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Archive-name: tv/babylon-5-faq Last-modified: 26 April 1995 Frequency: Every 2 weeks The BABYLON 5 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) List This FAQ list is updated _frequently_, so if the date above is more than a few weeks old, it's obsolete. WORLD WIDE WEB users can use http://www.hyperion.com/lurk/lurker.html for "The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5." The latest version of this file can be retrieved via anonymous ftp at ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/babylon-5-faq (This URL shorthand describes the ftp site, ftp.hyperion.com, along with the appropriate directory and file name). Alternatively, you can get it via e-mail by sending to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu, with the message content of "send usenet/news.answers/tv/babylon-5-faq" IMPORTANT: DO NOT POST STORY IDEAS to the Babylon 5 newsgroups. Since the show's creator/Executive Producer is online, he would have to withdraw for legal reasons. We don't want that! IMPORTANT: IF YOU ARE POSTING SPOILERS on the newsgroups, please leave the subject spoiler free, indicate "spoilers for <episode name>," and leave around 20 blank lines at the top. Thanks! ************ CHANGES and NEWS (changed sections are marked with a "*") * * IF YOU ARE TRYING TO GET NEW PEOPLE HOOKED ON BABYLON 5, have them watch * (or watch WITH them) this week's (first week of May) new episode, called * AND NOW FOR A WORD. It will be a good introduction to new viewers. * * Warner Bros. is holding a Babylon 5 contest during the sweeps month of * May, as new episodes get underway. Details will be broadcast during the * shows, and also via WWW at http://www.ftms.com/vidiot/B5Contest.html * * America Online users should check out the EXTRA forum for new Babylon 5 * files and interviews. For information, write extraml@aol.com * (We hope to get the files at the Hyperion ftp site; feel free to upload!) * * Renewal for B5 looks favorable, but will not be known or announced * until some time in May. * * Michael O'Hare will be participating in the New York City AIDS walk, and * has asked the SF fan community to help him raise money to fight AIDS. * To help, send a check for any amount, made out to "AIDS Walk New York" to: * Friends of Michael O'Hare Association, P.O. Box 6541, Edgemere, MD 21219. * Pledges more than $10 (with your name/address/phone) will add you to the * list of Michael's sponsors. Don't forget to mention how you found out * about the AIDS walk, and what computer system you're on. As Michael * himself has pointed out, "Every dollar helps." The walk will be in May. * * Added new information on upcoming Con appearances * ------------------------- Contents of this FAQ List ------------------------- This FAQ list is a "launching point" to the many questions and answers about Babylon 5. More detailed resources are available online and in the print media. See topic 16 of this list or follow the cross-references for more in-depth information. 1. What is Babylon 5? 2. Who is behind Babylon 5? 3. What other SF projects has JMS been involved with? 4. How much of the series is planned out already? 5. Where can I see Babylon 5? 6. What is Babylon 5 About? 7. I've just started watching: What has happened so far? 8. Who are the characters in the show? a. The Main Cast for the Series b. Recurring Characters 9. What kind of Special Effects does Babylon 5 have? 10. Babylon 5 Episodes and Stories a. Television Episodes b. Novels c. Comics 11. How has Babylon 5's development progressed? 12. Who can you write to show support for Babylon 5? 13. Now that Babylon 5 is a series, can I submit a script? 14. Appearances a. Science Fiction Conventions b. Babylon 5 Newsletter c. Current Publications 15. One-Liner FAQs 16. Miscellaneous Info a. Merchandising b. Babylon 5 online c. Fans' influence on the show d. Awards e. Babylon 5 References in other JMS works f. Miscellaneous Production Info g. Production Order vs. Airing Order h. Changes i. Fan Clubs 17. Where to find online information a. Internet b. GEnie c. America Online d. Other 18. Credits and Legalese ------------------------------ Subject: 1. What is Babylon 5? Babylon 5 is a science fiction television series that is set on a space station in the mid 23rd Century. The series is now in its second season in North America. After the two hour pilot movie in Feb. 1993, the series started the week of Jan. 24, 1994, with a season of 22 episodes. The second season began the week of October 24, 1994. The series is planned for a five year run. It is part of the Warner Bros. Television Consortium, called the Prime Time Entertainment Network (PTEN), syndicated to stations across the USA and internationally. ------------------------------ Subject: 2. Who is behind Babylon 5? The show was created by J. Michael Straczynski (JMS), who is co-executive producer on the show along with Doug Netter. It has been in development since 1987, the last few years with Warner Bros. Doug Netter is an equal partner in Babylon 5, mainly handling the business side and leaves the creative work to Straczynski, which is how they first worked together on Captain Power. Harlan Ellison is the Conceptual Consultant for the series. He has also written a "manifesto" for the show that explains to other writers how to write science fiction for television and Babylon 5, in particular. He also does a production voice-over at the very end of season 2 episodes. Well-known science fiction writers, including Ellison, David Gerrold, D.C. Fontana, and Peter David are contributing scripts to the show. Christopher Franke, formerly of Tangerine Dream, does the soundtrack. ------------------------------ Subject: 3. What other SF projects has JMS been involved with? ## More Info: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/jms.credentials JMS has been involved with genre television for many years, as story editor and writer for the Twilight Zone TV series (syndicated version), Captain Power, and the animated The Real Ghostbusters. He has also written for Jake and the Fatman and Murder, She Wrote. JMS has also had many published short stories, an anthology, and two fantasy/horror novels. Until recently, he was co-host of Hour 25, a Los Angeles area science fiction radio talk show. Though Babylon 5 is his main activity right now, JMS has also been working on some other projects. A feature film adaptation of the Grimjack books by John Ostrander will begin shooting in 1995, and will be written by JMS. Fall 1994 will (did?) also see the production of a two-hour pilot for a contemporary SF series that JMS has created and written, executive produced by JMS and Doug Netter. The title has not yet been announced. He will not be involved in these projects in the day-to-day operations as he is with Babylon 5. ------------------------------ Subject: 4. How much of the series is planned out already? Unlike most television series, an overall story arc has been planned for Babylon 5 as if it were a five year miniseries. Events have been planned for each season which will tell a larger story over time; hints are dropped along the way that foreshadow events to come. There is plenty of room for individual stories within each season and each episode can be viewed alone. There is also a writer's guide (in-house) as well as much backstory on the Babylon 5 universe. ------------------------------ Subject: 5. Where can I see Babylon 5? USA --- In most areas, Babylon 5 airs WEDNESDAY NIGHTS AT 8 PM ET/PT on stations that are part of the Warner Bros. Prime Time Entertainment Network (PTEN) consortium, generally made up of independent stations. (These stations also air Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.) Stations with other affiliations may broadcast the show at other times. Check your local listings, get the document referenced here, or call your local station. ## Station List: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/b5tvlist.txt