JMS on CompuServe (Feb 05, 1997) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS* (1/2)

[bbarrett at speedlink.com]

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 [ Summary of subjects in this section: ]
    Sb: #644469-<<The Long Night>>
    Sb: #644472-#>>Great Job (as usual)<<
    Sb: #644587-#>>Great Job (as usual)<<
    Sb: #644647-TLN: Great Job as Usual
    Sb: #644625-#TLN:Eye That Cannnot See
    Sb: #644669-Death & Rebirth
    Sb: #644703-TLN:Gamut of Hard Things
    Sb: #644722->>Into the Fire<<
    Sb: #644789-From jms re: yr 4/5
    Sb: #644831-#<<The Long Night>>
    Sb: #644839-#<<Into The Fire>>
    Sb: #644841-TLN: Great Job as Usual
    Sb: #644853-#B5 CD #2 is Available!
    Sb: #645009-<<Into The Fire>>
    Sb: #645118-#Sanford Meisner
    Sb: #645119-#Midwest JMS


 #: 644469 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    02-Feb-97  22:27:49
Sb: #644448-#<<The Long Night>>
Fm: CARL CANTARELLA

Joe,
        Everyone was superb, and great writing too! I'm probably going to write
to you about this episode in a few days because there are some things I wanted
to bring up and talk about a little, but just where did you get Wortham Krimmer
from anyway? The guy has been a real gas! All of the principle's were in *top*
form too!
        After two months of waiting you've made me happy. <g>


 #: 644482 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    03-Feb-97  01:16:15
Sb: #644469-<<The Long Night>>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

      Wortham came in to audition, same as everybody else...and we thought he
was great.

                                                                    jms



 #: 644472 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    02-Feb-97  22:36:38
Sb: #>>Great Job (as usual)<<
Fm: TONI MULLER

Haven't written in a while, but thought I'd let you know how much we are
enjoying Babylon 5.  You and the cast continue to amaze us.  After waiting two
months for new episodes, we watched the first scene and opening credits of "The
Long Night" and my husband said, "I forgot how great this show is."

We were particularly impressed with Steven Furst's acting throught the episode.
Very convincing and moving.  And we think he looks just great after shedding
all those pounds.  And Adreas was wonderful, too.  My, how we love G'Kar.

Today's episode ("Into the Fire") took us quite off guard.  We expected just
about everything to blow up.  Well, a few things did, but then it just stopped.
At first I was disappointed, but then when I realized what it meant, the dawn
of a new age, I got this incredible feeling of new birth, opportunities and
possibilities to be explored - and fear, for what would happen in the
aftermath, which seems to be well-founded given the previews for next week and
the general tendency for races to fight amongst each other, or against their
own kind in civil war, once the common enemy is gone.

I must also thank you again for such a wonderful, realistic romance between
Sheridan and Delenn.  They truly love each other.  It's not some infatuation,
but deepening love based on friendship, trust, mutual suffering and so much
more.  At the end of "ITF" it was so perfect to have them just sitting there,
looking out the window, talking and dreaming.  I'm so glad you didn't have them
kissing madly since love is not merely romantic passion (though most shows seem
to think so), but being best friends, faithful comrades, which you have
portrayed very well.

Thanks again!

Toni


 #: 644483 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    03-Feb-97  01:16:17
Sb: #644472-#>>Great Job (as usual)<<
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

      Thanks.  One of the things about the way events come to a head and finish
in ITF is that it's very unnerving...okay, *now* what?  The ongoing conflict
has become something you could count on, you knew the rough shape of what might
be coming along.  Now all that's kicked over, and you have to get on with the
next aspect: making a new life.

      What interests me, what I wanted to do with making this show, was in
large measure to examine the issues and emotions and events that precede a war,
precipitate a war, the effects of the war itself, the end of the war and the
aftermath of the war.  The war is hardware; the people are at the center of the
story.

