Babylon 5 history and reference

REFERENCE

Original B5 Mailing List Archives

BAB013.TXT
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 16:08:28 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
Message-Id: <199301120008.AA09394@halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, rlewis@isi.edu
Subject: Recent JMS stuff.
Ok, here's the recent stuff, hopefully I won't lose carrier again. :)

Have those who received the b5revise file found it enjoyable/interesting/etc?

I asked Joe about it, but they have dedcided to only distribute
teh B5 newsletter in hard coyp only, at least for now. I had
hoped to have the PS copy so I could distribute it out, and have them
availible for when rec.arts.sf.babylon-5 passes. I'll keep
working on him!

Enjoy.

------------

Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 760 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:09 EST

I can understand about the feeling re: coming information and the wait
until February. It's very easy to post info as we go into production, and
during production...but once it's finished here, which it will be as of this
coming Tuesday, the process is more or less complete. I've tried hard over
this process not to blather on, but to say something if there's something
worth hearing. I hope I can find new items to keep the topic(s) going as we
near airdate.

jms

(P.S. The current newsletter is finished, and will be going out in the
mail this week, I'm told.)
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 772 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:14 EST

I have no problem with married couples, none whatsoever, serving the EA.
And, as I've said before, there is no problem having a kid in the background,
as one of a family passing through, for instance, but I do not wish to center
a whole *story* around one. Someone said "But they can do it on TNG and DS9,"
which is one more reason for NOT doing it here, to keep the identities
separate and distinct.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 492 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:04 EST

Right...and there was a lengthy discussion of how the Links tie into the
B5 central computer, and how it operates in relation to those Links (which are
computer segments themselves) in either the SFX or the B5 Science topics.

BTW, a thought, for anyone to jump in on who wants to...as noted uptopic,
on Tuesday my job is basically done. The B5 pilot will be finished. Between
now and the show's airing 5 or so weeks from now, what areas would you be
interested in discussing? What things would you like to see done here? (I
briefly considered the idea of uploading one page of the script per day
between now and the time B5 airs, but then I realized that a lot of folks
would probably prefer to see it produced, not see the script -- the ultimate
spoiler -- and thus jettisoned that idea.) I guess my main fear is being
dull...not that that's *too* likely to happen with this crowd...but I take the
"okay, so now what?" note uptopic somewhat to heart.

Or we can just keep doing what we're doing....

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 511 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:22 EST

I'll have to check w/Wareners re: the script thing, but under the WGA
contract, I own the physical script and its disposition. Maybe the idea of
excerpts -- filmed stuff, or stuff we cut, missing scenes -- might be the best
way to go. (And even at the rate of 1 page per day, you'd only get through
the first third of the script by the time it aired anyway.) Will advise.

To the question of promotion above...Warners will begin a real push on
this subsequent to the 18th of January. They want to concentrate their
efforts on the month just prior to airing. So far, we've been dragged into
articles often on the basis of the controversy between the various shows...but
both Warners and I feel strongly that it's important to establish our separate
identity, not in relation to anything else. Now that the other shows have
aired, we can now have an easier time doing this.

What can I ask others to do? Mainly to just keep the word out there; if
you see a local article mistakenly labeling B5 a copy, to let the guy know the
facts. But probably the single *most* important thing is what can be done
when the show itself airs...and that's to write to both your local station and
Warners to let them know your feelings. But that's if and ONLY if you
genuinely like what you see, and for no other reason.

Will think about this stuff some more, maybe post some thought later.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 172 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:08 EST

The current newsletter is due out this week, and any who sent in subs
requesting #1 will probably receive them at the same time.

Re: merchandising...we have several deals in the works, the only one I
know for sure involves a computer game from a major company. There will be
some supplementary stuff...shirts and mugs and hats and patches and
stuff...around the time of the pilot, at least so I'm told. Luckily, my
contract with Warners requires my consultation on marketing, so nothing
embarrassing will come out if I have anything to say about it.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 182 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:26 EST

The software company involved is a good one, and the designers are first
rate. As soon as I can announce the details, I will.

And yeah, I get one of everything. I may need a bigger house....

The best way to make sure one gets in on any upcoming marketing is
probably to write Warners marketing (I believe it's the Licensing Corporation
of America...maybe someone here has an address) and ask to get on a mailing
list for info.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 353 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:31 EST

How much combat is in the movie? Not terribly much...I wanted more of a
dramatic series with action than an action series with drama. The series will
alternate...some with lots and lots of action, some with less.

The budget is classified.

Re: the total population of B5...this is something that I went round and
round with as the designers and I worked on this thing. They haven't given me
an exact figure yet; I imagine I'll get it eventually. It's in the *area* of
a couple hundred thousand, though. I *think* they said the max capacity was
around 250,000 but I could be wrong.

(This is one of those things where the writer can't just set a figure and
wave a magic wand. B5 is a particular given size...now you have to figure out
how much space is required by hydroponics, station systems, infrastructure and
so on...subtract that from the total available volume, determine how large the
individual living quarters are, with some variance, and then finally zero in
on how many people that could accommodate without squeezing everyone in like
sardines. All I know is that there's math involved....)

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 137 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:23 EST

"I was there at the dawn of the Third Age of Mankind. It began in the
Earth Year 2257. Babylon 5 was the last of the Babylon stations, located deep
in neutral space. It was a port of call for refugees, businessmen, smugglers,
diplomats and travelers from a hundred worlds. It could be a dangerous place,
but we accepted the risk because Babylon 5 was our last, best hope for peace.
Under the leadership of its final commander, Babylon 5 was a dream, given
form. A dream of a galaxy without war, where species from different worlds
could exist, side by side, in mutual respect...a dream that was endangered, as
never before, by the arrival of one man on a mission of destruction.

"Babylon 5...was the last of the Babylon stations. This...is its
story...."

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 140 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:10 EST

That is the only narration in the show. When we get to the series, I
plan to adjust the narration and keep it as a stet opening. Probably it'll be
something along the lines of, "I was there at the dawn of the Third Age of
Mankind. It began in the Earth year 2257. Babylon 5 was the last of the
Babylon stations. This is its story...."

