More B5 on the way?

[vacantlook]

Moving back on topic, I sure hope we do get some really good news about some future Babylon 5; that'd be awesome. Over the past couple of years, I've been trying to get my best friend into watching the show. She's done so partially because she's enjoyed some moments and characters of it and partially out of politeness to me since I love the show. She's only just recently finished season two, and she's liking it more now than before. She and I are planning on hooking up soon, during which she can return my season 2 dvds and I can lend her season 3. It'd be nice if she ended up finishing up the show and I had some news that there was some big B5 movie coming down the way.

 

[Republibot 3.0]

You'll note that I didn't say anything bad about any Trek shows, either: I made a cheap slam at Trekies. I fully accept that it was broader than it needed to be, but I thought it implicit that "I'm not talking about all of them, just the ones that I'm talking about."

I mean, we're all B5 fans here, right? I thought the point of a place like this was so that don't have to watch our words for fear of offending the Roddenberry Orthodoxy.

 

[Bester]

Moving back on topic

I've been thinking about the importance of April. The beginning/end of the financial year? Are TV shows more likely to be dependent on such a factor, rather than feature films (which get commissioned all year round)?

 

[Republibot 3.0]

Moving back on topic

I've been thinking about the importance of April. The beginning/end of the financial year? Are TV shows more likely to be dependent on such a factor, rather than feature films (which get commissioned all year round)?

Maybe, maybe not. It's the start of the fiscal year, so things that are in the works tend to start their 'official' work then. OTOH, it could just be a contractual coincidence ("Well, the legal staff are touring Sri Lankan sex hotels until after Easter, sooooooo really we can't expect anyone to sign the contract until then...")

 

[Sindatur]

Moving back on topic

I've been thinking about the importance of April. The beginning/end of the financial year? Are TV shows more likely to be dependent on such a factor, rather than feature films (which get commissioned all year round)?

April is the begging of the Fiscal year, for many companies, but, not necessarily all of them, but, it's a good possibility that might ahve something to do with it. Also, might be the timing required to prepare something to be on air for September-January new season, such as a Pilot. or a Pilot to be judged for worthiness for more episodes to be aired in January

 

[Bester]

It would be a great time to bring B5 back to the TV. Any such project would appear to have very little competition at the moment (I can't think of any space-faring sci-fi shows currently airing.......can you?)

 

[Republibot 3.0]

It would be a great time to bring B5 back to the TV. Any such project would appear to have very little competition at the moment (I can't think of any space-faring sci-fi shows currently airing.......can you?)

It's not a good market for space-based SF shows right now. I thought the buzz was this was a reunion movie?

 

[KoshN]

It would be a great time to bring B5 back to the TV. Any such project would appear to have very little competition at the moment (I can't think of any space-faring sci-fi shows currently airing.......can you?)

Stargate Universe, but it's got 5 episodes left and is wrapping up May 9th.

About the only place it (B5 reruns) could go on broadcast would be The CW or MyNetwork TV, with their lower ratings requirements (e.g. Supernatural survives on The CW with ~1.0 in the 18-49s.). I don't think Syfy would go for B5 reruns or a new B5-universe TV show; they're scared to death of looking too geeky.

The thing is, the appearance of aliens (both how the aliens look *and* that aliens are featured on the show) like we saw on B5 & Crusade would immediately, reflexively lose any audience member who wasn't openminded. While other space-based science fiction shows on at the time might be viewed as competition, they also would aid in softening up the audience for other space-based science fiction shows. A new B5 universe TV show on TV now, would essentially be doing a plunge into icewater (radically different show into an unaccustomed audience.).

 

[KoshN]

It would be a great time to bring B5 back to the TV. Any such project would appear to have very little competition at the moment (I can't think of any space-faring sci-fi shows currently airing.......can you?)

It's not a good market for space-based SF shows right now. I thought the buzz was this was a reunion movie?

It never will be a good market for space-based SF shows. Right now, it's considered chic to roll your eyes at the concept of a space-based SF show. What it'd take to change that is for a few well made (well written, with good production values and a good cast) to hit TV at the same time. Instead, what we get are shows like "V" with bad writing, which make it harder for the next SF show with aliens to make it to TV.

 

[Jan]

I thought the buzz was this was a reunion movie?

