I do wonder about JMS' general non-genre popularity and ability to draw the casual audience
I do believe his credit with the audience is sci fi bound for the most part. I mean, his script for Changeling, probably his most high profile non sci fi project, got some critical applause for Eastwood who directed it and Angelina Jolie who played the lead, but few non-sci fi fans noted that JMS wrote the script, and it wasn't a box office hit. In any event, if we're talking seriously about who should head DW, I think the BBC should go with someone like Sally Wainwright, who has proven she can do complex characters and relationships in the past and present and precisely because she doesn't have sci fi experience yet would bring something new to the table. Also, she is an experienced British showrunner who wouldn't have to move continents and knows the local industry.
But in terms of "What if?", it still was fun imagining what JMS might do!
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I do believe his credit with the audience is sci fi bound for the most part. I mean, his script for Changeling, probably his most high profile non sci fi project, got some critical applause for Eastwood who directed it and Angelina Jolie who played the lead, but few non-sci fi fans noted that JMS wrote the script, and it wasn't a box office hit. In any event, if we're talking seriously about who should head DW, I think the BBC should go with someone like Sally Wainwright, who has proven she can do complex characters and relationships in the past and present and precisely because she doesn't have sci fi experience yet would bring something new to the table. Also, she is an experienced British showrunner who wouldn't have to move continents and knows the local industry.
But in terms of "What if?", it still was fun imagining what JMS might do!