JMS on CompuServe (Apr 12, 1996) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS* 1/2
Brent Barrett
brent.barrett at 24stex.com
Sun Apr 14 00:04:24 EDT 1996
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WARNING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The following posts may contain SPOILERS for
upcoming Babylon 5 episodes.
Continue at your own risk.
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THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL IS THE COPYRIGHT OF THE
RESPECTIVE MESSAGE AUTHORS AND CANNOT BE
REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM WITHOUT THE EXPRESSED
PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR.
Note that JMS has expressed his public permission
that all of his messages may be reproduced freely.
I give permission for my summaries to be reposted in
any form, however I reserve all rights to them and
the right to revoke this permission at any time.
#: 486110 S5/Babylon 5: General
11-Apr-96 18:18:50
Sb: #SanFran Query
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Question: if one were to go to dinner in San Francisco, and one wanted to
go somewhere *very* nice, very tony, upscale, with *terrific* food, maybe a
view of the bay or something equally spiffy, no loud music, something very
comfortable, no pushy waiters...what would be the best place in town? (It
preferably doesn't require reservations weeks in advance.)
Follow up: if afterward one wanted to go to a great part of town for a
cup of coffee, with little interesting shops in the area, or in a pretty part
of town...what would one suggest?
Thanks.
jms
[ Summary: WOnders when the new season of B5 starts in the U.K. ]
#: 486130 S2/Star Trek: General
11-Apr-96 18:48:19
Sb: #485954-ST v Babylon 5
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
New Babylon 5 episodes, third season, begin airing on Channel 4 this
Sunday, the 14th, at 6:00 p.m.
jms
#: 485670 S5/Babylon 5: General
11-Apr-96 03:57:58
Sb: #484265-#B5 FAN CLUB INFO!
Fm: TRENT K. JOHNSON
This is probably a no-brainer, Joe, but if WB has access to the numbers for the
fan club, a good response would also help convince them the interest is there
for videos, etc.?
Which is one of the reasons I sent my app Tuesday.
Trent/ReAnimators
^^^^ CD-RMES
#: 486131 S5/Babylon 5: General
11-Apr-96 18:48:20
Sb: #485670-#B5 FAN CLUB INFO!
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I don't know what it takes to get through on this issue, frankly....
jms
#: 485692 S5/Babylon 5: General
11-Apr-96 05:36:25
Sb: #484898-#B5 Cancelled Rumor
Fm: SHANE S. SHELLENBARGER
Joe,
I'd bet that during the 5th season someone will be spreading the rumor
that B5 will be canceled before the remainder of the season can be shown.
Whatcha gonna do?
#: 486132 S5/Babylon 5: General
11-Apr-96 18:48:23
Sb: #485692-#B5 Cancelled Rumor
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
We hunt them down and keel them....
jms
[ Summary: Thinks that DSS isn't as great as JMS labelled it earlier. ]
#: 486133 S5/Babylon 5: General
11-Apr-96 18:48:25
Sb: #485810-#This season so far
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Maybe. You must understand I'm speaking fairly close to being a layman
at this stuff. All I know is that when I look at what I get on cable, and what
I get on the DSS, the difference is *startling*, and I haven't ever noticed any
"artifacting." My feeling is, if I can't see it, it doesn't bother me.
jms
[ Summary: The Trek fan-fiction editor responds that "I dought[sic] anyone
wil [sic] write baylon[sic] fiction. I don't like Babylon much myself." ]
#: 486134 S5/Babylon 5: General
11-Apr-96 18:48:27
Sb: #485727-WRITERS WANTED
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Thank you. And it's "doubt," not "dought." Editors should watch such
things.
jms
[ Summary: The Trek fan-fiction editor then asks, "Who are you?" ]
#: 486135 S5/Babylon 5: General
11-Apr-96 18:48:30
Sb: #485837-#WRITERS WANTED
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
"Who are you?"
That would be telling.
"I'm a black and frosted rosebud whom the good god has preserved since
last October. Take no notice." -- Christopher Fry
jms
[ Summary: Thinks that the Delenn we see in "Severed Dreams" is an
"exceptional individual" in a "universe of complex and interesting
characters." ]
#: 486136 S5/Babylon 5: General
11-Apr-96 18:48:33
Sb: #485869-Delenn
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Thank you. Now that she's gone through her own personal fire, she's a
much stronger character, and very interesting to write. There's steel, and
there's humanity and compassion, and she feels no need to defend or justify any
of those traits. What she is, she is.
jms
[ Summary: Some questions came up when this poster was discussing B5 with
a U.K. fan: 1) Why does the U.K. get B5 episodes on tape? 2) What is the
budget of B5? 3) How is unused money handled when B5 is under budget?
4) What's the budget of Star Trek vs. that of B5? 5) Where does B5 fall
in the syndicated ratings? 6) How many viewers does B5 have? ]
#: 486137 S5/Babylon 5: General
11-Apr-96 18:48:34
Sb: #485975-#UK and budgets
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
No TV shows are sent around on film anymore these days; it's all sent on
digital tape.
