JMS: "Reboot the franchise"

[Bob the Gunslinger]

Honestly, I'd rather see JMS do it than Joss Whedon. No, we need Whedon free so he can write a new Angel movie...

[Skylon]

I think the big problem with JMS' writing by season 5 is he had really burned himself out. He'd written all of season 3, all of season 4, both consistantly, overall great seasons that are the best in televised sci-fi ("Grey 17 is Missing" aside). Overall though, the show seldom brought in other writers.

Most shows these days don't have a story arc as tightly strung as Babylon 5 did and don't have one over-zealous writer/producer at the helm. Look at the writing credits. For example, Ron Moore hasn't written the scripts on each episode of BSG.

If JMS is a producer who writes a few episodes per season I don't think we need to worry about the potential quality collapse that happened in season 5 of B5.

[Xon]

Personally I doubt that JMS would be allowed the required freedom by the execs.

[Superman]

I think Trek is salvageable, but B & B need to be taken out of the picture first. If the writing could go back to the caliber of TNG, which seems to be fucking impossible for them for whatever reason, I think there's hope.

Also, there really haven't been any good actors in Star Trek since DS9. On TNG, Patrick Stewart's acting ability was absolutely brilliant. His character was absolutely believable. Brent Spiner was an awesome Data, Burton was great a LaForge... There were some real actors who played great parts. Even DS9 gave us characters like Garrak and Odo. Compare them to Kate Mulgrew's pathetic attempt at playing Janeway or Chakotay's dead panned Native American. I've had friends in drama classes who could act better than them. It just seems like since DS9, Trek has been cheapened. The stories and actors hit the bottom rung and hit it hard.

[The Grim Squeaker]

What it need's is a 6-8 years break after the movie comes out to get the foul taste away
, then bring a new one out a century or so after Voyager, preferably taking place after improvements in warp tech let the Federation explore the rest of the galaxy.

[Stormbringer]

My problem is that even though JMS' worst may be regarded as superior to the "best" of recent Star Trek, it is still frankly rather mediocre television. And mediocre isn't good enough for me to watch. Therefore I don't think it's worth taking an immediate risk right now or in a couple years to find out what JMS could do with the franchise.

I would disagree with you on the quality of B5. But it would be rather pointless to argue purely subjectives. Suffice it to say there are plenty of science fiction fans that enjoyed B5 and wouldn't mind seeing JMS doing a Star Trek series.

In ten years time, maybe with JMS, maybe someone else, but I would rather give the franchise the time it frankly needs to eventually regain the level of quality it hasn't had since 1991 or earlier. I am personally willing to wait as long as it needs to take to reach such a level in quality.

I'm of the opinion that it doesn't need to wait, the changes just need to be made. Star Trek rarely beat entertaining but light weight with a corresponding quality; trying to wait for it to become something genius is just a pipe dream.

While I will be honest and state right out that I personally don't think JMS is the right man for the job, what I am and have been saying aren't centered exclusively towards him or his output.

And I while be honest, I think JMS is head and shoulder above anyone else realistically likely to take over the series. He's a writer and show runner of no small distinction who understands how to make a good televisions series, both the creative side and the production side. I think he would make a fantastic producer.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

My problem is that even though JMS' worst may be regarded as superior to the "best" of recent Star Trek, it is still frankly rather mediocre television. And mediocre isn't good enough for me to watch. Therefore I don't think it's worth taking an immediate risk right now or in a couple years to find out what JMS could do with the franchise.

I would disagree with you on the quality of B5.

I wasn't talking about B5. Someone though brought up LotR as an example of JMS' worst, and that was what I was refering to specifically, more or less.

In ten years time, maybe with JMS, maybe someone else, but I would rather give the franchise the time it frankly needs to eventually regain the level of quality it hasn't had since 1991 or earlier. I am personally willing to wait as long as it needs to take to reach such a level in quality.

I'm of the opinion that it doesn't need to wait, the changes just need to be made. Star Trek rarely beat entertaining but light weight with a corresponding quality; trying to wait for it to become something genius is just a pipe dream.

That's not what I'm saying at all. What I'm saying is that the audience needs a break from Star Trek being on the air, if not at least for the sake that when it eventually came back, there'd be a greater chance of more viewer interest in it returning. I wasn't implying that it would "better with age," since it obviously hasn't. I'm just saying that the audience needs a break because the damn thing has been in almost continuous production for more than twenty years.

[Durandal]

Hell, JMS's best work leaves Star Trek's best crying in the dust. JMS's worst isn't as bad as Trek's worst.

Oh I don't know about that. I'd rather sit through an episode of Voyager than one from the first season of B5 than watch Legend of the Rangers again.

Do we need to show the DBZ B5 clip again?

Babylon 5 was good television. Hell, if B5 was mediocre, then Star Trek wasn't worth the plastic it was filmed on.

Sorry, but Trek's best blows B5's best out of the water. I'd take Star Trek II or First Contact over any of the four B5 movies any day of the week.

[Skylon]

Babylon 5 was good television. Hell, if B5 was mediocre, then Star Trek wasn't worth the plastic it was filmed on.

Sorry, but Trek's best blows B5's best out of the water. I'd take Star Trek II or First Contact over any of the four B5 movies any day of the week.

I do think we're jumping way too far into absolutes here. I'd take any B5 (except Legend of the Rangers) over Voyager or Enterprise. MOST B5 I'd honestly take over most DS9 (if its good DS9 vs. a bad B5 ep.

The best of Babylon 5 IMHO stands right alongside the best of Star Trek. For example, I consider TOS "Balance of Terror" the finest battle episode of ANY sci-fi TV series, even without any truly fancy effects. Yet, B5's "Severed Dreams" I feel has the best done space-battle sequence of any sci-fi television series. If both were on TV at the same time I'd be hard pressed to stick with one.