JMS AOL postings 11/28/95 - 12/03/95 (SPOILERS!)
b5jms-owner at cs.columbia.edu
b5jms-owner at cs.columbia.edu
Sun Dec 3 17:56:50 EST 1995
Forwarded message to B5JMS list.
Originally From: Lisa Freeman <lefreeman at sunbelt.net>
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
[for "Passing through Gethsemane", "Comes the Inquisitor", "Fall of Night".
--mod. ]
SPOILERS FOLLOW!
Subj: Re: Cthulu in space
Date: 95-12-02 03:49:30 EST
From: McBri911
well since I havent read any Cthulu books i cant compare but--I agree there
is a Tolkien relationship if you want to go that way.
Kosh = Gandalf
Mimbari = Elves
Bab 5 crew = Hobbits
Morden = Chief of the Nazgul
Sinclair = Aragorn/Strider
Ranger = Rangers
of course you cant push to far but...
Subj: Re: Cthulu in space
Date: 95-12-02 05:34:09 EST
From: Jms at B5
The characters and comparisons you made are basic archetypal characters
that have long been used in all kinds of sagas...the voice of the wise
master, the characters of action, the hero on a journey, the smaller wiser
folk...they extend far beyond Tolkein. We draw on the same archetypal pool,
but there's no intended parallel between them. What invariably gets lost in
this is that the LoTR saga was a *quest* story, that is the heart of
it...ain't no quest here. The characters are part of the saga-structure that
goes straight back to the Illiad and the Odyssey, Gawain and the Green
Knight, Jason and the Argonauts and elsewhere. The only common elements come
from the fact that we have our roots in the same literary garden of
archetypes and literary symbology.
I didn't fight for five years to get this show off the ground just to do
LoTR with the serial numbers filed off.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: Hope for Vir, the Furst
Date: 95-11-29 19:19:48 EST
From: BigCityBob
I have no idea where to post this info but this seems as good a place as any.
It may be posted elsewhere so I apologize if this is old news.
Having said that. . .
I read in next weeks TV Guide that Stephen Furst , aka Vir, is joining the
cast of Chicago Hope. He will play a veterinarian joining the hospital
staff.
As I recall when he was on St. Elsewhere, his character's father was a
veterinarian (played by Louie Nye, aka Sonny Drysdale).
Mr. Furst's first appearance is scheduled for Dec. 11.
I hate to see him leave B5 , if that's the case. Londo needs him!
Bob B, who doesn't remember, but wonders if Flounder was pre-med?
Subj: Re:Hope for Vir, the Furst
Date: 95-11-30 02:46:24 EST
From: Jms at B5
The Chicago Hope appearance is only a two-parter, nothing beyond that.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: Re:Gethsemane
Date: 95-12-03 02:54:09 EST
From: Del Kimry
Question:
If Susan Ivanova isn't real happy about telepaths in general, and if her last
words (on the show) to Lyta Alexander were "Go to hell," then someone tell
me why they're all chummy in this episode? Professional courtesy? Or has
Ivanova changed her mind about telepaths?
Subj: Re:Gethsemane
Date: 95-12-03 06:07:11 EST
From: Jms at B5
Real simple. Lyta has proven that she was telling the proof about the
traitor; and she's on the run from the Psi Corps herself, putting her and
Ivanova on the same side; and she helped when she was asked to try and find
Edward.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: X Glen X
Date: 95-11-28 04:30:44 EST
From: Blacnight9
I have never asked anyone white to feel guilty for the past, to do that I
must assume that there is a conscious at work and I don't find that to be the
case. I have lived a long time and the one theng that has remain constant is
the fact the when ever you have a chance you will hurt us, and hurt us badly.
So you see I have learned from the past and I use it to pretect my future,
this country has little respect for anyone that isn't white and no respect
for someone that is black preiod. X Glen X, you are living proof that if I
turned my back on you that I would die. I have learned my lesson and so has
Gramage in Pa. Malcalm, Martain, Medgeres and many others. Oh yes and for the
person that didn't know during WW2 Northern Italians joined with Hitler
because they didn't conside Southern Italy pure becuase of the MOOR blood
that run's through their veins.
