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
Well they gave it to the yanks and just like every single thing the American Television has taken over they stuffed it. The first couple of eppisodes were OK but they decided to go down the usual american path of pretty people and no substance its taken about 10 episodes before anything hapenned. Ive had enough Doctor who is back so Goodby Torchwood and welcome back a well made series. Why do the americans continually run the same formula of pretty people and crap writing. I gave up on American cop shows because of the same crap. When was the last time you saw in real life an honest cop living in a $5 million beachfront mansion. Torch woould is now another franchise that is doomed because it does not fit the dumb it down tell no story use pretty people formula.
If the yanks make it, you can guarantee it will be total rubbish. Might as well cast Matt Smith as Capr Jack Harkness, he sure couldn’t mess it up anymore than he did in Dr Who. A total miscast,
Please No !!
The BBC version is Great the American version if it happens wont be as good
A US version does not need to be a remake, but a different branch office. (Think CSI:Everywhere or Law & Order:Everywhereelse.)
Even if it was originally a Queen Victoria initiated institution, it is “beyond the government” and could conceivably have taken an interest in the high rate of alien reports that happen in the US.
Who can’t be remade. Surely even the Yanks recognise that.
Four word: Life on Mars: US.
Nuf said.
Queer as Folk – true, but Queer as folk didn’t have 30 + years of history that came along with this spinoff. Without all that, it’s just another version of Fringe….
Queer as Folk -another from RTD.
The only translation that has worked in recent times is The Office, there have been countless flops over the years. Like I suggested before maybe the next season of TW will be a continuation of the original leaving off from the recent special 5 parter.
If they have the right people behind it then I don’t see why it has to change just because it’s being filmed on the other side of the pond.
I think Russell would have the rights. If this isn’t a spin off, and a complete remake, it’s basically Torchwood not set in the Whoniverse. The show works well still with its standalone stories, but honestly, can you see Who fans watching this without the occasional Cyberman episode? No thanks.
Best bet is to make it Torchwood 6 or something like that and have them explore their own rift activity in the states….
Noooo!!!!
I’m Canadian and our local cable company also carries american channels. Your brain actually numbs when you switch to an american channel!! Yes, Torchwood is no Doctor Who, but I cringe to imagine what it would take to dumb it down to american standards!!
Please, No!
Either make it a continuation of the story or spin it off – better than a remake. Make Nathan Fillion the American Torchwood leader, crossovers with the UK series, everyone’s happy.
Better yet, back off Davies and let Moffat work his magic.
Noooooooooooooooooo…………………………
Davies should team up with Brannon Braga of Star Trek “infamy” for this. Two hack writers will get it caned faster than one!
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??
americanise thriving UK shows? = flop.
Watch the 1996 Doctor Who movie with Eric Roberts as The Master, and you’ll understand why they should keep their hands off.
They can’t touch Doctor Who. Russell is not in charge of it anymore. Didn’t he give the reigns to Stephen Moffat ?
Keep Doctor Who in the UK.
Except the remake would be made by BBC America, not Fox…and written by Russell T Davies. Just to be fair.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
Didn’t they already do with with Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor?
That didn’t work out well did it….
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.
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.
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.
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.
I am fine with torchwood being made in america from now one, but Doctor Who being made in America is the stupidest thing someone could think of.
whatever happened to the US remake of Spaced? I thought Fox were going to do a version of it there also? Hopefully that idea got canned!!
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
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.
The Office worked well. I think this could be a good idea.
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.
Yes when you can’t think of anything original do a re-make!
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.
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?