540 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
540 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
From: Lee_Whiteside-P14942@email.mot.com
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Date: 24 Feb 93 00:36:59 GMT
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Newsgroups: alt.tv.babylon-5
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Subject: Latest B5 FAQL
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Here's the latest version of the FAQL. I imagine the next version will
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include a section on explanations of things in the movie (the "zoo", etc).
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This is the same that was posted to rec.arts.sf.tv a couple of days ago, so
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apologies for those that this is a repeat for.
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The BABYLON 5 Frequently Asked Questions List
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Updated 2/18/93
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Compiled by Lee Whiteside
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This FAQL is copyright 1993 by Lee Whiteside
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1. What is Babylon 5?
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Babylon 5 is a new science fiction television series that will be part
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of a new Warner Bros. Television Consortium, called the Prime Time
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Entertainment Network, much like the Fox network when it started.
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It is set on a Space Station in the mid 23rd Century. It will premiere
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with a two hour movie, "The Gathering", in February, 1993. It is
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currently only a pilot movie, but a series order is expected from
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Warner Bros. after the pilot has aired.
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2. Who is behind Babylon 5?
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The show was created by J. Michael Straczynski (JMS), who will be co-
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executive producer on the show along with Doug Netter. It has been in
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development since 1987, the last few years with Warner Bros.
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J. Michael Straczynski has been involved with genre television for many
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years, as story editor and writer for the Twilight Zone TV series
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(syndicated version), Captain Power, and the animated The Real
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Ghostbusters. He has also written for Jake and the Fatman and is
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currently a producer/writer on Murder She Wrote. JMS has also had many
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published short stories, an anthology, and two fantasy/horror novels.
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Until recently, he was co-host of Hour 25, a Los Angeles area
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science fiction radio talk show.
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3. What makes JMS think he can do a good science fiction TV show?
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JMS has been on many panels at science fiction conventions dealing
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with what's wrong with science fiction on television. He has also
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been active on various computer networks getting feedback from
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science fiction fans. His main criteria for a good science fiction
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television series include that it must be good science fiction AND
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good television (both are rarely combined together in one show),
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it would be geared towards adults, not kids ("No Cute Kids, No Cute
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Robots. Ever!"), doing for science fiction what "Hill Street Blues"
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did for police shows. It would also have to be done on a reasonable
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budget and it should look like nothing ever seen on TV. And to make
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it a series, it would not be just individual stories (alien attack/
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possession/misunderstanding of the week), the stories would be part
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of an overall larger story, but still watchable each week as a
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separate chapter.
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From all indications, JMS is accomplishing what he set out to do.
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The pilot movie pre-production and filming came in UNDER budget and
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on schedule. In information given out so far, there is no sign of
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any kids or robots. Many noted science fiction authors have given
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very favorable comments on Babylon 5. And it has all been done with
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no interference from Warner Bros. in the creative area. Presentations
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by JMS at various science fiction conventions have gotten very
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positive responses from the fans.
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4. Who else will be working on Babylon 5?
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Richard Compton, Director: Richard has worked a lot on TV, including
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The Equalizer, ST:TNG ("Haven"), and many TV movies.
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The production team includes:
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Ron Thornton (Computer EFX): Computer Graphics expert.
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John Iacovelli (Production designer) Has worked on "Honey I Shrunk
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the Kids".
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Billy Dickson (Director of Cinematography)
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Bob Brown (Production Manager/Line Producer): Producer and/or
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production manager on War of the Roses, Indiana Jones & the Temple of
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Doom, Return of the Jedi, Iceman and Childs Play (all three).
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Mary Jo Slater (Casting Director) Did casting for the revived Dark Shadows,
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Intruders mini-series, and Star Trek VI.
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Stewart Copeland (Musical Score) formerly of The Police. He has done music
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for The Equalizer TV series as well as the Francis Ford Coppola movie
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"Rumblefish".
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It is intended to have many science fiction writers involved with the
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show when it goes to series. Names that have been mentioned include
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Harlan Ellison (who is writing "The Babylon 5 Manifest" which is a guide
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on how to write Science Fiction for TV), David Gerrold (rumored to be
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writing the novelization of the pilot), Walter Koenig (who may write
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for the show as well as turn up as a guest star).
