To the query above, yes, BABYLON 5 has a definite beginning, middle and
end. I've always enjoyed shows like that, such as THE PRISONER, which has a
beginning (he arrives at the village) and an end (he escapes from the
village...sorta), and good stuff in between.

All of this effort is so that we can tell A Story. A very long and
involved story, about one person, mainly, but how that person's future can
affect the course of history. A saga.

The key is to do that without making it impossible for the viewers. I
dearly loved TWIN PEAKS, but if you missed an episode, you were screwed.
Similarly, you can't make the end of every episode a thematic or plot-
cliffhanger, leading directly into the next episode. Each episode MUST stand
on its own, and it should be structured so that you can come into it at any
point, and be able to track what's going on, no matter what season it is.
It's very much a writer's challenge, but I love challenges.

(Now, of course, the saga continues in my own head long after the end of
the five-year storyline, because they're real people to me, and their lives
and the lives of those they touch continue, but at this point that's more than
I even want to think about. Let's get this puppy on the air first, then we'll
see if we even last two years, let alone five.)

On Monday afternoon, I'll be seeing a good cut of the BABYLON 5 pilot.
Will let you know if it lives up to expectations.

jms