Tension has been brewing all over the United States with the writers strike that commenced on May 2. The immediate impact of the same hit a horde of late-night talk shows, including Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Saturday Night Live, and The Tonight Show, to name a few. But while the future of numerous shows lingers precariously with the unfolding of the WGA strike, Doctor Who fans should rest assured knowing that their beloved sci-fi drama remains uninfluenced by the protests.
Doctor Who Will Return for Season 14 Unimpeded by WGA Strike
After running for 13 lengthy seasons, the latest season of the BBC series that is positively in production, fell in danger of facing the repercussions of the writers strike that has unfurled in the United States. The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) has not mutinied, and as Doctor Who is a British television series, there’s naturally no cause for concern. However, a flicker of apprehension remained since the sci-fi show is now a co-production with the US-based Disney+.
A spokesperson for Doctor Who, however, has cleared the air by stating that the show is “unaffected by the WGA strikes.”
Season 14 of the show is set to introduce Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor, a milestone for the show since he will be the first male doctor of color to appear in Doctor Who. Besides Gatwa, 30, the other cast members to have been confirmed for the new season include the likes of Millie Gibson, Jemma Redgrave, and Aneurin Barnard. Meanwhile, Russell T Davies is attached to the series as the head writer and executive producer. The forthcoming season will air on BBC in 2024.
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The Writers Strike 2023 – Hollywood Simmers With Agitation
Comprising more than 6,000 members, the Writers Guild of America, the labor union behind the current strike, is a uniform body of writers working across different arenas, from television and films to news and online media. In light of the streaming residuals, for which the writers have demanded a revamping in compensation, the WGA has gone to war with AMPTP (America and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers).
See also: Hollywood Writers on Strike! What to Know About the 2023 Writer’s Strike
The existing contract, the WGA complains, doesn’t adequately encompass the subject of the writers’ compensation after the conspicuous flare-up of streaming media. Writers are also protesting against the excessive utilization of artificial intelligence, insisting that AI tools should be used in moderation and not as their replacement.
The last time the country witnessed the WGA strike was over a decade ago in 2007, which astonishingly enough, went on for months till February 2008. So, there’s no sure-shot way of discerning just when the current strike will come to an end.
Source: Radio Times on Twitter