The exact budget isn't something we give out; suffice to say it's under a
million per episode, or about half the budget of an average ST episode.
We've come in a little bit under budget each year; not a lot, but some.
A small portion of whatever money isn't spent goes into interim next season
stuff (studio maintenance and improvements, set storage and repair, that sort
of thing). The rest goes back to WB as per our contract.
In the syndicated ratings, B5 generally falls anywhere from the low 30s
to 40s during first run, a bit lower on long reruns. But this is out of about
250 or more syndicated shows per week. So we're in about the top 20% of all
syndicated shows, and always in the top 10 of dramatic series.
I haven't actually seen any viewer numbers; I know the UK tends to give
them, but I've never seen the figure given for X-million US B5 viewers.
jms
[ Summary: Wants to know if the white under-uniform shirts that Sheridan
and others wear are off-the-shelf or made by the B5 costume department.
if not off-the-shelf, the poster would like to know if they're going
to be made available through the fan club. ]
#: 486138 S5/Babylon 5: General
11-Apr-96 18:48:39
Sb: #486022-#B5 EA Shirts
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Yes, those shirts are made by our wardrobe department. We hadn't ever
considered selling them...maybe we should.
jms
[ Summary: A German viewer just saw "There All the Honor Lies," and
loved it. The poster asks JMS if JMS can remember the line Ivanova
said to Sheridan about how she "always respects Sheridan because he
always questions himself." ]
#: 486139 S5/Babylon 5: General
11-Apr-96 18:48:41
Sb: #486023-#There All Honor Lies
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Jeez, I don't remember that exact line anymore...but your paraphrase is
pretty close, so maybe it's not too bad.
jms
[ Summary: Wonders why Delenn said Dukhat's "blood is on my hands," which,
in general English terms indicates a hand in his death or responsibility
of some sort. ]
#: 486141 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
11-Apr-96 18:48:45
Sb: #485930-<Severed Dreams>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
No, she doesn't feel responsible; it's an artifact of the way they
approach certain things. "His word is on my lips, his spirit is in my eyes."
It's almost a way of saying he's speaking through me, back off.
jms
[ Summary: Wonders if the Rebirth Ceremony in "Ceremonies of Light & Dark"
was one of Londo's chances for redemption. ]
#: 486142 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
11-Apr-96 18:48:46
Sb: #485949-#<Cermonies of Lt&Drk>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
No, this wasn't an opportunity for redemption. It would be flagged as
much more important than this.
jms
[ Summary: A "formerly fervent Trekker" wants JMS to know that he's been
won over and now considers B5 to be "the best TV science fiction ever
done." Says he and his 12 year old son never miss an episode. ]
#: 486143 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
11-Apr-96 18:48:48
Sb: #486074-B5 Cancellation RUMOR
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
That's great, thanks for joining the party. I'm pleased to find that the
show has given a number of parents and kids something they can watch and
discuss together. There are certainly more than enough things to pull us
apart.
jms
#: 485981 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
11-Apr-96 15:37:10
Sb: #484662-#Effects record question
Fm: MICHAEL GRABOIS
And speaking of the Star Wars universe, I'd like to chime in and say that the
battle scene in "Severed Dreams" captivated me and held my attention like no
other space battle since the Battle of the Death Star, when I was 11 years old.
spoiler for opening credits for those UK folks who haven't seen it yet
Incidentally, when season 3 started here, one of the biggest topics of
conversation was the shot of the Starfuries firing on each other from the
opening credits: what could have led to that? Now we see. Was that scene from
"Severed Dreams", from another episode, or was it made up especially for the
opening credits?
mg
#: 486144 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
11-Apr-96 18:48:50
Sb: #485981-Effects record question
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
The opening shot was made specifically for the title sequence, as (for
lack of a better term) a bit of foreshadowing. We generally put our cards
right out in plain view for people to see.
jms
[ Summary: Remembers that JMS once mentioned Sinclair having a brother and
wonders if this brother became Anna Sheridan when Sinclair left the
show. ]
#: 486145 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
11-Apr-96 18:48:53
Sb: #485775-#Sinclair's Brother
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
No, the b-story about Sinclair's brother was never intended to be the
Anna Sheridan thing, since obviously the reference was to his brother still
being alive.
I never just transfer stories from A to B; each character has to have his
or her own individual arc, specific to who that person is. Bits and pieces get
moved around, or reassigned, but not generally that blatantly.
jms
[ Summary: And old Star Wars fan and protector thinks that one day B5
will surpass SW in terms of space battles. He also loves the new
Starfury (Thunderbolt), and appreciates the way JMS dealt with the
honored dead who sacrificed their lives for those of others. ]
#: 486389 S2/Star Trek: General
11-Apr-96 23:39:20
Sb: #486124-ST v Babylon 5
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Thanks, and you're right; when sacrifices are made for the benefit of
others, attention should be paid.
jms
[ Continued in next section -- BB ]
/*********************************************
* Brent Barrett brent.barrett at 24stex.com *
* Senior Software Engineer Automedia, Inc *
* http://www.ailink.com *
*********************************************/
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