Subj: Re:X Glen X
Date: 95-11-28 22:12:43 EST
From: Jms at B5
Tell me, Blacnignt9, how does it feel to be a racist? Because that's
what you are. Oh, yes, you can be a non-caucasian and be a racist. And you
definitely qualify.
"I must assume that there is a conscious at work and I don't find that to be
the case." (I assume this is a misspelling of conscience.) If I were to say
this about any ethnic group as a class, such as african-americans, you would
call me a racist. And you would be right. And it's just as racist as to
make sweeping comments about other races such as this.
"...you are living proof that if I turned my back on you that I would die."
If I said this about a hispanic, it'd be racist. Same here.
"I have lived a long time and the one theng that has remain constant is the
fact the when ever you have a chance you will hurt us, and hurt us badly."
Here you are speaking of caucasions as a race again. This kind of sweeping
statement is racist. It is also wrongheaded and offensive.
What about the half million white folks who died in the Civil war to end the
brutality and monstrous practice of slavery? More were killed in the course
of that war than in all of our losses in every war thereafter combined.
How about the Swedes, who never even *saw* an person of african descent for
most of their country's history?
And while we're at it, what about my caucasian friend Lisa, who volunteered
as a rape counselor in a predominantly black lower-class neighborhood, and
was murdered for her efforts? Yes, sir, I can sure tell that she was out to
hurt other people like yourself, wasn't she?
The heart of racism is stupidity and intolerance and classifying every member
of an ethnic group as being the same, usually in a negative fashion. By that
definition, you are a racist, and I suggest before you start correcting
others on this area, you do a little housecleaning of your own first.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: YOU PEOPLE ARE SICK
Date: 95-11-30 04:20:27 EST
From: Blacnight9
You people are really sick, of all the thing you could bring up you bring up
Martin And Living Single as example of racial equality. The golden rule says
He with the gold makes the rules, that same thing a plies to T.V and the
Movies. Racism is in the heart of this show and if not why did they replace
the asia woman that was commander before Ivanava. We are to be impressed with
the guess stars that are minority and yet there is only one minority on the
show. The onlty show this year to have an openly interracial couple was
Seaquest and they were cancel. The only show where two of the stars one black
and the other white openly spoke about love for one another and you tell me
racism don't grew from T.V. My favorite is day time soap opreas where there
are more white and latino couples on daytime and that is like normal and yet
latino and black or any race and black and there has to be a great big
interracial storyline built around it, why. What makes being black any
differant from any other race in this world. I think about all the things
that the black race has added to this world from music to saving lives and
when it comes down to it the color of our skin stops us from being like
everyone else in this world. This world has grown strong from my race and yet
we are outcast, You tell me all these stories about how things are getting
better then I suggest that you walk outside of that bubble that you are
living in because the real world is a racial mess and the people with the
power away seem to be the people that say one thing and do another. We have
people in D.C that are holding hearing on Vilence and sex on T.V and in the
movies and yet it okay to be racist.
Subj: Re:YOU PEOPLE ARE SICK
Date: 95-12-01 03:45:08 EST
From: Jms at B5
The reason Laurel Takashima/Tamlyn Tomita is not currently on the show
is because the actress didn't feel really comfortable in the role of a
military commander, and felt she might do better in other kinds of roles,
such as that which came along about the same time in a major motion picture;
she is now a highly-sought-after film performer. When she opted out, I went
instantly after Julie Nickson, an asian actress to play Catherine Sakai,
Sinclair's love interest, a recurring role in the show.
And check my message uptopic...there's a racist here, all right, and
it's you.
jms
Subj: Re:Blacnight9
Date: 95-12-03 05:55:38 EST
From: Jms at B5
Blacnight: okay, you've been hurt. Three words: deal with it, but
frankly, if you use this as a motivation to become just as racist in your
descriptions of caucasians then you have totally and utterly sacrificed the
high ground in the discussion.
Lemme explain something to you: I didn't come into the world with a
silver spoon. We were poor. I'm not talking poor lower case letters, I'm
talking POOR. We lived in houses without roofs, without heat in the winter,
always on the run from creditors. You know where poor folks live, Blacnight?
