http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/news/cult/news/drwho/2005/10/17/25634.shtml
Apparently BBC 3 has decided to comission a spin-off series from Russel T Davies' hugely succesful re-launch of Dr Who (note that Torchwood is an anagrom of "Doctor Who"). It's being pitched as a cross between the X-Files and This life which makes it sound utterly utterly dreadful because it conjures up images of lightweight relationship dramas, will-they/won't-theys and unmanageable mythologies but I'm sure it can't be that dreadful.
Though I AM worried. The relaunch of Dr Who was succesful but the scripts were very slight to the point of being light-weight and occasionally drifting into camp (which is bizarre seeing as RTD's Queer as Folk was never camp). Its drama was never completely convincing and its sci-fi plotlines wouldn't have been out of place on Trek. The idea of that this was a proper Sci-fi series and that the spin-off is going to be more of a mainstream drama is worrying. Oh well... I'll wait until I've seen it to loathe it I guess.
But it's worth remembering that pandering to the abused and un-loved British sci-fi fans and Whovians is one thing, but making something truely clever like Firefly or the new Battlestar Galactica is still a way off for RTD and the BBC. I'd hate to see him lose focus.
The other piece of news is for all fans of the mighty Pterry. There's a new Discworld novel on the way called Wintersmith which is part of Pratchett's young-adult series starring Tiffany Aching. It's the follow up to the excellent Wee Free Men and the somewhat disappointing Hat Full of Sky.
But even bigger news is the triumphant return of Pratchett to TV. Yes... the Beeb are planning on adapting his lesser known series Johnny and the Bomb for BBC One next year. Something worth looking forward to, even if it's not the film version of Guards! Guards! which someone NEEDS to make.
I'm currently reading Thud!... review in a few days.
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