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 147 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:38 EST

Oh, yeah, the "mission of destruction" thing ONLY relates to this
particular episode, the pilot. It'll be gone from regular episodes.

For the series, my feeling is that the intro should be as short as
possible, almost more for mood than for information.

The intro may also change slightly each season....

As for software, I use plain old Word for my writing, though I just got
7.0 and will change over as soon as I decide I have nothing else of value in
my life to deal with. I am but a simple man from a simple land of simple
values....

The computer itself is kind of a hum-dinger...a 486/50mhz, 330 meg hard
drive, 650 meg rewriteable optical drive (for a total on-line of about 1
gigabyte), NEC 4FG monitor, 64 megs of RAM, SCSI 32 bit system, and due to
arrive any day now, the 6-disk Pioneer CD-ROM jukebox. Also have the
Thunderboard sound card, Diamond Speedstar 14F video card, and a bunch of
other goodies.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 150 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:52 EST

Actually, there's a weird typo in there; it should be Wordstar 5.5, not
Word (ecch).

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 296 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:13 EST

Yes, we'll definitely see some EVA suits of various kinds, human and
alien. In the pilot, though it's farther away than I would've liked, you can
see a shot along the side of B5, with a couple of ships streaking past, and a
flashing light up in the upper left-hand corner on the hull of the station.
Freeze the frame, and look closely, and you'll see th at it's a guy in an EVA
suit repairing a micrometeor puncture (or some other problem) with a welder of
sorts.

We'll do more, better, and closer, later on.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 13
Message 117 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:40 EST

Keyboards are still in use, mainly because there are always going to be
things that you don't want someone to hear, so you'll always need some kind of
non-verbal input system.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 13
Message 119 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:50 EST

I dunno...I kinda like glasses...but I know the reality is that it may be
fixed by then...there are some in the pilot, in BG.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 14
Message 78 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:15 EST

Actually...y'know...it's funny, but I've been trying to come up with a
name for the folks who just sorta roam B5, the "homeless" or others who have
enough resources to get there in hopes of jobs or new worlds, and don't have
enough to get off again...and who play a running game of tag of sorts with B5
security..."Lurkers" ain't bad....

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 778 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:26 EST

Mark, I've answered this question about as many times as I intend
to...if you want to go back into the discussion and read the info, you're
welcome to. That article, for starters was put together LONG before the
general meeting with the stations at which point a true reading was gotten re:
the show. Warners *cannot* commit unilaterally on any series without the go
from the stations, and that won't come until they've got a fix on how ALL the
shows are doing. You're asking Warners to do something they wouldn't do for
ANY show at any time.

I'm not cranky, it's just that I've now answered this about six times
here.

Now exiting harrumph-mode.

Re: supernatural elements...not per se, no. There is some element of
mysticism and spirituality, but (one hopes) not quite so ham-handed. My
feeling is that if it's there, DO something with it other than use it as a way
into (and out of) a plot device, thereafter dropping it.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 781 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:49 EST

I don't think we have to worry about Warners, folks, really...it's okay.
And we've got contingencies up the wazoo. All is well.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 161 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:37 EST

The background visuals for the narrative will be much the same for the
series as the pilot...a montage of the station, people and locales.

Difference between an exec producer and a producer? A producer can be a
line producer, who handles mainly production problems, or a writer producer,
who mainly writes, sits in on casting and stuff. An exec producer is the guy
In Charge...otherwise referred to as a Show Runner, who sets the direction for
the series or project, makes final decisions on casting, music, sets, all that
jazz. On B5, I share exec producer status with Doug Netter...basically, we
divide it up that Doug handles most of the deal making (which he loves) with
agents, other business stuff, and I get to play.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 167 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:54 EST

"Mankind" was being used by Londo specifically in relation to humans, not
sentient aliens including his own race. Earthers. Which was one reason (of
many) I wanted his character to be the narrator, someone looking in from the
outside.

As for the Third Age, it's -- oh, darn, look at the time, have to go....

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 13
Message 121 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:39 EST

It looks cool.

Also, bear in mind that often different gravities require different
atmospheres; alternating atmospheres between floors in the same section is a
bit more difficult than setting aside one whole sector that would be, say, for
methane breathers, and which has a varied gravitational level as a further
accommodation. (If they require standard 1g, there are other areas.)

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 15
Message 34 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:43 EST

Actually, I disagree...the basic "model" of the human form is very well
tailored and may be more general than we might suspect. Legs for walking,
probably two because all closed up sideways we present less of a silhouette
for predators, and two legs are more nimble, can slip through narrower places
than three. Arms to lift, and hands to manipulate objects (show me a culture
without a good opposable thumb) required for the birth of technology. Sensors
(eyes/ears/nose) at the very highest part of the body, best for observational
purposes, hunting and the like.

There are zillions of species on Earth, but you rarely seen anything
above spider-level with more than six legs. Now, I'm not saying that it's
impossible to have other forms, not at all...only that the humanoid form may
in fact be far more common than anyone suspects.

jms
---
From: Lee_Whiteside-P14942@email.mot.com
Date: 12 Jan 93 00:16:49 GMT
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: Upcoming Starlog Interview with Katsulas

I got the following info from Jean Airey in my email box:

+++++++++++++++++++

My interview with Andreas Katsulas will be in STARLOG #188-
which should be on the stands the first week of February.
It's entitled "An Alien Abroad" and starts on page 38.
If you want to let people know?? I'd be interested
in any feedback from people on it.

Thanks for your help!

Jean Airey
1306 W. Illinois
Aurora, IL 60506

jean@hrcca.att.com
att!hrcce!jean

++++++++++++++++++

Jean has done several interviews for Starlog, mostly with Doctor Who or
Blake's 7 actors. The interview will be mainly on what he has done before
Babylon 5 (I think it was conducted before he got the part or at around the
same time he was cast as G'Kar). The issue should turn up in the comic shops
in the last week or two of this month and hit the regular newstands the
first of February. Jean is also the co-author of the fan story "The Doctor
and the Enterprise".
---
From: Lee_Whiteside-P14942@email.mot.com
Date: 12 Jan 93 00:18:56 GMT
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: B5 Opening Narration, etc. semi-SPOILER

Following is some posts from Joe on GEnie, starting out with the opening
narration for the Babylon 5 movie. It is possible that he may post selected
scenes from the script to GEnie. When they end up here, whoever posts them
should include SPOILER in the topic header.

