First Ones Topic Question

[Shadow-Sentient]

I was recently looking through Firstones.com and saw that there was a proposed crossover between Star Trek and Babylon5. Don't know the validity of this claim but it seems like it would be an impossibility to mix the two.

I have some major issues with the idea and realize that my word matters little regarding any decisions to merge the two ... but what do the rest of you think?

Here are the problems I saw:

1. Babylon 5 storylines rarely resorted to DEUX EX MACHINA endings. Trek stories are infamous for the 'reconfigure the warp plasma coils' to fix the plot complication".
2. Totally different histories for Earth.
3. Totally different encounters that brought humans into space eg. Centauri giving us Jump Gate technology and Vulcans spotting Cochrans warp flight and visiting earth.
4. Really ... nothing seems to match between these two franchises. They are so intricately detailed that at some point, crossover history or story conflicts would create a contradiction in one or the others Universe ... if not both.
5. Star Trek does nothing for me personally. Well, perhaps years ago it did. I am a fan of the original series and of TNG ... but they lost me after that. DS9 and Voyager were Hollow in comparisson. B5 had spoiled me for wanting more in-depth stories and plots.
6. Star Trek characters are much less multi-faceted than Babylon 5 characters. I would say that Enterprise at least made an attempt at making the characetrs multi-dimensional ... but none of the other series made me feel that way.
7. Which will it be? A reset button at the end of every episode or an ongoing saga?

There may not even be such a crossover ... but if there is, these are some of the problems I forsee. Also, I do not post on recarts or read it ... so if I am covering an old topic ... my apologies. I didn't see this posted here, though it may have been talked about ... I wasn't about to spend 30 minutes searching archives to see if it had.

Please add your observations.

Thanks

[vacantlook]

I don't know if this would count as a crossover, but it's definitely a parody. I don't know if I'm going to buy it when it comes out, but it looks funny.

Star Wreck: In The Pirkinning

[Jan]

I don't know who might have proposed a crossover but I'm quite certain that there's simply no possibility. For that matter, in what medium would the crossover occur since neither B5 or ST are in production?

If there's confusion, it might be that JMS wrote about a treatment he did with Bryce Zabel for a new ST series. They did this 'on spec' but got word from Paramount that no new ST would be being made for 2 to 3 years.

The two are completely different universes, though so I'd expect that any crossover would be in the realm of fan fiction, not canon.

EDIT: Found this from JMS:

From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Subject: Re: Year 2000??
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
Date: 9/4/1994 8:26:00 AM

"...the only way a B5/ST crossover could happen is in some sort of
time travel/alternate timeline story...."

And over my cold, dead body.

jms

Jan

[Joansie]

Well, that solves that one, short sweet and to the point. That's our Joe.

[Shadow-Sentient]

I don't know who might have proposed a crossover but I'm quite certain that there's simply no possibility. For that matter, in what medium would the crossover occur since neither B5 or ST are in production?

If there's confusion, it might be that JMS wrote about a treatment he did with Bryce Zabel for a new ST series. They did this 'on spec' but got word from Paramount that no new ST would be being made for 2 to 3 years.

The two are completely different universes, though so I'd expect that any crossover would be in the realm of fan fiction, not canon.

EDIT: Found this from JMS:



Jan

Thanks Jan ... that's the word I was looking for. Here's what I read and why I even brought this up:

From rec.arts.af.tv.babylon5.moderated:



quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hollywood, CA -- Warner Brothers announced today that it has signed a one-episode contract with Paramount Television to produce a pilot episode for a potential new science fiction television series. The pilot will mate two popular franchises -- Warner's Babylon 5 and Paramount's Star Trek -- a move that is sure to spark controversy amongst the fans of both series.

Rick Berman, executive producer and co-creator of Star Trek Voyager, is helming the project as co-exexutive producer along with Babylon 5 creator and writer J. Michael Straczynski.

"Really, it's the best of both worlds," Berman stated in a recent interview. "We're taking two of the most popular sci-fi television universes and allowing them to merge. I think the strengths of both shows will compliment each other magnificently." And the fans will love it.

Straczynski shares Berman's enthusiasm for the project. "To say I was skeptical when Rick first approached me with the idea would be a gross understatement," Straczynski said. "But Rick was persistent, and the more I listened to his ideas, the more I realized this might actually work, as long as it's done without stepping on any pre-established rules and history of both shows."

