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1122 lines
46 KiB
1122 lines
46 KiB
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 77 Sun Oct 08, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:19 EDT
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There's a misapprehension here; it did *not* take until August for B5 to
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be renewed. I'm trying to remember the date, but it was somewhere in June.
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We were already shooting on year three by late July, and we need 6 weeks prep
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before shooting.
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 117 Tue Oct 10, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:10 EDT
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I'm told, btw, that Captain Power has finally been sold to the SciFi
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Channel...now if only they can find all the master tapes....
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jms*
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(*who, when he heard the former, fell down went BOOM)
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 141 Wed Oct 11, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:28 EDT
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Hmmm...I think the episode must be "Dust to Dust," with a quick scene
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between Sheridan and a merchant...good scene.
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BTW, for those in the LA area, the comic store Phantom Zone (formerly
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Outer Limits), on Ventura Boulevard half a block west of Van Nuys (tucked away
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next to the Coogee Bay Cafe) has quite a few complete boxes of the B5 cards
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that just came in.
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 168 Thu Oct 12, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:22 EDT
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Harlan Ellison has requested that I post this in places where those likely to
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have ordered the forthcoming CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER limited-edition
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hardcover can find it.
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Message begins:
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Here is the answerto the question of why a three-week delay in shipping THE
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CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER became necessary.
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A minor production glitch.
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Nothing more mysterious or ominous than that.
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Once the book had gone to Thomson-Shore in Dexter, Michigan for printing, and
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was in production, it was discovered that more than 150 corrections to the
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text--some significant, others of a niggling nature--but all troublesome to a
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greater or lesser degree--had slipped past, and had not been integrated.
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Tom Monteleone of Borderlands Press was out of the country. But his concerns
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for shipping on time--we've been paying the price for a premature announcement
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of this title four years ago ever since that miscalculation was made--were
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preeminent. Nonetheless, because of my insistence that this book (a book of
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great personal importance to me) be as close to perfect as possible, I took
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the necessary action to hold the production at a pre-final stage till Tom
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returned and we could get the changes made.
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That has been accomplished. Tom Monteleone has been very gracious in
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accommodating my concerns, and the book is back in the tube at Thomson-Shore
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right now. Three weeks max is what Dave Raymond, Customer Services Manager,
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tells us. Three weeks and the book, a beautiful beautiful package, will be in
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the hands of those who've ordered it.
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It is unfortunate that Tom Monteleone's interim message on the Borderlands
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Press 800-order line has been misinterpreted by some people. All is well, and
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the CITY is on its way to waiting eyes and hands. Thank you for asking.
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Harlan Ellison
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 187 Thu Oct 12, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:31 EDT
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Mike: my first, truest and only possible reaction to your note was to
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instantly look around and wonder who the heck you were talking about.
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"...you're starting to become an SF superstar, perhaps the biggest since
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Gene Roddenberry."
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I wish I could take this as having anything whatsoever to do with me, as
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far as B5 goes, but I can't. I don't see myself or my position any different
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now than 5 or 10 years ago. I look in the mirror and half the time I see a
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doofus. The other half of the time I see someone trying desperately not to
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*be* a doofus.
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The other day, I was interviwed by a reporter with a major newspaper
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syndicate, and kind of the same question was asked. What I told her, and I'll
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say here, is...I just can't apply it to me. When I go up on stage at a
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convention, and there's this mass of applause...the terrible thing is, I don't
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hear it. I'm worrying about what the first thing I should say ought to be,
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will it be entertaining, why on earth do these people want to see *me* fer
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chrissakes...one feels like a fraud. Because the story kinda lives outside me
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somehow...it's like the sculpter who look at a block of stone and knows
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there's a sculpture of a horse in there somewhere, that it was *always* there,
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he just has to get a hammer and chisel and *find* it.
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There's a difference between the talent, the story, and the vessel;
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sometimes the vessel thinks it *is* the talent, that it *is* the story, and
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that way, I think, lies madness and an ego of monstrous proportion. I can't
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think in those terms. I wouldn't mind, I'd probably enjoy it, I just *can't*.
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When I hear applause -- and on one level, like I said, I really can't -- it's
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not for me, it's for the story, for the show, for the performances, for
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Christopher's terrific music. I'm sitting here on a writing break, in a torn
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up pair of jeans, a superman t-shirt, with a barely adequate cafe mocha in a
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Daffy Duck mug in front of me; how seriously can I take this person?