[duplicate messages deleted for archive]
---
From: John Hawkinson <jhawk@panix.com>
Subject: Re: WWOR-9 (NYC) claims to air B5 on 9 Feb? huh? (fwd)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 20:07:38 -0500 (EST)

Previously, Jonathan Roy wrote:

> WWOR is probably in error. The basic premeire data is
> Feb 28th. Maybe WWOR is airing it on the 29th and
> just told you the wrong date...

Well, I called them back and they weren't too nice and their
attitude suggested that nothing I was going to say was going
to make them check any further. Suggestions?
---
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 18:39:33 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, jhawk@panix.com
Subject: Re: WWOR-9 (NYC) claims to air B5 on 9 Feb? huh? (fwd)

Wait until the 8th, then call and complain when it's not shown
on teh date they told you. :)
---
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 93 15:14:36 MST
From: jacque@niwot.scd.ucar.edu (Jacque Marshall)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: Recent JMS stuff.
Cc: jacque@ncar.ucar.edu

>
> Have those who received the b5revise file found it enjoyable/interesting/etc?
>

Yes! Absolutely! It's occassionally a bit like listening
to one side of a phone conversation, but--hey--that's my
own fault. Soon as I get my BE-hind in gear and plug into
GEnie in a systematic way...

Which reminds me: can any of you GEnie folk edify regarding
"Aladdin?" Like, is that an off-the-shelf software that
you buy and the local store, or is that available only
from GE?
---
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 21:48:12 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, rlewis@isi.edu

Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 792 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:39 EST

You can jump into the B5 story at *any* point...only thing is, the more
you watch, the more you get the nuances. PICKET FENCES is a great example of
this.

And if the waiting to hear when and under what umbrella B5 will be picked
up is killing YOU....

jms

(Umbrella = same night/second night, not to start any rumors.)
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 799 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:45 EST

I am NOT stubborn. I don't care WHAT you say, I'm not changing my
opinion about that, I'm NOT stubborn.

And yes, the plan is to definitely have the PTEN expand to additional
night, just as Fox has done.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 528 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:43 EST

Re: sign off tags...pruff...that stuff's for sissies. The jms is
sufficient for my needs (and looks kinda like a revolver pointed right).

Have seen the whole movie now with final EFX, sound, music, dialogue, all
that jazz. Looks better than I'd hoped possible. Will be cleaning up a few
spots in the next two days, and then watching the final product one more time,
this time on a regular TV set rather than the studio's projection system and
sound system, to better gauge what will and won't be audible on a home TV.

By mid-day Wednesday, we be done.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 532 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:23 EST

Haven't yet seen Time Trax, so can't comment. I don't see "a lot" of
shows "taking place on space stations," at this point, only two, unless you
count the outpost stuff in Space Rangers. Personally, my feeling is that the
more good SF, the better.

It's my understanding that very likely B5 *will* be released theatrically
overseas as a feature. More on this as I can talk about it.

Guest stars? Of course. Many and varied.

Re: scripts...for the first year, there will be only two people on staff:
me, and Harlan Ellison, as creative consultant. So the majority of the
scripts will be freelance. For that first season, we've already locked down
our writers. They will come from one of two groups: a) a small group of
writers who I've worked with over the years and have trained to my tastes, and
b) another small group of leading SF writers, many of whom don't work for TV
anymore, but will break that absence for B5.

Part of the reason for this is to establish ourselves firmly during the
course of that first season, get our feet wet, firm up our identity, and other
hits by the same name. It does no good for freelancers on the outside to try
a script until they've seen at least one season, as well. Finally, because
there will be a certain amount of continuity and developing storylines from
episode to episode, that requires a certain degree of direction from in-house
on stories. Very often we'll go to a writer and say, "Here...in this story, X
has to happen. Beyond making sure that X is included, do what you want." An
outsider won't have access to knowing what that X is.

Still, there will be episodes totally separate from the arc, and those
are far more wide open.

One disservice that TNG has done the SF writing community is its -- in a
way -- tendency to *use* SF fans as idea mills. Hundreds of scripts arrive
each month, they're read through, good ideas are plucked out, they pay a
couple hundred bucks for the premise, then write it in-house. Part of the
reason they're always so desperate for material, and driven to this length of
soliciting scripts from fans, is that they don't have a terrific reputation in
the writing community. Some of it is undeserved, a hanger-on from previous
administrations, and some of it seems to have some basis in terms of the fact
that you will never have the chance to see your script through to the end.

That problem does not exist with B5. Our writers are already lined up
and ready to go.

Starting with the second season, assuming we get that far, we will open
things up more and be willing to look at finished scripts with a release form.
I think that providing that opportunity is important. But it won't be such a
cattle-call in the way it's handled.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 547 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:15 EST

Yes, I've asked David (and he's agreed) to write the novelization, which
will probably commence within days of the series go being given. And there
have been many screenplays published over the years, in script form/via
paperback or hardcover; I have a rather extensive collection of same
(including the aforementioned T2 book, which is extraordinarily good). It
might be a good idea to do one for B5, with annotations, but not including the
"how to write for tv" material mainly because that's a) covered in my writing
book, which b) I intend one of these days to finish updating so Writers Digest
Books can stop yelling on me.

Some random observations and thoughts which might be of interest....

We've pretty much finished the final mix, as stated, which we'll review
tomorrow morning to be sure that it sounds okay on a small set. But for
those of you out there with surround systems, and stations that will broadcast
in surround...me boyos, have YOU got a treat coming your way. We did a *lot*
of work on this thing to emphasize the surround. One act had over 100 passes
to make the sound as layered as possible (an average show has maybe 30 per).
The movement is quite distinct and compelling. The sound EFX are also quite
good...the sound made by the weapons is also quite good.