Without revealing specific details about the plot of the pilot, Berman elaborated on the potential of the show: "How would a Klingon--the ancient warrior race in Star Trek-- react to a seeing a Shadow -- the spidery chaos-driven race in Babylon 5? How would Captain Sheridan (Babylon 5) feel about the Prime Directive (the oft-broken first rule of contact taught by STar Trek's Star Fleet Academy)? This is the kind of playground the writers will have to play in with this series."

Speculation and criticizm from the both shows' fan communities was heated.

"It's a sci-fi fan's dream come true," said Ernie Gestado, owner of a comic book store in Seattle, WA and self-professed "Trekkie". "I can't wait to see what they're going to do with this show. I'm starting my fan website as soon as I get home."

Not all fan reaction was positive, however. At a recent sci-fi convention in London, England, a group of Babylon 5 fans expressed their dismay at the project. "I have just died a little inside," said Mark Sheldon. "Why are you doing this, Joe [Straczynski], why?"

The title of the pilot and proposed series is still under wraps. Various sci-fi websites have posted unconfirmed reports, however, that the pilot will be called "Worlds Collide". A news post at Trekalon5.vom (<a href="http://www.Trekalon5.com">link</a> ), a newly-created fan site for the project, is claiming that the series will carry the name Star Trek: Babylon, but no source for the rumor is given.

Casting for the pilot is expected to begin in May 2005, with filming starting in June. According to Straczynski and Berman, filming for the series will begin in early 2006 if the pilot is well-received.

Source: Variety, April 1st Edition

and here's the link: Scroll down to the bulletin dated, Fri 1 Apr 2005, 10:55 AM

[Jan]

Source: Variety, April 1st Edition

Ah...if you'd read it in April you'd have noticed that particular date--April Fools Day. It's a spoof planted with genuine news items.

BTW, in your original post you said:

I wasn't about to spend 30 minutes searching archives to see if it had.

It took me about 30 *seconds* simply doing a search on the word 'crossover' to find the post I referenced.

Jan

[Shadow-Sentient]

Ah...if you'd read it in April you'd have noticed that particular date--April Fools Day. It's a spoof planted with genuine news items.

BTW, in your original post you said:

It took me about 30 *seconds* simply doing a search on the word 'crossover' to find the post I referenced.

Jan

Hahaha ... well I suppose it's even more funny to be had on an 'April Fools day' gag so long after the fact. So much for my Mensa application.

I suppose if you tool around these chat boards enough you learn little tricks on quick searches. I however, spend very little time doing so and thus, never realized that it would be *that* easy. Learn something everyday I suppose.

Now that I've made a complete fool of myself ... an 'April' fool ... in June nonetheless ... I think I'm going to have some Taffy cookies and milk and lick my wounds.

[Jan]

Hahaha ... well I suppose it's even more funny to be had on an 'April Fools day' gag so long after the fact. So much for my Mensa application.

Don't feel bad. I've fallen for a few myself. I'm not fond of jokes like that, myself.

I suppose if you tool around these chat boards enough you learn little tricks on quick searches. I however, spend very little time doing so and thus, never realized that it would be *that* easy. Learn something everyday I suppose.

Well, that one had a particularly easy term to search for-crossover. A lot of people don't notice the search feature, though, which was my main reason for bringing it up. Much easier to search than plow through lists of posts. Heck, you don't want to know how long it took me to notice that there's even a search feature here in the forums.

Now that I've made a complete fool of myself ... an 'April' fool ... in June nonetheless ... I think I'm going to have some Taffy cookies and milk and lick my wounds.

<perk> Taffy cookies? Is that a brand or a style? Sounds good. And don't feel too foolish. You were certainly smart enough to ask the question AND you posted your thoughts about it instead of just ranting about it.

Jan

[Shadow-Sentient]

Taffy cookies by Mothers. They are, quite simply, my second favorite thing in the Universe. If you have the opportunity .. I recommend stopping by the store and getting some ... my favorite way to eat them is by dipping them in milk ... until they get *just* soggy enough to still be able to hold without falling apart ... this provides ample melt for when you place one in your mouth.

As far as ranting ... I usually don't do that unless I know something to a great degree of certainty. The crossover idea seemed so far fetched that I wanted to see what others here knew before totally forming an opinion. Little did I know that I was standing on the trap door. Thanks for the kind words and insight. I'll try to get round here mroe often now that my comp is up and ruinning again.

[Sanfam]

Hehehe...It's sure fun to see this one kicking around again. I bet Sam is proud of this one