To the best of my knowledge, there's no indication at all what it is.

This isn't strictly the right place for this but the subject of reruns came up on JMS's Facebook page in a thread about what might be coming and I thought folks might be interested:

J. MIchael Straczynski: To answer a question upstream, WB has deliberately kept B5 out of on-air syndication for lo these many years because they have been using it to drive their new tech and revenue platforms: putting it on AOL, on DVDs, through their own net se...rvice, itunes, hulu, netflix and other services. The B5 fan base gives them a way to drive the new technologies that they would (at least in part) lose if B5 were available in syndication. To me this is foolish because it precludes the fan base from actually growing: established fans will seek it out wherever it is (which is what WB counts on to drive their tech growth), but average viewers can't stumble across the show in open syndication, which is where shows like Trek established their real audience. The only way to sample the show is to buy something, and that seems to mitigate against people sampling it.

Jan

 

[Republibot 3.0]

I don't think Syfy would go for B5 reruns or a new B5-universe TV show; they're scared to death of looking too geeky.

Oh how I hate them.

The thing is, the appearance of aliens (both how the aliens look *and* that aliens are featured on the show) like we saw on B5 & Crusade would immediately, reflexively lose any audience member who wasn't openminded. While other space-based science fiction shows on at the time might be viewed as competition, they also would aid in softening up the audience for other space-based science fiction shows. A new B5 universe TV show on TV now, would essentially be doing a plunge into icewater (radically different show into an unaccustomed audience.).

Agreed. You'd be starting over from scratch. Can't even guarantee much of the the old audience at this point.

 

[Republibot 3.0]

It never will be a good market for space-based SF shows. Right now, it's considered chic to roll your eyes at the concept of a space-based SF show. What it'd take to change that is for a few well made (well written, with good production values and a good cast) to hit TV at the same time. Instead, what we get are shows like "V" with bad writing, which make it harder for the next SF show with aliens to make it to TV.

I don't mind taking a break from aliens. It's a cliche, and one that distracts from human drama when done badly, and it's frequently done badly.

Ultimately I blame it on Fox cancelling Firefly for capricious reasons, and on BSG, which arrived at the party early, wowed everyone, then stayed way too long and sort of ended up driving people away. Couple this with 15 years of Trek doing the same 8 episodes over and over again in different formats, and just how tedious ship shows can get (It always ends up about the ship itself, not the people) and, well, there's a lot there to avoid. Hence the popularity of Stargate, which sidesteps most of the problem. Not to mention the inherent production problems of that kid of thing.

I think a Rangers-based show, with Whitestars as transportation only would have a chance.

 

[Republibot 3.0]

I thought the buzz was this was a reunion movie?

To the best of my knowledge, there's no indication at all what it is.

Huh. Last I'd heard was that WB was looking at a theatrical movie for the 20th anniversary of the show. Not true?

 

[Bester]

I think a Rangers-based show, with Whitestars as transportation only would have a chance.

The one big story event that jms has deliberately avoided is the Teep War, which could quite easily be told with minimal (or no) alien involvement; simply human teeps fighting other humans. The ISA would have no legal involvement in a Psi Corp civil war (as forshadowed in season 5 of B5). Such an event may involve humans only.

 

[Jan]

Huh. Last I'd heard was that WB was looking at a theatrical movie for the 20th anniversary of the show. Not true?

I think the above may be putting some things we do know together to form a theory we don't know.

We know that in 2008 JMS told WB not to approach him again unless they were prepared to do a properly funded movie or TV show giving him complete creative control. Reportedly, they asked at some point how much (100 million) and after "Changeling" came out to acclaim, they were prepared to have the conversation.

We know that JMS mentioned last May that he'd given some thought to a movie for the 2013 20th anniversary of B5 but he joked that since he'd have to have the script done in 2011 for a 2012 shoot and a 2013 release, he was already running late.

And finally, we know that JMS reported last October that WB had contacted him and that there was 'movement in the tall grass' for something B5 related. Also that for the last few months when he's been asked about more B5 he's replied to ask him again after (or in) April.

The problem with drawing conclusions from the above is that we're dealing with WB and we don't know what division or how high up the person at WB was who contacted JMS. WB is the poster child for being a deliberately dysfunctional company in that it requires each division to compete with all the others rather than cooperate. And JMS has come a long way professionally from the guy who originally sold B5 to them.

