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1154 lines
47 KiB
1154 lines
47 KiB
The following is a transcript of the non-spoiler
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portion of a real-time chat conference held with
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J. Michael Straczynski (JMS) on CompuServe,
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November 2, 1996 at 22:00 GMT.
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL IS THE COPYRIGHT OF THE
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RESPECTIVE PARTICIPANTS AND COMPUSERVE
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INFORMATION SERVICE.
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Archives of this material may be found at:
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ftp://ftp.speedlink.com/pub/bbarrett/cis/
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- or -
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http://www.speedlink.com/bbarrett/b5/
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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JMS: hello all, just hanging out until we begin.
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JMS: thanks, all
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JMS: good heavens, but the room got kinda rambunctious, didn't it?
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JMS: dupa, shall we get started so we don't have these gentle folks just hanging
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around waiting?
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Moderator: ATTENTION! We're about to go into formal moderated conference mode.
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Dupa: JMS - Suits me <g>
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Moderator: Hold off on your question submittals until we get things set up and ready to go!
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Moderator: Here we go!
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JMS: i do what i can
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Moderator: OK, moderation has now started.
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JMS: So let that be a lesson to you, and never darken our towels again!
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Moderator: I need to get a couple of people recognized here so hold on for a sec...
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JMS: (glaciers move, we wait)
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JMS: (tectonic plates move, we wait)
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Lyon: Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the CompuServe..
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JMS: (my shorts ride up, we...well, this has just taken an ugly turn)
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Lyon: Science Fiction and Fantasy Forums (GO SCIFI)
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we cordially welcome you to our live Formal Conference
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with Babylon 5 executive producer J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI.
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JMS: noted chicken strangler
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Lyon: Those of you who are unfamiliar with formal conferencing, just
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JMS: run like hell
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Lyon: sit back and enjoy. Meanwhile, you can (geez, Joe! <g>) queue your
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Dupa: <squawk!>
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Lyon: questions to our moderator, Lee Whiteside.
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JMS: newly released from prison
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Moderator: Let me spit out my canned intro...
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Lyon: As you can see, we're a very organized bunch. <grrr>
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Moderator: Welcome to our live conference with J. Michael Straczynski
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sponsored by the Science Fiction Media One forum )SFMEDONE)
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which is part of the Compuserve Science Fiction Forums all
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accessible from SF Central at the SCIFI go word here on
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Compuserve.
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With us today is J. Michael Straczynski, creator and executive
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producer of the Babylon 5 TV series. He has also just released
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through Writer's Digest books a Revised and Expanded edition of
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"The Complete Book of Scriptwriting" (ISBN 0-89879-512-5).
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Of interest to Babylon 5 fans is a sample script included in
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the book of the Hugo award winning episode "The Coming of Shadows".
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I'm SysOp Lee Whiteside, your moderator. Helping out today is
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SySop Mike Willmoth and SysOp Jim Shaun Lyon.
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This will be a moderated conference, with all questions going
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through the question queue. The first part of the conference
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(30-45 minutes) will be spoiler free in deference to those
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who have not yet seen the season finale "Z'Ha'Dum". I won't
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pass through any potential spoiler questions until I let you
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know its time.
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A transcript will be available in the SF Media One forum of this
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conference. Check the What's New or the Babylon 5 General Message
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Base for details when it is available.
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That should do it for the canned intro, so let's get on to the
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conference!
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Willmoth: Us, organized?
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JMS: well, that's whipped everyone up into a tepid fervor
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Lyon: So organized!
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Willmoth: Hi, Joe! Loved Z ep...
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JMS: thanks
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Lyon: How about our first question, Lee?
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Moderator: OK, let me get to the questions here.
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JMS: (the planet turns, we wait)
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JMS: (stars fall from the sky, we wait)
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Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Trevor B
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How do you flesh out your characters?
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How do you make them real?
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JMS: That's the easy part. All you have to do is create them as realistically in
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your head as you can, by investing in the emotions and feelings and the kind
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of personality you have within yourself....
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you slice off bits of yourself and invest them into other characters. That
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way you *know* them, and when you drop them into a given situation, there's
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no doubt about what they'd do...
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it's like imagining your best friend (if you don't have one, borrow the best
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friend of the person next to you) walking across the living room late at
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night, and banging their shin on the coffee table....
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because you know your friend, you don't have to *hesitate* to know what they
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will say when this happens. It's just a process of getting to know them
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yourself.
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Question from SEATTLE, WA: Andi Shechter
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Joe, in a recent ep, the Narn homeworld had some amazing graphics with half
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broken domes that were, to me very much like what Hiroshima looked like post
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bomb. Knowingyou look at the details, was this deliberate?
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JMS: Yes, there was some element of that. It's not a moral judgment thing, but a
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referential point. As for Narn architecture overall, I told them I wanted
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sort of an alien culture as the Soviet Union might've designed it....
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everything tending toward the blocky, the functional, less aesthetic than
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you would find on Minbar. This is a culture that has crawled up from war,
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and functionality is more important.
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Question from EAQ: Shawn Ratner
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Mr. Straczynski,
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Babylon 5 is a great series! Will Babylon 5 ever be part of the Earth Alliance a
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gain since they have suceeded?
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Thank You!
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Shawn Ratner
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JMS: Well, they've certainly succeeded at what they were attempting. As for the
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future, who can say? (Well, yeah, I can, but I won't. Which brings me to a
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point...
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asking me "is X going to happen?" in a conference, or at a convention, can
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turn into a frustrating experience for others, because generally I prefer to
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let things be done in the show rather than blow it out here. Just FYI.)
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Question from CFP: Jim Marshall
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Will we ever know what was written on the side of the new Kosh's ship when it sa
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w sheridan on the forks outside the station?
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JMS: What, do I look like someone who can speak Vorlon? Oh, sure, a few words,
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mainly "Where is the bathroom" and "What's that smell?" but to translate
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something like that...pfsh, please.
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(Answer: probably not.)
