JMS on CompuServe (Oct 15, 1996) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*

Brent Barrett bbarrett at speedlink.com
Tue Oct 15 23:48:34 EDT 1996


 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WARNING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 The following posts may contain SPOILERS for
 upcoming Babylon 5 episodes.

 Continue at your own risk.

 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 S
  P
   O
    I
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      E
       R

         P
          R
           O
            T
             E
              C
               T
                I
                 O
                  N

 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 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.

 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  Archives of this material may be found at:

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                    - or -
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 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


 [ Summary of subjects in this section: ]
    Sb: #590395-Fighting staff
    Sb: #590561-Another convert....
    Sb: #590606-USENET SFWA post
    Sb: #590940-Trailer Congrats
    Sb: #590946-Say it ain't so, Joe!
    Sb: #590948-Dr. Franklins Soul
    Sb: #591036-Say it ain't so, Joe!
    Sb: #591142-Londo and Yueh
    Sb: #591216-B5 in St. Louis, MO
    Sb: #591341-Fighting staff
    Sb: #591511-Shuttle launches
    Sb: #591514-<<Grey 17>>
    Sb: #591625-<<Grey 17>>
    Sb: #591658-<Rage's Thots: G17iM>


 #: 590395 S5/Babylon 5: General
    09-Oct-96  22:30:22
Sb: #589020-#Fighting staff
Fm: RICHARD M. PERRY

<<        Really?  Wow...I gotta get me one of those. >>

        I'll pick up an extra one when I go to Toys R Us Thursday to get mine
and give it to you in Tampa over the weekend.

May the Light shine forever,
Rich


 #: 593014 S5/Babylon 5: General
    15-Oct-96  12:55:47
Sb: #590395-Fighting staff
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Thanks again for the staff; I didn't have time or circumstance to thank
you properly at the time (or voice).

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Enjoyed "Grey 17 Is Missing" and wonders if the description of
   the Rangers that Marcus shouted to Neroon is part of the Ranger oath. ]

 #: 593015 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    15-Oct-96  12:55:48
Sb: #590561-Another convert....
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Thanks, and yes, that's a definite part of the Ranger oath.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Asks what's keeping Warner Bros. from making a sixth or seventh
   year of Babylon 5 if the ratings go up. ]

 #: 593016 S5/Babylon 5: General
    15-Oct-96  12:55:50
Sb: #590606-USENET SFWA post
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       There's a time bomb built into B5; instead of the usual 7 year options,
we only took 5, building a hedge against our own greed.  If this show as it
stands now were to go past 5, everyone would be able to renegotiate...actors,
subcontractors, suppliers, everybody.  At which point it would be too expensive
to produce anymore.

                                                                       jms



 #: 590940 S5/Babylon 5: General
    10-Oct-96  22:15:04
Sb: #Trailer Congrats
Fm: KEVIN P. KENNEY

I know you have no control of them, but I wanted to say I was ROTFL over the
one for Rock.  A wonderful change of pace - I hope the forces involved keep it
up.  Now if I could only get rid of the thought that they made the trailer a
joke just because the episode is relatively grim...  (I've only been slightly
spoiled about it.)

BTW - how are the effects coming along?  Was the transition reasonably smooth?

All the best,
KpK


 #: 593017 S5/Babylon 5: General
    15-Oct-96  12:55:52
Sb: #590940-Trailer Congrats
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       The new CGI effects are stellar (as it were).  I defy *anybody* who
doesn't know the difference just from knowing what's gone before to tell the
older shots from the new ones.  (We've always reused some shots, usually
establishers and the like.)  I sure can't tell them apart.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Regardless of what the future holds, this viewer wants JMS to
   keep the "great entertainment" coming. ]

 #: 593018 S5/Babylon 5: General
    15-Oct-96  12:55:55
Sb: #590946-Say it ain't so, Joe!
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Thanks, we'll try.

