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1459 lines
58 KiB
1459 lines
58 KiB
JMS CompuServe messages collected by The Green Meddler <kilgalen@tde.com>.
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Subj: Pirate Warning from jms Section: Babylon 5
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To: David Henninger, Friday, September 01, 1995 1:13:02 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#318703
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Simplest way to tell: if it has the PTEN copyright notice, it's
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usually authorized, same for any other product by other shows. If
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not, not.
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One-offs, paintings of characters, that's one thing, but if
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somebody's selling mass-produced stuff like links, PPGs, patches
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without any kind of ID on them, you can be sure it ain't legit.
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jms
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Subj: Pirate Warning from jms Section: Babylon 5
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To: Mark Slater, Friday, September 01, 1995 1:19:03 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#318706
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Just so we're clear, the problem isn't getting WB moving on
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licensing; ever since we got started here, I've been dragging my
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feet on licensing stuff, because I've seen merchandising become the
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tail wagging the dog on TV shows. I don't want that to happen
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here. So as stuff comes in, I approve only a few things, selectively,
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that I think can be done, and done well.
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Re: the UK videotape situation...that's something that I have no
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input into whatsoever, as it falls under the jurisdiction of another
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country, and the approval steps are several steps removed from me.
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jms
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Subj: Pirate Warning from jms Section: Babylon 5
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To: Alan Katz, Friday, September 01, 1995 11:01:20 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#319178
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I've been involved in approving the comics, the micromachines,
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the novels, the screen saver, the Fleer cards, and other stuff.
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jms
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Subj: Pirate Warning from jms Section: Babylon 5
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To: Stephen Burrow, Saturday, September 02, 1995 9:33:00 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#320089
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As with the disks, eventually we'll have tapes out, it's just a
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matter of convincing WB that there's interest out there.
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jms
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Subj: Pirate Warning from jms Section: Babylon 5
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To: Anne L. Warner, Sunday, September 03, 1995 7:20:08 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#320985
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It's a different division of Warners, run by Jim Cardwell at
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Warner Home Video, that makes the decision about cassettes.
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jms
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Subj: Pirate Warning from jms Section: Babylon 5
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To: Tom Knudsen, Friday, September 01, 1995 11:01:23 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#319179
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<Has any company requested a license for a calendar?>
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If someone comes to us with the right package, I'm sure we could
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work that out.
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jms
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Subj: Foul Ball Section: Babylon 5
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To: Benoit Langevin, Friday, September 01, 1995 1:13:04 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#318704
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The B5 baseball cap is available by phone order from Creation
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Entertainment or at any Creation convention.
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As for the sound mix...yeah, we put a great deal of work into
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that aspect, for the surround effect. If you fire up "Race" there's
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a LOT going on in that one. It takes a great deal of time, but it's
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worth it.
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jms
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Subj: Foul Ball Section: Babylon 5
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To: Benoit Langevin, Friday, September 01, 1995 11:01:17 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#319176
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Alas, I don't have their number right at hand, but if you call
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818 area code information, for the Creation Entertainment offices
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in Glendale, you'll get the info.
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jms
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Subj: Pirate Warning from jms Section: Babylon 5
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To: Blackadder, Saturday, September 02, 1995 9:33:31 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#320088
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<I have heard rumors of B5 being offered in laser disk in the near
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future. Is there any truth to it?>
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Eventually it'll be done, but there's no target date for that
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now.
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jms
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Subj: B5 vs. Trek fans Section: Babylon 5
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To: Sam W, Sunday, September 03, 1995 7:32:16 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#320995
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BTW, someone should point out to the "ST doesn't use CGI" crowd
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that, from what I saw, LOTS of the Voyager stuff was CGI last ep,
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including that shot where the legs extend from beneath.
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jms
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Subj: B5 vs. Trek fans Section: Babylon 5
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To: Louis H. Levinson, Sunday, September 03, 1995 7:32:14 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#320994
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There are limits to what the healing device can do, for starters;
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it can't repair physical damage to the body, mainly it works with
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disease and basic low-energy stuff; also, bear in mind that it was a
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device used for *capital punishment*...meaning that to save one person's
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life, another must sacrifice his or her own, if it's that far along,
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so it's not really something you can trot out everytime somebody gets
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nailed.
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jms
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Subj: What's legit? Section: Babylon 5
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To: Glen Guenther, 71163,75 Monday, September 04, 1995 3:21:18 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#321904
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T-shirts are available from Creation and All-U, with caps and mugs from
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Creation (and there's a GREAT new mug with the station on the obverse side),
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along with a great jacket with the station embroidered on the back. There
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are 4 micromachine sets out now, with 2 more to come. And the trading cards
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from Fleer are due out in about a week or so.
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jms
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Subj: Pirate Warning from jms Section: Babylon 5
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To: Jeannette Fornadel, 76371,3057 Monday, September 04, 1995 3:21:21 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#321905
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Sheridan's obsessive streak may be the only thing that gets them out
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of this alive. And as far as I know, the kid hasn't been born yet.
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jms
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Subj: Pirate Warning from jms Section: Babylon 5
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To: Mark D. Smith, 70254,107 Monday, September 04, 1995 3:21:24 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#321907
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Novel 3 is due out now, or in a week or so.
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jms
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Subj: Pirate Warning from jms Section: Babylon 5
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To: Anne L. Warner, 71513,1177 Monday, September 04, 1995 10:16:20 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#322437
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Yes, that's the correct address.
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jms
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Subj: Pirate Warning from jms Section: Babylon 5
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To: Anne L. Warner, 71513,1177 Tuesday, September 05, 1995 11:18:14 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#323593
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Yeah, thanks, we're finally starting to get some attention on the show;
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I think we've come to that annoying point where it's just about impossible
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to keep ignoring us....
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jms
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Subj: Pirate Warning from jms Section: Babylon 5
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To: Mark Slater, 100600,3605 Monday, September 04, 1995 10:16:21 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#322438
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I've always said...the day I approve Babylon 5 Underoos is the day
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you'll all know I've sold out....
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jms
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Subj: Pirate Warning from jms Section: Babylon 5
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To: Bob Perse, 75310,3312 Wednesday, September 06, 1995 11:52:19 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#324597
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<They'd want you to model the Underoos...>
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Naah...the whole nation would be struck blind, and I don't want to be
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held accountable for that.
