JMS for Star Wars TV. Opinions?

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-10-06 10:18am

"I think it'd be a great idea, it would certainly be the job of a lifetime...I just don't think the friendly folks at ILM know me well enough to think of me for this. But if anybody over there reading this wants to put in a good word, feel free."

nightmare · Post by **nightmare** » 2004-10-06 10:26am

Sounds like a pretty good idea. I mean, the guy knows how to run a sci-fi tv series. The "problem" is that it might end up having a different flavor than what we're used to from SW. Different doesn't necessarily mean "worse", but still.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2004-10-06 10:42am

That would be fine.

Ideally, he would write the story and someone else would take care of the dialogue or the characters, but JMS is a fully capable writer.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2004-10-06 10:45am

With TV I have much more faith in JMS then a few other mediums.

With this, I would like if he would apply his talents with well....everything and anything else. Literally there is exploration to be done into how the SW universe works.

I still have some bad vibes with the affair but if they get some top notch writers it would at least alleviate my personal woes in some way.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-10-06 10:45am

As long as it is forbidden that he go anywhere near anything a character might actually say, I think it might be alright.

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2004-10-06 10:55am

Depends entirely on the context of what he is writing. If the series is based off the adventures of a small rebel cell in a single solar system and stuff, his approach to writing would work well. If its trying to potray things on a massive scale... no, not at all.

No slam against him of B5, but on a smallscale is where his stories work. Largescale is not for him. Remember, an incredibly bloody war only had a quarter of a million casualties.

Zac Naloen · Post by **Zac Naloen** » 2004-10-06 11:57am

Writing story. Yes. Writing dialogue, no

Babylon 5 had a really good story line. However the dialogue totally sucked.

although my mind is blank on any good sci fi writers at this time.... other than the sg-1 team.

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2004-10-06 11:58am

Zac Naloen wrote:Writing story. Yes. Writing dialogue, no

Babylon 5 had a really good story line. However the dialogue totally sucked.

although my mind is blank on any good sci fi writers at this time.... other than the sg-1 team.

Farscape. They had a good sense of scale at least, even though it was way to goofy to set in Star Wars.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2004-10-06 02:20pm

I am unsure if he can handle sw scale. earth had what, a dozen systems? thats a mafia don low on his luck.

Darksider · Post by **Darksider** » 2004-10-06 02:22pm

He's good at doing small scale stuff.

If it's about a small rebel unit in a backwater sector, and doesn't go beyond that, he could do ok, or even great.

Where did that quote come from by the way?

Utah Jak · Post by **Utah Jak** » 2004-10-06 02:27pm

It would be cool to have a SW tv show. The show would probally be the best on the small scale mentioned earlier. I would watch that show religously on the condition that they show at least one episode with AT-ATs.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2004-10-06 02:28pm

so, Im guessing keep it on the rim, and away from tatooine.

Gustav32Vasa · Post by **Gustav32Vasa** » 2004-10-06 02:29pm

Darksider wrote:He's good at doing small scale stuff.

If it's about a small rebel unit in a backwater sector, and doesn't go beyond that, he could do ok, or even great.

Where did that quote come from by the way?

From his website. JMS News

Darksider · Post by **Darksider** » 2004-10-06 02:31pm

Enforcer Talen wrote:so, Im guessing keep it on the rim, and away from tatooine.

GOD YES!!!!!!!!!!!

If one more movie, show, book, or game involves that god damnd giant desert, I'm going to go insane.......

I know it's where Anikin was born, where luke was raised, and the first planet we ever saw in the trilogy, but does EVERY SINGLE SW product have to have a level or section on tatooine?

There are twelve billion inhabited star systems in the SW galaxy, do a fucking scene or level somewhere else for once.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2004-10-06 09:46pm

Ender wrote:Depends entirely on the context of what he is writing. If the series is based off the adventures of a small rebel cell in a single solar system and stuff, his approach to writing would work well. If its trying to potray things on a massive scale... no, not at all.

No slam against him of B5, but on a smallscale is where his stories work. Largescale is not for him. Remember, an incredibly bloody war only had a quarter of a million casualties.