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Question from DENVER, CO: Tim Orel
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What was the inspiration for that scene back in late season one or early two whe
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re the aliens were being sued by the earthman for the humiliation to their ances
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tor in New Mexico? That was one of my favorite scenes of all time, in spite of
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the fact it hasn't (yet) anything to do with the main plot.
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JMS: Yeah, it's a lovely scene. I dropped it into Christy's script because it
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was something I always wanted to do. I just figured, okay, if these things
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really ARE happening, and it gets found out, and we make contact with
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aliens, and find the ones responsible....
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somebody's gonna want to sue their butts off. So it became a very logical
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extension of the judicial system (tongue somewhat in cheek). And...well, it
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was a hoot. I'll forgive much if it's a hoot.
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Question from SAN MARCOS, CA: Don Berg
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At a Creation Convention in San Diego last weekend, the host claimed that
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JMS was shorting the Babylon 5 arc to 4-years instead of 5-years.
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Can you assure us that this is FALSE?
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JMS: Nothing has been firmed up or finalized about the fifth year. At a meeting
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at WB just three days ago, it was brought up as a continuing possibility.
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(brought up *by them*)
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Question from ALBUQUERQUE, NM: Collin Anderson
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In the first season Sinclaires wife or was it girlfriend(I cant remember) encoun
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tered a ship at a planet that drained all her ships energy. I remember that GKa
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r warned her not to go there. Is there going to be any more exploration of this
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plot line(Who these beings were that she encountered)?
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JMS: Yes, we'll see that ship and those beings again soon; we've seen them once
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already, in "Voices of Authority," and we'll see them again. GA
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Question from DJN: Rich B
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Was PsiCop Al Bester named after author Alfred Bester who wrote..'The Stars My D
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estination'?
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JMS: Yeppers.
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Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Trevor Hart
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JMS, hello, is Othersyde going to go to reprint as I cannot find a copy?
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JMS: There aren't any current plans for taking either of my two published novels
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or my published anthology back to print; I wrote them a long while ago, and
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my feeling is that they're good for what they are, first attempts....
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but as much as some who've read them (and are doing better now) have
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encouraged me to do so...I dunno...I just think I'd be best letting them go
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for now.
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Question from CZL: Michael Lieber
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why are the seasons so irregular in length with the season just ending now in
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the U.S. and starting again next week? love the show
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JMS: They program episodes specifically for sweep periods in February, May,
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occasionally July, and November. That's when stations set their advertising
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rates, and they hold 'em for that period. So now they use October...
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to ramp up the ratings for the November sweeps, since it takes folks a while
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to find out we're on the air again with new episodes (due to the new and
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daring approach to our PR, stealth programming).
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Moderator: From ratings info I've seen, things seem to be very much on the
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upswing, right?
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JMS: Absolutely. We just cracked the top 20 the other week, the first time we've
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been that high in a while; the following went to 26, but that was because of
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the World Series, which killed everything. WB is very pleased.
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Question from NEWPORT BEACH, CA: Stephen C. Smith
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Joe, you contended a few months back that 1/3 of the fans would agree with
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the Shadows' motives after seeing "Z'ha'dum." Having read the posts from viewer
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s who've watched the episode, does that seem to be the case?
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JMS: Well...maybe closer to 20%. Some have made arguments for the logic, but not
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the methods. A few have come forward and said they see the point...and now
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that we know who they are, we can take care of them.
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Question from LONDON: JM
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who is your favourite B5 character?
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JMS: All of them, for different reasons. I love writing for Londo; sometimes you
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have to work a little to get a character to talk to you; with Londo it's the
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opposite. Getting him to shut up. I love 'em all.
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(I stunned them, it seems.)
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Moderator: argh. All the questions I've been asking have been deleted...
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JMS: smooth.
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KILL HIM!
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Dupa: BANG!
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Willmoth: And they call it moderation :-)
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JMS: well, moderation is good if not taken to extremes
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Moderator: The Question Queue works fine, sometimes.
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JMS: (operator error, don't say anything to him about it)
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Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Pink Planet
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Greetings from Pink Planet (our german fanzine)!
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My question: What is Mordens first name?
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JMS: What is Mordens first name? Mister. (Actually, I'm trying to avoid giving
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that out, as it would personalize him too much, and I prefer him as a force
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of nature.)
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Question from PROVIDENCE, RI: Ed Jusczyk
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Why does Ivonova wear only one gold stud earring in her left ear?
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JMS: It's a testimony to the character's fictional brother, who died in the war,
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and Claudia's real brother, who passed away.
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Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Mary Broderick
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Are the portions of the eloquent passages spoken by G'Kar at the end of Z'Ha'Dum
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foreshadowing in regard to things to come for Sheridan and Geribaldi? {e.g., S
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heridan - "The future is all around us, waiting in moments of transition, to be
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born in moments of revelation."
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JMS: Hrrmmmm.....could be, could be. (WHO SENT YOU? HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS? WHY
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HAVE YOU BEEN PEEKING IN MY WINDOW AT NIGHTS! THAT'S IT, I'M CALLING 911!)
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(next...)
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Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: G'Kane
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Are there any news about the spin-off? And if it is made, will the story be inte
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resting enough for you to stay with it and write at least some episodes?
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JMS: Yes, there's been some movement; WB has asked for a treatment, which has
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been given to them, and they like it. There are more conversations going on
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this coming few weeks. We'll see. If we do get a go on it....
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yes, I'll stay with it. Babylon (in whatever form) is my baby. You don't
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toss your kid out into the world undefended.
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Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Markus Tiedtke
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What is your favourite episode?
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JMS: It'd probably be a toss-up between Severed Dreams and Z'ha'dum, if you only
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look at the first 3 years. If you toss in year 4, I'd have to say "Falling
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Toward Apotheosis."
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Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: William Smith
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JMS, your show is the greatest! Can't wait for the season finale tomorrow! I wan
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t to ask you, 1) do you have any advice to a future writer, 2) what did that com
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ment, "We are ALL Kosh" mean, and 3) will the entire show be published as a nove
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l sometime?
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P.S. Could you send me a copy of the "Ark"?
