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Fox developing U.S. version of 'Torchwood'
Original producing team on board to adapt U.K. series

By James Hibberd

Jan 19, 2010, 10:00 AM ET
Huge news for sci-fi fans: Fox is developing a stateside version of the U.K. hit series "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.

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.

Tranter might try to reboot "Doctor Who" for U.S. audiences while departing "Doctor Who" star David Tennant stars in NBC's pilot "Rex Is Not Your Lawyer." "Torchwood" (which is an anagram of "Doctor Who") debuted in 2006 on BBC 3 and set ratings records, then was moved to BBC 1. Russell also reinvented "Doctor Who" in 2003 and was writer-creator of the series "Queer as Folk."

Sionnach Glic wrote:Torchwood certainly picked up as it went on, but I can't say I'd consider it a good show.

GrahamKennedy wrote:I hope they don't reinvent/reboot the series so much as give us "The US branch" of Torchwood.

Captain Seafort wrote:I would, at least by the time series 3 came along.

Captain Seafort wrote:The US branch of an organisation that considers itself the last bastion of the Empire? That should be... interesting.

Sionnach Glic wrote:Well, you could have it work by having Torchwood America acting as a sleeper cell, waiting for the right moment to unleash the hidden alien tech they control and bring the US to ruin in preparation or the rise of the Empire once more.

GrahamKennedy wrote:Torchwood Cardiff has never gone in for that stuff.

Captain Seafort wrote:

GrahamKennedy wrote:Torchwood Cardiff has never gone in for that stuff.

They certainly did - it's only Jack's 21st century Torchwood (literally - 00:00 1st January 2000 onwards) that has been somewhat independent. Before that they were typical Torchwood.

Moreover Torchwood One was the Institute's HQ - you'd expect them to set the tone for the organisation.

IanKennedy wrote:They did, in the past, but not any more. They said as much to the Doctor.

Captain Seafort wrote:

IanKennedy wrote:They did, in the past, but not any more. They said as much to the Doctor.

And in doing so made clear that Torchwood Three is Torchwood in name only. Jack rebuilt it from the ground up, based on his own version of the Doctor's ideas, as what was effectively a completely separate organisation. It neither answered to nor was controlled by Torchwood One, even before the Battle of Canary Wharf.

IanKennedy wrote:Yes, but the idea is to do a Torchwood series in the US. Not a Torchwood One series, a remake of the current version of Torchwood (the program).

Captain Seafort wrote:

GrahamKennedy wrote:Torchwood Cardiff has never gone in for that stuff.

They certainly did

Captain Seafort wrote:Pretty much their entire history up to 31 December 1999. Jack was recruited in the late 19th century by a Torchwood Three that very much resembled the bastion of the Empire created in "Tooth and Claw" and later seen in "AoG/Doomsday". It was shown in flashback in "Fragments", the penultimate episode of series 2.