                                                                    jms



 #: 644587 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    03-Feb-97  11:33:31
Sb: #644483-#>>Great Job (as usual)<<
Fm: TONI MULLER

>>examine the issues and emotions and events that precede a war, precipitate a
war, the effects of the war itself, the end of the war and the aftermath of the
war. <<

Very much appreciated.  Most novels and movies end right at the end of the war,
with spirits high.  Unfortunately, that is not real life.  Life continues and
even after the greatest of victories, new battles arise, often more subtle and
drawn out.  It has been very interesting to watch how events have unfolded
after the breakup of the Soviet Union.  Everyone was so elated.  But many of us
who took a longer view have not been surprised by all the turmoil and unrest
that has ensued.  It takes years, even decades, to reshape a society and its
leaders, and often the people in that society grow impatient and angry (who can
blame them really, when they are still waiting in line for basic necessities?)
and new uprisings occur.  I suppose that happens at the level of family, too.
It seems so easy for a family to slide into dysfunction, but getting out of it
is a long, hard process that many fail to complete.

I look forward to seeing what you have in store for us in the next two years.

One question.  Because Sheridan saw the truth and things ended the way they
did, does this mean that his vision of the future is no longer valid.  There
is, of course, G'Kar's missing eye and I can still see potential for his being
on Centauri Prime in the future.  However, the future Delenn had said that they
created something that would last a thousand years, implying a parallel to the
end of the last Shadow war.  But now there are no more Shadows and Vorlons to
come back, and I doubt that the younger races will be able to keep the peace
that long.  I suppose someone else could be the result of the destruction on
Centauri prime (won't say whom I think it is or it might be considered a story
idea), but that seems less likely, too.  That was great, by the way, how you
led us to believe it was the Shadows, then the Vorlons and now ????, if anyone
at all.

Doubt you'll answer, knowing you, but it can't hurt to ask!

Thanks, again!

Toni


 #: 644694 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    03-Feb-97  16:26:57
Sb: #644587-#>>Great Job (as usual)<<
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       No, Sheridan's view of the future, the moment he saw, is still very
valid, and will happen as written, once he took the step of taking B4 into the
past.  That future is now set.

                                                                       jms





 #: 644647 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    03-Feb-97  14:29:23
Sb: #644483-#TLN: Great Job as Usual
Fm: DAVID SCARPA

One question I had was that for a long period of eps,(after B5 breaks away form
Earth gov) there's been no hint of what is going on with Pres Clark and things
on earth. I know we've been caught upin the shadow war, but I'm surprised there
has'nt been some attempt to rest control away form Sheridan, or is Clark that
afraid
of the Minbari? Now that the War is winding down ( As may be the series(I hope
not) )  Will this be explored ? Obviously theres still the matter of reclaiming
Eart Gov..


Thanks BTW for a series I care about.

Dave


 #: 645072 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    04-Feb-97  14:52:15
Sb: #644647-TLN: Great Job as Usual
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Earth takes up a big portion of the latter third of this season.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Finds it interesting how the characters are building the fates
   they want to avoid.  Uses Londo and G'Kar's eye as an example. ]

 #: 645094 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    04-Feb-97  15:19:01
Sb: #644625-#TLN:Eye That Cannnot See
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Certainly Londo would like to avoid his fate, and Lady Morella
prophesied certain ways of doing this...and he's had some chances, and blown
them.  As you say, he's creating the very future he'd hoped to avoid.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Wonders if we might be forced to see the end of Sheridan's life 
   much like the final scenes of "Man of La Mancha." ]

 #: 645095 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    04-Feb-97  15:19:01
Sb: #644669-Death & Rebirth
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       We'll have to see....

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: "...did Londo's men switch the chains back, or did G'Kar break 
   them anyway because he was so determined?" ]

 #: 645096 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    04-Feb-97  15:19:04
Sb: #644703-TLN:Gamut of Hard Things
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       That was one determined Narn.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Loved "Into the Fire" and comments on how it puts an end to so
   many threads. ]

 #: 645097 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    04-Feb-97  15:19:05
Sb: #644722->>Into the Fire<<
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Thanks...it definitely clears the decks a bit....

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Loves Babylon 5 and believes that whatever happens, it will 
   continue on in the memories of all the viewers. ]

 #: 645098 S5/Babylon 5: General
    04-Feb-97  15:19:07
Sb: #644789-From jms re: yr 4/5
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Thanks, and I hope you're right, and the show endures.