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jms
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Subj: B5 vs. Trek fans Section: Babylon 5
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To: Carl BUSSJAEGER, 102065,1635 Monday, September 04, 1995 3:21:22 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#321906
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The two machines would only be distantly related.
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jms
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Subj: B5 season Three Section: Babylon 5
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To: Rae Augenstein, 72752,1653 Monday, September 04, 1995 10:16:24 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#322439
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New sets: yes, and we're creating situations in which we can see more of
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Earth, Mars, our other local planets, plus Narn, Centauri, Minbari and one
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other major world. As the Shadow War cranks into gear, you're going to need
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a place to meet in security and plan for it, so we're also building that.
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We'll see more of Draal's place on Epsilon 3. And there's one other major
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set that we'll see in the first episode, and quite a bit thereafter.
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New characters: well, there's Marcus Cole, a Ranger assigned permanently
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to Babylon 5, played by British actor Jason Carter; we'll see Lyta Alexander
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more this year; and Theo...what can I say about Theo...well, perhaps better
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to let you see for yourself.
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jms
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Subj: B5 season Three Section: Babylon 5
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To: Anne L. Warner, 71513,1177 Tuesday, September 05, 1995 11:18:13 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#323592
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Theodore.
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jms
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Subj: B5 season Three Section: Babylon 5
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To: SysOp Dupa T. Parrot, 70040,104 Wednesday, September 06, 1995 11:52:20 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#324598
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No, since Theo is a fictional character and Theo Bikel is a real person,
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and they're two different things.
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jms
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Subj: B5 Comics Section: Babylon 5
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To: Jeffrey Martino, 73477,1506 Wednesday, September 06, 1995 2:45:03 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#324077
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Yeah, as I understand it, because the book will be published on something
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other than a monthly basis, subscriptions don't apply, that's exclusively for
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their regular, monthly titles.
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jms
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Subj: Cast & Crew view eps? Section: Babylon 5
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To: Z. Michael Milutinovic, 71532,2231Thursday, September 07, 1995 10:19:00 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#325449
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Not really, no...sometimes, one or another cast or crew person will
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ask to screen an episode, but it's very spotty; we don't provide personal
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copies until after the episode airs, and only to direct cast and crew
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members.
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jms
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Subj: Cast & Crew view eps? Section: Babylon 5
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To: Jeannette Fornadel, 76371,3057 Friday, September 08, 1995 2:29:01 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#325901
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Well, though they haven't seen the eps, they *have* read the scripts,
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so they do know what happened in those eps.
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jms
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Subj: B5 move in SF Section: Babylon 5
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To: Thomas McDonough, 73641,474 Thursday, September 07, 1995 10:19:02 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#325450
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Well, I'm not surprised, in that stations generally don't run promos
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when the show is in reruns; we'll see what they do closer to debut.
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jms
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Subj: B5 @ Emmys Section: Babylon 5
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To: Rae Augenstein, 72752,1653 Thursday, September 07, 1995 10:19:03 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#325451
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No, I won't be there, due to work. The noms we've gotten are in hair,
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makeup and cinematography. They're up against stiff competition, though,
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so we'll see.
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jms
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Subj: John Shuck Section: Babylon 5
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To: Mojo Jones, 71555,271 Friday, September 08, 1995 2:29:02 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#325902
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<I thought I recognized John Shuck as Draal, when he wasn't doing the
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Draal voice. Is that the Commissioner's assistant from McMillan and Wife?>
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Same guy.
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jms
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Subj: B5 makes "Jeopardy" Section: Babylon 5
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To: Richard P. Manny, Friday, September 08, 1995 11:04:03 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#326352
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<If you haven't already been told, B5 became a Jeopardy question
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(answer?) last week.>
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Actually, it's a repeat of an earlier Jeapordy.
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jms
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Subj: The Vorlons Section: Babylon 5
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To: Daniel M. Upton Friday, September 08, 1995 11:04:04 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#326353
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What, I should begin catering to prurient interests?
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Broadcasting picture postcards (likely French) of Vorlons
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in provocative poses, in lingerie? A terrible thing, that
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a nice young man such as yourself should be asking about.
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Does your mother know you're out here doing this? Good
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heavens.
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And who said they reproduce anymore?
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jms
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Subj: The Vorlons Section: Babylon 5
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To: Jeannette Fornadel Saturday, September 09, 1995 6:33:27 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327062
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<"Wouldn't that Minbari bone be awfully hard on the mother?">
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Like elk antlers, they grow after birth.
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jms
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Subj: Walter on QVC Section: Babylon 5
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To: Richard M. Perry, Friday, September 08, 1995 11:04:05 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#326354
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What's this fascination with underoos and sheets and uncut
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something or others...?
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Have you started rooming with Daniel or something?
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Sigh...y'know, I remember when this was a clean place to
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hang out, kids could play in the streets, mothers could take
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their babies out in strollers, you could hang out on the front
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stoop and talk to people...now it's all underoos and nudie
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cutie Vorlon pictures.
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What's the world coming to?
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jms
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Subj: Fury landings Section: Babylon 5
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To: Kenneth Porter Friday, September 08, 1995 11:07:15 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#326355
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We have shown, in other episodes, including "Survivors,"
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that the starfuries come back in via the central docking bay,
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and are lowered into their proper bays from there, where
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they are recharged and repaired.
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jms
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Subj: Theo Section: Babylon 5
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To: Jeannette Fornadel, Saturday, September 09, 1995 6:33:27 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327061
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<Not that I expect a straight answer on the first post <GDRVVF>,
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but what sort of character is this 'Theo'?>
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Here's a hint: he arrives with about a dozen of his brothers.
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jms
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Subj: Theo Section: Babylon 5
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To: Daniel M. Upton, Saturday, September 09, 1995 10:51:06 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327315
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Nope, not a technomage.
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jms
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Subj: Theo Section: Babylon 5
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To: Bruce D. Sinclair Sunday, September 10, 1995 4:25:22 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327850
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<If Theo is part of another brotherhood you've established on the show,
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I think it's time to leave B5 - Pronto! <g,d,r>>
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Nope.
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jms
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Subj: Theo Section: Babylon 5
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To: Lynn Dimock, Sunday, September 10, 1995 11:09:01 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#328201
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He's definitely human.
