Well, we took our best shot. Sometimes it works, sometimes it
don't.

The SciFi Channel programming guys wanted the show; they wanted
it a lot. They crunched numbers for almost two weeks trying to make it
work. But at the end of the day, the problem was that they had already
allocated or spent their budget for the year, and couldn't come up with
the huge chunk of change necessary to get an entire season. Had this
come up prior to January 1st, things would almost certainly have gone
differently. But they have their budget, as we have ours, and it was
already allocated.

So TNT will now air the full 13 produced, and that's the end of
it for now. I say for now because WB has told us to fold and hold all
the sets, rather than scrap them, because they believe strongly in the
show, and feel that when the ratings come in we may well be able to
pick up a second season. We'll see.

Meanwhile, I'm taking the day off, and deciding which of a
number of offers from networks and studios, sitting on my desk since B5
finished, to pick up. I had declined to go that route so I could do
Crusade and keep playing in this universe, but absent that, there's no
reason not to go back to the networks and apply there some of what
we've been able to do in B5 and Crusade.

My thanks to all those who wrote, and called, and emailed, and
lent their support to the process. And I think that when you see the
show, you'll be quite pleased by what we did. We're all very proud of
it.

jms

SysOp Dupa T. Parrot <70040.104@compuserve.com> asks:
> Well, next time you do better, eh?
> So, has the success of B5 brought more offers than before?

"So, has the success of B5 brought more offers than before?"

Definitely. It showed that I could run a series and keep it on
budget and make it an international success. Right now those elements
are in heavy demand at the networks. Even though the pay is half in
cable what you get at the network level, I was content to stay with
Crusade if it meant keeping our team together, and playing in the B5
universe a bit longer. Absent that, then there's every reason to take
up one or two of those offers.

jms

Michael Beemer <71551.1670@compuserve.com> asks:
> One *or two*?
> How do you make the time?
> Or are the duties "lighter" in the network jobs?

" > Absent that, then there's every reason to take up one or two of
> those offers.
One *or two*? How do you make the time? Or are the duties
"lighter" in the network jobs?"

There's different kinds of deals, timings of deals, and
different kinds of positioning (first position, second position,
contractual stuff) that can give you the flexibility to have a couple
of different gigs going at somewhat the same time. The TV movie I
mentioned uptopic for instance doesn't interfere with anything else.

jms

Rebecca Eschliman <76072.2345@compuserve.com> asks:
> One question: do you think that the success of such writers as
> Carter, Kelley and Whedon on the regular networks will make it
> easier for you to win battles of artistic control in future
> projects? "Are you trying to Londo me?"

"One question: do you think that the success of such writers as
Carter, Kelley and Whedon on the regular networks will make it easier
for you to win battles of artistic control in future projects?"

Probably not. Those are always fought one at a time.

jms

{original post unavailable}

Your words are most kind, and appreciated...thank you.

jms

{original post unavailable}

I haven't heard on this one way or the other.

jms