jms on first eps
Jms at B5
TNT's behest -- is probably the weakest one, certainly the one I find least
interesting. It's lumbered with buckets of exposition, explaining things that
don't need explaining, too many fights, too many explosions, too much
swaggering around, all stuff the net wanted.
Then we go back to the show we wanted to make...Path of Sorrows is terrific,
Well of Forever is a solid character story, The Long Road is just pure fun
(that's pretty much reverse broadcast order, btw)...there's one or two in the
bunch that are a bit slower than I'd like, but those are the exception rather
than the rule.
Just to get my own feelings on this out there.
jms
(jms...@aol.com)
B5 Official Fan Club at:
http://www.thestation.com
Craig Powers
: Just for the record: I think the first one -- the only one written directly at
: TNT's behest -- is probably the weakest one, certainly the one I find least
: interesting. It's lumbered with buckets of exposition, explaining things that
: don't need explaining, too many fights, too many explosions, too much
: swaggering around, all stuff the net wanted.
I was just thinking that if it was action they wanted, they hardly had
any complaint with this episode. Your comments would tend to expain
that.
--
Craig Powers NU ChE class of '98
cpo...@lynx.dac.neu.edu http://lynx.neu.edu/home/httpd/c/cpowers
eni...@hal-pc.org http://www.hal-pc.org/~enigma
"Good..bad....I'm the guy with the gun." -- "Ash" in *Army of Darkness*
David DeRubeis
Jms at B5 wrote:
>
> Just for the record: I think the first one -- the only one written directly at
> TNT's behest -- is probably the weakest one, certainly the one I find least
> interesting. It's lumbered with buckets of exposition, explaining things that
> don't need explaining, too many fights, too many explosions, too much
> swaggering around, all stuff the net wanted.
>
Oh, I enjoyed it alot, but you're right, it was too much of a formula
introductory episode, and there were a few contrivinces in getting
everyone together which annoyed me. Still, it was great to be back in
my favorite TV universe again, if only for a little while.
I thought Chen's music was much improved, more integrated into the mood
of scenes. I do think the handling of the battle scenes kind of blunted
their impact, though. The use of silence and the music didn't work for
me.
I hope against hope Crusade finds a home. I really forgot how much I
missed good SFTV since B5 ended and "Earth: Final Conflict" was gutted
by the suits.
David
Adam Bailey
> Just for the record: I think the first one -- the only one written
> directly at TNT's behest -- is probably the weakest one, certainly
> the one I find least interesting. It's lumbered with buckets of
> exposition, explaining things that don't need explaining, too many
> fights, too many explosions, too much swaggering around, all stuff
> the net wanted.
> Just to get my own feelings on this out there.
I've always been taught that you should never apologize for your work
before you present it. Speeches, performances, publishing. Even TV.
In this case ... hey, it's a first episode. They're always awkward and
full of exposition. You don't need to apologize for anything.
--
Adam Bailey | Chicago, Illinois
ad...@lull.org | Finger/Web for PGP
ada...@aol.com | http://www.lull.org/adam/
BRETNTRACI
Galen giving a thumbs up to a cowboy clad Gideon
I guess If any one can make that work it will be JMS
but that preview made me nervous 'cause I remember other SF series trying to do
the western thing...
brett
Tammy Smith
liked it, especially Galen. And Gideon is a very unusual captain--it's
good not to see the usual type of captain in a SF-series.
The critics are full of it!
Tammy
Jeffrey MacHott
waz here", gka...@webtv.net (Tammy Smith) wrote:
>Yes, if that was the weakest episode, I can't wait to see the others! I
>liked it, especially Galen. And Gideon is a very unusual captain--it's
>good not to see the usual type of captain in a SF-series.
Yeah, who knew that Mike Brady would be such a cool Captain :*) I
could not keep a straight face when I was watching his acting, it was
just... so cool, but not as intentionaly corny as I recall his acting
from the Brady movies, and not as evil as from American Gothic, this
guy can act :*) I could not stop myself from thinking: "Captain
Brady"
>
>The critics are full of it!
