.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 10 Dec 1994 15:12:59 -0500 Subject: JMS: Why keep harping on San D Having lived in San Diego from 1974-81, it's just my way of giving a wink to the old home town. Though there are some important things going on underground, in areas no one goes...the choice of SD is just a bit of fun. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 10 Dec 1994 19:52:52 -0500 Subject: Theron: WE WANT PROOF. OR, SHA I hate to be the one to point this out, but B5's ratings have been steadily on the rise now for weeks; in fact, the President of WB/PTEN distribution came here to the stage this week to congratulate everyone involved with the show. We're the 3rd rated dramatic series overall, in both ratings and demographics, and the demos are *killer*. Our last rating for "Long Dark" gave us a 5.2, which will definitely put us in the top 18 or even 15 of ALL syndicated shows. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 10 Dec 1994 21:22:20 -0500 Subject: Moronic Fanboys Excuse me, but has *anyone* here considered that Sheridan just might still be talking to the same tech he was speaking to not *five seconds earlier*? He wasn't talking to himself, so much, or the audience, though the push-in (the only shot we had) worked against that. He *was* talking to the tech. Honest. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 10 Dec 1994 21:28:21 -0500 Subject: JMS: Comments & question re B5 It's not supposed to be a blasted landscape around Geneva, and didn't look like that in the pencils. Ah, well.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 10 Dec 1994 21:28:34 -0500 Subject: JMS: Making of Babylon 5 I'm sure it'll eventually come out again somewhere... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 10 Dec 1994 21:37:30 -0500 Subject: JMS: What does Harlan do? Harlan does on the show whatever he *wants* to do on the show. He helped create the Ombuds character, added to the narration, does the final VO on the credits, sometimes talks with other writers about the show...he's our own personal free-floating agent of chaos.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 10 Dec 1994 22:08:46 -0500 Subject: ANSWER ME!!!! Some will. Some won't. Simple enough? jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 10 Dec 1994 22:09:05 -0500 Subject: How are you doing? So far, we're doing fine...but there's still a very long road ahead of us. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 10 Dec 1994 22:10:54 -0500 Subject: ATN JMS: Chrysalis (spoiler) a Yes, if Laurel had stayed with the station, either she would have pulled the trigger on Garibaldi, or been directly involved in other ways. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 11 Dec 1994 04:24:20 -0500 Subject: ATT:JMS Re: Jeff Conaway Yes, Conaway will be seen from time to time in the show. We get a *very* good selection of name actors, many of whom don't generally do syndication (not at what we can afford to pay, much less than ST has), but they're generally drawn by the material. At least that's what they tell me, and out of convenience and hubris I have come to accept it as true. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 11 Dec 1994 23:04:43 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: Media mention, well, Now that's comedy.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 11 Dec 1994 23:27:30 -0500 Subject: Re: Ivanova squirms (was Re: I "I wanna see those gloves come off. WHEN she's with someone." How's the next batch of new episodes...soon enough for you? jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 11 Dec 1994 23:30:33 -0500 Subject: Trading cards There are also apparently supposed to be real trading cards coming out from Cardz eventually. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 13 Dec 1994 02:16:43 -0500 Subject: JMS: your faves So far the best episodes of this year (in my view) are those in the next batch, starting January/February. (My favorite from the first group is "Geometry.") I think "The Coming of Shadows" may be the best (or at least my favorite) from the entire series to date. I'd also put "Chrysalis," "Babylon Squared," "A Race Through Dark Places" and "Revelations" toward the top. I suspect that "All Alone in the Night" will be up there, but I just today got the director's cut, and haven't seen it yet, though the dailies were terrific. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 13 Dec 1994 04:20:28 -0500 Subject: G'kar and Londo Tango. Ah, but you're assuming that the Londo-strangling-scene is as it seems to be; maybe it is, but maybe it isn't. You don't know the context yet. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 13 Dec 1994 04:20:42 -0500 Subject: JMS: A note of thanks. The thanks more properly belong with those who've supported and discovered the show for what it is, like yourself.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 13 Dec 1994 04:20:55 -0500 Subject: Thanks, JMS, for your guest st McCallum was *very* pleasant to work with, very unassuming and quiet. We've been very lucky with our guest stars; they have a strong respect for the text, and don't stray. And they bring a lot to each performance. On the subject of genre actors...they often created great characters, so memorable that they got typecast, and couldn't find work. This to me is a crime, and if we can cast them in ways totally opposite what they've done before (Koenig as Bester), and show the real range and skill these actors possess, we pay back a little of what they've given us, which we kinda owe them, I think. It's simply a gesture of respect. (Our first season, when Walter did his episode, when he would come to the lunch table -- all writers, producers, crew and actors eat together at the stage every day -- all the other cast members used to stand until he'd sat...tradition for a senior officer.) jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 13 Dec 1994 04:21:12 -0500 Subject: Moving Stars (One More Time... Because the window is so large, making a revolving cyclorama with fiber-optic stars is physically impossible. Doing matte composites for the lengthy shots which generally take place in C&C is also impossible; we could spend time rendering all those shots, but then wouldn't have time to render any OTHER CGI for the show. We're still looking for a better solution, but for now, it is what it is. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 13 Dec 1994 04:22:57 -0500 Subject: JMS: Hook-up with David Brin I know David Brin; have spoken to him, had lunch, you name it. I think our working habits are attidudes are *very* far apart. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 13 Dec 1994 04:28:55 -0500 Subject: Attn JMS (was Re: Is B5 really And in my more evil moments, in light of the analysis of "it was the dawn of the third age of mankind," I'm constantly fighting the temptation to have someone show up at the station with his young daughter in tow and say, "This is Dawn. She's three." Just to watch everyone's antennae explode.... (This to Dawn Sharon, who reminded me of it.) jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Dec 1994 01:29:52 -0500 Subject: SitW link to Stalking the Nigh The Bureau 13 name was *entirely* coincidental on Larry's part. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Dec 1994 01:31:34 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: Tom McDevitt tribute Actually, it was caused by a charity SFWA auction; I bought the rights to have a ship named after me in Tom's new book (at that time). Ed Bryant was the auctioneer, who snared me into a bidding war with a woman with an even longer name than mine, finally provoking me with, "If you were a REAL man you'd jump another hundred dollars and shut her down." I'm such a stooge.