CURRENT B5 HEADLINES

Jeff Conaway (2011, May 27)

Actor Jeff Conawar who played Zack Allan died, he was 60. Mr. Conaway was in a Comma after a fall in his home earlier this month.

The Lost Tales (2008, Dec 17)

The Lost Tales is playing on Super Channel for the month of December as follows:

• Dec. 17 @ 10:30am ET on Super Channel 2
• Dec. 17 @ 8:00pm ET on Super Channel 4
• Dec. 22 @ 1:30pm ET on Super Channel 2
• Dec. 27 @ 10:30am ET on Super Channel 4
• Dec. 27 @ 4:29pm ET on Super Channel 2
• Dec. 27 @ 10:30pm ET on Super Channel 2

Visit the Super Channel web site for more information.

JMS Scripts (2008, Sep 23)

The "Babylon 5 Scripts: Other Voices" series ends forever on September 30.

JMS Scripts (2008, Jun 26)

CafePress has sent out a reminder that Monday, June 30, 2008 is you last chance to order the "The Babylon 5 Scripts of J. Michael Straczynski." After that, you're out of luck and won't be able to get the and of the 14 Volumes or autographed Special Edition Volume 15. You have been warned, order now by visiting the Joe Store.

B5 Other Scripts (2008, Jun 18)

Other Voices Volume 2 (407 pages) went on sale Jun 12th, 2008 (save $10 until Jun 19) and includes:

• Script: By Any Means Necessary by Kathryn M. Drennan;
• Script: TKO by Larry DiTillio;
• Script: Eyes by Larry DiTillio;
• Script: Legacies by D.C. Fontana;
• Script: A Distant Star by D.C. Fontana;
• Script: Spider in the Web by Larry DiTillio;

. The limited run series is only to be available until September 30, 2008.

JMS (2008, Jun 09)

A photo of JMS at the Changeling premier at the Cahn Film Festigal with Clint Eastwood.

B5 Other Scripts (2008, May 20)

Three additional Volumes have now been announced of scripts from Babylon 5 from some of the other writes. Titled, Other Voices Volume 1 (405 pages) went on sale May 15th, 2008 (save $10 until May 21) and includes:

• Script: Born to the Purple by Larry DiTillio;
• Script: The War Prayer by D.C. Fontana;
• Script: DeathWalker by Larry DiTillio;
• Script: Believers by David Gerrold;
• Script: Survivors by Marc Scott Zicree;
• Script: Grail by Christy Marx;

and David Gerrold's outline but not completed script titled "Laser-Mirror-Starweb." The limited run series is only to be available until September 30, 2008.

B5 Scripts (2008, May 12)

June 30, 2008 will be the last day you will be able to receive Volume 15 of the Babylon 5 script book. Volume 15, is a Thank-You gift for anyone who has purchased the previous 14 Volumes of the Script Books.

B5 Scripts (2008, Mar 28)

Volume 14, the final B5 Script Book goes on sale. Volume 14 includes:

• Script: The Wheel of Fire,
• Script: Objects in Motion,
• Script: Objects at Rest,
• Script: In The Beginning,
• Bonus: "In The Beginning" Producer's Notebook.

B5 Scripts (2008, Jan 29)

You can order Volume 13 of the B5 Script Book. Volume 13 include:

• As the series comes to an end, JMS tells us more what he felt went right, what went wrong, more behind the scenes stories and
• Script: The Ragged Edge,
• Script: The Corps is Mother, the Corps is Father,
• Script: Meditations on the Abyss,
• Script: Darkness Ascending,
• Script: And All My Dreams, Torn Asunder,
• Script: Movements of Fire and Shadow,
• Script: The Fall of Centauri Prime.

Never Surrender Dreams (2007, Oct 16)

October 17 is your last chance to order the framed print (19"x11") personally signed and inscribed to you. For more details visit the Never Surrender Dreams web site.

The Lost Tales (2007, Sep 17)

The Zocalo is quoting JMS from the latest STARBURST magazine, in an exclusive interview, as saying:
JMS : "Yeah, if we do another one I would definitely put the Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle) story in and probably a Londo (Peter Jurasik). That would be my preference for the next two [...]."

Announcement (2007, Sep 06)

In a recent posting JMS said, "Meanwhile, on some of the things I couldn't announce at SDCC, count to 14 days give or take and start watching the skies...."

B5 Scripts (2007, Sep 05)

You can pre-order Volume 12 of the B5 Script Book. Volume 12 include:

• A 54 page introduction by JMS, including the final Christmas Memo to the Cast and Crew;
• Long Lost material not seen in 13 years including concept art and designs, plus many first time photos of items;
• Script: A View from the Gallery,
• Script: Learning Curve,
• Script: Strange Relations,
• Script: Secrets of the Soul,
• Script: In the Kingdom of the Blind,
• Script: A Tragedy of Telepaths,
• Script: Phoenix Rising.

