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Torchwood for US remake

FOX is developing an Americanised Torchwood -with Russell T. Davies on board to write the script.

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Another week, another US remake. And another based on a British series.

FOX is developing an Americanised Torchwood.

But the deal is not only in conjunction with the BBC, -creator Russell T. Davies is set to write the script while Co-Executive Producer Julie Gardner is also on board.

There is even the suggestion John Barrowman will repeat his role as Captain Jack Harkness.

The U.S. version will reportedly contain a ‘global story line’ unlike the UK series filmed in Wales.

The Hollywood Reporter notes that BBC Executive Jane Tranter is also considering “rebooting” Doctor Who for US audiences -does that mean remaking or merely relaunching the next series with some serious marketing grunt? Probably the former.

Davies is currently living in the US, which added to speculation that Torchwood‘s fourth series may be set partly in the US. This news would appear to override that theory, but it’s still early days.

The US is currently developing local versions of a number of British formats including Skins, Shameless, and Being Human.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

37 Responses

  2. Age-old question but Ill ask it anyway..why do the US insist on making “their” versions of pretty much any O/S show???

    Do they not speak English?? . Are Americans realllly that insular that they wont watch anything unless its made in their own country??

    Has anyone actually tried putting a UK show on in Primetime over there? ..or is anything non-American just considered “foreign programming” and destined for niche-market cable stations??

  7. Things that will happen if Torchwood gets remade by Fox…

    More explosions.
    Jack 100% straight and much more Jack Bauer like.
    Boom!
    Gwen will be a blond in high heels and Rhys will look more like Brad Pitt circa Thelma and Louise than Ricky Gervais.
    Boom boom!
    Owen still snarky, but is now just a nerdy scientist because the co-star can’t be tougher than the star.
    What’s that? A fish? Boom!
    Tosh will turn into the Asian hacker chick version of Abby from NCIS. Every opportunity will be made to show how good she is with computers and ‘technology’. Other than that, she’ll have zero character development.
    Oh look, it’s snowing! — Wait, that’s not Snow! Boom!
    Ianto will be the coffee boy that’s killed off in the first episode.
    Did I mention we’ll need more explosions? In fact, that’s the best way to kill Ianto, have him accidentally swallow a bomb! — Jack, help me!
    Boom boom boom!

  8. i’ve been watching the pilot watches. and this year all the shows that are popping up sound so uninteresting and uninspired. all networks are piloting or have shown interest in new cop shows. so, much more of them are coming our way compared to the soft season for new cop shows we had in 2009.

    the ABC/sony comedy ‘Mr. Sunshine’ with matthew perry did catch my eye though.

  9. The idea of a US Doctor Who is pretty nebulous and is nothing but pure speculation at this point. I wouldn’t put too much stock in that.

    As for the US Torchwood – given that there is definitely going to be a Series 4 of UK Torchwood, and given that Russell T Davies is controlling it And given that there have been rumours that the new Torchwood series may partially be filmed in US, perhaps the report is slightly confused.

    Essentially though, I don’t care if there is a US Doctor Who and US Torchwood as long we get to keep the UK versions. Ultimately if someone wants to saw their leg off, as long as it doesn’t stop me walking, feel free.

  10. I don’t agree with any ‘re-make’ but a continuation of Torchwood in the US with John Barrowman in the lead role could work. It could explain events after the recent mini-series and re-fresh the show.

    But for the love of all that is good leave Doctor Who along!

  11. How many US remakes of British shows have been successful? The Office is always the first one mentioned and there’s Steptoe/Sanford and Man About the House/Three’s Company.

    But then the list dries up pretty quickly. Look how successful the Life On Mars remake was. The Prisoner seems to be going the same way. And the Yanks had three attempts at Fawlty Towers.

    So in 50 years of trying the US has successfully remade three series? You have to wonder about the ‘expertise’ of US TV execs don’t you? They certainly don’t learn from history.

  13. I feel as though someone’s slapped me in the face with a shiny umbrella. I’ve no idea how this could work out. If Davies is at the helm, then there’s definitely hope for it. Otherwise it could be a turgid pile of tosh like that Paul McGann effort.

  14. What The…. agree with Bandex, how could you, isnt it bad enuff that Cadbury been taken over by Kraft!! Cmon US do something orginial
    If you cant then find something you can do.

  15. Doctor Who remade for the US? Done once before. Flopped. Never.Gunna.Happen.Again. It’s too precious a commodity to the BBC now for them to let go of it.

  16. Complete.lack.of.new.ideas.

    Is it sheer laziness of developing new ideas, a complete lack of ability in creating original ideas – or is it simply because the tv networks / companies that create these “new” shows in the states looks at what worked in the UK, and thinks “well, it works over there – so lets copy it and it’ll work for us too” ?

    Im not really a fan of torchwood or dr who – but i can appreciate how passionate people would be about a reimagined / rebooted dr who.

  19. Leave Doctor Who as it is.

    As for Torchwood, I could see an American remake, but wouldn’t It’d be more plausible if the 4th series was set/produced in America rather than Cardiff, instead of remaking a series from scratch.

    That way, similar to series 5 of DW, they could make a “fresh start” will still canoncially keeping characters/events from the previous Torchwood

  20. Leave Doctor Who as it is.

    As for Torchwood, I could see an American remake, but wouldn’t It’d be more plausible if the 4th series was set/produced in America rather than Cardiff, instead of remaking a series from scratch.

  22. I’m fine if the central premise is just that the new series will be about another branch of “Torchwood”, but located in the US. The series lends itself well to having multiple operations throughout the world, even if they mentioned numerous times that Cardiff Torchwood was the only one remaining except for the “lost” branch. Maybe Captain John Hart can “lead” the US based Torchwood? No poodle love interests though.

    Not so fine, if it’s just a US re-make of the existing “Torchwood” with the same characters, although I doubt the US version of Gwen will have a “gap” in her teeth due to the apparent physical perfection of everyone appearing in US produced series (although Sookie Stackhouse may lead a revolution in that respect).

    Highly confused about a “re-make” of Doctor Who. It’s such a British institution, I can’t imagine watching a US version. Maybe a series about the First Doctor’s adventures as a “young man” would work, but they’d be screwed once that actor left, unless they try to establish a parallel universe set of different regenerations due to someone messing with the Doctor’s own timeline or some such sci-fi nonsensical explanation.

  24. Extending “Torchwood” internationally – no problems. It’s too new to have any attachment to it, and it lends itself well to that kind of idea anyway.

    Rebooting “Doctor Who” to appeal to Americans? Very, very, very bad idea. Do not do this! Create an original idea instead! Maybe use Georgia Moffett’s “Doctor’s Daughter” character as a spin-off.

  25. You can’t remake Doctor Who xD That’s just blasphemy. What is with the US and remaking things? Are they not happy with the British ones. I mean, Doctor Who is still going, why remake it?

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