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5. Who has been cast for the show?
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Michael O'Hare (Commander Jeffrey Sinclair):
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Movies: By A Thread; Into Thin Air; Pursuit; Short Term Bonds;
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The Promise.
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TV: Rage of Angels; Adams Chronicles; Equalizer;LA Law;
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Case of Deadly Force; Blue Revolution; Kate and Allie.
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Broadway: A Few Good Men; Players; Man and Superman; Galileo.
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Tamlyn Tomita (Laurel Takashima)
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Movies: Come See The Paradise; Orange Curtain; Hawaiian Dream;
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The Karate Kid II; Vietnam, Texas
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TV: Quantum Leap ("Temptation Eyes); The Trials of Rosie O'Neil;
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Tour of Duty; Santa Barbara (series regular); Raven (pilot)
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TV Movies: Hiroshima:Out of the Ashes; To Heal A Nation.
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Peter Jurasik (Ambassador Londo Mollari of the Centauri Republic):
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Movies: Problem Child; Enemy Mine; Tron; Straight Time; Mr. Jones
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TV: Columbo; Hill Street Blues; Beverly Hills Buntz; Civil Wars;
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Remington Steele; MacGyver.
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Andreas Katsulas (Ambassador G'Kar of the Narn Regime):
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Movies: Husbands and Wives; Sunset; Someone To Watch Over Me;
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Communion; Next of Kin; The Sicilian, True Identity
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TV: Star Trek:The Next Generation (Romulan Tomalok in episodes
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"The Defector", "The Enemy" and "Future Imperfect"); Alien Nation;
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The Equalizer; Max Headroom; The Human Factor; The Guiding Light
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TV Movies: The Death of the Incredible Hulk; Murder Times Seven;
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Seduction: Three Tales from the 'Inner Sanctum';
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Blaire Baron (Carolyn Sykes):
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Movies: A League of Their Own.
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Johnny Sekka (Dr. Benjamin Kyle):
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Movies: The Fever; Ashanti; Southern Star; Khartoum;
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Woman of Straw; Hanky Panky; A Warm December;
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TV: Roots Second Generation; Master of the Game; Kingston
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Confidential; Passion in Paradise
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Jerry Doyle (Security Chief Michael Garibaldi):
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Movies: Kidnapped; Being in Time
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TV: Reasonable Doubts; Homefront; Bold and Beautiful;
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Moonlighting.
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Mira Furlan (Minbari Ambassador Delenn):
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Movies: When Father Was Away on Business; Three For Happiness;
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Dear Video; Southbound; The Condemned; The Beauty of Sin.
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Patricia Tallman (Lyta Alexander):
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Movies: Night of the Living Dead (remake); Army of Darkness;
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Sweet Justice; Knightriders; Monsignore; Roadhouse;
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TV: Generations; Tales from the Darkside; Miracles;
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Guiding Light.
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Vorlon Ambassador Kosh Naranek: Himself (i.e. animatronics)
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6. How much of the series is planned out already?
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As part of the development of "Babylon 5", a five year arc has been
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planned as if it were a five year miniseries. Events have been
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planned for each season, which will tell a larger story over time.
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There is plenty of room for individual stories within each season.
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There is also a writers guide as well as much backstory on the
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Babylon 5 universe.
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7. How has Babylon 5's development progressed?
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Spring/Summer 1987: BABYLON 5 treatment created by J. Michael
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Straczynski, also writer's bible.
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May 1988: artist Peter Ledger hired to design a BABYLON 5 logo,
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and to do a series of paintings based on the treatment and bible,
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which were then used for various presentations.
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Summer/Fall 1988: BABYLON 5 pitched to CBS, HBO, ABC and others.
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March 1989: BABYLON 5 pitched to Chris-Craft Television, a
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consortium of stations. CCT pledges support of B5, and attempts are
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made throughout 1988 and 1989 to create co-production deals with
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foreign investors.
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June/July 1989: BABYLON 5 submitted/pitched to Paramount.