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The guys at the local comic store know who I am -- I come in every
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Wednesnday night for my weekly fix -- and it ain't no big thing. I'm just one
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more customer. The only perk is that they set aside the comics about to sell
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out so I don't miss one. But when I walk in the door, those who might
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recognize me don't seem to pay much notice, and the majority just *don't*
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recognize me, because my face isn't plastered all over the place. Which is as
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it should be; the actors deserve that honor. (This is something else the
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reporter bugged me about, "The ST creators have their faces all over the
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place, where in the press kit are your photos, why aren't *you* out there
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visibley?" To which the only answer is, "That ain't why I'm here." As
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Meatloaf said, "I ain't in it for the power, and I ain't in it for the wealth,
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I ain't in it for the glory of anything at all, and I sure ain't in it for my
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health. But I'm in it till it's over.")
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So there's no need for any awkwardness or hesitancy, Mike. I'm a fan,
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same as you and most of the other folks around here. Ain't nothing around
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here to be intimidated by; it's just me.
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 233 Sat Oct 14, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:15 EDT
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Okay, here's What Joe Believes: I don't believe in deities, heavens,
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hells, spirit guides, leprechauns, or any continuance of the individual after
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death. Consciousness is an abstract, but it is finite. When the game is
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finally called on account of darkness, you don't get to come back tomorrow and
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finish the game. The work we must do, must be done today, now, or not at all.
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What I believe in is the power of the human being singular to rise above
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every challenge, obstacle, tyrant and misfortune. We are where we are because
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in the evolutionary crap shoot, we were smarter, and faster, and *thought*
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ourselves out of the mud (with a little help from the opposable thumb, natch).
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The brass ring of consciousness has made us not only aware of our environment,
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and how to control it, but has made us, when we are at our best, self-
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reflective, aware of the struggle of those around us, made us conscious of the
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fact that we work at our best when we work together, when individuals can
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reach for the stars and pull the rest of us along with them...for company, for
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pleasure, and to help the next guy leapfrog to the next star. Given nurturing
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and direction and purpose, it makes us compassionate.
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Stunted, hindered, corrupted by circumstance or hopelessness, it makes us
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into monsters.
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I believe that we can touch greatness *now*, and that if we remove the
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notion of second chances, lifes after this one, no backsies, there is the
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added impetus to *achieve* it now. (Witness those who think there's no point
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in saving the redwoods because Christ is going to come back soon and the point
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will be moot. Remember James Watt's statement on that one?) This, I
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believe, is *it*. And so we must do all we can. For those who are raised
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well, directed well, that means doing all they can to the good; for those who
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fall between the cracks, that may mean something quite different.
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But that's the way it is now anyway, really. Religion can be used as
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justification to murder, or not to murder, depending on how you approach it.
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Religion has been used to rationalize, and attack, slavery.
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For my money, religion and science came out of the same impulse, the
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desire to understand who we are, and where we came from, and where we're
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going, and what we're supposed to do when we get there. Before we had the
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tools to grasp the mechanics of sunlight and solstice, we cobbled up pantheons
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and spirits and deities who watched over the functioning of the universe like
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benign watchmakers. With time and codification, religions began, warred,
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absorbed, schism'd and sunk their hooks deep into the world around us. Those
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hooks are too deep and tied to too much of our language, our culture, ever to
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be removed; they are part and parcel of our human heritage, I accept that and
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welcome that element.
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But from this side of the modem...it's still just myth. Myth with
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billion dollar empires on the one hand, and myth that lives in little steepled
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whiteframe churches in the Appalachias, but myth nonetheless.
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It can be myth that elevates, myth that ennobles, myth that destroys,
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myth that causes war and myth that heals after war...but myth it remains. Just
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like the myth of language, of art, of politics and polemics and philosophy.
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They are all the constructs we have made, the lenses we have cobbled together
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through which we can see the world around us.
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That is what I think, that is what I believe. Your mileage may vary. I
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have no desire to propagandize my personal beliefs; if you do that, they're
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not personal anymore, and my job is to entertain, and to ask questions, not
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to persuade anyone to my own perspective. In the pursuit of this story, I
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will use myth and math interchangeably, whichever tool best serves the task
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most effectively.
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If anything, I believe closest to what Delenn said, my one moment of
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slippage, of letting my own attitudes creep in, that we are better than we
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think, and nobler than we know; that we have the seeds of greatness within us,
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and our greatest flaw is that we do not always know this as well as we should.
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 258 Sun Oct 15, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:34 EDT
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Kwicker: then in the two options you present, assume the latter, that I'm
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"an exceedingly better writer than I had even expected," since the other
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doesn't parse for me. I don't believe. Not even cellularly, or
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subconsciously. If one can write Narns well, that doesn't mean one believes
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they exist; why should this change for writing about beliefs?
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Tom: not a "recovering Catholic," but an ex-catholic who was never really
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much of a practitioner at all...one of these twice-a-year church family types.
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I had no choice going in, being born into that, and as soon as I hit
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confirmation and was told it was the sacrament of free choice, I was out of
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the room so fast I doppler'd.
