JMS on CompuServe (Jul 20, 1996) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
Brent Barrett
bbarrett at speedlink.com
Sat Jul 20 21:00:24 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
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the right to revoke this permission at any time.
[ Summary of subjects in this section: ]
Sb: #542683-#Emmys
Sb: B5 Fan Club Email
Sb: #543107-Ch.4 (UK) edits violence
Sb: #543108-B5 and its Morals
Sb: #542806-Emmys
Sb: #543015-Emmys
Sb: #542884-"INDEPENDENCE DAY" AWFUL
Sb: #543175-UK Media Articles
Sb: #543197-Tri-Luminary -> The One
#: 542683 S5/Babylon 5: General
19-Jul-96 15:14:39
Sb: #Emmys
Fm: MICHAEL ZITAGLIO
Hi Joe,
Its been a while. Any Nemmy onminations?
Mike
#: 542740 S5/Babylon 5: General
19-Jul-96 16:50:02
Sb: #542683-#Emmys
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
John Flinn got a nomination for cinematograhy for "Inquisitor." Last
year we sent videotapes of our up-for-nomination episodes, and got three
nominations for it. But WB got upset by this -- they don't do this for their
other shows, we did it on our own -- and ordered us not to do it again. The
other shows don't need it because they're network shows and get good exposure;
most syndicated shows (non-Trek) tend not to be Emmy aspirees, so it's not a
problem there. We're in between, and we were, in effect, producing videotapes,
and they didn't want that. So we had to sit on our hands and not do what we
knew would result in getting more noms. It's very frustrating.
jms
#: 542790 S5/Babylon 5: General
19-Jul-96 17:15:24
Sb: B5 Fan Club Email
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Jim Lockett, head of the Official B5 Fan Club, now has an email address which
can be used for inquiries and notifications of unarrived stuff. His address
is:
JPLB5 at AOL.COM
jms
[ Summary: Worries that Channel 4 in the U.K. may not air "Shadow Dancing,"
as they did with "TKO" if "Shadow Dancing" is a violent as JMS states.
Asks if it would harm the storyline if the U.K. viewers didn't get to
see "Shadow Dancing." ]
#: 543347 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Jul-96 15:57:50
Sb: #543107-Ch.4 (UK) edits violence
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
It is, not to put too fine a point on it...EXTREMELY important to see
"Shadow Dancing." If they choose to cut the nasty bits that's one thing, it
won't affect what You Need To See, but to not run it at all would be a disaster
of substantial dimensions. Still, I imagine they'll run it; the nasty bits can
be excised pretty well, if necessary, I should think.
jms
[ Summary: Wonders if JMS would agree that most people consider ethics the
decision to do something because it's convenient, not because it's
necessarily right. ]
#: 543348 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Jul-96 15:57:52
Sb: #543108-B5 and its Morals
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
No, I don't think so, because that plunges you too deeply into the mire
of situational morality or situational ethics. Granted, there's always a
certain element of situational judgment in these things ("It's wrong to kill.
The martians are about to flatten the country. KILL 'EM.") But the decision
making process should, ideally, be on what seems the *right* thing to do rather
than the *convenient* thing to do.
jms
#: 542806 S5/Babylon 5: General
19-Jul-96 17:38:14
Sb: #542740-#Emmys
Fm: TOM KNUDSEN
Joe,
<But WB got upset by this -- they don't do this for their other shows,
we did it on our own -- and ordered us not to do it again. The other shows
don't need it because they're network shows and get good exposure; most
syndicated shows (non-Trek) tend not to be Emmy aspirees, so it's not a problem
there. We're in between, and we were, in effect, producing videotapes, and
they didn't want that. So we had to sit on our hands and not do what we knew
would result in getting more noms. It's very frustrating.>
WHAT!!!!!!?????!!!!! What the HELL is the problem with those guys????
It's almost as if they don't' WANT to get any awards or recognition. I can't
believe how stupid this is. What are they afraid of?? Do they think that your
sending out a few video tapes of the show to the people doing the voting is
going to lower the ratings or something??? How aggravating!!!
HEY WB.........GET A CLUE!!!!!!!
Tom^^^^
"The avalanche has ALREADY started. It is too late
for the pebbles to vote." - Kosh Naranek
#: 543349 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Jul-96 15:57:55
Sb: #542806-Emmys
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
No comment.
jms
#: 543015 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Jul-96 02:23:23
Sb: #542740-#Emmys
Fm: JOHN L. CREIGH
> But WB got upset by this -- they don't do this for their other
> shows, we did it on our own -- and ordered us not to do it again.
