Babylon 5

[Christopher R Taylor]

Quote

She got a lot more feminine in the series.

 

All the characters changed (some quite a bit) from the first movie.  They entirely recast the doctor, which is too bad because I liked the original one.  I think budget, time, and makeup design was the key here.

[unclevlad]

Yeah, there's a military aphorism that no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy.  With a long-term show, whatever the original plan might be, it'll have to accommodate the points Jhamin made.  Peter Jackson ensured this wouldn't happen by signing the Fellowship actors to make all 3 films...but these were gonna be HUGE money makers.  Franchises usually sign actors to play parts in X movies...this is the last Daniel Craig Bond movie under that contract.  

 

In a series like this, it's unlikely they can get the actors to commit that long.  TV...especially cable...doesn't pay that well.  Claudia Christian wanted part of season 5 off to make a movie;  it would've been manageable, it wouldn't have been for the whole season...but the producers said full season or nothing.  So she went nothing...and thus wasn't in season 5.  There were some other issues like that;  they forced the major compression and rework that marred season 4 so badly.  Some of you might remember Downton Abbey;  there were 2 *huge* cast changes during year 3.  Why?  The original contracts were for 3 years.  But, the actors playing Matthew and Sybil Crawley decided not to sign back on, so their characters had to be written out.  Sybil was written out early by joint agreement.  That worked well for all concerned...the actress was free to move on, the storyline had time to adapt.  Matthew was written out at the end of year 3...and....well...it was botched.  Totally.  MASSIVE uproar.  I remember watching it when Amazon was showing them.  Last scene of the episode, and thus the season.  The first shot was innocuous enough...unless you knew a bit of history.  I remember very well going...OMG they're NOT gonna do *that* are they??????  OMG they are.  OMG THEY DID!!!

[Hugh Neilson]

JMS was on record, as I recall, that each major character had a "trap door" in his grand scheme that would permit them to be written out if need be.

[Greywind]

Pat Tallman was released after the pilot. Producer's decision from what I understand. JMS was ecstatic when she popped back up through the trapdoor to replace Andrea Thompson.

[Hugh Neilson]

Quite a change in only 3 years...

 

https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a855453/babylon-5-revival-wont-ever-happen-j-michael-straczynski/

[unclevlad]

1 hour ago, Hugh Neilson said:

Quite a change in only 3 years...

 

https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a855453/babylon-5-revival-wont-ever-happen-j-michael-straczynski/

 

The reason that popped into my mind...

 

Streaming.  In 2018, who would've believed there would be significant Star Trek, Star Wars, and MCU series on TV?  Babylon 5 comes with its own audience, and hey, some of em will stick around for their other stuff.  The pandemic and isolation started things last year;  Disney+ has gone full pedal to the metal with it this year.

 

And I found this:

 

https://techjury.net/blog/cable-tv-subscribers-statistics/#gref

 

Quote

23. 63% of Americans over the age of 68 pay for cable TV.
(Source: Cable Compare)

When looking at cable TV subscribers statistics in 2021, you can see that the younger generation isn’t as interested in paying for TV. Less than half (46%) of those aged 18-37 pay for a TV subscription. For those aged 37-48, the percentage is slightly higher at 48%. 55% of people between 47 and 67 have a subscription, and 63% of those older than 68 still pay for TV.

 

This is a huge problem for the CW, where the shows have a younger demographic.  Babylon 5 can draw like the BSG reboot did...from us older farts who remember it.  

 

And to be cynical...this might *start* on the CW, but if it works?  Shift to streaming.  HBO Max is apparently *bombing* but perhaps Warners has some funky plan in mind with a new Babylon 5 series, to jumpstart a new streaming service or try to energize HBO Max.  Can't ignore the possibility.

[Sundog]

13 hours ago, dmjalund said:

Today's Challenge: create potential Babylon 5 episodes inspired by Abba Songs

 

"Happy New Year" fits unpleasantly well after the end of the first season...

[Greywind]

There's always room for a Does Your Mother Know.

 

Particularly in light of "The Corps is Mother. The Corps is Father."

[DShomshak]

18 hours ago, Pariah said:

 

Shouldn't Vir be The Moon ... as in, "What do you want, you moon-faced assassin of joy?"

I assume that's not really a serious question, but I'll give it a serious answer.

 

The Sun is the card of innocence, joy and new beginnings. That's Vir -- though he is rather less innocent by series ending, he his destiny is a new beginning for the Centauri.

 

The Moon, OTOH, is... rather sinister. My little book of occult ready reference describes its meaning as, "Intuition. Latent psychic power. Astral journeys. May also mean unforeseen perils and deception." Though IIRC Talia turned out to be a peril and deception for the Psi Corps.

 

Dean Shomshak

[zslane]

53 minutes ago, unclevlad said:

the younger generation isn’t as interested in paying for TV

 

The younger generation isn't interested in paying for much of anything. Pirated content is the norm for them. How long will the streaming subscription model last if the "younger generation" refuses to pay for it? And since nobody can stand advertising, how does television in any form remain financially viable in the future?

[unclevlad]

Streaming subscriptions are climbing fairly rapidly, actually, and more in the younger groups.  I don't think it's fair to say pirated content is the norm, or at least if you're suggesting that they won't pay for anything.  

 

Here's the Netflix subscriber demographics:

https://www.statista.com/statistics/742108/netflix-subscription-adults-usa-by-age/

 

And they've got 74 million subscribers in the US and Canada.  One thing to remember:  you can stream to your phone or tablet.  I've personally *occasionally* streamed to my iPad...late at night, typically...because the screen's too small.  But it worked for, say, late night WSOP.  And streaming on a phone is a total waste, IMO.  But not in theirs.  So they will pay for specific access. This is why the series based on the major franchises like Star Wars and the MCU are so important.