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Not sure there was any one particular thing that led me to where I am,
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just sort of the preponderance of things. I've read a lot of varying
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scriptures -- the Bible cover-to-cover twice, the Gita, a number of Egyptian
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and Judaic religious texts, less of the Koran than I'd like (some tough
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slogging in there), I'm quite charmed by much of what I've read in Zen
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Buddhism, I've looked into Native American, South American and African myths
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and religious beliefs...and to be honest, in all of this, I've never yet "met"
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a Deity that was really much nobler or better than the average person.
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They're all prone to eccentricities, fits of anger, flaws, jealousies,
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illogic, pettiness, violence, inconsistency and a thousand other traits we'd
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be ashamed to see in ourselves. And I've never seen much of anything outside
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to convince me that there's order in the universe...so here I am.
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Do not, btw, take this as an invitation to debate, convert, or try to
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convince. I've come to this by long and difficult roads, there's nothing you
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can say to me that hasn't been said before, by others, and if I respect the
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beliefs of othres enough not to try and change them, I'd ask that this same
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respect be returned.
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 275 Mon Oct 16, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:41 EDT
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I'll confess...for the time period from the Hubble's launch, until it got
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fixed...I called it the Wobble...I'm sorry, I'm sorry....
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 280 Mon Oct 16, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:16 EDT
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Yes, I've read Campbell. Leery of applying it directly or too
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consciously to the work, though; it can make the process too self-conscious.
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 290 Tue Oct 17, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:46 EDT
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"I am a leprechaun."
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Fine.
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Give up the pot of gold or die.
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 313 Wed Oct 18, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:28 EDT
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Lots of interesting stuff...new main title is finished and scored, with
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the first two new episodes arriving in the hands of critics and reviewers this
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week...finished writing script #11, "Confessions" (which title may change if I
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can think up something better), which is now the exact midway point, both in
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the series overall, and this season in particular...also finished writing the
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first issue of a 4-part miniseries for the DC comics B5 book, which will still
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come out at irregular periods, titled "The Book of the War."
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Also got in the first volume in the next batch of Dell novels, "Clark's
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Law" by J. Mortimer, and so far it's really extremely good, I'm quite pleased.
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The other two are by S. M. Stirling and Neal Barrett, Jr. Should be getting
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them in soon for review.
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The B5 AOL and WWW pages should jointly be up in the next 2 weeks.
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And in Los Angeles, B5's first new ep got a 6.5 rating with a 10 share
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(very good), while DS9, an hour before, got a 5.9 rating and a 9 share.
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Have begun shooting episode 11, "Messages From Earth," a hideously
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complex episode, outmatched only by #10, "Severed Dreams," which is the single
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most visually ambitious episode we've done in the three years of the show.
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It's just totally outrageous, and it'll probably kill us in sheer man-hours to
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produce...but the result should drop jaws all over the place.
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 321 Wed Oct 18, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 16:58 EDT
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Did I type "Confessions?" I meant to type "Ceremonies." Thought that's
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what I did type. Anyway, I've decided to change it to "Ceremonies of Light
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and Dark."
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 322 Wed Oct 18, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:00 EDT
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Just checked; I *did* type Confessions. Yikes. This is how I sometimes
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type west instead of east (you'll get it next week). I think I'm
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linguistically or philosophically dyslexic...
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 344 Thu Oct 19, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:58 EDT
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Kevin: yeah...real fragging funny...at times like this I long for a REAL
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Narn bat squad.
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Re: "fanboys"...actually, there's been precious little of that. The only
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ongoing problem that I've yet encountered is the occasional net-weasel
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celebrity stalker who goes out of his way to constantly post absolute untrue
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lying crap to try and hurt either me, or B5, or some cast members, or all
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three. Day after day after day.
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 393 Sat Oct 21, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:02 EDT
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We've been consistently giving Jeff Conaway more and more to do in the
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show because he's a very gifted actor; there are some moments in the coming
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month's episodes, particularly "The Fall of Night," that should knock the word
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"mediocre" out of anyone's mouth.
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 402 Sun Oct 22, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:03 EDT
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On the other hand, it would certainly be a writing challenge, one I
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hadn't even considered prior to seeing it here....
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 431 Sun Oct 22, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:28 EDT
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The sound came through okay on my system here in LA on KCOP. Odd; I'll
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look into the sound question overall, and the out of phase stuff.
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 440 Mon Oct 23, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:40 EDT
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Almost finished writing script #12, "A Late Delivery From Avalon."
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 463 Tue Oct 24, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:00 EDT
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You cannot prove the non-existence of something; you can only require
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proof of the *existence* of something. If I say, "There are green penguins at
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the North Pole," it is not incumbent upon you to prove they're *not* there;
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however you search I could always say, "Well, you missed a spot." The burden
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of proof is incumbent upon the person making the assertion.
