JMS on CompuServe (Nov 23 1995)
b5jms-owner at cs.columbia.edu
b5jms-owner at cs.columbia.edu
Thu Nov 23 18:14:32 EST 1995
Forwarded message to B5JMS list.
Originally From: brent.barrett at 24stex.com (Brent Barrett)
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WARNING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The following posts may contain SPOILERS for
upcoming Babylon 5 episodes.
Continue at your own risk.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
S
P
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I
L
E
R
P
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O
T
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I
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOTE: I will see about capturing the message(s) JMS is responding to, but I
can't promise anything. -- BKB
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#: 399450 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
16-Nov-95 23:12:50
Sb: Link&Log
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Jon Wolf 76103,2541 (X)
It's a floating (air-compression) vidrecorder.
jms
#: 399452 S5/Babylon 5: General
16-Nov-95 23:22:47
Sb: #B5 Magazine
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: John M. Kahane 102664,773 (X)
Yes, I generally reviewed most of the material; but I explicitly told
them I don't want it to be a fluff magazine, so there's some hard stuff in
there from time to time. I think the final schedule of forthcoming issues is
being nailed down now.
jms
#: 399453 S5/Babylon 5: General
16-Nov-95 23:22:48
Sb: #DL Query
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: John M. Kahane 102664,773 (X)
Because the longer she was there, the more she'd discover (was about to
enter into Sheridan's cell group in fact), and the more damage she'd be able to
do.
jms
#: 399454 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
16-Nov-95 23:22:50
Sb: #<Convictions>
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: John M. Kahane 102664,773 (X)
Thanks; it came out very well, I think.
jms
#: 399455 S5/Babylon 5: General
16-Nov-95 23:22:54
Sb: Sinclair's Warning
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Jimmy R. Kapesis 103156,1634 (X)
Maybe a little of both....
jms
#: 399489 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
17-Nov-95 00:52:30
Sb: #Four Cents: Convictions
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Michael Zitaglio 102545,641 (X)
The question, of course, is...is a person 100% dark or light? Hitler was
a monster. He was also a snappy dresser and, to quote The Producers, he could
dance the pants off Churchill. Look at the war films from WW 2 behind the
scenes...there's Goebbels and Goering and others having dinner, laughing,
playing little jokes, listening to music....
The monster never sees a monster in a mirror.
jms
#: 399672 S5/Babylon 5: General
17-Nov-95 12:05:35
Sb: B5:The End???!!!
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Michael Ogrinz 71573,3153 (X)
Incorrect. Share *is* important on the local level. When you get the
national ratings on a syndicated program, the final figure doesn't have a
share, only a rating. Shares come in market by market, and since the show's
future is determined market by market, that's crucial to our survival. So for
our purposes, the share per market is *very much* the more important figure.
jms
#: 399673 S5/Babylon 5: General
17-Nov-95 12:05:37
Sb: B5:The End???!!!
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Michael Ogrinz 71573,3153
Some stations are shifting to less terrific timeslots; other stations are
giving us *better* timeslots. There's no one trend. The main problem is that
each market only has maybe one or two indie stations max, and if that's a Fox
or UPN station, you've only got 2 prime time hours per night available 8-10
(nearly all of these show their news programs at 10 p.m.). So first precedence
for those 14 hours per week is given to Fox or UPN programs (or WB programs,
depending), plus all the other syndicated shows out there, from talk shows to
game shows and so on.
The market for syndicated shows, and where you can squeeze them in, is
getting increasingly smaller. Hence the growth of cable.
jms
#: 399674 S5/Babylon 5: General
17-Nov-95 12:05:39
Sb: #New Open!
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Gerald Himmelein 100417,3703 (X)
Yeah, and that quote got me in lots of trouble; my original statement was
that we'd kick their ass, they'd kick ours, we'd kick back, and the ongoing
competition would guarantee better shows for viewers. Unfortunately they chose
to use only the first part of that...and thus was a huge fracas born.
jms
#: 399675 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
17-Nov-95 12:05:41
Sb: #<Rage'sThots: Cnvctns>
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Chad Underkoffler 102512,1310 (X)
Londo and G'Kar no longer really have much to discuss; they're past that
point, I figure. They hate each other.
Re: the Drazi...yeah, I hear that a lot. The most frequent comment: "I
like the Drazi; they're just nuts."