One thing we did with the weapons is to try, again, to be fairly logical.
If it's a BIG weapon -- rifle size or better -- then you're going to have a
quicker recharge time (if any) between firings, though you may have to change
packs more often. At one point, you'll see a smaller, hand-sized gun being
fired a few times. And each time, you'll hear a power whine as it builds up
the required power to fire off another round. A gun that small simply
wouldn't have the capability to fire off one after another after another
without some power buildup that might not be present in a larger gun.
(Smaller guns are generally things you'd want to smuggle on board, and might
be as useful, in those ways, as a Derringer, which could only fire one or two
shots, as opposed to a machinegun or gattling gun brought openly into battle,
and which is intended to be used a lot.)

Someone mentioned the positive aspects to building the maximum population
of a space station around available supplies and other very real
considerations. We're trying, consistently, to ask "How would this work in
reality? What are the SCIENCE considerations in doing SF?" In general, we've
found that if you Ask The Next Question and try to be logical, you get MORE
options, and you get more INTERESTING options than if you just throw all that
to the winds. (Often networks say, "Ah, screw the science on it, you'll just
limit yourself." Not true.)

During the final mix-down, a group of cub scouts came through the mixing
facility on a tour. So we invited them in for the play-back on the next-to-
the-last act...this is the one where we kick over the table and it's pretty
much nonstop action. Wanted to see the reaction of kids to the show, because
if there's a more relentlessly honest audience than kids that age, I don't
know what it is. The fidget factor is enormous when they get bored.

They didn't BUDGE. For some of the shots, they sat there, slack jawed,
at what they were seeing. Which is also good to know, that the show can
appeal to kids as well as adults WITHOUT making any dumb compromises (i.e.,
writing down, sticking in kids) to that audience. I heard them later talking
about it among themselves, and though one kid was a bit unnerved by the whole
thing, the rest just went on and on about it..."awesome"..."cool"..."that was
great." So far, so good.

Onward.

In thinking a little about the discussion, and what role I've tried to
play (and if I've seemed a bit brief or short of late, my apologies; the
workload is immense just now), and I don't want anyone to think that I'm
playing coy or just teasing about the series when questions about same come
up, insofar as story possibilities or plot stuff is concerned.
Obviously, I don't want to give out stuff that would constitute the Ultimate
Spoiler.

But there are generalities that I *can* talk about. When this topic
first began, I was able to talk a little about what was hoped for in the
movie...to let people know what we were talking about, and what to expect in
exchange for the interest. (I've always believed that you have to put your
money where your mouth is and earn loyalty by keeping promises and being
straightforward in what you do.)

So what *can* be said about the series, what would you have to look
forward to?

You will find out what happened to Sinclair, for starters, during the
Earth/Minbari war. In that respect, the pilot movie is like the first chapter
of a novel. For nearly 10 years, Sinclair has worked to convince himself that
nothing happened to him on the Line other than what seems to be the case: that
he blacked out for 24 hours. He's just managed to convince himself of this.
Now, suddenly, someone comes into his life and with seven words -- you'll know
them when you hear them -- completely unravels the self-deception. He knows
then that something DID happen to him, that someone DID mess with his
mind...and he is going to find out who, and why.

This he will do. And the ramifications of that discovery will have a
major influence on the series, on his relationships, and the future of not
only his character but many others.

You will see what a Vorlon is...and what it represents. And what it may
have to do with our own saga, and a hidden relationship to some of our other
characters (watch the reception scene carefully). We'll discover that there
are MANY players in this game.

One thing that separates this show from others is that on other shows,
very often you do things to them to make for interesting drama...you take them
prisoner, you make them kids, whatever...in this show, it's what's INSIDE the
characters that will pose the greatest problems...and the greatest
possibilities for drama. Most every major character is either running to, or
away from something in their hearts, or their pasts, or their careers.
Garibaldi's past will catch up with him in a very difficult way that will
affect his role and make him a very different character for as much as a full
season, and have lasting effects thereafter. Lyta will take part in a voyage
of discovery that will very much change her character.

Some of the established empires will fall. Some will rise. Hopes and
fortunes will be alternately made or destroyed. At least one major group not
yet known even to EXIST will make its presence known, but only gradually.
Some characters will fall from grace. Others will make bargains whose full
price they do not understand...but will eventually come to realize, and
regret.

At the end of the first season, one character will undergo a major, MAJOR
change, which will start the show spinning on a very different axis. The
first season will have some fairly conventional stories, but others will start
the show gradually moving toward where I want it to go. One has to set these
things up gradually. Events in the story -- which is very much the story of
Jeffrey Sinclair -- will speed up in each subsequent season.

Someone he considers a friend will betray him. Another will prove to be
the exact opposite of what Sinclair believes to be true. Some will live.
Some will die. He will be put through a crucible of terrible force, that will
change him, and alter his destiny, in a profound and terrible way...if he goes
one way, or the other, will determine not only his own fate, but that of
millions of others. He will grow, and become stronger, better, wiser...or be
destroyed by what fate is bringing his way. In sum, it is a story of hope
against terrible adversity and overwhelming odds.

That, in broad brush strokes, is a *taste* of what I plan to do with the
series. I note this here because when the pilot airs, I am going to ask for
your continued help in supporting the endeavor for the series, and it occurs
to me that you ought to have at least SOME idea of what you're buying, and
being asked to support. One should never be asked to sign a blank check on
the bank of one's conscience.

Reactions?

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 549 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:42 EST

What happens at the end of the five year arc? The "Babylon 5" series
ends...if I have anything to say about it (and I do). If something esle
follows, we'll see what that is, but it won't be the same series, or the same
title, or really the same characters.

Barring that very distant possibility, at the end of the five year arc, I
take a very, very, VERY long nap....

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 361 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:45 EST

No, they're not.

And someone trained to know what to look for in a scan would pick up on
it...but those are few and far between.

