DVD Actor Commentaries

[Tarondor]

I really enjoy hearing the actor commentaries on the DVD, but I wonder if Bruce Boxleitner is the only one who actually watches the episodes before commenting on them. No one else seems to know what's going on (or care). It's pretty clear that Boxleitner does understand the storyline well.

Also, I wonder why Mira Furlan and Andreas Katsulas were never asked to take part in the commentaries? I'd have loved to hear their comments.

 

[Sindatur]

I really enjoy hearing the actor commentaries on the DVD, but I wonder if Bruce Boxleitner is the only one who actually watches the episodes before commenting on them. No one else seems to know what's going on (or care). It's pretty clear that Boxleitner does understand the storyline well.

Also, I wonder why Mira Furlan and Andreas Katsulas were never asked to take part in the commentaries? I'd have loved to hear their comments.

Eh...the Actor commentaries (Up to S3, I haven't watched the S4 or S5 commentaries yet) are cute fun, but they really don't add anything. I would've preferred to see a serious commentary of the same episodes, also included (Or instead of the hijinx). The JMS commentaries are great and informative (Although alot of us know a good deal of it already, it's still enlightening to hear it all strung together)

Yes, Andreas and Mira, would've been nice to hear on the Commentaries, and maybe added to the episode, as the JMS commentaries do.

 

[Tarondor]

"Cute fun". Yeah, that's about right.

But I have to say that I enjoy them more than the JMS commentaries. For such a great writer and producer, he doesn't seem overly warm or kind. He revels too much in his own victories without giving others (cast and crew) enough credit, in my opinion.

 

[hypatia]

...(snip)...
Also, I wonder why Mira Furlan and Andreas Katsulas were never asked to take part in the commentaries? I'd have loved to hear their comments.

Keep in mind that some people feel it is wrong to give away their time and effort for free. IIRC, Andreas simply wanted some kind of compensation for his time, effort, and such, but WB has not been compensating the actors for their contributions to the DVD's.

Despite the fact that WB is making pretty good money from their DVD sales right now.

I even think JMS has said that he understands this, and would never ask someone to donate their time if they don't feel it is right to do so.

 

[B5_Obsessed]

But I have to say that I enjoy them more than the JMS commentaries.

I like them both for different reasons. The cast commentaries DO make me laugh out loud. I enjoy the jokes and comments from the cast - even if I do want to reach into the screen and shake them when they say something that is just sooooooooo wrong.

For such a great writer and producer, he doesn't seem overly warm or kind. He revels too much in his own victories without giving others (cast and crew) enough credit, in my opinion.

Listen again. In his commentaries he constantly praises everyone from the cast down to the prop department, while referring to himself as "the stupid writer", as in "the stupid writer got preachy in this scene."

Keep in mind that some people feel it is wrong to give away their time and effort for free. IIRC, Andreas simply wanted some kind of compensation for his time, effort, and such, but WB has not been compensating the actors for their contributions to the DVD's.

Originally, Andreas and Peter both wanted to be paid IIRC. I guess Peter couldn't resist joining in.

 

[Sindatur]

I agree with B5_Obsessed, JMS trashes himself throughout his commentaries, "I didn't like the way that came off...", or "I got preachy on this bit here, but so and so pulled it off fantastically despite that...", etc. And at the same time gives credit to cast and crew for how close they came to doing the impossible he was asking of them.

 

[Tarondor]

Yeah, alright. I admit I may have been wrong. I do think highly of his abilities and judgment.

Tarondor

 

[Tarondor]

Keep in mind that some people feel it is wrong to give away their time and effort for free. IIRC, Andreas simply wanted some kind of compensation for his time, effort, and such, but WB has not been compensating the actors for their contributions to the DVD's.

From the sound of it, there wasn't much effort for most of the cast commentators, and the time added up to little more than the 44-minute running time plus the drive to the studio.

Still, I agree that they should have been remunerated. Bagles and coffee, at least.

 

[B5_Obsessed]

From the sound of it, there wasn't much effort for most of the cast commentators, and the time added up to little more than the 44-minute running time plus the drive to the studio.

Still, I agree that they should have been remunerated. Bagles and coffee, at least.

And in the case of Season 4, Peter Jurasik didn't even have to drive. They had him on some kind of satellite linkup from North Carolina that made him sound like he was right in the room.

 

[ElScorcho]

The thing I've always found about DVD commentaries in general, moreso with TV shows, is that the insight diminishes exponentially by the number of people doing the commenting. With 2-3 actors/director, the experience is optimal. More than that and it just turns into a nostalgia-fest, generally digressing into teasing and mocking one anothers' performances. It's amusing to listen to something like that once, but not repeatedly or if you're trying to pay attention to the action.

