"B5" DVD (and other) news from JMS (1 Viewer)

[KyleC]

The only reason I ask is that when I saw ITB first it really pulled me in and made me want to see the whole series. I think I'll save ITB for later though, thanks for the input.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

It is really a toss-up, despite the passion of those who think that the only way to watch the show is to go in knowing nothing. That is to treat it as a mystery, which it really isn't. Granted there are things that neither the audience nor the characters know at the beginning of S1, and the experience of watching the show is different if you know them and the characters don't, but it isn't necessarily a worse experience.

JMS himself assumed that by the time In the Beginning first aired (the night before the 1st season reruns began on TNT) that most of the people checking it out would have seen at least a few episodes of the show, probably from the later seasons (since the audience built year to year) and therefore that "spoilers" weren't the most important consideration. He designed ItB precisely as a way to introduce the characters, the backstory and the epic sweep of the series in one film to new viewers. It is actually a much better introduction to the series than The Gathering, which concentrates on characters who either never appear again or disappear after the first season, and which even in its recut form is so different from the series that it is liable to alienate as many new viewers as it draws into the show.

If you want to avoid spoilers, I'd start with "Midnight on the Firing Line", which is a terrific introductory episode. (Because it had been a year since the pilot aired, the show had been significantly retooled, and there were no plans to re-air the pilot, it had to be.)

After you show her eight or ten episodes to get her settled into the B5 universe, show her the pilot, with an explantion of how it was made and why it differs from the series. (But why events and characters in the pilot are still parts of the on-going story.) But don't start anyone with The Gathering.

If you don't care about spoilers, do what JMS did (via the scheduling on TNT) - start with ItB, then go to TG (with the caveats above), then go into the series proper.

Each approach has its good and bad points, and you'll have to decide.

Regards,

Joe

 

[DaveGTP]

I agree, don't start with In the Beginning due to the spoilers. Best saved for later. Spoilers bad.

Waiting for the news like everyone else. I've done a lot of lurking over at B5tv.com where Joseph moderator-ates reading speculation

 

[KyleC]

Thank you Joe. I appreciate your answer and your reasoning. I'll see how she is before we even watch one episode. If she seems a little standoffish about it, I'll show here ITB to get her into it. ITB is almost non-stop action so it may interest her more going in that way. If I have to tie her down, she'll watch B5 one way or the other. lol j/k

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

Subject: jms update v1.0
Y'know, if there's anything more annoying than having to sit on good news, I can't think of what it might be. Well, okay, being staked to an ant hill at high noon is a pretty obvious one, but you get the idea.)

The only things I can say right now about B5:TMoS is that now that all the correct agreements have been signed, sealed and delivered, the draft has gone in, met with great enthusiasm all around, notes have been received, and the next draft is in process and has to be delievered within two weeks so that certain other steps can be set into motion.

I still can't tell you what it *is* because that has to come from the proper people through the proper channels at the proper time...but I can tell you a few cases of what it *isn't*...it isn't a novel, or a short story, a comic, an animated series, a radio drama or a stage play. Beyond that, deponent sayeth not.

Except to say that it's pretty cool.

 

[Tony Whalen]

but I can tell you a few cases of what it *isn't*...it isn't a novel, or a short story, a comic, an animated series, a radio drama or a stage play.

I couldn't help but notice the words "movie" and "series" were both missing from that statement. Hmmmm.... curiouser and curiouser...

 

[Sam Favate]

JMS did say circa 1999 that he'd wait about 5 years, or until the Star Wars prequels were finished dominating the sci-fi film market, before getting to a B5 feature film.

 

[Rick P]

I couldn't help but notice the words "movie" and "series" were both missing from that statement. Hmmmm.... curiouser and curiouser...

Noticed that huh? How Koshian of him ....

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

JMS had ruled out a series in a previous post. Apparently he specified "animated series" because there has been some speculation about that in the interim. (Based on the fact that he had already ruled out a "series". )

And he didn't say that he wanted or planned to wait until after the Star Wars films before doing a B5 feature. What he said (in 1998 when Warner Bros. was actually interested in doing something about a B5 feature film and had him kicking ideas around) is that he was in no hurry to make a film (since Crusade was just getting off the ground) and that with the new Star Wars trilogy on the horizon that it might make sense to wait rather than try to compete with the Lucas hype machine. But that isn't why we've never seen a B5 feature. The real reason is that Crusade was scrapped by TNT after only 13 episodes had been shot (and six months before any of them aired) and as far as Warner Bros. was concerned, the "franchise" seemed to be dead.

