JMS on CompuServe (May 29, 1996) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS* 1/2
Brent Barrett
bbarrett at speedlink.com
Wed May 29 14:15:18 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.
[ Summary of subjects in this section: ]
Sb: #513736->>WwE 2<<spoiler
Sb: #513772-<WWE pt2>
Sb: #513817-<<War Without End>>
Sb: #513818-#<WWE 1 Ivanova>
Sb: #513879-#B5 RENEWED? YES? YES!
Sb: #513897-B5 Story Arc
Sb: #514044-B5 RENEWED? YES? YES!
Sb: #513713-How Time Flies
Sb: #513630-<WWE II>
Sb: #513710-<War W/o End #2>
Sb: #513628-WwE1 & Zathras
Sb: #513629-<<Time Travel Ques.>>
Sb: #513589-<Babylon designs>
Sb: #514230-JMS: Eps for Newbies?
Sb: #514168-#How Time Flies
Sb: #513971-B5 RENEWED? YES? YES!
Sb: #514178-B5 RENEWED? YES? YES!
Sb: #514237-B5 RENEWED? YES? YES!
Sb: #514249-Scriptwriting Text
#: 513736 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
28-May-96 01:42:13
Sb: #>>WwE 2<<spoiler
Fm: KAREN E. BAHNSEN
I've got to ask. When we see Vir pick up the symbol of the Emperor
after Londo and G'Kar are dead, does he already have a keeper as Londo did?
Karen
#: 513904 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
28-May-96 11:45:30
Sb: #513736->>WwE 2<<spoiler
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
No, Vir doesn't have a keeper. They would, of course, try to take care
of that detail afterward.
jms
[ Summary: Asks if members of the Minnbari warrior caste were trying to
change the past when they tried to kill Sinclair and Sheridan in the
pilot and "Where All the Honor Lies," respectively. ]
#: 513905 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
28-May-96 11:45:31
Sb: #513772-<WWE pt2>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
No, they weren't trying to change the past, and that wouldn't have done
it. There are always extremists in every caste, and Minbari are no exception.
jms
[ Summary: When considering the addictive effect of Babylon 5, this poster
calls it "intellectual crack." Also asks if Lennier will be getting more
story time soon. ]
#: 513906 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
28-May-96 11:45:33
Sb: #513817-<<War Without End>>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Thanks. Lennier will be getting some more screen time shortly, in the
next batch of episodes. (There's some very nice stuff with him and both Delenn
and Marcus in "Grey 17 Is Missing.")
"intellectual crack"...an interesting notion....
Thanks again.
jms
[ Summary: Thinks that Ivanova was out of character in the glimpse of the
future destruction of Babylon 5 in "War Without End." ]
#: 513907 S5/Babylon 5: General
28-May-96 11:45:34
Sb: #513818-#<WWE 1 Ivanova>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
With most of their systems down, everyone around her dead, Sheridan
dead, knowing she's about to die and there's nothing she can do about it, and
obviously knowing full well who's out there...about to witness the deaths of a
quarter million sentients on the station...I felt a bit of an outburst, a final
letting go of the emotions, was not inappropriate for her. (Although I do think
Claudia may have played it a bit too hysterical at times; separate the lines
from the performance and look at it again.)
jms
[ Summary: Comments that the Paramount Channel over in the U.K. ran a
segment on Science Fiction news and didn't give Babylon 5 much of a
chance at renewal. ]
#: 513908 S5/Babylon 5: General
28-May-96 11:45:35
Sb: #513879-#B5 RENEWED? YES? YES!
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Screw 'em. We've been declared dead more times than Lazarus.
jms
[ Summary: Loved the last few episodes, and wants to know when we will learn
who Delenn saw in his time flash. Wonders if "War Without End" shouldn't
have been three episodes long instead of two. ]
#: 513909 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
28-May-96 11:45:38
Sb: #513897-B5 Story Arc
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
There's not much point to asking me "when are we going to learn who
Delenn saw in her flashforward." Or similar questions. I will not throw away
the impact of something happening in an episode by blowing it out in a message.