Please e-mail leew@indirect.com if you find out new scheduling information. Please e-mail jacque@niwot.scd.ucar.EDU with information of your local station's address, contact, and phone number. CANADA ------ Same schedule as USA, though usually on Saturdays before the USA broadcast. Check your local listings. SATELLITE (North America) ------------------------- Babylon 5 is fed on satellite several days before airing dates on Galaxy 4 Channel 21. Audio is 6.2 left, 6.8 right, 5.8 mono. Fridays, 10:00-11:00 AM Eastern Fridays, 1:30- 2:30 PM Eastern Saturdays, 5:00-6:00 AM Eastern (combo feed with Kung Fu following) Sundays, 8:00-9:00 AM Eastern " UK -- Channel 4 started season 2 on February 7th at 6:00 PM. S4C in Wales started season 2 on February 12th at 11.20 AM. ## Schedule: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/uk-guide/uk-b5-epguide.txt ELSEWHERE --------- The following sites may have already started or should start soon. Confirmations requested; please send e-mail to FAQ list moderator. Chile: Megavision, Sundays, 18:00 Greece: station SKY TV, Saturdays, 17:30 local time France: Canal Plus (Starting 14 March and 16 March at 22:30) Germany: Sat 1, but it's not clear when it will start. Maybe not 1995. Philippines: RCTI Trinidad: AUM Europe: Sky-TV Singapore/ Malaysia: Channel 5, Sundays, 9 PM Sweden: TV5 ("Femman"), Sundays at 18:00. Portugal: TVI, Sunday afternoons. Israel: Family Channel (cable), Thursdays, 10:55 PM. Costa Rica: Channel 9, Friday, 9 PM Australia: The 7 Network have put Babylon 5 on hold, until a more suitable timeslot becomes vacant. It will return as soon as the show in that timeslot finsihes. Other info is just station IDs or areas): Taipei, TV3, TVNZ, TTV, IBC, BEC, Canal Sinco, ICP, Proziba, and Italy. VIDEO ----- In Europe, Australia, and Japan, and Germany, the Babylon 5 pilot movie has been released on home video (and on laserdisc in Japan, available as an import in the USA). A videotape of "A Voice in the Wilderness" is also available in these countries. In the USA, videotapes of the series should start appearing sometime in Summer 1995. Widescreen (letterbox) laserdiscs should appear afterwards. ------------------------------ Subject: 6. What is Babylon 5 About? ## Detailed backstory: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/b5log.txt ## More information: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/b5_jms_answers.txt Babylon 5 is set in the years 2257-2262 A.D. on a 5 mile long space station in neutral space. It was constructed by the Earth Alliance to help keep the peace among the EA and four other alien alliances, of which Babylon 5 is centrally located. Each of the alliances has an official representative on the station. These include the Earth Alliance, represented by Captain John Sheridan [season 1:Commander Jeffrey Sinclair], who is in charge of Babylon 5. The Minbari Federation, represented by Ambassador Delenn. The Minbari waged a war with the Earth Alliance 10 years earlier and mysteriously surrendered on the brink of victory. The reasons are explained at the start of the second season. The Centauri Republic, represented by Londo Mollari. The Centauri Republic was the first to make contact with Earth and helped advance their technology. However, they are really on the decline, much like the decline of the British Empire. The Narn Regime, represented by Ambassador G'Kar. The Narn were previously under the control of The Centauri Republic but rebelled and are now independent and growing in influence. The Vorlon Empire, represented by Ambassador Kosh Naranek. The Vorlons have avoided contact with the other alliances and are a mystery. They have agreed to participate with Babylon 5. Vorlons breathe a methane atmosphere and are VERY alien aliens. Several other races form the League of Non-Aligned Worlds. The Shadowmen, a race whose existence is generally not known to most..... ------------------------------ Subject: 7. I've just started watching: What has happened so far? ## Detailed Summaries: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/Synopses/ == SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS == (This section contains SPOILERS in chronological order, so you should only read it to catch up, and not if you haven't seen the season being described. Generally, it is best (but not required) to see these in the same order. Only certain episodes, believed to be of some significance, are mentioned.) The pilot, "The Gathering," is set in the year 2257, introducing station Babylon 5 which has recently come online. The last of the ambassadors, Kosh, arrives on the station, prompting an assassination attempt. Sinclair is framed for the attempt, but is eventually cleared when the real culprit -- a Minbari -- is discovered. Many mysteries are introduced: Sinclair's missing 24 hours on the Battle of the Line (with the announcement by the Minbari that "there is a hole in your mind"); the mystery of Kosh, seen only by the doctor and the telepath; and the disappearance or destruction of the previous four Babylon stations. SEASON ONE begins with "Midnight on the Firing Line," about 6 months later. Lt. Cmdr Susan Ivanova has recently taken over the second-in-command post; we learn of her dislike of the psi corps. The doctor and telepath from the pilot are no longer on the station. A Centauri agricultural outpost is attacked by raiders; it is discovered that the Narns are behind it. (In broad strokes, this episode seems to portray the Narns as the "bad guys" and the Centauri as wishy-washy comic relief.) Luis Santiago is elected President of the Earth Alliance. A "Soul Hunter," one of an order which collects and preserves important souls, finds himself on the station, and attempts to collect Delenn's soul prematurely. We learn the importance of the Minbari soul, and that they prevented a soul hunter from taking the soul of their great leader Dukhat. The importance of this episode is not realized until season 2. Delenn is called "Satai" (member of the Minbari Grey Council) by the soul hunter, which prompts Sinclair to wonder if something is going on. In "Mind War," two Psi Cops -- P12 level telepaths, including Bester (played by Walter Koenig) -- come to the station in search of telepath Jason Ironheart, who has achieved telekinetic abilities and it acheiving much, much more. He tells Sinclair that the Psi Corps are starting to pull the strings in the government back on Earth. When Bester's partner is killed, Sinclair makes a new enemy. As Ironheart transforms into a new plane of existance, he gives Talia Winters a gift of telekinesis. "The War Prayer" introduces members of the Homeguard, an anti-alien establishment back home. "And The Sky Full of Stars" explores what happened to Sinclair on the Battle of the Line, 10 years before in the Earth-Minbari War. Interrogated by "Knight Two" and forced to relive the battle, we see Sinclair ram a Minbari Cruiser, only to wake up on board, interrogated by the Gray Council. He recognizes Delenn as one of the Grey Council. After escaping from Knight Two, he chooses not to reveal to Delenn that he remembers part of his missing 24 hours. "Survivors" takes Garibaldi back into his alcoholism as he is accused of sabotage. The real culprit is the Homeguard. "Signs and Portents," the episode from which season one pulls its title, deals with an attack by raiders on the station. The B-story, in which Londo acquires the long-lost symbol of his empire, the Eye, is more important. A mysterious, polite man named Morden inquires "What do you want?" of the alien ambassadors, and seems to like Londo's response the best. The Eye is captured by the raiders, who are then destroyed by a mysterious ship that appears out of the shadows. Morden returns the Eye to Londo, "from friends you didn't know you had." A Centauri visionary shows Sinclair her vision of the destruction of Babylon 5. Sinclair is called on his controversial actions for the last year by a member of "Eyes" (internal