Folks are interested in a new project now, possibly a feature film, because the DVDs have sold so well, not because some mythical embargo set by JMS has been lifted. He didn't and doesn't have that kind of power over B5. WB pays the bills. If they'd wanted a B5 feature in 1999 JMS would have found a way to do it, Crusade or no Cruade. If WB didn't want a new B5 project today JMS wouldn't be writing one - even if he had said what he was supposed to have said in 1999.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Tony Whalen]

Okay, so if not a series, we're talking a feature or at the very least a made-for-TV movie, perhaps?

Dammit... I wanna KNOW!

 

[TheLongshot]

Or a mini-series. He didn't rule that out either.

Yeah, if he had the power to make films, we probably would have had a "Rising Stars" film by now...

Jason

 

[John Berggren]

Yeah, if he had the power to make films, we probably would have had a "Rising Stars" film by now...

The rights have been sold with little involvement from JMS. It's an ugly situation though.

 

[TheLongshot]

The rights have been sold with little involvement from JMS. It's an ugly situation though.

Hmm.. I had thought he had written a script. Maybe I was wrong about that...

Jason

 

[Lars_J]

If I was a betting man, I would say that this was a TV-movie or mini-series.

I just don't see any studio in their right mind green-lighting a B5 feature film. Unless whatever JMS has up his sleeve has enourmous appeal outside the B5 fanbase, a story only incidentally related to B5 yet placed in the B5 universe, I cannot see a B5 film doing well at the box office.

(And this is coming from a huge B5 fan)

 

[Kevin Grey]

Quick question unrelated to JMS's news:

I've finally started making my way through the Babylon 5 series. Completely missed it when it first aired but have heard so many great things about it from this and other forums.

I'm about halfway through Season One (just finished Signs and Portents ). Really good stuff so far and I know its supposed to get even better.

My question is: do the overall production values on the series noticeably improve? This isn't meant as a criticism-I know that they were working on a relatively low budget for a SF series and I've been very impressed in how ingenious they are in getting the most bang for the buck (reminds me of X-Files first few seasons). The CGI is much more impressive than I was expecting for something from the mid-nineties.

My only issue is that the sets look kind of cheap. There is an overall "cardboard" feel going on. Is this the same throughout the series or do they gradually overhaul the sets?

Great series, and Season Two is already in the mail

 

[PhilipG]

My question is: do the overall production values on the series noticeably improve?

Short answer: no. :frowning:

The production design on B5 was extremely weak throughout its run IMHO. Unfortunately that's one of the areas where the Star Trek sequels really shine, so the comparison is even more glaring. I often wonder if I'd enjoy B5 more if it had sets (and especially colour schemes) to match the excellent make-up work. As it stands it all adds to the cheesy feel of the series.

 

[John Berggren]

Hmm.. I had thought he had written a script. Maybe I was wrong about that...

He wrote the first draft. He signed away his approval/producer option and they brought in other writers who completely rewrote it without ever consulting him. He was NOT pleased with the results when he finally caught wind of the rewrites - so much so that he had witheld the last several issues of the comic series until a resolution could be met.

The books are supposed to come out this summer, but he won't comment on what the resolution was.

 

[TheLongshot]

The production design on B5 was extremely weak throughout its run IMHO. Unfortunately that's one of the areas where the Star Trek sequels really shine, so the comparison is even more glaring. I often wonder if I'd enjoy B5 more if it had sets (and especially colour schemes) to match the excellent make-up work. As it stands it all adds to the cheesy feel of the series.

The set design never bothered me much, but probably because I was used to watching UK sci-fi series, which make B5 look top notch in comparison. Anyways, with both, it is the plot and the characters that are the draw anyways.

Sorry to hear about Rising Stars....

Jason

 

[Randy Korstick]

The production design on B5 was extremely weak throughout its run IMHO. Unfortunately that's one of the areas where the Star Trek sequels really shine, so the comparison is even more glaring. I often wonder if I'd enjoy B5 more if it had sets (and especially colour schemes) to match the excellent make-up work. As it stands it all adds to the cheesy feel of the series.

I never saw the show this way either. It comes across as classy and well made to me. In fact a friend of mine who is a fan of Star Trek:TNG, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Babylon 5 thought that B5 had the biggest budget of all 4 shows. He almost didn't believe me when I told him it was the opposite. Looking at the 4 shows today I think TNG looks the Cheesiest. My friend can't watch it anymore for this reason.

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

The production design on B5 was extremely weak throughout its run IMHO.

What matters more to me about B5 is the Stories not the sets. In the day and age of the recent Star Wars movies and the lastest Trek series where look is more important than characters and their development, I think B5 was refreshing.

Maybe thats what's wrong with Sci fi fandom in general these days.