Here's the transcript of the JMS chat, moderated by the Wild Wild Web's Ken Hart: 

Ken: 
     Good evening! Welcome to the debut chat on the Wild Wild Web! I take great
     pleasure in introducing our guest, J. Michael Straczynski, creator and co-executive
     producer of Babylon 5! Welcome, JMS! 
Ken:
     When does the new season begin on TNT?
JMS:
     The year 1-4 reruns begin around January 4th on TNT, and the new, fifth season
     starts in around the 19th of January, running once per week with NO reruns or
     interruptions on the new shows, and daily on the old ones.
Ken:
     Excellent news! Let me start forwarding some of the questions:
b5lurker2:
     JMS, how is filming on the 5th season progressing?
JMS:
     It's going great so far, we're now shooting episode #7, and we're very pleased with
     what we've got so far. It has a feeling of having matured beyond last season, and
     we're getting into some of the threads I wanted to explore and hoped we'd be able
     to.
jploughe:
     Are you going to write all the episodes for season 5?
JMS:
     No, Neil Gaiman has already done one, and others will doubtless come in.
DreamChaser:
     Was any re-editing or filming done to the final four episodes of Season 4 after
     Claudia Christian's departure?
JMS:
     No, no re-editing or filming needed to be done; we altered one line of voice-over
     dialogue in one scene, but that's all. 
Ken:
     Could you tell us a bit about the new character in season 5?
JMS:
     Her name is Elizabeth Lochley, Captain, Earthforce. She may have been on the
     wrong side of the recent conflict between Sheridan and Earth, and her arrival sort of
     puts the cat among the pigeons.
jploughe:
     Greetings! I would love to shake your hand for the excellent story you have given us
     so far. B5 is the only show I watch religiously.
JMS:
     Do you watch it while facing east, toward Mecca, to ensure you're truly watching it
     religiously? (and thanks) 
NJ-BiTom:
     You've had 100% creative control before [with Warner Brothers], but you say TNT is
     even better. How are they beating 100%?
JMS: 
     They've been remarkably supportive beyond the creative side, which otherwise is the
     same; they leave us alone. Outside that, they have been pushing to help get us
     publicity, they've come out to the stage many times to lend support, they've got
     people working with us directly more than WB did, and they strongly believe in the
     show, as more than just a product, as a *story*. I can't say enough about them; we
     feel as if we finally have a home.
b5lurker2:
     Will we be seeing the reedited version of "The Gathering" with new SFX on TNT?
     [Note: "The Gathering" was the two-hour pilot for B5.]
JMS: 
     TNT has finally agreed to put forth the money for us to make some adjustments on
     "The Gathering," and we've just started working on doing that. This will mean new
     music, new CGI in many places, and some new (returned) scenes.
rhuttner:
     I recently saw a Star Wars book that goes over the scripts in their various stages. After
     B5 is finished, would you consider working on a book that talks about what the series
     would have been like if cast changes were not necessary?
JMS: 
     No...just doing the story that *is* is hard enough without going into various
     permutations of alternate storylines. 
Roaddirt:
     Will the First Ones ever be back?
JMS:
     Just one, and only once.
jploughe:
     Is season 5 going to focus mainly on the humans' struggles or stay spread out,
     covering all the races' problems?
JMS: 
     It's a mix...certainly the Centauri arc will come largely into play, as we see what
     happens with Londo's fate, and we'll see a lot more of the supporting races who
     haven't had much time in center stage. But a lot of it will be about B5 itself in a new
     situation.
Ken:
     JMS, is the "Crusade" spinoff a definite, or is it still being discussed?
JMS: 
     There's one last deal point to be closed in our negotiations; once that's worked out, it
     should be a go. (We should literally close this out in the next week or so.)
brent:
     What progress has been made on the movies for TNT?
JMS:
     We've shot two already, and finished the efx for the prequel, which we will do the
     audio mix on starting tomorrow, and deliver it to TNT next week.
Ken:
     There will be three movies for TNT, correct?
JMS:
     Yes, three movies total; we'll shoot the third one come March/April.
foxtrot:
     I'm sure we've all wanted to know the answer to this question: How is spoo best
     served? Can you barbecue spoo?