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JMS: 1) Keep writing, don't let anything stop you IF that's what you want to do,
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don't mistake a love of reading for a passion to write; 2) it's a metaphor,
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operating on a different level, 3) who knows, but there are no plans....
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currently for that. And I can't send you a copy of the Ark as it wouldn't
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fit into the mailbox, what with 2 of every kind of animal in it.
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Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Norman
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We liked very much the songs in sung by Erika Gimpel in "Walkabout" and the Gosp
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el in "The rock cried out, no hiding place". Is there any chance they might be a
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vailable on some of the Babylon5-related CDs ?
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JMS: Re: the Rock song, no. Re: the Walkabout songs...Chris and I keep going
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round and round about that. I'm against it, as I like the soundtrack to be
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kept instrumental. We'll see who survives the discussion.
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Question from LONDON: Darran
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Joe, at 'The Encounter' con in Blackpool this year you reeled off a list of name
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s you would like to appear in B5. One of them was Paul Darrow (Avon from Blakes7
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). If you had him on the show what sort of roll would you envisage for him.
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JMS: I haven't a clue at this point. I'd have to give that serious thought. (I
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rarely write a part for a person, but find the right person for the part.)
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I see we have 217 people here...wow.)
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Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Angela
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I've read that TNT plans to pick the show up in syndication... Will they start a
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iring immediately, or will we be forced to wait x-years? Also, any news on movi
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es?
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JMS: No, they'll go with the show a few months after it's over, the exact timing
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depending on when that happens. If we were to finish in summer, they'd go
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in November; if in fall, then January. On TV movies, nothing I can comment
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on for now.
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Question from EBB: Susan Christ
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When John had the ritual dinner with Delenn & Lennier, what did Lennier say when
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John left, and what was Delenn's reply? I've been wondering all this time! Tha
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nks for the translation of Marcus' Minbari line in "Shadow Dancing", BTW.
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JMS: Now I'm supposed to speak Minbari? What, do I look like a linguist to you?
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Do you have any IDEA the subtleties of the Minbari language? Why, if I were
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to even TRY to translate that, I could start a war!
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Moderator: I thought the translation in the blooper reels was the
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acurate one! :)
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Question from EBB: SysOp J. Shaun Lyon
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Joe, any word on how many Season 4 episodes (3 or 4) in this run through Novembe
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r? The Lurker's Guide isn't sure about "Falling Through Apotheosis". ga.
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JMS: OKay, buddy, but you'll be the first on the new battle of the line.
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We're playing 401-404 in November, then the next batch in February.
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Question from DJN: Rich B
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Any word on B5 being released on video in the US and sold in stores rather then
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mail order.
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JMS: (Oh, I'd also put "The Long Night" at the very top.) No, no word on
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releases yet...WB doesn't sully its hands with piddly little TV shows when
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they can put big-budget movies out where they are guaranteed big incomes....
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(feh)
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(thud)
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(wubble)
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Dupa: <Wubble?>
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Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Rebecca Grigsby
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Jms, will we ever see Talia Winters again?
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JMS: Not in my universe.
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Question from LONDON: James&Deb's
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Jms you stated that you have just realized that you have no sensors.Have you
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changed any scripts because of this.
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JMS: (sigh...the ravages of a public school educational system)...not so much
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changed, as went into them now knowing I can do more than I thought.
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Suffice to say it gets really really weird(er).
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Question from ROCHELLE PARK, NJ: Mara K. Malovany
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I heard an actor speak at a convention once where he said that one of the jobs
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an actor has is to "physicalize" the script. Do you think that is accurate,
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and, if so, can you think of a scene where the actor really nailed the
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subtext, in a way which surprised/pleased you?
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JMS: Yes, I think that's accurate. The most obvious place where it worked was
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where Londo looks through the window to Narn being bombed below. There's no
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dialogue, and he has to convey a range of emotions just through his face....
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which is a terribly difficult thing to do, and he did a superb job of it.
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Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Mike Casady
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what other projects have you worked on?
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JMS, are there any special guest stars planned for this season?
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JMS: Nobody major, no. We've got Wortham Krimmer, noted for daytime stuff, and
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Victor Londo, and of course Walter Koenig returns 4 times this season, but
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no, this season is primarily about our characters in deep guano.
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Er, Victor London.
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Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Ken Weaverling
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Why has Philadelphia been forsaken, and how can season 5 ever be a reality with
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the fourth largest viewer market without a station?
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JMS: I don't know. The programming part is beyond my comprehension. I know
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they're working on it, but the problem is that station prospects are
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shrinking rapidly. They make whole night-time committments to Fox, or
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UPN....
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and with only 1 or 2 independent stations around, and 14 hours per week
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available, and literally 250 syndicated programs, you can get squeezed out.
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It's not WB's fault, it's the shrinking marketplace. There are only...
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so many stations. If local fans want the show, they have to pressure the
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stations, cause WB can't do squat about it otherwise.
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Moderator: Do you think that WB will spend more effort on the new
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Mad Max series as opposed to B5 next fall?
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JMS: I hear that's been scrubbed.
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Question from SAN MARCOS, CA: Don Berg
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Has there been any correlation between higher Babylon 5 ratings and
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favorable comments on the Howard Stern radio show?
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JMS: I dunno. It certainly hasn't hurt us. Probably helped, though he was
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saying the same things when we were lower-rated. I just think primarily
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we're just finally finding our audience.