Ah hates math. I failed bonehead math twice in junior college, and only
passed the third time when the professor, seeing me one more time in his
class, said in despair, "Just...go. I'll give you a C-, just go."

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 178 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:50 EST

I only said that the story will *concentrate* on B5 the first two years
in terms of locations. We'll branch out, certainly, after that.

Mike: your Third Age thought is very close to being correct. It's only
the object of your sentence that's incorrect.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 184 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:29 EST

Yes, it's repetitive. Yes, it's deliberate. It brings you back to the
beginning of the narrative, which is a space shot that more or less matches
the other shot. (Makes a visual loop, in other words.)

Telestro: certainly one of our characters might go the way of
Saruman....and one might go the way of Aragorn...and Gandalf...ah, well,
that's always uncertain, isn't it? "Expect me when you see me."

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 185 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:33 EST

And then again...maybe not.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 194 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:28 EST

WHO TOLD YOU ABOUT PLANET GAWOOMPKI?! EGADS! THERE'S A LEAK IN OUR
OPERATION!

(Actually, there *is* a leak in our organization...the funny thing is
that it's me.)

Re: Sinclair and Ambassador-ship...there's a very logical questoin (or
question) that has to be dealt with. (Again, we go back to that same point,
asking the next question.) Why is a *Commander* serving on the station, and
the Advisory Council, and representing Earth? Wouldn't they have a regular
Ambassador present?

This is a question that we will resolve. As well as the one implicit in
the foregoing: why is a *COMMANDER* -- lower in rank than a Captain --
entrusted with this responsibility, rather than an Admiral or some other high-
ranking individual?

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 195 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:33 EST

BTW, ironically, this is the only area that worries me in showing the
pilot. People are going to say, "Waitaminnit! This doesn't make any sense!
Why is a COMMANDER running this thing? And what about this bit over here...?"
It's kinda risky to deliberatly program in what look like errors, but are
story points that will be raised and resolved later. Ah, well...you gotta
take chances....

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 303 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:30 EST

Apparently, it's not difficult at all to digitize an actor's face and put
it inside an EVA suit's facemask.

jms
---
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 22:01:30 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: b5revise on FTP site.

THe appropiate people on GENie have releasedpermission for the b5revise.txt
file to be distributed, so I just FTP'ed it into the /incoming
directory. Forgot to compress it though... Sorry. :)

ANyone else interested in it can just ftp it as b5revise.txt.Z as I assume
it'll be named, or just email me and I"ll forward it along.
No hassle at all.

Enjoy!
---
From: Jeff Hildebrand <hildebra@math.wisc.edu>
Message-Id: <9301130659.AA02774@schaefer.math.wisc.edu>
Subject: Could someone on GEnie forward a question?
To: b5@iastate.edu
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 93 0:59:45 CST

I'm a starving grad student so I have to stick to freebie services
thus no GEnie for me. If someone could pass this question onto JMS I would
appreciate it. I was wondering if he's familiar with the British SF series
Blake's 7. It's strongest point, which makes it exceedingly strong indeed
in my opinion, is the character development. We see one character become
increasingly obsessed with a cause, with noticable effects (note, I should
say noticable over the long run, without any real large jumps), we see
interplay between characters where you really aren't sure whether people
trust each other or not. Halfway through the series it gets thrown onto a
radically different course due to some of the events that happen. And so on.
It sounds like B5 is planning to do some development which is similar to
this, at least in terms of magnitude. That's why I'm looking forward to
the show so much. I was wondering if JMS was familiar with Blake's 7,
and what his thought about it were if he is. As a B7 fan I'm think B5
(confusing isn't it? :) may be the first worthy sucessor to B7 in SF
television. About time too.

Sorry if this is a trifle incoherent. Too much snow driving for
me today or something. :)

-Jeff
---
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1993 17:33:43 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: horizon@chezrob.pinetree.org, ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com
Subject: Re: B5
Cc: b5@iastate.edu, horizon@pinetree.org

Sorry, I didn't know where to go to ask this question, but I figured you
of all people would know.

- Who will air B5?

Any station who purchases the PTEN 2-hour slot that has Babylon 5 on
it. As for the premiere film, it's almost everywhere now...

- Will Warner Bros. start a big push?

Yes. Starting January 18th there will be quite a number of B5
commercials runing, as well as ads in DC Comics (rumored, anyways) and
other such places. They will push it pretty hard.

- Is Warner even going to PITCH the show to these stations? Or are they
- simply keeping it on PTEN, and thus limiting their audience?

PTEN is a syndication group... Not a "station". They don't have a list
of stations they exclusivly give their programming to. Stations in
local areas bid for programming, and the highest one gets it. B5 has
been presented to stations for quite a while now, with an excellent
amount of interest for this stage of things. (The number of required
sales/whatevers for the B5 primiere was met months early...)

- If there is a list of stations in North America carrying B5, I'd
- like to see it if possible.

I think this was recently posted to rec.arts.sf.tv. The list I have
laying about is a bit dated... 1 1/2 months old, in fact.

- Also, when will rec.arts.sf.babylon-5 be operational? And something
- slightly off topic: is there a rec.arts.sf.ds9 yet?

I doubt there will be a ds9 group, since the star trek groups will
handle it nicely... Don't now. As for B5, I think techy plans to post
the RFD for it in late Feb or early March once the film has aired
nationally.
---
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1993 18:20:05 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: Re: Forward to JMS

From: STRACZYNSKI J. Michael Straczynski
To: J.ROY18 Jonathan E. Roy
Sub:
Reply: Item #1743421 from J.ROY18 on 93/01/12 at 22:09

Please relay the following reply:

During the 1991/1992 season of "Murder, She Wrote," I wrote an
episode that was, indeed, set in a convention. I selected a meeting of
the Mystery Writers of America, with Jessica vying for a prestigious
Edgar Award for her latest novel. We were going to use real mystery
writers as background actors (a line or two here and there), I'd gotten
permission from MWA to use the actual Edgar and their name, Harlan Ellison
(winner of several Edgars) would be on camera several times and would
be the one to present the award...on and on. It was a good script,
entitled "Maximum Capacity."