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This is basic, critical thinking, which is often not taught in places
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where it *should* be taught.
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Quickie note on the clip-show discussion...this is starting to veer into
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story suggestions, so I'd suggest a slight retreat.
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BTW, for those also on AOL, Bruce and I are doing an on-line conference
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tomorrow (Tuesday) night at 7p.m. Pacific to officially open up the B5 AOL
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page.
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 466 Tue Oct 24, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:45 EDT
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I'd be very surprised; it's finding its audience, and it isn't a bad
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show. I know it's hideously expensive -- I hear about $2 million per episode -
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- and they've had a lot of problems with CGI, but all of that can be either
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overcome of compensated for. It'd be a loos. Er, loss.
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jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 556 Sun Oct 29, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:28 EST
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It may be the tape stock WWOR is using when it downlinks the show; it
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goes up pretty pristine on the uplink.
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Would love to get a copy of the Denver article, btw.
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jms
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(PS, at the SciFi Universe Awards last night, Bruce tied with David
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Ducovney for best actor, and Andreas got best supporting actor.)
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 566 Sun Oct 29, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:28 EST
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The article can be sent to me via the B5 mail drop, which is: 14431
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Ventura Boulevard, Suite 260, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423.
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Sometimes I write shows with a lot of EFX, sometimes I write shows with
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zip EFX. "Parliament of Dreams" was that way, so was "Inquisitor," which had
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almost no EFX. Same, as I recall, for "The Quality of Mercy." It's whatever
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the story requires.
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jms
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************
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Topic 2 Wed Nov 20, 1991
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SF-HUDGENS [Fenn Shysa] at 19:41 EST
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Sub: Babylon 5 - The Series >>SPOILERS<<
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BABYLON 5 is nearing the end of its second season, with four episodes left to
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air in October. :( This topic is for SPOILERS only. And as always, NO STORY
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IDEAS are to be posted. Them's da rules.
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621 message(s) total.
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************
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------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 2
|
|
Message 394 Wed Sep 20, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:18 EDT
|
|
|
|
Working title for episode 10: "Severed Dreams."
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 2
|
|
Message 444 Tue Oct 10, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:13 EDT
|
|
|
|
Episode #11, "Ceremonies," written by JMS, to be directed by John Flinn
|
|
III.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 2
|
|
Message 497 Sun Oct 15, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:38 EDT
|
|
|
|
Sounds like a definite glitch; anyone else notice this on the satellite
|
|
uplink?
|
|
|
|
Ron: yes and no. We hadn't heard of the Bureau 13 game when we did the
|
|
episode, it was just something we came up with 'cause it sounded neat. Later,
|
|
we found out there was a game by that name. At which point I decided that it
|
|
wouldn't be appropriate to use that name again, and had a good conversation
|
|
with some folks at the game company about it. There was no problem, I just
|
|
didn't want to walk on their turf intentionally or otherwise. Logically, any
|
|
secret group is going to change its name from time to time *anyway* (it's not
|
|
like they're in the yellow pages or anything), so the organization would
|
|
remain under varying names.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 2
|
|
Message 535 Thu Oct 19, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 06:02 EDT
|
|
|
|
A statement is anything; everything ever written can be taken as one kind
|
|
of political statement or other. (Often read in after the fact.) The
|
|
question is one of political *agenda*, and that I don't have; I've fronted
|
|
episodes on every end of the political spectrum, because I'm not enough of a
|
|
follower to think *any* party, group or affiliation has the market on right
|
|
answers.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 2
|
|
Message 565 Sun Oct 22, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:32 EDT
|
|
|
|
Mr. T, Louise is correct; also, in the TOS show, that revelation was the
|
|
whole *point* of the episode, where here it's a filligree, dropped in at the
|
|
last. It also *has* to be that character, as the flip side of the story, to
|
|
contrast with Sheridan's "holy cause" as warning, and because of his own
|
|
reflection of what Delenn might have been if she went the wrong way for the
|
|
right reasons.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 2
|
|
Message 574 Tue Oct 24, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:02 EDT
|
|
|
|
George: you're starting to learn my tricks. When I point to the east and
|
|
say "Look! A comet!" you can generally be sure you're about to get thumped on
|
|
the head by an interstellar snowball coming in from the west.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 2
|
|
Message 597 Sat Oct 28, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:34 EDT
|
|
|
|
George: the mistake everyone makes is in going for somebody famous, a
|
|
celebrity. I've done a lot of looking into this, and have spoken with a
|
|
number of other Ripperologists, and the single most likely person is one who's
|
|
name you've never heard mentioned as a suspect, but if you read the record,
|
|
his name keeps coming up again and again and again.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 2
|
|
Message 609 Sun Oct 29, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:31 EST
|
|
|
|
To the "how much information is needed?" question, the best answer, I
|
|
think, is that every week more folks find B5 for the first time and get into
|
|
it with very little need for backgrounding. The more you see, the more
|
|
threads you're aware are there, otherwise it's just interesting color.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 2
|
|
Message 612 Mon Oct 30, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:34 EST
|
|
|
|
Nope, Sebastian wasn't the name of the one I'm thinking of.