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Question from HONOLULU, HI: Mark Ambard
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You have written with a spiritual bent. The three parts of the Minbari are like
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the Trilogy, the purity of the cult in Grey 17 evokes Leviticus etc. What
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is your background spritually and where are you now. I know you wrote a couple gospel
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songs that you seem to be very quiet about. Regrets?
|
|
|
|
JMS: My background...is not terribly relevant to this. (I sit and look at the
|
|
monitor for a moment.) Okay, that's a lie. It is, however, personal to me,
|
|
and thus not fodder for this discussion. Where I am....
|
|
is that I'm an atheist. I have, however, read nearly every religious book
|
|
from cover to cover, including the bible, twice, and the Bahagavad Gita, and
|
|
parts of the Koran, the Torah, you name it....(or Quoran, depending)....
|
|
and I look for those elements that are dramatic and interesting and human,
|
|
and I use them shamelessly, but with respect.
|
|
|
|
Question from EVANSVILLE, IN: Seeker
|
|
How does Harlan Ellison influene the show?
|
|
|
|
JMS: How does the sun influence your day? He's there as needed, chiming in with
|
|
the idea of the Ombuds, for a killer weapon we needed in year 4, other
|
|
stuff. He's peripatetic and ubiquitious. (That for the person who spelled
|
|
secede "succeed".
|
|
|
|
Question from EAL: Les P. George
|
|
Greetings Great Maker,
|
|
|
|
Has there been any progress on B5 merchandise like videos?
|
|
|
|
Also, if Harlan's health will not permit his writing the proposed sequel to the
|
|
OL episode "Demon with a Glass Hand" by himself, would it be possible
|
|
for you and he to work on it together?
|
|
|
|
Les
|
|
|
|
JMS: Videos, no. (Didn't I juat answer this?) Other merchandise, though, is
|
|
coming out; a second CD, Hamilton Collector's Plates, the Fleer cards, new
|
|
models next year from Revell/Monogram, other stuff....
|
|
as for Harlan's script, we'll see.
|
|
|
|
Question from NEWPORT BEACH, CA: Stephen C. Smith
|
|
Which character has surprised you the most, i.e. has led you in a direction diff
|
|
erent than you'd planned? GA
|
|
|
|
JMS: Probably Vir. He's surprised me on many levels. Suffice to say that in the
|
|
first 6 somewhere next season, there's something I'd slotted for another
|
|
character to do. I'd intended for that character to do it right up....
|
|
until the page before that other character was going to do it, when Vir
|
|
stepped up in my brain and said, "No, *I* should do this." And as soon as
|
|
he said it, I knew it was right. You'll see.
|
|
|
|
Question from CGZ: Al Kuntzler
|
|
Joe, I was wondering what the status was concerming new novels and comics?
|
|
|
|
|
|
JMS: There are 3 new novels coming out from Dell, the first being a terrific book
|
|
by Jeanne Cavellos following the events of the Icarus and Anna Sheridan;
|
|
then two more, one following Sinclair to Minbar, the other one....
|
|
a Londo/Vir story that ties into the first part of year 4. There are plans
|
|
for the comic to start coming out again next year.
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Victoria Martindale
|
|
A friend who started watching the show at the end of Season 2 has a hard time be
|
|
lieving that Londo was ever a sympathetic character, while I feel in many ways,
|
|
he still is. Can you give us some insight into the evolution of his character?
|
|
|
|
|
|
JMS: Well, what level of sympathy we show, and to whom we show it, is often more
|
|
a factor of the person doing the perceiving than that which is perceived.
|
|
For me, he's a fascinating character, sometimes sympathetic....
|
|
and sometimes not. You want to beat the crap out of him one minute, and
|
|
you're in love with something he's done the next. The first part of year 4
|
|
takes his evolution a step further, and it's probably some of the most....
|
|
dynamic, interesting and emotional stuff we've ever seen Londo do, and it
|
|
puts you right back to re-evaluating his character. Lovely stuff.
|
|
|
|
|
|
[ End of non-spoiler section of chat from November 2, 1996
|
|
The next section contains the remainder of the conference,
|
|
including possible spoilers. -- Brent ]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moderator: Spoiler warning! I'm going to start selecting questions
|
|
in regards to Z'Ha'Dum and after!
|
|
|
|
Question from DUBLIN, OH: Troy Starr
|
|
What kind of title sequence can we expect in season 4?
|
|
|
|
|
|
JMS: (wow, 229 people now) It's a *nifty* title sequence, dynamic, exciting, the
|
|
best music we've ever had, and a very interesting approach to the
|
|
narration. (What, you thought I'd tell you?)
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Bob Koslosky
|
|
JMS,
|
|
|
|
I have a hord of Star trek fans on my back... in Walkabout they say you should
|
|
rename it "The Search for Kosh". In Zha'a'dum they sat that they could
|
|
swear the y heard Obe Wan telling Sheridan to jump. What gives?
|
|
|
|
JMS: How can you walk with so many people on your back? It must be terribly hard
|
|
on you. Tell your friends to get a wider frame of reference. The Spock
|
|
thing was a one-shot done to find a way to bring him back....
|
|
We've always established that Vorlons are putting pieces of themselves in
|
|
others, and this will be stated explicitly in year 4, that's how they get
|
|
around, by putting pieces of themselves in others like hermit crabs....
|
|
which ties into what happened at Z'ha'dum. If their frame of reference is
|
|
so small as to think only of those two things, the problem is theirs, not
|
|
mine. Let them look into mythology, and legendry, about mythical creatures..
|
|
who put themselves into other people, possession, American indian myths, on
|
|
and on and on. There's an old saying about books: "A book is like a
|
|
mirror, if an ass peers in, you can't expect an apostle to peer out."
|
|
|
|
Question from SEATTLE, WA: Andi Shechter
|
|
On behalf of the Fans of Michael, are we gonna see more of Mr. Garibaldi in
|
|
season 4? Btw, used to see you all the time when I hung with the Grid
|
|
Epsilon Irregulars.
|
|
Thanks,
|
|
Andi
|
|
|
|
JMS: Oh, most definitely. We have some very interesting plans for Mr.
|
|
Garibaldi. But bear in mind that when I get gleeful about this sort of
|
|
thing, it's always dangerous for the character.
|
|
|
|
Question from SACRAMENTO, CA: Brent Barrett
|
|
Hello, Joe, What episode are you up to in writing currently? Any new titles
|
|
to share with us?
|
|
When can we expect to get a title for season four? :-)
|
|
Thanks a bunch,
|
|
-- Brent
|
|
|
|
JMS: I'm finishing #11, "Lines of Communication." Other titles: "The Illusion of
|
|
Truth," "Atonement," "Racing Mars," others.
|
|
|
|
Lyon: Where does 'Racing Mars' show up in the lineup of episodes?
|
|
|
|
JMS: #10.
