<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*> I WAS THERE AT THE BEGINING.... ... and I'm glad it is over! Contributed by Erez Zadok <*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*> Perhaps it's not what you would expect to hear from an avid B5 fan, but I am glad it is over. Why? Because ending the show signifies to me the undeniable success of the series, spearheaded and fought for by its creator and producer, JMS. Each year we went through the nail biting fears that the show will be canceled, and in the end, we did not know if there was going to be a fifth season. We did get a fifth season, but we didn't know if Joe was going to succumb to the usual pressures of success and stretch the show for another 1-2 years. But Joe didn't. We were hurt when Joe and the show was being unfairly attacked on the 'net, and when Joe resigned from the Internet. And we were elated when he returned in the moderated forum. Joe stuck to his promise to experiment with interaction with the audience like never before. Joe delivered what he promised. He didn't waver. He wasn't afraid to try many new things, and admit when some did not work. What he said he will do from the very beginning he actually did. His motto is that if you really believe in something and you follow your dreams, you can make them come true, no matter how hard it is. This is something I believe in myself, and have often referred to Joe's beliefs and episodes in the show when things got difficult in my life. My wife and I have learned that sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the greater good, to believe in ourselves, and to follow our dreams. Babylon 5 showed that to us. Watching Sleeping in Light was very hard for both my wife and me. We could not bring ourselves to watch it again for two weeks, and when we did, it was just as hard as the first time. We did not want to let go of this good friend that has been with us for 5 years. It has been two months since SiL aired, and only now I am able to finally write down this farewell message. I've finally accepted it, and am now realizing it was a good thing that the show is over for what it stands. So yes, I was there in the beginning, taping the pilot and keeping that tape for a year just in case the show did happen. And I'm glad it is over because it is now a single complete novel for television. It is an excellent novel and no one can detract from it. Like many things in life, change is inevitable. Good and bad things come and go, but the memories and experiences stay with us. I am looking forward to the future now. For my wife and me, the two most memorable moments during the past 6 years since the pilot were: (1) Hosting two B5 marathons. Twice we got tapes of UK episodes unaired in the US (the last few of S2 and S3), and invited all of our B5 friends to watch them. Put together cliff-hanger episodes, a bunch of devoted fans, a big TV and a 7 speaker surround system, and you can all picture one hell of a party. (2) Meeting JMS in a convention. My wife and I went to I-CON in '97 and got to hear Joe speak, meet with him in person, and we even took pictures with him. Joe is a true gentle giant. A shy person, not always sure of himself, and stays away from the limelight. He was very friendly and thoughtful, and he left a lasting impression on us as the exception to what the TV industry is often like. So what next? While the first series is over, the world of Babylon 5 is here to stay. Several books, comics, and TV movies were made, and a new series is in the works. We have a few quiet months before Crusade premiers, but that is fine. The longer the wait, the sweeter the reward. Finally, I've been asked several times if I plan to keep running and maintaining the B5JMS list. The answer is a definite YES. JMS was very active online during the 5 years of the show's run, so much so that it was hard for people to believe how prolific he was, and to follow all of his messages. Joe said he would reduce his presence, and he has. But he hasn't disappeared, and is still active online. I also believe that when Crusade starts he will be a bit more active as legions of new fans join the show. So, as long as JMS will be online, the B5JMS list will continue to serve its 3700+ subscribers. Thank you. Erez Zadok. Maintainer, B5JMS and B5JMS-DIGEST lists. Email: b5jms-owner@majordomo.cs.columbia.edu WWW: http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~ezk/b5jms/