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485 lines
22 KiB
485 lines
22 KiB
5/21/94 - This file contains everything I could find about Michael O'Hare's
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impending leave of absence from Babylon 5. The following information
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comes from messages posted from JMS's account on GEnie; therefore, this
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information is only as valid as his account's security. There is
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absolutely *no* reason to doubt that security, but since the purpose of
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this "mini-FAQ" is to *prevent* rumors from starting, I just want to
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make sure that I'm not starting any myself. -Shawn
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9/25/94 Updated with more messages
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-----------------Messages from JMS's account begin here--------------------
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Second Science Fiction and Fan Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 560 Fri May 20, 1994
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:57 EDT
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I have some news that must be imparted. I think that the best way
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to convey that news is to start at the end of the story, make my
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way to the middle, and end at the beginning.
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So: the end of the story.
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Everything is okay. Nothing major really changes. All is well.
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Now the middle of the story.
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I've been asked, several times, what happens if something *happens*
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to me, or one of the cast members, during the five year arc, since
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this is a fully-worked-out novel. Generally, I blow off the question
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with humor. But the truth is, obviously, I've taken every possible
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step to make sure that no one is disappointed. In my case, I've
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made sure the story is available somewhere.
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The trouble, of course, is that unlike writing a novel, where the
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characters exist only on a sheet of paper, actors and writers are
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some discussion on the best of days). They can get sick, they can
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get into contract disputes, they can be hit by meteors, they can
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decide to buy a house in Cambridge and raise hedgehogs under an
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assumed name. There are, in short, *always* unpredictables in any
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such endeavor.
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Consequently, in drafting the story for Babylon 5, I made sure to
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compensate for any possible changes. For lack of a better term,
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there is a "trap door" built into the storyline for every character.
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Obviously, you don't want to lose anyone, but in *every* case any
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such change momentarily shifts the story about ten degrees to one
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side for a little bit, and then you're back on track again.
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Case in point: Dr. Benjamin Kyle and Lyta Alexander. Here are the
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only two humans who have seen or scanned a Vorlon. This is Very
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Important to the storyline. Alas, as later events unfolded, things
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did not work out, and the characters were dropped...but their story
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remained important, in that it was established that they were soon
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afterward recalled to Earth under mysterious circumstances (as noted
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in "War Prayer"), which actually *helps* the storyline in many ways.
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This is not meant to sound callous. As a writer, and as a producer,
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it's my job to tell the story, to be responsible, and to make sure
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every possible contingency is covered. To do anything less would be
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simply irresponsible.
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Now to the beginning of the story.
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Over the last few weeks, we've been re-activating our cast, making
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the deals for the coming season. One aspect of this has been a
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series of conversations with Michael O'Hare. Having produced one
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full season, and having learned a lot, and having fine-tuned the
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"saga" along the way, it was our goal to expand the show, bring in
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some new characters, and take the show in some new directions, which
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will prove quite interesting, I think. (One sidelight to all this:
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now that we've established the series, we'll be able to spend a bit
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more time on personal stories, to let our audience learn more about
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the characters, particularly the humans, who kinda got short shrift
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this season.)
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There is also the question, from an actor's point of view, about
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other opportunities, any possible concern about typecasting, the
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limitations of a continuing role (and the role of the commander
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does have some definite "walls," giving more freedom in many ways
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to other characters). Now is the point where one needs to take
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a breath and assess one's future, because the deeper we get into
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the story, the more problematic it is to change things (though,
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again, it's do-able, as noted above).
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As a result of these discussions, it has been agreed that we will
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have a separation, in the role of the commander. Let me emphasize
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this very clearly, so there is no chance of miscommunication: this
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is a mutual, amicable, and friendly separation. This isn't a Tasha
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Yar situation. Moreover, we will be handling this in such a way
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that, down the road, Sinclair could potentially return to the story.
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The character of Sinclair will achieve an important destiny, and the
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mystery of the Battle of the Line will be explained, both in the
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first episode of the new season. His story will still track. And
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the series will still track precisely as planned. I take pains to
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mention this because both Michael and I want it clear that we both
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believe in the show, and want this in no way to interfere with the
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series. He has asked me to convey for him his encouragement, his
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best wishes, and to emphasize that this is, again, an amicable and
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friendly separation.
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He has said that he is happy to continue to do the conventions, to
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promote the show, because he believes in it, and because he is an
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important part of this season's success. We can think of no
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finer ambassador for Babylon 5 at conventions than Michael O'Hare.
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He is a dynamite speaker, he cares about the fans of the show, and
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his compassion shows. We think he's a nifty guy.