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December 1989: BABYLON 5 receives additional pledge of support
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from Warner Bros., which begins working with CCT to form fifth network
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at same time.
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November 1991: BABYLON 5 announced as one of three flagship
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projects for the Primetime Network (Warners and the TV Consortium).
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The trades carry the story extensively.
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June,July, 1992 - Casting for the pilot movie.
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August 10th, 1992 - Filming on the pilot movie begins.
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September 4th, 1992 - Filming ends on the pilot movie.
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November 7th, 1992 - First showing of pilot movie to a convention audience
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at Wishcon II in Springfield, Mass.
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November 28th, 1992 - First announced showing of pilot movie to a convention
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audience at Loscon 19 in Los Angeles, Ca.
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January 14, 1993 - Final edit of pilot movie completed.
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February 19 & 20, 1993 - Satellite feed of pilot movie to local stations
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Week of February 22nd, 1993 - TV debut of the pilot movie.
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Fall, 1993 - Start of weekly series?
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8. Which TV stations will air Babylon 5?
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Most of the the stations that are part of the Prime Time
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Entertainment Network are independent stations or part of the
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Fox Network. For a detailed list of stations, refer to the
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Babylon 5 / PTEN station list available separately.
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The satellite feed of the pilot movie is scheduled for
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February 19 at 1:30 am to 3:45 a.m. ET T301 transponder 9H (18)
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February 20 at 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET T301 transponder 2V (3).
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As with the sat feed of the other PTEN shows, expect the blank
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spaces for local commercials to run the full time (i.e. 2 minutes
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of blank space instead of a few seconds for a 2 minute local
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commercial break).
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9. How certain is the show to be a series and how can you help?
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According to JMS, a series is very likely, the main question is
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when it will happen. With PTEN having already started with two
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series ("Time Trax" and "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues"), in order
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to start up a third series, it will either have to replace one of
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the existing ones or be part of a second night of programming
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(in which case a fourth show is needed). How soon this happens
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depends both on the ratings of the two series that started in
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January and the ratings and viewer response to the "Babylon 5"
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movie.
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JMS has asked fans to write and call their local stations once the
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show airs to let them know you like it. After calling them,
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letters to Warner Bros would help as well. Write to:
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Dick Robertson
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Vice President Domestic Television Distribution
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Warner Bros. Television
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4000 Warner Boulevard
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Burbank, CA 91522.
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If you would like to write to Babylon 5's creator, send mail to:
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J. Michael Straczynski
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14431 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 260
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Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
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10. Once the show goes to series, can I submit a script?
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JMS has said that for the first season, all scripts will be done
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"in-house", utilizing writers that Joe has worked with before and
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that he can work closely with in getting the series started.
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JMS plans to start accepting scripts for the second season and
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will announce submittal specifics at that time.
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11. Where can I find out more about Babylon 5?
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a) On the GEnie Science Fiction RoundTable, there is a Babylon 5 category
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where JMS talks with the fans about the show, both production and story
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info. Most of the information in this FAQ came from this category. It is
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located at Page 471, Category 18. Archives of past messages are available
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in the GEnie SFRT files areas. In honor of the fans who are involved with
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this group, the specific location of Babylon 5 corresponds to the original
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location of the GEnie topic (Grid Epsilon 470,18,22). A split of the GEnie
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SFRT in November, 1992 created the Babylon 5 category, moving the original
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topic into the new category.
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b) Available on GEnie and Compuserve, in their respective science fiction
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file areas, are various text files and two GIF files, one of the Babylon 5
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space station and another of a Vorlon ship.
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c) The Official Babylon 5 Newsletter
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A Babylon 5 newsletter is being produced with the cooperation
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of J. Michael Straczynski by Christy Marx. The first issue was
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made available for free and some copies may still be available.
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To receive the additional issues, send a $5 check or money order
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to Christy Marx, Editor - BABYLON 5 NEWSLETTER, P.O. Box 2325,
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Oakhurst, CA 93644.
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d) Call NewTek at (800) 765-3406 and request a copy of their latest demo
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tape. This tape contains a moving Babylon 5 station, and a starship
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that is also used in the first part of the B5 demo itself,
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though the two are shown in reverse order. This is animation from
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the early stages of development.