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jms
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(Suddenly this has become "What's My Line.")
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Subj: Theo Section: Babylon 5
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To: John McAuley Sunday, September 10, 1995 4:26:02 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327853
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<How about Theo and his brothers being
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the first Organic ships (other than the Vorlon ship) to be
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stationed on B5?>
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Nope.
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jms
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Subj: Theo Section: Babylon 5
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To: Tom Knudsen, Sunday, September 10, 1995 11:09:02 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#328202
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<Is he one of the singing monks in the Moment of Perfect Beauty?>
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Nope.
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jms
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Subj: The Dodgers Section: Babylon 5
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To: Randall A. Schanze, Saturday, September 09, 1995 6:33:29 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327063
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Actually, much of what's been reported is misconception or
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actors who somewhat...misremember things.
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Bill was never considered a one-shot as Lennier. It was always
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a recurring role. That's what we put out in the casting breakdowns
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that went to agents, and that was the understanding when we did
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auditions, and when we negotiated with Bill, and did the main
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titles.
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Pat Tallman's character was *never* intended as a male; at one
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time, I'd considered making Delenn male to start with, then female
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after emerging from the chrysalis, but Lyta...never.
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So there really hasn't been as much divergence as might seem.
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jms
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Subj: OTHERSYDE Section: Babylon 5
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To: Raggedy Ann Sunday, September 10, 1995 4:25:25 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327851
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Thanks. Characters, for me, are the point of a novel, and
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any good story. Long after the plot becomes fuzzy in memory, you
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remember the people...you remember Ahab and Michael Valentine Smith
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and Charles Dexter Ward....
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Re: not having adjective/adverb disease...there's something
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funny there you wouldn't know about. See, when I was in high school,
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they had Career Day for the tops in various areas (dance, acting,
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athletics, whatever). I ended up in the Writing group. It was held at
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Southwestern College down by San Diego. I was stuck in this little
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room, and nobody came by, because who wants to see writers when you can
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see athletes and dancers and mimes?
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Finally, a short fellow with salt-and-pepper hair wandered in,
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and went down the line of manuscripts-with-writers, paused at my table.
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(I was writing stories in the Lovecraft/dark horror vein at the time.)
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Took one of my stories, walked off, sat in one of the lawn chairs,
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read it through. Came back, returned the story, took another. Read that
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one over. Put it back. Looked at me for a long moment.
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Then he said: "You have a great and substantial talent for your age.
|
|
Two pieces of advice: one, don't ever let them stop you from telling the
|
|
stories you want to tell; two, cut every third adjective."
|
|
|
|
Then he walked off, and as soon as he was out the door, the faculty
|
|
advisor came running at me at warp nine. "What did he say, what did he say,
|
|
whatdidhesay?" I told her. "Don't you know who that was?" she asked.
|
|
|
|
I said no, though there was something kinda familiar about him, and
|
|
remember it's always different when you see somebody out of context.
|
|
"That was Rod Serling," she said, "he's here to speak at the college later
|
|
today."
|
|
|
|
Had there been a gun within easy reach, I would almost certainly have
|
|
put a bullet into my brain. By the time I ran out, he was gone.
|
|
|
|
That was one of three weirdnesses in my life involving Rod.
|
|
The other two...are stories for another day.
|
|
|
|
So when you say I've managed to keep the adjectives down...
|
|
I'm very pleased.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: About your lighting Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: David Corbin, 75663,623 Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:27 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330433
|
|
|
|
<Why does B5 have so many 'moving spotlights'?>
|
|
|
|
They look cool....?
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
Subj: OTHERSYDE Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Linda Woeltjen, 76711,1142 Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:03 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330438
|
|
|
|
<How many people there are in the world who have as much confirmation as you
|
|
do that they're doing with their lives what they were *meant* to do?>
|
|
|
|
I'm not sure some days if this is what I was *meant* to do...or if I'm
|
|
simply incompetent to do anything *else*....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
Subj: Joe's name plagiarized Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Jerry D Bookter, 75453,2257 Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:30 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330435
|
|
|
|
<There's a guy with the name 'Micheal J. Superzcynski' on CompuServe>
|
|
|
|
Actually, I think I once ran into him hereabouts...small world....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: The Dodgers Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Philip Hornsey, 74053,2101 Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:00 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330436
|
|
|
|
<Re: Lennier never being considered as a one-shot character: I'll be d@mned.
|
|
Didn't this make it into TV Guide or something?>
|
|
|
|
Yeah, it did, and I'm kinda surprised by it, since Bill should really know better.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
Subj: 'Convictions' ep title Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Elyse M. Grasso, 70302,3304 Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:13 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330443
|
|
|
|
<Does the episode title 'Convictions' refer to strongly held opinions, or to
|
|
the aftermath of court proceedings?>
|
|
|
|
As it happens, yes, it kinda refers to both.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: B5 Story Line Static? Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Hugh Kennedy, 70042,710 Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:16 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330444
|
|
|
|
I'd be a fool not to build in trap doors all over the place, so that
|
|
the story can continue no matter what happens to individuals...in the same
|
|
way that the story of WW II continued, even though some lived and some died
|
|
before the end.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
Subj: Nowhere Man/Prisoner Section: Nowhere/DeadlyGames
|
|
To: Rob Wu, Monday, September 18, 1995 10:10:00 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#336538
|
|
|
|
I approached the show with great hopes, but have stopped watching.
|
|
It just stretches credulity; this is a nationally famous photographer...
|
|
have they eliminated/co-opted his publisher? Every bookstore in the
|
|
country that carries his books (which doubtless also have his photo),
|
|
every library, every person who's ever seen his work, sent
|
|
him a letter...it's just too big and too improbable.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Marshall Teague/Narn? Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Elyse M. Grasso, Monday, September 18, 1995 10:10:01 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#336539
|
|
|
|
Yes, it's the same character, and his name is Ta'Lon.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Query about Shadow Ships Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Mark Sloan, Monday, September 18, 1995 10:10:03 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#336540
|
|
|
|
They have alternate means of flipping into and out of hyperspace.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Baby 5? Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Rae Augenstein, Tuesday, September 19, 1995 10:14:14 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#337813
|
|
|
|
<What is your reaction to people referring to your show as
|
|
"Baby 5?">
|
|
|
|
Doesn't really bother me. Bombings, ships sinking, mortar fire,
|
|
*that* bothers me...the rest...ehh.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
Subj: Nowhere Man/Prisoner Section: Nowhere/DeadlyGames
|
|
To: David Farsaad, Wednesday, September 20, 1995 8:13:25 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#338847
|
|
|
|
"In real life they do it all the time."
|
|
|
|
Really? What was the last famous author/photographer/celebrity
|
|
who had his identity removed and then couldn't find anyone in the
|
|
continental United States who knew who he was?