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On our part, we wish Michael only the very best. We know that
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he is very much in demand, and look forward to seeing him in other
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projects over the next year. This will also allow us to pursue some
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new directions avenues for the show that will help to expedite the
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overall story. Sinclair disappearing for an indeterminate period
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after the events of "Chrysalis" will allow us to tighten the screws
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of the story, and heighten the tension of things going on in the
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storyline.
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If I can speak personally for a moment...those of you reading
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this on-line know that I've always talked straight with you. If
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I thought this in *any* way would interfere with the story, you'd
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hear about it from me loud and clear. When problems have arisen in
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the past, I've always spoken about them quite bluntly here (much
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to the chagrin of some people). This is okay. We're all still
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very much friends. I speak frequently to Michael, and consider
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him a friend, just as he considers me a friend. This was a hard
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decision, but we both knew that it was the right decision, for
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very different reasons. We both kinda came to the same place
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at the same time from different directions. We've got to do
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what's right for the show, and for each other, and in many ways,
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this does just that.
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So both we on the show, and Michael are served by this mutual and
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amicable separation. We will go our separate ways for now, with
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the possibility of meeting Sinclair again down the road a piece,
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as Gandalf disappeared for a time into Mordor, only to return when
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needed most. (We will also be keeping the character of Sinclair
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alive in the comic, and some of the planned novels, to keep that
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option available to us.)
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Once again, let me emphasize that the story continues on the path
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that has been set for it, everything you learn this season sill
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obtains, the show remains solid, with all of the other cast members
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coming back for a new season, and that the saga of Babylon 5 will
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continue to reveal itself exactly as planned. And I hope you will
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continue to stay with us for that journey.
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Sincerely,
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Joe Straczynski
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Creator/Executive Producer
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BABYLON 5
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-----------Next Message-----------
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SFRT II RoundTable
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 565 Fri May 20, 1994
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:10 EDT
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The arc remains untouched. For starters, the arc as written was designed
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to emphasize the aliens and the Battle of the Line in season one; build the
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universe and set the pieces in motion. Year two brings the humans into play
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in the universe that season one created. There's a reason Morden didn't go to
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the Earth Alliance.
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Let me be clear on this: *no* arc-related stories will be sacrificed, at
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all. We're talking mainly in terms of B stories, not A stories. Most of our
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season 1 B stories concentrated on the alien ambassadors; Ivanova really gets
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only two strong B stories, and some smaller ones; Delenn gets something like
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six. It's just a question of finding the balance.
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jms
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-----------Next Message-----------
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SFRT II RoundTable
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 574 Fri May 20, 1994
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 15:29 EDT
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Thanks to all. I'll convey what I can of this to Michael when I next
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speak to him.
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Wayne...if your friends feel that way, then they must not like any show
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ever produced in the history of television, because *all* series get five year
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options on their cast. That's considered pro forma.
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What they, and to some extent you, fail to understand is that there is a
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difference between a *contract* for five years, and an *option* for five
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years. The former is a guarantee; the latter is at the discretion of the
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producers, though in some cases, as we've just seen, an accommodation can be
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reached. An option means that the producer has the right, but not the
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obligation, to pick up an actor for another season. There's plenty of room
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for random events.
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Other than that, you can tell your pessimistic, insulting friends to get
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a life. And I mean that in the best possible sense of the word. I see no
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reason why I have to justify my show to them. It is what it is. If they like
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it, fine, if not, still fine. If they don't like it, tell 'em to stop
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watching. Nothing make me crazier than what I've seen on the Trek forums for
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all these years, of people who *hate* the show, but still watch every single
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episode just so they can go online and grump about it.
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jms
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-----------Next Message-----------
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SFRT II RoundTable
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Category 18, Topic 1
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Message 579 Fri May 20, 1994
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:30 EDT
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I note this here only because it came up on CIS, and I'd kinda like to
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nip this in the bud. Please don't take out any part of this on Michael. If
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you're going to be upset with anyone, be upset with me, since in the final
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analysis, it's Doug and I who have to implement any decision, even when
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mutually made.
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What happened at the beginning of the process is that we looked at the
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coming season, and said (as I've noted on another system), that in the second
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year, we can do X and Y, both of which are very cool. But what if we did
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something unexpected? What if we took a chance, and tried a slightly
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different direction, and set Sinclair aside for a while? If we did that, we
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could still do X and Y...and we could *also* do Z...and Z is very, VERY
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interesting. It opened up some very dramatic possibilities, allowing us to
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expand the series and heighten the tension level.
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We talked to Michael, and he had some thoughts on this as well. The
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result was, as stated, a *mutual* decision.
