Let me end the silence...(some spoilers)

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Its amazing that I feel so passionate about a pilot I've never seen and I just know that if Rangers becomes a series, it will deliver the goods. I've never doubted JMS' talent for reaching the parts many other TV writers fail to reach. His scripts have always surprised me and he has fed my imagination like no other (difficult as I have a very vivid imagination).
Even during Crusade's darkest hours, I could see that this show would hit the mark and the unproduced scripts proved this - some of the best I've read.

Basically, like all of you, I need more stories based in the B5 universe when the vast majority of TV is braindead.
Just reading the posts from all the actors involved in the pilot proves to me that JMS picked a good bunch and I hope they all get a chance to shine again.

SCI-FI Channel must know they are onto a good thing here...

------------------
'I plan to live forever, or die trying' - Villa Blake's 7

 

[Shaal Mayan]

Dylan I re-read what you wrote and I didn't take in to consideration the SanDiego effect to me it was only city and to my mind one city wasn't going to put a series on the air I have this odd habit of not thinking before posting.All is forgiven I hope.

------------------


[This message has been edited by Shaal Mayan (edited January 25, 2002).]

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Thank you for your comments!

I do hope that Sci-Fi Channel realizes the statistical situation, and that others manage to draw their attention to this.

Assuming that they don't mind comments, feedback or a tentative recommendation, I will present my thanks and opinions to both the Sci-Fi Channel and Warner Bros.

------------------
"We are the universe, trying to figure itself out.
Unfortunately we as software lack any coherent documentation."
-- Delenn

 

[CaptJodan]

Well...hmm. First off, I'd like to give a HUGE thanks to Dylan, as well as all the cast and crew for posting here. If only there were more people such as yourselves willing to....confirm what we've already heard, yes. We can only hope that Sci fi takes a similar chance, and still decides to go for a series. A huge thanks to Dylan for the confirmation, though. Not many actors I know who post to standard fan based boards, let alone confirming reports.

It is very unfortunate that such a thing happened, however, it is a very small skin off my nose, and I believe a small deal to most people, to simply write Sci-Fi and show the support. Whether or not it helps them make the choice they should make, it is pretty much no skin of our noses, and even if it's never read by the execs, it's still worth the chance that it might be. (No, I'm not a cheerleader, just stating practically fact)

In the meantime, while I write letters to Scifi, I will encourge all other "Rangers" to continue to gather what information we can so that we can get a clear picture on what is going on. I'll give up when the Sci Fi exec sings, but not before. Too much work has been done to get this far, if you ask me. (I think we deserve a victory every now and then)

I'm starting to incoherantly rant...better stop. Anyway....gotta go write up now.

------------------
It's like I've always said, you can get more with a kind word and a 2 by 4 than you can with just a kind word.

 

[hypatia]

I have mailed two letters, one to Bonnie Hammer and one to Tom Olson. It did not occur to me to write to Warner Brothers, but that is a good idea. I don't know any of the sponsors addresses, but if someone posts them I can get a letter out pretty quickly now that the "master" is safely on disk!

------------------
"The Bible is a book: it is a good book, but is is not the only book" - Inherit the Wind

"I do not believe that the same God who
has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."—Galileo

hypatia@b5fan.b5lr.com

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Why does this all seem so familiar....?

Lorien was wrong.

------------------
Marc Cosgrove

"From chaos, order came. As was inevitable." -Summoning light

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Hypatia:

The sponsor list is here. If you (or anyone else who wants a copy) send me an e-mail I can also reply with an attachment in either comma-delimited ASCII or Excel format. All ready for doing a mail-merge.

Writing to Warner Bros. can't hurt, but, like taking aspirin for a tumor, probably can't help much, either. They want to do a series. Any series, for anybody. That's one of the ways they make money. But it isn't their call. They can't just go ahead and produce Rangers at their own expense if there isn't a network to carry it. So Sci-Fi is the key.

Given the ratings situation, I think that sponsor letters could be far more important than I was hoping they'd be.

Regards,

Joe

------------------
Joseph DeMartino
Sigh Corps
Pat Tallman Division
joseph-demartino@att.net

 

[Deviot]

Hmmn this news is disappointing but there is hope..I have faith.

Damn sports...

Thankyou Dylan for coming here and posting what you have everyone here at B5LR.com are very much appreciative of you efforts.