Londo wasn't on Minbar; he was seeing someone off on a ship going to
Centauri Prime.
jms
#: 399681 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
17-Nov-95 12:19:30
Sb: #399553-#Four Cents: Convictions
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Gerald Himmelein 100417,3703 (X)
I dunno...I just kinda figured that invading Poland, invading the
Sudetenland, invading France, invading Russia, bombing Britain, eradicating
much of the population of jews and gypsies in Eastern Europe, that kind of
stuff comes as close as I can think of to a definition of a human monster.
Granted he fixed the economy, got Germany on a solid economic footing,
ran a tightly organized Olympics, instituted new fashion sensibilities, and
created some interesting architectural structures...and you couldn't beat his
sense of theater and high drama...but I kinda think the former somewhat
outweighs the latter.
Perhaps we are working from different definitions of what a monster is.
jms
#: 399986 S5/Babylon 5: General
17-Nov-95 22:58:08
Sb: #399710-#<Theo>
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Ruth Ballam 100412,3457 (X)
Re: brewing ale...is that true?
jms
#: 399987 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
17-Nov-95 22:58:10
Sb: #399751-#Four Cents: Convictions
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Gerald Himmelein 100417,3703 (X)
There can be no question that the conditions prevalent in Germany after
WW I created the climate in which a Hitler could come into power. There was
great resentment and anger festering over the onerous conditions placed upon
the German government, the enconomy was in ruins, people were looking for
someone to blame, and that creates the perfect condition for scapegoats, and
someone who can take advantage of that.
Hitler, however, was able to perceive that, galvanize it, shape it and
form it. It was Hitler who organized the brownshirts and created the
krystalnachts, who orchestrated his rise within the government until he was
finally able to seize the reins of government, and he who was the primary
architect of the atrocities of that period.
Of course he didn't do it by himself; there were those who willingly, even
happily collaborated; those who opposed and said nothing; those who were of no
opinion one way or another; and those who resisted. If you're going to blame
the first group, maybe the first two or three, you still have to recognize the
fourth.
People can be driven by the madness of the crowd, or intimidated by the
government of the gun into silence. No one is looking to totally exonerate the
citizenry; though one can make a compelling argument that anyone who spoke out
was swiftly arrested, deported, or shot...which tends to discourage the free
exchange of criticism. Would WW 2 have taken place without Hitler? Possibly;
the conditions were right. Would it have taken the same shape? Probably not;
almost certainly not. Thus the blame for *this* war, the way it happened
*this* time, must be laid at his feet.
jms
#: 399988 S5/Babylon 5: General
17-Nov-95 22:58:13
Sb: #399797-Dr. Franklin's serum
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Jimmy R. Kapesis 103156,1634 (X)
I'd forget it for now.
jms
#: 399989 S5/Babylon 5: General
17-Nov-95 22:58:17
Sb: #399799-Bio-tech weapons
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Jimmy R. Kapesis 103156,1634 (X)
Could be.
jms
#: 399990 S5/Babylon 5: General
17-Nov-95 22:58:17
Sb: #399848-B5 Magazine
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Alan Katz 74260,3612 (X)
I go over the text, yes, but I've advised those who do it to avoid
turning it into a puff-piece.
jms
#: 399992 S5/Babylon 5: General
17-Nov-95 22:58:23
Sb: #399955-Book of G'Quon
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Jimmy R. Kapesis 103156,1634 (X)
The leaf shown is the G'Quon-eth, the plant featured in "By Any Means
Necessary."
jms
#: 400289 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Nov-95 14:55:56
Sb: #400146-#New Open!
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Jason Wong 73302,776 (X)
It's my understanding that there'll be a B5 cover in Cinefantastique in
the next few months.
jms
#: 400290 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Nov-95 14:55:57
Sb: #400152-G'Quoneth Plant
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Jimmy R. Kapesis 103156,1634 (X)
Nope.
jms
#: 400291 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Nov-95 14:56:00
Sb: #400251-JMS: Questions
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Marlyn Bumpus 75117,3014 (X)
Vickery is a british actor, yes.