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Lee Burke
|
|
What was it like for melissa gilbert to act as Sheridans wife ...along side of
|
|
her real husband....nice touch of casting !
|
|
|
|
JMS: That's more a question for her, but for us, it was great, she did a terrific
|
|
job.
|
|
|
|
Question from DJO: Michael B. Truitt
|
|
The B5 series is great. Will the relationship between Captain Sheridan and
|
|
Deleen continue to be a focus of the show?
|
|
|
|
Mike T. Albuqueruque NM
|
|
|
|
JMS: Absolutely. That relationship will have its continued ups and downs, as do
|
|
all relationships, but it's a vital and integral part of the show.
|
|
|
|
Question from NEWPORT BEACH, CA: Orb
|
|
Are there any things we should watch for in the first Season 4 eps? Minor
|
|
between-season improvement types of things...
|
|
|
|
JMS: Well, we do more off-station stuff: we go to Minbar, Narn, Centauri Prime,
|
|
Mars, colonies...it gets consistently bigger. Then there's a small break,
|
|
so we can catch our breath (from about 8-10), then all hell breaks loose.
|
|
|
|
Question from LONDON: Hubby
|
|
We've pretty much seen President Clark in one dimension (as the bad guy).
|
|
Knowing the character as you do, what's his real motivation? What does the
|
|
world look like through his glasses?
|
|
|
|
|
|
JMS: That's one of those "let me answer that in the show" questions.
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: SysOp Dupa
|
|
Joe,
|
|
After "The Fall Of Night" I was under the impression that you said we would see
|
|
what a Vorlon *really* looks like in Season three. Since that didn't happen (did
|
|
it?), will we see it in season four?
|
|
|
|
|
|
JMS: Yep.
|
|
|
|
Dupa: <g>
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Kay Duff
|
|
Have you ever gone walkabout yourself?
|
|
|
|
JMS: Well....yeah, kinda. Back when I was living in San Diego (before it got
|
|
nuked...well, that hasn't happened yet, but soon)...I got into a kind of
|
|
similar mode of thought, and would go for walks through....
|
|
downtown San Diego at 2-4 in the morning. Hours, hours, hours, just
|
|
walking through parts of the area where I could've gotten killed. When
|
|
folks asked me why, I couldn't answer, all I could come up with...
|
|
was that I was looking for something. And I found it, kinda, and in a
|
|
somewhat similar situation...but that gets into some other personal areas,
|
|
and this may not be the right forum for that. Suffice to say I was....
|
|
almost killed myself, and leave it at that.
|
|
|
|
Moderator: Here's one that fell out of the queue but got captured
|
|
before it disappeared.... (from Martin Toggweiler)
|
|
I noticed in "Z' ha' dum" that the Shadow city didn't
|
|
look too "alien", in many ways the buildings resembled a human city skyline.
|
|
Is this meant to imply that there were many humanoids
|
|
in this city, and not too many Shadows?
|
|
|
|
JMS: That wasn't the intent, no. I think it's more the way it ended up. And it
|
|
does have some nice elements, but it could've been stranger...if we'd had
|
|
more time and more money.
|
|
|
|
Question from LONDON: Darran
|
|
Joe, do you expect Warner Brothers to be a little more relaxed about next years
|
|
Con in Blackpool, England or is there still a lot of things they unlikely to
|
|
allow e.g. the showing of clips from future episodes etc..
|
|
|
|
BTW: I'm not in LONDON, I'm 150 Miles further north.
|
|
|
|
JMS: We've worked out a deal on clips, but not on episodes. WB has an obligation
|
|
to protect its copyright, and sometimes that comes into conflict with what
|
|
we'd like to do.
|
|
|
|
Question from EBB: Susan Christ
|
|
On this weekend's Sci-fi Vortex, your make-up guy (Sorry, can't remember his
|
|
name) said that the make-up for season 4 was, so far, more like that for horror
|
|
than for sci-fi. Would you please elaborate on that?
|
|
|
|
JMS: ......heh
|
|
......heh
|
|
......no.
|
|
|
|
Question from LONDON: JM
|
|
Having seen Bruce Boxleitner's wife, Gerry Doyle's wife, Walter Koenig's wife...
|
|
..are we going to see any more spouses?
|
|
|
|
JMS: I think we're fresh out.
|
|
|
|
Question from DUBLIN: John R. Finnan
|
|
Joe, if you decide to go with the new series of Babylon, will this put back...
|
|
the 1000page dark fantasy novel you've been planning? Some of us would like...
|
|
to read that...<g>
|
|
|
|
JMS: Probably. But them's the breaks. It'll still be there when I get to it.
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Buzz Lightyear
|
|
Bruce Boxleitner has commented on "two wars" in season 4. Shadow war and what
|
|
else?
|
|
|
|
And what are your favourite show's at the moment?
|
|
|
|
JMS: well, if one were to end the shadow war, there's still something very
|
|
obvious that needs attending to. And my favorite show is 60 Minutes.
|
|
Then you got X-Files, Simpsons, and Millennium.
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Mary Broderick
|
|
Any luck bring Darin Morgan into your writing staff? I agreed with your
|
|
comments in SFX magazine ... he is very talented, and might help to lighten
|
|
your what-must-be incredible workload!
|
|
|
|
JMS: I'd actually called his agent about this last hiatus, and he said that
|
|
Darren was taking time off from TV to write comedy screenplays. He's the
|
|
only one I called about.
|
|
|
|
Question from NEWPORT BEACH, CA: Stephen C. Smith
|
|
Getting back to the subject of a potential sequel/spinoff TV series ... Would
|
|
it also be an "arc" series with a finite limit, or would you go with the
|
|
more typical TV formula of an open-ended storyline?
|
|
|
|
JMS: It would have a looser arc than B5, and would be more adventure oriented
|
|
than drama oriented. B5 has always had a certain darkness at its core, and
|
|
after X-years of writing that, it can start to creep into your soul...
|
|
so I'd like to do something different, personally and for the viewers, play
|
|
out some new colors rather than do the same thing. Have fun with it.