In the poor part of town, which was usually the ethnic part of town. Most of
my life I lived in areas that were mainly black, or hispanic, or puerto
rican. I lived in Newark just before the riots, as a kid, the only white kid
on the whole BLOCK. I've got class photos from schools as a kid, and you
look for row after row, and in the lines of brown and black faces, you find
one -- ONE -- white face. Mine. It ain't a case of "well, sure, some of my
friends were black," ALL of them were. Or Puerto Rican. Or Hispanic.
And at those schools, because I was always the new kid, I got the snot
beaten out of me on a regular basis. Usually by kids with skin color
different from my own. Because that's usually all there was in the
neighborhood. So I got hurt, I got beat up, constantly. Now, do I turn
around and say that all black/hispanic/puerto ricans are bad people? No.
Some were great, some were real jerks. Some helped me. Some hurt me. I
deal with it *without* coming up with sweeping generalizations about whole
groups.
For as long as you continue to make sweeping statements about caucasians
-- and you have not responded to one of the responses I made to you before on
this -- then you are every bit as racist and prejudiced as those you say you
are against. You come on, make one sweeping generalization, go away, then
come back with another. You don't listen, you just accuse and take the role
of angry victim. Well, fine, like I said, I've lost dear friends to people
of other colors than my own...but I don't turn around and blame the whole
group for the actions of a few.
If you're concerned about the well being of other african americans, let
me ask what you're doing positively about it? Working with inner city kids?
Neighborhood programs? What? Or are you content to just come on here and
complain?
African-americans and hispanics have *got* to be brought into the
mainstream of american political and economic life; we cannot long sustain a
disenfranchised class determined by ethnic background. That way lies madness
and destruction for all parties. On my show, I do as much as I can; on the
side, I tithe a goodly percentage of my income to charitable causes, AIDS
research, People For The American Way (which fights tyranny from the left and
the right in censorhship issues), and other causes. Because it ain't enough
to complain; you've got to go in and DO something. You talk the talk real
good; how're you fixed for walking the walk?
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: B-5 newsgroup
Date: 95-11-29 15:07:09 EST
From: Angelica71
I just read that you've resigned the usenet group rastB5. Your original
message did not come through (the AOL newsreader is not terribly dependable)
but I got the gist of your original from the replies. I'll miss your input
on that group tremendously, and I *completely* support your decision to
leave. I had been wondering lately when you would finally decide that no
self-respecting human being should deal with the sludge from those few
sources that kept sliming what could have been a lovely experience for
everyone involved.
Will you stay here, though? Please?
Subj: Re:B-5 newsgroup
Date: 95-11-30 02:49:24 EST
From: Jms at B5
I have no plans for leaving here anytime soon, Angelica. I hope to be
here for the long haul.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: B5 Universe Questions
Date: 95-11-30 18:34:44 EST
From: Skelebot
In all of the non-Earth Alliance space stations and starships, there
aren't any rotating sections
like on the Agamemnon or B5 itself. What does the dreaded mass drivers shoot
(since there MASS drivers they shoot projectiles, right)? How come
Earthforce does not use lasers ar "slice-em" weapons but as "hit-em" weapons,
unlike the Narn, Minbari and the Shadows. Were any Minbari crusiers shot
down in the Earth-Minbari War besides the Dark Star and her sister ships? Is
Earth considered "low-tech" compared to many other starfaring races?
Skelebot the (inquisitive) B5er
Subj: Re:B5 Universe Questions
Date: 95-12-01 03:53:56 EST
From: Jms at B5
Mass drivers use asteroids freely available in space, accelerated and fired
into a planetary atmosphere. EA non-rotational ships have zero g. EA tech
is generally much lower in weapons tech and other areas than the Minbari and
Vorlons, among others.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: Licensing & Your Audience
Date: 95-11-30 22:03:50 EST
From: Zatris
Dear JMS,
Let me first congratulate you on the quality & ongoing excitment that is B5.