|
|
|
|
And from what I've read, a lot of folks *did* need to hear the name to
|
|
get it....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
************
|
|
Topic 7 Thu Jan 13, 1994
|
|
M.BELL14 [Mike] at 18:18 EST
|
|
Sub: Forcible conversions at gun point :)
|
|
|
|
What kind of sick, weird things have you done in the last year to tell people
|
|
about B5? How many people have you driven mad? Why on Earth are you this
|
|
nuts!?!?
|
|
163 message(s) total.
|
|
************
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 7
|
|
Message 146 Sat Sep 09, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:05 EDT
|
|
|
|
Shane: once we're finally, totally, completely done, I'll probably need
|
|
to walk away from the eps for about a year before I can look at them again, so
|
|
that I can *see* them with fresh eyes.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 7
|
|
Message 150 Mon Sep 11, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:26 EDT
|
|
|
|
The other thing to bear in mind -- and as a video editor, you understand -
|
|
- is that by the time we've finished an episode, I've seen it maybe 15-20
|
|
times, and personally, with Copeland, edited every single frame of every
|
|
episode. After a while, much as you like it, you just don'wanna see it no
|
|
more....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
************
|
|
Topic 17 Tue Jan 19, 1993
|
|
C.STOBBE [Colin] at 21:02 EST
|
|
Sub: Babylon 5 - Merchandising
|
|
|
|
A place to discuss all the neat Babylon 5 merchandising coming out (hopefully)
|
|
soon
|
|
331 message(s) total.
|
|
************
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 17
|
|
Message 193 Sun Sep 10, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:02 EDT
|
|
|
|
Yeah, it's the CP experience, and others, that kinda soured me on
|
|
merchandising a little. I walked off CP when it looked like the sponsor was
|
|
going to get increased say in episode content. And other shows have thrown
|
|
stuff in just so they could include it in merchandising...so I'm just a bit
|
|
leery of it all.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
************
|
|
Topic 26 Sun Jan 22, 1995
|
|
SF-VENTERS [Jan] at 17:15 EST
|
|
Sub: Babylon 5 - Conventions and Appearances
|
|
|
|
This is the location where you can post and find out about SF/F conventions
|
|
where some of the Babylon 5 cast and Executive Producer will be guests.
|
|
|
|
513 message(s) total.
|
|
************
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 26
|
|
Message 490 Thu Sep 28, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:42 EDT
|
|
|
|
Nothing's set yet; I was only asked 2 days ago to be there. At this
|
|
point I don't know who's going to be in-town for it.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 26
|
|
Message 493 Wed Oct 18, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:18 EDT
|
|
|
|
Well, start by asking her that very question; she'll be very happy to
|
|
answer it there, and thus give everyone a better grasp of what she does. Then
|
|
record it and send it to me so we can figure it out.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 26
|
|
Message 497 Sun Oct 22, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:35 EDT
|
|
|
|
Ah...is *that* what Haley said her job is?
|
|
|
|
Well...yes, very nice, very nice, big, warm laugh....
|
|
|
|
She's sweet.
|
|
|
|
"Hello, Guido? Got a job for you...."
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 26
|
|
Message 507 Sun Oct 29, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:31 EST
|
|
|
|
It's all part of the same credit.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
************
|
|
Topic 31 Sat Jul 09, 1994
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:23 EDT
|
|
Sub: Really Stupid Questions from JMS
|
|
|
|
Every so often, I need Information. (You won't get it!) Technical stuff,
|
|
research or reference stuff...and given the brain trust here, I figured this
|
|
could be a useful resource from time to time. With appreciation.
|
|
327 message(s) total.
|
|
************
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 31
|
|
Message 280 Sat Sep 23, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:15 EDT
|
|
|
|
SO, HAS, LIKE, *ANYONE* IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND *EVER* MADE IT PAST
|
|
LEVEL NINE IN TETRIS? HUH? IT'S JUST A PLOT TO MAKE ME CRAZY, ISN'T IT?
