Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Fox is developing an U.S. version of Torchwood!


Hera help me!

I'm not sure about this news!

Fox is developing an American version of Torchwood!

The project is from BBC Worldwide Prods., with original series creator Russell Davies writing the script.

A more straight-faced spinoff of “Doctor Who,” “Torchwood” is about a covert group that investigates and fights alien activity. Two series aired domestically on BBC America as well as last year’s well reviewed stand-alone miniseries, “Children of Earth,” which broke all ratings records for the network. (If you're a fan of serious sci fi such as "Battlestar Galatica" and haven't seen "Children of Earth," rent it. You don't need to know anything about the series. And I know the previews for "Torchwood" can look silly. Trust me, it's terrific. Like "24" with aliens).

Unlike U.S. adaptations that have gone awry, “Torchwood” fans can take comfort that the original producing team is on board. In addition to Davies, exec producers include Davies’ producing partner Julie Gardner (former head of drama at BBC Wales for the show’s first season) and Jane Tranter (another BBC vet, now exec VP programming and production at BBC Worldwide Prods. in the U.S.).

Also, some of the current cast — most likely John Barrowman, who plays the immortal Capt. Jack Harkness — might star if Fox orders “Torchwood” to pilot.

As for the new show’s plot, the U.S. version will contain a global story line compared to the more localized sensibility of the first two BBC seasons.

Will the gay storylines be there? You know how the U.S. is on that! Unless it's on cable, all gay stuff is watered down and shallow.

And the way they treated Dollhouse!! Oh, my stomach is churning about this!

However, this could work. Can it work? I don't know.

source

7 comments:

KAOS said...

The US did a much better job of Queer As Folk - so who knows? Torchwood isn't very British anyway (unlike it's parent) and seems made for the US market.

You're right to wonder about the gay aspect of it though...

Unknown said...

My first reaction is - NOOOOOOOOO! I'll have to think about this. And have a good cry.

Greg said...

Holy crud....

They're going to ruin yet another British show. Didn't they learn anything from Coupling?

ReneƩ said...

I don't think that Fox will allow a lot of the stuff that made original Torchwood so cool with regard to sexuality; this version of the show will be sanitized and Americanized. I refuse to watch regardless, because Ianto was my boo and Russell Davies done me wrong when he killed him. Yes, I'm still bitter.

Eric Arvin said...

They'll zap the sex right out of it.

Anonymous said...

Just broadcast the British (Welsh) version of the show and be done with it. No need to replicate it.

Anonymous said...

In a way, they can do as many Torchwoods in as many places as they want without ruining the original. It's not a "remake" per se, it's just turned into a global team, so it's just dealing with a Torchwood in America.

It would be interesting to see them deal with stuff like Mothman and Chupacabra and Roswell!

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Viktor is a small town southern boy living in Los Angeles. You can find him on Twitter, writing about pop culture, politics, and comics. He’s the creator of the graphic novel StrangeLore and currently getting back into screenwriting.