jms
#: 400527 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Nov-95 21:54:23
Sb: #400299-#DL Query
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: John M. Kahane 102664,773 (X)
No, she didn't know who it was, but *whoever* the person was, the longer
that person stayed where he/she was, the greater the risk. They didn't know it
all along remember; several people died on Mars getting that information
out...as soon as they had it, and knew there was a traitor aboard, they had to
move on it.
jms
#: 400528 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Nov-95 21:54:26
Sb: #400309-#Kosh Me This
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: John M. Kahane 102664,773 (X)
It's Screen Actors Guild rules; you can't have a character like this, who
isn't actually an actor, in the opening credits.
jms
#: 400531 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Nov-95 22:04:09
Sb: #400358-#B5 rerun schedule
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Jimmy R. Kapesis 103156,1634 (X)
That's been the traditional rerun schedule with us; during the christmas
weeks, the logic goes, most folks are out, not watching TV.
jms
#: 400532 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Nov-95 22:04:10
Sb: #400397-Quick Question
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Mike Aragona 73641,1353 (X)
Yeah, it's fair to say that that's one of our themes.
jms
#: 400533 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Nov-95 22:04:12
Sb: #400407-#Thanks for a Great show
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: David Schirmer 76774,3310 (X)
Thank you. I don't think it's a case of hanging out with "the commoners"
to use your term; I've been here since 1984 or so, and I enjoy the discussions,
and I'll be darned if I'll change that just because my name appears on a TV
screen somewhere. I'm basically just another fan of the genre....
jms
#: 401026 S5/Babylon 5: General
19-Nov-95 20:57:23
Sb: #400665-B5 comic
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Jimmy R. Kapesis 103156,1634 (X)
Don't know the exact pub date yet; the issues should be regular sized.
jms
#: 401027 S5/Babylon 5: General
19-Nov-95 20:57:24
Sb: #400668-B5 Costumers win again
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Cynthia and Richard 71561,3255 (X)
Thanks, and congrats. We've been in contact with the Air and Space
people, and when they're ready to do a B5 exhibit, we're there; but we'd rather
not include B5 props in an ST exhibition.
jms
#: 401028 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
19-Nov-95 20:57:27
Sb: #400690-<The Mad Bomber>
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Mark Pruett 74133,3406 (X)
That's great to hear, thanks.
jms
#: 401029 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
19-Nov-95 20:57:30
Sb: #400691-Four Cents: Convictions
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Mark Pruett 74133,3406 (X)
No, insofar as I know, it's an original, composed by Chris Franke.
jms
#: 401155 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Nov-95 01:03:45
Sb: #401002-#<Franklin's IV fluids>
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Morris L. Gavant, M.D. 74027,264 (X)
My sense is that if you're a german ambassador, and you're attacked and
checked into Cedar Sinai Hospital, the chief of staff there takes care of you,
rather than bringing in an outsider/german doctor. Franklin's well suited to
his task.
We could probably label the blood bags a little better.
jms
#: 401156 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Nov-95 01:03:46
Sb: #400660-#B5:The End???!!!
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: peter stathis 102477,3046 (X)
"...that would mean that it would be near the bottom of the ratings of
syndicated shows."
People who don't know what they're talking about should avoid making
comments like that. The overall breakdown of syndicated shows runs about 10
pages of very fine type; usually around 215 shows or more, ranked in order of
average national ratings. Babylon 5 is always on the first page of that
breakdown; usually the #4 or #5 dramatic series for that week, sometimes a bit
higher, never less than #6. We consistently stay in the top ten of dramatic
series. (You don't include game shows or talk shows in the mix; that's
comparing apples and oranges.)
If you *include* all those other shows, in one typical week, we came out
as #38 overall, out of 215. That is extremely respectable. Most network shows
that come in around the top 50 tend to stay around for a good long time.
Look, Peter, do me a favor, and get off the ratings, okay? It's clear you
don't understand them, and the bottom line is simply this: if our ratings
weren't sufficiently high, we wouldn't be here. It's that simple. We're here,
so we're getting the numbers. Warners is happy, and we're happy.
jms
#: 401157 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Nov-95 01:03:49
Sb: #400700-#B5:The End???!!!
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Sharon Foster 76360,301 (X)
Local advertisments are bought by the local station, with matching funds
from WB. If the show isn't being advertised in your local area, the problem is
your local station.
jms
#: 401158 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Nov-95 01:07:11
Sb: #401038-#Demon w\ Glass Hand
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Jimmy R. Kapesis 103156,1634 (X)
It's something we're still planning to do, in the fullness of time.
jms
#: 401616 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Nov-95 16:53:51
Sb: #401471-2nd Babylon 5 CD?
