JMS on CompuServe (Apr 25, 1997) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*

[bbarrett at speedlink.com]

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 [ Summary of subjects in this section: ]
    Sb: #664323-B5 S5 - A thought or two
    Sb: #664501-#Hugo Ballot Announced!
    Sb: #664605-Hugo Ballot Announced!


 #: 664323 S5/Babylon 5: General
    23-Apr-97  12:53:12
Sb: #B5 S5 - A thought or two
Fm: COLIN HEAPS

I would like to share my thoughts with you on something and see if anyone else
out there feels the same way.

I have just read this months Dreamwatch and the report saying that there will
be no word on renewal until July, which, they say, is after filming for season
4 has wrapped.
JMS has stated that he has a stand alone which will act as a finale either way,
but part of me thinks that, even given the skill of the Great Maker - it may
come across as a sort of fast ending. :-(

I realise I know nothing of what JMS has set up, (big surprise <g>), but given
the fact that all season 4 will (apparently) have finished filming - it seems
that we may be stuck with a no-mans land.  I guess only Joe knows if he has the
story at a point where he more or less intended to be and if season 5 is given
a 'yea' then he can flesh things out more, but 22 episodes seems an awful lot
if the story is now (forced) to be at a point where the finale can be shown to
tie it up.

Don't anyone get me wrong here - this is no questioning of Joe, or his cast and
crew, we all know the amazing work they have put in on this, see it rather as a
disappointment of the way things have fell, neither is it intended as
scare-mongering, I figure we are all pretty much wound up already <g>.

     Another thing springs to mind, in all interviews I have read over the last
years, including the ones in Dreamwatch this month, the one thing the actors
like is Joe's ability to surprise them / their characters.
 If word of renewal is late, is it likely that the finale may have to be filmed
'just in case' - and if so - how do the cast feel about that?  For once,
knowing the outcome, how would it affect their actions for the characters?
- Yeah I know - big stretch on my part, again, what do I know??  Joe is capable
of amazing everyone on a scale that seemingly knows no bounds - so it wouldn't
surprise me that much if he'd already got a full deck of cards up his sleeve
<bg>.

I want season 5 badly - as I guess we all do out here, it's just that I wonder
if this time - they (WB) have left it too late for even the "Amazing Straczyn"
to pull the rabbit out of the hat.
Please - no flames on this, I'm just after a sort of general opinion on how
things have fell this year and if you have similar, (or opposing), views.
Granted that every season there is the debate over renewal - I guess it's just
that - given the fact that the end approaches, and how close it is to getting
the full dream as it where, its getting to me a bit more this year.  Of course,
we Brits could be lucky and find out at the Wolf con in Blackpool that S5 is
granted, ( as we did for S4 last year<g>), ..OR.. ( and I wouldn't put it past
him ) - JMS already knows the answer and is just messin' with our minds - after
all - he's pretty damn good at that.

Last thing - my wife came up with a dandy idea - if there is no season 5 - how
about WB extending S4 so Joe has a couple of episodes to tie things up -
instead of condensing it into one ?? - Freeing him up for more "expression" -
Good idea (if unlikely) or wot (or not )??

Thoughts people ??
P.S.  Joe - if you read this - please don't kill me...... Please ??


 #: 664507 S5/Babylon 5: General
    24-Apr-97  12:32:47
Sb: #664323-B5 S5 - A thought or two
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Ain't nobody gonna be disappointed.  That much I feel sure about.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: David Gerrold thanks the CIS Sysop for posting the Hugo 
   nominations and hopes that JMS wins for Babylon 5.  He goes on to 
   comment on the nomination of the DS9 "Trials and Tribble-ations,"
   and the lack of respect he's been paid by Paramount for being the
   author of "The Trouble with Tribbles."  Points out how ironic it 
   will be if it wins and the DS9 people, who didn't excercise much
   creative talent, accept the award while he sits in the audience. ]

 #: 664508 S5/Babylon 5: General
    24-Apr-97  12:40:33
Sb: #664501-#Hugo Ballot Announced!
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       David...I agree with you completely.  I find the cavalier treatment
you've received on this to be appalling in the extreme.  Everyone who saw that
episode knows full well that it used massive amounts of your material: your
writing, your lines, your ideas, your structure...it's all there.  The new
stuff is just interwoven into it.  That you aren't listed as one of the
writers, that they never even *paid* you for the use of your material is
nothing short of hideous.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: David Gerrold is considering writing to the Hugo committee about
   the Tribbles nomination.  But he adds: "Anything I might say would 
   certainly be self-serving, but in this case, where the script is so 
   strongly identified with my career, I feel some proprietary 
   investment." ]

 #: 664632 S5/Babylon 5: General
    24-Apr-97  21:07:36
Sb: #664605-Hugo Ballot Announced!
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

"I feel some proprietary interest."

      Yeah...nothing like having your firstborn kid sliced up for someone
else's dinner and then denied even the claim of parenthood.

                                                                    jms



[END]
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