JMS on CompuServe (Dec 4, 1996) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS* 1/2

Brent Barrett bbarrett at speedlink.com
Wed Dec 4 15:15:53 EST 1996


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 [ Summary of subjects in this section: ]
    Sb: #620134-Babylon 5
    Sb: #620135-JMS: season 4 = arc end?
    Sb: #620180-#<<Apotheosis>>
    Sb: #620204-<<Falling>> Thoughts
    Sb: #620205-<Kosh(s), clarification>
    Sb: #620211-Answers
    Sb: #620304-Sheridan chgd the Arc?
    Sb: #620334-JMS : Dreams?
    Sb: #620337-<Kosh>
    Sb: #620358-<New char>
    Sb: #620374-Sheridan chgd the Arc?
    Sb: #620382-comments
    Sb: #620394-Sheridan chgd the Arc?
    Sb: #620451-#Falling Toward Reason
    Sb: #620475-<Centauri Emperors>


 [ Summary: Asks if the storyline of Babylon 5 was planned from the start
   of if JMS has made it up as he goes along. ]

 #: 620819 S5/Babylon 5: General
    03-Dec-96  15:16:00
Sb: #620134-Babylon 5
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Yep, it was all worked out long ago.

                                                                       jms



 #: 620135 S5/Babylon 5: General
    02-Dec-96  14:03:47
Sb: #JMS: season 4 = arc end?
Fm: SCOTT BAKER

Who held the 22 script record?  Was that Terry Nation?
So how far do these 39 scripts go (Episode Num to Ep Num)?
And, better yet, how do you manage to be an Executive Producer, a writer, and
have a life all at the same time?

--Scott


 #: 620820 S5/Babylon 5: General
    03-Dec-96  15:16:01
Sb: #620135-JMS: season 4 = arc end?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Actually, Nation's record was about 13 or 18 in a row.

       And of those three elements, the personal life is the one that has to go
out the window to make the other two work.

                                                                       jms



 #: 620180 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    02-Dec-96  15:36:08
Sb: #619197-#<<Apotheosis>>
Fm: CARL CANTARELLA

        Hey Joe, have we now gotten to see exactly what a Vorlon looks like
beneath that suit, or was our friend Kosh2 somehow visually obscured and\or
distorted by the trap that had been set for him?
        This was a great episode and I have to watch it again, but I found
myself wondering about that somewhat.


 #: 620821 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    03-Dec-96  15:16:02
Sb: #620180-#<<Apotheosis>>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       That's pretty much what they look like.

                                                                       jms



 #: 620204 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    02-Dec-96  15:59:46
Sb: #618603-#<<Falling>> Thoughts
Fm: SCOTT BAKER

>> I see the episode in my mind the same way it's seen by viewers.  I watch it
from the camera's point of view.  It's just once in a while, as I'm watching
it, that one of the characters will lean into camera, bang on the side of it,
and say "Listen, shmuck, you're not doing this right." <<

Is there any particular character who bangs the camera more often than not?

And how often does the finished product match what you "saw"?

--Scott


 #: 620822 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    03-Dec-96  15:16:03
Sb: #620204-<<Falling>> Thoughts
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       The finished film comes startlingly close to what I saw in my head at
least 85% of the time.  The other times, it falls below, or goes beyond.

                                                                       jms



 #: 620205 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    02-Dec-96  15:59:50
Sb: #619785-#<Kosh(s), clarification>
Fm: SCOTT BAKER

Was it my imagination or did the Vorlons look like the shadows?

And if so, would the reason the Vorlons hide in encounter suits be because when
they leave they have to project the right images to people?

--Scott


 #: 620823 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    03-Dec-96  15:16:04
Sb: #620205-<Kosh(s), clarification>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       I didn't think they looked that much alike.  But then, no two people
ever see Vorlons in quite the same way, I guess.

                                                                       jms



 #: 620211 S5/Babylon 5: General
    02-Dec-96  16:01:53
Sb: #Answers
Fm: DAVID CERRETA

Joe,

Just a few other cheat codes for Quake

notarget--monsters won't attack you unless provoked bind g god--if you press g
while playing you toggle God mode on and off. bind f fly--does the same but
toggles fly mode on and off.

finally

R_fullbright 1--no more shadows.  Seriously, this is a command that removes
shadows from the game.

no, it doesn't work for anyone in the B5 universe.<VBG>

Best, Dave


 #: 620824 S5/Babylon 5: General
    03-Dec-96  15:16:06
Sb: #620211-Answers
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Ooh, I like that one...thanks.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Wonders if there would have been a need for a Sheridan-like 
   character by this point in the story even if Sinclair had stayed. ]

 #: 620826 S5/Babylon 5: General
    03-Dec-96  15:16:13
Sb: #620304-Sheridan chgd the Arc?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Sheridan, or someone like him, would've been brought in around this time
regardless, yes...but knowing this would happen, I was able to skew the new
character to have the elements, and be in the position, that would most help me
move the story along.

       And you're right...the longer you leave someone in command there in the
show, the more difficult and dangerous it becomes to remove that character.  If
you're going to do it, best to do it earlier than later.

                                                                       jms



 #: 620334 S5/Babylon 5: General
    02-Dec-96  18:22:28
Sb: #JMS : Dreams?
Fm: LAURENCE MORONEY

With all the intensity in B5 in the last few weeks, I have been *thinking* and
therefore *dreaming* about the show a lot.
FTA gave me nightmares as I mentioned in another message.

Just wondering...you do a lot more *thinking* about B5 than I....does it affect
you in the same way???