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Dec 1994 01:31:54 -0500 Subject: Re: Tv Guide Editor's View I hear they're going to print a slightly edited (minus the more inflammatory stuff, I was in a bad mood at the time) version of my letter in their magazine, with a note from the editor to the effect that he will maybe give B5 "another chance." jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Dec 1994 01:51:45 -0500 Subject: Question for JMS: Mimbari Warr Prior to the time of Valen, the Minbari's greatest spiritual leader, there was killing of Minbari by Minbari. There were three warring castes, which he pulled together when he formed the Grey Council (three from each caste forming nine, Worker, Warrior, Religious Caste). Since that time, and the Minbari have been in space for well over a thousand years, they have pretty much hewn to that rule; it is their greatest taboo. Once the three sides were integrated, the warrior caste mainly contented itself with external threats. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Dec 1994 04:29:29 -0500 Subject: JMS: another clipping for your Thanks for the info; much appreciated. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Dec 1994 04:31:19 -0500 Subject: JMS: save $$ on CC? (was: Spid Unfortunately, the CC company isn't set up to handle those kinds of files. (And btw, we don't handle that directly; WB/PTEN makes the deal with the CC company.) Generally, on the rare occasions when it isn't on first-run, it IS cc'd on the second run. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Dec 1994 18:30:05 -0500 Subject: Not exactly technobabble... (b I don't think referring to a medical problem or illness is in any way either technobabble or medbabble. Either babble is just that, a long string of terms which suffice for plot points. New medical conditions come along all the time, and require names. Twenty years ago we didn't have the term AIDS. If that had been used prior to the illness being discovered, would that be considered technobabble? I think we need to be somewhat sensible here; from time to time one must explain something or refer to something of a technical nature. I don't think that this must lead to a kneejerk response of classifying any kind of technical reference as technobabble. Terms have meaning, and the more you generalize those terms, the less meaning they have. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Dec 1994 18:34:53 -0500 Subject: jms: Sinclair's return If I were to tell you when and where Sinclair might be seen again in year two, it would *totally* ruin any surprise generated by this when it happens. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Dec 1994 18:35:05 -0500 Subject: JMS: FOX SCI-FI SPECIAL They used the only episode Warners gave them...I could say more, but why steam up your monitor...? jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Dec 1994 18:36:46 -0500 Subject: Re: What about the new viewers One of the focus groups done by Warners had the same reaction from one of the people; that B5 was too much a drama, too much character stuff, and not enough of what SF is. So he was asked what he considered SF to be. He lit right up and said, "Power Rangers." I almost went for him, right through the two-way glass.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Dec 1994 18:36:57 -0500 Subject: Sinclair is "The One" - Right? "Sinclair is 'The One' -- right?" Question is, the One *what*? jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Dec 1994 18:37:12 -0500 Subject: Thanks, JMS, for a great show! Thank you very much; your kind words are very much appreciated. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Dec 1994 18:37:27 -0500 Subject: JMS: Other comic stories Part of me wants to follow the other characters from the pilot, but another part of me knows that only a relatively small portion of B5 viewers have actually *seen* the pilot, and it might kinda lose them. I dunno, still considering it. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Dec 1994 18:37:42 -0500 Subject: ATTN: JMS Question on Sensors As Sheridan states in the conference room in "Points," they've never been able to crack the Minbari stealth tech, so there's no real upgrade to make. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Dec 1994 18:37:57 -0500 Subject: Is JMS a Vorlon? Yeah, a lot of my posts are dated in the wee hours, 1-3 a.m. or thereabouts; sometimes later. (Though a few, like this one, are a bit more ordinary.) You have to understand the schedule: I get to the studio early, I try to be on stage for filming as much as I can, then there's casting, meetings, editing, mixing, tone discussions with directors, on and on and on...then I come home around 8 p.m. or so, grab a fast bite, go into my office, write scripts until around midnight or one (occasionally blipping onto the modem while the dinosaur part of my brain tries to work out a story point), then do the bulk of my modeming live and on-line from then through the wee hours. Then I crash and do it all over again the next day. (I can use Tapcis for some off-line composing, but all my GEnie stuff and Internet stuff is written on-line, since the GEnie gateway can't handle offline stuff; once I've read a message here, it vanishes from my mailbox.) jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 14 Dec 1994 23:41:06 -0500 Subject: JMS: Situation in Seattle, WA? I don't know what the situation is or will be, but I'll endeavor to find out. (Meanwhile, if you want to roll out the cavalry, feel free.) jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 15 Dec 1994 01:42:03 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: Showing support for Of everything, writing your local station remains the best way of supporting B5. Thanks. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 16 Dec 1994 00:40:30 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS : The name Vorlon? This question is going to require considerable thought before I can find how to take what's in my head and explain it. Also an exorcism, probably.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 16 Dec 1994 00:40:46 -0500 Subject: JMS:Who watchers the watchmen? "Who watches the watchmen" is an old Latin phrase, sometimes translated as "who guards the guards?" Given sufficient time I could probably dig up the origin of the phrase; it's fairly common. And thanks re: Ivanova...she's a hoot. (And btw, Claudia and I are tentatively set to do a Horizons convention in England around Apilr or (er, make that April or) May. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 16 Dec 1994 00:41:50 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: Your letter to TV gu I think if I posted it here, intact, it'd blow out the hub and crash the system... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 16 Dec 1994 00:43:40 -0500 Subject: JMS: phony promo for "Soul Mat Not a fake promo, the WRONG promo...sigh...this one airs later. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 16 Dec 1994 02:57:57 -0500 Subject: JMS: Re: Question for JMS: Min There are some differences in appearances, over years of tradition and change, between castes; primarily, the warrior caste tend to bring their bone-crests to jagged points. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 16 Dec 1994 02:58:11 -0500 Subject: JMS:Is The Future Fixed?(ie. P "I think that pre-destination is about as unscientific as you can get." Y'know, that's EXACTLY the sort of thing you'd say. It was inevitable. Free will or predistination...I don't think either has been in any way scientifically proven. And your message indicates that you think one or two people CAN stop a war. How? With what information? You're attributing godlike powers to our characters. Sadly, in real life, all too often we're stuck watching the car accident in slow motion, knowing what's coming but unable to stop it. The war *will* come (and they don't hear the narration, that's just for you the viewer); question is, how will it come out? There's room for fluidity there, certainly. So it's both...the war is inevitable; the outcome, less so. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 16 Dec 1994 17:27:38 -0500 Subject: JMS: Keep the comic topical Thanks. I haven't seen the colored pages of later issues, but the pencils and, for the most part, inks are improving a bit. And thanks again for the support. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 16 Dec 1994 17:30:43 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: Is B5 doomed? You're mixing apples and oranges; it may be tied for 20 with ALL show, but you're including talk shows, and game shows, and Entertainment Tonight. In the ratings, you break out categories; and we're the third rated dramatic series, #3 out of 16 or 17. And our demographics are stellar. So things are looking very good right now. Seeing numbers is one thing, but you have to know how they are interpreted by ad agencies and networks for it to count. