From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
Subject: Shadow Dance - Nits
To: CIS
Date: 10/24/1996 5:44:00 PM
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Message 1 in thread
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Colin Glassey <104224.2227@compuserve.com> asks:
> 1) Why did "The White Star" have to hang around in normal space?
> I realize there are good dramatic reasons for putting Ivanova and
> Marcus in harm's way, but are there good logical reasons? Couldn't
> this have been pushed into a different episode? And what do we
> see? I know you are pressed for time in this epsidoe, but really,
> relationship building? romance?
Okay, a couple of responses....
"Seems to me the strategy is: wait in hyperspace "near" the
flock of refugee ships, and when they signal for help (as they will
when the Shadow fleet appears), pop out of hyperspace and engage the
Shadow fleet. The point is, the Shadow fleet is going after a known
target (or so Sheridan guesses), if you hang around near the target,
they will tell you when the attackers appear. No need to for your
ships, even a scout, to sit in normal space, the refugee ships are all
"scout ships" in a sense."
Massive logic problem. If you wait until they're right on top
of the refugee ships, or very near, they'll just dive into the midst of
the refugee ships and there's no way you can have a clean battle
without resulting in *MASSIVE* amounts of civilian casualties. What
you suggest would all but insure that the refugee ships would be
destroyed (defeating the purpose of the mission) and the piles of
civilian ships running for cover in every direction would hinder our
side, but not the other side, and we'd lose even MORE of our own ships.
"2) Delenn and Sheridan spend the night together and we get to
watch... comercials. Talk about giving "short shrift" to a rather
interesting event. Couldn't this have been pushed into a different
episode? I mean, here they are, alone together, in a "ostensibly"
romantic situation, lots for them to talk about I should think. Well,
I'd like to know what was said... And what do we see? Sheridan is
already asleep!"
It's not a matter of being pressed for time. The whole point of
the ritual was to watch him sleeping. We had that nice moment right
before they took off with the fleet, and bunches of others, including
the big kiss, right in the previous episode and throughout the whole
thing.
"3) I think the battle could have been done with a bit more of
an "umph" to it. Perhaps the use of intercutting between the two plots
was distracting in this case. It was a good battle, just not quite as
effective as "Severed Dreams" or "Long Twilight Struggle" (which did
have effective intercutting)."
That's because there was more emotional content to the other two
battles you mention; the bombing of the Narn homeworld, and EA fighting
EA in SD. Not all battles are created equal, it's a matter of context.
You can't expect to get exactly the same reaction to all of them.
jms |
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
Subject: Shadow Dance - Nits
To: CIS
Date: 10/26/1996 2:10:00 PM
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Message 2 in thread
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{original post unavailable}
No, no Lumati.
jms |
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
Subject: Shadow Dance - Nits
To: CIS
Date: 10/27/1996 8:51:00 AM
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Message 3 in thread
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{original post unavailable}
Yes, but that tactic works only if you know you're going to be
under attack. If the shadows were to materialize in the midst of the
refugee ships, they'd just scatter in every direction. The purpose is
to wipe out all those ships quickly and efficiently...so you start at
the outer fringe, drive everyone inward, and then wipe them all out.
To jump into the middle of them makes it very hard to do this...it's
like herding kittens.
jms |
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
Subject: Shadow Dance - Nits
To: CIS
Date: 10/28/1996 11:21:00 AM
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Message 4 in thread
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{original post unavailable}
Actually, no, most refugee ships are NOT jump capable.
Remember, it takes a LOT of power...you've got the heavy cruisers, and
long range exploratory vessels, and not much else. That's what makes
the White Star so special, that it can be as small as it is and still
generate a jump point. The Asimov class passenger liners, for instance,
can't jump, and have to rely on gates. The smaller ships the refugees
would've been using would have had to get to their local gate, and then
line up to go through it in small groups. Which means 85% of them
would've been trapped there, ducks in a shooting gallery.
jms |
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
Subject: Shadow Dance - Nits
To: CIS
Date: 10/28/1996 12:48:00 PM
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Message 5 in thread
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Boris -pH7- Molodyi <70322.624@compuserve.com> asks:
> Which makes me wonder: why didn't Shadows surface right in the
> middle of refugee ships, and do their job, rather than coming out
> at what seems to be considerable distance, and thus opening
> themselves to attack by the Army of Light?
Just answered this twice in another thread...would hate to take
up the space repeating it a third time....
jms |
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
Subject: Shadow Dance - Nits
To: CIS
Date: 10/29/1996 5:19:00 AM
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Message 6 in thread
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{original post unavailable}
For as long as required by the script.
jms |
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
Subject: Shadow Dance - Nits
To: CIS
Date: 10/30/1996 6:34:00 AM
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Message 7 in thread
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Scott Baker <76072.1744@compuserve.com> asks:
> I have to ask, what nigtmare did these things come from?
> Also, where did you come up with the strategy, was that your own,
> or did you get some suggestions or did you look into history?
I dunno...I just thunk it up as efficient and ruthless. I
guess it comes naturally when you're a producer.
jms |
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
Subject: Shadow Dance - Nits
To: CIS
Date: 10/30/1996 10:38:00 AM
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Message 8 in thread
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Scott Baker <76072.1744@compuserve.com> asks:
> But you thought up B5 before you were a producer, so what deep
> dark part of your soul is bleeding out to make these Shadows?
I don't know, but I suspect it's best left unidentified...and
undisturbed.
jms |
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
Subject: Shadow Dance - Nits
To: CIS
Date: 10/31/1996 5:21:00 AM
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Message 9 in thread
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{original post had no questions}
Thanks. A writer's job is to stay vulnerable, and explore
everything in the writing...the drama, the tragedy, the comedy, the
weirdness...it's all part of the package. I just sometimes put a
little too much out there, I think.
jms |
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
Subject: Shadow Dance - Nits
To: CIS
Date: 10/31/1996 5:21:00 AM
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Message 10 in thread
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David Kuhn <73532.741@compuserve.com> asks:
> Who are running around in the flying sausers (which by the way
> seemd awfull potent)?
Them's is Vree.
jms |
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
Subject: Shadow Dance - Nits
To: CIS
Date: 10/31/1996 4:11:00 PM
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Message 11 in thread
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Rebecca Eschliman <76072.2345@compuserve.com> asks:
> I'm going to make an assumption here, but you put a little too
> much (of yourself) out there for your own comfort? As far as
> storytelling, which is why we're here, can you put too much out
> there of pain, joy, fear, yearning, resentment, relief, etc.?
> Stripped of those elements, doesn't the story become antiseptic
> and liable to lead to indifference in the viewer/reader?
Yeah, it's primarily a personal comfort issue. It's kinda like
standing naked in front of ten million of your best friends....
jms |
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