Will we ever likely get a new Babylon series?

[Garovorkin]

As much as i would like to see a new series in the B5 universe, it seem unlikely at this point. None of the major networks seem committed to the idea of a Space based science fiction series of any kind and the cable out lets like scifi seem hesitant to consider any new space based series. We can forget about Showtime and TNT for obvious reasons. Remember how TNT treated Crusade and the sci fi channel did not seem much interested in a rangers series.

 

[Truth_Seeker]

I'm positive that sooner or later there will be a new show about the B5 universe.The original story is over so it must be a completely new one.It has been said many times that B5 is the last of the Babylon stations but let's consider a possibile future when another Babylon station is needed to keep the peace in the galaxy.

I have some ideas about a possible "Babylon 6" show:

-It could take place 200 years from the events of B5.The Babylon 6 station orbits Coriana 6(the place where the Shadow War ended).B6 was created because the IA started to fall apart and its president decided that a new "last,best hope for peace" must be built in a neutral territory.The station can be organic from the outside and mechanical from the inside using the White Star technology.It has artificial gravity an it does not rotate anymore.The Defence Grid-Vorlon Weapons.
-Some of the races we know are in conflict.For example the Drazi tried to invade Brakiri space or the Gaim and the Pak Mara are fighting for trade routes.There could be some new races that we haven't met before.The Narns could be very advanced and wise like the Minbari because of G'Kar's religious movement.The Centauri still rebuild their devastated world and compared to the other races look primitive.Humans and Minbari-very powerful.

Just some ideas!

 

[Clark Kent]

I wouldn't mind an anthology series, ,like TLT, set on Babylon 5 in the years between "Objects at Rest" and SiL. Rather than a heavily arched show, this would be about the smaller, personnel stories of this city in space. The characters from B5 could turn up once in a while, but it wouldn't really feature any of them on an ongoing basis, save perhaps Lochley (or a new station commander). In other words, a show like Outer Limits but with a fixed location.

 

[Garovorkin]

As much as I liked the first lost tales movie and as much as I look forward to additional installments I don't think a Babylon 5 anthology series would be viable here. The problem is that the anthology format is not really popular with either audiences, network bosses and producers and thought there have been success with this format, there have been a lot of failures. Audiences want shows with continuing casts and story lines.

 

[Truth_Seeker]

I'm positive that JMS will surprise us one day announcing that he has written the script of a new B5 show.He's just a man who never stops having good ideas so it's a matter of time.

 

[Cell]

I actually wish JMS would return to TV and films full time and leave comics behind. As a script writer he is quite amazing, but I find him average at best as a comic writer. There aren't many TV style writers that can make the transition to comics and pull it off successfully (in terms of the quality of their work, not sales) and I don't count JMS as one of them, neither do I Whedon for that matter.

 

[vacantlook]

The only comics jms has written that I've read have been Rising Stars and Midnight Nation, both of which I really enjoyed, but then they were both jms's own creations and not a preexisting work he came into, so I don't know how they compare to his work on Spider-man or Thor or the like. With The Changeling going strong, and the upcoming Silver Surfer movie and World War Z among other films, I'd say he's got the a good foot in the film writing world, but I wouldn't mind more tv from jms.

 

[Cell]

The only comics jms has written that I've read have been Rising Stars and Midnight Nation, both of which I really enjoyed, but then they were both jms's own creations and not a preexisting work he came into, so I don't know how they compare to his work on Spider-man or Thor or the like. With The Changeling going strong, and the upcoming Silver Surfer movie and World War Z among other films, I'd say he's got the a good foot in the film writing world, but I wouldn't mind more tv from jms.

He's not a bad comic writer, but I don't enjoy his style and don't think it translates all that well to comics. He writes his books like they are a TV show, with heavy scripting and massive amounts of dialogue, and unless your name is Alan Moore or Kurt Busiek that is really hard to pull off in comics. He tries to cram way too much dialogue into every page and his work ends up feeling stuffy and unable to breathe as a result. I can still read what he writes, so I'm not saying he's garbage or anything, but I much prefer his film work to his comics work.

 

[darth_librarian]

He seems to be pumping out movies by the dozen. I'm sure there is room for more B5 somewhere. Maybe he could adopt a showrunner role on a B5 series anthology at let others do some writing.

 

[Garovorkin]

Darth I would love to see a new B5 series, but i don't think an anthology approach to B5 would be successful in this case. The best thing for JMS to do is come up with a series with continuing characters and storylines. I would like to see him take another shot at Rangers series.