There have to be surprises along the way. You'll see it when it happens.
No, WWE couldn't have been 3 episodes. Yes, it had enough story for it,
and then some, but you can't take one storyline and stretch it out that far. I
wouldn't have done it even if I could. I'd've had to introduce a B story just
to break it up a little, because 3 hours of just a straight line one-story plot
is murder. And that defeats the purpose of expanding it.
jms
[ Summary: Thanks JMS for being on-line to answer questions. Also asks JMS
what can be done at this point to help renewal. ]
#: 514117 S5/Babylon 5: General
28-May-96 16:55:19
Sb: #514044-B5 RENEWED? YES? YES!
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Thanks. At this point, it's all in the hands of the numbers crunchers;
if the ratings are good enough, and there are enough stations on board, we go;
if not, not. We should know soon.
jms
[ Summary: A lurker thanks JMS for what he's done with B5 and asks about the
status of renewal. ]
#: 514417 S5/Babylon 5: General
29-May-96 01:21:17
Sb: #513713-How Time Flies
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Thanks. At this point, all that can be done regarding season 4 has been
done, and now it's in the hands of the number crunchers.
jms
[ Summary: Asks from where Zathras got the Chrysalis device that he gave to
Sinclair/Valen in "War Without End." ]
#: 514418 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
29-May-96 01:21:19
Sb: #513630-<WWE II>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
From Epsilon 3. It was on Epsilon 3, then taken into the past with B4,
held on Minbar until Delenn got it, and still has it.
jms
#: 513710 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
28-May-96 03:03:18
Sb: #513623-#<War W/o End #2>
Fm: MARK D. SMITH
Joe,
PMJI, but around which episode will you reveal what the Shadows really want and
their reasons for their attacks?
Mark
#: 514419 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
29-May-96 01:21:21
Sb: #513710-<War W/o End #2>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Toward the end of this season is all I'll say for now.
jms
[ Summary: Enjoyed "War Without End," but especially loved seeing Zathras. ]
#: 514420 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
29-May-96 01:21:23
Sb: #513628-WwE1 & Zathras
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Thanks...I like Zathras. He's a hoot.
jms
[ Summary: "What happens to the consciousness of the Sheridan of the future
while he is being "inhabited" by the Sheridan of the past? Does the
Sheridan of the future remember what has gone on?" ]
#: 514421 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
29-May-96 01:21:25
Sb: #513629-<<Time Travel Ques.>>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
The future Sheridan would have a little memory of what happened during
that time, but it'd be almost dreamlike, two steps removed.
jms
#: 513589 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
27-May-96 23:55:50
Sb: #512746-#<Babylon designs>
Fm: RAY PELZER
> No, the first 3 Babylon stations never got much past the very earliest
> stages of construction, just some hull elements, that sort of thing,
> nothing that could be recognized.
Now, y'see, when I saw all those stretch-wrapped cartons in the loading bays
on B4, I saw that big "3" on the sides and figured those were items recovered
from B3!
#: 514422 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
29-May-96 01:21:27
Sb: #513589-<Babylon designs>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Those aren't 3s, those are Bs in which there's a stylized 4.
jms
#: 514230 S5/Babylon 5: General
28-May-96 19:12:24
Sb: #511704-#JMS: Eps for Newbies?
Fm: ROWAN KAISER
Did you forget Severed Dreams, or was that left out on purpose? I have a hard
time believing you would leave out *any* of the Point of no Return trilogy,
but, hey, you are the Great Maker.<g>
#: 514484 S5/Babylon 5: General
29-May-96 00:02:17
Sb: #514230-JMS: Eps for Newbies?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Oops, yeah, I forgot it...I glaze over somedays....
jms
#: 514168 S5/Babylon 5: General
28-May-96 18:17:35
Sb: #512753-#How Time Flies
Fm: TIMOTHY C SCHELL
That is a good piece of one's life, but we, the viewers, have been the
beneficiaries of your investment. I just don't watch much television anymore
except for B5 and the news, so I sometimes get too accustomed to B5's standard
of excellence and begin to forget how remarkable an accomplishment you and your
gang have achieved. Then I watch a few minutes of just about anything else and
I come to a full reappreciaton of your fine work instantly! Having been here a
little bit I know that it hasn't just been a decade for you, but a darn intense
decade of work.