[Cygnia]

Are we gonna have Emperor Vir?

[unclevlad]

26 minutes ago, Cygnia said:

Are we gonna have Emperor Vir?

 

Are we going to have the Centauri at all?

 

But I strongly suspect that reprising specific characters will be extremely rare.

[archer]

16 hours ago, dmjalund said:

Today's Challenge: create potential Babylon 5 episodes inspired by Abba Songs

 

That's pretty easy, isn't it?

 

Season 1

 

1: If you change your mind (Sheridan is posted to B5)

2: I'm the first in line (Ivanova tries to take over when Sheridan hesitates)
3: Honey I'm still free (Refugees arrive on the station)
4:Take a chance on me (Big gambling tournament arrives at the station)
5: If you need me (Spotlight on the doctor)

6: Let me know (Communications with Earth are cut off)

7: Gonna be around (Exploring the planet to find a site for a new subspace antenna)
8: If you've got no place to go (Stranded on the planet)

9: If you're feeling down (Garibaldi's daring rescue in the tunnels) 
10: If you're all alone (Meanwhile a fighter stranded in hyperspace sees a strange craft)

11: When the pretty birds have flown (Backtracking the craft to a recently devastated world)
12: Gonna do my very best (Zack Allan is testing for a promotion)

13: And it ain't no lie (Bester arrives)
14: If you put me to the test (Bester's plan revolves around Lyta)

15: If you let me try (Psi Corp is foiled but Lyta leaves B5)
16: That's all I ask of you honey (A swarm of alien bees infest the station)
17: We can go dancing (A festival on the station)

18: We can go walking (Infiltrating a raider base by doing a long-range spacewalk insertion)

19: As long as we're together (Sheridan and Delenn get closer)
20: Listen to some music (Mysterious music is heard by some on B5. Introduction of Talia Winters.)

21: Maybe just talking (Garibaldi tries to help Lennier who is baffled when asked out by a human)

 

Season 2

 

1: Get to know you better
2: 'Cos you know

3: I've got so much that I wanna do

4: When I dream

5: I'm alone with you
6: It's magic (Vorlon intervention)
7: You want me to leave it there

8: Afraid of a love affair (Delenn faces political trouble at home because she's interested in Sheridan)
9: But I think you know
10: I can't let go
11: Come on

12: Give me a break will you?
13: You can take your time baby (Delenn's water breaks at an inopportune moment)

14: I'm in no hurry (Vir lost in space)

15: Know I'm gonna get you (Londo makes his play to take out G'kar)
16: You don't wanna hurt me (A hostage situation turns ugly)

17: Baby don't worry

18: I ain't gonna let you
19: Let me tell you now
20: My love is strong

21: Enough

 

Season 3

 

1: To last when things are rough
2: You say that I waste my time (Daffy Duck reruns grind the station to a halt)

3: But I can't get you off my mind
4: No I can't let go
5: 'Cos I love you so
6: If you've got no place to go

7: If you're feeling down
8: Baby can't you see
9: Gotta put me to the test

 

(Note: Season three is shortened due to a writer's strike)

 

 

https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/abba/takeachanceonme.html

 

 

 

[Pariah]

Honestly, my biggest concern with the CW reboot of Babylon 5 is that they're going to try to stick it with some lame-ass power ballad as theme music, the way the powers-that-be did with Enterprise.

[Bazza]

Hearing the main theme for the first time it is no better/worse than ST TNG or Stargate SG-1. 

[Ninja-Bear]

The one end they never talked about was the Lt. Commander from the Original TV Movie. Can’t place her name right now but she is Asian. 

[Pariah]

Lieutenant Commander Laurel Takashima. The actress was available for the pilot, but wasn't able to commit to the series. Also, JMS's original plan was for her to be the traitor rather than Garibaldi's second.

[Greywind]

Tamlyn Tomita

[zslane]

23 hours ago, unclevlad said:

Streaming subscriptions are climbing fairly rapidly, actually, and more in the younger groups.

 

How do we know this (the bolded part)?

[Hermit]

Oh good, maybe THIS One won't just be a lame ST: DS9 rip off...

 

 

*DUCKS* Kidding, kidding...

 

 

[L. Marcus]

*forms mob, lays siege to Hermit's place*

[unclevlad]

1 hour ago, zslane said:

 

How do we know this (the bolded part)?

 

It was in the statistics breakdown I saw.

[Tjack]

2 hours ago, Hermit said:

Oh good, maybe THIS One won't just be a lame ST: DS9 rip off...

 

 

*DUCKS* Kidding, kidding...

 

 

    I’ve heard all the stories and I agree Paramount completely ripped him off.  But Deep Space Nine was in my opinion the best of all the series in the franchise.  Both classic and modern, and a fine example of Science Fiction TV......Babylon 5 was better of course.  
    *NOW you can start the fighting.*

[Matt the Bruins]

On 9/27/2021 at 2:02 PM, Tjack said:

   “I live for the one, and I’ll die for the one”, but everything the CW has rebooted has sucked......hard.  I’m having trouble believing that jMS’s slow, well thought out, character driven, mature style of writing could last at that network.  
    Netflicks, HBO Max, AMC even FX and I’d be cheering, but none of the characters of the original series were even in that channels age demographic, let alone be the stars of a new show.  Do we really want to see twenty year old versions of Sinclair, Garabaldi and Ivanova?  How about G’Kar?  Anybody want to see “I was a teenage Narn?”  

 

I'm hoping for the best, but dreading that we'll get THIS instead...