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by neuracnu 1177 days ago
In terms of influence, it's disappointing that the author neglected to mention the considerable online fandom around the show during its original run. A television show with a genuine series-long narrative arc screamed out for debate over cryptic hints and plot twists, which all found their home within a handful of usenet groups.

And the definitive online reference to the show, The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5, is still there, unchanged since the mid 90s: http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/

4 comments

Steve Grimm was a coworker of mine during the heady days of B5. I found myself invited to his home for a few viewing parties of the show during its original run. My girlfriend ruthlessly mocked the show, but she realized how near and dear it was to my heart. I was an unmitigated fanatic for it since that fateful Comic-Con in the early 90s when my classmate professed his devotion to it before the pilot aired.

In fact at this very moment, I am viewing "The Gambler III" with Kenny Rogers and Bruce Boxleitner (special appearance by Colm Meaney).

In a way, my life in those years sort of paralleled B5, with wild roller coasters of drama and enigmatic encounters in strange lands. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing!

I felt old the other day when I was telling my son that when I was a kid, if it was blue and underlined, you can click it! Now everything is polished and fancy and you never know what you can click on anymore. Something beautiful and utilitarian about the HTML of old.
As well JMS did a lot of personal replies on GENIE, COMPUSERVE & USENET that are on that guide as well.
Woah. I can't believe this is still online!