                                                                       jms



 #: 644831 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    03-Feb-97  21:32:38
Sb: #644449-#<<The Long Night>>
Fm: MARA K. MALOVANY

        Hi, Joe.  Since I'm already in this thread second-hand, I may as well
join the rest of the way.
>>Re: heart/hearts...I figured that the two collectively are a whole from an
emotional or spiritual perspective.  We say "a pair of pants" even though it's
just the one, as a related example.<<
        Well, I guess I can buy that.  I just found it a bit jarring, after the
all the other references to Cartegia's hearts, to switch to singular.  It seems
to me that a species with two hearts would use a different metaphor.

        And let me just say, I hope that Garibaldi and G'Kar end up in the same
room sometime--I'd love to find out what G'Kar will 'see' in him now.<g>

Mara
P.S.  Have you gotten your revenge on Andreas for the Pasadena-con yet?


 #: 645099 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    04-Feb-97  15:19:10
Sb: #644831-#<<The Long Night>>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Oh, I got back Andreas bigtime...but I'll save that story for the next
convention.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Loved "Into the Fire." ]

 #: 645100 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    04-Feb-97  15:19:12
Sb: #644839-#<<Into The Fire>>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Thanks...it's a beautiful ep....

                                                                       jms



 #: 644841 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    03-Feb-97  21:48:44
Sb: #644694-#TLN: Great Job as Usual
Fm: TONI MULLER

Bummer.  I mean, the aftermath doesn't look very rosy at all now, does it?

Toni

P.S. - Thanks for the answer!  :-)


 #: 645101 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    04-Feb-97  15:19:13
Sb: #644841-TLN: Great Job as Usual
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       It will have its ups and downs...but things do have a tendency to work
out sometimes.

                                                                       jms



 #: 644853 S5/Babylon 5: General
    03-Feb-97  23:56:57
Sb: #641676-#B5 CD #2 is Available!
Fm: CHRIS CROUGHTON (UK)

Hi!  My system has been losing messages, could you please repost the info on
the new CD?

>       Which is the other good thing about B5...nobody here is afraid to
> argue with me if they think they're right. I expect nothing less.

And the thing I like, that you aren't afraid to say you made a mistake. Which I
think has to help the people you work with, far too many managers, directors
etc. are terrified to admit their mistakes.  It's something several people have
said to me, that they're impressed by your honesty and willingness to be human
rather than covering up.

Chris

(Still waiting for S4 over here...)


 #: 645102 S5/Babylon 5: General
    04-Feb-97  15:19:16
Sb: #644853-#B5 CD #2 is Available!
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       A mistake is a mistake, where's the mileage in saying it didn't happen?
In what parallel universe did it not happen?

       You can find info on the sountrack at www.sonicimages.com.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Worried that the vision of Morden's severed head would have 
   been too much for her to view.  Also, wonders if it was the plan all 
   along to have the same actor play Sebastian and Lorien. ]

 #: 645103 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    04-Feb-97  15:19:18
Sb: #645009-<<Into The Fire>>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Yeah, well, there's only so much you can do on TV and expect stations to
still broadcast it.

       We always knew only Wayne could do Lorien; no question, no one else
auditioned.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Comments on a news report about the death of acting teacher
   Sanford Meisner who would ask his students, "Who are you?  What do you 
   want?  Why are you here?" ]

 #: 645188 S8/Babylon 5: Social
    04-Feb-97  17:53:22
Sb: #645118-#Sanford Meisner
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       The man was obviously a Vorlon plant....

                                                                        jms



 #: 645119 S5/Babylon 5: General
    04-Feb-97  15:49:52
Sb: #Midwest JMS
Fm: JEAN S MCKNIGHT

I am eager to make the required pilgrimage to touch the hem of your garment and
commune with my B5-crazed brethren and sistren. I've heard that you often
appear in LA but I can't travel there (afraid of turning into a pillar of salt,
don't you know), and wondered if you are planning to make any appearances in or
near the (wholesome, inexpensive and friendly!) midwest this year? I've been
checking the Zocalo and everything else I can find, but hope I might have
missed something?

                                Thanks,
                                Jean McKnight


 #: 645189 S5/Babylon 5: General
    04-Feb-97  17:53:23
Sb: #645119-#Midwest JMS
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Nothing in the midwest...Columbus Ohio, Orlando Florida, Tauntaun Mass,
Long Island NY, Seattle, WA...wanted to do Chicago ComicCon this year, but the
timetable doesn't work out, and Westercon got there first for Seattle as GoH.

                                                                       jms



 [ Continued in next section -- BB ]

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