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: G'Kane
|
|
OK, you KNOW the overall tile of season 4, but can you TELL it?
|
|
|
|
JMS: Of course I do. Of course I won't.
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Nick & Sharons
|
|
theres ben a lot of talk about physics in relations to sheridans fall, how much
|
|
affects your interpretation of the reason for his not being killed ?
|
|
|
|
JMS: Zip.
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Michael Rubinstein
|
|
If the Shadow's objective is to pit the races against each other and give a gold
|
|
star to the winner, then why are they now attacking directly? That just makes
|
|
the races unite against a common foe.
|
|
|
|
JMS: Nope. First they attacked careful to not let anyone know who was doing it,
|
|
so they'd accuse each other. Then they'd let another take the credit/blame
|
|
for it, the Centauri in this case. That'd spin off new alliances and new...
|
|
wars, and everyone's scurrying for cover. THEN they reveal themselves, and
|
|
now you've got re-scurrying, some who try to make deals, and then attack
|
|
others (as stated) thinking they have an unbeatable ally....
|
|
most of the killing up until this point was done by the others, not the
|
|
shadows. This current campaign would also lead to scattering the pins, and
|
|
watching as they restructure, and they'd pull out again to let them scurry..
|
|
and keep chewing at each other, only coming out when necessary to tip things
|
|
over, then recede again into the....shadows.
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: RANGER 13
|
|
Hi there jms
|
|
|
|
Is there anything that did not get put into the arc that you wanted to be
|
|
included? and in the Minbari religion it says thet Valav will return, did
|
|
Sinclair mean his birth will be his return? Also have you read a book called
|
|
"In search of Aeincietn Gods" by Erich Danikin?
|
|
|
|
JMS: I think if the arc had anything else in it it'd explode. RE: Valen's
|
|
return, well, that's still a mystery there, open to interpretatin. As for
|
|
Van Daniken, yeah, but ages ago.
|
|
|
|
Question from DUBLIN, OH: Troy Starr
|
|
Now that there is a "power vacuum" on Minbar, how is Minbari society
|
|
functioning?
|
|
|
|
|
|
JMS: not as well as it might, which will become an issue soon.
|
|
|
|
Question from LONDON: James&Deb's
|
|
Jms i hope no typo's this time :)
|
|
Any news on when season 4 will come to england and if it will be wide screen.
|
|
|
|
JMS: I don't know for sure, but it'd have to be middle or early spring at the
|
|
soonest. Don't know about widescreen, that's up to C4.
|
|
|
|
Question from VANCOUVER, BC: kelly
|
|
Will Ivanova be involved in any sort of a romantic relationship in the upcoming
|
|
season?
|
|
|
|
JMS: Could be.
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: B5Lurker
|
|
Joe, now that we have seen the finale, will Sheridan be the same Sheridan?
|
|
|
|
JMS: Yes and no. There's always a price to pay. Even if he comes out of this,
|
|
that price cannot be avoided.
|
|
|
|
Question from TORONTO, ON: CAROLINE M. LEWIS
|
|
I really love the use of prophecy, telepathy and living
|
|
technology in the show. Will there be more of
|
|
a scientific or whatever background given to this in
|
|
the future episodes?
|
|
|
|
|
|
JMS: I'll certainly try to work it in, and have, where possible. It's an
|
|
interesting area.
|
|
(hang on)....
|
|
Here's a funny thing.
|
|
Well, funny weird.
|
|
See, every so often, someone will ask, "How much of you goes into a script?"
|
|
and I'll answer, "More than I know at the time," and they ask for an
|
|
example. A few questions ago, someone (Kay) asked about if I'd ever gone...
|
|
on walkabout, and I thought of the San Diego thing...and it suddenly dawned
|
|
on me that that was behind the Franklin thing. Long story short: I got
|
|
attacked and mugged by a gang, and beaten nearly to death....
|
|
and survived only by a sheer act of will. And I'd honestly never, ever put
|
|
that together with Walkabout, until the question, and suddenly there it was,
|
|
I was working out *exactly* what I'd gone though, denying it to myself...
|
|
the whole time that it was going on. Well. Anyway. That just hit me like
|
|
a ton of bricks, and thought I'd pass it along.
|
|
|
|
Dupa: <so that's why he nuked SanDiego!>
|
|
|
|
Question from LONDON: Entil Marcus Cole
|
|
As a hopeful future author, I began a while ago writing my own book. I started
|
|
with a simple Idea and it has spiraled out of all control, into this
|
|
gargantuan *Thing*. What advice would you give to someone staring a *Big*
|
|
story like this in the face.
|
|
|
|
|
|
JMS: Write 2 pages a day. Don't think about how big it is. Just do it in small
|
|
bites. Never look down, never let them see fear in your eyes.
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Jim O
|
|
my wife was upset when some major characters were missing in last episode from
|
|
season 3. 1.) Will any of them be back 2.) any hints for next season
|
|
3.) will you still quit at 5 1/2 yrs?
|
|
|
|
JMS: All our regular/recurring cast return for year 4. No hints; it's right
|
|
around the corner, so there's no point.
|
|
|
|
Question from CINCINNATI, OH: David Kuhn
|
|
How's Netter handling the job of the CGI so far this year. I saw previews of
|
|
tommorrow's feed. Was the CGI in ep 1 stock footage or all new for this year
|
|
created by netter or foundation?
|
|
|
|
|
|
JMS: The new CGI looks great, even better, frankly. There's plenty of new CGI in
|
|
the episode, and a nifty shot in the new title sequence...I defy anybody to
|
|
tell the difference except by recognizing stuff.
|
|
|
|
Question from LONDON: Hubby
|
|
What kind of fan behavior annoys you the most? (Here's your chance to get
|
|
something off your chest! ;-)
|
|
|
|
|
|
JMS: You mean aide from someone sending me a trojan horse and virus which knocked
|
|
down my computer so I had to spend 4 days rebuilding it, or the reposted
|
|
rumor yesterday that I'd had a heart attack...?
|
|
Can't think of a thing.
|
|
|
|
Question from LONDON: Nick Coe
|
|
Joe,
|
|
You said summat a while back about S4 having a 'Filmic' quality. Can you
|
|
elaborate on what you meant?
|
|
|
|
|
|
JMS: It's a tonality thing...the feel of it is mature, grander, more film like.
|
|
It's hard to quantify, but if you watch, you'll feel it. It's the best
|
|
we've ever done.
