There is going to be a VERY strong female character. Although there is a
male who operates as the titular head of BABYLON 5, and is more or less a de
facto representative of...a certain group, BABYLON 5 itself is actually *run*
on a day to day basis by (oh, what the heck, give her name) Vice-Commander
Laurel Takashima.

Now, this may not mean much until you understand what BABYLON 5 the
actual *place* is, and how it works. Which will come soon enough. If I were
to look at that OTHER sf show, hers is a much more authoritatve and
independent role than, say, that of Riker. And there are other very strong
female characters.

I have a tendency to gravitate toward female characters in stories.
Those who might remember CAPTAIN POWER will recall that the lion's share of
personal stories were about Jennifer Chase, and those were generally our best
stories.

As for cast...we're not going to go for big names, in large part because
we don't want to bring on people with a lot of baggage from other shows. (No,
no Gil Gerard.) New faces to television, but with a background in classical
training. We want ACTORS, with CHARACTER in their faces, not models or
"hunks."

See, by virtue of working on a number of SF shows, and knowing others
who've been involved in still others, I've had the chance to find out what
does, and doesn't work, and how to capitalize on that. By talking to the
fans, and appearing at cons, and using this and other systems, I've been able
to find out what the fans want, and to combine that with my own personal
vision. So when I'm asked, "Will there be strong females?" I think of TNG,
and "Why can't there be a female #2 or captain?" And I remember the other
concerns, from BOTH sides of the fence.

Those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. Life's too
short for those kinds of mistakes.

Which is why, from the very beginning of this project, three years ago, I
sought out and began laying the foundation for bringing on the best and the
brightest, to give the project a look unlike anything ever seen before on
television.

But frankly...talk is cheap. Judge us by what we *do* now what we say.
SF fans have heard this stuff before...and have been disappointed. I'm
determined not to go that route...but don't want ANYONE to take my word for
it.

jms