JMS on CompuServe (May 28, 1998) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
bbarrett at johndelenn.com
bbarrett at johndelenn.com
Thu May 28 23:21:00 EDT 1998
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WARNING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The following posts may contain SPOILERS for
upcoming Babylon 5 episodes.
Continue at your own risk.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL IS THE COPYRIGHT OF THE
RESPECTIVE MESSAGE AUTHORS AND CANNOT BE
REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM WITHOUT THE EXPRESSED
PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR.
Note that JMS has expressed his public permission
that all of his messages may be reproduced freely.
I give permission for my summaries to be reposted in
any form, however I reserve all rights to them and
the right to revoke this permission at any time.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Archives of this material may be found at:
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[ Summary of subjects in this section: ]
Sb: #34247-#WB Home Video Does B5
Sb: #34278-#WB Home Video Does B5
Sb: #34247-#WB Home Video Does B5
Sb: #34160-#More Good News
Sb: #34206-#More Good News
Sb: #34307-More Good News
Sb: #34147-#Easter Egg in Guide?
Sb: #34187-#Easter Egg in Guide?
Sb: #34348-#Cast Decline Crusade
Sb: #34417-Cast Decline Crusade
Sb: #34348-Cast Decline Crusade
Sb: #34136-B5 in Toronto, Canada
Sb: #34324-Lochley - No Of episodes
Sb: #34277-#No more Bester?
Sb: #34381-Meditations on the Abyss
[ Summary: Wants the series released on DVD. ]
#: 34251 S2/Bab 5: General
26-May-98 22:56:01
Sb: #34247-#WB Home Video Does B5
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I'm with you, I want 'em on DVD myself (have also made the transition,
and have to say I love the format, it's massively cool).
jms
#: 34278 S2/Bab 5: General
27-May-98 11:25:05
Sb: #34251-#WB Home Video Does B5
Fm: BRIAN PROTHERO
I'm iching to start buying the B5 episodes right now. I'm almost tempted to
buy the VHS but I really want the DVD (or even Laserdisc). The only thing I
use VHS for anymore is to record broadcast TV... I never buy prerecorded
movies/TV episodes on VHS (only DVD or Laserdisc). I agree that DVD is way
cool. I know prefer it over Laserdisc (which use to be massively cool).
Do you have any suggestions on how to convince WB to release B5 on DVD?
Thanks. --Brian
Message text written by J. Michael Straczynski
> I'm with you, I want 'em on DVD myself (have also made the transition, and
have to say I love the format, it's massively cool). <
#: 34334 S2/Bab 5: General
27-May-98 22:00:01
Sb: #34278-#WB Home Video Does B5
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
If the tapes sell, they'll almost certainly do DVD.
jms
[ Summary: Responds to Raymond E. Feist's comments about DVD. ]
#: 34253 S2/Bab 5: General
27-May-98 01:56:01
Sb: #34247-#WB Home Video Does B5
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
And btw, good to see you back around the old cyberhearth again....
jms
#: 34160 S2/Bab 5: General
25-May-98 21:10:08
Sb: #34115-#More Good News
Fm: REBECCA COSTELLO
>>That's not a bad idea! The kids cartoon timeslot could be filled with "The
Real Ghostbusters"<<
Now, was that the animated "Ghostbusters" that aired back in the eighties? My
memories are dim because I was only maybe seven at the time (showing my youth
here) but my brother and I absolutely loved the animated "Ghostbusters".
Sadly, if we ever taped it, the videos are long gone, but if that was the show
JMS worked on, then I should be considered the oldest (or perhaps youngest
<G>) member of the Church of Joe--we watched that show religiously.
And, hmmm...I think it was "She-Ra, Princess of Power" that I saw JMS' name
attached to a while back. I was at a friend's house and her little sister was
watching, and on the screen: "Written By J. Michael Straczynski". I was just
getting into B5 at the time and excited when I recognized the name.
Rebecca
#: 34162 S2/Bab 5: General
26-May-98 01:22:05
Sb: #34160-#More Good News
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
"Now, was that the animated "Ghostbusters" that aired back in the eighties? My
memories are dim because I was only maybe seven at the time (showing my youth
here) but my brother and I absolutely loved the animated "Ghostbusters"."
Yeah, that was my show. I did the first network season of 13 episodes,
and the syndicated season of 65 episodes...of which I wrote something like 16
or 18 episodes. Left it when they insisted on changing Janine into a mommy
character and knocked all the edges off the show.
jms
[ Summary: About the change in The Real Ghostbusters, this poster comments
that she stopped watching at that point. ]
#: 34230 S2/Bab 5: General
26-May-98 16:45:13
Sb: #34206-#More Good News
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Thing was, the show was successful *across the board*...all ages. It
was ABC's number one rated animated series. That's when they came to the
"Well, anything can be improved...let's call in some child psychologists and
consultants," which is when the whole thing went to hell.
jms
[ Summary: Asks why networks always think that they need to please
everyone all the time. ]
#: 34335 S2/Bab 5: General
27-May-98 22:00:01
Sb: #34307-More Good News
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I go for what someone at the BBC once said: "There are some people we
WANT to offend."
jms
#: 34147 S2/Bab 5: General
25-May-98 17:41:05
Sb: #34079-#Easter Egg in Guide?