JMS:
     Spoo is served fresh and chilled for Narns, aged and at medium-high temperature for
     Centauri. 
nightwatch2:
     JMS, you are truly one of the best, B5 will definitely live on for many years. Will we
     ever see Sinclair/Valen in Season 5 or in any of the TNT movies (besides previous
     footage for "In the Beginning")?
JMS:
     (BTW, you should never barbecue spoo; wars start that way.) Re: the future of Valen,
     we'll have to see.
Emmanuel:
     What would you say to aspiring TV writers who have a vision for something unusual?
JMS:
     Try to sell it, and don't give up on the dream. Fight for what you believe. But bear in
     mind, if you're aspiring, that you're going to have to put in your time in the trenches
     before selling your own show.
Ken:
     JMS, how many years did it take for B5 to see the light of day?
JMS:
     It took us five years to sell B5. Nobody thought it could be done, done well, or done
     at a price, or succeed against Trek. They were wrong. 
mark bernstein:
     How do you find time to keep up with your email? And newsgroups?
JMS:
     Multiple personalities.
Ken:
     You must worship Mighty Java, the Coffee God.
JMS:
     Ah, Mighty Java...I spend my days and nights (especially nights) worshipping at his
     throne...
NJ-BiTom:
     After squeezing so much into Season 4, will you have time for Harlan's "Hand" idea
     to fit into Season 5?
JMS:
     Harlan is working on something else for us for S5, we'll see what it is.
Ken:
     Here's a chance for a cryptic answer:
psyberian:
     Not to give anything about season 5 away, but what can we expect to see?
JMS: 
     The endings of some things, and the fulfillment of prophecy, and the start of a new
     conflict that is less than physical in many ways. And a man named Byron who may
     be more important to history than he suspects. (Cryptic enough?)
mark bernstein:
     [Peter] Jurasik's novel has been delayed at the publisher. Have you read the
     manuscript? Can we hope to see it soon?
JMS: 
     Haven't read it. Glad to know Peter can write; we were having bets as to whether he
     could read. (kidding) No news beyond that, have no idea.
Ken:
     I'm in awe of Peter's talent. The journey of Londo through the seasons has been
     amazing.
JMS: 
     In many ways, it's become the story of Londo and G'Kar, their progression and the
     changes they go through. I love writing for the two of them. 
samk:
     Has there been any more talk about releasing B5 to video here in the U.S.?
JMS: 
     It's going to be coming out via mail order from Columbia House this winter/spring.
nightwatch2:
     JMS, is there a good chance there's going to be a B5 feature film?
JMS: 
     WB has spoken to us about it; once Crusade is nailed down, they want us to go in
     and talk about it with them. I have a cool story for it. Let's see if they let us do it.
simon:
     Any chance of the Technomages making a return? I really liked their potential.
JMS: 
     There's a good chance you'll see at least one on a regular basis in Crusade.
harry:
     Will we see our buddy Zathras ever again?
JMS:
     Zathras never die. Zathras go on. All universe believes in Zathras. If universe
     believes in Zathras, then Zathras believes in Zathras, because Zathras not fool to
     argue with universe, much bigger than Zathras. If Zathras believe, jms believe.
gOliver:
     You've mentioned a third TNT movie. What might it cover?
JMS:
     Oh, about 94 minutes 10 seconds of film. Beyond that, haven't decided. I have
     several choices as to what story it could be.
rhuttner2:
     Do you know who you are and what you want?
JMS:
     Only in that moment right before I fall asleep, and then in the morning, I can't
     remember what it was. Beyond that...I'm a writer. I want to write. Nothing else much
     matters. 
hawkpilot:
     How much were you involved with the upcoming PC game, and are you happy with
     it?
JMS:
     The PC game is still WAY in early development. We're riding herd on them pretty
     close to make sure it's [representative] of the show. So far, it looks good.
Scotts:
     During the course of Season 5, will we revisit Centauri Prime, to find out about the
     Keepers?
JMS:
     Definitely.
Ken:
     Congratulations on the recent Hugo Award for "Severed Dreams." It must have been
     tough to choose between nominating that or "Z'Ha'Dum" -- great episodes both.