Unfortunately, it was not produced. Of the 6 scripts I wrote for
that season, only one didn't get produced, and that's it. To this day
I'm not 100% clear on why...the reasons given were vague...I think it may
have come down to Angela's sensitivity about not getting an Emmy, and
the episode came close to that nerve (even though in the story she got
the Edgar). Such is life....

jms
---
Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1993 19:12:54 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, hildebra@math.wisc.edu
Subject: Reply to forwarded message

GE Mail
Item 5667443 93/01/13 21:0
From: STRACZYNSKI J. Michael Straczynsk
To: J.ROY18 Jonathan E. Roy
Sub:

Reply: Item #2370928 from J.ROY18 on 93/01/13 at 18:14

Yes, I'm familiar with Blake's 7, and enjoyed it (especially Avon's
tendency to smile only once in an episode, and always at an inappropriate
moment). It is similar in spirit and tone to what I hope to do with some
of B5, and yes, the idea of one season spinning in a different direction
with a sudden change of character is very much what I'm going for.

jms
---
Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1993 19:14:41 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: JMS postings

Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 310 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:20 EST

The inter-relationships between FOX, PTEN, the FCC and any and all other
acronymical organizations is utterly beyond my ken, and I would no sooner try
to explain it or understand it than I would attempt to build a tesseract in
the back yard.

In what I *hope* will be a relatively definitive word on this kid
topic...yes, I can write a story with kids. I've done it...I did it for the
Twilight Zone and other shows. The question is still one of making choices.
Is that what this series is ABOUT? You could drop in a chapter on badminton
techiques into The Lord of the Rings or Debbie Does Cleveland, the question
is, does it BELONG there? Is that what the show or the story is attempting to
address?

If there were no other shows with kids around, then I would be more
inclined to do one with kids at the center. But there are plenty of them
around, particularly in SF...you've got kids aplenty on TNG, on DS9, I just
saw a kid story on Space Rangers...this is simply a different kind of show.

My point is simply this: B5 is meant, in a very real sense, as noted in
my message on 2, to be an SF novel for television. If it were just random
stories skittering hither, thither and yawn, that would be one thing. But as
any novelist can tell you, you have to ask, "Whose story is it?" and stick
pretty close to that, even though you may swerve in and out of other POVs and
indulge in omniscient narrative. That requires certain choices about tone and
attitude and what you include, and what you choose to exclude. Doesn't
invalidate one type of story or another, it only says "THIS is what my story's
about."

There are plenty of other SF shows with kids. Let's have something a
little different.

(That's one of the ironies that crops up about this show...often people
say "We want innovation," and when asked for specifics, they ask to make it
more like other shows. "Well, TNG does this kind of story, why can't you?"
We can, but we're not. Because we're not TNG. Just as we will do some
stories that I *guarantee* you ST wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.)

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 582 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:42 EST

Thanks, all. My only mortal dread in putting this stuff out there is
based upon the fact that the basic *story* of the pilot movie is fairly
straightforward, the way you make a prologue to a novel fairly simple, but
plant the seeds for that which will follow. My terror is that people will
look at it, expecting ***GALACTIC EMPIRES IN COLLISION!*** and see a rather
basic story, and say, "Huh? Where's all the other stuff?"

It's in the series. Trust me. I wouldn't lie on you.

In a way, it's a question of establishing context. Take, for instance,
the two TERMINATOR movies. The plots of both are incredibly simple, and
essentially identical: Character A comes out of the future to kill Character
B; Character C also comes out of the future to stop Character A. When you
come *right down to it*, that's all the story there is. But it introduces the
background, and the context, and that informs the story. The actual *story*
in the B5 pilot is similarly basic (also for the reason that it became easier
to slip past folks)...it's the context and the characters that are introduced
that matter.

And there's a *lot* to introduce...a new universe, new technologies, new
races, NINE regular characters, histories, wars, alliances...there ain't much
room for anything too complex.

It's like a foundation poured of concrete; it ain't pretty, but it's
*solid* enough to hold one hell of a house.

And speaking of which....

Basic fact: all you can do is the *best* you can do. You do your job,
second-guess yourself into hysteria, and hope it works.

Which is a long way of saying...the B5 pilot is now complete. Nothing
remains to be done. We had the final run-through and playback on TV set
speakers (modifying a few things here and there, but not much), and now it
goes to the studio, and from there, the stations.

There was only one other modification I made today: remembering some of
the confusion and uncertainty here about how the Kosh hand scene was framed --
why it was the way it was, he said vaguely -- I decided at the last minute to
bring in Pat Tallman to record one additional line of dialogue to clarify
things. Once again, the discussion here has directly affected something in
the pilot. The criticisms, I felt, were accurate, and needed to be addressed.
This was done.

That said...it's a strange feeling knowing that this stage is now
complete. No take-backs, no second chances, nada. The film lives or dies now
on its merits, as it should be. There's exhiliration, and a measure of -- I
dunno -- hollowness, I suppose. And now the need grows to get Phase Two
going. And one way or another, it *will* get going.

For five years, people told me that B5 could never be made, that even if
you could find a studio to back it, it might never get aired; and even if you
got both those two, you'd never be able to exercise the creative control
required to make it worth the agony. Five years is just a whole lotta NOs.
But it got done. And, of course, the chorus returns about the series...but it
will get made, if I have to move heaven and earth to do it.

Onward.

jms
---
From: Lee_Whiteside-P14942@email.mot.com
Date: 15 Jan 93 15:43:04 GMT
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: PTEN Sat feeds

The first PTEN sat feed of the Time Trax movie (Wed 2:30 am ET) was changed
and did not air at the scheduled time. The planned feed of 10:30 pm ET
tonight (Friday) is still on and a second feed will happen at noon ET on
Sunday. That's Telestar 301, Transponder 3 (2Vertical). The movie for
"Kung Fu: The Legend Continues" is scheduled for next week in the same
original time slots (2:30 am Wed, 10:30 pm Fri) as Time Trax, but that might
change as well. More than likely, the movie broadcasts will include a promo
or two of the other PTEN shows (including Babylon 5).