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 31
|
|
Message 300 Wed Sep 27, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:53 EDT
|
|
|
|
Just to clarify: Classic Tetris only goes to level 10.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 31
|
|
Message 308 Thu Sep 28, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:42 EDT
|
|
|
|
It's actually an interesting experiment in learning, in that it's
|
|
absolutely clear what the brain does...when you stop playing, your brain keeps
|
|
seeing these falling blocks every time you close your eyes, and what it's
|
|
doing is working out each possible combination, so you can react more
|
|
instinctively (yellow Ls go on the left, green Ls on the right, both top down,
|
|
to slide in)...it's really mental evolution in action, the learning process
|
|
given color and shapes.
|
|
|
|
It's also absolutely a useless skill.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
************
|
|
Topic 42 Mon Oct 16, 1995
|
|
C.MACLEOD2 [Cam] at 23:18 EDT
|
|
Sub: Promoting B5 on a local level
|
|
|
|
Lots of station have moved B5 to "graveyard" timeslots. What can we do on a
|
|
local level to boost interest and increase viewership?
|
|
13 message(s) total.
|
|
************
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 18, Topic 42
|
|
Message 2 Tue Oct 17, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:51 EDT
|
|
|
|
Y'know...this is a nutty idea...maybe just ignore it...but I got wind
|
|
last year about a station in...Italy? Greece?...one or the other that went
|
|
bankrupt and shut down *literally* in the middle of airing a B5 episode. The
|
|
next day, during the lunch time period, hundreds of protesters showed up with
|
|
placards demanding they show the rest of the episode. This got substantial
|
|
coverage, apparently, and convinced another station to pick up the show.
|
|
|
|
So I look around at the net, at the sharp local people who want to help,
|
|
the great graphics that are out there that can be used, the organizational
|
|
resources on the net.....
|
|
|
|
It's a nutty idea.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
************
|
|
Topic 1 Sat Oct 16, 1993
|
|
STARR [Arne] at 10:29 EDT
|
|
Sub: The British Aired Final Four Episodes
|
|
|
|
This is the Babylon 5 Episode Category, and this topic is for discussion and
|
|
spoilers on the final four episodes of Season Two which will air in Britain
|
|
months before the American airings in October.
|
|
|
|
353 message(s) total.
|
|
************
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 1
|
|
Message 207 Sat Sep 09, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:02 EDT
|
|
|
|
Dave: yup. Londo's never coughed before, and this was very deliberately
|
|
placed. He's on the path, like it or not.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 1
|
|
Message 212 Sun Sep 10, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:11 EDT
|
|
|
|
Question one I'll leave for later...to question two, Kosh *appears* to us
|
|
as a being of light...doesn't mean that's entirely what he is, that's how
|
|
we've been programmed to see him.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 1
|
|
Message 218 Mon Sep 11, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:53 EDT
|
|
|
|
As it happens, I worked closely in designing Kosh with Steve Burg, who
|
|
was one of the main designers on The Abyss, Terminator 2, Waterworld, and
|
|
other films. So I'm not surprised some element of that gracefullness came
|
|
through.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 1
|
|
Message 219 Mon Sep 11, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:54 EDT
|
|
|
|
PS, to Brett's comments above...someone observed that what we've
|
|
seen...is Kosh's encounter suit *inside* his encounter suit, given the way in
|
|
which we perceive him...sounds about right.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 1
|
|
Message 324 Fri Oct 06, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:48 EDT
|
|
|
|
Rob: you're absolutely correct that you shouldn't be talking about those
|
|
"even more unusual planes" in public. Good for you.
|
|
|
|
That's what email is for. I look forward to hearing more about this.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 1
|
|
Message 328 Sat Oct 07, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:12 EDT
|
|
|
|
Yeah, well, *I've* got Ultraviolet Level Clearance, personally assigned
|
|
to me by President Santiago (before his unfortunate demise), so there.
|
|
|
|
Actually, the Pentagon likes me...was invited to the Air Force Academy
|
|
2024 Study Group as a participant at Maxwell AFB by a Lieutenant General
|
|
(unfortunately had to decline for various reasons), we get care packages from
|
|
some folks at the Pentagon...hey, if you can't tell us, who CAN you tell?
|
|
|
|
jms*
|
|
|
|
(*who used to be a reporter and still honors the confidentiality of
|
|
sources)
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 1
|
|
Message 352 Sat Oct 28, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:23 EDT
|
|
|
|
Teri: unless your station did something, it's not physically possible for
|
|
the US version to be *shorter* than the UK version in any scene like that.
|
|
There was no additional material ever provided to C4 to expand it beyond
|
|
what's seen here.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
************
|
|
Topic 23 Sat Apr 29, 1995
|
|
SF-HUDGENS [Fenn] (Forwarded)
|
|
Sub: #219 - "Divided Loyalties"
|
|
|
|
Lyta Alexander returns with a warning that one of Babylon 5's officers may be
|
|
an operative for a top secret government organization. Patricia Tallman
|
|
returns as Lyta. Written by JMS.
|
|
195 message(s) total.
