JMS: Your views on Star Trek?

[b5jms-owner at cs.columbia.edu]

Subject: JMS: Your views on Star Trek?
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 No. | DATE        |  FROM
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+  1: Apr 10, 1996: darcuri at maildrop.srv.ualberta.ca (Cypher)
+  2: Apr 15, 1996: PaulMmn at ix.netcom.com (Paul Mmn)
*  3: Apr 16, 1996: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)

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From: darcuri at maildrop.srv.ualberta.ca (Cypher)
Lines: 24

I'm wondering about your views of Star Trek, the producers, Paramount, 
etc...?  It is a well know fact amongst us B5 fans, at least I hope this 
is a fact, that you originally brought te B5 idea to Paramount before WB. 
They then rejected the idea and sent you away.  Then mysteriously, ya 
right, a new show is developed by the creators of Star Trek about a space 
station on the edge of conflicting battles between various species.
Personally, I'd be pretty choked!
I assumed you were for a long time as well, but recently you had 
rethinking that decision.

First, you hired Walter Koeing, a character only know for his betrayal of 
a loving Russian that sits at navigation aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise.  I 
dismissed this at first because I just felt you must have been getting 
revenge on ol' Rick Berman by stealing Chekov away(don't get me wrong, I 
think Walter is great as Bester, but I'm sure there were plenty of actors 
who could have also done the job).

Second, the appearance of Marjel Barrett(forgive me if its spelt wrong).
What the hell is she doing on the show.  She embodies the whole essence 
of Star Trek and is still very active in its production today.  Does this 
mean that you've forgiven Star Trek?

I'm a little confused. please help.



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From: PaulMmn at ix.netcom.com (Paul Mmn)
Lines: 59

darcuri at maildrop.srv.ualberta.ca (Cypher) wrote:

>I'm wondering about your views of Star Trek, the producers, Paramount, 
>etc...?  It is a well know fact amongst us B5 fans, at least I hope this 
>is a fact, that you originally brought te B5 idea to Paramount before WB. 
>They then rejected the idea and sent you away.  Then mysteriously, ya 
>right, a new show is developed by the creators of Star Trek about a space 
>station on the edge of conflicting battles between various species.
>Personally, I'd be pretty choked!
>I assumed you were for a long time as well, but recently you had 
>rethinking that decision.

>First, you hired Walter Koeing, a character only know for his betrayal of 
>a loving Russian that sits at navigation aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise.  I 
>dismissed this at first because I just felt you must have been getting 
>revenge on ol' Rick Berman by stealing Chekov away(don't get me wrong, I 
>think Walter is great as Bester, but I'm sure there were plenty of actors 
>who could have also done the job).

>Second, the appearance of Marjel Barrett(forgive me if its spelt wrong).
>What the hell is she doing on the show.  She embodies the whole essence 
>of Star Trek and is still very active in its production today.  Does this 
>mean that you've forgiven Star Trek?

>I'm a little confused. please help.



As ideas go, the "Space Station At The Cusp Of Battle" is an old one
in SciFi.    C J Cherryh has several series of stories set at assorted
space stations.  Niven's Kzin Wars have several asteroids at strategic
points.  EE "Doc" Smith's stories have, if not space stations, entire
planets at critical junctures.

Let's face it... a space station in peaceful orbit around a planet,
with cargo quietly moving, with robotic efficiency, no strikes,
battles, or conflicts between parties, is pretty boring!  (:

As for the coincidence of DS9 vs B5, well, OK, it could be more than a
coincidence.  However, for the plotlines of B5, the Trek folks would
have had to build a completely new universe.  I mean, B5 doesn't even
have -transporters-!   (;

Fortunately, Paramount decided to build a space station in their
universe, and let B5 have its own universe.  

As for actors from the Trek universe 'jumping ship,' well, let's face
it... there aren't a lot of roles for Chekov in the Trek Universe
these days.  And, since Troi isn't around, Lwaxana isn't either
(except for a brief fling with Odo).   Voice-over work as a computer
can't earn a person a living!   (Or -can- it?  I don't know what the
going rates are for voice over work)

I can accept multiple space stations at busy intersections in various
universes.  Once isn't better than the other; they're just different!


--Paul E Musselman
PaulMmn at ix.netcom.com

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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Lines: 9

Re: the hiring of Walter Koenig and Majel Barrett...in the former case,
this is a very talented actor, who is also a friend, and has never been
given the chance to showcase his real skills.  We provided that chance. 
In the case of Majel, she wanted to appear in the show to help eliminate
some of the division between B5 and ST fans.


 jms

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