This month, the back of the DC comics (including the "Star Trek" comics) have
ads for "Time Trax". It is highly likely that next month's will have ads for
"Babylon 5", which would be somewhat ironic to have that on the back of the
"ST:TNG" comic.

Thos of you who sent in your $5 for the B5 newsletter should be getting it in
your mailbox any minute now. It consists mainly of interviews with Michael
O'Hare and Tamlyn Tomita. The TV station list still has Sante Fe and
Albequerque in Arizona (they did move Denver to Colorado, though).

Finally, I've just gotten a copy of an interview done with Harlan Ellison in
regards to what he is doing for "Babylon 5". I'll either excerpt it or send
the entire thing out once I get approval from the interviewer (it's intended
to be published in the next issue of ConNotations, the (usually) quarterly
magazine published by the Central Arizona Speculative Fiction Society.)
---
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 93 10:22:22 -0800
From: roberth@trifid.astro.ucla.edu (Robert Hurt UCLA Astronomy)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: Request for newsletter info

A couple of times I've seen queries about how to sign up for the B5
newsletter, but I don't remember seeing any replies. Does anyone out
there know the appropriate address so I can ship off my $5? Thanx!

Robert Hurt
---
From: Lee_Whiteside-P14942@email.mot.com
Date: 15 Jan 93 21:08:13 GMT
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: B5 Newsletter Info

The first issue of the newsletter is free, to get the planned 5 (or 6) more
is only $5. If you send in the $5 and ask for the first issue, they still
have some left. Send your name and address (and $5) to Christy Marx,
Editor - BABYLON 5 NEWSLETTER, P.O. Box 2325, Oakhurst, CA 93644.
Make checks payable to Christy Marx.
---
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1993 19:36:55 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, rlewis@isi.edu
Subject: JMS recent postings

Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 325 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:55 EST

Yes, there's considerable training involved. In the pilot, Lyta talks
about it in one exchange, about the "years of training" required for a P5
classification, and that most of those who try "burn out."

As for the Fox station question...bear in mind that most stations that
broadcast Fox shows are not actively OWNED by Fox, they are only loosely
AFFILIATED with Fox. They're still independent stations that have a deal to
buy X-number of programs from Fox Television.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 602 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:03 EST

Re: using the background TVs to show newscasts of recent events... what
an utterly, utterly, majorly COOL idea. The frown on my face is only from
wondering why the hell none of US thought of that. (Hmm... y'know, there were
invariably one or two guys in the crew running around videotaping everything
and anything...if you could have them also videotaping scenes as we were
filming them...splice in EFX footage as needed...wrap the whole thing around
the B5 Newscast Logo (and yes, we have one, it's in the pilot, albeit in BG),
it'd give you something nifty to have going on, and would make sense.

What a wonderful and simple and effective idea....

Thank you.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 605 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:26 EST

Actually, that we *are* planning to do (make small TV shows that can run
in the BG); we were also going to make little newscasts (you'll see one in the
background of one shot where G'Kar is waiting to talk to Lyta, including an
alien Ted Koppel character)...it was using actual stuff from B5 stories in
newscasts that had eluded us. For the pilot, we even made segments of soap
operas and commercials, little of which made it through the final cut.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 614 Fri Jan 15, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:25 EST

Speaking of EFX, I was talking to Ron Thornton during the final mix down
the other day, and as we were watching it, he kept shaking his head at all the
things he would've done differently if he'd known then what he knows now, and
if he'd had the programs/techniques then that he has now. Just the few months
since we finished photography have given him a number of tools that he didn't
have then.

We talked a little about what's capable now, what he can do now, and
what's coming up, and it makes what's in the pilot look like nothing by
comparison. (A lot of the critics talked about the extensive work that went
into the DS9 jello-man effect, not to mention the cost involved; he turned his
associate Paul into the same thing in a test that worked just as well and took
one night and no money, just a little while behind the keyboard.) Once we get
the go, he and I are going to spend a couple of days just sitting and talking
about what can be done now, so that I can take full advantage of this new
stuff.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 233 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:11 EST

That's an extremely good point about species/races; I'll be careful about
that. I don't *think* that came up in the pilot, and now it won't in the
series.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 238 Fri Jan 15, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:27 EST

BTW, it's my understanding that the monitor screens on TNG are not
inserted in post; they're regular TV screens with edges that come out and
cover any bends in the tube, thereby giving it a flat look. At least, that's
what I hear....

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 319 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:19 EST

Someone back a while ago suggested "Fivers," and that's kinda nice.

Re: Captain Power...yeah, that's a show that is an example of what to
strive for, and how sometimes good intentions can get derailed. We genuinely
wanted to come up with a long-term story, and by and large, we succeeded. The
problem was the marketing in front of the show, and the merchandising behind
the show...we got killed from both sides.

There's an entire second season of unproduced CP scripts, story edited by
Larry DiTillio, in which he follows up on the arc that I and others
established during the first season. You would have found out what Dread
became, what happened to Power's mother, where Eden was (and there would be
direct contact), what the secret was in Soaron's programming, and so on.

It was a good experience, though, and it let me cut my teeth on multi-
season story construction. It was the experience on Power that led me to
believe that something like B5 could be done. (And yeah, I still have much
the same reaction to the last episode...it's a real tough one to watch...which
was the point.)

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 323 Fri Jan 15, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:48 EST

Definite no on the question of matter transmitters. That's a little too
much in the magic/science-fantasy area for my preferences. Space travel is
done in ships.

Re: Captain Power...it aired in 1987/88 in syndication. Was set in the
future, after the MetalWars, in which one man, who caused the war (in the best
interests of humanity) decided that to save humanity it must be digitized and
stored in machines for the day when perfect metalloid bodies could give
mankind immortality.