investigations) who seems to have a beef with Sinclair. Ivanova's fear and hatred for the psi corps is further demonstrated when she refuses to be scanned. It is discovered that Bester is behind the crusade against Sinclair, but Sinclair wins with the help of the sympathetic psi cop assistant. In the two-parter, "A Voice in the Wilderness," it is discovered that the planet below B5 is not as dead as it was thought. Meanwhile, on Earth, the Mars colony breaks out in rebellion. An dying alien is found controlling a vast machinery on the planet below. Earth Alliance cruiser Hyperion and a group of outcasts from the planet arrive to attempt to take over the planet. An old friend of Delenn's takes charge of the planet, warning away all who would try to take it for themselves. In "Babylon Squared," Babylon 4 -- the biggest of the Babylon stations, which dissapeared 24 hours after coming online, suddenly reappears. Meanwhile, off-station, Delenn is chosen by the Grey Council to be their new leader, but declines because a Minbari prophecy tells her that her destiny lies on Babylon 5. She leaves with a powerful device called a triluminary. As time disturbances flash back and forward to other times (including a scene where something is coming through the walls of the station, being fought off by Garibaldi, as Sinclair is pushed into the crowds), the crew attempts to evacuate the crew of B4. A mysterious alien, Zathras, has appeared and tells of a great, terrible war, and the attempt to pull B4 through time to use it as a base of operations. He is looking for "The One" -- the great leader of the effort to bring peace to the galaxy. The station is evacuated, but Zathras, trapped, is rescued by "The One" -- who turns out to be a much older Sinclair, aided apparently by Delenn. "The Quality of Mercy" reveals a clinic run by Dr. Franklin in the downbelow sections, as well as an alien healing machine that transfers "life force" from one person to another. "Chrysalis," the season one finale, refers to the cocoon that Delenn begins to build using a mysterious machine she has been building all year, now complete with the triluminary in place. Garibaldi uncovers a plot to assassinate the Earth President, but is shot in the back by his right-hand man, left for dead. Morden reappears, and offers to take care of a problem for Londo, dealing with a region contested with the Narns. Delenn speaks to Ambassador Kosh, who reveals something to her that verifies her interpretation of the prophecies. She confronts Sinclair about his knowledge of his interrogation, but enters into her cocoon before they can talk. Londo is horrified to find that the Narn outpost has been utterly destroyed by mysterious forces; At the stroke of Midnight on New Year's Eve, Garibaldi is found in a transport tube and is rushed to the Medlab. The president is assassinated, and the vice president is sworn in immediately. G'Kar leaves to investigate the destruction of his base. "Nothing's the same anymore," understates Sinclair. SEASON TWO opens in "Points of Departure" with the reassignment of Sinclair to ambassadorial duties to the Minbari Homeworld and the reassignment of Captain John Sheridan to command Babylon 5. Garibaldi is in critical condition; Delenn is still in a cocoon, G'Kar is still gone. Sheridan's connection to the Minbari War is revealed; he had one of the few victories over a Minbari warship. Lennier reveals why Sinclair was captured on the eve of Minbari victory, and that it was discovered that Minbari Souls were found in Human Souls. Because Minbari will not kill Minbari, the religious caste called off the war to stop harming their own souls. Lennier does not reveal the rest of the prophecy, that a great enemy is coming. "Revelations" shows G'Kar narrowly escaping a shadow ship. Sheridan's sister arrives on station; we learn that his wife was killed while exploring out on the rim. Morden visits Londo again, and asks that he be informed if Londo hears of anything out on the rim. Dr. Franklin uses the alien healing machine to help Garibaldi recover. G'Kar returns and realizes that an ancient enemy is back. Garibaldi wakes up, and with Talia's help recalls seeing a reflection of his assistant shooting him in the back. Delenn emerges from the Chrysalis, and appears at the council meeting, looking much more human. G'Kar tells of his findings on the rim, and his plans to send explorer ships, to a skeptical council, which Londo relays to Morden. Garibaldi's aide is arrested and interrogated, but merely taunts Garibaldi with the "be seeing you" gesture that Bester had used. The aide is transferred to prison on earth, but is mysteriously transferred off the prison ship, mid-route. The Narn ships are destroyed immediately on entering the realm of the shadows, due to Londo's information. "A Spider in the Web" reveals a mysterious "Bureau 13" operating out of the San Diego wastelands. An assassin, controlled by the Bureau, attempts to thwart a peaceful settlement of the situation on Mars. Scanning his mind, Talia sees a psi cop present at the operation that programmed the assassin, but does not tell anybody else. Sheridan's interest in conspiracy theories is revealed as he attempts to solve the puzzle. "A Race Through Dark Places" brings Bester, from "Mind War," back to B5. Talia Winters is finally convinced that the Psi corps has a dark side. "The Coming of Shadows" marks the beginning of the Great War. The aging Centauri Emperer collapses moments before an historic speech that would have brought peace between the Narn and the Centauri. A power struggle ensues, and Londo calls upon Morden to have the Shadows attack a major Narn colony. "All Alone in the Night" deals with the kidnapping of Sheridan. We learn that Sheridan was chosen to command Babylon 5 so that he could work on a resistance to the unpleasant changes that have been going on in Earth government, namely its control by the Psi Corps. "Hunter, Prey" were the Earth Alliance and the (then vice-) President Clark's personal physician, respectively. He had evidence that helped confirm that president Santiago's death was indeed an assassination. ------------------------------ Subject: 8. Who are the characters in the show? ## Cast Info: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/b5actors.txt ## Characters Info: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/b5log.txt and ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/b5_jms_answers.txt ## Guest Stars: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/Guide/ (see appropriate episode guide) ## Appearances: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/b5appearances ## More Characters: http://web.uml.edu/Babylon-Enc/enc.html or: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/b5encyc.txt ======== a. Main Cast CAPTAIN JOHN SHERIDAN Bruce Boxleitner Commander of Babylon 5 after the reassignment of Commander Sinclair. Outgoing and quick-thinking; Former captain of the Earthforce military starship Agamemmnon. He won one of Earth's only victories over the Minbari in the war; his presence on Babylon 5 was met with heavy objections by the Minbari government. Though he doesn't know it, Sheridan's past plays an important role in the events to come on Babylon 5. COMMANDER SUSAN IVANOVA Claudia Christian Of Russian descent, a commanding presence, and quirky at times, somewhat pessimistic. Second in command and in charge of day-to-day operations on Babylon 5. Promoted to rank of Commander in the second season. TALIA WINTERS Andrea Thompson Babylon 5's resident telepath, PSI-corps level 5. She will play an important role in the five-year story. SECURITY CHIEF MICHAEL ALFREDO GARIBALDI Jerry Doyle In charge of security on Babylon 5. He has a troubled past but was picked by Sinclair for the job. His rank is "Chief Warrant Officer." Strong friends with Sinclair; his relationship with Sheridan may not be so strong. LIEUTENANT WARREN KEFFER Robert Russler Squad Leader for the Zeta Squadron. AMBASSADOR