I have been an admirer of your work since your days on TZ and am never
disappointed by what you present. My continued hopes for your success. But
to the matter at hand. I've read a great deal about how you have been
extremely cautious in allowing licensing of any B5 merchandise & logos. This
I respect and understand. God knows how TREK has been exploited, as well as
any solid francise or property. However, my concerns are more along the lines
of WHO you are granting these privledges. I attended a Creation Convention in
NJ over Thanksgiving weekend, the usual madhouse we all know and look forward
to. I was scoping about for B5 merchadise and came across a baseball cap with
the logo. Great, I was satisfied. Then I look inside of the cap and find a
tag stating CREATION ENTERTAINMENT!
Say it ain't so, Joe. Creation may have one of largest convention circuits in
the world at present, but this goes along with an equally generous reputation
for bad bussiness dealings. They don't honor the people who pay for those
alleged "preferred seating" privledges. They have forced out the smaller,
more grassroot fans and dealer who MADE their conventions in the first place.
And as they has sewed up the TREK francise with Paramount, no one with even
legitimate merchandise, can work their shows. This has cast any TREK, QUANTUM
LEAP, BEAUTY & THE BEAST in a very poor situation. HELL, THEY EVEN ANNOUNCED
THIS AS THEIR 25TH YEAR AND IT'S A FLAT OUT LIE! PHIL SEULING STARTED THESE
SHOWS!
My point is this, I am not a dealer, I am a fan of your show and those I have
mentioned. I am asking you not to throw in with this band of charlatans to
gain a quick avenue to your audience. Your better than that.
Tim Healy
PS My best to Harlan.
Subj: Re:Licensing & Your Audience
Date: 95-12-01 03:59:02 EST
From: Jms at B5
We're aware of the rep that Creation has, and I've been very open in my
criticism of them when they've done something dumb, both in my talks with
them privately, and on the nets. They know that if they do a Dumb of Bad
Thing, I'm going to call them on it. I'll also note when they do things
right. And thus far, for the most part, they've done okay by B5. I've
worked closely with them on the licensing aspects, and some of it is really
quite cool, and the rest is fine. (They have come out with two recent items,
a B5 leather jacket (a bit over-priced, I think, but extremely cool
nonetheless), and B5 mugs with the logo on one side, and the silhouette on
the other in silver against black that's just *killer*.)
I don't feel sufficiently comfortable at this time to do a B5 convention
with them; but I have made an occasional personal appearance, and found that
they are genuinely interested in trying to straighten out their rep. A great
deal of the problem stems from the fact that they often work with local folks
in the area as hosts who often don't know what they're talking about. So now
they're cutting back a little, trying to do fewer, better, than a lot, less
efficiently.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: To JMS
Date: 95-12-01 14:50:02 EST
From: Hogan ds
I find B5 to be the best show I have seen in a long time. I am a SCI-FI
junkie, and could never find any good shows to watch on the networks. Star
Trek is ok, but never really had much story to it. They usually tied
everything up at the end of the episode which left me thinking, "that was
interesting but what's next. I love how you build up the plot with every
episode. I think that B5 would do alot better if someone forced the networks
to give it a better time. When I lived in Ohio it was on at 1:00am Monday
morning. When I moved to Idaho it was on Wednsday at 8:00pm, but eventually
got moved to Saturday at 4:00pm. I think that the worst problem with TV
today is those stupid Nielson Ratings. I think it is unfair that a small
percentage of the population gets to decide what the rest of us likes and
watches. I have heard many rumors that B5 is going to be cancelled do to
lack of interest. If this would happen I would be greatly disappointed I
love this show, in fact B5 and SAB is the only two shows I watch on TV
anymore. When they are not on I set down and watch the copies of B5 that I
recorded off TV. I have every episdoe except for the First season and the
pilot, which I want very much. I have purchased every B5 item that I know of
and hope that sooner or later there will be a web site, where I can purchase
more items. Sorry didn't mean to ramble on, I just wanted to tell you how
much I liked your show.
Hogan DS
Subj: Re:To JMS
Date: 95-12-01 17:52:49 EST
From: Jms at B5
Hogan: thanks. And at this point, we're in no particular jeapordy of
being canceled; the ratings keep improving, slowly, but it's there, and the
folks at WB have openly discussed the notion of our fourth season long before
those words would usually ever come out of their mouths, so we'll probably be
okay.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: JMS: Another note of thanks.
