{original post unavailable}

Then you needn't worry. We have no plans to begin adding any
more recurring characters at this point; we have all we need. And, in
fact, may start to lose a few of them in the fairly near future. War
is hell, you know.

jms

Mike Hoffmann <100321.2604@compuserve.com> asks:
> But where does that leave Jerry Doyle?
> Can I offer you my life instead?

No, Jerry's great to work with, there hasn't been a problem.

jms

{original post had no questions}

"We care what happens to these people and aliens."

Which is essential, whatever happens. If something happens to
someone, and you don't care for the character, it's meaningless.

jms

{original post unavailable}

Yes, Walter Koenig, Harlan Ellison and I will *all* be at
Chicago ComicCon. This should be most interesting....

jms

(blocked) asks:
> So this would be a bad time to set-up as a life insurance
> salesman on B5?

The key to writing an ensemble show is to use those characters
that serve the story, and for no other reason, not becuase you think
they should get more on-air time for egos or any other rationale.

jms

{original post had no questions}

Yes, I tend to agree. Lately we've spent a lot of time on the
Narns and the Centauri from a cultural point of view, so the latter
part of this season swings a bit back in the direction of the Minbari,
allowing us to learn a little more about them, their approach to war,
relationships, their political structure and so on.

And of course, the middle batch we've been in lately has
focused a lot on Earth, so we can deal with the whole Nightwatch/Clark
scenario before moving back into broader questions.

I tend to write toward (for lack of a better term) musical
structure; one theme in the piece rises for a while, dominates, then
slowly diminishes for a bit while another theme comes forward...then
you have several rising all at once...interludes and
crescendos...broken here and there by the single clear note, the
non-arc story, which sustains us between the major pieces and greater
musical themes.

jms