BBC America Orders Terry Pratchett’s ‘The Watch’ to Series
By Nate Nickolai
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – BBC America has given a series order to the Sir Terry Pratchett series “The Watch.”
Based on Pratchett’s popular “Discworld” novels, “The Watch” will follow Pratchett’s misfit cop characters as they struggle to save a ramshackle city based on the “City Watch” subset of the series. Many of Pratchett’s literary characters will also make an appearance including the City Watch Captain Sam Vimes, the last scion of nobility Lady Sybil Ramkin, the naïve but heroic Carrot, the mysterious Angua and the ingenious non-binary forensics expert Cheery alongside Pratchett’s original characterization of Death.
Written by “Das Boot” writer Simon Allen, BBC Studios is producing the series with Pratchett’s own production company Narrativia. Hilary Salmon, Ben Donald, Rob Wilkins and Phil Collinson will executive produce.
“With events in our own world making the insanity of ‘Discworld’ seem outrageously familiar, there couldn’t be a better time to bring Terry’s fun, fire and fury back to the small screen or a better place than ,” said Allen. “I’m grateful to them, BBC Studios and especially Rob Wilkins at Narrativia who has been a constant source of inspiration on this epic and emotional journey.”
“Many years ago Terry made the brave decision to allow brand new Watch stories to be told with his existing characters. It’s taken a long time for anything to happen because we guard these characters with our very lives,” added Wilkins. “So many of Terry’s biggest ideas seem more vital and urgent now than ever before and I am thrilled to be working with Simon and such a talented team, who understand the unique genius of their creator. They have really keyed into the subversive qualities of Terry’s voice and they clearly adore ‘Discworld’ as much as I and millions of fans around the world do.”
“The Watch” is the latest Pratchett adaptation, following the Amazon series based on his co-written book “Good Omens,” which stars Michael Sheen and David Tennant.
(Pictured: Sir Terry Pratchett)