Date: 95-12-01 17:07:59 EST
From: TMorisak
JMS-
Thanks for a wonderful series! I moved from rastb5 to this site, in full
support of what you did, why and when. I just wanted to add my voice to the
rest of those loyal to the 'light' side.
Thanks again, I look forward to the show every week!
Todd
Subj: JMS: Another note of thanks
Date: 95-12-01 17:53:43 EST
From: Jms at B5
No, the thanks are entirely mine....
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: VIDEOS
Date: 95-12-01 23:32:43 EST
From: CGuill4457
Sir: I have learned from a relatively reliable source that a strong
disagreement exists between you and Time-Warner about the possibility of
releasing video tapes of the first two seasons. For those of us that have
been unable to continuously partake of the quality show that you have created
for one reason or another, please settle your differences to allow the tapes
to be made available.
Subj: Re:VIDEOS
Date: 95-12-02 01:49:28 EST
From: Jms at B5
The difference is that we want them to do it, and they don't think that
there's a market. You tell me how to resolve that difference, and I'll go
for it.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: Without Makeup
Date: 95-12-02 00:34:31 EST
From: BlkSista5
i was just wondering if we'll ever get to see what the actors who portray the
ambassadors look like without their makeup? It would be very interesting to
see what G'kar, Londo and Deelen look like.
Subj: Re:Without Makeup
Date: 95-12-02 01:50:31 EST
From: Jms at B5
It's been discussed, but the actors, particularly Andreas, are dead
against the idea, on the theory that it ruins the illusion.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: Schedules and Reruns
Date: 95-12-02 02:52:47 EST
From: HarleyHG
If the Lurker's Guide is to be believed, B5 will be in reruns until the last
week in January. This sounds all too familiar, they did this last year too.
Is this due to problems getting the episodes completed, or a desire to save
new episodes for the "Sweeps" periods?
I understand the need for reruns, but as I tape the show I don't watch them,
and I find it a bit long to go without a fix.
And of course one has to wonder how many season three episodes will be held
in stasis until next October.
BTW: Keep up the good work, B5 is easily the best thing on the air.
Subj: Re:Schedules and Reruns
Date: 95-12-02 05:27:09 EST
From: Jms at B5
The rerun schedule is to accommodate the PTEN desire to have new eps
for sweeps periods, and nothing else. I'm sitting on a bunch of new episodes
that're just gonna sit on the shelf until January. (Hey, everybody come on
over to my house, we'll have a viewing party....)
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: Episode #4
Date: 95-12-02 02:59:06 EST
From: MathType
JMS-
Did you intentionally try to make the scene where Sinclair and Co. were
questioning the Centaurii Telepath more disturbing? After watching it a
couple of times I found myself questioning whether or not I was rooting for
the 'right side.'
Kevin
Subj: Re:Episode #4
Date: 95-12-02 05:28:20 EST
From: Jms at B5
Yes, that's definitely the sense I was going for. That scene frankly
unsettles and scares me a little, because it does show our characters
skirting the line...yes, it's absolutely necessary, every moment is precious
if they're going to try to save Edward's life...but it's still a bit creepy.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: Who Works For Whom
Date: 95-12-03 05:33:02 EST
From: Jms at B5
I post this here only because this was forwarded to me in private mail,
and if this utter and absolute lie is being circulated, best to quash it
right here and now.
The email comes originally from a certain individual on usenet who does
not merit his name being mentioned, and this is, as stated an absolute and
total and complete lie of the worst sort I have seen in a while. It concerns
my departure from rastb5, predicated in large part by actions taken by this
individual who is running like mad to find some other reason to attribute
this to. The relevant quote follows:
"And his retreat just happens to correspond to the introduction of the
new Babylon 5 area on AOL. And isn't it amazing how his "formal
termination" of his presence on this group is 30 November. Bet it
corresponds to his new contract on AOL which starts on 1 December, and
includes a clause regarding his participation on the Internet."