JMS:
     Not really...I like them both, but Severed was the capstone for the whole season, for
     me, and it represented the best work of our whole group on every level. 
Smoothie:
     What do you have planned after Season 5?
JMS:
     Well, if Crusade goes [ahead], and it looks like it will, that will take up my time right
     there. Beyond that, I have some other projects in mind, ranging from series to books
     and some other stuff.
Ken:
     When was the last time you went on vacation?
JMS:
     I guess...about 10 years ago, when we went to England, but I smuggled in a
     notebook and by the time we got back had outlined my next novel. But beyond that,
     in terms of just going somewhere for 2 or 3 weeks, I don't think I've ever had one of
     those.
Emmanuel:
     Thanks for always being so considerate of the fans at the conferences -- even when
     it's caused you inconvenience and recent physical pain. Are you feeling better?
JMS:
     I was, until today; I got in my latest order from Levenger's catalog (also known in the
     jms household as the Death Catalog) and the box weighed almost 200 pounds, and I
     tried to move it...kinda uncomfortable just now, but getting by.
Ken:
     Ouch. Any upcoming convention appearances scheduled?
JMS: 
     There's LosCon in LA over Thanksgiving, then I don't think there's much until the
     spring and summer, and I've got 5 or 6 over July/August alone. Some in the East in
     Taunton and Baltimore, then San Diego for Westercon and ComicCon.
Vanguard6642:
     This is probably an often asked question, but which character would you most like
     having as your next door neighbor?
JMS: 
     I think....Lochley, oddly enough. I'd be calling the cops all the time on Londo.
Ken:
     Yeah, wild parties!
nap5223:
     Will we ever see Sinclair again?
JMS:
     That remains to be seen.
Sweeney:
     How important will Lochley be to the overall arc?
JMS: 
     Not massively, in terms of setting things up, but in helping to pay things off, fairly
     important. Not as much as the others, though.
Sweeney:
     Are there any notable guest stars lined up for S5 so far?
JMS: 
     Eric Pierpoint is in one, we've got William Sanderson and Shari Belafonte in one of
     the movies, others you might not know.
Ken:
     You and Warner Bros. seem very tolerant, even encouraging of the many Web sites
     that promote the show, while Paramount goes out of its way to shut down [Star Trek]
     sites. What is your opinion on the sticky issue of copyright and the Internet?
JMS:
     The problem is that unless images have the right (c) notice, they run the risk of
     falling into public domain, so my feeling is that as long as that info is appended, it's
     fine. The Paramount and Fox solutions (sue 'em!) is overkill and unnecessary.
samk:
     B5 has received recognition and admiration from many sources (NASA comes to
     mind). Is there one particular instance of recognition the show has received of which
     you are most proud?
JMS:
     The Hugo, without question. More than our Emmys, that's the one that matters the
     most, that's the one from the fans, the one I grew up admiring as a fan.
simon:
     Have you seen a draft of Neil Gaiman's script yet? And if so, are you looking forward
     to seeing it on film?
JMS:
     Neil's script just came in, and has gone out as a first draft, and it's great. Should be a
     terrific, offbeat episode. "The Day of the Dead."
MissLyta:
     Is there any possibility that Ivanova will be in any Season 5 episodes?
JMS:
     Not at this point, barring the season/series finale, [which is] already shot.
fan13426:
     Can you tell us anything about what is going to happen to Garibaldi?
JMS:
     He's going to get better, then he's going to get worse, then he's going to fall down,
     and then he'll go away.
markd:
     Will we see Bester in Crusades?
JMS:
     Could be...
markd:
     Have you ever written any books in novel form?
JMS:
     Yes, two novels DEMON NIGHT and OTHERSYDE, both in hardcover from E.P.
     Dutton, and TALES FROM THE NEW TWILIGHT ZONE, Bantam, now out of print. 
Ken:
     I think we've got time for one more question:
Chew:
     Are there more dark servants from the Shadows other than the Drakh appearing in
     Season 5?
JMS:
     Yes, and you'll be seeing them in time. 
Ken:
     OK, I think that'll do it for tonight. JMS, thanks very much for coming here tonight!
     Best of luck with a great new season!
JMS:
     Thanks, my pleasure.
