I've been going over my notes on the show, and just thought I'd
pass this along to the newer folks to show just how long this show has
been in the works. In looking it all over, I'm already kind of
astonished at how large a chunk of my life this thing has consumed
already.

1986: Babylon 5 is thunk up.

1987: Pilot screenplay and series treatment written, artwork
commissioned.

1987-1991: Five years wandering in the desert of studios and
networks, trying to sell B5.

June 1991: We place Babylon 5 with PTEN.

October 1991: B5 announced to the world.

August 1992: Filming begins on B5 pilot movie.

September 1992: Filming completed on B5 pilot, post production
starts.

February 1993: Pilot airs.

February 1994: First season begins airing.

It's odd sometimes to consider that though this is the 3rd
season of Babylon 5, it's been a part of my life for 10 years, about
25% of my life; trying to sell it, selling it, making it. And this
month marks about 5 years since we placed it with PTEN.

Jeez, but that's a long haul....

jms

{original post had no questions}

Oddly enough, the suits (studio execs) have basically come to
trust us to do this right...and that's hard won.

jms

{original post unavailable}

Thanks. That was the one thing I just didn't want to do,
disappoint the fans, as I'd been disappointed so many times *as* a fan.
We'll never be perfect, however much I try, there will always be
glitches, and more glitches, and sons of glitches, but we always work
to make it as good as humanly possible. It's certainly the story I
always wanted to see, and hope that others feel the same.

jms

{original post unavailable}

Thanks. At this point, all that can be done regarding season 4
has been done, and now it's in the hands of the number crunchers.

jms

Timothy C Schell <71174.2414@compuserve.com> asks:
> Knowing that you have accomplished much besides B5, I'm wondering
> how you feel about being tagged as "Joe Straczynski, the guy who
> created Babylon 5?"

"Joe, you are already *known* for B5 and, given two more seasons and
the repeat deal on TNT, you will only become more noticed. Maybe this
will change in the future, but as of 1996 when people think of you they
will probably identify you with B5. Knowing that you have accomplished
much besides B5, I'm wondering how you feel about being tagged as "Joe
Straczynski, the guy who created Babylon 5?""

It bothers me not at all.

Every writer has one seminal work for which he or she is most
known. For Heinlein, STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND; for Herbert, DUNE; for
Smith, the LENSMAN books; for Tolkein, LORD OF THE RINGS; for Bradbury
THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES. I don't put myself anywhere NEAR that
league...I'd be doing good just to carry their pencils...but my sense
is that even though I've done a lot of stuff prior to B5, and will
likely do a lot more after, this is almost certainly the one work for
which I'll be most known, and remembered. (Which is also why I'm
working so hard to make it right.)

Doesn't bother me at all; I'm proud and pleased to be associated
with this show, and always will be.

jms

Chris Croughton (UK) <100014.3217@compuserve.com> asks:
> Do you think that after this anything else will be a bit of a
> let-down? Or is that why you want to get out of TV and do
> something different, so you won't be competing with yourself?

My sense about getting out of TV when B5 is over is that I feel
I'd've said most of what I want to say for television. The only things
that could keep me in would be an anthology, or something right on the
cutting edge, something with which we could make another kind of
history. But those don't tend to come around very often....

jms

{original post had no questions}

Thanks...we'll see what happens when it happens.

jms

{original post unavailable}

This is probably the most commonly asked question, and the
answer remains...I dunno. Right now, the sheer task of getting this
show made now, for TV, is sufficiently daunting, that the idea of
telling it again in print is enough to make me tip over. Also, this
show was *designed* for TV; if I'd wanted to write a nove, I'd've
written a novel.

So for now, the answer remains "I dunno."

jms

John M. Kahane <102664.773@compuserve.com> asks:
> What kind of feeling and what kind of reaction do you have about
> this side of the B5 success story?

Actually, I've no idea...I don't socialize at all -- except for
B5 related gatherings, I haven't been to a party in...oh, about 2
years, maybe a bit more. So I don't tend to hear from anyone *not*
really involved with the show in terms of other TV writers or
writer/producers. I imagine I'll hear more when I get done with it.

jms

{original post unavailable}

Thanks. Unfortunately, we're not really set up to give tours of
the set, so that's not possible for us.

jms