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e) Broadcasting Magazine: July 13th issue has an article on Babylon 5
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including a nice color photo of the Babylon 5 station. Check your local
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libraries. A later issue has an article on the special effects being
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done for the show.
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f) Starlog Magazine Articles:
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Starlog Spectacular #4, March 1992, page 54. Article on NewTek's Video
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Toaster. The photo that fills the bottom half of the page is an early
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version of the Babylon 5 station.
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Starlog: September, 1992 Has a feature article on Babylon 5.
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NOTE: The pictures with the articles are either outdated or have
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little, if anything, to do with Babylon 5.
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Starlog Spectacular, Jan 1993 : Feature article with many pictures from
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the computer animation done for the show.
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Starlog: February, 1993 has an interview with Andreas Katsulas where he
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talks about his involvement with Babylon 5 and other genre appearances.
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g) Science Fiction Conventions: J. Michael Straczynski has been attending
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science fiction conventions when possible to promote Babylon 5.
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Appearances so far have included LosCon 18, Galllifrey One in 3D,
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WesterColt .45, the San Diego Comic Con, WishCon II, and LosCon 19.
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Upcoming con appearances planned by J. Michael Straczynski include:
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Gallifrey One Goes Forth, Los Angeles - February 26-28, 1993
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Con-Dor, San Diego, CA - March 6-7, 1993
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Bay-Con, San Francisco - Memorial Day weekend
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Also, Arne Starr, Artist on the DC Comics Star Trek series has been
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making Babylon 5 presentations at cons he has appeared at.
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Creation Entertainment is currently showing a Babylon 5
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promotional tape at their conventions.
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h) Cinefantastique Magazine Articles:
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December 1992 issue has a two page article on Babylon 5.
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January, 1993 issue has a 20 page feature article/cover story.
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i) E! Televsion has produced a "Making of Babylon 5" special which has
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aired on E! Television and will also air on the TV stations carrying
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Babylon 5 early in 1993. Note that one segment of the special focused on
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some of the animatronics used for background characters seen only
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briefly (if at all).
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j) USENET/INTERNET sources:
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alt.tv.babylon5 was created the week of Feb 15th. Check to see if
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you have access to it.
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rec.arts.sf.tv is also appropriate for posts regarding Babylon 5.
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Cross-posting to rec.arts.tv and rec.arts.startrek.misc should only
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be done when necessary.
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The Babylon 5 mailing list:
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The original Babylon 5 mailing list has been moved to
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babylon5-l@isuvax.iastate.edu. Management of the list is handled
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through the mailserv account. The following commands are those that
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can be invoked by mailing mailserv@isuvax.iastate.edu:
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HELP - sends a help file similar to this one.
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INDEX - send a list of files available
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INFO - same as help
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LISTS - what mailing lists are located at isuvax.iastate.edu
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SEND - send the requested file found via the "index" command
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SEND/LIST BABYLON5-L - sends a list of subscribers of the mailing list
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SUBSCRIBE BABYLON5-L - subscribes you to the mailing list
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UNSUBSCRIBE BABYLON5-L - unsubscribes from the mailing list.
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all of these commands should be in the body of the message,
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the subject can be anything.
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NOTES: Send any requests to mailserv@isuvax.iastate.edu.
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Send messages to babylon5-l@isuvax.iastate.edu.
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FTP sites:
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coe.montana.edu (192.31.215.240) has a Babylon 5 files area in
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/ftp/pub/TV/Guides/babylon-5
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ftp.hyperion.com (192.65.216.1) has a Babylon 5 files area that
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includes Babylon 5 mailing list digests, GIF files, and other
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information files in /pub/Babylon-5
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k) Other Lists (available at the hyperion FTP site):
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The Babylon 5 / Prime Time Entertainment Network Station list.
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Posted occasionally to rec.arts.sf.tv and rec.arts.tv.