B5: The Lost Tales (2007, Jul 31)

We have now received confirmation that Babylon 5: The Lost Tales DVD "Voices in the Dark" should only have a rating of PG and not R in Canada. Seems the DVDs have the labels on them and instructions are being sent to update the labels.

So those of with the DVDs with an R rating, may have a collectors item. :)

Amazon.ca has "Voices in the Dark" as #4 on their top sellers, on Amazon.com it's #6.

B5: The Lost Tales (2007, Jul 30)

CGSociety had a series of articles on the making of Babylon 5: The Lost Tales "Voices in the Dark." (Part 1 (2007-03-08), Part 2 (2007-06-07) and Part 3 (2007-07-27)).

Adventures Of Apocalypse Al (2007, Jul 30)

SFF Audio is reporting that the CBC (in particular Radio One) has decided NOT to broadcast "The Adventures of Apocalypse Al" nationally.

We here at the Canada's B5 Information Pages therefore join the THE FREE The Adventures Of Apocalypse Al CAMPAIGN and suggest everyone who would like to hear the series on the CBC Radio, write them asking them to reconsider. As it's available to regional broadcast, my suggestion would be to write your favourite loal programming to see if they may consider broadcast it, for example in Ontario... The weekend programme "Fresh Air."

B5: The Lost Tales (2007, Jul 30)

I have written the Canadian Motion Picture Distribution Assoication (CMPDA) to ask why B5: TLT got an R rating as I wasn't able to find the movie listed on their site. Here is what their site says for an R rating:

Restricted to 18 years and older. No rental or purchase by those under 18. Contents not suitable for minors. Contains frequent sexual activity, brutality/graphic violence, intense horror, and/or other disturbing content.

My guess is DVD got labeled with an R for "intense horror" as there are no sex scenes, no hand to hand violence (space battles), cannot comment on disturbing content. I don't agree with the rating and would suggest other fans, who agree, write and ask why also, once they have viewed the movie and made a informed decision. If I do get a response I will post the information here.

B5: The Lost Tales (2007, Jul 27)

8:00pm ET: The Big Picture
The two part story ("Over Here," and "Over There") revolve around a gathering at Babylon 5 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Intersteller Alliance. Each story setups a "foe" which will need to be dealt with in the future and the future series. The problem is the details, the whole film/plot is about getting together but once we arrive, the film ends. Therefore, all three story lines leave you hanging. I also felt, that none of the "foes" were developed enough, failing to get you to that point of wanting more or speculating about the future. The disc will probably mean more to the fans as a tribute to Richard Biggs and Andreas Katsulas than a new story line in the Babylon 5 universe. Most unfortunate.

• I have no idea why the disc got an R rating from the Canadian Home Video Assoication, there was nothing in the film worth of an R rating. I've written them to ask.

B5: The Lost Tales (2007, Jul 27)

2:00pm ET Initial comments: (It's HERE)

• The Canadian Home Video Rating is R (vs. the packaging of Not Rated). The sticker for CHVR has been placed over the Not Rated under the transparent sleeve. Nothing I've watched so far explains the R rating (no violence, no skin, language is fairly tame - just references to Heaven and Hell) but I haven't finished watching the "film." The impression I'm getting is it should have only gotten a PG rating, has someone goofed?
• The DVD case contains no extras - like an insert card. The outside cover, and the disc inside with the B5: The Lost Tales logo above the hole and the station below with "cloud" running horizontally between the two and the hole (see to the right).
• The menu's are MUCH nicer than the television episode DVDs.
• The box indicates 72 mins., I assume this is the "film" only as the extra material would seem to be more.
• The tribute videos are nice rememberance videos but thy were filmed during production so only include Joe, Tracy and Bruce. It would have been nice to have heard from other members of the original cast and the videos do no include any footage from any of the episodes. Therefore, the tributes are wonderful but "feel" very incomplete.
• I've only watched up to the end of the first (Lochley) episode of the "film" and so far it seems to be a set-up. So I'm holding off judging the story until I watch them all.
• The filming style is definately different from the series, the cameras explore rotation.
• The CGI for the station is nice - a little darker but that may have been the screen I was using. The graphics for the Jumpgates have been updated. Nothing wrong with it, I just felt this was something that didn't need to be changed. I did get the feeling some of the CGI stuff was being used just because it could. Unfortunately, they used flame CGI, on the walls, and I've yet to see anyone manage to make this look good (i.e. it's not unique to B5).
• Great to have the Christopher Franke music back, but so far nothing memoriable. The opening "credits" are fairly short and have some visuals to remind us of the rest of the cast of characters, but not as moving as the TV series opening.