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
Subj: Season Three Section: seaQuest DSV/2032
|
|
To: Rob Wu, Friday, September 22, 1995 1:17:10 AM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#340342
|
|
|
|
Haven't seen it, can't comment.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Query about Shadow Ships Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: John M. Kahane, Friday, September 22, 1995 1:17:12 AM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#340343
|
|
|
|
I can imagine there'd be different kinds of technology that
|
|
can accomplish the same goals, yes.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: <Long Twilight Struggle> Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Michael Zitaglio, Saturday, September 23, 1995 4:40:11 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#342223
|
|
|
|
"Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
Subj: <Long Twilight Struggle> Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Michael Zitaglio, Sunday, September 24, 1995 4:15:28 AM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#342827
|
|
|
|
<JMS, Father, you are wise.>
|
|
|
|
Thank you, son. Now clean up your room before your mom gets home.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Narn v. Centauri? Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Paul Sulkowski, Saturday, September 23, 1995 4:40:10 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#342222
|
|
|
|
The colonies mainly came during the Centauri occupation, first with
|
|
Narns transported there as slave labor or as convenient penalty (a la
|
|
Australia's early history).
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Mira Furlan in LA Play Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: All Sunday, September 24, 1995 6:01:02 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#343703
|
|
|
|
Mira Furlan, best known here as Ambassador Delenn, is currently
|
|
starring in a production of Sophocles' classic play ANTIGONE. This
|
|
modernized version is directed by Mira's husband, Goran Gajic, and
|
|
adapted by Deanne Stillman. It's a chance to see Mira out of makeup,
|
|
and in a very different kind of role than you've seen before.
|
|
|
|
The play is currently running at the Hudson Guild Theater, 6543
|
|
Santa Monica Boulevard, in Hollywood. Performances are Thursdays-
|
|
Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7. Tickets can be acquired by
|
|
calling 213-660-TKTS.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Pirate Warning from jms Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Kevin J. Goulding, Monday, September 25, 1995 2:34:22 AM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#344181
|
|
|
|
<Are any of the B5 episodes going to be release to LASER DISC??>
|
|
|
|
Eventually, yes, but no clear indication at this time of when that
|
|
might happen.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Random Queries Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Anne L. Warner, Monday, September 25, 1995 10:34:18 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#345526
|
|
|
|
<1. Will the WB-Turner merger affect you and B5?
|
|
|
|
2. Will we see Sarah (General Hague's messanger) again, or is Live Shot
|
|
taking all of Wanda De Jesus' time?
|
|
|
|
3. Rewatching All Alone in the Dark last night,rom: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#345687
|
|
|
|
I haven't actually gotten a copy of that issue of Foundation yet; are
|
|
there any other articles or essays in it mentioning B5? I sent James an
|
|
email, but so far, no reply, on getting a copy.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
(First time I ever wrote for a nominally "literary" publication;
|
|
hope I didn't come off as too much of a doofus.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Random Queries Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Scott Orwig, Tuesday, September 26, 1995 10:36:29 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#346921
|
|
|
|
<Might this affect syndication? Is there a chance of WB "selling" B5 episodes
|
|
to TBS for $100?>
|
|
|
|
Dunno...it's all beyond my ken.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Stunned by B5 Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Neville White, Wednesday, September 27, 1995 1:45:10 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#347493
|
|
|
|
Thanks. There does seem this odd rule that when a new viewer tries out
|
|
the show for the first time, it's invariably one of our few dorky shows; but
|
|
if you stick around, the next one is usually dead-on.
|
|
|
|
What do *I* want? To finish this story.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Mira Furlan in LA Play Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: R-Laurraine Tutihas, Wednesday, September 27, 1995 1:45:13 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#347494
|
|
|
|
That I don't know; I imagine how long it runs will be a function of how
|
|
many show up. Best to call the phone number given and ask what they are
|
|
currently projecting.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Major B5/ST News Section: Star Trek
|
|
To: All Thursday, September 28, 1995 12:46:11 AM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#348451
|
|
|
|
Before you hit the *kill* button...a thought or two in your general
|
|
direction. First, if you're eager for the actual news part of this message
|
|
-- and it is kinda important -- it appears at the end of this message. If
|
|
you've got a second, stick around.
|
|
|
|
In every interview he's given on the subject, Walter Koenig has spoken
|
|
glowingly of BABYLON 5, as a show he feels is fighting for genuine quality
|
|
SF in television, with serious, mature stories for fans who grew up on STAR
|
|
TREK and are looking for more of that quality...none other than Majel
|
|
Barrett Roddenberry has gone on record at conventions, including Toronto
|
|
Trek and the recent Wolf 359 convention, as saying that BABYLON 5 was "the
|
|
only other intelligent science fiction series out there" besides the ST
|
|
shows, and urged ST fans to support it.
|
|
|
|
If you've tried the show, and it wasn't to your tastes...fair enough.
|
|
No one should be expected to like everything. If you'd like to give it
|
|
another shot, that's fine, but there is no need to defend your opinion; we
|
|
respect it. Not every show works for every viewer.
|
|
|
|
If you *haven't* tried the show...if you liked the original ST and the
|
|
work of Majel and Walter and Harlan and others involved in it...if you like
|
|
the work of Peter David, who has written for B5 and supports it...you may
|
|
want to give it a shot in October/November.
|
|
|
|
The final four episodes from year two will be broadcast starting the
|
|
week of October 11th, with the new year three episodes beginning the second
|
|
week of November. These nine episodes in a row contain some of the best
|
|
work we have ever done. Acting, writing, directing, effects...we stand
|
|
behind all of them. (The year two Final Four were held back from earlier
|
|
broadcast to lead into the debut, so these are new to the US, although they
|
|
have already aired to substantial praise in the UK.)