LONDO MOLLARI Peter Jurasik Represents the Centauri, a decadent and fading republic. Appearances aside, Londo is a "romantic" character with disparate official and personal sides, who wants back the glory days of the republic. AMBASSADOR DELENN Mira Furlan Represents the Minbari. Delenn is a member of the Minbari Grey Council and why she is on Babylon 5 as an ambassador is one of the many mysteries on the station in Babylon 5's first season. AMBASSADOR G'KAR Andreas Katsulas Represents the Narn Regime. G'Kar is a patriot, always looking for ways to turn situations to the Narn's advantage. DR. STEPHEN FRANKLIN Richard Biggs Middle thirties, dedicated and self-assured. His background is mainly in experimental medicine so does not have a good "bedside manner." VORLON AMBASSADOR KOSH NARANEK (animatronics) Chris Franke (voice effects) Ardwight Chamberlain (translation) Still very much a mystery after two years on the station. Nobody knows what a Kosh looks like under his "encounter suit" or what he does all day on the station. We will see what a Vorlon looks like in season 2. VIR COTTO Stephen Furst Centauri assistant to Londo. Timid and given little respect by Londo, so far. NA'TOTH Mary Kay Adams (second season) Caitlin Brown (1st season) A female Narn, assistant to G'Kar. She replaced Ko'Dath, who had an accident with an airlock shortly after her duties began. LENNIER Bill Mumy A monk-like male aide for Delenn, having lived a monastic life, is a true innocent on B5. One of the few who knows Delenn's important title. ======== b. Recurring Characters BESTER Walter Koenig An unfriendly psi-cop (a powerful human telepath) who visits the station from time to time. MORDEN Ed Wasser A human who spent a while on the rim, and seems to have made contact with the mysterious race, the "Shadowmen." His aid to Londo will put the ambassador in a difficult situation. COMMANDER JEFFREY DAVID SINCLAIR Michael O'Hare (Season 1: Main cast) The commander of Babylon 5 and representative of the Earth Alliance during season 1. Haunted by his past experience with the Earth/Minbari war, it is clear he is bound for a great destiny in Babylon 5's five-year story. CATHERINE SAKAI Julia Nickson She works for an Earth company that surveys asteroids and planets for mineral exploitation. Runs the survey ship Skydancer. Romantically involved with Sinclair. JACK (last name unknown) Macaulay Bruton Garibaldi's "right hand man" throughout the first season. LOU WELCH David Crowley Another assistant to Garibaldi through the first and second season. N'GRATH (animatronics) An insect-like non-humanoid alien, who can arrange or fix things for a price. DR. MAYA HERNANDEZ Silvana Gallardo A Doctor under Dr. Franklin. SENATOR HIDOSHI Aki Aleong The station's main contact with the Earth Alliance Senate in season one. ------------------------------ Subject: 9. What kind of Special Effects does Babylon 5 have? ## More Info: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/b5_jms_answers.txt ## or read articles listed in ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/b5.media All special effects for Babylon 5 are computer generated imagery (CGI). Foundation Imaging, headed by Ron Thornton, is utilizing Lightwave 3D and specialized software in conjunction with NewTek's Video Toaster (running on the Amiga platform) to design and render the visual effects. Space scenes are clearer and more realistic than Model shots. Some interior shots such as docking bays are "virtual sets" combining live action with computer imagery. Macintoshes and PCs are used occasionally for 2-D effects and painting packages. ------------------------------ Subject: 10. Babylon 5 Episodes and Stories ## FULL Schedule and episode synopses: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/b5episodes ## Past episodes: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/Guide/ ## UK Schedule & Guide: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/uk-epguide.txt ======== a. Television Episodes (This ABRIDGED list includes only _upcoming_ rerun schedules.) PILOT MOVIE (year 2257) 02-22-93 The Gathering (title not shown on-screen) by JMS, director RC SEASON ONE (2258) Airing Order (Season title: "Signs and Portents") Week of No. Title Writer Director -------------------------------------------------------- 01-24-94 103 Midnight on the Firing Line JMS RC 01-31-94 102 Soul Hunter JMS JJ 02-07-94 104 Born to the Purple LD BSG 02-14-94 101 Infection JMS RC 02-21-94 108 The Parliament of Dreams JMS JJ 02-28-94 110 Mind War JMS BSG 03-07-94 107 The War Prayer DCF RC 03-14-94 106 And the Sky Full of Stars JMS JG 04-18-94 113 Deathwalker LD BSG 04-25-94 105 Believers DG RC 05-02-94 111 Survivors MSZ JJ 05-09-94 114 By Any Means Necessary KD JJ 05-16-94 116 Signs and Portents JMS JG 05-23-94 119 TKO LD JF 07-04-94 109 Grail CM RC 07-11-94 122 Eyes LD JJ 07-18-94 115 Legacies DCF BSG 07-25-94 120 A Voice in the Wilderness I JMS JG 08-01-94 121 A Voice in the Wilderness II JMS JG 08-08-94 118 Babylon Squared JMS JJ 08-15-94 117 The Quality of Mercy JMS LSF 10-24-94 112 Chrysalis JMS JG SEASON TWO (2259) Airing Order (Season title: "The Coming of Shadows") Week of No. Title Writer Director -------------------------------------------------------- 10-31-94 201 Points of Departure JMS JG 11-07-94 202 Revelations JMS JJ 11-14-94 203 The Geometry of Shadows JMS MV 11-21-94 204 A Distant Star DCF JJ 11-28-94 205 The Long Dark SF MD 12-05-94 206 A Spider in the Web LD KC 12-12-94 208 Soul Mates PAD JF 01-23-95 207 A Race Through Dark Places JMS JJ 01-30-95 209 The Coming of Shadows JMS JG 02-06-95 210 GROPOS LD JJ 02-13-95 211 All Alone in the Night JMS MD 02-20-95 212 Acts of Sacrifice JMS JJ 02-27-95 213 Hunter, Prey JMS MB 04-24-95 215 There All The Honor Lies PAD MV 05-01-95 214 And Now For a Word JMS MD 05-08-95 217 In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum JMS DE 05-15-95 216 Knives LD SP 05-22-95 218 Confessions and Lamentations JMS KC [tentative schedule] 05-29-95 219 The Long, Twilight Struggle JMS JF 220 Divided Loyalties JMS JT 221 Comes The Inquisitor JMS MV 222 The Fall of Night JMS JG WRITERS: PAD = Peter A. David; LD = Larry DiTillio; KD = Kathyrn Drennan; DCF = D.C. Fontana; SF = Scott Frost; DG = David Gerrold; CM = Christy Marx; JMS = J. Michael Straczynski; MSZ = Marc Scott Zicree. DIRECTORS: MB = Menachem Binetski; RC = Richard Compton; KC = Kevin Cremins; MD = Mario DiLeo; DW = David Eagle; JF = John Flinn; LSF = Lorraine Senna Ferrara; JG = Janet Greek; BSG = Bruce Seth Green; JJ = Jim Johnston; SP = Stephen Posey; JT = Jesus Trevino; MV = Mike Vejar. ======== b. Novels Pub.Date Title Author ISBN# --------------------------------------------------------------------- 02/95 Voices John Vornholt 0-440-22057-2 Accusations Lois Tilton 0-440-22058-0 Blood Oath John Vornholt ======== c. Comics Month Issue Title Writers/Artists -------------------------------------------------------- 01/95 1 In Darkness Find Me JMS/Netzer/Leigh 02/95 2 Treason Mark Moretti/Netzer/Leigh 03/95 3 In Harm's Way Moretti/Garzon 04/95 4 The Price of Peace Moretti/Netzer/Leigh 05/95 5 Shadows of the Past, Shadows of the Present Tim DeHass 6-9 " Possible upcoming writers include JMS, Peter David, John Ostrander, Bill Mumy, and Neil Gaiman. Subscriptions may be ordered from DC Comics, (800) 887-6789. ------------------------------ Subject: 11. How has Babylon 5's development progressed? 1986 First notes and drafts on the Babylon 5 story 1987 Spring/Summer Babylon 5 treatment created by JMS; also writer's bible 1988 May Artist Peter Ledger hired to design a Babylon 5 logo, and to do a series of paintings based on the treatment and bible, which were then used for various presentations 1988 Summer/Fall Babylon 5 pitched to CBS, HBO, ABC, and others 1989 March Babylon 5 pitched to Chris-Craft Television, a consortium of stations. CCT pledges support of B5, and attempts are made throughout 1988 and 1989 to create co-production deals with foreign investors 1989 June/July Babylon 5 submitted/pitched to Paramount 1989 December Babylon 5 receives additional pledge of support from Warner Bros., which begins working with CCT to form fifth network at same time 1991 November Babylon 5 announced as one of three flagship projects for Warners' Prime Time Entertainment Network (PTEN). The trades carry the story extensively. 