1) I have no contract whatsoever with AOL concerning my presence here.
2) I am not being paid one thin dime for my participation on AOL. 3) Not
only do I not receive anything for being here, I pay for my subscription here
just like everybody else on AOL, no freebie account, nothing.
There is no contract, and no cause in that contract. I'm happy to bring
my AOL bill to the next convention to prove this. (I think it was $80 last
month.)
It's this kind of lying behavior by a certain few demented individuals
that made my departure from rastb5 inevitable. This particular lie is made
more disgraceful by the fact that it is stated as cold fact, not speculation,
not rumor, but cold fact...and is utterly, 100% untrue.
If you folks have to pay to be here, then I'll pay to be here. (Though,
granted, I do have freebie accounts on GEnie and in one or two forums on
CIS.)
Sorry for the interruption; just felt this was necessary to nip in the
bud. As you were.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: Re:Videos
Date: 95-12-02 11:44:09 EST
From: IronKobra
JMS [aka The Master :)]
I know this question has been asked before (by me for one), but *who* do we
write to in order to convince the powers-that-be to release Babylon 5 videos?
I've never found an answer to that question. *Please* post that info here so
I can carry out my diabolical plan of burying those...umm, people under
several tons of mid-grade printer paper. Thanks again for bringing us one of
the best shows on TV, a medium that barely deserves it.
Don
Subj: Re:Videos
Date: 95-12-03 05:34:14 EST
From: Jms at B5
That info has been given out elsewhere, and it hasn't done any good, so
we're looking into the possibility of releasing them ourselves.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: Rangers
Date: 95-12-02 13:49:35 EST
From: MarkDuell
JMS,
This is my first post here, and I just want to get in line and tell you
how wonderful B5 is. I am said to see that you left rastb5, but you do what
you have to do. My question, How long have the Rangers been an organization?
How did they get started? All of the Earthers that come through the station
that aren't government of military seem cautious of the Minbari, but there is
now this secret force in training. Will there be more Ranger info in future
episodes (I realize that we will get to know Marcus better in future
episodes).
Mark Duell
Subj: Re:Rangers
Date: 95-12-03 05:35:06 EST
From: Jms at B5
Yes, there'll be other Rangers in episodes here and there. There was a
kind of loose-knit Rangers notion back on Minbar but it didn't come into full
bloom until Sinclair arrived and took charge of the operation.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: JMS:Writing
Date: 95-12-02 16:52:59 EST
From: JMSkelton
I've been a fan of the show ever since it came on the air, and the main
appeal to me was the writing. In fact, I was happy to find a copy of your
book on writing for stage, screen, and TV at our local library. You gave
very good advice on how to lay out characters, plots, and settings that I
found useful when I started taking a playwriting course here.
Oddly enough, when I used your format for play manuscripts, I was told
by my instructor (Frank Higgins, a fairly well-known playwright) that it was
incorrect. And although I've looked everywhere, I can't find any other book
laying out the correct format for play scripts.
Anyway, I really wanted to know if it was necessary for you to write x
number of shows to keep maybe your SWG card or is it just something you've
wanted to do? I've also noted in the two episodes I saw of yours that you
used very obvious historical allusions. Of course you had the Jack the
Ripper story, and then you had the rise of a new group which so obviously
parallels Hitler's rise that you even had a Neville Chamberlain quote,.
"There will peace in our time" being used. Sorry, guess I'm too well versed
in these things and prefer a little more subtlety.
Be that as it may, I much prefer your show, plus DS9, because of the
realism. At last there are space shows with aliens that DON'T look even
vaguely human! Keep up the great work!
JMSkelton
Subj: Re:JMS:Writing
Date: 95-12-03 05:36:54 EST
From: Jms at B5
The play format varies a little here and there; I'm addressing this in a
rewrite I'm finishing now of the writing book.