Fm: MARTE BRENGLE
I just bought the guide and would like to know too if anyone knows.
--M--
#: 34163 S2/Bab 5: General
26-May-98 01:22:06
Sb: #34147-#Easter Egg in Guide?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Play in the alarm sounds area.
jms
[ Summary: Comments that one magazine is reporting the Guide CD-ROM
as new. Wonders if they're just slow or if a new Guide has been
released. ]
#: 34231 S2/Bab 5: General
26-May-98 16:45:13
Sb: #34187-#Easter Egg in Guide?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
They're just a little slow...there's only the one version.
jms
[ Summary: "Just heard, that Jerry Doyle has refused to sign a
contract for Crusade." ]
#: 34350 S2/Bab 5: General
28-May-98 04:02:00
Sb: #34348-#Cast Decline Crusade
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
To clarify:
Jerry was never offered a contract on Crusade. When he negotiated his
deal on "A Call to Arms," WB attempted to get an option on him for the series,
as a matter of due course. They did so for everyone appearing in the movie,
including Jeff and Tracy, since it is in many ways a set-up for Crusade. This
is a pro-forma thing done in such situations by any studio when they're
dealing with a new series being set up. It doesn't exclude any kind of
appearance in Crusade on a guest basis or more than that.
Frankly, I think Jerry would do better on a per-episode negotiation (and
would be better featured that way) than to get tied up with an option. And
told him so when he approached me for advice on whether or not to let himself
get saddled with an option.
The best possible situation would be a central core of new characters
who can move through the B5 universe, and run into our familiar characters, on
an as-needed basis, as determined by the story. It gives the story maximum
flexibility, and lets the actors negotiate sort of "a la carte," if you will,
which means they'll almost certainly get more than if they get locked down and
have to do X-number of episodes at a pre-negotiated price.
And that seems to be pretty much what we're heading toward. In
addition, I think we need to have the B5 cast available for a feature film
that is getting more and more probable by the day. That, to be honest, is
where they're finally going to make the kind of money they've all earned by
staying with this show for this long.
jms
#: 34418 S2/Bab 5: General
28-May-98 12:53:10
Sb: #34348-Cast Decline Crusade
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
One last follow-up to underline why I suggested Jerry not go for the
option. A CONTRACT is a *guarantee* that you will pay X actor Y dollars to
appear in Z episodes. An OPTION ensure's the studio's *right* to your
services, but does not *guarantee* them. So you can be under option, and at
the last moment, the studio can decide not to exercise that option...and you
get nothing.
Why is this important? Because all of the actors are out now looking to
build on what they've established in their careers over 5 years of B5, with
possibilities of leads on other better-paying network gigs, features, who
knows. But if you go to network A and they want you, but find out that
someone else has an option on you that may preclude you from working for them,
then they're going to find someone else.
An option like this ties you down, with the possibility of not getting
any other work, and in the end may not even be exercised. Coming hot off the
big fifth year promotion, I can see why this might not be high on someone's
list of possibilities.
jms
[ Summary: "Will Crusade and the various films be shown in the UK
by Channel 4?" ]
#: 34432 S2/Bab 5: General
28-May-98 14:11:04
Sb: #34417-Cast Decline Crusade
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
As far as I know they'll be handled by WB international, same as B5.
jms
[ Summary: "TNT doesn't want CFMT in Toronto to show the final episodes
before they've aired on TNT." ]
#: 34161 S3/Bab 5:International
25-May-98 23:37:10
Sb: #34136-B5 in Toronto, Canada
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I haven't really been plugged into this, and while on the one hand I can
see how it's a pain in the butt, at the same time I can understand why TNT
would feel this way.
jms
[ Summary: "How is [Garibaldi] going to get back at Bester if Bester
isn't going to be on the show anymore?" ]
#: 34336 S5/Seas. 5 SPOILERS
27-May-98 22:00:02
Sb: #34324-Lochley - No Of episodes
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Watch, and learn.
jms
#: 34277 S5/Seas. 5 SPOILERS
27-May-98 11:10:12
Sb: #33964-#No more Bester?
Fm: VADIM NARODITSKY
>> It's possible that Bester would appear elsewhere, whether in a TV
movie or elsewhere, maybe even Crusade, we'll have to see. <<
Does it mean you haven't decided or you just don't want to tell us?
BTW, out of curiosity - how old are you (at least the age group)?
VadimGreat square doesn't have corners.
#: 34337 S5/Seas. 5 SPOILERS
27-May-98 22:00:02
Sb: #34277-#No more Bester?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Meaning I know but I ain't telling.
And I'm 43.
Funny story there...I had occasion to take a cab recently, and I get in,
and the driver is this Russian guy, medium-accent. He looks back, and he
says, "I am trying to decide which of us is older, you or me." Jokingly, I
suggest that it's probably me, and he says, "No, it is probably me. I am 52.
I am guessing you are...48."
"Actually, I'm 43," I said.
"FORTY THREE?!" he says...and damn near drives off the road.
I shrug. "I've had a hard life."
"Must be," he said, shaking his head.
jms
[ Summary: Loved "Meditations on the Abyss." ]
#: 34416 S5/Seas. 5 SPOILERS
28-May-98 12:43:05
Sb: #34381-Meditations on the Abyss
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Thanks....
jms
[END]
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