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Eric D. Fether 74067,465 (X)
The first CD came out and has done quite well; it's in most record stores
(that can keep it in stock), so it can be ordered through your local Tower or
Wherehouse, or you can order direct from Sonic Images via their web page, or
the address given in the B5 library (#5 or #6).
jms
#: 401617 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Nov-95 16:53:52
Sb: #401537-B5:The End???!!!
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Sharon Foster 76360,301 (X)
I probably should, but I'm a lousy organizer/filer; I know they're all in
one place, but not indexed or anything. Probably no direct need to get a copy;
accept the appreciation nonetheless.
jms
#: 401618 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Nov-95 16:53:54
Sb: #401558-New TNT Info?
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: David Nedrow 70004,1273 (X)
No, nothing new....
jms
#: 401818 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Nov-95 21:26:28
Sb: #401652-#B5 rerun schedule
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: John M. Kahane 102664,773 (X)
Yeah, I think those are the episodes covered in reruns, though at one
point they're going to drop in "Hunter, Prey" one more time to set up the
events to come in the next batch of new eps.
jms
#: 401819 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
20-Nov-95 21:26:29
Sb: #401744-#Italian Garibaldi
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Michael Zitaglio 102545,641 (X)
Thanks....
jms
#: 401820 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Nov-95 21:26:30
Sb: #401786-B5 fan club
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Jimmy R. Kapesis 103156,1634 (X)
We've been working with WB on getting the paperwork finished, and it's
nearly there, so the club should be on line in the next week or two. I'm
directly involved in running/owning it, with my associate Doug Netter. It's
not set up to be a big money machine, just doing a few things for the fans, and
that sort of thing.
jms
#: 401821 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
20-Nov-95 21:26:33
Sb: #401790-<ADITS: Ask Kosh?>
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Jimmy R. Kapesis 103156,1634 (X)
Because Delenn doesn't know that information offhand, any more than you or
I would have casual access to detailed scientific information from our own
world just off the top of our heads; she'd still have to go to her own
homeworld for the info, as our characters did. And it's not that we didn't
have it, it was just collating it all. And given how Kosh answers questions,
would you really want to use his responses in this thing?
jms
#: 401830 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Nov-95 21:38:28
Sb: #401708-#<ADITS Episode>
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Bob Fischer 73727,1774 (X)
My sense is that Delenn is not a godlike font of information; I don't
think anyone, alien or human, at the station would just happen to know all the
information required. How much would Delenn know about molecular biology, for
instance? (And if you asked Kosh a question about the subject, he'd probably
come back with "The heart does not sing with its parts." Not exactly useful.)
Anyone there would have to go back to their own world for experts in the
various fields...so you're back where you started. Earth *has* the info, it's
just getting it, and getting it fast. If you add the overlay of going through
another government, you're going to run out of time that much faster.
Logically, a probe like this would be sent off looking for information on
the very cusp of technology that could pose a threat. That's why it *didn't*
go off when the probe presumed them to be a less developed civilization; it was
looking for civilizations that *are* sufficiently advanced to pose a possible
threat; Sheridan says exactly that as he walks across C&C.
Interesting aside on this, btw, in the "where do you get your ideas?"
department. The US House Science Sub-Committee held a series of hearings into
the question of extraterrestrial contact during the 1970s, to determine what we
should do in the event of contact. The most likely scenario, the scientists
agreed, was a probe coming into our solar system. So what do we do in response
to a message asking if anybody's home?
Believe it or not, it was the consensus of the Subcommittee that we should
not respond...in case it was a berserker, just as shown in the episode. That
is our government's official policy on the subject.
jms
#: 401916 S5/Babylon 5: General
21-Nov-95 00:20:33
Sb: #401886-#Question for JMS
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Antonio Fuentes 103037,2550 (X)
That's a lot of questions, but still....
I'll go along with little increases in merchandising along the way, but
nothing major until after we're done. Then, when it can't contaminate the
show, maybe more.
Talia and Ivanova were linked/did have a relationship; and there was a
camera edit that didn't quite match, two different issues.
