BABYLON 5 star sounds off about show's creator

Actor Jerry Doyle blasts JMS; JMS responds

By Patrick Sauriol     September 10, 2003
Source: IGN FilmForce

A rather sensational new twist in the legacy of J. Michael Stracynski's BABYLON 5 is being played out over at IGN FilmForce. As part of a recent interview with B5 cast member Jerry Doyle, FilmForce found out the latest with Doyle's attempts to resurrect the franchis in a new series that would reunite all or most of the show's surviving cast members.

That interview with Doyle spells out all of the various connections and maneouverings that are taking place from his perspective. "Right now, I can't tell you exactly where it's at, but it's somewhere in some type of movement forward," said Doyle in the interview. "But there's nothing concrete except right now, it's just talk."

The interview stirred up the B5 community who then brought it to the attention of Straczynski, who answered fan questions via Usenet's B5 discussion group.

That in turn prompted Doyle to respond to JMS's answers. "F*** Joe and his typical controlling bull****," Doyle blasted back in a response delivered to FilmForce and published yesterday. In addition Doyle remarked:

"Joe can say what he wants. He can spout his crap about how 'he's the man' around which all things B5 spin. At least I'm still trying to bring back what should never have been taken off the air. The fans deserve the show. Joe's ego deserves a much bigger person."

Reaching Stracynski for a rebuttal, the creator took a decidely less confrontation approach, addressing each point in the original statement. "I'm glad that Jerry has taken this opportunity to vent. Clearly, he misses the show and wants it to come back," comments Stracynski during one part of his response. "We all miss the show.. But at the same time, it's not fair to the fans that Jerry mentions to get people excited about something that doesn't exist. I'm glad that he is trying to get things going, for himself and with others, but talking about things doesn't make them so, and pointing this out is not inappropriate when, based on those statements, I find my email box filled with inquiries about things that simply aren't happening. I've worked with the online community for ten years now, talking about B5 and being painfully honest about what's going on.

"If there were something going on involving a return of the series that was real, I'd be the first person to talk about it and let people know. But there isn't. I have to be honest with people, because I have ten years worth of reputation and credibility with the fans to protect. I see that Jerry doesn't like that, but I can't change that now because he's offended. And again, at the end of the day, it comes down to this: Jerry says he's got something going that's real. If he does, and makes it happen, then I look like a fool, which I'm okay with, it wouldn't be the first time. Then he's right to be offended. If he doesn't, and he can't...then on what possible basis can one be offended?"

And that's where the matter rests for the moment. To read Jerry Doyle and J. Michael Straczynski's responses in full and to understand better the situation surrounding this controversy, give FilmForce a hit.


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