Re: various from jms - Monday, June 14, 2004 8:26
* Re: Mini-series:
Am I going crazy? Did he not at some point say mini-series?
As it happens he didn't. But even if he had I wouldn't think it out of the question that the answer to your first question might be "Yes".
Ok, ok. I should've been much more specific. I am already quite crazy...what I meant to say was, "Am I going even more insane than I already am?"
As for the whole mini-series thing...I was proceeding from a false and confused memory.
I remember now that since mini-series was not in either of the JMS posts on things it "wasn't" (one post in Sept. 2003, and other in Feb. 2004), we all were speculating wildly that it could be a mini-series (amongst the few other things left open by JMS' list of ain'ts.)
So a synapse fired across from one memory cell to the wrong one, drawing an incorrect recollection from the old storage medium. Ooops. But then, looking at the list again, the new adjunct project couldn't be a video game either, since he didn't list it.
I do agree with Joe here that any of these types of projects could well still be in the future for B5...but are not this particular project.
My question now is...when JMS was saying the new adjunct project was in the list of things he previously said it "wasn't," did that list include (at least in JMS' mind) the two items he said it wasn't back in Sept. 2003?
Back then he said it wasn't a print project or a series.
Later he specified comics and books, but did not include series.
We know now that a new series of novels is in the works, but by the way JMS worded it, this new adjunct project is something in addition to the new series of novels.
Given the list now that I have it all correctly in my little head...and using common sense as I stated before must come in to play...and (at least by my assumption) including the Sept. 2003 list of things it "wasn't"...then the new adjunct project is:
1) a new series
2) an animated series (or series of animated shorts like Animatrix or the SW: CW shorts)
3) a new comic
I think we can safely rule out: a radio drama or a stage play. And though it's not impossible, I still would rule out short story since we're already getting a new series of novels and if he can talk about that, then why not tell us about a short story?
Bottom line here is that we're all guessing and we really won't have a frelling clue until JMS comes out of his cave and sees his shadow or not.
As for his latest post about ST, I find it fascinating that he and Bryce Zabel wrote a treatment to save Trek and give it a new series that would set it all right.
I also find it interesting that he was, in fact, asked to take the reigns and at the time turned them down.
The one mystery that still lingers in my head about Trek is this. If he was offered Enterprise
last year and told them no...then why did he respond as he did in NJ? All he had to say was, "No, I'm not involved in ST and won't be."
Why the "I can't say anything about that" response?
I suppose it could be because he couldn't tell anyone that Manny was taking it over, but he could still have answered the question put to him without stealing a single bit of ST's thunder with Manny. Why the coy answer?
I'm only exploring some thoughts here and taking some little leaps of logic, so don't jump me anyone...but could the answer lie in this portion of his recent post on the matter:
Amusingly enough, on the Trek front, Bryce Zabel (the creator of Dark Skies)
and I got together and wrote a treatment earlier this year that specified how
to save ST and develop a series that would restore the series in a big way. I
actually think it could be a hell of a show. Whether that ever goes anywhere with Paramount, who knows?
He said "could be" not "could've been." He didn't say Paramount had turned it down, and from the way he worded it, they did submit it to Paramount (perhaps as their answer to being asked to run it -- i.e.: "I won't take over Enterprise, but here's an idea to save Trek, put it right, and give you a new series that I would be willing to do -- when you're ready").
Given that Paramount passed on B5 (a decision I'm sure they regret to this day -- and that Berman more or less stole B5 and turned it into DS9); and given that they recognized that JMS could well hold the power to save Trek and revitalize it; and given that Paramount currently has in their possession one treatment by JMS and Bryce Zabel for a new ST series that could save the dying franchise; and given that JMS himself states in his recent post, "Whether that ever goes anywhere with Paramount, who knows?" (which would indicate that Paramount has not said "no" up to the point where JMS posted this statement), then perhaps the reason that JMS couldn't say anything is because there is still a possibility that Paramount will do this new series once Enterprise has died or run its course (whichever comes first -- though I think death is inevitable).
I know, that was a really long and convoluted sentence...sorry. Bottom line, the treatment by JMS and Zabel is still with Paramount, and by his wording a "no" has not officially been stated, but perhaps it's been put to the side for now to see what happens. Meaning, JMS still couldn't say anything in NJ because, even to this day, this new ST series from JMS and Zabel is still, at the least, an outside possibility.
Wow...all that just to argue a simple theory and conclusion.
Ok...my brain is tired now.
CE