>
>Tammy
>
>
>
>
>
--Spooky
"There are three types of people - the will's the won'ts and the can'ts. The will's accomplish everything, the won'ts oppose everything and the can'ts will not try anything"
--VINCENT, "The Black Hole"
See my on-line Stores! Updated May 31st!
http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/makeup/3619/Zocolo.html
John R Stobo
I agree; it was much stronger than I had been led to believe by
all the rumors floating about. Perhaps too many young pretty faces
but B5 also suffered from runway casting. I liked the music, as i did for
CtA, and it was a nice touch with the big battle scene, silent,
quick-cuts, and nothing extraneous to the fight itself.
One musing: you'd think that when Dureena's background was being
called into question as to her appropriateness for being on the Excalibur,
she might have dropped a certain somebody's name, but she didn't. If IIRC
she and the prez parted amiably.
--jack
On 10 Jun 1999, Tammy Smith wrote:
> Yes, if that was the weakest episode, I can't wait to see the others! I
> liked it, especially Galen. And Gideon is a very unusual captain--it's
> good not to see the usual type of captain in a SF-series.
>
Kevin Kenney
By the way, in all the stuff I've read on the Crusade situation, I
haven't gotten a solid feel for where Warner's was during the events. I
think they are to be congratulated for having the courage of your
convictions - am I right?
Rising Stars - was that second sneak peak a preliminary version of issue
1, or material we won't see again, albiet in sketch form?
Any news on extending the studio lease, or when you may be able to give
us the lowdown on your movie or other projects?
Too many questions, I know...
All the best, for wherever your conscience leads your career...
Kevin
Lawrence King
JMS wrote:
>> Just for the record: I think the first one -- the only one written
>> directly at TNT's behest -- is probably the weakest one, certainly
>> the one I find least interesting.
Adam Bailey wrote:
>> In this case ... hey, it's a first episode. They're always awkward
>> and full of exposition. You don't need to apologize for anything.
I agree than no "apology" is in order. But I for one am glad to hear that
there are better episodes ahead.
Sure, it's a "first episode", but in some sense it's also a 116th episode.
And as such, it really should have been better than it was. Was it
enjoyable? Yes, but at this point I don't feel it's a tragedy for this
to run 13 episodes instead of 110. If, by the end of the run, this
-does- seem like a tragedy, I'll take that as a good sign.....
Larry King
univ of washington
http://www.math.washington.edu/~lking/b-five.html
long past midnight, still on the firing line
JBONETATI
Don't worry, it's not a western. This is one of the episodes that JMS showed
at a convention here in Orlando a few months ago.
No spoilers from me though <g>.
Jan
Jeffrey MacHott
waz here", John R Stobo <jr...@watsun.cc.columbia.edu> wrote:
>
> I agree; it was much stronger than I had been led to believe by
>all the rumors floating about. Perhaps too many young pretty faces
>but B5 also suffered from runway casting. I liked the music, as i did for
>CtA, and it was a nice touch with the big battle scene, silent,
>quick-cuts, and nothing extraneous to the fight itself.
Well, showing them talking while the music drowned them out kinda
ruined it, and they should have kept the music up right until the
conclusion, BTW, wouldn't it be reasonable for the Excal to have an
escort of White Stars to defend it in its more vulnerable moments?
> One musing: you'd think that when Dureena's background was being
>called into question as to her appropriateness for being on the Excalibur,
>she might have dropped a certain somebody's name, but she didn't. If IIRC
>she and the prez parted amiably.
I don't think Sheridan is too popular at the moment.
>
>--jack
>
>
>On 10 Jun 1999, Tammy Smith wrote:
>
>> Yes, if that was the weakest episode, I can't wait to see the others! I
>> liked it, especially Galen. And Gideon is a very unusual captain--it's
>> good not to see the usual type of captain in a SF-series.
>>
>> The critics are full of it!
>>
>> Tammy
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
--Spooky
John W. Kennedy
> One musing: you'd think that when Dureena's background was being
> called into question as to her appropriateness for being on the Excalibur,
> she might have dropped a certain somebody's name, but she didn't. If IIRC
> she and the prez parted amiably.
It's TV 101 not to scare the audience for a new show by making them
think, in the very first episode, that they have to already be fans of
another show to watch this one.
--
-John W. Kennedy
-rri...@ibm.net
Compact is becoming contract
Man only earns and pays. -- Charles Williams
Matt Landau
>Yeah, who knew that Mike Brady would be such a cool Captain :*)
Anyone who saw him as Lucas Buck in "American Gothic" :-)
"NEVER let your conscience be your guide."
