Why the *Trek* bashing?

[B5JMS Poster]

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From: talandir at aol.com (TALANDIR)
Date: 10 Oct 2000 21:41:47 -0700
Lines: 40

Von Bruno wrote:
<< I find it odd that folks here have opted to rekindle the fires of division
between *Star Trek* and *Babylon 5* (especially since *ST: The Original Series*
and *B5* both share a common home- *The Sci-Fi Channel*). Is the point of the
discussion to reaffirm and extend a philosophic policy of intolerance by
members of this board? If *Babylon 5* is to ever truly rise from the ashes in
all the glory and splendor it deserves the show's fandom must, in mass, rise
above the unreasoning pettiness of the "OURS over the cold dead body of YOURS"
mentallity being displayed here. Does anyone truly believe they're furthuring
the cause of a *Babylon 5* renaissance by this type of behavior? Trust me your
not. In fact, I would dare say you are serving only to impede and undermine the
bright future this franchise so richly deserves.
 >>


Might I, for one who could be accused of Trek bashing in recent posts, say that
you are quite right on principal. Nothing is served by the kind of petty
attacks that sometimes occur between fans of different shows. Both ST and B5
have good and bad aspects. There are eps of ST, any series, that are better
than some eps of B5 and vice versa.

There is no reason not to watch or like both, or any of the many other SF
series around for that matter. I watch both, along with E:FC, Lexx, Farscape,
Xena and Dr Who when I can find it.

However, I reserve the right to critcize any of the above when they fall short
of what they could be, as Voyager consistently does IMO. I'll also say there
were some weaknesses in B5, DS9 and TNG; all of which I would consider at least
very good SF TV overall.

This is nothing like the REAL BITCHING you'll see on some sites, and be
thankfull for that! Every aint-it-cool-news talkback, for example, is full so
much "Lucas sucks-Cameron rules..., No way, Matrix rules!" garbage that it's
hardly worth while to post an opinion.

Though i still do, of course:)

My point is that as long as it doesn't devolve into a juvenile pissing contest,
criticism is healthy. Even if it's about ("gasp") B5. 


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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 10 Oct 2000 22:42:33 -0700
Lines: 38

Let me set the record straight on something.

There is no such thing as B5 fans bashing Star Trek.

There are only Star Trek fans, or former fans, who find in B5 what they did not
find or wish they could find in ST.

There are many ST fans who have never watched an episode of B5 (but many of
whom bash the show).

There are, however, VERY few if ANY B5 fans who have never seen Star Trek. 
They all have a background in Trek and have opinions about that show, good, bad
and indifferent.

If B5 fans had never seen any Trek and were bashing, that'd be one thing, and a
justifiable concern.

But it simply doesn't wash in reality.

This isn't a B5 problem.  It's a ST problem.  Many of the criticisms being
leveled against ST by those who've grown up watching it were being made even
BEFORE B5 came along...it's just that there was nothing at the time to which
they could compare and contrast.

Now there is...and now it's labled "B5 bashing ST" when it's really nothing of
the kind.

 jms

(jmsatb5 at aol.com)
(all message content (c) 2000 by
synthetic worlds, ltd., permission
to reprint specifically denied to
SFX Magazine)




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