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Angela
|
|
Since you brought it up, what are the circumstances surrounding the "nuking" of
|
|
San Diego? Where did that come from?
|
|
Angela Dayton (hu-hum) Ohio
|
|
|
|
JMS: Terrorists who snuck it in to retaliate for something, and felt that they
|
|
should strike at something relatively untouched and pristine. It was a
|
|
dirty nuke, and a good sized one.
|
|
|
|
Question from DUBLIN: John R. Finnan
|
|
Have you any room in Season 4 to "farm" out scripts to other writers? Or are...
|
|
you going to attempt 2 seasons in a row???
|
|
|
|
JMS: So far, it's jms scripts. I may die. (Well, there go the rumors again.)
|
|
|
|
Question from LONDON: Toni
|
|
Hi Joe
|
|
|
|
Brilliant Series!!
|
|
What do you consider to be the best moment on the show - the one that worked
|
|
best and came out right?
|
|
|
|
Toni - Scotland
|
|
|
|
JMS: general note to people: don't page me with private questions or I will hurt
|
|
you. Now, to the question:
|
|
It's hard to pick one. The elevator scene with G'Kar and Londo is just
|
|
lovely; the death of the emperor in Coming; but probably the bombing of
|
|
Z'ha'dum with that whole montage is as close to art as we've gotten.
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Jones
|
|
In New York City we just saw Z'hadum, and there's people on a call in cable show
|
|
talking about how great t was.... We love B 5!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
JMS: That's great, thanks!
|
|
|
|
Question from DUBLIN, OH: Richard Long
|
|
why the name Babylon, what prompted you to use this name.
|
|
|
|
JMS: It was an attempt to create a place of commerce, industry, drawing people
|
|
from many places...the tower of Babel being an intersection of many voices,
|
|
so it fit.
|
|
|
|
Question from EAQ: Shawn Ratner
|
|
JMS,
|
|
|
|
Does the cast get together when Babylon 5 is not in production during the week?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
JMS: Constantly. They go on vacation together, have dinners together, hang out,
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go to air shows, same for the crew. It's a very tight bunch, and we like
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each other, and they all hang out.
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Question from CFQ: dan r. tilley
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Have others from the scifi community (ie George Lucas, etc.) commented on B5?
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JMS: Not really, no.
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Lyon: I think Majel Barrett's appearance qualifies as a comment from the scifi
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community. <grin>
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Willmoth: And the fact that DS9 keeps using what has been used on B5 :-)
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Whiteside: We're reaching the 90 minute mark. Did you have anything specific
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you'd like to mention (say your script book or something).
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JMS: (holds up copy of The Complete Book of Scriptwriting) "Yo. Buy my book."
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Dupa: ISBN and price?
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Whiteside: ISBN was in the blurb at the beginning of the conference.
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JMS: I don't wanna hawk it too much...it's there. Beyond that...I'd just note
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that the first 6 episodes of B5 are the most intense, character driven
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episodes we've ever done. They've all done good.
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Whiteside: We have more than enough questions to keep going for a while.
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Lyon: Also, folks, remember to visit the SF & Fantasy Forums, specifically the
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SFMEDONE Forum, for all three Babylon 5 message sections and lots of witty
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repartee with jms. <grin> GO SCIFI.
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Dupa: <plug>
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JMS: commercials. I can't escape them.
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Willmoth: Everyone needs an outlet :-)
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Dupa: and I'll be in the lobby selling my jams and jellies.
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Whiteside: OK, I'll continue with a few more questions, then.
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Question from DUBLIN, OH: Troy Starr
|
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How weakened are the forces of the Army of Light after their engagement with
|
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the Shadows?
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JMS: They're okay, tired but okay. And the big fleet hasn't even assembled
|
|
yet.
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Question from SEATTLE, WA: Andi Shechter
|
|
Will we ever see the Technomages again? They were a wonderful creation.
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|
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|
JMS: Actually, yeah, but I'm looking at the sequel for that.
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Question from LONDON: GAIL
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Any chance of giving Marcus Cole a lot more action?
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JMS: Most definitely. And some funny moments soon with Franklin that should
|
|
drive folks nuts.
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|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Dave
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|
In Shadow Dancing, Deleen looked surprised when Sheridan stated that his dream
|
|
sent by Kosh may be just that, a dream. Was this intentional?
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JMS: Delenn is always surprised.
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Question from LONDON: John Morris
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|
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Joe,
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|
Did Valen have children? Does his "line" continue in the year 2260?
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|
|
JMS: Ah, a question that...will be dealt with in one of the novels, and the
|
|
series, but I'd rather hold that for then.
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Question from EAE: Paul Hachey
|
|
It would seem logical that the Vorlons would know the Shadows true "purpose",
|
|
why did Kosh not share this with Sheridan and expose it all?
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|
JMS: Because they don't trust us. They know what's best for us, and would rather
|
|
make the decisions for us. That means controlling information.
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|
Question from LONDON: Martin Shaw
|
|
Hi, I really enjoyed the play between Ivanova and Corwin in Exogenesis. Are we
|
|
going to see more of Corwin in future eps?
|
|
|
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|
JMS: Not in the first batch, but later, I do want to do more with it.
|
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|
Question from LONDON: Colkai
|
|
In a recent interview, with yourself and BB, Bruce was like a kid with a
|
|
new toy about S4, how do you manage to keep such enthusiasm in your cast
|
|
and crew, (Foundation excluded natch.)
|
|
Kai - St Helens
|
|
|
|
JMS: You push them to try new things, let them explore new colors, give them
|
|
proper respect for their work, and make work a good place to come to. It's
|
|
real simple.