------------------
Deviot
Lincbot@yahoo.com.au

 

[hypatia]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Joseph DeMartino:
Hypatia:

The sponsor list is here. If you (or anyone else who wants a copy) send me an e-mail I can also reply with an attachment in either comma-delimited ASCII or Excel format. All ready for doing a mail-merge.

Writing to Warner Bros. can't hurt, but, like taking aspirin for a tumor, probably can't help much, either. They want to do a series. Any series, for anybody. That's one of the ways they make money. But it isn't their call. They can't just go ahead and produce Rangers at their own expense if there isn't a network to carry it. So Sci-Fi is the key.

Given the ratings situation, I think that sponsor letters could be far more important than I was hoping they'd be.

Regards,

Joe

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Thanks, Joe! You truly are the information man around here. With your long list of sponsors, I certainly don't need to write Warner Brothers. And you make a good point, they already want to do the series.

Is there any chance WB might shop around for another network, though? I thought I heard a long time ago that they were planning to do just that if Sci-Fi did pass on the opportunity of hosting the "Rangers" series.


------------------
"The Bible is a book: it is a good book, but is is not the only book" - Inherit the Wind

"I do not believe that the same God who
has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."—Galileo

hypatia@b5fan.b5lr.com

 

[Great_Dying]

My letter is in the mail.

Rangers has far too much potential to let it fall into the cracks of great television that never was.

------------------
"No, they never end as tales," said Frodo. "But the people in them come, and go when their part's ended. Our part will end later - or sooner." - Frodo to Sam in "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol" The Two Towers, The Lord of The Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Dylan Neal, I was extremely satisfied
with your acting performance. My wife and I loved the character alot. A dab of humor here, a touch of sarcasm there. A taste of mystery about your past, hidden somewhere behind your brow. Don't alter a thing...
I am aware that over a story arc, a character is going to go through transitions, but that's to be expected. All par for the coarse naturally... It will be quite the adventure to see what Straczynski does with your character next.

That's unfortunate about the game and all.
But I hope and pray the higher ups are wise enough to see that it was a timing issue, not a popularity issue. I know that in Hollywood, it's money that does all the talking and making it. But just as long as the corporate heads don't forget that B-5 has always been the under dog. But just look at the cult following now. The fans that flood this web sight prove that Nelson Ratings aren't as accurate as they think and there is alot more B-5 fans out there then I think they know. As for the B-5 LR fan base,it grows by the hour. For every one negative person, there is ten positive. So keep promoting that positive attitude Dylan, trust me this thing is going to rock and roll!!!

Case in point, classic Star Trek only ran for a few seasons. But by the time the major film came out, it had become a juggernaut franchise. In contrast to Star Trek, B-5 has been around not even half as long. Yet look at the fan out pouring. So.... If the fans are like this now....
Hey people.... Do the math!!! Corporate is sitting on a freak-in gold mine here and they don't even know it.

Alex Zaharah, you got that whole Minbari thing down real well. Keep up the good work.

As always, my wife and I's fan favvvvvv is the one and only G'kar (Andreas Katsulas), he just smoked it as usual... That whole "love love, kiss kiss," thing made me roll on the floor in tears laughing. He is such a talented actor and he get's such great one liners. What a honor it would be to be working with him. You must be very proud Dylan. And I'm not just paying lip service here. Having formerly taken extensive acting lessons myself through a agency. [Atleast until I went back to college] I know the kind of talent that this man displays.... Wow! Even my Dad was impressed with him and my Dad is very hard to impress. So that's a real compliment and you were working right along side of him.
Sooooo so very COOL!!!!!..........

Dylan, your future is looking very bright as well.

To all of the cast and crew of the series, a big hats off and a saaaaaaaaalute!!!!!

I completely comply with the message board member GaribaldiHairs. Here here my friend.
And a hardy pat on the back... We as fans have got to stick together.

Message board writer Shaal Mayan, why the downtroddenness. "This is not the end. This is not the beginning of the end. This is the end of the beginning." (From the movie Millenium) Keep the faith Shaal. Remember, it's talk like that that gets network executives to cancel shows. Let's not be our own whorst enemy here. Think POSITIVE positive here alright? Chin up... Smile....

To message board writer ChiLlBeserker,
come on man. There never is a situation bad enough to constitute drugs. I'm sure there is lots of people who would contest this, but
heh.... Life's to short to fry all of your synapses.... Let's be real here. I've been through lots of stuff in my life, but drugs is the one place I'm not going. You can be high on life with out being high on drugs. I know this life can really suck sometimes, but don't get bogged down bye it. Dig? Stay cool, stay far away from that crap, trust me....