Joe, you are already *known* for B5 and, given two more seasons and the repeat
deal on TNT, you will only become more noticed. Maybe this will change in the
future, but as of 1996 when people think of you they will probably identify you
with B5. Knowing that you have accomplished much besides B5, I'm wondering how
you feel about being tagged as "Joe Straczynski, the guy who created Babylon
5?"
With much appreciation.
Tim
#: 514485 S5/Babylon 5: General
29-May-96 00:02:20
Sb: #514168-#How Time Flies
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
"Joe, you are already *known* for B5 and, given two more seasons and the repeat
deal on TNT, you will only become more noticed. Maybe this will change in the
future, but as of 1996 when people think of you they will probably identify you
with B5. Knowing that you have accomplished much besides B5, I'm wondering how
you feel about being tagged as "Joe Straczynski, the guy who created Babylon
5?""
It bothers me not at all.
Every writer has one seminal work for which he or she is most known. For
Heinlein, STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND; for Herbert, DUNE; for Smith, the LENSMAN
books; for Tolkein, LORD OF THE RINGS; for Bradbury THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES. I
don't put myself anywhere NEAR that league...I'd be doing good just to carry
their pencils...but my sense is that even though I've done a lot of stuff prior
to B5, and will likely do a lot more after, this is almost certainly the one
work for which I'll be most known, and remembered. (Which is also why I'm
working so hard to make it right.)
Doesn't bother me at all; I'm proud and pleased to be associated with
this show, and always will be.
jms
#: 513971 S5/Babylon 5: General
28-May-96 12:48:13
Sb: #513908-#B5 RENEWED? YES? YES!
Fm: DARRAN WILLIAMS
Are you likely to have any news for us at the 'The Encounter' convention on
renewal ?
Darran
#: 514486 S5/Babylon 5: General
29-May-96 00:02:23
Sb: #513971-B5 RENEWED? YES? YES!
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Dunno, we'll see....
jms
[ Summary: Asks for JMS' "gut" feeling on renewal chances. ]
#: 514487 S5/Babylon 5: General
29-May-96 00:02:25
Sb: #514178-B5 RENEWED? YES? YES!
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I remain cautiously optimistic.
jms
#: 514237 S5/Babylon 5: General
28-May-96 19:18:20
Sb: #513616-#B5 RENEWED? YES? YES!
Fm: MIKE HOFFMANN
Sorry to you and everybody for spreading rumors. I guess I'm so on edge that
reason didn't get the better of me.
Somewhat abashed
Mike
-Mike Hoffmann
#: 514488 S5/Babylon 5: General
29-May-96 00:02:27
Sb: #514237-B5 RENEWED? YES? YES!
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Forgiven, forgotten, gone.
jms
#: 514249 S5/Babylon 5: General
28-May-96 19:40:58
Sb: #Scriptwriting Text
Fm: REBECCA ESCHLIMAN
The pre-ABA issue of "Publishers' Weekly" arrived today, and in the
Exhibitors' directory section, Writer's Digest Books listed the following
books as their featured publications for the convention:
The Joy of Writing Sex by Elizabeth Benedict
Aliens and Alien Societies by Stanley Schmidt
World-Building by Stephen L. Gillett
The Complete Book of Scriptwriting by "Michael Straczynski"
The Doll Sourcebook, edited by Angie Manolis
Painting Houses, Cottages and Towns on Rocks by Lin Wellford
It's good to see that your revision is being given such promotional supports,
but it is certainly in interesting company!
- rje -
#: 514489 S5/Babylon 5: General
29-May-96 00:02:30
Sb: #514249-Scriptwriting Text
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
So there's sex, dolls, aliens, playing house...and me.
Seems about right.
BTW, when *is* the ABA?
jms
[ Continued in next section -- BB ]
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