JMS on CompuServe (Apr 16, 1997) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*

bbarrett at speedlink.com bbarrett at speedlink.com
Thu Apr 17 01:37:14 EDT 1997


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 [ Summary of subjects in this section: ]
    Sb: #662583-Earth Standard Time
    Sb: #662912-Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
    Sb: #662840-Women in the Sequel
    Sb: #662887-Personal Agendas?
    Sb: #662866-New episodes??
    Sb: #662919-New episodes??
    Sb: #662939-ATTN JMS: Blacklists?


 [ Summary: I would like to know exactly what is meant in the B5 universe 
   by "Earth Standard Time." ]

 #: 662643 S5/Babylon 5: General
    14-Apr-97  17:22:16
Sb: #662583-Earth Standard Time
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Basically, it's the time zone in Geneva, Switzerland, which is the seat
of Earth government now, Earthdome, and since all major planetary councils, the
Senate, the President and other official business goes through there, that's
the area where EST is determined.

                                                                       jms




 #: 662912 S5/Babylon 5: General
    15-Apr-97  19:37:43
Sb: #662440-#Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Fm: JEAN S MCKNIGHT

" I just keep it in my lap, on a lap-cat (a keyboard cushion). . ."

Not to belabor this line of questioning (she says as she belabors), but where
do you get one of these things? Lengthy online spelunking turned up no mention
of lap cats other than the purring variety, which I already have and he's no
help at all- keeps wiggling around when I put the keyboard on him, and even
with plenty of duct tape to stabilize the whole set-up the meowing is just too
distracting. . .

                                        Jean McKnight


 #: 662945 S5/Babylon 5: General
    16-Apr-97  01:12:14
Sb: #662912-Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

      Unfortunately, I don't remember where I got it, and the label has long
since fallen off, I only remember that it was called a LapCat.

                                                                    jms



 #: 662840 S5/Babylon 5: General
    15-Apr-97  14:33:31
Sb: #662481-#Women in the Sequel
Fm: ERIC BAKER

JMS --
        Why do I feel strangely compelled to say, "But he started it!"  8)
        Anyway, I'm sorry for behaving badly and I'll try to be more polite in
the future.
        Can we stop at McDonalds now?
                -- Eric


 #: 662946 S5/Babylon 5: General
    16-Apr-97  01:12:15
Sb: #662840-Women in the Sequel
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

      Ask your mother.

                                                                    jms



 #: 662887 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    15-Apr-97  18:26:34
Sb: #Personal Agendas?
Fm: BRENT BARRETT

Howdy, Joe;

    As you probably know, the new B5 book, "Personal Agendas," just came out.
There's been talk on some of the groups on the Net about it, and I wanted to
share one person's comments with you and ask a question.

(reproduced with permission) ----- No, the cover of the inside of the book
specifically says that it takes place in 2261 before FtA, and since John and
Michael are both back, it has to be after "The Summoning."  I must say I didn't
care for it at *ALL*--the characterization was all off.  Delenn was giggling
like a schoolgirl, ending every sentence with an exclamation mark, and calling
John Agent (Some letter I can't remember--skimmed the book).  It made mention
of Anna, and their return from Z'ha'dum, but Michael was in perfectly good
spirits, and there was no mention of Lorien WHATSOEVER.

[...]

And, yes, they're having fun....in the middle of a war, just after he got back
from Z'ha'dum (there's a canon violation right there, because in the 1st J/D
scene in FtA, he says he hasn't seen her alone since they got back, AND there's
absolutely NO hint of the nervousness she felt in FtA around him).  All in all,
the book's a disappointment.  I hope the next one's better.

Jennifer W. -----

    Granted, this person claims to have only skimmed the book, but others, who
claim to have read it completely, have backed-up these observations. This was
just the clearest example I could find to share with you (I have not read it,
so my mind is still open).  So my question is:  Is the placement of this story
in error, or is the characterization just really out of sync with the series?
Or is this criticism entirely unjustified from your point of view?

Thanks,

  -- Brent


 #: 662947 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    16-Apr-97  01:12:17
Sb: #662887-Personal Agendas?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

      No, I've said that while this one is okay, the characterization is off,
and it tries 'way too hard to be funny, ignoring the notion that if everything
is funny then *nothing* is funny.  Unfortunately, I didn't get the actual
manuscript until it was too late to do anything short of commissioning a full
rewrite, which they wouldn't do.

      Anyway...as I said, it's okay.  But for my money, the Anna Sheridan and
Jeffrey Sinclair books are the two real gems of this batch.

                                                                    jms


 [ Summary: When do the new episodes start? ]

 #: 662948 S5/Babylon 5: General
    16-Apr-97  01:17:09
Sb: #662866-New episodes??
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

      Next week's TV Guide lists the first new episode back.

                                                                    jms


 [ Summary: "We had a promo for a new episode last night. Looks like a 
   downer." ]

 #: 662949 S5/Babylon 5: General
    16-Apr-97  01:17:11
Sb: #662919-New episodes??
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

      Actually, it's got some pretty funny stuff in it...when it ain't being
tense....

                                                                    jms


 [ Summary: Asks if JMS knows of anyone who was able to get around the 
   McCarthy blacklists by changing their name.  Points to an actor by 
   the name of Howard De Silva as an example.  Thinks he saw Howard
   under a different name in a black and white episode of Bewitched. ]

 #: 662950 S5/Babylon 5: General
    16-Apr-97  01:17:13
Sb: #662939-ATTN JMS: Blacklists?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

      Some writers were able to get around it, but not the actors, except by
leaving the US and working in England or Paris.  I think you're thinking of two
different actors.

                                                                    jms



[END]

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