What on earth is the motivation for this, if you can comment?
#: 543350 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Jul-96 15:57:57
Sb: #543015-Emmys
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I don't think I can comment without getting in just a HEAP of trouble.
jms
#: 542884 S5/Babylon 5: General
19-Jul-96 20:58:21
Sb: #"INDEPENDENCE DAY" AWFUL
Fm: WILLIAM H. DIPAOLA
Joe,
I saw this big budget schlock feature a few nights ago, and it couldn't have
gotten any worse! If I were a movie critic I'd have ripped it a new you know
what!!
I can't know if you've gone and wasted your 8 bucks to see it as yet,
or if you intend to, but I couldn't have been more let down and disappointed.
They had me up to the half way point where Will Smith's girlfriend yells out
the dog's name in a moment of imminent peril, and I say that despite the fact
that Will Smith's lines were largely cliched up to that point, and even though
he showed poor judgement upon making his touchdown in the desert. (I'm sure you
know the scene that I'm referring too if you've seen it). Nevertheless, I was
willing to overlook these 'instances' because I was pretty engrossed up to that
point. However, what followed was clearly crapola writing for a multitude of
reasons that could have been otherwise dealt with in a smart, reasonable
manner, and which were most certainly not beyond remedy were good, decent
writers to have been in control.
I look at this movie, the biggest summer release, and what was it that
they spent on it --$70 million?-- and I wonder how it is that we could be
reduced to such poor quality entertainment from a societal standpoint where not
only are major studios willing to invest in a project of this scale with such a
poor script to begin with, but where the movie going public applauds what
they've seen as the final product of such a phenomenal effort and undertaking!
Why did they(the studio) even bother in the first place without serious
revisions having at least been done first??!! They must be kidding!!! I could
take the second part of that movie apart piece by piece, and do so
*substantively,* yet the viewing public has overwhelmingly enjoyed this drek,
and there's no sign of it's box office climb subsiding! Have people become this
lame in mentality, this stupid??????? Where has common sense gone by en large,
and have people learned to just 'shut their brains off' when they go to a
theater? I swear, I now have to wonder, and I see the future of film
entertainment as being rather bleak.
At any rate, the reason why I bring all this up to you in particular is
because I told my friend how I could sit home and watch an episode of your show
and be _far more entertained_ and would find myself walking away after it's
over with a sense of fulfillment and enjoyment --and we're not only talking
about a television show here, but something that's produced on a fraction of
the cost when compared to "ID4"!!!!!!!!!
I tell ya, I just don't know anymore!!!!!!!
#: 543352 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Jul-96 15:58:01
Sb: #542884-"INDEPENDENCE DAY" AWFUL
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Thanks. I saw ID4 this week, and on one level, could enjoy it for the
technical expertise (I think they ate our lunch in some visual areas, and now
somebody else is doing Big Fleet stuff, so we have to work to stay ahead of the
curve again). But story wise, yeah, there was some massively dopey stuff in
there.
jms
** REMOVE **
[ Summary: A U.K. fan points out that the latest issue of the BBC
television listings has a letter from a viewer under the heading
"TV's Best Kept Secret":
"At last! You've noticed Babylon 5 (Sundays Chan. 4) in the new sci-fi
page - surely telelvisions best kept secret, as well as being one of
its undisputed highlights. Finallt we have a quality science fiction
show with dark, intelligent storylines, realistic characters and top-
notch effects - and it has no annoying kids or cute robots!
Andrew J Black
Lavister, Clwyd"
In addition, Saturday's Daily Mail has the following to say about "Ship
of Tears" in their weekly TV listings:
"The war with the Shadows has made strange allies. Bester, the Psi Corps member
with the slimy manners and bad wig, is now working with Sheridan, but can he be
trusted? An errie episode of a series much improved since its ponderous early
days. Give it another go." ]
#: 543353 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Jul-96 15:58:04
Sb: #543175-UK Media Articles
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
That's great to know, thanks for passing it along.
jms
[ Summary: Asks if we can expect Sheridan to use the Triluminary. ]
#: 543354 S5/Babylon 5: General
20-Jul-96 15:58:08
Sb: #543197-Tri-Luminary -> The One
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Nope.
jms
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