JMS on CompuServe (Oct 09, 1996) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
Brent Barrett
bbarrett at speedlink.com
Wed Oct 9 20:37:09 EDT 1996
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The following posts may contain SPOILERS for
upcoming Babylon 5 episodes.
Continue at your own risk.
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[ Summary of subjects in this section: ]
Sb: #589100-#<<Walkabout!>>
Sb: #589115-#Some Spanish news
Sb: #589168-Harlan & SF Buzz, etc.
Sb: #589191-#>Walkabout<
Sb: #589249-#poetry
Sb: #589250-Starburst 218
Sb: #589268-Books by You
Sb: #589562-#USENET SFWA post
Sb: #589757->Walkabout<
Sb: #589886-Netter comments
Sb: #590157-USENET SFWA post
#: 589100 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
07-Oct-96 21:22:37
Sb: #586376-#<<Walkabout!>>
Fm: ALAN KATZ
I agree with all the comments on Walkabout. Great mix of stories, well
handled. It was just so exciting to see a new show, I'm glad it was a good
one.
I also liked the motley cavalry to the rescue. It was nicely played. And
although the Narn cruiser was expected, the rest of the pack came as a great
surprise.
However, the action with the four Shadow vessels leads me to one problem with
the episode.
So here's the question: the Minbari have disabled three of the four Shadow
ships, but don't attack them. Did they lack the fire power needed to even
wound them? What were they going to do, just hold them for awhile then make a
run for it? Did they have no plan? All through the chase of the White Star by
the fourth Shadow ship I was waiting for something to happen with the other
three. For example, if the Minbari fired on one of the disabled ships, would
the fourth one return to assist it or would it continue the chase of the White
Star?
It's a small matter, but it has kept nagging at me, so I thought I'd ask.
Thanks again for a great show,
Alan
#: 589427 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
08-Oct-96 13:36:54
Sb: #589100-#<<Walkabout!>>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Well, for one thing there's no way to tell how far away the Minbari
vessel was from the shadows. Second, remember that, even though temporarily
disabled, you have one Minbari cruiser against 3 shadow vessels, and if
anything should go wrong, and you're within range...you're toast. Third,
they're probably going to try and catch up with the fleeing White Star to try
and help, but it's going to take them some time to get within range.
jms
#: 589115 S5/Babylon 5: General
07-Oct-96 22:03:09
Sb: #Some Spanish news
Fm: JUANMA BARRANQUERO
Well, first season ended here yesterday with "Crisalida"...
For the past three days I was in the Spanish SF Convention and I'd say interest
is very high (and hate for the Spanish TV even higher). Even so, I had to hear
some die-hard trekkies saying that "Babylon^2" wasn't original/interesting
because of the time travel. Curious thing to hear from a trekkie, I'd say.
The best gem in the translation in all season: the EarthForce One was renamed
to "Base 1", and IO was understood as 10 and named "Base 10".
#: 589428 S5/Babylon 5: General
08-Oct-96 13:36:55
Sb: #589115-#Some Spanish news
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Interesting...and the translation is amusing. Thanks for the report.
jms
#: 589168 S20/The Sci-Fi Channel
08-Oct-96 00:02:14
Sb: #Harlan & SF Buzz, etc.
Fm: SYSOP LEE WHITESIDE
Joe, just caught the Sci-Fi Buzz with Harlan's comments on the SFC WorldCon
special\ He's definitely got a lot of agreement here. They could have done
better (probably not that much better) with the regular SF Buzz crew covering
it. Although hearing that they had three days notice to cover it, allows me to
cut them a little slack, but they should have tried to find someone who knew
something about what was going on. And if it's not too late, tell Harlan not
to even bother with the UPN/Paramount Trek anniversary special if he's managed
to avoid it so far. What the BBC did on their Trek anniversary special night
(devoting about 5.5 hours, although 90 minutes was the Voyager Pilot) was much,
MUCH, better than the mountain's take on the whole thing. They even talked to
people like Peter David for comments and they certainly didn't ignore Majel.
#: 589431 S20/The Sci-Fi Channel
08-Oct-96 13:37:01
Sb: #589168-Harlan & SF Buzz, etc.
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I'll pass that along....
jms
#: 589191 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
08-Oct-96 01:56:02
Sb: #>Walkabout<
Fm: BILL HIRST
Joe, I've noticed that some of the most powerful scenes we've seen so far are
not FX, or elaborate sets, but just two people in a room. Is that a skill you
learned from writing for the stage?
-Bill
#: 589432 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
08-Oct-96 13:37:04
Sb: #589191-#>Walkabout<
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
To some extent, yes...when you write for the stage -- which is where I
began -- you don't generally have access to high-tech EFX. You've got two
people in a room, talking. And you have to know how to make those
conversations interesting, focus on the dynamics of persoanlity and dialogue.
So I'm very comfortable with that sort of environment.
And, from time to time, somebody'll leave a note suggesting that the
only thing that "saves" B5 is the computer graphics, or the big action scenes,
and I'll write a killer two-person scene in a small room just to honk 'em off.
jms
#: 589249 S5/Babylon 5: General
08-Oct-96 05:43:25
Sb: #587871-#poetry
Fm: ANNE L. WARNER
Joe,
>> It's the one form I can't do worth a damn. <<
What do you call those lyrics from "Walkabout?" I would call them poetry.