|
|
|
|
If perhaps you have been turned off by some of the more vigorous
|
|
messages from B5 viewers, I'd only ask that you consider those comments in
|
|
light of the fact that Paramount (NOT the people doing ST, but the studio
|
|
itself) has done everything possible to hinder the progress of B5, which
|
|
engenders certain reactions from everyone; and that to a man or woman,
|
|
virtually all of the more vigorous posts have come from those who have long
|
|
considered themselves fans of STAR TREK, voicing many of the concerns which
|
|
are stated right here in this forum by current viewers...which they had long
|
|
before there was a B5... as well as some of the praises found here.
|
|
|
|
The ironic thing is that there is no problem between those who make B5,
|
|
and those who make ST..Jeri Taylor is a friend, Majel supports the show,
|
|
when ST does an episode with great EFX we call them, when we do a good one
|
|
they call us...it's almost entirely a matter of perception.
|
|
|
|
So for what it's worth, direct from those of us who make BABYLON 5, if
|
|
you haven't checked out the show before, or if you're curious to see where
|
|
we stand now...I would like to personally invite you to check out the new
|
|
batch of episodes starting around October 11th. If you want to give us all
|
|
nine episodes, that's great; if less, that's fine too. If not at all,
|
|
that's also fine.
|
|
|
|
Over a late dinner with Majel, I observed that after the original STAR
|
|
TREK, which for the first time presented truly *human* characters, with all
|
|
their flaws and frailties and bravery and nobility, in a science fiction
|
|
series, the ball was dropped, and no one picked it up again for years. She
|
|
agreed with this...and it is my hope that you will find this coming season
|
|
of BABYLON 5 to be that show.
|
|
|
|
Because it isn't an either/or, sum/zero game...one can watch, and
|
|
enjoy, BABYLON 5 and STAR TREK equally, for different reasons, since their
|
|
approaches are very different. And this is the perfect time to come into
|
|
B5, since these episodes encapsulize a lot of background, and will take you
|
|
quickly into the background, the universe and the characters.
|
|
|
|
Which is why, I'm pleased to announce, Majel Barrett will be appearing
|
|
as a guest star on BABYLON 5 this coming season...a gesture of support from
|
|
her, and a gesture of respect from all of us at B5. The deal has been
|
|
signed, it's a done deal...she'll be appearing in episode #9, "Point of No
|
|
Return," as Emperor Turhan's third wife, Lady Morella. We're very much
|
|
looking forward to her appearance in the B5 universe.
|
|
|
|
For all these and other reasons, I hope you'll give BABYLON 5 a try.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
(P.S. For the Internet gang...please don't repost this on the 'net until
|
|
after Jeannette has broken the news; I promised I'd let her make the
|
|
announcement there, after she heard about it at Wolf 359 in the UK, and agreed
|
|
to keep this secret for the last week at my request.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: B5/ST News Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: All Thursday, September 28, 1995 12:46:12 AM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#348452
|
|
|
|
Suggest you check out the "Major B5/ST News" thread over on the ST forum.
|
|
Majel Barrett Roddenberry has signed to do a guest appearance on B5's third s
|
|
eason as a gesture of mutual respect.
|
|
|
|
ms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Major B5/ST News Section: Star Trek
|
|
To: Mr. Laser Beam, Thursday, September 28, 1995 1:20:16 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#348928
|
|
|
|
Actually, we make as sure as possible that every episode contains the
|
|
information required to follow it; any needed background is restated or
|
|
contained within the episode. You can see some, all or any other number of
|
|
episodes and be able to follow them...in some countries, they're running the
|
|
show *completely* out of order, except by season overall, and it seems to be
|
|
doing okay.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Major B5/ST News Section: Star Trek
|
|
To: Ted Wilcox, Thursday, September 28, 1995 1:20:14 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#348927
|
|
|
|
"He was nasty to the people in the crowd who tried to support ST. He
|
|
literally tried to make them look like idiots and talked them down."
|
|
|
|
I'm sorry, Lisa...I hate to say you're exaggerating, or being less than
|
|
truthful, but this never happened. I don't know if you're remembering it
|
|
this way out of some defensiveness, but this never happened, and there were
|
|
plenty of other people at that panel who can confirm this.
|
|
|
|
I have made it a very deliberate point, in any public appearance, not
|
|
to put down *anyone* for watching ST. Never have, never will. I don't know
|
|
if you're attributing comments made by others to me, or simply going off
|
|
your emotions of that panel, but it never happened. I know that Shane
|
|
Shellenbarger (noted SF fan/writer based in Arizona) was there that day
|
|
videotaping the panel, and I'll drop him a note asking to check the tape and
|
|
verify this.
|
|
|
|
(I also remember very distinctly at that panel that I kept trying to
|
|
change the topic to non-B5 shows, but kept getting yanked back to it by the
|
|
other panelists and the audience...in large part because a) I wanted some
|
|
info on the other shows, and b) I didn't want to blow the info that I'd come
|
|
to use at the big presentation at a small panel, thus eliminating any sense
|
|
of drama and becoming redundent.)
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Major B5/ST News Section: Star Trek
|
|
To: Ellen Fuscellaro, Thursday, September 28, 1995 11:50:09 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#349855
|
|
|
|
Ellen: thanks. As for the episode in question, it's entitled "Point of
|
|
No Return," and the role of Lady Morella was written specifically for Majel.
|
|
I hustled to get it finished prior to the Wolf 359 convention, where I gave
|
|
her a copy of the script. She read it overnight, and fell in love with the
|
|
story, the character, and what it was going to do with and to the BABYLON 5
|
|
universe (to wit: start turning it upside down). Next morning, she said
|
|
"I'm in." And she is.
|
|
|
|
Yes, it's a jms script, and is one of the most pivotal of this season,
|
|
episode #9, which with the one before it, "Messages from Earth," builds to a
|
|
major turning point in #10, so it should be a very popular, intense and
|
|
memorable episode in every respect.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Major B5/ST News Section: Star Trek
|
|
To: Anne Davenport, Thursday, September 28, 1995 11:50:10 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#349856
|
|
|
|
I *think* B5 is shown in San Diego on Saturdays or Sundays around 5 or
|
|
6; not entirely sure. Likely somebody else here who lives down there can
|
|
give you the info; also, I believe there's a station list in the library
|
|
which may have this info.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Major B5/ST News Section: Star Trek
|
|
To: Charles Olsen, Thursday, September 28, 1995 11:50:13 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#349857
|
|
|
|
Thanks. To me, emotion is the *core* of drama...an episode, a story,
|
|
should leave you feeling something...make you worry, or think, or get mad,
|
|
or laugh. So the stories tend to proceed very much from an emotional core.
|
|
Thanks for jumping in.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: B5/ST News Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Jeannette Fornadel, Thursday, September 28, 1995 4:21:27 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#349188
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She'll be playing a Centauri female, the Lady Morella, Emperor Turhan's
|
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third wife; also a prophetess and seer.