Laurence


 #: 620827 S5/Babylon 5: General
    03-Dec-96  15:16:14
Sb: #620334-JMS : Dreams?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Yeah, I live the show, dream the show...can't get away from it.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Asks if Sheridan only has a couple of more years to live when
   seen in the future with Delenn in "War Without End." ]

 #: 620828 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    03-Dec-96  15:16:17
Sb: #620337-<Kosh>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Yep, at the time of that flash-forward, Sheridan has at most 2-3 years
left to live.

                                                                       jms



 #: 620358 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    02-Dec-96  18:36:37
Sb: #<New char>
Fm: ROWAN KAISER

Way back in the middle of season three, you said that there was still a major
character who we hadn't met yet.  Is it Lorien, somebody else, or somebody we
haven't met at all?

(and no "yes" answers, Joe . . .


 #: 620829 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    03-Dec-96  15:16:18
Sb: #620358-<New char>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Lorien certainly qualifies.

                                                                       jms



 #: 620374 S5/Babylon 5: General
    02-Dec-96  18:45:13
Sb: #619887-#Sheridan chgd the Arc?
Fm: JOSEPH SCHIERER

>>      You'd be surprised how much it *didn't* change.....

Ah, but it DID change somewhat, then!  Are you EVER going to tell us what the
change was??


 #: 620830 S5/Babylon 5: General
    03-Dec-96  15:16:21
Sb: #620374-Sheridan chgd the Arc?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Of course not.

                                                                       jms



 #: 620382 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    02-Dec-96  19:10:06
Sb: #comments
Fm: CATHERINE BECIC

A few of thoughts for you.

First, I bought the British Making of B5 book at the Starlog convention.
Beautiful book.  There was one paragraph in which was stated that you are
striving to make each season better than the ones prior.  Well, you are
certainly doing that.  I am so thoroughly excited and thrilled with each new
episode.  I can't imagine what season 5 will be like if it's going to be even
better than what we have seen so far in season 4.

Secondly, while watching FTA this weekend I decided to thumb through my
binders.  I have one binder with all the Lurkers Guide Synopses and another
with all the Guide pages (they are getting too big. time to start volumes 2).
I was reviewing the prophesy for Londo, War Without End's time jumps to the
future, etc.  To see these things come into play!  Certainly the "one who is
already dead" has to be Sheridan!  And now Londo owes him a favor.  Could that
be his escape in the future?  Such exciting thoughts to play with.

I also remembered that Wayne Alexander had been a guest before this appearance
as Lorien.  I searched back only to find that he was Sebastian in CtI!!  I
would never guess they are the same person!

Oh, to have to wait AGAIN til February.  Such torture.

Much appreciation,
Catherine Becic


 #: 620831 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    03-Dec-96  15:16:24
Sb: #620382-comments
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Torture, yes...but some people consider that pleasurable...it's quite a
dilemma....

                                                                       jms



 #: 620394 S5/Babylon 5: General
    02-Dec-96  19:22:49
Sb: #619887-#Sheridan chgd the Arc?
Fm: DEONAHA M. CONLIN

>>  You'd be surprised how much it *didn't* change.....<<

        So MOH departure WAS unexpected?

        Y'know, I can't imagine things being any other way than they are right
now.  Either that, or my poor mind just doesn't want to go there right now.

Di C


 #: 620832 S5/Babylon 5: General
    03-Dec-96  15:16:27
Sb: #620394-Sheridan chgd the Arc?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       I've always said that it was something I began to realize was necessary
about two-thirds of the way into season 1, and as I began to plan out season 2.

                                                                       jms



 #: 620451 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    02-Dec-96  20:35:07
Sb: #619889-#Falling Toward Reason
Fm: BURHAAN  AHMAD

Joe, did Kosh2 try to zap Delenn for any particular reason, or was he just
honked off and going for the most vulnerable target?


 #: 620833 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    03-Dec-96  15:16:28
Sb: #620451-#Falling Toward Reason
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Probably both.

                                                                       jms



 #: 620475 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    02-Dec-96  21:20:51
Sb: #<Centauri Emperors>
Fm: ELYSE M. GRASSO

Hi, Joe --

Yesterday I acquired a copy of the scriptwriting book. Now I need to rewatch
CoS to see if the lines I remember being subtly different really are...

Anyway, reading the script for "The Coming of Shadows" reminded me of a thought
I had during "The Summoning", especially during the garden scene when Cartagia
was complaining about the 'pain technicians' organizing, and during Londo's
long speech in G'Kar's cell at the end of "Whatever Happened..."

Did Turhan come to the throne very late in life and reign only briefly? The
dialog in The Coming of Shadows does not seem to indicate that. If Turhan
reigned a long time, who kept the 'pain technicians' busy and gave Londo (who
had only been at court for a short time when he talked to G'Kar) the
opportunity to see prisoners being tortured and vivisected for the amusement of
the court?

Cartagia seems very over the top to us, but does he seem less excessive to
Centauri who look back on the days when Turhan's father personally ordered the
execution of 100,0000 Narns? (If Cartagia is Turhan's nephew, is he taking
after his Grandpa?)

It looks like Londo's nostalgia involved some seriously selective amnesia about
what  things were like before Turhan.

- Elyse M. Grasso


 #: 620834 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    03-Dec-96  15:16:29
Sb: #620475-<Centauri Emperors>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       I'd say that Turhan was probably emperor for about 30 years or so.

                                                                       jms



 [ Continued in next section -- BB ]


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