Screening right now on BBC America and taking inspiration from the books of Sir Terry Pratchett,
The Watch is an irreverent tale of murder and mystery. Adapted and ushered into existence by show runner Simon Allen, it delves into the Discworld in a unique way, inviting audiences to experience a journey unlike any other. Simon recently took time out to talk to Martin Carr about his involvement and what makes
The Watch so special.
What do you consider to be the key when adapting Terry Pratchett?
There had been many different takes on these incredible books in development for a long time and none of them had happened. When I was asked for my own take in 2015, the responses they’d been getting from the industry suggested that buyers didn’t feel the specificity of books could be carried over into television. I guess the books rely so heavily upon their author’s presence in the story as both a commentator and narrator that it’s a hard thing to replicate. The show we deve
Fantasy and science fiction are perfect vehicles for humor, and better with it than without. Given that all imaginative fiction is imagined by humans from Earth any that you will get to read or watch, anyway it is always really about the world we live in. Ironic distance and satire come with the territory.
Not all works of sci-fi and fantasy follow this path, of course; some writers, and some audiences, are inclined to take things dead seriously, and while this can be fine “The War of the Worlds” is not a laugh riot it can also lead to suffocating self-importance and a lack of fun. This is why the best contemporary “Star Wars” for my money is “Lego Star Wars,” and not the live-action franchise spending heaps of money to tell remarkably similar, not especially moving stories of Empire vs. Rebels/Republic and of parents and offspring (and offspring’s offspring) looking at one another from opposite sides of the Force. (The series works better with “Flash Gordo
Copy to Clipboard
Lara Rossi as Lady Sybil Ramkin (BBC America)
Fans of Sir Terry Pratchettâs works have a reason to be excited! BBC America is soon to release its adaptation of Pratchettâs âDiscworldâ series of fantasy novels. The eight-part season will follow the Ankh-Morpork City Watch from the novels, which in the books evolve from a hopeless gang of three to a fully equipped and efficient police force. Hereâs all you need to know about âThe Watchâ:
Release date
Plot
As per BBC America, âThe Watchâ follows an unlikely group of misfits, The City Watch, who are forced to find the guts to save the world, surprising even themselves in the process. âThe comedic yet thrilling series pits trolls, werewolves, wizards and other improbable heroes against an evil plot to resurrect a great dragon which would lead to the destruction of life as they know it,â notes the official synopsis. âThe modern and inclusive series is inspir
The play’s the thing, or that’s what the Bard says anyhow. (Or it might be the pay, apparently.) So we should probably get back to it in our read of
Wyrd Sisters.
Summary
Hwel is trying to write his new play, which is meant to be shown in The Dysk, a brand new theatre that Tomjon convinced Vitoller to build in Ankh-Morpork. Tomjon wakes from a nightmare, having seen the three witches and heard them talk about him, and decides he’s going out for a drink and that Hwel can come and keep him company. They head to the Mended Drum, where one of the patrons immediately starts on Hwel for being a dwarf, insisting that he won’t be back if they were going to let monkeys and dwarves drinks here. The Librarian of the Unseen University happens to be in the tavern too, and isn’t having any of that. A brawl breaks out, and Tomjon is thrilled, getting onto a chair and demanding silence so he can give a speech from one of Hwel’s plays. It entrances the crowd well enough for them to ma