You are here:

Babylon 5/Re: B5 manuscripts

Advertisement

Expert: Byron Pennyworth - 7/13/2006


Question
Hi, I have been in Asia for the past year and was unable to purchase the original B5 screenplays which were recently offered. If you have seen them (and especially the work on the original arc), in your opinion what is the most striking change in the story arc due to departing characters, budgets etc etc.
Many thanks

Answer
The screenplays were written over the course of the five years, not all up front, so any inconsistencies would be small: lines or scenes ending up on the cutting room floor for time.

For a quick overview of how JMS's plan might have changed check out http://www.webcs.com/b5/neverwas.html (the babylon 5 that never was).  If you want a more comprehensive analysis of JMS's original plans feel free to contact me again.

Babylon 5

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Byron Pennyworth

Expertise

I have extensive knowledge in the area of the central five seasons, and I am also proficent in all other canon materials (save the 'Legend of the Rangers' pilot/made-for-tv-movie).

Experience

I have seen the 'Babylon 5 Experience' (the pilot, all 5 seasons, the made-for-tv-movies, Crusade, and The Lost Tales [discounting 'LotR', as above]) so many times I have lost count, though I may be in double digits. I have read all three book trilogies (Psi-Corps, Technomage, Centauri) multiple times, the novel "The Shadow Within" and the novel 'To Dream in the City of Sorrows' twice. I have read the first of the three comic-book storylines multiple times, as well as "In Valen's Name". When I was a kid I had The Lurker's Guide & Voltayre's Encyclopedia Xenobiologica websites printed out and put in large binders and I would read them every night.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.