Re: the number of episodes I write...basically, it's just the number I
feel is right to communicate the sense of the show in that season. One of
the main reasons I *created* B5 in the first place was to make a show I'd
like to watch, and to write for. So now that it's here, I'm following up.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: Q about season schedule
Date: 95-12-02 17:07:42 EST
From: MrSeeker
JMS, you've said on several occasions that the episodes "Messages from
Earth", "Point of No Return", and "Severed Dreams" form a kind of trilogy,
wrapping up some major plotlines and ending with a significant and permanent
change to the show. Given that they are so closely linked, I would hope that
we'd get to see them one after the other. But the season schedule (according
to the Lurker's Guide) appears to indicate that there will be another batch
of reruns between "Point of No Return" and "Severed Dreams". Is this true? I
hope not.
Thanks for an outstanding show.
Subj: Re:Q about season schedule
Date: 95-12-03 05:38:09 EST
From: Jms at B5
At this point, it looks like there may be a break before #10, though I
haven't seen a final schedule on this. It ain't what I would do...but it
ain't my call, alas.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: Coming Changes: JMS
Date: 95-12-02 20:22:06 EST
From: StarFuryD4
Joe,
I've heard rumors from a coupl'a friends who've been to pasadena cons,
that there will be changes made in the EA Uniforms. Is this so?, and if so,
what and when?
Dave
Subj: Re:Coming Changes: JMS
Date: 95-12-03 05:38:40 EST
From: Jms at B5
Yeah, there might be some changes here and there....
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: Who's Garibaldi's Second??
Date: 95-12-02 22:36:04 EST
From: MrWook
Morishi or Zack?
Please say Morishi, I'd hate to think that Zack would be anything higher than
a mid-level grunt.
Mr Wook
Subj: Re:Who's Garibaldi's Second?
Date: 95-12-03 05:39:11 EST
From: Jms at B5
Zack.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: Re:Episode #4
Date: 95-12-03 01:41:25 EST
From: MathType
<<but it's still a bit creepy.>>
A bit?
Other question: Lyta got away with the crime because she couldn't be
identified. How did Geribaldi or Sheridan get away with it? Perhaps the
telepath met with an unfortunate accident latter on?
"The road to hell is paved by good intentions"
-Kevin
Subj: Re:Episode #4
Date: 95-12-03 05:41:23 EST
From: Jms at B5
How Sheridan and Garibaldi got away with it?
"Telepath? What telepath? Never happened. Can you describe her? No?
I see. Well, I don't remember seeing anyone in there, Mr. Garibaldi, do you?
We'd check the logs to be absolutely sure, because we'd hate for this sort of
thing to happen, but we had a small glitch in the software, and the recorders
didn't work...still, we're working on it, and we hope to have it taken care
of in the next few months. Would you like some more tea, Ambassador?"
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: Star trek still rules
Date: 95-12-02 11:59:17 EST
From: GTomkovich
The thing to remember is that Star Trek has been around aalot longer than B5,
BG and all
the rest. It was created in the 1960's without the benefit of computer
graphics and all the
special effects that are available today. Without ST none of these other
series would have ever been born. By the way I would take Kirk and his
enterprise in a fight with any of the others,
including Picard.
Subj: Re:Star trek still rules
Date: 95-12-03 06:05:13 EST
From: Jms at B5
"'Without ST none of these other series would have been born."
Sounds good. Only thing wrong with it is that it ain't true.
Prior to ST, there were the SF anthology shows such as the Outer Limits
and Twilight Zone and One Step Beyond and Men Into Space and many others;
just prior to ST there was Lost in Space. (And by the way, most critics at
the time panned ST because they said it was just a cheap attempt to cash in
on LiS's popularity.) So you could easily say that ST wouldn't be on the air
except for LiS, if you're going to follow your logic to its ultimate
conclusion. And let's not forget Forbidden Planet, which is almost a
template for ST.
Finally, I'd note that if ST was responsible for other shows coming
along in that same vein, why have there been no others in 25 years until B5
(in terms of series set in our future, with us as a spacefaring civilization,
with a fully worked out cosmology/universe)? Do you know why it took 5 years
to sell B5? Because we were told, by execs at CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, Showtime,
HBO, and elsewhere that -- and this is a direct quote -- "There's no room for
any other SF show of this kind other than ST. The market won't sustain it."
