J Michael Straczynski, the boss of hit ’90s series Babylon 5, has expressed his interest in taking over Doctor Who.
Taking to X, Straczynski recently told fans that he is preparing to move to the UK on a visa which allows him to become an official UK resident.
According to the writer, this means he can work for any studio or production company within the country, leading some fans to speculate that Straczynski may have already been hired as a showrunner for Doctor Who.
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Clearing up the confusion and replying to one such fan, Straczynski said he was making the move without any prior engagements or guarantees regarding work.
He said: “Totally get that, just wanted to manage expectations and be clear. I would love nothing more in life than to take on that job, it’d be the thrill of a lifetime, but we’ll see.
Later, Straczynski responded to another fan who asked him to at least consider joining the Doctor Who team, saying: “I suppose the questions is, would Doctor Who fans be willing to accept an American, even a hardcore anglophile with a UK visa, for such an inherently British series, given Babylon 5 and Sense8 and the like? Would I be worthy?”
Created by Straczynski and released in 1994, Babylon 5 followed the lives of those aboard the titular space station over the course of five years.
The synopsis reads: “In the mid 23rd century, the Earth Alliance space station Babylon 5, located in neutral territory, is a major focal point for political intrigue, racial tensions and various wars over the course of five years.”
The show, which IGN branded “the best Sci-Fi show ever to grace television”, currently has a score of 60% on Rotten tomatoes from 10 critic reviews.
The Los Angeles Times said of the show: “Technically impressive, and perfectly scaled to TV, the production hardware is fashioned by compelling, low-key, desk-top-generated computer effects, including vrooming “Star Wars”-like spitfire marauders.”
“If the acting can get to a level above a robotic stiffness that recalls old Saturday-matinee movie serials, Babylon 5 could prove fun to have around,” penned The New York Times.
