JMS on CompuServe (Dec 27, 1997) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*

bbarrett at speedlink.com bbarrett at speedlink.com
Sat Dec 27 05:43:19 EST 1997


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 upcoming Babylon 5 episodes.

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 [ Summary of subjects in this section: ]
    Sb: #11052-from jms on stuff
    Sb: #11053-Sinclair
    Sb: #11205-B5 Dolls
    Sb: #11204-B5 ITB TNT trailers
    Sb: #11117-Sinclair
    Sb: #11309-TNT Guide
    Sb: #11322-My new home theater


 [ Summary: "I can't believe there are B5 action figures out there and I 
   have not seen or heard of them." ]

 #: 11220 S2/Bab 5: General
    26-Dec-97  00:01:00
Sb: #11052-from jms on stuff
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

      There are 9" figures out currently at Toys R Us, and 6" figures due out 
any time now.  Also, the Starfury model is apparently out in stores now from 
Revell.

                                                                    jms

 [ Summary: "Can you shed any light of why Michael O'Hare was replaced by 
   Bruce Boxleitner?" ]

 #: 11221 S2/Bab 5: General
    26-Dec-97  00:01:01
Sb: #11053-Sinclair
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

      There's a faq about this in the library.

                                                                    jms


 #: 11205 S2/Bab 5: General
    25-Dec-97  18:06:01
Sb: #9569-#B5 Dolls
Fm: PHILIP HORNSEY

>>The ones under discussion, the 6" figures, are killer...they're even closer 
in appearance, sleeker, their faces are great...and apparently they'll be 
available from both Toys R Us *and* Diamond (via comics stores).  These are 
definitely the ones that'll go on my desk.


This of course, brings up one obvious question. Will their be a JMS action 
figure, and will it have a Kung-Fu Grip (tm)?

Phil^^^^
FREE MARS!

 #: 11222 S2/Bab 5: General
    26-Dec-97  00:01:01
Sb: #11205-B5 Dolls
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

      Given my luck when still dating, perhaps there should be a jms 
"no-action" figure....

                                                                    jms


 #: 11204 S2/Bab 5: General
    25-Dec-97  18:06:01
Sb: #10008-#B5 ITB TNT trailers
Fm: PHILIP HORNSEY

>>we don't have the luxury of any sort of established name, quality is our 
only recourse.

Joe,

You may soon wish to reconsider this POV. IMHO you will soon bee bigger than 
Star Trek (why am I suddenly reminded of the Beatles?).

For evidence, go to SFMEDONE and look at the forum logo. Do you see Star Trek 
listed...do you see a seperate section for B5?

Fact is ST is getting a little better for the pressure you are putting them 
under, but your situation reminds me of Microsoft and Novell. Big Red had 80 
percent market share and sat on their butts while Microsoft wrote that Windows 
NT thing that supposedly wasn't going to be half as good as NetWare.

oops.

I know this is different. I know I can watch both B5 and other SF (so I watch 
B5 and Buffy), but still, every singe ep you throw another shovel full of dirt 
on the mouldering ultra-PC corpse of the ST Universe.

P.S. to all of this, did you find it interesting that the biggest objection 
that the Trekkies had to First Contact was that Picard actually *showed anger* 
about having been kidnapped, mutilated, and forced to assist in the 
destruction of his own race? I wonder what Patrick Stewart had to say about 
finally being given the chance to *act*.

Phil^^^^
FREE MARS!

 #: 11223 S2/Bab 5: General
    26-Dec-97  00:01:01
Sb: #11204-B5 ITB TNT trailers
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

"You may soon wish to reconsider this POV. IMHO you will soon be bigger than 
Star Trek (why am I suddenly reminded of the Beatles?)."

      It's certainly a wonderful thought, but here's why I think it won't 
happen.

      At its core, B5 is a thinking man's (and woman's) show.  A viewer has to 
bring a lot to the table, pay attention, and be willing to be reflective to 
get out of it all that the show has to offer.  That pretty much precludes it 
from being a big pop-culture phenomenon.  I think we'll always do well, and 
we'll be around for a long, long time...but as a cult show, as the Prisoner is 
a cult show.

