J Michael Straczynski on Why Michael O'Hare left

[tomalak301]

First off, I don't know if this is old news or not, so I apologize if this interview was shared before.

I was browsing facebook tonight and found this youtube clip of O'Hare's mental illness and what the writers was going through in the first season of Babylon 5. I had no idea things had gotten so bad at the end of that year. I'm glad Sinclair did come back for the two parter, but I wonder if JMS saved O'Hare's life and O'Hare kinda saved the show in return. I found it quite revealing.

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwyAo_YjtdM#t=135[/yt]

 

[dansigal]

Yeah, this story did come out last Spring at the convention in Phoenix that he references near the end of the video. Although I had never seen this video before.\

In a lot of ways it's unbelievable the extent to which so much of that cast fell on hard times and passed away well before their time.

 

[Kosh Naranek]

Thanks for posting this. I had not seen the interview.

 

[theenglish]

I heard this but had not seen the video. Thanks.

I normally hate remakes--but in some cases where the original concept was great but its implementation did not fulfill its promise then I am all for them. Two cases, Buffy and Battlestar Galactica.

A Babylon 5 remake, fresh from the beginning, would be a bold undertaking and JMS is still young enough to make it happen. Let's do it.

 

[Marc]

I heard this but had not seen the video. Thanks.

I normally hate remakes--but in some cases where the original concept was great but its implementation did not fulfill its promise then I am all for them. Two cases, Buffy and Battlestar Galactica.

A Babylon 5 remake, fresh from the beginning, would be a bold undertaking and JMS is still young enough to make it happen. Let's do it.

I don't think a remake of B5 would work - it had it's 5 year run and the story has been told.

Buffy was originally 2hr movie so it had a lot of freedom to expand the story.

The Original BSG had 1 year and left the story unresolved.

 

[Snaploud]

Thanks for posting the video.


RIP

 

[Christopher]

I don't think a remake of B5 would work - it had it's 5 year run and the story has been told.

Buffy was originally 2hr movie so it had a lot of freedom to expand the story.

Well, Buffy wasn't a remake per se, it was a loose sequel. The events of the movie still happened in broad strokes in the past of the show, although it was more based on the events of the original script. Although they did remake a couple of scenes in flashback at one point.

 

[StarMan]

I knew O'Hare had some mental health issues. Until this interview though, I had no idea how severe things had been. What a bloody shame things unraveled for him again.

 

[GalaxyX]

Oh wow good on J. Michael Straczynski to offer him help with expenses and to seek treatment for his mental illness. That was very noble of him.

I never thought about purchasing the B5 DVD series, but now I'm thinking about it.

 

[Unicron]

On a related vein, here's an interesting interview with Bill Mumy on how he got involved in the show and the work that went into making him Lennier.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVG_1_OriPM[/yt]

 

[trynda1701]

Oh wow good on J. Michael Straczynski to offer him help with expenses and to seek treatment for his mental illness. That was very noble of him.

I never thought about purchasing the B5 DVD series, but now I'm thinking about it.

Think not. Buy.... There is no think!

Seriously, treat yourself. Stay with it thru the First Season (there are a few stinkers), and enjoy the story arc, and especially the characters. Back when it was first showing, the buzz of wondering where the story was going was intense here in the UK, kind of like "X-Files" was in the first few seasons.

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

It also solves the mystery why he had no acting roles whatsoever following his departure from Babylon 5's main cast, except for the War Without End two-parter and two guest appearances on Law & Order, eventually retiring for good in 2000.

 

[Ithekro]

They gave him a few great speeches to remember him by.

 

[Warped9]

Thanks for posting this. I had not seen the interview.

Ditto.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

It also solves the mystery why he had no acting roles whatsoever following his departure from Babylon 5's main cast, except for the War Without End two-parter and two guest appearances on Law & Order, eventually retiring for good in 2000.

I always used to think that O'Hare left B5 for the same reason George Dzundza left L&O: They wanted to be closer to their families (which were on the opposite coasts from where their respective shows were being filmed). I had no idea things were this... complicated.

 

[tomalak301]

On a related vein, here's an interesting interview with Bill Mumy on how he got involved in the show and the work that went into making him Lennier.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVG_1_OriPM[/yt]

Thanks for sharing that. I really do like these Academy of TV Archive interviews that are on Youtube. I remember when TNG was coming out on Blu Ray and there was still quite the excitement (It's less now with Season 7 coming out next week) and this was before Season 2. This same group sat down with Diana Maulder and she talked about being cast as Pulaski and her relationship at the end of the second season. It was very revealing and very genuine. I found the Michael O'Hare piece and one of the things that really struck me was just how open JMS was about the whole thing. It was like watching him paint a picture of what life was like in Season 1 and it sounded incredibly chaotic.

 

[WillsBabe]

I'm really saddened to hear this. Mental ill health is responsible for so many tragedies.

 

[Jan]

If you look around on YouTube you can find the video of JMS telling the fans about this at the Phonix Comic-con 'Promise' panel in May of '13. It was amazing to be there. His tributes to Rick, Andreas and Jeff were wonderful as well.

jan

 

[GalaxyX]

Oh wow good on J. Michael Straczynski to offer him help with expenses and to seek treatment for his mental illness. That was very noble of him.

I never thought about purchasing the B5 DVD series, but now I'm thinking about it.

Think not. Buy.... There is no think!

Seriously, treat yourself. Stay with it thru the First Season (there are a few stinkers), and enjoy the story arc, and especially the characters. Back when it was first showing, the buzz of wondering where the story was going was intense here in the UK, kind of like "X-Files" was in the first few seasons.

Just bought the set on Amazon. $113.99 seems like a good deal for the entire 5 seasons

 

[jclark14]

This is really really good background.... thanks for posting.