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 17 Dec 1994 04:24:14 -0500 Subject: PARADOX!! Re: JMS:Is The Futur Yeah, one can drag chaos theory into this...but this is a work of fiction, with a fairly traditional epic structure, meaning overall I'm more interested in myth than math. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 17 Dec 1994 04:54:38 -0500 Subject: Attn. JMS: JMS as Father Chri Okay, let's see, what can I tell you to tide you over...the next six new episodes that'll run are, in order, "A Race Through Dark Places," "The Coming of Shadows," "GROPOS," "All Alone in the Night," and "Acts of Sacrifice," with "Hunter, Prey" being the final new one in that cycle. I can say that all of those episodes (with the nominal exception of "GROPOS," which though it is a solid arc episode doesn't change the overall direction of the series) are stories that have major and substantial effects on the show's direction. In season one, we built all season to maybe three major WHAM episodes. ("Sky," "Signs," "Chrysalis.") This year we have double that number at minimum, and with greater impact. All of our major characters will start going through major upheavals in their lives during this period. It's a *very* intense six weeks. Several characters make decisions that completely change the direction of the show, and the way their character fits in with the series. One episode will look very much unconnected to the arc until the last five minutes, at which point there's a revelation that will likely astonish some and confirm suspcions for some other viewers. Simply put, by the end of those six episodes, in many ways the show you're used to isn't the same anymore, and the relationships between several major characters simply aren't the same anymore. And most interesting for me is that we get to push some of the characters' emotions to the very edge...and snap them. These six represent some of the strongest episodes we've ever done; I consider "Coming" to be probably the best episode to date. In "GROPOS" we're going for broke and are doing some *amazing* CGI stuff. How's that for a start? jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 17 Dec 1994 04:54:50 -0500 Subject: JMS: Signs reaction, .... Thanks; "Signs" is definitely a real hoot.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 17 Dec 1994 04:55:01 -0500 Subject: JMS: Sinclair-Garibaldi Closen Garibaldi is cautious, and careful, and his friendship with Sheridan will have to grow -- sometimes awkwardly -- with the new CO. We are doing some intersting things with the Londo/Garibaldi axis, however.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 18 Dec 1994 04:11:05 -0500 Subject: JMS-?'s and observations about San Diego was nuked by terrorists some time earlier; but if you dig deep enough, you could probably build something with enough money; and who knows how bad it *really* is. Ratings are very encouraging right now.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 18 Dec 1994 04:11:15 -0500 Subject: Re: BABYLON 5 Charges re: PARA It's hard to believe that anyone could consider B5 "too expsensive" since it costs considerably *less* than DS9 or Voyager to produce, by quite a margin. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 18 Dec 1994 05:07:21 -0500 Subject: JMS: Female Chars (Ivanova's T Placement in credits has got *nothing* to do with placement in the story arc; it's a function of how many episodes the character appears in, and what the actor can negotiate for. Totally separate issue. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 18 Dec 1994 19:55:34 -0500 Subject: JMS: Londo and Shakespeare? ( The interesting thing for me in this and related conversations is that I frequently notice messages indicating that "jms is doing the whole Kennedy thing," or it's the Lord of the Rings, or it's Dune, or it's tracking the Bible, or it's following Yeats...or it echoes Shakespeare, as in this case. In a way, they're all right, and in a way, they're all wrong. Right in the sense that in trying to create myth, or a story using traditional epic structure, you can see echoes not only between B5 and other such stories, but also between those other epics. The mistake is in thinking (and this isn't directed at you, just sorta woolgathering) that it is in fact a parallel to any one of them. That leads you into the error of the blind men each touching a part of an elephant; if you think the trunk IS the elephant, you've erred, and all conclusions that follow are thus skewed incorrectly. To the question of Shakespeare and Londo...yes, there's some resonance there, because Londo is an almost archetypal tragic/comic, or romantic/tragic figure. There was certainly a fair amount of Falstaff in him; references to consulting three technomages certainly resonates with MacBeth being "endorsed" as it were by the three witches. You can look at Londo and see Lear, or Hamlet, or others...and they all resonate to one degree or another, but none of them is wholecloth. Right now, all that most viewers have of the B5 story is a piece of the elephant, and are assuming that that *is* the elephant. Another good comparison would be to say that if you stop a reader part way into The Lord of the Rings, they'll assume it's all about some hobbits on the road, having adventures. Because they don't yet know about Mordor, or Sauron, or the Rings, or Rivendell, or the sheer *scope* of the thing. I don't think anyone has yet twigged to what this story is, really. One of the things really lacking in American culture, I think, is a sense of *myth*. So the story of Babylon 5 has a very mythic kind of structure. I think that's important. Which is why a lot of the elements I draw on aren't traditional television devices...literature, poetry, religion, hard SF, metafiction, Jungian symbology...there are an awful lot of ingredients in this particular pie, culled from the less likely aisles in the supermarket. You have to remember that my degrees are in psychology and sociology, with minors in literature and philosophy. So my tastes and predilections and resources are fairly eclectic and lean toward the classical. (How else to explain an atheist who's read the Bible cover to cover *twice*?) And I think I just answered your question in far more detail than could possibly have been desired.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 18 Dec 1994 20:12:48 -0500 Subject: Observations on Season Two to The only quibble I have with your message, and it's a small one, is your statement, "The success of Trek made B5 possible." Not true. In fact, Trek has made it infinitely *harder* to get other SF on the air, including B5. The general concensus in Hollywood is that the market isn't big enough to sustain more than one SF show at a time (particularly if it's space-oriented), and that's ST. (That may only NOW start to change with the growth of B5's ratings.) At every network, every studio in town, we were told -- repeatedly -- that there is NO market for space SF other than Trek, that they had the field to themselves, and there was no interest in trying to buck that scenario. That's one of the reasons that PTEN was so cautious in putting B5 on the air, among others. Even when we got the go for series, we were told that this was a dubious endeavor, because "we just don't think the market can sustain more than one show like this; we'll try it, but we'll just have to see what happens." So believe me, ST has not "made B5 possible." It has been an obstacle (one of many) to overcome. Not just for us, but for other sF projects that have tried to get off the ground. And over the last few months, we've now heard of other new SF shows gearing up in this area, because we've shown it can be done. And I think it's terrific; the more shows, the more we have to compete with one another, the better the shows will become, and the ultimate beneficiary of this is the viewer. Look at it this way...in the 25+ years since ST (and for the moment leaving