                                                                       jms



 #: 590948 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    10-Oct-96  22:39:26
Sb: #Dr. Franklins Soul
Fm: SHAWN TAYLER

Hi Joe,

I've been rewtching Walkabout and noticed something near the end.  When Dr.
Franklin pauses while exiting the bar, he's looking back toward the stage.  Our
viewpoint shifts over to where a glass panel is in our line of sight. The
effect is kind of similar to the one used earlier in the episode with a glass.
Anyway, the light behing Dr. Franklin, sort of spreads out into an almost wing
like shape over each shoulder, there is a yellow beam, rather laser like, that
crosses his image at about neck level, and there are the neon music notes just
off his left shoulder.

Following in the belief put forth by the young lady (thats right I forgot the
characters name), she spoke of being able to view someones soul via refracted
light by using a glass.  Is there a hidden meaning in this image or am I just
reading way too much into this?


Shawn (from the dark side of Planet OS/2)


 #: 593019 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    15-Oct-96  12:55:58
Sb: #590948-Dr. Franklins Soul
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       It's imagery, yes, of his still being fractured, still looking to find
himself, as it were.

                                                                       jms



 #: 591036 S5/Babylon 5: General
    11-Oct-96  09:40:09
Sb: #590391-#Say it ain't so, Joe!
Fm: SCOTT BAKER

>>I can say that, as recently as last week, WB was asking about a fifth year,
and what we would do.  As of 24 hours ago, we've been in considerable
negotiations for 2 two hour original movies for TNT set during the arc, and WB
is looking at the possibility of a sequel...which would, in theory, be set up
in part during a fifth year.<<

The lurker guide on the page dedicated to "Farewell"
(http://www.hyperion.com/lurk/countries/master/guide/110.html) has a lot of
information from you talking about the end of the series.  Specifically you
state your desire for B5 not to become a franchise, and that the story ends at
the 5 year mark..
You mention a possible spin off, but you also mention that at the end of five
years, baring the spin off, you'll have said most of what you want to say in
TV, and you'll take a (much deserved) nap.  My questions are this:

1) Do you *want* to do a sequel?
2) Or has your mind changed since the lurker guide posting?
3) And more importantly, what is it that *YOU* want?  (I'm assumining that you
have already answered "Who are you?"<g>).

Thank you so much for the best show on televeision, and the baest SciFi I've
seen or read in a very long time.  Keep up the outstanding work.

--Scott


 #: 593020 S5/Babylon 5: General
    15-Oct-96  12:56:00
Sb: #591036-Say it ain't so, Joe!
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       I've always kept a separate B5 project in a different pocket...yes, I'd
love to do a B5 sequel if the story could be made sufficiently worth doing.
And the treatment that's been turned in could well be that.  So we'll see.

                                                                       jms



 #: 591142 S5/Babylon 5: General
    11-Oct-96  15:35:27
Sb: #Londo and Yueh
Fm: MICHAEL  ZITAGLIO

Hi Again,

Ive always wanted to ask you this but never got round to it.  I know you are a
big Dune fan. I see a lot of similarities between Londo and Dr Yueh.  Both
characters are basically good but horribly tragic.  Was this your influence for
Londo?

Mike

Londo, Londo, Londo....
A thousands lives are not enough for Londo.


 #: 593021 S5/Babylon 5: General
    15-Oct-96  12:56:02
Sb: #591142-Londo and Yueh
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       No.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Comments that KPLR in St. Louis, Missouri, has moved Babylon 5
   from a poor Saturday 11pm slot to a stronger Thursday 7pm slot. ]

 #: 593022 S5/Babylon 5: General
    15-Oct-96  12:56:03
Sb: #591216-B5 in St. Louis, MO
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       That's good news.  Here in LA, our local channel has returned the
Saturday 11 p.m. rerun of the show, which will be a big help.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Asks if there's any chance for an East coast con appearance for
   JMS. ]

 #: 593023 S5/Babylon 5: General
    15-Oct-96  12:56:05
Sb: #591341-Fighting staff
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Tampa is on the east coast.  That's the only one scheduled.

                                                                       jms



 #: 591511 S5/Babylon 5: General
    12-Oct-96  12:14:53
Sb: #Shuttle launches
Fm: MR. TRACY SCHELL

Have you ever seen a live shuttle launch?

Mr.T- On Florida's Space Coast


 #: 593024 S5/Babylon 5: General
    15-Oct-96  12:56:08
Sb: #591511-Shuttle launches
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Nope, hope to someday.