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jms
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Subj: B5/ST News Section: Babylon 5
|
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To: Jeannette Fornadel, Thursday, September 28, 1995 9:34:22 PM
|
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#349702
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I often work on more than one thing at the same time; on B5, in
|
|
addition to the producing jobs, I'm outlining one script, writing another,
|
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editing a third....
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Prior to B5 (which is all-consuming), I'd often be in somewhat lower
|
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pressure jobs (standard writer/producer, not exec), and would be writing the
|
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episodes, plus a novel, plus stories, plus a screenplay, plus other stuff,
|
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all pretty much at the same time.
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The key, though, is to FINISH what you write. Otherwise it's useless.
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jms
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P.S. You misspelled "weird."
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Subj: 3rd Season opener... Section: Babylon 5
|
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To: Peter David, Thursday, September 28, 1995 11:50:07 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#349854
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<Rumor is the 3rd season opener will feature Lord Refa going insane when Londo
|
|
slips him hash-filled brownies. And it's called, "Refa Madness.">
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I won't comment on a joke I told you first....
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We must now go to the WGA and arbitrate this.
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jms
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Subj: Major B5/ST News Section: Star Trek
|
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To: Jeannette Fornadel, 76371,3057 Saturday, September 30, 1995 1:03:23 AM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#351142
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Yeah, "Messages from Earth" came out quite well as a script; can't
|
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wait for it to roll before the cameras.
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As it happens, episodes 8, 9 and 10 ("Messages," "Point of No Return,"
|
|
and "Severed Dreams") are kind of a triptych, linked at the hip and designed
|
|
to pull together/blow out several major hanging plot threads once and for
|
|
all, and send the show spinning off in an entirely different direction. The
|
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hardest one to write was 10, because it's a very emotional episode for the
|
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characters, and for me.
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And next is #11, which I begin to write this weekend...and #11, year
|
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three, is the *exact* midpoint of the 5 year story. This is the hump, the
|
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dead center of the journey. It took so long to get here, and suddenly we're
|
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halfway finished.
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jms
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Subj: B5/ST News Section: Babylon 5
|
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To: Jeannette Fornadel, 76371,3057 Saturday, September 30, 1995 12:43:07 AM
|
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#351131
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Nothing's crammed; it all fits where it fits.
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jms
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Subj: 3rd Season opener... Section: Babylon 5
|
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To: Anne L. Warner, 71513,1177 Saturday, September 30, 1995 12:43:04 AM
|
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#351130
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As Fred Allen said, "Imitation is the sincerest form of television."
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jms
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Subj: Major B5/ST News Section: Star Trek
|
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To: Colin Knowles, 72152,201 Friday, September 29, 1995 1:16:13 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#350385
|
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|
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Re: "No Mrs. Troi on B5," I remember the comments when we mentioned for
|
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the first time that we'd have Walter Koenig on the show. "Oh, lord, Chekov
|
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on B5." Then they met his character, Mr. Bester...and nobody said that no
|
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more. He instantly became one of our more popular, interesting characters.
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The role Majel's going to do for us is very different than what she's
|
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done before...otherwise, what's the point?
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jms
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Subj: Major B5/ST News Section: Star Trek
|
|
To: Bette A. Loukakis, 102513,3065 Saturday, September 30, 1995 1:03:24 AM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#351143
|
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All that can be done is to write your local station. My hunch, though,
|
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is that this will settle down when the new episodes come on; reruns they
|
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invaribaly mess with.
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jms
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Subj: Old Messages Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Michael Detlefsen, 70156,1636 Saturday, September 30, 1995 12:43:03 AM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#351129
|
|
|
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Thanks; yeah, that show was a hoot. So was HOUR 25 in general. But in
|
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time it just became too much of a conflict of interest. I couldn't keep doing
|
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a show about SF, including media, and make a product FOR SF media.
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jms
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Subj: Wolf 359 Update 1995/96 Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: BRIAN COONEY, 100551,1656 Saturday, September 30, 1995 1:03:27 AM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#351144
|
|
|
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Ah, Brian...now that you've appeared in public, allow me to give you one
|
|
good-natured, but quite solid thump to the head.
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|
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Remember when we were leaving the hotel the morning after the
|
|
convention, and you and your associate gave Kathryn and myself two wrapped
|
|
gift boxes? Well, as you recall, we were in a hurry, so we thanked you
|
|
politely, put them in our bags (carry on only, no check through), and
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|
hurried to the waiting cab.
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|
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We got to the airport, and were about to go through the scanners, when
|
|
we remembered the boxes. First rule of international travel: no matter WHO
|
|
gives you a package, always open it before going on board, because they'll
|
|
ask you. So we opened the two boxes.
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|
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Which contained letter openers. About half a foot long. Reasonably
|
|
sharp.