Bruce's input is definitely more serious than the others. It's often been impled that he was the most enthusiastic castmember, and being the lead, he'd have a vested interest in the entire screenplay. (Some supporting actors only concern themselves with their own scenes, apparently.) JMS commentaries are always insightful, but without a soundingboard, he often gets repetative or goes off on tangents. It would have been nice if he and Bruce would have teamed up on a commentary or two.

 

[phoenixrising]

In one of the episode commentaries (I can't remember which one and am feeling too lazy to look through the DVD's to find it) when Andreas Katsulas and Peter jurasik appear on screen in the credits, JMS refers to them a God and Demi-God, respectively. If that's not giving the actors credit, I don't know what is.

In most on them, JMS gives quite a few interesting little tidbits (and a few rants about thing he would change given the chance) and very little of the self-congratulating mentioned.

My favorite commentaries for any show are the ones by Joss Whedon for Buffy. This man does not take himself seriously and offers some often hilarious insights on things.

 

[FlarnChef]

...(snip)...
Also, I wonder why Mira Furlan and Andreas Katsulas were never asked to take part in the commentaries? I'd have loved to hear their comments.

Keep in mind that some people feel it is wrong to give away their time and effort for free. IIRC, Andreas simply wanted some kind of compensation for his time, effort, and such, but WB has not been compensating the actors for their contributions to the DVD's.

Despite the fact that WB is making pretty good money from their DVD sales right now.

I even think JMS has said that he understands this, and would never ask someone to donate their time if they don't feel it is right to do so.

Mira was displeased with the compensation-- or lack there of. With the monies the WB is making on the DVDs, the deal with the actors was damn near insulting.

 

[Tarondor]

The thing I've always found about DVD commentaries in general, moreso with TV shows, is that the insight diminishes exponentially by the number of people doing the commenting. With 2-3 actors/director, the experience is optimal.

Very true. And true in other things. All business meetings begin to lose utility in direct proportion to the number of people at the meeting. I try never to attend a meeting with more than three people present. A party, sure. But not anyplace where I expect to get work done.

 

[grumbler]

Absolutely agree. I think the best commentary was by Boxleitner, Doyle, and Christian. They got into a bit of hijinks, but they also had a lot of interesting things to say. Doyle's stock of interesting things to say was tapped out at that point, and I think he tried too hard to think of SOMETHING to say in the S3 commentary. I would MUCH have preferred to have a commentary on "And the Rock Cired Out..." featuring Louis Turenne and/or Mel Winkler so we could see the viewpoint of an outside actor asked to come into this sandbox and play it "cold." In fact, Boxleitner, Turrene and Katsulas would have made a "dream team" commentary, IMO.

 

[Oatley1]

The Season 2 & 3 actor commentaries were OK, but I got to say I was seriously annoyed with the commentary on Falling Towards Apotheosis... there was nothing there at all which interested me. OK, a little fun amoung the actors is fine, but the full 42 minutes??? I got bored half-way through...

 

[GeoKuutio]

The Season 2 & 3 actor commentaries were OK, but I got to say I was seriously annoyed with the commentary on Falling Towards Apotheosis... there was nothing there at all which interested me. OK, a little fun amoung the actors is fine, but the full 42 minutes??? I got bored half-way through...

I think that Doyle tried too hard to get own sound above else. I mean, I was annoyed that whenever Pat or Peter tried to say something he jumped in the middle of that and then started blabbing some shitty non-interesting... shit?

 

[macmaccaman]

Funny you should mention this, I was watching Geometry of Shadows with commentry and most of the time I was thinking "Shut up Jerry", most of the time when Mr BB was talking about something. A BB only commentry on a few of the episodes would have been amazing.

 

[KoshN]

Funny you should mention this, I was watching Geometry of Shadows with commentry and most of the time I was thinking "Shut up Jerry", most of the time when Mr BB was talking about something. A BB only commentry on a few of the episodes would have been amazing.

Yeah, same here. Jerry seemed like the guy who always interrupts, tries to dominate a discussion, and ends up getting the discussion sidetracked AWAY from any interesting points that the other castmembers brought up.

 

[Frizzell]

Amen! After the first go round, JD seemed to have nothing to say of any interest, but that did not stop him from prattling on over top of the other actors.

I enjoyed hearing what BB had to say. It was nice to see that his enthusiasm for the show has apparently not waned.


Frizzell

 

[rangerPHIL]

I always thought Bruce was gutted when B5 finished - he seemed to me to have enjoyed the whole experience. As for Jerry - who knows - maybe all of this banter is a red herring.

I too would have loved Miras' and Andreas's thoughts but I assume they were just too busy or wanted too much money.

One i would have loved would have been KEFFERS ( the pilot JMS killed off in S2 ) That would have been funny. ( in a bitter twisted kinda way )