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People here know how much B5 means to me. I would never do anything, or
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allow anyone else to do anything, to harm it. This is my baby. And this is
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being done not because we will have to overcome this now somehow, but because
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in the final analysis we think this will help the show, and give Michael some
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flexibility as a side-effect. I won't ask anyone to trust me, because in
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Hollywood, "trust me" is a euphemism at best. But this will all work out.
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In any event, though, if anyone's going to be upset in any way by this,
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please direct it toward me, not toward Michael. Fundamentally, the
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responsibiliy rests on my shoulders, and Doug's. But since Doug's not here,
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I'll take it.
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jms
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-----------Next Message-----------
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From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
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Date: 28 May 1994 04:55:40 -0400
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Subject: Re: RUMOR: Michael O'Hare (Sin
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I have, to date, read something on the order of a dozen different
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rumors about the reason for O'Hare's leaving...that Warners marketing
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wanted him out, that he was offered the lead on Voyager, that this was
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actually planned out from the start, that he quit, that we fired him...if
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I were to deal with all of these, I'd be here all day. Rumors are just
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that: rumors.
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jms
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-----------Next Message-----------
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From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
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Date: 18 Jun 1994 03:26:25 -0400
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Subject: Re: Message from JMS
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Getting in someone else to play Sinclair would be the solution if
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the actor were the problem. He's not. It's a question of looking at the
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character (at least from my side of this) and saying, "Is there something
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different we can do here that's more interesting?" This isn't a question
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of salvaging stuff.
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jms
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-----------Next Message-----------
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From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
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Date: 18 Jun 1994 03:39:03 -0400
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Subject: Re: Message from JMS
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This to Patrick Rannou...I'm going to try this again, and see if it
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sticks.
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We DO have options on our actors. We DO and DID have options on
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O'Hare. It was WE who first approached HIM, not the other way around.
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Your characterization of his actions here is not only inappropriate, but
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absolutely and catagorically untrue. If you've got a problem, you've got
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a problem with me, not Michael.
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Once again: this was MUTUAL, and it was AMICABLE.
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jms
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-----------Next Message-----------
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SFRT II RoundTable
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Category 19, Topic 24
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Message 95 Sun Aug 14, 1994
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:34 EDT
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He was looking out a port as the shuttles raced away from B4.
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Mike: it'll all hang together in the end. If I'd wanted, if that scene
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with the One revealed would've been a problem, I could've easily cut it LONG
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before delivering it to PTEN, and left it a "mystery yet to be explained." No
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problem. But I didn't. It all still tracks.
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Peter: I agree about the exposure the show is(n't) getting. It's just
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very hard to make people understand what we're trying to do here.
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jms
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-----------Next Message-----------
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BABYLON 5: <B^2> #793173
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FROM: J MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
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TO: JOHN M GRAHAM
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DATE: TUES AUG 16, 1994 3:01:15 AM
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Bear in mind, however, that B2 was edited long after we had
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made the announcement about Michael. It would have been *very*
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easy to simply omit the shot of the One at the end, and leave it
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as a mystery, as we did with the entity at Sigma 957. We
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deliberately chose not to. This if nothing else should be
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*some* indication that we are quite sincere when we say that you
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haven't seen the last of Sinclair.
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jms
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-----------Next Message-----------
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From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
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Date: 18 Aug 1994 01:48:19 -0400
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Subject: JMS lying? (was Re: Voyager Ca
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If Sinclair was simply to be *gone*, we had *plenty* of time to
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edit OUT the scene in B4 that you saw and refer to. It was self-contained,
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occupied only about 30 seconds, and could've been easily deleted (we ran
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long on that episode, and cut a shot of Delenn leaving the Minbari
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cruiser setting course for B5, which could easily have been put into
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the show in that scene's absence). We only delivered that episode a few
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weeks before airdate, and the news re: Sinclair was announced MONTHS
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before that, while we were still in the process of editing it. (And we
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can make changes literally up to a week or so before delivery.)
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We could've deleted it, and left it a mystery, just as with Sigma
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957. We're not afraid to do that.
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In addition, the first four issues of the B5 comic will NOT be about
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the new Captain, they will be about *Sinclair*, and where he is, and where
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he's gone, and what he's doing. Since at this point it would be
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hideously expensive to show that in the series, we're doing it in the
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comic. And will continue to do it from time to time in the comic, AND in
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occasional shots in the series.
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This is NOT what you do when the network comes to you and says, "We
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want this guy GONE." When that happens, he's *gone*, period.
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No, people should not believe everything they are told.
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Nor should you assume that everyone is lying all the time.
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jms
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BABYLON 5: B5 CAST ANNOUNCEMENT!
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FROM: J MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
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TO: ALL
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**** Announcement ****
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Since this has just been released by PTEN, and will be
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on the news wires shortly (and is probably already there),
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I can now announce this here.