Allllllllllll rightie then, WOAH yeah. I'm pumped!
Bring on the new series.................

(Drill Instrutor Style)Alright people, you know what to do!!! Spread the word by ever means within the realm of possibility! Alright ladies.... No more whinning.... We've got work to do. Are we mice or men? Suck your tummy in, inflate your chests, stand straight, chin up.... Alright!!!!! Let's GO GET UM! Move it , move it , move it. OOHRAH... UHHH! Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful).

JMS rules!!!!

----------
"You have always been here." Kosh (Speaking to Sheridan, from: All Alone In The Night)

"Love to stay, can't, have to go, kiss kiss, love love, bye." G'Kar (B-5 LR)

------------------
Steven S McLaughlin

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Is there any chance WB might shop around for another network, though?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Theoretically, yes. Sci-Fi must have some kind of right of first refusal, and probably the right to run the movie "x" number of time or an exclusive for "y" number of months. After that, or as soon as they give WB a definite, "No", Warner Bros. would be free to sell the show to another network or into first-run syndication.

But where? The major broadcast networks haven't done a space-based SF show since Space: Good-bye and Good Luck on Fox. (I don't count UPN as a major network, and besides, Trek in some form has been their flagship show since the network was launched. Unique situation.)

Since the advent of UPN and the WB the syndication market has shrunk substantially compared to the old PTEN days. There are fewer independent stations and fewer off-network hours available on the network affiliates.

Somehow I don't see them going to TNT.

The WB? Probably the wrong demographics, and from what I've heard the people over there still have a grudge against PTEN and everything related to it. (Which they think stalled the birth of their network. Another reason why The WB never was never even considered as a home for B5 S5 or Crusade, according to JMS.)

If Sci-Fi turns it down it is unlikely that the more mainstream USA would want it. The National Network? The guys who beat Sci-Fi for the Trek rights? Don't know if they'd be interested. (Besides, I wouldn't put it past Paramount to have put a "no B5" clause in their TNN contract that would bar the network from airing both shows.

)

So where, besides Sci-Fi, do you sell something like this?

I'm afraid that they're truly our, "last best hope."

Regards,

Joe

------------------
Joseph DeMartino
Sigh Corps
Pat Tallman Division
joseph-demartino@att.net

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Joseph DeMartino:

Hang in there. Timing and things beyond our control can often screw us up, but in the cold light of day they have to realize that an NFL play-off game, in primetime, pulling record ratings, is tidal wave that is going to swamp a small boat like Rangers every time.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I wish it was that easy....I don't remember which series it was, but one network cancelled a new series for not drawing a large enough audience when the network had placed that series in the same time slot as "Who wants to be a millionaire?" during its heyday. I have absolutely no trust into rational thought among program directors. Maybe SciFi is the exception....I'm certainly considering giving it a try.

------------------
If I tell you my name is Lorien, what good is that?

(Whatever happened to Mr. Garibaldi?)

 

[hypatia]

On to the sponsors, then! In this economy, maybe they will be extra attentive to potential buyers.

------------------
"The Bible is a book: it is a good book, but is is not the only book" - Inherit the Wind

"I do not believe that the same God who
has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."—Galileo

hypatia@b5fan.b5lr.com

 

[Great_Dying]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Origionally posted by: Joseph DeMartino

So where, besides Sci-Fi, do you sell something like this?

I'm afraid that they're truly our, "last best hope."<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Assuming that life really does imitate art , and assuming that this art is not a tragedy (and I should hope not after all) then. . .

Our last best hope is bound to succeed.

Here's to optimism.

Edit: And Here's to bad grammer!

------------------
"No, they never end as tales," said Frodo. "But the people in them come, and go when their part's ended. Our part will end later - or sooner." - Frodo to Sam in "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol" The Two Towers, The Lord of The Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien

[This message has been edited by Great_Dying (edited January 25, 2002).]

 

[Emfeeli]

Well, just in response to the NFL game kicking our asses--

I'm a huge football fan (Jets and Giants), and so is my brother. I made him watch B5lr, but switched to the game on commercial-brakes. Anyway, my point is simple--B5 and Football rock...I skipped a kick-ass snow-game for a kick-ass movie.