A book after the fact...will have to wait until I'm done for a decision.
We hope the show will in time be out on tape/disk, and all of the major
questions raised during the show should/must be answered during the show, you
can't leave stuff hanging.
jms
#: 402169 S5/Babylon 5: General
21-Nov-95 11:52:16
Sb: #401933-Whitestar ?s (spoiler)
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Paul Sulkowski 75604,2156 (X)
Had a Minbari been running that sensor, he would've nailed it instantly;
but Ivanova had never actually encountered that ship before, and was running
off the initial scan reports. (Also it was just phasing in at that point.)
The White Star uses local drive engines based on magnetic and
gravitational principles; in a sense, it doesn't so much push itself toward
other worlds as *pull* itself or *repel* itself. One side effect of creating a
powerful gravitational system is the ability to create artificial gravity.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
jms
#: 402170 S5/Babylon 5: General
21-Nov-95 11:52:17
Sb: #402109-Question for JMS
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Eric D. Fether 74067,465 (X)
That's when the story ends. You tell your tale and get off the stage.
jms
#: 402171 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
21-Nov-95 11:52:18
Sb: #402113-<Alien Probe>
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Bert Johnson 102476,201 (X)
Probably not.
jms
#: 402587 S5/Babylon 5: General
21-Nov-95 21:32:32
Sb: #401882-#B5 Entertainment Utility
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Lori Eppright 75113,474 (X)
Yep, that's the screensaver I was talking about; it's really nifty.
jms
#: 402594 S5/Babylon 5: General
21-Nov-95 21:42:33
Sb: #402212-#Kosh's lessons
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Jimmy R. Kapesis 103156,1634 (X)
Sheridan has fallen away from the lessons a bit; Kosh is going to have to
have a word with him about that.
jms
#: 402595 S5/Babylon 5: General
21-Nov-95 21:42:35
Sb: #402330-#How much did Kosh know?
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: John McAuley 100260,412 (X)
Good question.
Pity you'll have to wait for the answer....
jms
#: 402596 S5/Babylon 5: General
21-Nov-95 21:42:38
Sb: #<Gethsemane>
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Tom Knudsen 72347,1626 (X)
Two things on the upcoming episode ("Gethsemane")....
1) This is episode #5 in shooting order; I'd originally planned to end
the first batch of new episodes with #4, "Voices of Authority," which is a
major -- and I mean major -- wham episode. But the EFX requirements were
pretty hideous (though not as bad as "Messages"), so I moved "Gethsemane" into
that slot, which is a very strong episode, though not an arc'er.
2) On the story question...yes, this was the story that someone else
(don't want to use names, no sense in blaming anyone) had accidentally
suggested while I was working on it early in season two. So I had to scuttle
the script for nearly a year. Finally, very chagrined over what happened, the
individual gave me a notarized form explaining the situation. At that point, I
was able to reactivate the story. So no, it's not any kind of "it's okay to do
this" notion about story ideas; as it is, the story was tied up for about a
year, and might never have seen the light of day had not the other person made
great efforts to set the situation straight.
jms
#: 402598 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
21-Nov-95 21:42:45
Sb: #402418-Vichy Narn?
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Michael Zitaglio 102545,641 (X)
It's any occupied government, really....
jms
#: 402711 S5/Babylon 5: General
22-Nov-95 00:29:34
Sb: #402677-<ADITS Episode>
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Michael Grabois 74737,2600 (X)
I just went through my stuff trying to find it...there was a formal
report published by the Government Printing Agency in around 1978 or so. I
think it was entitled something like "Prospects for Contact by Extra-
Terrestrial Intelligence," and went into the whole CETI issue at great length.
(Back then, it was CETI, for Contact With Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence,
changed shortly after the House hearing on the subject to SETI, Search For
Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence.) Any GPA office should have the report on
file.
jms
#: 403072 S5/Babylon 5: General
22-Nov-95 13:28:21
Sb: #402823-#B5: Dear Joe
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: peter stathis 102477,3046
Of course it's your right to say it. You can say any foolish thing you
choose. My point -- underlined by your own comments -- is that you have
absolutely no understanding of how the ratings work, where they come from, how
they are compiled, what they mean, or where we stand in those rankings.