-- Sheriff Lucas Buck
Louise Taylor
> Just for the record: I think the first one -- the only one written directly at
> TNT's behest -- is probably the weakest one, certainly the one I find least
> don't need explaining, too many fights, too many explosions, too much
> swaggering around, all stuff the net wanted.
I can't believe I am going to say this...
While Paul and I were watching Crusade last night, we started predicting
the explosions. We now call TNT the explosion channel. Everytime you
turn around something is blowing up. FWIW, I liked most of the episode
last night even if you could tell that you had to add some explosions to
make everyone happy. We try to predict just how many cars will explode in
TNT's series, LA Heat. The only redeeming quality to the whole show is
our contest. Sad, really sad.
Louise
Triad3204
gka...@webtv.net (Tammy Smith) writes:
>And Gideon is a very unusual captain--it's
>good not to see the usual type of captain in a SF-series.
I thought Gideon was reminiscent of Kirk, myself.
And, note, I think that's a *good* thing. I've always liked Kirk (particularly
the Kirk of CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER and WRATH OF KHAN), and thought that
having yet-another-Picard-clone in the character of Katherine Janeway was a
major failing in Voyager.
I'm looking forward to a more "frontier" oriented SF series.
Justin Bacon
tr...@prairie.lakes.com
Triad3204
<Pine.OSF.4.02A.99061...@goedel3.math.washington.edu>,
Lawrence King <lk...@math.washington.edu> writes:
>Sure, it's a "first episode", but in some sense it's also a 116th episode.
I don't see that as being true at all. It's a wholly different cast of
characters in an (almost) wholly different set of circumstances. It takes time
for a creative team to settle into a new series -- even if they've worked
together before.
Justin Bacon
tr...@prairie.lakes.com
Diane K De
>
>I don't see that as being true at all. It's a wholly different cast of
>characters in an (almost) wholly different set of circumstances. It takes
>time
>for a creative team to settle into a new series -- even if they've worked
>together before.
>
>Justin Bacon
>tr...@prairie.lakes.com
>
DD
Kailin
>
> Just for the record: I think the first one -- the only one written directly at
> TNT's behest -- is probably the weakest one, certainly the one I find least
> interesting. It's lumbered with buckets of exposition, explaining things that
> don't need explaining, too many fights, too many explosions, too much
> swaggering around, all stuff the net wanted.
>
I must agree here, the show definitely seemed like a "first show" sort
of thing. Your typical "this is who we are, this is what we do" type of
introduction to a series. BTW, what is the title of the original episode
the series would have started off with?
> Then we go back to the show we wanted to make...Path of Sorrows is terrific,
> Well of Forever is a solid character story, The Long Road is just pure fun
Yes, I must agree that The Long Road is just a fun little story. Nothing
much seems to happen of a serious nature in this one. I'm sure it was
fun to just sit back and let the Woodward clan act.
> (that's pretty much reverse broadcast order, btw)...there's one or two in the
> bunch that are a bit slower than I'd like, but those are the exception rather
> than the rule.
>
> Just to get my own feelings on this out there.
>
> jms
>
> (jms...@aol.com)
> B5 Official Fan Club at:
> http://www.thestation.com
--
Peace, Love and Rock & Roll,
Kailin
"When hell freezes over, we can all play hockey there."
-AgamemCon III: A Science Fiction Convention-
-----check out our web site at:-----
http://www.agamemcon.org/
*******************************************************************************
Galen in Crusade "If I'm going to die, I'd rather do so in a room with a
view."
*******************************************************************************
Justin Bacon
(Diane K De) writes:
>But, it was the 8th episode filmed.
And it was also an episode which required you to scrap everything you've worked
to establish in the first 7, take a giant step back, and pretend none of that
ever happened.
This episode had *alot* going against it. You had an episode which JMS never
wanted to do and didn't think was necessary. You had a list of "demands" which
had to be observed. You had a cast which had to deconstruct a set of
relationships they probably weren't entirely comfortable with yet. You had a
situation where you had already established a baseline for the plot and the
characters and the series to proceed from, and now you had to do a whole series
of episode (including this one) set BEFORE that baseline. That's a little like
trying to make the cars sitting on the starting line a half hour before the
race starts look interesting.
With all of that baggage coming with it, I thought this episode worked
surprisingly well.
Justin Bacon
tr...@prairie.lakes.com