Script Book #12 - SPOILERS

[Jan]

With only a few days before Volume 12 ships I thought I'd go ahead and start this thread. Also, here's something JMS posted last night:

On Sep 13, 12:38 am, pzazz <[email protected]> wrote:
> I sent this once before, but it never posted, so I will try again-I've
> been getting all of the script books, and the only complaint I have is
> that the cover stock used tends to bend easily. Is there any chance
> of making some sort of slip cover available? I'm thinking something
> like the old Star Trek Concordance-A hardcover that can be slipped
> over the existing softcover.

It's an interesting idea, and I'll pass it along. I know that the CP
folks are working hard to improve the quality of the covers in the
interim.

(BTW, the stop-the-presses edition turned out to have some cool stuff,
about 20 pages worth of graphics -- first attempts at rank insignia, a
breakdown on all the signs we see in the show, logos, props, the
command structure, our first attempts at the minbari, narn and
centauri alphabets, and the final Christmas memo I wrote to the cast
and crew in year five -- so much so that we had to do two or three per
page to make it all fit.)

I've never heard of the type of cover that the OP is referring to. Anybody familiar with a 'hardcover slipcover'?

Jan

[Radhil]

I've heard of something like that, but it seemed like a last ditch measure to pretty some old books up. Might work if it had the right way to attach it, but without proper binding, it's just going to wear out the flimsy cover faster. Book would start tearing out of the "slipcover" if you used it often enough.

[Jan]

Just a quick reminder to everybody that tomorrow, Tuesday 8/18 is the final day for the discounted price for Volume 12. And for those who might not get the newsletter, here's a list of the goodies that JMS found and had scanned for this volume:

First alphabet and numerical systems for Narn and Minbari languages

Photo of the never seen "Penisaurus" alien

Concept drawing for living quarters communication system

First designs for command logos-art deco style

Concept designs for tech crew sub-divisions

Detailed concept art for the security and medical patches/logos

Concept art for the Battle of the Line medal

Early versions of the B5 logo

An early stylized alphabet - English

Early generic emblems

An alternate Earth Alliance emblem

Concept art for the final EA patch/logo designs

First detailed schematic of the station

Concept art for locator signs

First costume design sketches for Delenn, G'Kar and Londo Mollari

Final designs for credit chit, EA access card and identicard

First concept art for Kosh's encounter suit

Photo of an early alien prosthetic design

Photo of an early Drakh design

Photo of a casting of Peter Jurasik's face and neck for use in creating the Londo prosthetic

Photo of the central corridor/Zocalo taken the first day that JMS arrived on the B5 soundstage

Photo of director Richard Compton and art director John Iacovelli on the council chamber set

Only known photo of a proposed miniature set of the station's interior garden that was later abandoned

Photo of the first sculpture of Kosh's head

Photos of the final prosthetics designs for Delenn

Photo of JMS with director Richard Compton

Photos of early G'Kar prosthetic design

Photo of JMS with Andreas the first time he wore the G'Kar prosthetic

"Penisaurus" alien???

Jan

[Spoo Junky]

If it's anything like the demons they had on Buffy, be afraid... be very afraid

[Jan]

If it's anything like the demons they had on Buffy, be afraid... be very afraid

Well I think he's cute! I really enjoyed seeing some of the early concepts on stuff. I think I'll be paying more attention to the background to see the triangle signs. The only one I remember seeing before was the one for the transport tube. The two photos that really struck me were the one with the carpenter who greeted JMS so appropriately and the one where Andreas was in the G'Kar prosthetic for the first time.

Y'know what struck me as I've been reading these early season 5 scripts? I like Byron a lot better on paper than I did the first times I watched Season 5. I think there were some scenes or parts of scenes that were cut that might have helped make him more acceptable to the fans, scenes where he was relating to his followers.

I don't think I agree with JMS on his theory on why Byron was so disliked, though. I think that the main problem was that, unlike Marcus, the fans didn't *want* to relate to Byron. While perhaps his goals were lofty, he still had a superior attitude toward the 'mundanes' and then his reaction upon finding out the Vorlon's involvement proved that he didn't really think that telepaths were superior. Otherwise he wouldn't have reacted so badly. (Look at me talking about him as if he were a real person.)

The thing I really take issue with in this volume, though, is the lack of footnotes. Not a single one! I demand more footnotes!

Jan

[Jan]

Nobody have anything to say at all about this volume? I thought for sure somebody'd at least want to make s'mores using the toasted teeps.

Jan

[Karen]

Since I haven't gotten mine yet, it's a little hard to comment. It was shipped on the 19th and CafePress says they have until Friday to deliver it. Grrrrrrrrr.

[Jan]

Sorry to hear that, Karen. That does seem to be an awfully long time but it's seven business days and I think they say 5-7 business days for regular shipping.

Hope it comes sooner for you!

Jan

[JoeD80]

I always liked the Byron stuff in season 5. Guess I'm weird. As for the commentary in this volume, I did think the story about jms's past leading to the plot of Learning Curve was pretty interesting. I didn't realize that this was one of the episodes he wished would get dumped off the pier in the night though. I thought Grey 17 was the last of those!