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The Babylon 5 Actors Other Roles list (also included in this FAQL)
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The Babylon 5 Grid Epsilon Log - Detailed information, backstory and
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character profiles posted by J. Michael Straczynski on GEnie,
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compiled by Phil Posner. (B5REVISE.TXT on GEnie)
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12. Miscellaneous Info
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a. Merchandising:
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Licensing Company of America, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. is handling
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the licensing of Babylon 5 products.
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Creation Conventions has licensed some products already, like t-shirts,
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hats, etc.
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Electronic Arts has licensed the rights to a computer game based on
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Babylon 5.
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A novel based on the pilot movie is planned when the show goes to series.
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David Gerrold is lined up to write it.
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A Comic adaptation should happen, most likely with DC comics. Nothing
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has been announced yet, though.
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b. Fans influence on the show:
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Partially due to fan response from those who have seen the pilot movie
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or clips, some things in the pilot movie were changed:
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The voice of Delenn will be Mira Furlan's voice without any processing
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and Delenn will be female to begin with. Original plans were to
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electronically process her voice and have Delenn change sex during the
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series.
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Some additional voice-over was done by Patricia Tallman to clarify one
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scene in the show.
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13. What is Babylon 5 About?
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Babylon 5 is set in the year 2257 A.D. on a 5 kilometer long
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space station in neutral space. It was constructed by the
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Earth Alliance to help keep the peace between the EA and
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four other alien alliances of which Babylon 5 is centrally
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located between. Each of the alliances has an official
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representative on the station.
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These include the Earth Alliance, represented by Commander
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Jeffrey Sinclair, who is in charge of Babylon 5.
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The Minbari, represented by Ambassador Delenn. The Minbari
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waged a war with the Earth Alliance 10 years earlier and
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mysteriously surrendered on the brink of victory.
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The Centauri Republic, represented by Londo Mollari. The
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Centauri Republic was the first to make contact with Earth
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and helped advance their technology. However, they are
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really on the decline, much like the decline of the Britsh
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Empire.
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The Narn Regime, represented by Ambassador G'Kar. The Narn
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were previously under the control of The Centauri Republic
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but rebelled and are now independent and growing in influence.
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The Vorlons, represented by Ambassador Kosh Naranek. The
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Vorlons have avoided contact with the other alliances and
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are a mystery. They have agreed to participate with Babylon 5
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and the arrival of Kosh is central to the opening pilot movie.
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Other major characters include:
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Vice-Commander Laurel Takashima who is second in command of
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Babylon 5 and is in charge of the day-to-day operations of
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the station. She's smart and resourceful and can take care
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of herself quite well.
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Security Chief Michael Garibaldi is in charge of security on
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Babylon 5. He has a troubled past but was picked by Sinclair
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for the job.
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Dr. Benjamin Kyle is the ship's resident xenobiologist. He's
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an expert on alien medicine and took the Babylon 5 position to
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have the aliens come to him, instead of him traveling to the
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aliens.
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Lyta Alexander is a Rent-a-Telepath on the station. Telepaths
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are used regularly in business dealings and are regulated with
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strict rules set by the Psi-Corps.
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Carolyn Sykes is Sinclair's romantic interest and is the owner
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|
and pilot of a trading vessel. She's known Sinclair for quite
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|
a while and is very independent.
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For additonal (and much more detailed) information, refer to
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the Babylon 5 Grid Epsilon Log text file (see FAQL item #11).
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11. What kind of Special Effects will Babylon 5 have?
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All space visual effects for Babylon 5 will be comuter generated.
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Ron Thornton is utilizing specialized software in conjunction with
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NewTek's Video Toaster to design and render the visual effects.
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The only models used on the show will be computer models.
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*****************************************************************
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The Babylon 5 Frequently Asked Questions List
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Some of the information contained in this FAQL is based on posts by
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|
J. Michael Straczynski in the Babylon 5 category in the GEnie Science
|
|
Fiction Roundtable (Page 471; Cat 18).
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Compiled by Lee Whiteside L.WHITESIDE (GEnie)
|
|
76044,502 (Compuserve)
|
|
elw@cup.portal.com (USENET)
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|
P14942@email.mot.com (INTERNET for e-mail)
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Sysop of the Magrathea/SEVAC BBS (602)833-9216
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