My impression so far is a must for the B5 fan, but nothing to win over your non-fans friends and family... But I have two more parts to watch yet, fingers crossed. (And I blame Joe for thinking about sock puppets everytime they walk down a hall and I see the waste high lighting.)

B5: The Lost Tales (2007, Jul 14)

According to the wikipedia entry, the Lost Tales will be available in HD on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

B5: The Lost Tales (2007, May 28)

You can find 4 (as of today) video clips on the start, end and filming of The Lost Tales on ISN News.

B5: The Lost Tales (2007, Apr 25)

Amazon.com is now listing Babylon 5: The Lost Tales on their web site for a pre-order price of $17 USD (normally $25 USD). As of this morning (April 25th) it was #6 on their top seller list.

Meanwhile, TV Shows on DVD.com has relased the DVD cover art shown to the right.

B5: The Lost Tales (2007, Apr 18)

Disc one, Voices in the Dark, is to be released on DVD July 31, 2007.

B5 Lottery (2007, Apr 13)

July 2006, Cafepress sold via The Joe Store, a limited frame set run of the "Declaration of Principles." The entire run sold out in a couple of hours, meaning those who could not get to a computer that day were out of luck. Now Cafepress has announced, they held back the last 10% of the run and will be having a random draw (lottery) for those who sign up via the site to win one of the last 50 (#451-500).

B5 Scripts (2007, Apr 13)

Volume 11 of the Babylon 5 Script Books is to be released April 19 @ 1pm ET. The pages include:

• A 70 page introduction by JMS, on what happen the summer of 1997;
• Script: Endgame,
• Script: Rising Star,
• Script: Sleeping in Light,
• Script: The Deconstruction of Falling Stars,
• Script: No Compromises,
• Script: The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari,
• Script: The Paragon of Animals.

Changeling (2007, Mar 12)

Variety is reportined Clint Eastwood is to direct the JMS feature film script and talks are underway with Angelina Jolie to star.

B5 PodCast (2007, Mar 07)

The Babylon Podcast, Episode #57, a look at "Acts of Sacrifice."

B5 Scripts (2007, Feb 28)

Volume 10 of the Babylon 5 Script Books is finally released. The 380 pages include:

• a look the steps take to truncate the 5 year arc into 4;
• a lengthy memo to TNT for an alternative verson of season 5;
• a FULL Length treatment for a sequel series, not Crusade;
• Script: Rumors, Bargains and Lies,
• Script: Moments of Transition,
• Script: No Surrender, No Retreat,
• Script: The Exercise of Vital Powers,
• Script: The Face of the Enemy,
• Script: Intersections in Real Time (A Passing Shadow),
• Script: Between the Darkness and the Light.

B5 PodCast (2007, Feb 28)

The Babylon Podcast, Episode #56, a look at "All Alone in the Night."

B5 PodCast (2007, Feb 21)

The Babylon Podcast, Episode #55, a look at "GROPOS."

B5 PodCast (2007, Feb 14)

The Babylon Podcast, Episode #54, an interview with Maggie Egan (Jane the ISN Anchor).

B5 PodCast (2007, Feb 07)

The Babylon Podcast, Episode #53, a look at "The Coming of Shadows."

B5 PodCast (2007, Jan 31)

The Babylon Podcast, Episode #52, a look at "A Race Throught Dark Places."

B5 PodCast (2007, Jan 24)

The Babylon Podcast, Episode #51, a look at "Soul Mates."

B5 PodCast (2007, Jan 17)

The Babylon Podcast, Episode #50, a look at "Spider in the Web."

B5: The Lost Tales (2007, Jan 15)

Additional Photos from the prep work for B5: TLT. Currently in the works is a Director's blog (following the production from the script to shooting), a number of behind the scenes pieces commenting on the past and future of B5, plus tributes to Richard Biggs and Andreas Katsulas.

There will be a new title sequence and a set piece before the title sequence to bridge from the original series to this new one. JMS is scheduled to return to Vancover later this month to review the finalized CGI and supervise the dialog loop.

B5 PodCast (2007, Jan 10)

The Babylon Podcast, Episode #49, a look at "The Long Dark."

B5 PodCast (2007, Jan 03)

The Babylon Podcast, Episode #48, "Best of 2006" episode part 2/2.

B5: The Lost Tales (2007, Jan 02)

JMS has announced that Babylon 5: The Lost Tales (JMS) "...release date slated for the week of July 27th." As this is a Friday and DVDs are normally released on Tuesdays I'm not sure if it will be July 24 or 31st.