I think I made the right choice.

Here's to a long life, and a great cast. And great fans.

Phil

------------------
"And that, Mollari, is why it will not be your people, or mine, or the Gaim, or the Drazi or the Vorlons or the Shadows who in the end will stand astride the galaxy like giants. It will be the humans."
"I think you are the one who is mad, G'kar," Londo said. "I can choose just as well as the humans. I can choose to stay in this cell, with you, or I can choose to leave."
"Yes, but can you choose for there not to be a cell at all?"
"I don't understand," Londo said.
"Exactly," G'kar said. "Exactly."

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>I don't remember which series it was, but one network cancelled a new series for not drawing a large enough audience when the network had placed that series in the same time slot as "Who wants to be a millionaire?"<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

So what should that network have run in that timeslot? A test pattern? They had to put something up against Millionaire.

This is comparing apples and oranges.

You're talking about a regularly scheduled show getting crushed by another in its normal timeslot. A network can't afford to just "give up" a timeslot and all its related revenue, not matter what its show is up against. If they can't pull viewers away from Millionaire they sure as hell had better be trying to pull them away from whatever shows are on the other networks. So if a show isn't performing it gets yanked, and the network keeps doing this until it finds a show that will do better in that timeslot.

Regular series are any networks bread and butter, and they live or die with each timeslot won or lost. The rules for TV movies, even back-door pilots, are different. For one thing Sci-Fi was supposedly hoping for a rating far in excess of what their series episodes typically draw.

The Rangers debut was a one-time event designed to see what kind of interest the concept might draw and it was beaten by another one-time event that freakishly drew the best ratings a show of that type had pulled in five years. Reversing a trend of boring play-off blow-outs, the game was actually interesting, for a change, and went into overtime.

This is nothing like the situation you described.

Regards,

Joe

------------------
Joseph DeMartino
Sigh Corps
Pat Tallman Division
joseph-demartino@att.net

 

[wipster]

My letters are in the mail and my e-mails are sent. But, for all of you still writing, be sure to include (as I believe Jomar said) how you taped it and have watched it several times since, whether you were watching the game or not. I personally left a night or drinking and debachery (sic) Centauri-style just so I could watch it when it was on...I wasn't planning to, I was planning on watching the tape, but I couldn't resist!

And I wasn't disappointed! Dylan, you and the rest of the crew (especially Alex...hope you feel better soon) were excellent. You guys and gals geled instantly, unlike that other new show on now in the ST universe. 5 just hope and pray to the maker that SciFi knows what they have, and I think Ms. Hammer is smart enough to figure it out.

I wish they could do the stats for the Tri-Cities in Washington State...we have a big B5 fan base here (a lot of scientists 'cause we have a national laboratory here) and I'll bet it was more than 3.2...probably closer to 7.

God, if this goes to series and B5 comes out on DVD, I'll have to have a portapotty and refrigerator installed on my La-Z-Boy.

------------------
Wipster

"Live Long in Prosser"

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Thanks for the heads up Joe DeMartino. But let's not start talking channel station changes just yet. Even though I know it's in response to what someone asked. As you said, "We are their last best hope." So let's keep some positive thinking and hope alive here. You being both wise and realistic I know understand this.

It isn't over tell the fat lady sings. Unless there is something you know Joe that JMS told you that we don't know.

Reguardless, all the more reason to stand against the grain people. Neutralize all negative thought. Let's let the majority will this thing into being. PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE PEOPLE!!!!!

"You have always been here." Kosh (Speaking to Sheridan, from: All Alone In The Night)

------------------
Steven S McLaughlin

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Joseph DeMartino:
So what should that network have run in that timeslot? A test pattern? They had to put something up against Millionaire.

This is comparing apples and oranges.

...

This is nothing like the situation you described.

Regards,

Joe

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, it is. Because it wasn't an established series, it was a new series. It was nothing you had any chance to catch a decent audience with. When you have the choice between watching something that _might_ be fun, but might just as well _suck_, or watching something that you know is fun, chances are you will do the latter. There's a difference between putting a new series with a new concept against Millionaire or, for example, something of the caliber of Law and Order or ER. With those, you might lure get a decent audience in such slots. But it's not giving a new series a chance to gather an audience. Especially not if you can the series quicker than word of mouth can spread that it's actually good.


------------------
If I tell you my name is Lorien, what good is that?

(Whatever happened to Mr. Garibaldi?)