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The new Commanding Officer for Babylon 5 is Captain John
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Sheridan, former captain of the Earthforce military starship
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Agamemmnon. It was Sheridan who won what is arguably Earth's
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only real victory during the Earth/Minbari War, destroying the
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Minbari war cruiser Black Star and several accompanying
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vessels. He has been appointed to Babylon 5 over the strenuous
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objections of the Minbari Government, by the president's
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insistence that Babylon 5 has had too much influence from the
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Minbari and must begin to pull back and consider Earth's
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interests; Sheridan is a symbol of that desire because of his
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record, which is the reason for his assignment.
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Captain Sheridan will be portrayed by the well-regarded
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actor Bruce Boxleitner, known to many as the series lead in
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"Scarecrow And Mrs. King." He has also starred in numerous
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TV movies, miniseries and feature films. He is also a solid
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SF fan (media *and* print), and is very excited about coming
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onto the Babylon 5 team. We're equally excited to have him.
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(Those here who've heard rumors about this building, and
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were kind enough to refrain from repeating them here at my
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request, can now speak, and I thank you again for your
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Cooperation.)
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jms
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-----------Next Message-----------
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BABYLON 5: B5 CAST ANNOUNCEMENT! #805620
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DATE: SUN AUG 28, 1994 6:11:18 PM
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We decided to try an even stranger approach, and have Sinclair
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show up again about *mid-way through* the second season once or twice.
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There needs to be some mystery to his departure, which being there to
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shepherd the New Guy would destroy.
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And at the same time, the comic from DC will follow the Sinclair
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line after he leaves B5 for the first four issues in particular, starting
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by showing the flip-side of what happens in the first episode.
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What you suggest is perfectly reasonable; I agree that the tactic
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should be unusual. And we think this may well qualify....
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jms
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-----------Next Message-----------
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BABYLON 5: BABYLON SQUARED #806642
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DATE: MON AUG 29, 1994 6:00:22 PM
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Nope, the storyline still tracks just fine. There's just
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no reason to have everyone static and stuck in the same place
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for the next X-years.
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jms
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-----------Next Message-----------
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BABYLON 5: B5 CAST ANNOUNCEMENT #815051
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DATE: THURS SEP 8, 1994 12:18:11
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Replacing Sinclair? No, not precisely. Boxleitner's character,
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Captain John Sheridan, is coming aboard B5 as its now commanding officer,
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but Sinclair isn't gone permanently. He is being moved off the chessboard
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for a time, allowing us to broaden out the story, and give Michael the
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chance to pursue some interests of his own in the meantime. Sinclair will
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return from time to time as the story requires. (There's a lengthy message
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in library 13 here with more details.)
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jms
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-----------Next Message-----------
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SFRT II RoundTable
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Category 18, Topic 2
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Message 353 Thu Sep 15, 1994
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STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:29 EDT
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Sinclair is also a strong character throughout issues 2-5 of the B5
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comic.
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jms
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-----------Next Message-----------
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BABYLON 5: O'HARE DEPARTURE
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FROM: J MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
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IN RESPONSE TO: JASON WONG
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...sigh...it's not that Michael wanted to leave the show
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per se. Again, we came to HIM, it wasn't the other way around.
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With this as an option, there was now the opportunity for him
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to pursue a number of other possibilities, stage and TV, while
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his character was "away" for a bit.
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jms
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-----------------Messages from JMS's account end here---------------------
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
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For reference, here's the letter that WWOR (the station that carries B5
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in the New York metropolitan area) sent to many of the fans that wrote
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letters in support of B5. Most people received this letter *before*
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JMS posted anything about O'Hare's leave of absence.
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"We have received your letter regarding BABYLON 5 and we are thrilled
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to have such an excited viewer. The program will continue to air on
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Wednesdays at 8pm, but we are expecting Warner Brothers to re-vamp the
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show and change storylines.
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"Unfortunately, we do not know what changes are in store for
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BABYLON 5, but stay tuned. Thank you again for watching WWOR."
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=========================================================================
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Messages from JMS are Copyright 1994, J. Michael Straczynski.
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This file was compiled by Shawn Bayern <bayern@cshl.org>. I take no
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|
responsibility for any errors, etc., in the quoted material in this
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|
file.
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Updated by Dan Wood <danwood@pobox.com> to include more information
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|
and to integrate the information with the Boxleitner announcement.
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Thanks to David Strauss <dss2k@poe.acc.virginia.edu>, Jacque Marshall
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<jacquem@netcom.com>, and Brett Jaffee <hbact003@huey.csun.edu>
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|
for crossposting messages from GEnie.
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