(And not half bad, either! ;-) )
Anne
#: 589433 S5/Babylon 5: General
08-Oct-96 13:37:05
Sb: #589249-#poetry
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
No, there's a fair difference between poetry and song lyrics; the latter
need not be as rigorous or demanding in form as the former. I wrote the lyrics
for the first song in about half an hour; the second took about 45 minutes. I
can labor over a poem for *days* and it still sucks.
jms
#: 589250 S5/Babylon 5: General
08-Oct-96 05:43:27
Sb: #Starburst 218
Fm: ANNE L. WARNER
Joe,
Have you seen Starburst #218? It's the one with a big section about B5 and
Sheridan, Garibaldi, and Ivanova on the cover. Available at your local Barnes
& Noble, etc.
The articles about the show are good, what I was most gratified by the TV
Reviews page. The writer, one Paul Mount, has been consistently less than
enthusiastic about Babylon 5 in the past, so his description of his portion of
crow pie was quite good reading...
Perhaps you should use this as leverage in the great home video fight?
Anyway, congrats on a new fan, and one with a voice!
Anne
#: 589434 S5/Babylon 5: General
08-Oct-96 13:37:07
Sb: #589250-Starburst 218
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Yes, I think I did see that one...slowly, folks are getting used to us.
jms
[ Summary: This poster found references to "Babylon 5" and "Babylon 5:
Shadows Past & Present" as books that JMS wrote. He wonders what
they're about. ]
#: 589435 S5/Babylon 5: General
08-Oct-96 13:37:09
Sb: #589268-Books by You
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Those are the comics from DC; the first is a stand-alone issue, the
latter a four-part arc written by Tim DeHaas based on a premise from me.
jms
[ Summary: Asks why PTEN held back the last episodes of season three until
now. ]
#: 589694 S5/Babylon 5: General
08-Oct-96 19:57:14
Sb: #589562-#USENET SFWA post
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
This has been a pattern with PTEN for the last 2 years. The theory is
that they hold the final 4 or 5 episodes for October, so they can ramp up the
ratings in November for the sweeps. An ongoing problem is that lots of folks
don't know we're back with new episodes when we do come back...it takes time
for the word to get out. This allows for that period.
At least, that's the theory. I'm sure it makes sense to someone....
jms
#: 589757 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
08-Oct-96 21:06:30
Sb: #589432-#>Walkabout<
Fm: REBECCA ESCHLIMAN
<< And, from time to time, somebody'll leave a note suggesting that the
only thing that "saves" B5 is the computer graphics, or the big action scenes,
and I'll write a killer two-person scene in a small room just to honk 'em off.
>>
This just gave me a delightful vision of the university classroom of the
not-impossibly-distant future. The professor, who did his doctoral
discertation on "Babylon 5 and Wagner' Ring Cycle -- Deconstruction of the
Leitmotif," responds to eager student questioning why he didn't consider the
Great Elevator Cycle in his thesis: "E-r-r-m, in that case, Straczynski was
just trying to 'honk 'em off.'" <g>
-rje-
I can almost feel the rustling-in of some kind of enchantment already.
#: 589822 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
08-Oct-96 23:21:17
Sb: #589757->Walkabout<
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Exactly. Writers do things for the damndest reasons sometimes, known
only to themselves, which is why I don't buy a *word* of this candyass
deconstructionist nonsense....
jms
#: 589886 S5/Babylon 5: General
09-Oct-96 05:19:18
Sb: #Netter comments
Fm: BARBARA PFIEFFER
Joe:
I found this in a press release about Netter Digital revenues, a comment from
Doug Netter:
"The Company is presently developing a new `Babylon 5' spin-off series and two
`Babylon 5' made-for-television movies, in addition to several other new
properties."
Can you give us any other info?
Barbara
#: 590203 S5/Babylon 5: General
09-Oct-96 17:01:35
Sb: #589886-Netter comments
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
WB has asked for a treatment on a sequel, and TNT is interested in doing
two original B5 movies set during the B5 main story arc, with one of them a
prequel. We'll see....
jms
#: 590157 S5/Babylon 5: General
09-Oct-96 15:22:31
Sb: #589694-#USENET SFWA post
Fm: KAREN E. BAHNSEN
>>An ongoing problem is that lots of folks don't know we're back with new
episodes when we do come back...it takes time for the word to get out.<<
Funny you should say that. I called my local station last week to
check on the schedule to make sure I wouldn't miss Walkabout. The guy who
answered the phone in the programming dept. told me there wouldn't be any new
eps until November. I explained to him, tactfully, what was really going on.
A friend of mine called yesterday and spoke to the new Program
Manager, and she told my friend the same story, insisting that Walkabout was a
repeat and the new season would start in November. She says she doesn't watch
the show herself, but a man in her dept. is a "big fan" and he told her it was
a repeat. (picture me banging my head on the table) Arrrghh!
Even the promos the station runs say "An all new Babylon5!" As Program
Manager, shouldn't she *know* this stuff whether she watches the show or not?
I'm considering writing her a friendly letter with the correct information,
telling her how I know it, so she won't just dismiss it. I don't want her
telling people not to watch until November!
Karen
#: 590205 S5/Babylon 5: General
09-Oct-96 17:01:37
Sb: #590157-USENET SFWA post
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
...sigh....
jms
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