My hope is that the ones he's been talking to are the people who can actually make the decisions but I won't draw any conclusions on what the discussions are about until we find out in/after this month.

Jan

 

[Mike G]

I didn't see this posted anywhere else on the forum, so apologies if I missed it.

From JMS' facebook page:

Just turned in what one hopes will be the last revision on Shattered Union for Bruckheimer, and moving on to start writing on Vanishing Point, also for Bruckheimer (these are intended as big tent-pole summer movies)...got word that the B5 related stuff is still proceeding along, just can't say anything yet...artwork on Superman Earth One volume 2 is coming along swimmingly, looks great, with lots of funny stuff, personal stuff and cool action with a redesigned Big Bad familiar to Superman fans...have accepted an invite to talk at the Lake Arrowhead Writers Guild Conference in June (only open to WGA members)...the Houdini screenplay for Dreamworks is being budgeted and sent to directors...I just did a short piece for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund's yearly Liberty Comic...and I'll be going out to the networks to pitch a couple of projects to develop for next year. Otherwise it's pretty quiet.

He continues below:

Re: the B5 thing...I'm not being coy, it's just that over the years, it's like B5 has been the football, the fans (and I to a degree) have been Charlie Brown, and the studios/networks have dutifully executed their role as Lucy. Consequently, I'm not saying anyTHING to anyONE for any REASON until I know for a stone cold fact that there's ink on contracts and we're moving ahead on something of substance.

He is certainly right about the Charlie Brown football bit. Don't break out the champagne yet, but I guess more B5 is possible.

 

[KoshN]

It never will be a good market for space-based SF shows. Right now, it's considered chic to roll your eyes at the concept of a space-based SF show. What it'd take to change that is for a few well made (well written, with good production values and a good cast) to hit TV at the same time. Instead, what we get are shows like "V" with bad writing, which make it harder for the next SF show with aliens to make it to TV.

I don't mind taking a break from aliens. It's a cliche, and one that distracts from human drama when done badly, and it's frequently done badly.

The thing is, a B5 universe show with aliens wouldn't be done badly, but it wouldn't get a chance on Syfy because it'd contain aliens.

I think a Rangers-based show, with Whitestars as transportation only would have a chance.

Not if it had Narn, Drazi, Minbari, Centauri, Drakh, Pak'ma'ra, any of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds, etc..

 

[Alioth]

What's wrong with aliens? Other than the Fermi paradox thing, but most people don't give that much thought, do they? Or is it simply not the "in" thing in science fiction anymore... in which case I say so what, if they're done right they can become "in" again--artists should help shape what's "in" or not, not be dictated by it. Would there really be a lot of people in the science fiction audience who would reject a revival of the B5 universe because aliens are supposedly "passe", because some supposed sophisticates decreed it so? Fuck that noise, it's a noise that keeps changing anyway.

 

[hypatia]

I thought it was space-based science fiction they were avoiding.

 

[KoshN]

I thought it was space-based science fiction they were avoiding.

Space-based science fiction with aliens. The closest they got, recently, was with SGU. BTW, here, I'm using sci-fi and science fiction interchangably, and am not using sci-fi in any derrogatory sense, i.e. not how Harlan Ellison uses "sci-fi."

I'm recalling their justification for dropping Sci-Fi from the channel's name. IIRC, they came out against sci-fi and more specifically aliens in sci-fi as being too geeky, too niche, and that it would turn off the broader (IMHO, more superficial audience) that they were/are seeking. They're a niche channel that partially* turned against their niche. And so, we have all the non-sci-fi stuff on the channel (wrestling, non-sci-fi movies, non-sci-fi reality TV, etc.) and awful, el-cheapo sci-fi movies (Sci-Fi Channel/Syfy Originals) that advance the stereotype that sci-fi is silly and to be made fun of/laughed at. See, they don't have the budget to make really good science fiction movies, so instead of making a good, sci-fi movie, or re-airing good, classic, sci-fi movies from the past, they make lots of awful, extremely low budget sci-fi movies.


*They still have Eureka, Warehouse 13, and for a little while longer SGU.


The thing is, the longer shows like Babylon 5 are away from TV, the more they're going to look out of place if they do come back, and the colder reception they'll likely get.