If you wish to continue putting out misinformation, botched figures,
unnecessary panic, and foolish notions that have nothing whatsoever to do with
reality, well, that's your right. And I'm going to call you on it and if your
comments are sufficiently stupid or misinformed, get a little testy, because
that's *my* right. I came back and posted the exact numbers that are made
available. It's not playing the ratings game except in the sense that the
ratings are always a game...a game whose rules you don't know or understand.
For the week of 10/23 to 10/29, we were ranked #38 overall, out of a grand
total of 220 syndicated television series, including game shows, talk shows,
dramas, comedies, and everything else, and the 6th rated dramatic series for
that week. And our demographics scores put us in around 2nd/3rd position. We
did better than Highlander, Pointman, Kung Fu, the syndicated Tales from the
Crypt, and other dramatic series. Outside dramatic series, we did better than
the Jerry Springer Show, America's Most Wanted, Sightings, Martha Stewart
Living, Rush Limbaugh, Siskel & Ebert, Richard Bey, and Donahue...all of which
are considered successful series.
Those are the cold, hard facts, the hard numbers as delivered the the A.C.
Neilsen and Arbitron Companies.
If I were currently worried about the show, if I thought the numbers were
soft, I'd be the first person sounding the clarion call and asking people to
write letters urging the show's continuance. I'm not doing that, because
Warner Bros. is happy, PTEN is happy, and we're happy. No one -- *no one* --
is more concerned about this show's survival than I am, and if I'm relatively
content with the situation, then we're in pretty good shape.
You cite that some stations are moving the show into weird hours. That is
correct. First, it's only a very few stations out of nearly 200 stations;
those are, for the most part, Fox stations that have contractual commitments to
run Fox shows in prime-time, which is 8-10 p.m. Mon-Sun (they generally run
news 10-11). All that's left in those stations -- and many markets only *have*
one or two independent stations -- is the non-prime time schedule. That means
after 11 or before 7.
You cite the Indianapolis station that dropped the show. Yes, because WB,
feeling strongly about the show, pressured it for a better time slot, same as
in Grand Rapids MI. They were locked in, couldn't give us anything better, so
the show left...and has not been REPLACED in the Indianapolis market on WNDY.
So once again your facts are incorrect by omission and
inaccuracy...Indianapolis DOES have B5 back now, on better station in many
ways, and we're in negotiations to bring it back to the two or three other
markets where the same thing has happened.
In all the major markets, our ratings are *significantly* up. In
Charlotte we're up 186% over this same time last year; Cincinnati up 233%;
Chicago up 133%; San Francisco up 135%...in Portland we blow the doors off
altogether.
In short, Peter, you are absolutely, incontravertibly, dead-ass wrong.
"I am only doing a favor to those out there who like the show." No you're
not. You're trying to whip up hysteria, get people upset, cause a crisis that
exists nowhere but in your own mind, because that's what you enjoy doing.
And you clearly think that while you can come on here and say any thing
you want, if I come back and say you're wrong, somehow this is wrong, this is
only wanting to hear from groupies...as opposed to the simple fact that you're
*wrong*. You want to have one set of rules for yourself (anything goes), and
one thing for me (shut up, bend over and take it without any backtalk). I
checked my CIS agreement; that proviso isn't there.
Anybody who comes on here and wants to express an opinion, negative or
positive, about the show is free to do so. Anyone who comes on and offers what
he thinks are facts, and those facts are wrong, is going to be corrected.
There is this little club of people who think that they should be able to
say anything they want, as addle-headed or inaccurate as may be, and that if
they're called on it, that's wrong, and that's interfering in their right of
expression. Well, pal, I have a right to expression too, and guess what? The
facts are on my side of the argument, not yours.
And they always come back with the same thing, "if it bothers you to hear
it, well, that's just the way things are," and "I am not some groupie or some
mindless fanatic," thereby denigrating everybody else, as if they are blind
followers, and only you see the truth, which is I'm sure exactly what you would
like to believe, and "you might not like to hear it, but I got a right to say
it."
Absolutely. You've got a right to be as asinine and incorrect and stupid
and ill-informed and prejudicial and hysterical and wrong-headed as you wish.
And I've got the right to correct you.