|
|
************
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 23
|
|
Message 14 Wed Oct 11, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:04 EDT
|
|
|
|
You're looking into this too much.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 23
|
|
Message 55 Sat Oct 14, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:21 EDT
|
|
|
|
Actually, Delenn was never told the whole situation, so she would have
|
|
had no way of knowing to stick around; also, it was something they had to do
|
|
on their own.
|
|
|
|
The Talia "incident" is referenced again in "Dust to Dust," and possibly
|
|
one more episode in the first 11.
|
|
|
|
None of the actors have *contracts* for five years, we have options ON
|
|
them for that period, which we can exercise at our discretion.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 23
|
|
Message 59 Sun Oct 15, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:11 EDT
|
|
|
|
It means we have first call on their services, and if we choose to renew
|
|
an actor, they *must* comply; if we choose not to, we're not obliged to. This
|
|
is standard in TV.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
************
|
|
Topic 24 Sat Apr 29, 1995
|
|
SF-HUDGENS [Fenn] (Forwarded)
|
|
Sub: #220 - "The Long Twilight Struggle"
|
|
|
|
The Narn-Centauri War reaches a major turning point. Delenn is contacted by an
|
|
old friend who offers assistance. Written by JMS.
|
|
126 message(s) total.
|
|
************
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 24
|
|
Message 14 Wed Oct 18, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:14 EDT
|
|
|
|
Re: G'Kar's position on the council...Sheridan could have carried on, but
|
|
it would've been basically useless. The Centauri now occupy and run Narn, and
|
|
as its conquerers call thanks to the surrender and agreement to the Centauri
|
|
terms, call the shots as far as who can legitimately speak for Narn. Sheridan
|
|
could've kept G'Kar *in the room*, but he'd still be powerless, without
|
|
portfolio, and the whole concept of the council would be shot. He is now
|
|
simply Citizen G'Kar, same as any other Narn. No, Londo isn't of higher rank
|
|
in the council than Sheridan, but he speaks for the Centauri, and the Centauri
|
|
speak for Narn.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 24
|
|
Message 27 Fri Oct 20, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:35 EDT
|
|
|
|
Re: Earth's attitude toward the Centauri...stick around for 2 more
|
|
episodes.
|
|
|
|
Re: not recognizing the Centauri rule...on what basis would or could
|
|
Earth do this? If the Narns had not agreed to total and unconditional
|
|
surrender, sure, there might be a case you could make...otherwise, one doesn't
|
|
have a leg to stand on.
|
|
|
|
Vampyr...okay, (poink), I've now made you Babylon 5 Person here. So how
|
|
could Sheridan "take Londo down a peg" in any manner consistent with reality?
|
|
Yell at him? Sure, but to what effect? He had nothing to back it up.
|
|
Before, in "Shadows," he had a bluff he could run; now that's not relevant
|
|
because the actions have all been taken, and there is nothing that can be done
|
|
to stop it. Sometimes, things happen in the real world, and we'd love to see
|
|
the person taken down a peg, as you say...but sometimes actually *doing* that
|
|
in a real world situation, or a fairly rigorous fictional situation, is a
|
|
different matter.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 24
|
|
Message 40 Sat Oct 21, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:24 EDT
|
|
|
|
Vampyr: don't worry, your reaction is exactly right. If Londo's actions
|
|
bug one, they should, because we hate to see them. And what makes this show
|
|
strong, I think, is that we *are* very rigorous and logical in how we put
|
|
together the politics of our universe. There aren't a lot of holes you can
|
|
point to in this one.
|
|
|
|
Could G'Kar try and form a government in exile? He probably could, and
|
|
they may be worried about that...so who knows what they might do...?
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 24
|
|
Message 76 Mon Oct 23, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:45 EDT
|
|
|
|
A-TC: yes, Londo *does* have his moments when one almost likes him in
|
|
spite of oneself; the second episode of year three has scenes in which you
|
|
don't like him, and then you *do* like him enormously...then you don't again.
|
|
He's caught in the scissors...and trying madly to find some way out of the
|
|
situation he's in.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 24
|
|
Message 84 Tue Oct 24, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:43 EDT
|
|
|
|
Or are you just happy to see me.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 24
|
|
Message 92 Wed Oct 25, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:17 EDT
|
|
|
|
Debs: *extremely* good points, and well considered. We go through great
|
|
pains on the lighting, to add dimension, texture, and to play with helping
|
|
create the characters. Thanks for noticing.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
------------
|
|
Category 19, Topic 24
|
|
Message 104 Thu Oct 26, 1995
|
|
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:47 EDT
|
|
|
|
He's Centauri. They have an accent. He puts stress on the darndest word
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sometimes.
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jms
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------------
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************
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Topic 25 Sat Apr 29, 1995
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SF-HUDGENS [Fenn] (Forwarded)
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Sub: #221 - "Comes the Inquisitor"
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by JMS
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69 message(s) total.