Give him the show, but put stipulations in it. In fact, no matter who gets the damn thing, tell em they can't touch.......Super weapons, major characters, relatives of major characters (I really don't want to follow the adventures of Bail Organa's other adopted daughter/son

).

JMS could do a good job, hell, stick it back in KOTOR or something to keep the continuity safe.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2004-10-06 09:48pm

Who could do the scale and keep shitty sci-fi chic and brainbugs out?

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2004-10-06 09:51pm

I am assuming this is the guy that did Babylon 5 (which I only saw like a tv movie series or two and hated them), also Batman: TAS which I love, then it's sort of a toss up. But if I'm not mistaken he was the one who wrote Darth Maul Shadow Hunter. That book sucked great big hairy monkey balls that hang from a gorillas underside. This would be a terriable decision IMHO.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-10-06 11:50pm

Gustav32Vasa wrote:
Darksider wrote:He's good at doing small scale stuff.

If it's about a small rebel unit in a backwater sector, and doesn't go beyond that, he could do ok, or even great.

Where did that quote come from by the way?
From his website. JMS News

JMS News isn't his site. It's not affiliated with him in any way. It's just a fan site that maitains a current listing of his USEnet postings for archival purposes.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-10-07 12:15am

Illuminatus Primus wrote:Who could do the scale and keep shitty sci-fi chic and brainbugs out?

A competent producer with a background in real-life war movies rather than sci-fi (hence no bad sci-fi habits or baggage to carry forth and a high likelihood of a plausible military atmosphere), employing Dr. Curtis Saxton as his technical consultant.

In my ideal world, Ridley Scott would direct.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2004-10-07 12:21am

Out of curiosity, what sort of TV show is this supposed to be? Space opera, ala B5? Comedy? Drama? Some combination therein?

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » 2004-10-07 12:31am

Ender wrote:No slam against him of B5, but on a smallscale is where his stories work. Largescale is not for him. Remember, an incredibly bloody war only had a quarter of a million casualties.

That fits in context, though. The Minbari weren't targeting civilians, and if they had the death toll would have risen dramatically, I'm sure. Also the Dilgar Conflict, which the Earth Alliance jumped into and helped win, was won with minimal casualties suffered by the humans. (I'm speculating) Compare this with the E/M War, which is a 2-3 year long humiliating, and crushing defeat-after-defeat, type war, and regardless of how many people actually died it's going to be remembered as being highly important.

Besides, since when is 250'000 casualties NOT considered 'bloody'? It's not as bloody as a million casualties, but it's a lot bloodier than a thousand. Why can't it be put down to perspective?

And incidentally, I partially agree with you on this. JMS can do large scale but he seems to excel at the smaller scale. Interestingly, when the plot required large scale action that was what got delivered; when the budget increased, we saw more of this (season 4 and 5, and the late part of season 3). Even the TV movies showed this as well. ITB for instance. He can do 'large scale'.

I have other problems with JMS, which is to do with his dialogue writing skills. And the cliche scifi brainbugs. But his experience would frankly be welcome to writing a TV show like this. B5 gave him over 5 years of necessary experience writing, producing and creating a show from the ground up, and keeping it alive at the end of every season. Now, he won't have to fight as hard. There would be advantages to working under such conditions. And his presence would be much more welcome than FUCKING Berman and Coto offering their advice, with the latter throwing his resume out into the open.

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » 2004-10-07 12:32am

Master of Ossus wrote:Out of curiosity, what sort of TV show is this supposed to be? Space opera, ala B5? Comedy? Drama? Some combination therein?

This is star wars, dude. It's all three.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-10-07 01:23am

I think it's way too early to guess. I don't see this series coming out for at least 3-4 years.

McC · Post by **McC** » 2004-10-07 01:57am

Wasn't a 2006 date bandied about?

TheForce.Net wrote:They didn't comment on setting (post-Episode III or post-Episode VI we would guess)or release schedule (we expect Fall 2006). Either way - this is coming for sure!

SPOOFE · Post by **SPOOFE** » 2004-10-07 01:57am

If I were George, the first thing I'd do is talk to Shawn Ryan (creator of The Shield). While it's nothing like SW, he DOES have an excellent grasp of incredibly complex, incredibly intricate over-arching storylines. The politics and power plays - both in the "legit" world as well as the underworld - are just absolutely amazing.