1992 June/July Casting for the pilot movie 1992 August 10 Filming on the pilot movie begins 1992 Sept 4 Filming ends on the pilot movie 1992 Nov 7 First showing of pilot movie to a convention audience at Wishcon II in Springfield, Mass. 1992 Nov 28 First announced showing of pilot movie to a convention audience at Loscon 19 in Los Angeles, CA 1993 Jan 14 Final edit of pilot movie completed 1993 Feb 19/20 Satellite feed of pilot movie to local stations 1993 Feb 22 week TV debut of the pilot movie. It achieved a 10.3 GAA national rating, which was better than the two hour premieres of "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues" (10.2), "The Untouchables" (10.2) and "Time Trax" (8.3). 1993 April Series Pre-production starts 1993 May 28 Formal announcement by Warner Bros. of a series order 1993 Mid-July Filming starts on the series 1993 Late Summer Parts of the first three episodes are previewed at San Diego Comic Con, WorldCon and CopperCon 13 1993 Mid-Sept Foundation Imaging awarded Visual Effects Emmy for the Babylon 5 pilot movie at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards 1993 Mid-Oct First fully completed episode delivered to Warner Bros 1993 Oct/Nov PTEN rebroadcast of Babylon 5 pilot movie 1993 Nov 26 "Midnight on the Firing Line" screened at LosCon 20 1994 Mid-Jan "Making of Babylon 5" airs (hosted by Walter Koenig) 1994 Jan 20 Satellite feed of first episode 1994 Jan 26 Start of weekly series on PTEN 1994 Mar 23 Filming ends for first season 1994 May 12 Announcement of renewal for second season 1994 Aug 10 Filming starts for second season 1994 Sep 10 Emmy awarded for makeup design in "Parliament" 1994 Nov 2 (appx) Premiere of second season with "Points of Departure" 1994 Nov 25 Limited-release B5 soundtrack debuted at Loscon 21 ------------------------------ Subject: 12. Who can you write to show support for Babylon 5? PTEN is a consortium of stations where each station has a say in what gets produced. JMS has requested that if you would like to write in support of the show and to encourage renewal, write your LOCAL STATION. The continuation of PTEN after 1995 is doubtful due to the onset of the Paramount and Warner Bros. (WB) networks. However, it is likely that production can continue as a syndicated show, if the stations carrying Babylon 5 and the executives at Warner Bros. are convinced that the market exists. Therefore, it is EXTREMELY important that you write your local station as well as Warner Bros. Please take the time to do this! ## Station addresses: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/b5tvaddresses.txt ## (please check your local station and make sure it's listed there) For Warner Bros., please write to either or both of these: Dick Robertson Robert Daly, Chairman President Warner Brothers, Inc. Domestic Television Distribution 4000 Warner Boulevard Warner Bros. Television Burbank, CA 91522 Triangle Bldg, 4th floor 4000 Warner Boulevard Burbank, CA 91522 For the show's creator, as well as the cast and crew: J. Michael Straczynski 14431 Ventura Blvd, Suite 260 Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 ------------------------------ Subject: 13. Now that Babylon 5 is a series, can I submit a script? All current stories are developed by JMS, because only he knows where the story is going. JMS is looking at spec scripts, selecting writers based on their talent and understanding of the Babylon 5 universe, then giving out assigned stories. Babylon 5 is NOT accepting outside stories or story ideas; JMS has stated that he has plenty of ideas. Scripts not submitted through an agent will be returned unopened, as is standard practice. All freelance scripts will have the original writer as the sole credit. Any rewrites or additions (such as a "B" plot or additional scenes) by Babylon 5 staff will not add to the writing credit. This will allow the freelancer to get full royalties for the episode. ------------------------------ Subject: 14. Appearances ======== a. Science Fiction Conventions ## More Info: Con information is often posted on the USENET groups such as alt.fandom.cons, rec.arts.sf.announce, rec.arts.sf.fandom. (Please send information about upcoming Con appearances directly to the FAQ moderator, to expedite the appearance in the FAQ.) J. Michael Straczynski and many B5 cast and crew members have been attending science fiction conventions when possible. Upcoming appearences include: Con-Troll, April 21-23, Houston, Texas, Ramada Northwest Freeway. Jerry Doyle will be the Media Guest of Honor. Call (713) 895-9202 or write, with SASE, to: Con-Troll, PO Box 740969-1025, Houston, TX 77274. Babcom '95, April 29-30, 1995, Birmingham, England, National Exhibition Centre, near Birmingham International airport and railway station. Featuring JMS, Claudia Christian, Peter Jurasik. Send SASE or international reply coupon to Stargazer Productions International, 22 Reindeer Court, Worcester WR1 2DS, England. Tel: 01905 613005; FAX: 01905 613158; Information hotline: 0891 517037. * Marcon 30, May 5-7, Columbus, Ohio, Hyatt Regency. Jerry Doyle and Richard Biggs are confirmed. Marcon 30, Box 1414, Columbus OH 43214l; (614)475-8181; e-mail: marcon@infinet.com WWW: http://www.infinet.com/~marcon * Big Bang Convention, June 24/25th, near Chicago, IL. at the Odeum in Villa Park, 15 min. South of O'Hare Airport. JMS will *not* be appearing; other B5 guests are likely to appear, though that list is not finalized AFAIK. $35; call (708) 529-7318 (off-hours are best). Info: write Convention Management Corp., 673 Circle, Roselle, IL 60172, or call above phone number. * Crescent City Con 10, Metairie, LA (near New Orleans), August 4-6. B5 Guest: Michael O'Hare. Cost is $25 until June 18; after $30. For more information call (517) 882-8320 or e-mail DianeY1003@aol.com. Toronto Trek IX, August 4-6, 1995, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Everett Burrell, makeup effects designer will be Tech Guest of Honor Mira Furlan will be a guest. More guests to be announced later. Info: e-mail C.LYON4@genie.geis.com or vonthorn@io.org, or mail Toronto Trek IX, Suite 0116, Box 187, 65 Front Street West, Toronto, Ontario M5J 3G2 Phone: (416) 699-4666 Fax: (416) 699-5512 Starquest '95, August 18-20, 1995, San Jose, CA. Featuring Michael O'Hare, Walter Koenig. For information, write to: STARQUEST '95, P.O. Box 56412, Hayward, CA 94545-6412. Include an SASE. Wolf 359/The Gathering, 15-18 September 1995, Sachas Hotel, Manchester, UK. JMS, Michael O'Hare, Mira Furlan will be there. Registration/Information: Mr. Cooney, telephone 0753 821867. LOSCON 22, November 24-26, 1995. Airport Hilton, Burbank CA. UNCONFIRMED appearance, but it's quite likely that JMS will be there. Info: LASFS, 11513 Burbank Blvd., N. Hollywood CA 91601. LASFS Phone: 818-760-9234. E-mail: RBourget@aol.com Magnum Opus Con 10, July 13-16, 1995, Pine Mountain, GA, at the Callaway Gardens Resort. Bruce Boxleitner, Patricia Tallman. MOC-10, PO Box 6585, Athens, GA 30604. Fax - 706/549-8819 ======== b. The Official Babylon 5 Newsletter A Babylon 5 newsletter is being produced with the cooperation of J. Michael Straczynski by Christy Marx. Issues 1 through 4 have been printed already. The newsletter is now on hold as a new editor is being arranged. Please do not send new subscription orders in for the time being. Current subscribers can still send in address changes to the address on the newsletter. ======== c. Current Publications ## More Info: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/b5.media The March 1995 issue of _Sci Fi Universe_ has a major cover story on B5. The April 1995 Starlog has a B5 cover