ST has been used as a rationale NOT to do space SF for *years*. We had
to fight like mad to overcome that notion. So you'll understand why, having
fought for years to overcome the roadblock that ST was in terms of selling
B5, why I can only shake my head when someone tries to attribute the presence
of this show to ST.
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: Re:Vorlons as Angels
Date: 95-11-29 23:16:21 EST
From: Rick9719
Even if you could show that some 'Angels' mentioned in antiquity were in
fact, extratarestrials, this wouldn't prove that Angels don't exitst.
Actually I don't think the Bible describes the physical appearance of Angels.
In any case the Angels in Ezikel (sp?) could be Vorlons, while the ones who
announced the birth of the lord could have come straight from heaven. For
that matter, it doesn't matter a lick where the Angels came from. What
matters is the message.
Subj: Re:Vorlons as Angels
Date: 95-11-30 02:39:56 EST
From: Jms at B5
Also, it has not been stated anywhere that the Vorlons created the
angel element; they could easily just have come in and tried to exploit
it....
jms
_________________________________________________________
Subj: Ratings
Date: 95-12-01 06:21:11 EST
From: JosephH49
B5 was taken off the air here in the San Antonio area. In talking with
another area station manager who is interested in picking up B5, his comment
was that the problem was NOT that B5 was that low in the ratings, it was the
ratio used for local commercials. He said that the 14 minutes per hour were
divided up so heavily in favor of the network, that it was literally
impossible for a local station to make money on the show. He said that it
was clearly a popular show, but if time shifting had to be done in order to
make room for another show that earned more money for the station, B5 would
be a logical choice. And as we all know, if people don't know when it's on,
they can't watch it, and the ratings can't build. Maybe the shows
distributors are the ones who need a letter writing campaign. They are
killing it with their own greed. Anyone know the address to write to?
Subj: Ratings
Date: 95-12-02 01:46:18 EST
From: Jms at B5
Every so often, this flares up, and I have to kind of get into it. Yes,
Bruce would like the ratings to get better, because he feels that this show
is at least as good as ST, if not better, and thus deserves the same ratings.
This is not a reasonable expectation, I think; ST has almost 30 years of
presence in the public consciousness. You can't beat that.
What *is* important is that we have continued to get the level of
ratings required for renewal. You don't have to be a top-10 show, or even a
top-20 show; that's only the very tip...there are about 250 syndicated shows
out there, and we are invariably in the top 35-40 out of 250, the ratings are
either constant or growing in various markets, and the demographics (the kind
of people watching the show) are exactly what the advertisers want.
Consequently, the ads sell for very good prices to the sponsors...and WB is
making money on the show.
There's this recurrent wave of panic about the ratings that's really not
merited. The fact is that Space Rangers is off the air, Time Trax is gone,
SeaQuest has sunk, Earth 2 has fallen out of orbit, Sliders is gone, VR5 is
gone...of all the SF shows introduced the same time or after we were, only B5
and DS9 are still here. They're gone because they didn't get the ratings
necessary for renewal. We're here because we do. It's really that simple.
I've never intended this show to be a Huge Landslide Success, a
*FRANCHISE* a la ST. I want to tell this story, and it's the kind of story
that kinda grows on you. If you want to get the really big numbers, you have
to dumb up the show, bring in kids, have lots of women in skimpy outfits, and
make it into something other than what it is. And once you *become* a
franchise, you get Noticed by the studio types...when you get Noticed by the
studio types, suddenly they want to protect you...protect the show...and any
stories with teeth in them get knocked down, all the corners get filed
off...and you've got something soft and inoffensive and essentially
meaningless.
If I for a *moment* genuinely thought that this show was in any measure
of jeapordy, I'd be right here banging the drums and sounding the clarion
call and urging everyone to go out there and move and start letter campaigns
and make lots of calls. You'll notice I'm not doing that. Because it's not
necessary. The show is doing well enough to go on, and that means the story
will be told, the way I feel it has to be told.
If that should *ever* change...believe me, you'll hear about it.
jms
***********************************************************
* Lisa E. Freeman * WILL TYPE *
* President * FOR *
* Advanced Office Services * FOOD!! *
***********************************************************
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