      Which is absolutely aces by me.  I got to tell my story, and make 
something that'll endure, and that's why I entered the race in the first 
place.

                                                                    jms

 [ Summary: Regarding the Sinclair/Sheridan switch, see below. ]

 #: 11304 S2/Bab 5: General
    26-Dec-97  19:33:09
Sb: #11117-Sinclair
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

"It does, however, make it interesting in that I think this is the first 
incidence of an AMERICAN made show surviving the loss of it's lead actor."

      Actually, not correct...there have been many cases of this, from MASH to 
Bewitched to other shows.  It's not common, certainly, but not unheard-of.

                                                                    jms


 #: 11309 S2/Bab 5: General
    26-Dec-97  21:11:11
Sb: #TNT Guide
Fm: MARTIN ROTH

Hi Joe,

Well, it looks like we now have the first real complaint about TNT's handling 
of B5.

I tuned in at about 10:55 ET for the scheduled 11:00 premiere of The Guide to 
Babylon 5 and found it already in progress. I don't think I missed much, but 
it was a bit irritating. Oh well, looks like I'll have to watch it again. 
(Like I wasn't going to anyway... <g>)

I was impressed by what I saw. Despite the ad campaigns and everything you've 
said about their approach, I think I pretty much expected them to focus on the 
"action" elements. Instead, most of the attention was given to the characters 
and the story, and to the production team. It really makes me believe that 
they know what they've got. So as long as they can set their clocks better, I 
think this'll be a great run.  :^)

I also noticed something I've never seen before -- an end credit given to "Joe 
Straczynski".  I couldn't catch the exact listing -- it scrolled by too fast 
-- but it caught my eye since I've never seen you "officially" listed that way 
before. Is this a first?


-- Marty     PPG
Just 212 hours to go.

 #: 11314 S2/Bab 5: General
    26-Dec-97  21:42:12
Sb: #11309-TNT Guide
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

      I didn't catch the credit, but if so, yeah, that'd be my first as Joe.

                                                                    jms


 #: 11322 S2/Bab 5: General
    26-Dec-97  22:34:06
Sb: #My new home theater
Fm: ELYSE M. GRASSO

Well, I guess I'm almost ready for next weekend and the arrival of B5 on TNT:

the new AV receiver with Surround sound support replaced my old stereo 
receiver in early fall,

the Dish Network installation was a few weeks later, in time to catch the 
final four off WSBK (I've become addicted to Rugrats on the west coast 
Nickelodeon feed...)

part of my early December year-end bonus replaced my old stereo VCR (which 
wouldn't record off the AV inputs using the timer) with a new S-VHS vcr, and 
replaced my decrepit rattan swivel rocker with a nice Lane recliner (it looks 
like a nice Queen Anne wingback chair, not a LaZBoy)

and yesterday I added speakers for the center and surround (rear) channels

Now I have 2 questions:

1. What are the good brands of S-VHS tapes, and what are good places to find 
them at reasonable prices?

2. What are people's favorite surround-effect scenes in seasons 2 through 4 
(which are the ones I have on tape)?

I'm anxious to play with my new toys...

Elyse

 #: 11347 S2/Bab 5: General
    27-Dec-97  01:05:04
Sb: #11322-My new home theater
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

      Don't forget the subwoofer....

      I generally go for the TDK SVHS tapes, in general I've had fewer 
problems with those than any other brand.

      We had good surround when Sinclair is getting "What do you want?" 
bounced back and forth at him, also when Talia is listening to the many voices 
in "A Race Through Dark Places."  Overall, you'll get most or all of the 
ship-bys we do, and you'll get the nice separation of voices in the S5 title 
sequence.  We use the surrounds to give a sense of place, and ambiance, more 
than anything else.  Pop in any really busy action sequence and you'll get a 
good sense of movement.

      In general, the basic pro-logic setting is usually fine for B5.

                                                                    jms


[END]

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