story. ------------------------------ Subject: 15. One-Liner FAQs ## More Info: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/b5_jms_answers.txt (or retrieve other archives, episode guides, etc.) Following are some of the questions asked a lot by newcomers to Babylon 5 and brief answers to those questions. Misc: Q: Are the B5 novels and comics part of the official B5 canon? A: Yes, JMS attempts to make sure the other stories tie into the big story. Q: How come [insert name] is in the opening credits but not in the show? A: Characters that appear in 7 or more episodes are in the opening credits. Q: Which came first, Deep Space 9 or Babylon 5? A: B5 was pitched to Paramount in 1989, two years before DS9 was created. Q: Why are they using paper in the 23rd century? A: Paper is convenient. It's actually a recyclable, synthetic material. Q: Why was Sinclair, only a Commander, given the job of running the station? A: The Minbari rejected all choices, down the line, and accepted Sinclair. Q: What does the "Third Age" of mankind mean? What are the 1st and 2nd? A: Joe ain't telling. To reveal the 1st and 2nd would give away the 3rd. Q: What has happened with Harlan Ellison's scripts? A: They've been delayed due to poor health and earthquake injuries. Q: How is the "sound in space" issue dealt with? A: Existence of sound in space is debatable; you can think of it as music. Q: Will the pilot air again? A: It is expected to eventually, though JMS doesn't know when. Q: Will we ever see a "producer's cut" of the pilot, with the deleted footage? A: No, since that footage only existed in the digital rough cut. Q: Why is the C&C (Command and Control) Dome sometimes empty? A: It goes on "standby" every 36-48 hours for maintenance, backups, etc. Q: Is the "Be seeing you" salute a reference to "The Prisoner"? A: Yes, most definitely. It first appeard in season 1's "Mind War." Q: Why don't we usually see stars revolving outside C&C? A: CGI is too costly; They're still working on a reasonable solution. Aliens: Q: What's with the Centauri Hair? A: Hair is a measure of status: more elaborate = higher status. Women go bald. Q: What is that thing on Minbari heads? A: It's a bone; it grows with age and differs for individuals, sex, and caste. Q: Is Bill Mumy (Lennier) the same guy from _Lost In Space_? A: Yes. Only much older. Q: How did the war between Earth and the Minbari start? A: A misunderstanding on first contact. Q: What is known about Vorlons? A: Very little. Reclusive, and may be hiding something under those suits. (We'll see a what a Vorlon looks like in season two.) Q: Why are we always seeing aliens speaking English to each other? A: As in WWII movies, we assume they are speaking in their native tongue. Technology: Q: How do jump gates work? A: Ships enter one and exit another. Large ships can make their own points. Q: What's the size and capacity of the station? A: 5 miles long, holding as many as 250,000 beings (many in transit). Q: How do PPGs (Phased Plasma Guns) work? A: A super-heated burst of plasma, burning through the air. Q: How does communication with Earth work? A: Tachyons, giving instantaneous communications; problematic in jump gates. Q: Where in the galaxy is the station? A: Approximately 25 light years from earth, at an as-yet-undiscovered star. Q: How does C&C have gravity? A: They are about 1/3 in to the center, so they do have light gravity. Q: Why doesn't JMS quote people when he responds to messages online? A: His news->mail gateway doesn't have the technology. Live with it. :) ------------------------------ Subject: 16. Miscellaneous Info ======== a. Merchandising ## More Details: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/b5_jms_answers.txt Babylon 5 products are now gradually arriving. Licensing Company of America, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. is handling the licensing of Babylon 5 products. Creation Entertainment has T-shirts and photos available -- (818) 409-0960 The interactive CD-ROM from Compton's has been put on indefinite hold. A soundtrack by Christopher Franke, about 55-56 minutes in length, is now available via mail order and will be available in stores around April. (The November 1994 limited-release soundtrack is probably sold out by now.) Send checks or money orders for US$13.99 (California: plus 8.25% tax) plus $3.00 shipping to USA/Canada/Mexico ($6.00 elsewhere), to Sonic Images, P.O. Box 691626 West Hollywood, CA 90069. A free Chris Franke poster will be included. * You can also order it from Pegasus Publishing, 2501 W Sublett #890, Arlington, Texas 76017-5461 USA, Phone (817) 467 0681. Price is $17 + $3 shipping (US); They will accept credit cards. ## Soundtrack/Franke information: mail Elana Beach <elana@netcom.com> There's a MicroGames hand-held B5 game, out now or soon. * Babylon 5 Galoob Micro-Machines are now out in most areas in USA, and should be available at toy stores like Toys R Us, as well as stores like Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Target. There are four sets of three ships, each set costing about five to six dollars. B5 Screensavers are in the works, and should be available Summer/Fall '95. In the UK, there is a book called "Babylon 5 - Behind the Scenes" due Feb. 28, 1995. ISBN is 0752208411. Not known if this will be available outside of the UK. T-shirts and caps made by All-U, apparently of very high quality, are a big hit with the B5 cast and crew. Contact All-U, 1-800-424-2558, ext. 105. ======== b. Babylon 5 online Because JMS has been on GEnie talking about Babylon 5 since late 1991, GEnie is a choice place to be for a Babylon 5 fan. On the GEnie Science Fiction RoundTable, there are two Babylon 5 categories where JMS talks with the fans about the show, both production and story info. Other Babylonians can be found online as well -- John Vulich and Mojo have been spotted on Usenet; Mira Furlan lurks on GEnie; many writers such as David Gerrold, Peter David, John Vornholt, and Christy Marx are on GEnie or CI$. JMS is very active on the Usenet (since July 1993). He reads Usenet messages through a news to mail gateway, so his messages are not threaded and often do not appear alongside the messages to which he is responding. The software he uses makes it difficult to quote messages to which he is responding, so if the meaning of a post is not clear, you can search for messages with the same subject with your news reader to get the context. JMS is also active on BIX, on CompuServe, and several other systems. (He also "lurks" on a few systems to get a sense of how Babylon 5 discussions go without his presence known.) What JMS gets out of his participation online, is, as he puts it, a "sense of the room." Being a writer means coming up with questions to strengthen characters and the world of the story, but nobody could ever come up with every conceivable question. The nets are helpful because, as JMS puts it, "on the nets, you get questions you never *dreamed* of." One topic of discussion that arises frequently is the request that no story ideas be suggested in the online forums. This request is in place because if somebody suggests a story, and it happens to be one that JMS is working on already, that JMS is potentially open to lawsuits if the poster were to suspect that her story idea were stolen. Recently, for instance, JMS had to scrap a B-story he was working on because somebody asked 'What if Joe wrote a story in which a "memory-challenged" person DISCOVERED records of who he or she was?' Often there are suggestions that the poster could include with their ideas a "disclaimer" or a "release." This has been debated over and over again, but the issue boils down to the problem that no matter what, the B5 production would be exposed to lawsuits, which, even if frivolous and unwinnable, would shut down production of the show while in litigation. Television producers in general must go to great lengths to keep themselves protected, so JMS's presence online hangs in a delicate