Torchwood series 4 - airing summer 2011

herobear

Key cast - John Barrowman (Capt. Jack), Eve Myles (Gwen) – to return for the next installment, along with new faces
Monday 7th June 2010

BBC Cymru Wales, BBC Worldwide and US premium entertainment network, Starz Entertainment, have today announced a three way co-production partnership that will develop a new series of the hit BBC sci-fi drama Torchwood. BBC Worldwide will also distribute the series to broadcasters globally.

The 10-episode instalment will be written by a team led by Torchwood creator, Russell T Davies, and produced by BBC Worldwide Productions. Davies and BBC Worldwide Productions’ SVP Scripted, Julie Gardner, return as executive producers with BBC Worldwide Productions EVP Jane Tranter. The series has been commissioned by Controller BBC ONE, Jay Hunt, Controller BBC Drama, Ben Stephenson, and Starz President and CEO, Chris Albrecht.

While previous series were based on location in Cardiff, Wales, this new instalment will see storylines widen to include locations in the U.S. and around the world. John Barrowman and Eve Myles will return in their roles as Captain Jack and Gwen respectively, along with new faces.

Announcing the commission, Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning said: "We have a long history of working with many U.S. networks but it is incredibly exciting to be working with Starz for the first time, as well as to be reunited with the best of British in Russell, Jane and Julie. Torchwood will burst back onto the screen with a shocking and moving story with global stakes and locations that will make it feel bigger and bolder than ever"

Jane Tranter, EVP, BBC Worldwide Productions, added: "Torchwood has attracted remarkable attention and loyalty in both the UK and U.S., and in this new partnership with Starz, the next chapter will not only reward our current fans, but also introduce new viewers to the most impressive instalment yet."

"We're committed to programming exceptional television that is entertaining, imaginative and provides a premium TV experience, and by any measure the new concept for Torchwood fits that mandate," Starz, LLC, President and CEO Chris Albrecht said. "I've been part of successful partnerships with Jane Tranter and the BBC previously, and I'm very much looking forward to working with them again."

Torchwood is a drama that puts extraterrestrial threats into a very real world, and asks how humanity deals with the danger - while fighting human's darkest instincts. The series was originally commissioned and produced in 2006 by BBC Cymru Wales, with the latest high octane series capturing UK audiences of more than 6 million.

BBC Worldwide has distributed previous Torchwood series around the world to territories such as Korea, Japan, Italy, Spain, Israel, Russia and across Latin America.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/torchwood/torchwood_new_series/

Daemos

Mixed feelings for this to be honest

As bizarre as I know this sounds, Series 3 was so good I didn't really want it to return, because it was so good and finished so completely, that the 4th series might seem forced

I guess only time will tell

qwertplaywert

Where abouts does it announce it is airing summer 2011? Such a long wait

Daemos

qwertplaywert wrote: »

Where abouts does it announce it is airing summer 2011? Such a long wait

Says so here

qwertplaywert

DaPoolRulz wrote: »

Says so here

Ah. Got excited when I saw Starz to air it summer 2011, thought it might be on the beep earlier but its summer as well

I'm not sure if I want it back either, can't see anyone they bring in topping Peter Capaldis preformance in Children of Earth.

pixelburp

John Barrowman's knocking about Desperate Housewives at the moment, isn't he? I wonder if that helped sell the series to the Stateside broadcasters.

I too am feeling mixed about this - if they keep the high level of season 3 then it's worth getting excited over. But season 3 was such a finale for the show that any return would just feel like a flat reintroduction. And set in the US? Ergh, welcome to casting by demographics

Daemos

pixelburp wrote: »

Ergh, welcome to casting by demographics

As opposed to what usually happens with the BBC...?

pixelburp

DaPoolRulz wrote: »

As opposed to what usually happens with the BBC...?

Ah to be fair, they're never quite as blatant as US shows, particularly if they have even a whiff of "cop procedural" about them.

Jessibelle

I may stand to eat my words but I really don't like this Children Of Earth was fantastic science fiction and I can see it being ruined by this. I'm afraid it'll be all Gwen bored by being a mother, then missing her child/hating Jack for what he did/forgiving Jack for what he did/ alien of the week taking said child hostage stories. AND there's no Ianto. It's not Torchwood without my coffee loving human tailors tape measure stopwatch bearing Ianto

qwertplaywert

Jessibelle wrote: »

Children Of Earth was fantastic science fiction and I can see it being ruined by this.