out Buck Rogers, about which the less said the better), how many American SF series have there been set in the future with us as space faring people that have lasted more than just *one* season? Answer: zero. If ST had proven a market, wouldn't there be some in there? ST has never shown that there's a market for more SF, only that there's a market for more ST. B5 is the first show in over a quarter-century to play in this particular back yard and go more than one season. So you'll undertstand why, when people sometimes suggest that ST made B5 possible, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 18 Dec 1994 20:24:34 -0500 Subject: Re: Universal Moral code and G The idea of getting all sentient life forms, human and alien alike, to agree on a UNIVERSAL MORAL CODE is utterly impossible. Hell, get 15 people together and have them decide on where to go for LUNCH can take you *days*. The UN brought forth a Universal Bill of Human Rights, and there are STILL nations that haven't signed it, don't agree with it. Can you imagine the GREATER differences of opinion when you start bringing non-humans into the equation? jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 19 Dec 1994 03:08:22 -0500 Subject: Re: Observations on Season Two "Space: 1999" is, I think, *really* splitting hairs, in the sense that it is and was a British series. Whether or not it was targeted for Americans, or made *acceptable* to Americans, is a debatable issue. But it was something in the back of my head when I wrote my message.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 19 Dec 1994 03:26:53 -0500 Subject: Re: BABYLON 5 Charges re: PARA Yes, stations "have bills to pay," but buying a cheaper show isn't necessarily the solution if that show doesn't pull ratings. Because the money a station earns to PAY those bills comes from advertisers, based on the ratings. And B5 is currently rating very well. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 19 Dec 1994 03:27:04 -0500 Subject: Re: JMS: Londo and Shakespear "People with psychology backgrounds are sneaky, devious, underhanded, untrustworthy bastards." Yeah...and...? jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 19 Dec 1994 05:54:29 -0500 Subject: re: predestination Your interpretation is correct; the narration is designed as future history. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Dec 1994 00:45:18 -0500 Subject: OFFICIAL UK C4 airdates for Se If the problem is showing bare-kunckle fighting to the death, then somebody should point out to C4 that *nobody dies* in the match. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Dec 1994 05:06:56 -0500 Subject: UK:Channel 4 latest I'm piggy-backing this note to a UK letter in order to reach our friends across the pond. Hullo! I have a question/favor to ask. There's a puppet kid's show that aired in the US around the early 1960s that was made in England. There it was called "Space Patrol," but here it was called "Planet Patrol" to distinguish it from another show called "Space Patrol." I've been looking for copies of this show for literally decades; I've only found one. I would be willing to make whatever arrangements necessary to get additional copies of this show. (Hey, it was my fave show as a kid, what can I say...?) jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Dec 1994 05:07:05 -0500 Subject: Re: Observations on Season Two Correct; Battlestar Galactica wasn't about Earth's future; it was about them looking for us, their lost tribe, in our present. Doesn't fit the bill. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Dec 1994 05:07:14 -0500 Subject: Re: Universal Moral code and G Of course, getting everyone to agree to support and promote life and intelligence means coming up with a definition everone out there would agree upon for both those areas. Would some species even consider us intelligent? Would their sensory apparatus be sufficient to distinguish us as living beings, or their biology be so different that by their standards we don't qualify? And even here at home, some can use that debate for their own purposes. I saw a documentary last night about Nazi propaganda films used before and during the war to encourage doctors to terminate the physically and mentally disadvantaged, particularly the latter. They were routinely gassed in asylums. The logic they used: the mentally insane suffered from "existence without life." Thus there was no crime in eliminating them. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Dec 1994 05:07:22 -0500 Subject: JMS Re: Power Rangers Steen wanted to leave POWER to pursue other things; so I gave her a good death.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Dec 1994 05:23:50 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: Any images from the Will try to upload a few down the road a bit. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Dec 1994 21:24:48 -0500 Subject: B5 CD Booklet: Why stiff O'Har I was actually kinda surprised by the omission myself; I do believe there's a photo of Michael in there (him and Jerry standing in front of the big fan set)...I can only assume that it was done under the current licensing, and that department sent him what was to be on there. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Dec 1994 21:24:56 -0500 Subject: Attn JMS: Where and When is th The Horizons con is in late April or May sometime, and takes place in Bristol. Claudia and I aren't in any way involved, just working on the show. (There's a chance Peter Jurasik may also attend.) jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Dec 1994 21:26:32 -0500 Subject: JMS: Universe Today? Re: putting out an expanded Universe Today...y'know, that's not a bad idea.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Dec 1994 21:56:54 -0500 Subject: att jms: cramps? If your desire is to be equal...we've already shown Sinclair and Garibaldi taking a whiz in the men's room. And it's doubtful that Garibaldi's jockstrap would play much of a role in the story arc.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Dec 1994 21:58:30 -0500 Subject: JMS: How Many Planets? Balance Earth Alliance has about 14 worlds/colonies in 12 different solar systems. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Dec 1994 21:58:38 -0500 Subject: JMS-Demon Night Thanks. For a first novel, DEMON NIGHT is okay; learned a lot doing it. Mainly just wrote it for myself, when I couldn't find the sort of book I wanted to read, then when finished, shoved it in the closet and left it there for about 2 years, when my agent said I should really write a book someday. I said that I had, just for myself. She asked to read it, loved it, sent it to an agent affiliate of hers, the agent in NY sent it to an editor, and the first one who read it, bought it. Go figure.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Dec 1994 22:00:20 -0500 Subject: Re: JMS: Londo and Shakespear OOOPS! Just realized that the writer of that extremely perceptive message that I just replied to is a woman, not a man (looked at the name/address of the wrong message). Well, you're welcome to a cigar too, Melanie. Pull up a chair, and let's sit here and belch at each other, whattaya say...? jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Dec 1994 22:00:31 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: ? Re: Futurequest PB Yep, the folks at Futurequest asked if we could donate our stages for their use when we weren't using them, and we said yes. (So far I've seen part of our central corridor, and the dome tech's pit in C&C.) jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Dec 1994 22:00:41 -0500 Subject: Re: JMS: Londo and Shakespear "We see aspects of different myth-forms in Babylon 5 because they were the paradigms JMS used in developing his writing style, not because he's 'doing the Shakespeare thing.'" Somebody give that man a ceegar. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 20 Dec 1994 23:59:39 -0500 Subject: Believers: operating over pare Of course the surgical scars would've been a dead giveaway that surgery had been performed. Also, lying to them would have also been a violation of medical ethics. This was not a story about easy solutions. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 21 Dec 1994 02:25:37 -0500 Subject: B5 clips spotted on PBS "Futur I know that shot (the work crew in EVA suits) has been used in the show; I'll be damned if I can remember in which episode it appeared. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 21 Dec 1994 02:25:46 -0500 Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: ? Re: Futureques I seem to vaguely recall someone mentioning to me about maybe wanting to be interviewed on FutureQuest; I just wasn't sure what I would have to say that would be the least interest to anyone. All of the really interesting stuff comes out of my characters' mouths. You gotta understand, the overwhelming reaction upon meeting me is that there's less here than meets the eye. Stick a camera in front of my face and I end up just standing there, finger in ear, going bibble-bibble-bibble until it's over. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 21 Dec 1994 04:55:17 -0500 Subject: Re: Observations on Season Two I recently got a better understanding of what may have been forcing Paramount's hand re: their struggle to get a death grip on the stations, even at the cost of B5. Over the weekend I had the chance to talk with somebody WAY up the ladder in the Star Trek arena, a major name. From what I was told, the Paramount Network was in serious trouble of not getting the required number of stations for some time. What this means is as follows: you're a national sponsor. You want to make sure your commercials hit a certain percentage of the population. One of the ways to assure this is to get a certain number of TV stations in major markets; fall below that threshold, and the sponsors drop off. Call that figure X. Apparently, up until a few weeks ago, Paramount had X minus about 10. If indeed they were pressuring stations, that would seem to be the reason for it. As of last week, however, apparently they now have the correct number of stations, and all is well (which explains why one person here on the Internet was told recently by his local station that it *was* kind of preferred that B5 be dropped, but that this wasn't the case anymore). Overall, we've lost a few stations, but nothing so substantial that we can't find ways around it. They've got their stations, we've got ours, and in most cases they're the same stations. Fair enough. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 21 Dec 1994 17:04:46 -0500 Subject: Re: B5 clips spotted on PBS "F The cleanup crew in "Revelations" was out working the hazmat platform, that was a different object than the one shown in the clip. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 21 Dec 1994 17:07:46 -0500 Subject: JMS:Is B5 broadcast letterbox? B5 is broadcast in traditional aspect ratio; the letterbox version will only be available later. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 21 Dec 1994 17:10:53 -0500 Subject: JMS: How come Dr. Franklin did How do you know Franklin DIDN'T know about the biological changes Delenn is going through? Remember the scene in "Revelations;" he's allowed inside ONLY on the condition that he not tell anyone what he learns. A doctor's oath of confidentiality is crucial. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 21 Dec 1994 17:11:07 -0500 Subject: JMS: Language in the comic? The word "bastards" was in the script I turned in to DC. It got changed to "demons" by the editor. That change was made at the last minute; all the inked and penciled versions I'd seen before had the right word in it. I'm considerably less than thrilled about it. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 21 Dec 1994 17:11:25 -0500 Subject: JMS: What about Projectile Wea I have no objection to showing mass drivers, and the main problem with projectile weapons inside the station is that they have a nasty tendency to breach the hull, eliminating both parties. Though you will see some projectile-type weapons used elsewhere around the first part of February. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 21 Dec 1994 17:13:06 -0500 Subject: Re: Universal Moral code and G Eric: I will now collapse your 114 line message into what you were trying to say behind the fog of words: you want YOUR belief system to be the primary one portrayed, because yours is the truth, and the rest are, as you say, "bullshit." So get your own damned show...aside, of course, from the hundreds of hours of religious programming *already* filling the airwaves and cable systems every day of the year. Sorry, but I'm under no obligation whatsoever to reinforce your or anyone else's particular idea of what the Truth is. And your particular breed of intolerance is on of the uglier aspects of modern christianity. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 22 Dec 1994 02:54:29 -0500 Subject: ok, I wrote, now what? Now you can rest, at peace with the knowledge that you have worked off at least fifteen karma points from that rather unfortunate prior life in the middle ages.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 22 Dec 1994 02:54:39 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: The big "E-A" How the EA symbol came about is really kind of interesting. I knew that we needed something nifty, but the preliminary designs created for this just didn't do it for me. So I sat down with the graphics designer, and we started sketching stuff out. At this point we were looking mainly for the right silhouette. Circle was out; oval was too soft; triangle was too Trek. At one point he did a star variation. I looked at it, and somewhere in my head the right configuration was there, so I started to erase the points of the star, round them off, filled out the middle (and if you've ever seen me draw, it's a scary thing; I should stick to writing). I knew the shape was right when I'd finished, but I knew there was still something missing. That night, the designer called and said he'd been looking at it again, and he suddenly noticed that what we'd done was to put a silhouette E over a silhouette A, and when he sketched in the inner horizontal bars, tucked in the corner of the feet on the A, it came together perfectly. My problem is often that I can see what I want in my head, but I'm limited on actually drawing it. When we were doing the prosthetic design for the pilot for Delenn, our prosthetic designer hit a wall on the headbone section, finally threw up his hands and didn't know what to do with the thing. I went over to the studio, we talked for a while, I couldn't quite communicate what was in my head, so I grabbed one of the sticks they use to shape the clay and started re-shaping the back and sides of the crest. (He'd had them going straight down; I started to curve them, and hollow them out, making them more shell-like.) By the time we were done, we had it worked out. Which is really part of the fun in doing your own series; you get to stick your nose into parts of the production that normally you'd never get near, and do your best to screw it up, because that's what bosses do. I'm directly involved in costume approval, prosthetics, EFX, production design approval, everything. (On a couple of occasions I've sketched out what I had in mind for costumes, much to the amusement of our costume designer, because they look like something a 5-year old would draw. A drunk 5-year old, actually. But they communicate the silhouette, and that's the important thing, despite the fact that she's keeping the sketches for blackmail.) jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 22 Dec 1994 02:54:49 -0500 Subject: Re: Symbolism vs. Functionalit To the notion that there's no symbolism or ritual in the ways humans do things like cleansing oneself (unless, of course, you're from India, where there is a very real sense of ritual to these things), such symbolism can always be *introduced* into the routine. Say, by showering with a chicken. Works for me. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 22 Dec 1994 03:25:27 -0500 Subject: JMS: the original concept for Yes, since you've sussed it...the plan was to turn Delenn from male to female in "Chrysalis," in my original plans, as well as making her half-human. And yes, it would've had one hell of an impact...but my concern when I made that decision not do do this back in the pilot was based on the reality that we couldn't do it well. The "male" voice, altered by computer-enhancement, just sounded REAL bogus; we couldn't get it right, and I had to decide between dropping it, and doing something the people would rightly describe as lame all season, just for one big payoff. It was a tough call, but it had to be made. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 22 Dec 1994 03:25:38 -0500 Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: ? Re: Futureques Re: repeat performances (or is that re: peat performance)...I said just about all I could think of to say. The show really has to speak for itself, and most of anything I'd have to say should be said there. I don't tend to do a lot of interviews; I generally okay about one out of every twenty or so requests. Don' wanna be no star. The story is the star, and the actors are the stars. To quote Meatloaf, "I ain't in it for the power, And I ain't in it for my health, I ain't in it for the glory of anything at all, And I sure ain't in it for the wealth." jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Dec 1994 03:50:19 -0500 Subject: JMS: Exercise on B5? Actually, bear in mind that while C&C is one-third G, the rest of the station is not, and the closer you get to the hull, the greater the gravity. If Ivanova wants to experience one-g, she doesn't have to use exercise machines, she just has to go down to the right level. Not entirely unrelated, though, we're figuring on gradually working our way to showing exercise, sports and sporting events on B5; just want to be sure that when we do it, it looks right. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Dec 1994 03:55:01 -0500 Subject: JMS: Great Job on second seas Thanks; slowly but surely, we're figuring out how to make this show work.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Dec 1994 03:55:20 -0500 Subject: JMS: Why does it hurt? Scanning only hurts if it's a deep scan, trying to dredge out lost or buried thoughts, or if the other person is resisting. It can be anything from a headache to a migraine in intensity in general.. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Dec 1994 04:07:03 -0500 Subject: Re: Attn JMS: Why is Londo the "Morden is the mongoose." So what's needed now is a conveniently placed cobra.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 23 Dec 1994 19:39:31 -0500 Subject: Re: JMS: Great Job on second "So there really isn't enough action right now for my tastes." You should be careful what you wish for...because you're going to get more than your share of action in the batch of episodes beginning January 23rd...and when the dust settles, you may wish you'd wished otherwise.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 24 Dec 1994 00:54:47 -0500 Subject: JMS: Water on B5? One can't do *science* fiction without some occasional references to technology; don't let ST poison the well here. There's a fair amount of water on B5, all of it recycled carefully. You have to allocate some drip-irrigation for stuff like the hedge maze and a few other things because the mind needs stuff like that. I would think that they manage to siphon off any growing humidity inside the central area rather than allow for unplanned rainstorms that might muck things up. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 24 Dec 1994 01:19:49 -0500 Subject: A visit from St. Joe Dear Mr. DiMuzio: I believe the Nuremberg Literary Crimes Committee would like a word with you.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 24 Dec 1994 01:21:38 -0500 Subject: Re: Attn JMS: Why is Londo the I think you're being far, far too literal in looking for snake imagery.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 25 Dec 1994 03:18:57 -0500 Subject: Re: Attn JMS: Why is Londo the There would have been more than one answer that would have sufficed, but one answer was better than all the rest. Just the right mix of resentment, nostalgia, ambition, frustration and a sense of displaced destiny. Londo was hitting all those cylinders when he answered Morden's question. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 25 Dec 1994 03:19:05 -0500 Subject: HEY JOE, Where's N'Grath ???? I kinda got disenchanted with the way n'grath came out; he may or may not return. (In my mind I keep seeing some new enforcer with n'grath's head on his desk....) jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 25 Dec 1994 19:22:55 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: Where did episode # 207 is "A Race Through Dark Places," guest-starring Walter Koenig. Because 207 required extra post-production work, and we wanted to bang in with a good name guest star at the top of our next batch of new eps, we moved 208 "Soul Mates" down one, as the last of the batch just aired. Everyone at PTEN was notified of this, but somehow somebody didn't get the word, and misinformation got out. So for the week of January 23rd, that'll be "Race," followed by the rest pretty much in production sequence. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 26 Dec 1994 19:47:18 -0500 Subject: Hey JMS : Small season 2 plot Not a plot hole; wait for "All Alone in the Night." jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 26 Dec 1994 19:47:27 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: Collars? The collar change-over is intentional, carrying through the tradition of men's collars closing one way, women's another. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 26 Dec 1994 23:49:33 -0500 Subject: Peter David does it again. You mean like showing two of our command staff in the men's room taking a whiz? (Oops, sorry, we already did that one.) Maybe having the command staff talk about their zippers. (Oops, did that one, too.) Just thought of several others, but we've done those, too. This show is about *people*, not statues or icons. And it's in the little details, hassles, and physicality that we are reminded of their frailities and humanity...and see a little of ourselves in the process. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Dec 1994 04:19:00 -0500 Subject: More concerns regarding the se ...sigh.... Nobody at the network has been messing with the show. My general feeling is that at the start of a new season, you're going to get a lot of new people to the show, sampling it, and you want to bring them in gradually. (And as it is, there's been a LOT about the shadows in the first batch of episodes, in "Revelations," in "The Long Dark," and in other episodes.) The first seven episodes were mainly to introduce Sheridan, and to ease in the new folks. The next six new ones are *extremely* intense, and get into ALL the areas you said you wanted to see, from Santiago to the Psi Corps to the Shadow, you name it. I don't think a show like this can be rushed; people tend to get impatient, which is understandable. This show will get where it's going, but it'll have to do so at its own pace. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Dec 1994 04:19:08 -0500 Subject: More concerns regarding the se P.S. It occurs to me to correct what may be perceived as the tone of my reply, sent seconds ago. I just answered the same question on another system (though that one was phrased rather...aggressively), and upon seeing it not fifteen minutes later, I just sorta sighed at it. It's a valid question, and I hope my tone didn't imply otherwise. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Dec 1994 04:48:10 -0500 Subject: Re: Peter David does it again. G.T. Walton says, "I have followed Peter David since his early days." Well...okay...but the peeking in his windows after dark has *gotta* stop.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Dec 1994 04:48:18 -0500 Subject: What repercussions ? Opinions And here the same, as just noted earlier. We're only seven episodes into the new season; you have to build up to some of this stuff. Episodes 8 - 13 should satisfy just about all of your requests. And then some. B5 is a novel, and like any novel you have to have little diversions and asides along the way to continue to bulid (build) the universe and your characters. The deeper you get into it, the fewer of those you get. But we ain't nearly that deep yet. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Dec 1994 20:45:58 -0500 Subject: JMS: Delenn Sex-Change? Yes, originally Delenn would also have changed sex in "Chrysalis." jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Dec 1994 20:46:12 -0500 Subject: ST-TNG vs. B5 fans, any e "TV needs more JMSs...." Oh, dear.... "Hey, Morrie! MORRIE! Get another one of those crates down here! Yeah, the JMS-7 models. How the hell do I know, some lady named Stef called down from the main office and said they needed some more, what am I, a crystal ball? Just get it down here. I don't *care* if you dropped it on its head and now all it does is sit inna corner and go "wubble." Happened to the last one, too, and nobody's complained yet...." jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Dec 1994 20:49:18 -0500 Subject: What are we to be called? What to call fans of B5? How about the Incredibly Discerning In-Crowd, which would obviously be shortened to -- I can't...I just can't do it.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Dec 1994 20:51:02 -0500 Subject: Re: JMS: the original concept Correct; once we'd decided to commit to Delenn being female in the series, the makeup was modified to lose some of the more male elements. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Dec 1994 20:51:14 -0500 Subject: Hey, Joe-TV38 is moving B5 all The ratings are strong, but the ratings are also a function of when the show is aired. Move the show around a lot, and the ratings will fall on any show, because folks can't find it. Sometimes it's accidental, sometimes not. "It is *life*" -- Zathras. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Dec 1994 20:51:24 -0500 Subject: Re: Favorite B5 lines "Susan always gets the best lines, doesn't she?" Yup. Ah LIKES writing for Ivanova. She's a hoot. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Dec 1994 20:51:33 -0500 Subject: B-5 Comic Sold Out? You were told wrong. The book has sold very well, and DC is committed to further improving the project, both in terms of artwork, and quality in general (such as going to a better stock of paper in another issue or two, which won't bleed the color so much). jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 27 Dec 1994 21:20:10 -0500 Subject: Re: Favorite B5 lines See, for me, the best part about all of this isn't determining WHAT is a favorite line, but just that there ARE favorite lines.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 28 Dec 1994 01:49:09 -0500 Subject: B5 rules! Thank you for the kind words (and my address appears above).... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 28 Dec 1994 01:49:29 -0500 Subject: Re: Favorite B5 lines Everything that the character says is the writing; everything the character does while saying it is the actor. It's a funny kind of perception; I've now been at a number of cons with the cast members, and invariably they get the questions of "How do you create your character, how do you determine who the character is?", and I get the overall story-arc questions...almost as if these characters had existed outside, or were in the actors, and I stumbled upon them and put them into this arc. When asked this question at LosCon, Peter Jurasik gave his usual answer, "I just say what they write for me to say." Which obviously is a modest understatement; Peter breathes life into Londo and makes the lines work. It's all synergy, I suppose.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 28 Dec 1994 05:17:48 -0500 Subject: JMS: Pronouncing "Ivanova" I've known Russians who've used the same kind of pronunciation we have given Ivanova. It does vary. Heck, my name is pronounced STRUH-ZIN-SKI, when it *should* be correctly pronounced STRA-CHIN-SKI. Both are acceptable. And you get different pronunciations in central Russia from places like byelorussia or the more Eastern provinces. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 28 Dec 1994 05:17:59 -0500 Subject: B5 If you like those kinds of character flips, you're gonna love the next batch of episodes.... There are some real surprises in there, some relating back to first season stuff, and characters. It's easiest to flip a character when the story elsewhere is fairly straightforward, so you lull the audience in with a sense of "okay, this is the story, nothing major, shouldn't change anything," then you whap them hard when they're not looking. So whenever you see a jms script, and there doesn't seem like there's that much to it...be careful. The simpler the premise -- just a visit by someone to the station, someone taken prisoner and trying to escape -- the more you're being set up. It's kinda like the nak'a'leen feeder...as long as you can hear it, you're safe...but the moment you hear nothing.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 29 Dec 1994 01:48:37 -0500 Subject: Zathrus- Minbari/Human offspri Nope; Zathras is one of his race, which aren't offspring of any other two groups. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 29 Dec 1994 02:16:31 -0500 Subject: New episodes? New eps start week of January 23rd. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 29 Dec 1994 02:16:42 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: Do other B5 staff lu I know that Larry DiTillio (my story editor) recently gained access to Internet; some other crew folks hang around, pulling out interesting stuff and posting hardcopies on the B5 Buzz: Messages from the Internet board erected outside Stage A. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 29 Dec 1994 02:19:46 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: Valen query Valen called the Nine together and formed the Grey Council about a thousand years ago, give or take; died not long thereafter. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 29 Dec 1994 02:19:55 -0500 Subject: Re: Favorite B5 lines Though Caitlin left B5 to pursue offers to star in romantic lead parts, nothing to do with typeasting...your general concern is correct. We've tried to help avoid that on behalf of the actors. For instance, visually, you can hardly recognize Peter Jurasik in makeup; ditto for Andreas and the rest of our alien cast. This shouldn't inhibit their work in other areas (as opposed to seeing someone very recognizeable, but with pointy ears, which caused Nimoy great trouble for a long time). In terms of the human characters, I've tried not to wrap any of them around one specific character trait. They range from serious to comic, and do different things. Typecasting is a real concern, and it has to be addressed by those who make the show. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 29 Dec 1994 02:20:03 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: Characters and Cult Re: "turning weakness into strength," that's generally what humans DO. We stare into the abyss, we *know* the cause is hopeless, we know we're probably gonna get creamed trying, but we straighten our shoulders and *do* it. It is, I think, one of our better traits. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 29 Dec 1994 02:20:12 -0500 Subject: JMS: ? on Amanda Carter Larry slipped in the reference to John Carter of Mars, not our former prez.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 29 Dec 1994 02:20:21 -0500 Subject: Filming order All scenes in an episode are filmed together, over a seven day span. If you mixed and matched scenes, by different directors, in the same episode, you'd have big problems with the directors' Guild, and in determining director's credit. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 29 Dec 1994 02:20:30 -0500 Subject: JMS: Con Alert Question No plans for that part of the world, alas...but if they should ever materialize, I'll be sure to post the info here. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 29 Dec 1994 04:46:48 -0500 Subject: Re: B5 rules! (Putting this here only because there's nothing else relevant to tag it onto....) Anybody out there with cheat codes for Wing Commander III...I would hardly object if one day I found them in my internet mailbox.... (I gotta get a *real* life....) jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 29 Dec 1994 04:49:10 -0500 Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: Do other B5 staf What gets posted on the B5 Buzzboard is mainly reactions to specific episodes, analyses of where the story may be going...understand that making TV is like yelling into a vacuum; there's no feedback other than the ratings, so folks take any chance they can to see how viewers react. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 30 Dec 1994 01:45:47 -0500 Subject: JMS: Cost of production CAPT P The cost of an average POWER episode was supposed to be about $500,000 (for a half-hour show), but often ranged into $650,000 per half hour, which puts it WAY above B5 today on a per-hour basis. It was such out-of-control costs that led me to wonder if one could design an SF show so that it could be done SENSIBLY.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 30 Dec 1994 04:45:28 -0500 Subject: JMS: B5 vs. DS9 Legal Question No legal action was initiated by me against anyone on this subject; my feeling in general is that such actions only poison the water for BOTH sides. The better determinant is the open marketplace of ideas and public opinion. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 30 Dec 1994 04:45:37 -0500 Subject: JMS: Episodes I think they'll repeat the year one episodes after they've finished the new year two episodes. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 30 Dec 1994 04:47:23 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: Psi Corps Question There are genetic tests that check for the gene, which can be present or recessive; also, there's a network by which people who think they are telepathic, and thus troubled, can contact the Corps for help. The vast majority of PC members come to them in very early childhood. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 30 Dec 1994 04:50:25 -0500 Subject: ATTN JMS: Loose threads... 1) The first B5 novel is due out from Dell in January, from John Vornholt. 2) The Grimjack movie is awaiting final negotiations between the various parties, and for me to clear out some room on my desk to be able to do the script justice. 3) I'm finishing the first draft of one SF series pilot movie over the brief Christmas break, due for one of the major cable networks; another project is awaiting some executive decisions. (These things take time; B5 took five years.) 4) I'm hoping we'll see videotapes of B5 out by spring for the first season, laserdisks to follow maybe summer or fall. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 30 Dec 1994 04:50:33 -0500 Subject: Re: Favorite B5 lines Timov's "WHO IS THIS?!" in that high-pitched voice would also be a great one for an answering machine. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 30 Dec 1994 04:50:41 -0500 Subject: Re: ST-TNG vs. B5 fans, any ex On the whole Trek/B5 thing, here's something to ponder.... Over the Christmas break, my associate, Doug Netter (also an exec producer on the show) was staying at a hotel in New York. One day, as he was going up in the elevator from the garage below, who gets in at the first floor but....Patrick Stewart. Doug introduces himself. Patrick is pleased to meet him, and mentions that he likes Babylon 5 quite a bit; that he thinks it has great promise, is constantly improving, and wishes it only good fortune. He even invited Doug to tea, but Doug had family engagements, and had to pass. Passed along for whatever use that piece of information may be.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 31 Dec 1994 04:07:02 -0500 Subject: Re: ST-TNG vs. B5 fans - JMS I would think that Patrick Stewart has considerably bigger fish to fry than appearing on a syndicated SF series as a one-shot. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 31 Dec 1994 04:07:16 -0500 Subject: JMS: B-5 in chicago? WPWR is becoming a Paramount station, yes; I believe, though, that B5 is being moved to another day, so should still be there. (Just because I'm curious by nature...noting that your sig line indicates sysop of the National Islamic BBS...is there much notice of B5 among the Islamic community? I'm told that in some areas in Iraq and Iran, where some are able to pick up B5 off the satellite link, the show is known and responded to well, particularly since this is a Western show which is set in Babylon, which makes it a positive place. [I believe, but am willing to be corrected, that both Iran and Iraq tend to claim Babylon for their own, though those who live there tend to feel very independent of both sides.] Is there much awareness of the program among the American Islamic community, which you're probably more plugged-into, given the nature of your BBS? I've had several letters from people noting, accurately, that Minbari comes from the word minbar, the pulpit in a mosque. Anyway, just curious....) jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 31 Dec 1994 04:14:33 -0500 Subject: JMS: Battle of the Line number Minbari losses at the Line were fairly minimal, more the result of good luck than strategy, or EA ships doing kamikazi runs into Minbari cruisers. Very light. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 31 Dec 1994 04:16:09 -0500 Subject: B5 parties / cons in UK? I believe there is a B5 con planned for April or May in Bristol, England. Attending will be me, Claudia Christian, and Peter Jurasik. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 31 Dec 1994 04:24:50 -0500 Subject: Re: Favorite B5 lines One of my favorite exchanges, which never seems to show up, is from PoD v.1, when G'Kar says to Tu'Pari, who has come looking for Ambassador G'Kar, "This is Ambassador G'Kar's quarters. This is Ambassador G'Kar's table. This is Ambassador G'Kar's dinner. What part of this progression escapes you?" Favorite line in the next new episode, from Sheridan: "I'm not saying what I'm saying. I'm not saying what I'm *thinking*. For that matter, I'm not even *thinking* what I'm thinking." jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 31 Dec 1994 04:36:21 -0500 Subject: jms: Robert Jordan Influences? Alas (and I suppose I should be ashamed of myself), though I've heard of Robert Jordan, I've never actually read anything by him. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 31 Dec 1994 06:19:52 -0500 Subject: Dont trust Sheridan (was JMS: The president spoke truthfully; Sheridan could petition for a promotion for her, but it's up to Earthforce to grant it, so the line still tracks. (Note also there's no pronoun there; "Giving her a field promotion." The imperial We still stands, though.) Also, Sheridan says he put through the paperwork the day after he got there; which is fairly close to the time frame in the story in which the President says they'll be giving Ivanova a promotion. There's no discontinuity here. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 31 Dec 1994 22:49:56 -0500 Subject: Church of Chris Carter WAS: Waitaminnit...just wait one friggin' minute...is or is not the Chris Carter of teleport.com who logs on here, to whom I've communicated on numerous occasions, THE Chris Carter of X-Files, or another? If the answer is "another," that's a *terrible* thing to do to me; if the answer is yes.... Yo! Chris! (waving arms) There are maybe two or three shows each week that I endeavor to catch; yours is one of them. Absolutely terrific. Terrific writing and performances, and some *very* nice cinematography and direction. Probably one of the best shows around. It's one of the few shows that, if we miss it, we'll call around to all our friends (both of them) and see if they taped X-Files. Good to see somebody else doing it *right* out there. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 31 Dec 1994 22:50:05 -0500 Subject: Re: B5 & Voyager making Bigfoot is also a legend.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 31 Dec 1994 22:50:14 -0500 Subject: JMS: B5/ Canadian Cons? No B5 reps that I'm aware of, though many negotiations go through the actors' agents, and we may not hear about it. jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 31 Dec 1994 22:50:23 -0500 Subject: Re: ST-TNG vs. B5 fans, any ex Steve...that'll be interesting to see their response.... jms From: straczynski@genie.geis.com Date: 31 Dec 1994 22:50:34 -0500 Subject: Re: Church of Chris Carter WA See my note elsewhere here, if this is the correct Chris Carter. (Same header.) jms