balance. If you do wish to suggest story ideas, you can use the creative mailing list described in section 17a. Online lore: On usenet, a running joke is the Sinclair's "duck." This reference came about because of rude postings about male and female anatomy, which became censored to words "T*TS" and "D*CK," which became "tots" and "duck." There are also running gags about Zima and baseball bats. Don't ask. ======== c. Fans' influence on the show The location of Babylon 5 is at Grid Epsilon 470,18,22 which corresponds to the original location of the Babylon 5 topic on GEnie (Page 470, CAT 18, Topic 22). The first mention of a planet's coordinates in "Mind War" were Grid Epsilon 471,18,25 which corresponds to a topic in the Babylon 5 Category on GEnie. Partially due to fan response from those who saw the pilot movie or clips, some things in the pilot movie were changed before broadcast. The voice of Delenn is Mira Furlan's voice without any processing and Delenn is female to begin with. Original plans were to electronically process her voice and have Delenn change sex during the series. Some additional voice-over was done by Patricia Tallman to clarify one scene in the show with Kosh in the Medlab. The branding of a Minbari in "The War Prayer" that had similarities to a DS9 episode was kept after feedback from fans about it. It had been considered removing the branding scene and electronically wiping the brand from the rest of the episode. When names submitted for a mega corporation and a mineral were rejected for legal reasons, JMS went to the GEnie B5 Category and asked for suggestions. The resulting names used are Quantium-40 for the mineral and Universal Terraform for the company. Q-40 is mentioned in both "The Parliament of Dreams" and "Mind War" and Universal Terraform in "Mind War". The waiter mentioned in "Parliament" is named for David Strauss, who submitted Q-40. The denizens of "Downbelow" are called "lurkers," a term for those on the newsgroups who read messages but never post. JMS is considering revamping or killing off n'grath based partly on the reaction by viewers. Based on interest in the legal aspects of the Psi Corps, he indicates how some of this works in "The Quality of Mercy." An EA ship in "A Voice in the Wilderness" is named "Hyperion" in acknowledgment of the Babylon 5 ftp site at ftp.hyperion.com. ======== d. Awards Sept, 1993 - Emmy Award for Special Visual Effects for the Pilot movie March,1994 - Space Frontier Foundation award for "Best Vision of the Future" Sept, 1994 - Emmy award winner for makeup in "The Parliament of Dreams" ======== e. Babylon 5 References in other JMS works In the Captain Power episode "Final Stand," Tank mentions that he's from the Babylon 5 Genetic Engineering Colony. In the JMS Novel "Othersyde," Babylon 5 is mentioned as one of the characters' favorite TV series. ======== f. Miscellaneous Production Info Babylon 5 is being filmed in the 16:9 aspect ratio, trimming it for broadcast. Plans are for the episodes to later be available in widescreen on laserdisc and when HDTV happens. The opening titles are in letterbox format. Audio is being done in full Surround Sound. Larry DiTillio writes the background dialogue (known as "walla"). Alien makeup and such for the series is being done by Optic Nerve Studios (Everett Burrell and John Vulich) which is a change from the pilot. The early episodes had some video and audio degradation due to the manner in which commercials, closed captioning and such were being added using analog transfers and used tape. Some was corrected by the broadcast of "The War Prayer" with more improvements in time. Two "errors" have been broadcast and then later fixed. The original version of "Mind War" had a CGI error (you could see a bright star through a ship in the first scene) that was corrected for later broadcasts. The original North America satellite feed of "Chrysalis" was incorrectly assembled; some markets broadcast this version. ======== g. Production Order vs. Airing Order The production of episodes started far enough in advance that the airing order of the episodes could be arranged as the producers and network decided, allowing for additional post-production time and cost reduction. Most of the first half or so of the second season is being produced in the same order as airing. ======== h. Changes > Between pilot and first season: Due to reworking and recasting after the pilot, Lt. Cmdr. Laurel Takashima, Dr. Benjamin Kyle, and telepath Lyta Alexander were replaced. Kyle and Alexander were sent back to Earth under "mysterious circumstances"; Takashima is on a classified mission, and may return someday. Much of the character stories and back-histories were transferred to their replacements. Make-up for G'Kar was improved; Delenn's look was substantially modified once it was established that the character would be female. > Between first and second season: Director Richard Compton left the show after "Grail." The narration and main titles was changed to be shorter, and to include new graphics introducing the characters. Many improvements in costumes, makeup, lighting, and FX were added for season 2. Several new sets were added, including a bazaar and an officer's lounge called "Earhart's," after the famed aviator. In order to advance the story, the character of Commander Sinclair was moved "off the chess board" at the start of season 2. This was a mutual, amicable decision between producers and Michael O'Hare. Sinclair will still be an important part of the show and should return later. ## More information: ftp://ftp.hyperion.com/pub/Babylon-5/OHare.Leave Finally, Na'Toth was re-cast, and the character of Warren Keffer was added. > A list of episodes that have been mentioned online and later retitled. "Blood and Thunder" --> "Midnight on the Firing Line" "Amaranth" --> "Born to the Purple" "Carnival!" --> "The Parliament of Dreams" "A Knife in the Shadows" --> "Survivors" "Backlash" --> "By Any Means Necessary" "Raiding Party" --> "Signs and Portents" "The Resurrectionist" --> "The Quality of Mercy" "Chrysalis, Part II" --> "Points of Departure" "A Trick of the Mind" --> "A Spider in the Web" "Pestilence, Famine & Death"> "Soul Mates" > Scripts not used in Season 1: "Target Unknown" and "Metaphors and Body Counts" (David Gerrold) > Harlan Ellison stories not completed due to health problems and the '94 L.A. Earthquake, unofficially titled "Midnight in the Sunken Cathedral" and "Demon on the Run" > Season 2 scripts shelved (due to a decision to amplify the arc): All Our Songs Forgotten, a.k.a. "Unnatural Selction" (D.C. Fontana), The Very Long Night of Susan Ivanova (JMS), "Expectations" (David Gerold) ======== i. Fan Clubs There is no official fan club for B5 in the United States at this point. There are some international fan clubs, as well as some fan clubs for particular actors. Friends of Michael O'Hare, P.O. Box 6541, Edgemere, MD 21219 Garibaldi & Company, 12865 NE 85th St., Suite 267, Kirkland, WA 98033 UK: B5 UK Fan Club, unofficial, though sanctioned by JMS. #12.50 per year UK; #22/2 years UK; add 50% overseas, payable to "Questing Beast Ltd." Babylon Five UK Fan Club, PO Box 1147, London W3 7ZT. Australia: The Babylon 5 OZ Fan Club, PO Box 161, Adamstown NSW 2289. AUD$20/ year, AUD$35/2 years. (Sanctioned by Network 7.) Contact Aaron Brockbank <shadow@scorch.hna.com.au> for information. Also, there's The Victorian Babylon 5 Fan Club, PO Box 41, West Brunswick, Vic 3055. $10/single, $12/ family per year. Germany: Journey to Babylon. Contact Katja Mallok, Heuduckstrasse 67, D-66117 Saarbruecken, GERMANY. 