Deal with it.
jms
#: 403073 S5/Babylon 5: General
22-Nov-95 13:28:25
Sb: #402871-#Thanks for a Great show
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Paul M. Zukowski 102522,131
Yep, they had computers back then; I used to log on on an old Kaypro, no
hard drive, 64k memory and 128k floppies. Ah, those were the days....
jms
#: 403074 S5/Babylon 5: General
22-Nov-95 13:28:27
Sb: #403002-B5:The End???!!!
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Bob Danielson 73647,2247 (X)
No, no reconciliation there. They want the numbers to improved in season
three over season two. They are doing this. (Though we're gonna get killed
tonight by the second half of the Beatles series.)
jms
#: 403076 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
22-Nov-95 13:28:30
Sb: #403020-#$0.04: <A Day in Strife>
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: The Jawa / Jawa #2 76371,3057
Thanks...and Vir will return to the station from time to time, just as
Londo said.
jms
#: 403077 S5/Babylon 5: General
22-Nov-95 13:28:33
Sb: #403024-Kosh's lessons
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Philip Hornsey 74053,2101
Oh, yes, I'd say so....
jms
#: 403078 S5/Babylon 5: General
22-Nov-95 13:28:34
Sb: #403034-DL Query
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Alan Katz 74260,3612
There was no *proof* that it was her, just a good chance. And the Corps
wouldn't allow her to be just shipped off. Pluse, she's still a citizen with
all the rights attendent upon that; we can't just ship somebody off to Russia
or Singapore if we don't like them. Real life is a lot more complicated, and
this show is patterned after reality as much as possible.
jms
#: 403098 S5/Babylon 5: General
22-Nov-95 14:13:30
Sb: #403043-#Daily News Dis
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: MARK SMITH 102161,2223 (X)
One person said, "Critics are paid to be unfair." This piece shows it.
Too much emphasis on being cute and biting, rather than discussing the merits
of the show.
It's enlightening to see the dichotomy on the show on either side of the
Atlantic...here the critics tend to dismiss the show, or get cutsie, or deride
it...but in the UK, publications from Home Entertainment to Time Out to even
the prestigious Radio Times have lauded the show, calling it some of the best
SF of the last decade.
jms
#: 403418 S5/Babylon 5: General
22-Nov-95 22:33:05
Sb: #403193-#Fleer
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Jimmy R. Kapesis 103156,1634 (X)
The Fleer situation has been mutually pleasing. I think Fleer is going
to close down or otherwise change, so the cards may end up in the hands of
another company at some point.
jms
#: 403419 S5/Babylon 5: General
22-Nov-95 22:33:06
Sb: #403277-B5 rerun schedule
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: John M. Kahane 102664,773
Not too much substantial in this batch...a few things, but to point them
out would defeat the purpose.
jms
#: 403421 S5/Babylon 5: General
22-Nov-95 22:33:13
Sb: #403349-B5: Dear Joe
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Walter F. Hern 74201,2063
To have a Tie fighter come through B5 space would a) break the reality of
the show, b) make us a pastiche or comedy, people would be too busy noticing
and laughing at that to pay attention, and b) would be a case of copyright
infringement, which would get us in a heap of legal trouble.
Re: the ratings...you're quite correct. Also, what most folks forget was
that TOS was considered a ratings flop on every level, and would've been
canceled after its second year were it not for a huge campaign by fans.
jms
#: 403467 S5/Babylon 5: General
23-Nov-95 01:27:18
Sb: #403451-Explosive Decompression
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: Kenneth Porter 76161,3013
We've shown one body after spacing, and discussed another; in each case,
we hewed close to the facts. Dr. Franklin pointed out that, rather than eyes
exploding or anything of that nature, they freeze, for instance. In any
event...yes, point taken, and we won't do that, never intended to.
jms
#: 403468 S5/Babylon 5: General
23-Nov-95 01:27:19
Sb: B5 at LosCon
Fm: J. Michael Straczynski 71016,1644
To: All
Just a reminder...I'll be giving a Babylon 5 special presentation at
LosCon this Sunday at the Burbank Airport Hilton from 1-3 p.m. As a caveat,
the seats are usually gone very fast, almost always before the presentation
begins, so you may want to come a little bit early, otherwise there might not
be any available seats. The last several appearances have all been SRO.
jms
----------------------- END OF MESSAGES ------------------------
/*********************************************
* Brent Barrett brent.barrett at 24stex.com *
* Senior Software Engineer Automedia, Inc *
*********************************************/
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