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In other words....KNIVES! We were about to go into an international
|
|
airline with KNIVES in our carry-on bags.
|
|
|
|
Do you know, Brian...can you *imagine* the hassle those knives cost us
|
|
on the flight? The conferences with security, the long explanations, the
|
|
checking and cross-checking of passports, the knives taken away by security,
|
|
then returned in the plane later...then going through the whole thing all
|
|
over again at the stop-over in Chicago...having to provide passport and
|
|
other ID, getting a Chicago airline security person who happened to know the
|
|
show to vouch for me and sign the knives back over to us....
|
|
|
|
We had such *splendid* things to say about you during all this, Brian.
|
|
You should've heard them. We were half-tempted to leave the bloody things
|
|
at the terminal. You may want to tell your people next time to THINK before
|
|
they give someone a package for international travel. I can just imagine
|
|
what would've happened if we HADN'T checked the boxes before going through
|
|
the scanners. "Are you carrying any weapons or any kind?" "Nope." "Then
|
|
would you care to explain these items, sir?" CLANG! They'd throw away the
|
|
key.
|
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|
|
That said...if you're still up for having me at the Encounter,
|
|
depending on terms and times, I'm up for it.
|
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|
|
But please...no parting gifts....
|
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jms
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Subj: Midpoint Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Elyse M. Grasso, 70302,3304 Saturday, September 30, 1995 1:04:03 AM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#351145
|
|
|
|
Yeah, I just noted that elsewhere...at episode 11, we're over the hump.
|
|
Strange to think it'll be over in just another couple years.
|
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|
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jms
|
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Subj: Major B5/ST News Section: Star Trek
|
|
To: TazDevil, 102671,2161 Sunday, October 01, 1995 4:23:15 AM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#352360
|
|
|
|
Except, of course, that there wasn't "a quick directional change by
|
|
offering a new enemy" (in second season) because that enemy - the Shadows --
|
|
was in there right from the git-go, in season one...in "Chrysalis," which we
|
|
shot #12 even though it was aired #22 as our cliffhanger, and in "Signs and
|
|
Portents," short shortly thereafter. So it was always there, and has always
|
|
been there...they're the primary antagonist, in a philosophical sense,
|
|
throughout a major part of the story.
|
|
|
|
"...and the mutation of another primary character." This, also, was in
|
|
the outline of the story from the very first episode onward; it's
|
|
*important* to the story, and wasn't done for any of the reasons you cite.
|
|
(The only change here was that Delenn was originally planned to be a male
|
|
character, if androgynous, which emerged female from the chrysalis, but we
|
|
couldn't get the male-altered voice to sound right, so this was dropped,
|
|
though we kept the more-human aspects.)
|
|
|
|
You seem to determine "the maturity of the show" by not offering real
|
|
or substantive changes; but this show is *about* change, and the choices we
|
|
make that create those changes. There's this notion that if someone's the
|
|
captain, he has to stay the captain all the time; which is the element that
|
|
many ST fans criticize in TNG as to why Riker stayed first-officer for seven
|
|
years, which would kill any other career.
|
|
|
|
So it's not a reset, it's an advancement of the storyline...look at
|
|
Londo as we first saw him, and now; ditto for G'Kar...we're talking here
|
|
major, substantive changes. That aspect is at the very core of the story.
|
|
You really can't look at this as you would a regular episodic drama in that
|
|
one respect; "Oh, they just changed characters, so they're just starting all
|
|
over again." That's not the intent at all.
|
|
|
|
"the show (TNG) stayed with its basic core of characters and followed a
|
|
similar structure...B5 episodes seem to detract from this formula." Which
|
|
is precisely the intent. I don't like formula, or predictability, or to
|
|
lock down a structure and never change it...that's not life, and I try to
|
|
make this show emulate life. People change, die, get promoted, demoted,
|
|
transferred, corrupted, redeemed...change, for me, is the *drama* of the
|
|
story; to stay static and unchanging the reverse of that. It's *process*,
|
|
and I find process fascinating.
|
|
|
|
"I guess patience is a virtue." Well, I have to say that if you're
|
|
waiting for B5 to settle down into a predictable, unchanging formula, you're
|
|
going to have a long wait ahead of you, because that's not in the cards. The
|
|
changes and developments only pick up greater speed and ramifications the
|
|
deeper we go into the storyline.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
(PS...as for "all or some of the credit" for the new SF shows going to
|
|
ST, much as one might wish that were true, it isn't. Otherwise you'd've had
|
|
a lot more of them in the last 30 years. I've been in meetings with network
|
|
and studio execs, and one reason it took us 5 years to sell B5 was because,
|
|
as we were told verbatim, "There's no market in TV for SF other than Trek;
|
|
the market won't sustain more than one SF show like that; people don't want
|
|
SF, they want ST." It was used, repeatedly, to justify why you couldn't do
|
|
these kinds of shows...and I'd point out that B5 is the FIRST SF show in 30
|
|
years, since ST, to be set in the far future, with mankind as a spacefaring
|
|
civilization, and with a fully worked out cosmology of other races,
|
|
politics, and governments...and particularly one of the very few to go past
|
|
two seasons in general. Now you're getting more SF on the air because the
|
|
networks have finally seen that ST does NOT have a death-grip on TV SF, and
|
|
other shows, like B5 and X-Files *can* survive.
|
|
|
|
(Certainly it was never ST's intent for this to happen, and I'm not
|
|
saying that it is or was; but this has definitely been the result, and the
|
|
ST shadow has been something for other SF shows to overcome; it has not made
|
|
the process easier, only more difficult. How many American-made space SF
|
|
series have gone past 3 seasons other than ST? It's after 4 seasons that
|
|
the networks/studios begin making back their money, and since the answer to
|
|
that is "virtually none," you begin to see why they've been reluctant to do
|
|
more than stick their toes in over the last three decades.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: B5/ST News Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Jeannette Fornadel, 76371,3057 Saturday, September 30, 1995 10:49:14 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#352249
|
|
|
|
I don't tend to leave out things in my stories, particularly B5, as
|
|
much as morph them into something else if I feel it'd work better a
|
|
different way. For any writer to be so hidebound to stick to every single
|
|
tiny element of the outline, once one is at the script stage (or the novel
|
|
writing stage) is foolish, and I can't think of anyone who doesn't diverge
|
|
to one degree or another.
|
|
|
|
For me, an outline is basically a series of directions on a map; get
|
|
here, turn *right*, take highway 407 to here, get off and proceed south. But
|
|
if you get into a part of your trip, and suddenly see that there's a fork in
|
|
the road you hadn't anticipated that'll cut hours off your trip, you'd be
|
|
foolish not to take it. Non-writers never understand that; they only see
|
|
the work when it's done, not the process, which is alien to them.
