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One final note re: recent discussions on TMoS and more Lost Tales.

B5:TLT was commissioned at a $2 million budget to, yet one more time, "test the waters" for B5. We did what we could with that, and that was that. As we did with Rangers, which also suffered from not having a lot of money because of concerns about "is there really a B5 audience?" Which is, of course, a foolish question from a studio that has never really understood what it has in B5.

Of late, there have been more discussions from WB about doing more DVDs, again at a low cost, or a cable thing, again with minimal investment.

So for the last few months, I've been giving this whole subject a lot of quiet thought. And I've come to a conclusion.

B5 as a five year story stands beautifully on its own. If anything else is to be continued from that story, it should be something that adds to the legacy of B5, rather than subtracts from it.

As well intentioned as Rangers and TLT were, as enticing as it was to return to those familiar waters, in the end I think they did more to subtract from the legacy than add to it. I don't regret having made them, because I needed to go through that to get to the point where I am now psychologically, but from where I sit now, I wouldn't make them again.

So I've let everyone up here know that I'm not interested in doing any more low-budget DVDs. I'm not interested in doing any low-budget cable things or small computer games. The only thing I would be interested in doing regarding Babylon 5 from this point on is a full-featured, big-budget feature film.

It's that or nothing.

And if it's nothing, I'm totally cool with that because the original story stands on its own just fine. I'm not lobbying for it, I'm not asking fans to write in about it (nor should you) because such campaigns never really have much impact...that's simply the position I've taken up here. Lord knows I don't lack for other things to do these days. I'm busier on more prestige projects with terrific people and great film-makers than at any other time in my career.

At the end of the day, for me, it's not just a matter of getting more B5. It's a matter of getting more *good* B5 that respects what came before it and doesn't have to compromise visually or in terms of action. The original show deserves better than that, the surviving cast members deserve better than that, and the fans who have supported it over the years definitely deserve better than that. A lot better.

So I've drawn that line in the sand, and I'm happy living on whichever side of that line the universe puts me. Just thought you should know, 'cause it's your show too.

jms

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I kinda agree with him. Lost Tales didn't really add anything to the show, and LotR was a joke, apart from G'Kar and a couple of Minbari it might as well not even have been B5 at all. So that's probably that. It's been ten years after all.

But I'm curious: what exactly DID the studio have in B5? It's been a constant refrain throughout, that they never understood the show. Well, it got made, didn't it? What exactly didn't they do that they should have?
 

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Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
 
Well, the studio doesn't seem to understand that making more of something that made them $500mil in DVD sales alone would probably be a good idea. They refuse to invest significant cash on a proven property.
 

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Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
 
And so, the greatest TV show to exist solely in the 1990s, bar DS9, has been laid to rest... You wil be remembered, B5, for your cool action pieces, crappy dialogue, stilted acting from almost everyone, but overall awesome story.

Mark
 

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Posted by Pensive's Wetness (Member # 1203) on :
 
.... double fucking post.
 

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Posted by Pensive's Wetness (Member # 1203) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Pensive's Wetness:

quote:

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Originally posted by Lee:
But I'm curious: what exactly DID the studio have in B5? It's been a constant refrain throughout, that they never understood the show. Well, it got made, didn't it? What exactly didn't they do that they should have?

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not to fuck with a good product for one (Star Trek's whored arse is a prime example). studio asshats understand funds, cash and cash cows. they don't comprehend entertainment for exclusive use. adversisers is what make studio hard-ons occur, not what the public wants... B5 was good stand alone. 5 years. what's his face wanted only 5 years of episodes (since, at best, you could keep a ensemble cast around that long plus that's a large amount of tv epsisodes to sell to syndication.).

only ass hat whores (Studio Executives *sneers*) would think to make more money on a dead horse project. you think the 90's Batman Returns or BM & Robin would have been better had Keaton stayed the cash cow course?

...

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Originally posted by Mark Nguyen:
And so, the greatest TV show to exist solely in the 1990s, bar DS9, has been laid to rest... Mark

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you mean The Jerry Springer Show?
 

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Posted by Sean (Member # 2010) on :
 

quote:

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quote:
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Originally posted by Mark Nguyen:
And so, the greatest TV show to exist solely in the 1990s, bar DS9, has been laid to rest... Mark
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you mean The Jerry Springer Show?

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The Jerry Springer Show is still on, unfortuanately.

Strangely, Star Trek is the only Sci-Fi TV show that I have ever bothered to watch, aside from a few episodes of BSG, and the Stargate movie. But, as there still seems to be a B5 audience out there, there should be no problem with continuing the saga, as long as they don't screw up what the show accomplished. But, then, there's a difference between continuing a good story, and milking everything that can be milked out of it. This applying to any successful series, not just B5, if the studio is going to do that, it's better not to do anything, and to just be happy with, and enjoy what is already there.
 

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Posted by Mars Needs Women (Member # 1505) on :
 
Well I'm not sure about Jerry Springer, but didn't that Piece-of-Shite Andromeda outlast Star Trek Enterprise by a year? There's no justice in TV Land.
 

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Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
 
I have to say that I'm both happy and disappointed. Happy that JMS has put his foot down with the studios and disappointed that there will be no further "Lost Tales". I'm sure I'm not alone in the hope that if the sales were good enough that they'd up the budget for vol 2 and we'd get a proper anthology series going. Alas it seams they're not willing to invest a suitable amount of cash and that's that.

Still, there is always hope and it might be worth remembering that with these new "prestige" projects,(in which there is no shame as any freelance artist, writer or actor will tell you) he's associating with some of Hollywood's more important players (Ron Howard springs to mind) and with a little support from the right quarter, it's possible B5 could make it to the big screen. Stranger things have happened (Serenity anyone?)

Oh and Sean, I recommend you at least rent the first season, but I'll warn you now, the early (read pioneering) CGI may seam distractingly crude to young eyes, but it does get MUCH better. Put it this way, by the end of season four, they had gotten so good and pushing the envelope that Voyager & DS9 nicked their graphics people. At least one of them (Mojo, who used to post here) is now one of the people working on BSG...though I should say was working since they recently wrapped.
 

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Posted by Mars Needs Women (Member # 1505) on :
 
I never became a true fan of B5 as I did not have cable and the local stations ran syndicated episodes out of order. Though what little I did see seemed good, even if the CGI was a bit cheesy.
 

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Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
 
Call this cheesy now?...ok, I know that's not fair, but still.
 

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Posted by Mars Needs Women (Member # 1505) on :
 
I was referring to early B5. That looked cool.
 

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Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
 
I watched B5 from beginning to end last year. It really was a great show.
 

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Posted by Sean (Member # 2010) on :
 
I just watched the first episode. It was pretty good. I think I'll watch some more first season eps later.
 

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Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
 
The first season to me had a very "retro" feel, like early-80's sci-fi. The other 4 don't, but I liked them on their own merits.
 

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