How?Worst case sceanario, season 4 is the worst tv series of all time. That still won't change the fact Children of Earth was a fantastic achievement.

BuffyBot

Being on Starz will give it considerable content freedom, however as it's a premium cable network. No need for it to be toned down.

qwertplaywert

BuffyBot wrote: »

Being on Starz will give it considerable content freedom, however as it's a premium cable network. No need for it to be toned down.

Tbh dont see that making much of a difference, other than it won't be censored when it airs in the US.

BuffyBot

Well originally they were in talks with Fox for a US remake/series -.which would have required significant alterations to Torchwood as we know it.

Jessibelle

qwertplaywert wrote: »

How?Worst case sceanario, season 4 is the worst tv series of all time. That still won't change the fact Children of Earth was a fantastic achievement.

Sorry, I should have clarified, it will ruin it for me in that I'd feel let down if Season 4 was sub-par to the standards it's achieved. Kind of like watching Voyager after Deep Space Nine, you know it's adequate but just not as good as it could be. Torchwood ended on such a high note caliber wise the last time, I'd hate to see it return to mediocrity

dancingmonkey08

Im just pissed off at how the show is getting away from its original point. It started off about a team of alien hunters who stop aliens that come through the rift, now its just slowly turned into alien hunters fight random aliens all over the world. Doesnt Earth have UNIT to do that? Sorta takes away from the original idea of the show

BaconZombie

I thought it was shown in a Doctor Who episode that it was setup to fight ALL aliens after the Queen found out about The Doctor.

Eventually, in 1879, the Brethren arranged for Queen Victoria to be diverted to the nearby Torchwood Estate where the current host would infect her with the wolf cell, leading to the creation of the "Empire of the Wolf". The plot was thwarted by the Doctor and Rose, who used a telescope constructed by the father of Sir Robert MacLeish against the werewolf. The telescope was in actuality a gigantic light amplification chamber and, using the Koh-i-Noor diamond as a focusing element, struck the werewolf with enough moonlight to dispel it from the planet. It is unclear, however, if Victoria was indeed infected in the end.

*

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werewolf_%28Doctor_Who%29

Other Link to Info:

While Queen Victoria was grateful for the Doctor and Rose's assistance in defeating the werewolf, the incident also made her aware of otherworldly threats to the British Empire, and thus ordered that Torchwood be established in order to defend against them -- specifically from the Doctor. Seeing his power and knowledge, the Queen was wary of any possible threat he could cause to the Empire. The name of the Institute was drawn from the Torchwood Estate, where most of the adventure took place. (DW: Tooth and Claw)

http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Torchwood_Institute

dancingmonkey08 wrote: »

Im just pissed off at how the show is getting away from its original point. It started off about a team of alien hunters who stop aliens that come through the rift, now its just slowly turned into alien hunters fight random aliens all over the world. Doesnt Earth have UNIT to do that? Sorta takes away from the original idea of the show

*SPOILER: If about a series 4{?} Doctor Who.

markw999

I personally can't wait for this. Children of Earth was my favourite piece of sci-fi from last year, and by far, the best season of Torchwood.

I wonder if Mickey, Martha and Alonso Crane (I think I'm getting the name right - Russel Tovey's character) will be Torchwood members given that it looked like they were being set up to be at the very end of S4 of DW.

Daemos

It's Alonso Frame, he isn't Fraiser's brother :pac:

doctorwhogirl

Really not sure about this. Children of Earth finished it nicely (if you exclude Jack's appearance in the Who finale)

Just Jack and Gwen, no thank you.
This screams "American market" to me. I'm expecting lots of tanned, capped teeth "hotties" strutting around with big guns shooting at aliens.

BuffyBot

To be fair Starz aren't huge market chasers. Being a premium cable network allows them a lot more freedom as they don't have to chase advertising dollars and huge ratings. Just look at the reviews vs ratings for one of their big shows, Party Down. Critcally acclaimed, but not many viewers compared to mainstream US TV. The show also has complete freedom in terms of content which would never be allowed on Network TV in the US