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************
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------------
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Category 19, Topic 25
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Message 3 Wed Oct 25, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:10 EDT
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General Answer For What Comes Now:
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Yes, I *know* it's the East End not the West End; I looked right at my
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notes when I was writing the script, and they said East and I typed West and
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nobody noticed it until it went out. I could've replaced it with a looped
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line prior to first airing here, as this was found during the UK airings, but
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looping never improves only diminishes the performance, and he's on-camera and
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the words wouldn't match his mouth. So I decided to let it go out this way
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once for performance, and we'll correct this aspect with a loop in later
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airings, even though that will somewhat lessen the performance aspect.
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jms
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------------
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Category 19, Topic 25
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Message 6 Thu Oct 26, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:32 EDT
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Yes we have. In the pilot and elsewhere. It comes out engines first to
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decelerate more quickly, then turns around to actually dock.
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jms
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------------
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Category 19, Topic 25
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Message 15 Fri Oct 27, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:00 EDT
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Maybe a subtitle or caption on-screen with the words, "I'm sorry, I'm
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sorry, I'm sorry."
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jms
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------------
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Category 19, Topic 25
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Message 25 Sat Oct 28, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:30 EDT
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You can't exclude or include anything in your story just because a
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character or concept has been used by others. If we were to do that, then we
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might as well never make the show, because others have shown starships and
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hyperspace and aliens. Okay, yes, others have used Jack. But not in the same
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way. It was *right* for this show...should it not be used because others have
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also used this character? I think that the moment you begin constantly course-
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correcting your show in reaction to other shows, you're dead in the water.
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You have to do what's right for *this* story, in *this* episode. And I think
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we showed a very different aspect of the character and the situation than has
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been shown before. If we just did the same old gag -- Jack comes to B5 and
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begins murdering people again -- then I'd agree. But we didn't. I think you
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have to judge a show by what's IN the show, and how well it's done, not
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against what has been done in other places.
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Otherwise we might as well throw out starships and beam weapons and
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aliens and all the rest, since those have ALL been done a lot more than Jack.
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jms
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------------
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Category 19, Topic 25
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Message 27 Sat Oct 28, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:27 EDT
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In his situation, who wouldn't...?
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jms
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------------
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Category 19, Topic 25
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Message 31 Sun Oct 29, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:33 EDT
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Never thought the ep was being trashed, just responding. If one picks
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nits with shows, one should also be free to pick nits on messages. Just the
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usual give and take.
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Remembered an interesting quote this afternoon: "Of course everything has
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already been said. But since no one was listening, we must begin again."
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jms
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------------
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Category 19, Topic 25
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Message 39 Sun Oct 29, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:24 EST
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Well, this certainly helps explain the growing popularity of Senator
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Dole. Shaving off that mustache was a definite smart move.
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jms
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------------
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Category 19, Topic 25
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Message 44 Sun Oct 29, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:24 EST
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Jim: never hesitate to bring something up because it's me; if we can't
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discuss the issues, there's no point.
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On the question of Dole and politics in general...yeah, Bruce and Jerry
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and I tend to go 'round and 'round about this stuff at our lunch gatherings.
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|
Sometimes for laughs, sometimes earnestly, but we generally tend to respect
|
|
the other's viewpoints.
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|
I don't personally subscribe wholecloth to a liberal or conservative
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|
agenda; I think you have to take each individual issue as it comes. I'm pro-
|
|
choice and pro-death penalty (UNLESS one can guarantee that when a court says,
|
|
"life inprisonment," it MEANS life, not 5 years, then I flip to the other side
|
|
of the issue).
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|
There are a number of interesting democrats, and a number of intersting
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|
republicans out there. Dole, however, strikes me as a mean, venal little man
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|
who would make Nixon (also not high on my hit parade) look like Rebecca of
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|
Sunnybrook Farm if he ever got into high office. It ain't the party, it
|
|
ain't the issues (well, not entirely)...it's just that this guy worries the
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|
hell out of me.
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jms
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------------
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Category 19, Topic 25
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|
Message 67 Tue Oct 31, 1995
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:31 EST
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|
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"He wishes confirmation." Any catholics in here want to comment a
|
|
little further on what that means?
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|
|
Re: Colin Powell...I'm cautiously optimistic. One of the real dangers
|
|
is that, not knowing perhaps as much as we should about him, is that he has
|
|
the potential to become the empty vessel into which we pour all of our
|
|
expectations about what he *could* be, or what we *think* he is...and see not
|
|
him, but our own reflection, which is always appealing to a restless
|
|
population seeking the next tall rider on a horse.
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|
That said...I do find much of what I've seen quite intriguing, and if
|
|
the rest is revealed to match what seems to be his personality and record, I
|
|
think I might be inclined to vote for him.
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|
jms
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------------
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