Re: Twilight Zone...yes, I worked on the syndicated version. Among the
episodes I wrote (I was also story editor) are "The Mind of Simon Foster,"
with Bruce Weitz; "Dream Me a Life," with Eddie Albert; co-wrote "The Curious
Case of Edgar Witherspoon," with Harry Morgan, and co-wrote "Our Selena is
Dying" posthumously with Rod Serling, from a long lost TZ outline. Other TZs
that I wrote around that time, but whose stars I can't consistently recall:
"The Wall," "The Call," "What Are Friends For?" "Something in the Walls,"
"Acts of Terror," "Special Service," "Rendezvous in a Dark Place," and have
another shared writing credit on "The Trance."

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 15
Message 49 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:29 EST

Actually, for the pilot in particular, Kosh only has to move very stately
and slowly from point A to point B, so there wasn't much that needed to be
told. For a longer period, on the series, he would be played more as a
cypher...the less that can be revealed, the better. The only people directly
involved who had to know was the director (for certain attitudes) and the
costume designer (to incorporate certain elements and leave room in
appropriate sections).

jms
---
Date: Sat, 16 Jan 93 09:32:01 MST
From: dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu (Dean Adams)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: Re: dsn

rogerk@sp-eug.com (Roger M. Kenyon) writes:
>I certainly hope that everyone has not gone DS9'ing.

Why?? I would expect that most HAVE "gone DSNing". Why shouldn't they?
It is now one of the best shows on TV (although that isn't saying much).
When B5 finally gets out, i'll certainly be watching that, but I will
be watching (and enjoying) DSN as well...

>I'm sorry if I can't get into DS9,but I feel that there is not enough action
>I'm ready for some action!!!!!

"action!!!..." ? Well, if DSN didn't have enough "action", then you might
just be dissapointed with B5 also. Neither of these shows are about ACTION,
they are about stories and *characters*. Maybe you would be better off just
renting "Leathal Weapon" or something? :->
---
Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1993 09:16:04 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu
Subject: Re: dsn

- It is now one of the best shows on TV (although that isn't saying
- much). When B5 finally gets out, i'll certainly be watching that,
- but I will be watching (and enjoying) DSN as well...

Bleck. I reall ydidn't like DSN at all. I think it'll be a good
show in 1-2 seasons once the lameness wears off...

- "action!!!..." ? Well, if DSN didn't have enough "action", then you
- might just be dissapointed with B5 also. Neither of these shows are
- about ACTION, they are about stories and *characters*. Maybe you
- would be better off just renting "Leathal Weapon" or something? :->

DSN is about.. Well... Who knows? B% is a dramatic show, yes,
but the primere does have some good action in it. I don't want to give
away spoiler info for anyone not aware of some things, so I'll just
there there is some scenes with great action/suspense both on the ship,
and soem good combat scenes in space as well.

I've seen one of the VOrlon ships fire it's photon-torpedo like
weapon... It's the coolest thing I've ever seen. :)
---
Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1993 12:25:25 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: JMS recent stuff

Joe wanted me to mention that starship.gif in the archives does NOT
have anything to do with B5. It's not a ship from B5. :)

-------

Category 18, Topic 8
Message 251 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:53 EST

I agree re: universal translators. Most everything in the ST universe is
bent toward making the process easier, less challenging; I want to show the
process of overcoming. I think it's great if an alien shows up from a
previously unvisited planet, and they spend days trying to communicate with
it. I think that some computerized stuff might work, as in the case where
someone programs a machine to go from one specific language to another (sort
of a species-specific interpreter), but thats about it.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 627 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:46 EST

"Bob" will never be seen talking anywhere, at any time, for any reason,
in B5. I'll personally run a truck over him first, newscast or not (unless I
think I can get a good gag out of it...).

Re: my mental state...I'll know better in a week or so. I try not to get
too personally involved with my own life. Basically, it's lots of fatigue.
During the five days of editing, there was so much going on (the
music/sound/dialogue edit), I was so obsessed with making sure it all fit
together, that for two nights out of that I got no sleep at all, not so much
as a minute...I'd crash, and just stare at the ceiling, brain chasing itself
in ever-smaller circles, until gradually light started to come in through the
window slats. (Did you know that Danger Mouse is on at 6:30 a.m. out here?
I'd wondered where that show had gone.) This happened two nights in a row, so
by the end of the fourth day, without really any sleep at all, I had elevated
to a whole new plane of consciousness. The day after we finished, I slept for
something like 18 hours straight.

I tend to live crisis to crisis, and I guess right now my mental state is
mainly one of concern for how the show does when it airs. First was the
concern about getting the show made; then the concern about getting the show
made RIGHT; then the conern about post-production; then the concern
about...well, you get the idea.

There's this great character in Eric Frank Russell's "Men, Martians and
Machines" about a photographer who, on return starflights from the ship's
exploratory missions, sits and does nothing but worry about his pictures
coming back intact. The one time he DIDN'T worry, they were destroyed. So
now that's what he does: sits, stares, and worries. That's about how I get
through on shows like this.

BTW, for those interested, the magazine Aboriginal SF has an article by
Susan Ellison about B5, including an extensive commentary from Harlan about
his involvement with the show. (The issue just hit the stands.)

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 398 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:50 EST

There are actually several languages heard on B5, though you have to
work to hear them. (Those with surround will have an easier time.) For
instance, in the customs area, announcements are made first in English, then
in Interlac. In the bazaar area, you'll hear chirrups and whistles and clicks
and a wide range of language-sounds.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 399 Sat Jan 16, 1993
C.STOBBE [Colin] at 02:35 EST

Joe, I think what Briareos was getting at, are how many HUMAN languages are in
B5 (and even if this isn't the case, it's a question I'd like to know <g>).
Sure, pretty much all of humanity will be able to speak English, but there
will be people who would speak in the language of whatever culture they come
from.

Colin
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 400 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:12 EST

There are about as many as now...with a few extras developed on the Mars
and other colonies.

jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 13
Message 152 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:02 EST

The defense system for B5 consists of a system of moderate level
defensive grids, hull-mounted weaponry (which is generally concealed behind
large plates, which would be blown off with explosive bolts to reveal the
weapons beneath), and a small number of individual fighter craft stored in a
docking bay at the rear of the station.

jms
----------

SeaQuest Show Guide [Skip]