|
|
|
|
If you make a course correction, you have to make sure everything still
|
|
tracks with your goal, natch, or risk getting lost along the way...but to
|
|
the "experience" part of your question...that's the instinct that keeps you
|
|
ever heading toward your destination. That comes only with time. And I've
|
|
been at this a LONG time.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Wolf 359 Update 1995/96 Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: SysOp Dupa T. Parrot, 70040,104 Saturday, September 30, 1995 10:49:17 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#352250
|
|
|
|
I had exactly 90 minutes in Chicago, 87 of which were spent explaining
|
|
to security people why I was carrying these knives in my carry-on luggage....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Midpoint Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Jeannette Fornadel, 76371,3057 Saturday, September 30, 1995 10:49:23 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#352251
|
|
|
|
Well, of course, in the best case scenario, after the series has run
|
|
its course, the theory is to try and get *out* of TeeVee and back into novels
|
|
and plays.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Harlan 'tooned Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Ray Pelzer, 70475,1263 Saturday, September 30, 1995 10:31:26 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#352240
|
|
|
|
Harlan is a *huge* fan of Pinky and the Brain. As it happens, I know
|
|
the actor who does one of the two voices (I can never remember if he's Pinky
|
|
or the Brain...I think the Brain...Maurice LeMarche), and had him call Harlan
|
|
as his character. They did competing Brains.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Majel Barrett on B5 Section: Star Trek
|
|
To: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644Saturday, September 30, 1995 10:31:31 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#352241
|
|
|
|
Thanks. What's compelling, for me, is that the reason the original
|
|
Star Trek worked so well is that the actors did a great job portraying those
|
|
characters...and ended up becoming tagged as being those characters, so in
|
|
the long run were hurt because they couldn't get other work. But they were
|
|
able to make these characters work so well *because they were terrific
|
|
actors*. So if you give a Walter Koenig or others another kind of role,
|
|
they'll do just as excellent a job with that as with what went before.
|
|
|
|
So the part for Majel will, as stated, be quite different.
|
|
|
|
Glad you like the final four; "Inquisitor" is also very much a favorite
|
|
of ours, and even though it has far fewer effects than the episodes on
|
|
either side of it, lots of folks here consider it possibly our best episode.
|
|
And yes, the impact of "Twilight" is pretty much what you describe...just
|
|
sort of a stunned silence, and lots of people have said they didn't want to
|
|
talk about it for a while afterward, being very moved by it.
|
|
|
|
Re: the decision to hold back the final 4...creatively, it was a pain
|
|
in the ass, because I wanted them out in July, so people could consider the
|
|
implications. But WB felt that it would give us a leg up on the third
|
|
season debut, let us build some momenum with 9 eps in a row rather than just
|
|
6-7. There's an element of truth to that. So I guess it's a wash....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Majel Barrett on B5 Section: Star Trek
|
|
To: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644Sunday, October 01, 1995 4:23:05 AM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#352358
|
|
|
|
That's weird...I'd sent this to Mary Taylor, and it ended up being sent
|
|
to myself...I think I used a wrong commmand in Tapcis....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: Origins of Hokey Pokey Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: John M. Kahane, 102664,773 Saturday, September 30, 1995 10:49:02 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#352252
|
|
|
|
<"The Hokey Pokey" dates back to slavery; is its use in "A Voice in the
|
|
Wilderness" related to that?>
|
|
|
|
I've actually heard several variations on what the song means; my guess
|
|
is that the real origins have been so reinterpreted and made-up over time that
|
|
we may never know the actual basis...what you heard is as valid as just about
|
|
anything else.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*******************************************************
|
|
* SPOILERS FOR FINAL FOUR SEASON-TWO EPISODES FOLLOW. *
|
|
*******************************************************
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: <TLTS> Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Dinie Kloosterboer, Friday, September 01, 1995 1:13:06 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#318705
|
|
|
|
<Are Shadow ships more like an animal than a StarFury?>
|
|
|
|
Well, they're organic technology, so they can feel, but only
|
|
after a fashion.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: <<Fall o' Night Ques>> Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Rae Augenstein, Friday, September 01, 1995 11:01:18 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#319177
|
|
|
|
<During the battle in Fall of Night, when that part of the station
|
|
gets shot off, what exactly is that thing anyway?>
|
|
|
|
It's an area for helping secure ships while being offloaded
|
|
into the zero-G cargo bay right behind it.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: <<Fall o' Night Ques>> Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Robert Miller, Sunday, September 03, 1995 7:20:02 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#320983
|
|
|
|
|
|
<Will that area be repaired in time for the third season?>
|
|
|
|
Repairs will be visible being done in the first episode.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: <The Fall Of Night> Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Daniel M. Upton, Sunday, September 03, 1995 7:20:04 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#320984
|
|
|
|
The Vorlons aren't yet ready; they can't take on the shadows by
|
|
themselves, and must bring together other forces.
|
|
|
|
And in each case, re: Kosh, what they saw was not the *head* of
|
|
their belief, but in essence a supporting being of light; it wasn't
|
|
G'Quon, but G'Lan that G'Kar saw, which was a being that story tells us
|
|
served G'Quon. So you wouldn't see the head of the religion,
|
|
since there can only be one of those, and lots of Vorlons, but each tends
|
|
to have a supporting cast, for lack of a better term. Those are what
|
|
we perceive the vorlons to be.
|
|
|
|
And remember, we didn't see any other human's POV of Kosh but
|
|
Sheridan's.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: <The Fall Of Night> Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Tom Knudsen, 72347,1626 Tuesday, September 05, 1995 1:33:09 AM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#322589
|
|
|
|
No, she wouldn't. Again, you don't see the *top* of the echelon of any
|
|
belief, because there can be only one of those; it's the servants of light you
|
|
see (and even the Old Testament makes reference to such things).
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subj: <The Fall Of Night> Section: Babylon 5
|
|
To: Eric Baker, 76600,2605 Wednesday, September 06, 1995 5:36:27 PM
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#324201
|
|
|
|
<Who would Ivanova see?>
|
|
|
|
Orson Bean.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
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Subj: <Long Twilight Struggle> Section: Babylon 5
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To: Michael Zitaglio, Friday, September 22, 1995 11:14:10 PM
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From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#341404
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Thanks. Yes, there's a WW II parallel, not in terms of
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justifying one or the other -- one can make compelling
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arguments for and against the use of atomic weapons to close
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the war, but I leave it to those who were there to have
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made the right decision, because they had to live with it --
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but in terms of strategy and wartime logic.
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jms
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