Attn: JMS -- Other Messages in Your Arc

B5JMS Poster b5jms-owner at shekel.mcl.cs.columbia.edu
Fri Mar 27 06:19:31 EST 1998


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From: Allan Jensen <allan at ecentral.com>
Date: 25 Mar 1998 17:35:24 -0700
Lines: 34

JMS:

In addition to the main themes of your story arc covering the five 
seasons, in rewatching the episodes of S3, I have been reminded of the 
powerful and sometimes chilling ancillary messages you brought out in 
your writing. S3 particularly shows the effects of a government which 
gains too much power, sanctions fringe enforcement groups, creates 
powerful propaganda mechanisms, and a citizenry that cares less about its 
freedoms than the latest crime statistics. This is very real with 
parallels in every society.

Not only have you brought up these ideas, you wove them artfully into the 
overall story without glossing over the necessary detail to make the 
points believable and real. So real, that for those among us who remember 
and still observe very similar circumstances in our collective history, 
chills run down the back. Well done  -- you have succeeded not only in 
telling a major story, but in also completing the telling of several 
substories, some of which teach very significant lessons.

BTW, I have been impressed with the way you have continued to bring moral 
and ethical issues to the forefront of the show and into the discussion 
among the show's characters. It's one of the things that makes this show 
much more meaningful. (ie. the matter of legal and illegal orders in the 
military, religious beliefs etc) Some of these things don't get resolved, 
but then that's life isn't it.

I am certain that as viewers continue to watch reruns, that the depth of 
these secondary stories will emerge more fully. Thanks for all of your 
hard work and I will watch along with all the others for your future 
endeavours.

Allan Jensen
allan at ecentral.com
Aim High!

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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 26 Mar 1998 12:06:36 -0700
Lines: 11

I hope you're right.  I've long classified B5 not as a *moral* show, because I
don't have any morals to give anyone, but rather as an *ethical* show, posing
questions and bringing up issues as honestly as I can, to let the viewers
discuss the implications and come to decisions on their own.  If we have
succeeded in doing that, then I'm happy.

 jms

(jmsatb5 at aol.com)
B5 Official Fan Club at:
http://www.thestation.com
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