‘The Watch’ Is Out Of Control In New Trailer
by Erik Amaya
BBC America has released a new trailer for their upcoming series, The Watch. And while it suggests the series is an even looser adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s City Watch novels than first thought, we can’t help but think it still looks like a lot of fun.
Richard Dormer stars as a punkier-than-expected version of Watch Captain Sam Vimes. Tasked with minding the streets of Ahnk-Morpork, but dis-empowered to do anything about the quasi-sanctioned organized crime guilds, his world turns upside down when a dragon comes to town and he finds himself responsible for restoring the peace.
The series has a bit of controversy surrounding it as members of the Pratchett estate were not allowed any input in the program’s development. Also, fans decry the lack of armor for the Watch, a more modern city than the one depicted in the novels, Dormer’s take on Vimes, and the decision to make genderqueer dwarf Cheery (Jo Eaton-Kent) beardless.
Despite these criticisms, the trailer suggests a series with an irreverent take on fantasy — a Pratchett specialty — and the TV police procedural. It may not be as faithful as say, Neil Gaiman‘s production of Good Omens, but we still see some of Pratchett’s spirit there. Or, at the very least, enough of for us to give it a shot when it debuts January 3rd on BBC America.