[Spoo Junky]

How bad is that - I forgot it was coming! I ordered it back when it was first out and that seems so long ago. Mine should be here next week. At least the time flew without thinking about it

[JoeD80]

Phoenix Rising

So I got to the episode Phoenix Rising finally. I was watching this with my girlfriend and we get to the hostage seen where the telepath says "we will execute you starting with Garibaldi, and then Franklin." [I don't think he mentions them by name, but points at them or some such -- i'm paraphrasing from memory for the moment]. My girlfriend says "why did the telepaths threaten the doctor? Threatening medical personnel seems stupid." I also remember wondering this the first time through -- Franklin helped with the underground so why wouldn't the telepaths respect that?

Well guess what, I read the script after watching the episode, and the telepath doesn't threaten Franklin in that scene! He only mentions Garibaldi -- since he works for the President, he is the most valuable hostage. Franklin is only threatened later in the script when he attempts to interfere. Did the director add this scene without knowing the relationship between Franklin and telepaths? Or was it added by jms to up the tension?

Also two more notes from the same script ---

1. Franklin in the episode ducks when shot at with a PPG. In the script it says "Franklin holds his ground."

2. At the end of the episode, flammable chemicals start leaking. Sheridan looks. Then Byron gives a 2 minute speech to Lyta on why she needs to go. Finally, Sheridan says "Clear Out" when he realizes Byron is about to ignite everything. During Byron's talk, everyone is just standing in the background with the chemicals leaking. In the script, Byron doesn't give this long speech -- Sheridan clears out almost immediately. I wonder why the change here?

[vacantlook]

...Franklin helped with the underground so why wouldn't the telepaths respect that?

Given that underground railroads require secrecy, there's a more than a good chance that Byron and his group just don't know about Franklin's involvement. Also, despite Byron's desire to be different than the PsiCorps, he and his telepaths are still think themselves superior to non-telepaths, so they might not have cared since Franklin himself wasn't a telepath.

[Jan]

Well guess what, I read the script after watching the episode, and the telepath doesn't threaten Franklin in that scene! He only mentions Garibaldi -- since he works for the President, he is the most valuable hostage. Franklin is only threatened later in the script when he attempts to interfere. Did the director add this scene without knowing the relationship between Franklin and telepaths? Or was it added by jms to up the tension?

It was added by JMS. I just checked the script book draft date (10/20/97) against the copies I have. It looks like what was included in the Script Book was what was called the Writer's Draft. I've got a First Draft dated 10/22/97 an then the shooting script which includes the Final Draft (11/5/97), Blue Revisions (11/17/97) and Pink Revisions (11/19/97). By the time the First Draft came out, the threat to Franklin is definitely in there.

1. Franklin in the episode ducks when shot at with a PPG. In the script it says "Franklin holds his ground."

It looks like this may have been added by the director because it's the same in all the drafts I have.

2. At the end of the episode, flammable chemicals start leaking. Sheridan looks. Then Byron gives a 2 minute speech to Lyta on why she needs to go. Finally, Sheridan says "Clear Out" when he realizes Byron is about to ignite everything. During Byron's talk, everyone is just standing in the background with the chemicals leaking. In the script, Byron doesn't give this long speech -- Sheridan clears out almost immediately. I wonder why the change here?

According to my copies, the discussion between Byron and Lyta was first seen in the Final Draft (11/5/97). It may have been that the episode ran short since the First Draft was only 41 pages and the Final Draft was only up to 43. The shooting script was up to 45 pages which was more of a regular length. It's hard to tell since there were a number of scenes in ths script which were deleted, also.

There were a fair number of changes between these drafts which is unusual. JMS generally would release a really early draft like the Writer's Draft when there were planning elements that needed additional planning time for the departments. In this case I'm guessing that it may have been the fiery scene at the end of Act Four.

Scripts...I love them...

Jan

[Andrew_Swallow]

2. At the end of the episode, flammable chemicals start leaking. Sheridan looks. Then Byron gives a 2 minute speech to Lyta on why she needs to go. Finally, Sheridan says "Clear Out" when he realizes Byron is about to ignite everything. During Byron's talk, everyone is just standing in the background with the chemicals leaking. In the script, Byron doesn't give this long speech -- Sheridan clears out almost immediately. I wonder why the change here?

As Lyta said to Zack she would follow Byron into hell with a smile on her face. Nothing less than a direct order would cause her to leave.

[JoeD80]

Given that underground railroads require secrecy, there's a more than a good chance that Byron and his group just don't know about Franklin's involvement.

Byron at least knows -- he mentions it to Dr. Franklin in "No Compromises" and mentions that some of his people were helped by Franklin. Of course you are right that they might not all know and there's no reason that the hostage taker (Thomas I think his name is) necessarily knows.

As Lyta said to Zack she would follow Byron into hell with a smile on her face. Nothing less than a direct order would cause her to leave.

I agree with this about Lyta. The main thing I was wondering about is why Sheridan hangs around for the whole speech before everyone clears out, as flammable liquids continue to pour on to the floor.

I've got a First Draft dated 10/22/97 an then the shooting script which includes the Final Draft (11/5/97), Blue Revisions (11/17/97) and Pink Revisions (11/19/97).

Wow that's a lot of revisions. Thanks for all the good info Jan! I did notice that there were several other changes from the version in the script book to the finished episode, but they didn't jump out at me as much as the ones above. -- e.g., Garibaldi comes in to cook spaghetti at the end, and then takes a drink after a bit, instead of coming in with the bottle only and then looking at it.