 

[Garovorkin]

Let's reignite this one shall we? How about an anime Babylon 5 series produced by say Myazaki or the people who did Full Metal Alchemist,Helsing ,Ghost in the Shell or Sol Bianca or the Dirty pair . The Anime Houses in Japan could more then handle something like B5. We know that that they come up with some pretty welll written and well executed story arc, With JMS backing them up would that be exciting? What do all of you think on this Idea. They have done space sagas before with complex story arc before, does anybody remember Star Blazers or Robotech perhaps?

 

[Garovorkin]

If an Animae series doesn't do it. what about a CGI series animation series , say from the people who did Starship Troopers or Transformers Beast wars and Beast machines. CGi would be a perfect fit for a B5 series, Why not a Web episode series like they did with BSG prior to the third season, They are in the process of doing a web series with Farscape and of course Amanda tapping proved that a Web series could have some impact, remember Sanctuary, which was a pretty good series which is now going full blown sci fi channel series. ,JMS could go the web route as well, that might become popular enough to bring about a new B5, think about , it could work.

 

[Garovorkin]

Then there is alaway the mini series idea, JMS could do a miniseries 6 maybe 8 hours to set the stage for a new Babylon series. I think in the case of the Rangers, thats what he should have done rather then do the rangers movie. He should have made that into a Mini series. It might have scored enough rating point to give us a new series which we all might be talking about now.

 

[vacantlook]

I honestly think the Rangers series would've been a go if that blasted football game hadn't kept the viewers away.

 

[Garovorkin]

Im not sure football is entirely to blame for the failure of the Rangers movie because they did rebroadcast the movie after its initial run and it did not get them the ratings even the second time on air.

 

[GaribaldisHair]

Of course, ultimately it isn't up to JMS what happens. The Rangers movie was a movie because that's what Sci-Fi Channel asked for. If they had asked him to do a Mini-series, he may well have been happy to do one.

JMS can't make any kind of B5 series in any kind of media without WB giving him the go ahead, as they own it. JMS has also said that whilst he is happy to listen to any offers for new B5 series, he is not going to be out there pitching one. I genuinely believe that he feels he has told the story he wanted to tell in that universe and isn't interested in pushing for more, especially now he has moved on into movies.

The potential for any new series lies in whether there is a strong enough demand out there for an outlet to sit up, take note and get on the phone to WB.

That's not to try and put a dampener on this thread ... I just don't think the chances of a new TV series are particularly high in whatever form. If there were to be one, I would prefer full-blown, live action, rather than animation of any kind, although that wouldn't stop me watching an animated series. Anime I might draw the line at though.

 

[Truth_Seeker]

I honestly think the Rangers series would've been a go if that blasted football game hadn't kept the viewers away.

Yes it sucks.Maybe the sad truth is that B5 fans are really not as many as we would want them to be.I can't understand how shows like "Andromeda" can last for five seasons and the Rangers have only a pilot episode.

 

[Garovorkin]

The real tragedy about Andromeda was when Robert Hewitt Wolf left, they discontinued with Dylan's quest to reunite the CommonWealth as the main theme and consequently the show lost its direction.Actually thats when the show began to die. I think there is one thing that might prevent a new series. May scif series that you have are not space based or ship based, i think that the networks have no appetite for those kinds of series and it maybe demographically neither does the audience and as you have pointed out there are probably not a large enough B5 Base to support a new series on top the demographic issue.

 

[Truth_Seeker]

...and it maybe demographically neither does the audience and as you have pointed out there are probably not a large enough B5 Base to support a new series on top the demographic issue.

Yes that's the main problem for me and it's really sad.If a show like "Desperate Housewives"(nothing against it) is cancelled we will have probably 100 000 000 american viewers(mainly housewives) protesting against it.Not to mention some annoying soap operas like "The Bold And The Beautiful" having thousand of episodes.

I think that Sci Fi shows are still not that popular as we want them to be.A lot of Sci Fi shows were cancelled before the originally planned date-"Crusade", "Farscape","Firefly","Enterprise".They had a lot of viewers but obviously not enough for the producers to continue making them.

 

[vacantlook]

If you haven't read it yet but are interested, Wolfe wrote what amounts to a fanfiction script that he uses to give an idea as to where he was going to take the show: "Coda" (note: pdf file).

It would've partially gone down a similar philosophical road that B5 did. From the "Coda" script:

...The Lucifers want energy, chaos, expansion. The Abyss wants harmony, order, singularity.