Since the announcement of the upcoming departure of Chris Chibnall and Jodie Whittaker from Doctor Who, many have been speculating on who the BBC would choose to replace these two. While there has been no word on who the Beebs are considering as the new Time Lord, it looks like one person has revealed he’s been contacted for the role of showrunner: J. Michael Straczynski.
Best known for creating sci-fi shows such as Babylon 5, Jeremiah, and Sense8, Straczynski first showed interest in running Doctor Who in response to a tweet from a fan, saying, “I don’t know if the BBC would ever consider an American to show-run #DoctorWho, but if so, I would be there in a heartbeat. (Well, technically two heartbeats, since two hearts….)”
I don’t know if the BBC would ever consider an American to show-run #DoctorWho, but if so, I would be there in a heartbeat. (Well, technically two heartbeats, since two hearts….) https://t.co/SD0N8gtNmL
— J. Michael Straczynski (@straczynski) July 30, 2021
Apparently, people in the BBC also think he would be a great replacement as Straczynski has revealed that BBC officials have been in contact about the upcoming vacancy.
In response to a question from a fan, he tweeted, “Contact with the BBC has been made. They’re going through their own process, which began before my tweet, and that has to run its course, but if those don’t pan out and there’s a discussion to be had, they will reach out. Very courteous, so we’ll see where their process leads.”
Contact with the BBC has been made. They’re going through their own process, which began before my tweet, and that has to run its course, but if those don’t pan out and there’s a discussion to be had, they will reach out. Very courteous, so we’ll see where their process leads. https://t.co/CnxqGF59ny
— J. Michael Straczynski (@straczynski) August 18, 2021
While it appears that other people have already been contacted about the showrunner role, how that plays out could determine whether Straczynski gets the job.
Straczynski would make an excellent choice for the next Doctor Who showrunner. He has an impressive pedigree when it comes to sci-fi television, comics, and films. He not only created Babylon 5 and Netflix’s Sense8 but also wrote several episodes for both series and written episodes for the 1980s Twilight Zone reboot. He is well known for his Marvel comics run on The Amazing Spider-Man from 2001–2007 and has also worked with DC writing the graphic novel Superman: Earth One. On the film front, Straczynski is credited as story writer for Marvel’s Thor, screen story writer for World War Z, and screenwriter for Underground: Awakening. And to top it all, he has won several awards including several BAFTAs, Emmys, Hugo, and Saturn Awards.
While some may balk at the idea of an American Doctor Who showrunner, there is no denying Straczynski would bring a fresh perspective to the show as well as some strong storytelling elements that seem to be lacking in the past few seasons.
Doctor Who Season 13 will premiere later this year and you can watch all the NuWho episodes on HBO Max. In the meantime, what do you think? Would you like to see J. Michael Straczynski take the helm on the series? Let us know in the comments below!