                                                                       jms



 #: 591514 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    12-Oct-96  12:25:44
Sb: #<<Grey 17>>
Fm: JONATHAN KASS

First,

I saw your notes about this on the Lurker's Guide... I didn't think it was
_that_ bad :)... Both my wife and I were a little surprised that the actual
Grey 17 plot seemed so far from the main arc, but it was an interesting change
of pace...  And I LOVED the Marcus thread, very well done... Neroon's
revelation at the end was nicely done, and leads me to believe Minbari power
will be slowly consolidated under Delenn, if the Warrior cast follows his
lead... (cause in this battle, maybe the entire Warrior caste becomes an
extension of the rangers?)...

Which leads me to a question - Marcus' line "We follow the one" sounded a whole
lot like Zathras' line to the younger Sinclair in WWE... which leads me to ask
- is "The One" literally Ranger One? Or more figuratively the "Sole Leader" of
the Minbari?  And then Valen was "The One" who was, Delenn (has now become/is
becoming) The One who is, and somehow we are to assume Sheridan will someday
become Ranger One?  I realize that may be a too literal interpretation, but I
was really struck by Marcus and Zathras saying it exactly the same way - since
it seems improbable that Zathras was a "Ranger" at the time...

Just curious...

Jonathan


 #: 593025 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    15-Oct-96  12:56:10
Sb: #591514-<<Grey 17>>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Entil-Zha, whoever that is at the time, is for all intents and purposes
the One for the Rangers.

                                                                       jms



 #: 591625 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    12-Oct-96  18:33:11
Sb: #<<Grey 17>>
Fm: JOHN L. FJELLSTAD

>From what I understand, the Rangers were created 1000 years ago by Valen.
Since Sinclair knew that the Warrior caste would refuse to get involved in the
current war, and have problems with having humans in the order, why didn't he
leave control of the Rangers to the religious caste?

John
 WARPing around CI$


 #: 593026 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    15-Oct-96  12:56:11
Sb: #591625-<<Grey 17>>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Because *at the time* the Warrior Caste *was* involved, and it would've
been a slap to them to do so.

                                                                       jms



 [ Summary: A wonderful analysis of "Grey 17 is Missing" by Rage (of "Rage's
   Thots" fame) that's just way too long to repost here.  JMS addresses the
   following questions:

   1. Is the "Harriet" password on Franklin's file a reference to the new
      Nickelodean movie "Harriet the Spy"?
   2. Why isn't Ivanova being trained to fight the Shadows as a telepath? ]

 #: 593027 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    15-Oct-96  12:56:13
Sb: #591658-<Rage's Thots: G17iM>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       It's Harriet for Harriet Tubman, who ran the slave underground railroad
around the time of the Civil War.

       And no matter how much Ivanvoa trains, she'll never be much past a P1,
and that's more or less useless to them.

                                                                        jms



 #: 591751 S5/Babylon 5: General
    13-Oct-96  06:03:57
Sb: #AbFab & Rosanne...
Fm: JOE SALEMI [ZD NET]

Joe,

I know you're a fan of AbFab -- have you heard that Jennifer Sanders and JoAnne
Lumley <sp?> are going to be on Rosanne?  They'll be playing Eddie and Patsy on
Rosanne's Halloween show...


 #: 593029 S5/Babylon 5: General
    15-Oct-96  12:56:18
Sb: #591751-AbFab & Rosanne...
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Really?  Great, I'll watch it.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Asks:
   1. When did Delenn first know that Sinclair was Valen?
   2. Does anyone besides those who were on the White Star know that 
      Sinclair was Valen? ]

 #: 593030 S5/Babylon 5: General
    15-Oct-96  12:56:21
Sb: #592682-WWE questions
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       She had suspicions starting from the Battle of the Line; we'll have more
on that later.

       Yes, the Grey Council knows, but the general Minbari population does not
know.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Asks if JMS can do anything about scheduling in his town. ]

 #: 593031 S5/Babylon 5: General
    15-Oct-96  12:56:22
Sb: #592920-#ATTN JMS: Mail to you
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Unfortunately, we have *zero* influence on local scheduling; only local
fans can do anything about it.

                                                                       jms



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