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|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Karl Behrendt
|
|
In the months in which we see no new episodes, is there any chance of seeing
|
|
some repeats from the first season?
|
|
|
|
JMS: Nada.
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|
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|
Question from SANTURCE, PR: Ricky Cruz
|
|
Every think of directing an episode?
|
|
It's telepaths now, but what was the shadow's weakness during the original war?
|
|
Thanks for always taking time out of your busy schedule for your fans.
|
|
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|
JMS: The shadows' original weakness was Cadbury Chocolate. And telepaths. As
|
|
for directing an ep, it'd have to be just once, to experience it. But we'll
|
|
see.
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|
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|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: G'Kane
|
|
Sorry to hear about the gang attack! Anyway, are there any plans to do a
|
|
"technical manual" for B5 in the near future, or will the background in
|
|
the RPG be detailed enough? And are the new ships you mentioned for s4
|
|
going with new races, or just other shipclasses?
|
|
|
|
JMS: Yeah, Boxtree (UK) is doing a tech manual, and we'll see new ships from
|
|
familiar races and new ones.
|
|
|
|
Question from LONDON: PhiLL
|
|
On Z'Ha'Dum, how big was the hole that JS fell into. There seemed to be a
|
|
deliberate lack of perspective. thanks for a great ride!
|
|
|
|
JMS: Several miles deep, maybe a lot more.
|
|
|
|
Question from EAI: Marco Peacock
|
|
JMS, have you ever wanted anything too "outrageous/weird"" in your series, but
|
|
for some reason wasn't allowed to? Please ask WB to promote B5 more in The
|
|
Netherlands, because they're still airing season two here! Thanks!
|
|
|
|
JMS: I can't think of anything; I get pretty weird sometimes, but nobody ever
|
|
says don't do that. They don't bother me. I think I scare them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Question from HONOLULU, HI: Mark Ambard
|
|
Will there be a Hallmark holiday ornament? A White Star would be nice. Or a
|
|
B5.
|
|
|
|
|
|
JMS: Nope.
|
|
|
|
Question from SAN MARCOS, CA: Don Berg
|
|
I saw lots of Babylon 5 VHS videos (1st and 2nd season) being sold
|
|
at last weekend's San Diego creation convention. Is this legal?
|
|
|
|
JMS: (Wouldn't Morden's head make a great Hallmark ornament?)
|
|
No, the sale of those videos is definitely NOT legit.
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Laurence R. Justus
|
|
You state there are plans from Revell-Monogram for models to come out. At the
|
|
recent RCHTA (Hobby) Show in Chicago nothing was mentioned, just the release
|
|
of models from Battlestar Galactice. Can you be a little more elaborate on this.
|
|
|
|
Thanks.
|
|
|
|
JMS: No, because the deal was just made a few weeks ago; they don't roll out or
|
|
promote stuff until they have stuff to promote. They're now deciding which
|
|
models to make and so on.
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Trevor Hart
|
|
Will we ever see the explorer class ship with Sheridan's friend as captain
|
|
again?
|
|
|
|
JMS: No immediate plans, no.
|
|
|
|
Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Norman
|
|
In "The Making of Babylon 5" Jerry Doyle pointed out ' Is there no woman for
|
|
Garibaldi ?' - 'No ? Then I quit !' -- So is this going to change ? Will there
|
|
be any woman for him ?
|
|
|
|
JMS: Depends on how much longer this will continue to annoy Jerry. As soon as
|
|
it's no more fun, he'll get laid.
|
|
|
|
Question from EBB: SysOp J. Shaun Lyon
|
|
>From Brenda Sulley: You've said that by end of S/3 you pretty much have all your
|
|
"cards on the table," but it looks like there's still much to tell in 2 years!
|
|
Are we really seeing the full picture now, or is the "3rd age of mankind" just
|
|
the story of the battle with the Shadows?
|
|
|
|
JMS: The 3rd age goes beyond that...but as it happens, we'll spell out what that
|
|
means exactly in the first third of year 4. And then we move on to other
|
|
stuff. Life is change.
|
|
|
|
Question from AUSTIN, TX: Richard K.
|
|
In "Shadow Dancing", the scene with Dr. Franklin in down below and the little
|
|
girl with the ball. I smell a hint. Is there?
|
|
|
|
|
|
JMS: Whatever you're smelling, it's got nothing to do with me.
|
|
|
|
Question from ALBUQUERQUE, NM: Joe Walters
|
|
Since there is some talk of possible spinoffs (I know you've got at
|
|
least one under consideration somewhere), I'd like to request another.
|
|
We'd REALLY like to watch a continuing series of "The Adventures of
|
|
Zathras."
|
|
|
|
|
|
JMS: Be very, very, careful what you ask for.
|
|
|
|
Dupa: <Zathras can never have own show>
|
|
|
|
Whiteside: OK, that's the end of the questioning for Joe.
|
|
|
|
JMS: Thanks for coming, and for supporting the show. It's much appreciated, more
|
|
than you can ever know.
|
|
|
|
Lyon: Thanks again everyone for joining us for our conference with Joe Straczynski,
|
|
and be sure to join us in the SF Forums (GO SCIFI) (yes, another
|
|
commercial...last one!)
|
|
|
|
JMS: Oh, the RPG sourcebook is GREAT!
|
|
|
|
Willmoth: Thanks again, Joe!
|
|
|
|
Whiteside: Those who didn't get their question in can always ask Joe in the
|
|
forum.
|
|
|
|
Dupa: Author! Author!!
|
|
|
|
JMS: Where? Where?
|
|
Wherewolf? Therewolf.
|
|
|
|
JMS: Okay, I'm ducking out so Stephen and the others can talk. Thanks again,
|
|
everyone, and I'll see you on the other side.
|
|
BYE!
|
|
|
|
[ End of transcript ]
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