Interviews: Ask J. Michael Straczynski What You Will

J. Michael Straczynski has written Thor, World War Z, and Changeling among many other films. He created Babylon 5 and has worked on numerous comic book titles including Superman and The Amazing Spider-Man. Most recently, he has teamed up with the Wachowskis for an original Netflix sci-fi series, Sense8 . He's agreed to take a break from his busy schedule in order to answer any questions you may have. As usual, ask as many as you'd like, but please, one question per post.

Comments

B5 and season renewal

[madopal]

What would have been different with the last two seasons of Babylon 5 had you known for sure you had a full 5 seasons?

actors across series

[doas777]

I've often noticed that if an actor played a speaking character in one scifi series, while looking mostly humanish, any other series they are in they have a pretty concealing costume. For Instance Mr Katsulas played a rather humanish Tomalok on Startrek, whereas his G'Kar had a pretty intense costume.

Is this done intentionally, or just coincidence?

Social TV

[hhawk]

For me, you are the father or grandfather of social TV, meaning the way you promoted Bab 5 (before, during and after) the series is more or less the methodology that many TV shows and movies have adapted. You maybe have been using NNTP (Network News) instead of Facebook or Twitter, but for me you are the first.

My question: in that context: What are show producers/runners not doing today with Social Media that they could or should be doing to engage and interact with fans?

Reaching Fans

[hhawk]

When you look back at how you used tools like NNTP to engage with your audience regarding Bab 5, is there anything you would have done differently today?

Working with Netflix and the Wachowskis?

[PortHaven]

Sense 8 brings together one of my favorite creators of worlds, with one of my favorite authors, and one of my favorite companies....

What has it been like to work with the Wachowski siblings and Netflix? Has working with Netflix provided a freer avenue for creativity than a traditional television network experience offers?

No Space on TV currently?

[PortHaven]

At the moment there is not a single TV show in space? Since the ending of the BSG reboot and Stargate: Universe cancellation, TV has been essentially "spaceless".

Why do you feel that is?

And what do you feel it would take to bring "space" back to television?

Re:How could you do it?

[Dragonslicer]

Why did you make a movie and then name it World War Z when it had nothing in common with the source material except for a title?

Because the movie that was released had relatively little to do with the screenplay that JMS wrote. In fact, they had to add some of JMS's writing back in when they released how terrible the later revisions were.

Any "loose B5 ends" that bug you?

[Opportunist]

I know that there are a few things in B5 that were mentioned, maybe touched briefly, that were hinted at and that did eventually not get the attention that I felt they were supposed to get, either because of time constraints, because actors decided to jump ship or because of reasons that I (or even we, as a whole) don't know about.

Are there any plot ideas that you were quite fond of that you could not flesh out the way you wanted them to? Any "loose ends" that you really wanted to tie up and give closure but couldn't during the series run? And, of course, why couldn't you?