32 DM/year; more for foreign. Include 2 international reply coupons. ------------------------------ Subject: 17. Where to find online information ======== a. INTERNET WORLD go to URL: http://www.hyperion.com/lurk/lurker.html WIDE NOTE: Some of these pages contain LOTS of images! WEB This is by far the best way to access B5 guides and information. (To access WWW via e-mail, send a message "WWW" to agora@mail.w3.org) USENET rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5 This group was created in late Mar. '94 and is now the main Babylon 5 newsgroup. Via a mail gateway, JMS participates in this group. VERY IMPORTANT: Do NOT post any story ideas (for legal reasons) To subscribe to the gateway, send e-mail to listproc@news.vt.edu, with the message "subscribe babylon5 Your Name" (fill in your name). To post a message, send mail to babylon5@news.vt.edu. alt.tv.babylon-5 The original Usenet B5group, created Feb. 1993. Still online for now. uk.media.tv.sf.babylon5 and aus.sf.babylon5 are new UK and Oz groups. rec.video.satellite, rec.arts.tv, and rec.arts.sf.tv may also contain Babylon 5 discussion and announcements. FTP ftp.hyperion.com (192.65.216.1) is the official site from which you can retrieve Babylon-5-related files via anonymous FTP. For now, it is preferred to use its faster echo side, ftp.uml.edu . B5 Sounds are at the Agamemnon FTP site, ftp://archive.egr.msu.edu/pub/babylon5 REVIEW The Babylon 5 Reviews Electronic Forum, moderated by Michael S.Shappe LIST and Shelley L. Stuart, back after a short hiatus. To subscribe, e-mail the automated list server, LISTSERV@cornell.edu. Put a single line into the BODY of the message, reading: SUBSCRIBE B5-REVIEW-L Firstname Lastname This is processed by machine, so do not include a signature. STORY An outlet for creative "fan fiction" has been set up as a mailing list IDEAS in order to keep JMS from being exposed to any story ideas. As above, LIST E-mail to listserv@netcom.com. In the body, enter following 2 lines: subscribe babylon5-creative end You can also subscribe to a digest form of the list: send mail to babylon5-creative-owner@netcom.com with the subject: SUBSCRIBE DIGEST INTERNET A weekly chat in IRC space, on channel #babylon5, every Saturday at RELAY 7 PM Eastern (23:00 GMT), discussing the latest B5 episode and so on. CHAT Info on IRC: ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/usenet/news.answers/irc-faq MUD There's a B5 MUD (info: rmeikle@cs.strath.ac.uk ) reachable by: telnet underworld.demon.co.uk 2010 visit babylonfive LOCAL Boston viewers can discuss broadcast times, quirks, and news of local AREA broadcasts. Send "subscribe boston-b5" to majordomo@netmarket.com . LISTS Alberta, Canada has one too: send "help" as the subject line to: babylon5-request@cyberdex.cuug.ab.ca HIGHLIGHTS OF FILES AVAILABLE AT FTP.HYPERION.COM +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ File Description Maint +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Bibliographies REFERENCES (dir) References to newspaper/magazine articles about cast/crew TR Credits (dir) CREDIT LISTINGS JH Specific credits from each episode GEnie (dir) GENIE POSTINGS OF JMS Archive of JMS's postings on GEnie on the B5 topics Guide (dir) EPISODE GUIDES MM/SG/MR Information about each episode: analysis, backplot, unanswered questions, and JMS utterances. Pictures (dir) GIF AND JPEG IMAGES (see "Index" file within) Along with a number of TV image scans, this directory holds a number of official high-quality GIF files (mainly of ships, from the pilot and the first episodes), and Electronic Trading Card GIF files. Synopses (dir) EPISODE SYNOPSES Detailed synopses of each episode SG/SB Usenet (dir) USENET POSTINGS OF JMS Archive of JMS's postings in the alt.tv.babylon-5 group babylon-5-faq FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ) LIST DW Answers to frequently asked questions. VERY useful intro- duction to Babylon 5, with pointers to additional info. b5actors.txt ACTORS' OTHER ROLES LIST Listing of film, TV, stage roles of actors from Babylon 5 LW b5appearances CHARACTER APPEARANCES CHART DH A list of which characters appeared in which episodes, broken down into Humans, Aliens, and a Reference Chart. ELECTRONIC PRESS KITS b5demo.zip for Windows 3.1 (PKZIP compressed; retrieve BINARY) B5-Interactive.cpt.hqx for Macintosh (Binhexed and stuffed; retrieve ASCII) Interactive "multimedia" presentations introducing the series Note: A new press kit is expected around Dec. 1994. b5episodes UPCOMING EPISODES Contains spoilers: general descriptions of upcoming DS episodes, as gleaned from JMS postings J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI'S ANSWERS b5_jms_answers.txt An indexed & sorted file (over 250K of text) of DW comments by JMS on Babylon 5 & related topics - VERY good collection of B5 info. Updated Sept. 1994. b5log.text BABYLON 5 GRID EPSILON LOG Detailed information, backstory and character profiles PP compiled from postings by JMS on GEnie before the pilot aired. Not yet updated for the series; it contains a few obsolete references (eg, replaced characters, a male Delenn). Updated 12 Jan 1992. B5quotes.tar The Babylon 5 Quote Fortune Generator (for Unix). HH Fetch the file "B5quotes.FAQ" for instructions. b5.tech TECHNICAL FAQ LIST Technical descriptions of various things in B5's universe. H b5encyc.txt BABYLON 5 ENCYCLOPEDIA (best accessed through the WWW site) Extremely useful encyclopedia listing recurring and 1-time BO characters, aliens, planets, technologies, events, etc. b5tvlist.txt BABYLON 5 / PTEN STATION LIST A list of stations known to show Babylon 5, w/ schedules. LW cast.txt CAST AND CHARACTER LISTS TR character.txt Indexed lists of characters and cast to appear on B5. HISTORY OF ANCIENT BABYLONIA SB History.Babylonia A brief history of ancient Babylonia. Babylon 5's Parallels.History broad storyline is based at least in part on real events of ancient Earth history. Possible parallels between our history and the upcoming story arc are explored. MAINTAINERS/CONTRIBUTORS ------------------------ SB = Shawn Bayern SG = Steven Grimm, koreth@hyperion.com H = The Harlequin, mdig8154@uriacc.uri.edu DH = David Henderson, davidh@camelot.bradley.edu HH = Heiji Horde, horde@reed.edu JH = Jack Holt, genoa@mit.edu MM = Matthew Murray, i9717029@unicorn.it.wsu.edu BO = Brian O'Neill, oneill@cs.uml.edu PP = Phil Posner, P.POSNER on GEnie TR = Troy Rutter, techy@iastate.edu MR = Matt Ryan, mbr2@kimbark.uchicago.edu DS = David Strauss, dss2k@virginia.edu, REPLAYER on GEnie LW = Lee Whiteside, leew@indirect.com DW = Dan Wood, danwood@netcom.com MZ = Michael "The Admiral" Zecca, zecca@ncar.ucar.edu ======== b. GEnie The two Babylon 5 topics are located at Page 471, Category 18 (general series-related) and 19 (episode-specific). Archives of past messages are available in the GEnie SFRT files areas, along with graphics files and the interactive demos are also available in the file area. ======== c. America Online * Interviews are sometimes occuring on America Online in the OMNI & DC-Online areas, the TV Newsmagazine EXTRA has also had some B5 events and has a number of B5 files available. America On-Line users can also access the rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5 newsgroup by selecting EXPERT ADD NEWSGROUP from the Newsgroup screen and typing the following: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5 ======== d. Other JMS also frequents Compuserve and BIX; there are Babylon 5 sections on Compuserve, and other networks; These and other networks and BBSs contain Babylon graphic files, text files, and forwarded JMS postings. ------------------------------ Subject: 18. Credits and Legalese Feel free to distribute this text file online. The Babylon 5 Frequently Asked Questions List is Copyright 1995 by Lee Whiteside and Dan Wood. Acknowledgement is made to excerpted contributions from the Babylon 5 online libraries. Some of the information contained in this FAQ list is based on posts by J. Michael Straczynski in the GEnie, Usenet, and Compuserve Babylon 5 areas. /\" t" O `/ 5 Currently maintained by Dan Wood (danwood@netcom.com) (Please send comments, corrections, etc. to the above address.) Originally compiled by Lee Whiteside (leew@indirect.com; 76044,502 on CIS) Fine-Tooth-Comb edited by David Henderson, Troy Rutter HTML formatting by Steven Grimm (koreth@hyperion.com)