SciFiAndTvTalk

Torchwood Returns!

Jack's back! John Barrowman is set to reprise his role of Captain Jack Harkness in a new series of Torchwood. Photo copyright of the BBC.

STARZ Entertainment has acquired U.S. television rights to the next installment of the BBC’s audience sensation Torchwood, developed and produced by BBC Worldwide Productions. Starz will debut the 10-episode series exclusively in the U.S., and BBC One will debut it in the U.K., both in summer, 2011. This is a co-production between Starz, BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Worldwide, and BBC Worldwide will distribute the show outside the U.S. The deal was jointly announced today by Starz, LLC, President and CEO Chris Albrecht and BBC Worldwide Productions EVP Jane Tranter.

The stars of the previous versions of Torchwood, notably John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness) and Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper), will return for the new version. Additional key cast, reflecting the more international scope of the series, will be announced soon.

Torchwood is a drama that puts extraterrestrial threats into a very real world, and asks how humanity deals with the danger - while fighting humankind’s darkest instincts. The series’ previous three seasons aired on BBC America in the U.S. and garnered record-breaking ratings for the network. Created by visionary writer/producer Russell T Davies, Torchwood has to date been located primarily in Cardiff, Wales. The new series will allow Davies and his writing team to tell a more explosive and global story, one that takes advantage of the unlimited narrative opportunities of a premium television service like Starz. Davies and BBC Worldwide Productions’ SVP Scripted Julie Gardner return as executive producers, with Davies also serving as show-runner for the new  Torchwood.

“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 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 installment yet,” said Jane Tranter, EVP, BBC Worldwide Productions. “Chris Albrecht and his team are committed to delivering quality premium programming to their subscribers, also a core attribute of the BBC, and we are excited to be working with them as the Torchwood adventure continues.”

“Russell, Jane and Julie came to us with a compelling vision for the evolution of the Torchwood saga that really takes the story into whole new areas,” added Carmi Zlotnik, Managing Director of Starz Media – the production and development division of Starz. “The compelling story and characters this trio created provide a strong template for driving this narrative in exciting ways.”  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."

Torchwood is the latest piece of notable programming from Starz. It follows on the heels of the recently concluded first season of the epic Spartacus: Blood and Sand, this summer’s highly anticipated event  series “The Pillars of the Earth, based on author Ken Follett’s international bestseller, and the recently announced series Camelot, which Starz is co-producing with GK-TV and will air early in 2011.

Torchwood originally debuted in the UK on BBC One in 2006. All five episodes of Torchwood: Children of Earth reached the Top 10 list in TV Episodes across the entire iTunes TV Store, with episode 1 of the series reaching the top spot the week of launch in August, 2009.

As noted above, photo copyright of the BBC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

Doctor Who's Matt Smith, Elisabeth Sladen And Katy Manning Team Up On The Sarah Jane Adventures

Doctor Who companions Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) and Jo Grant (Katy Manning) are back! Photo copyright of the BBC.

THE BBC have announced that former Doctor Who series regular Katy Manning will reprise her role of companion Jo Grant in upcoming episodes of The Sarah Jane Adventures. Manning, who appeared with the Third Doctor ( Jon Pertwee) in the original Doctor Who series, will guest-star opposite the current reigning Time Lord, Matt Smith (the Eleventh Doctor) and Sarah Jane's leading lady, Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith) in a brand-new adventure of the hit BBC series written by executive producer Russell T Davies and scheduled to air in the UK this autumn.

Click on the following link to go to the BBC Press Office and then click on the Sarah Jane news headline (released on April 19th, 2010) under "Top Stories" to read the official press release - http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/ 

As noted above, photo copyright of the BBC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

Piers Wenger And Beth Willis Talk About Doctor Who

No rest for the weary Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) in his first adventure, The Eleventh Hour. Photo copyright of the BBC.

This is the last of four BBC America press interviews with Doctor Who cast and crew, counting down to the premiere of the show's new season on BBC America, April 17th @ 9:00 p.m. EST/PST. Enjoy!

Piers Wenger and Beth Willis have taken on executive producer duties, alongside Steven Moffat, from the outgoing Doctor Who team of Russell T. Davies and Julie Gardner. Here they reveal the challenges they have faced with taking on such a hugely successful series and why it's so important for Doctor Who to evolve.

"It has definitely been a big challenge taking on this show because we love it so much and why tinker with something that has been as popular, successful and brilliant as it has been?" says executive producer Beth Willis. "But at the same time we are terribly aware we have to look forward and work out how the show is going to survive in the future. In 2005, the team looked at what was fresh and new then and we have to do a bit of that ourselves. Looking at the episodes we've filmed so far, we're starting to see the impact of those changes; what the team has managed to achieve is pretty thrilling."

Fellow executive producer and Head of Drama for BBC Wales, Piers Wenger, agrees and adds: "The thing which is most important to us is telling a good story at the end of the day; that's always the thing the audience is going to be most demanding about. Beyond that, any changes we have made have been motivated by giving the show the best production values money can buy. It's the nation's favorite, and that means it deserves the best."

The advances in technology over the past five years have inevitably enabled the program makers to use more sophisticated techniques and create awe-inspiring visual effects. However, a new lead writer and Doctor are undoubtedly what viewers will feel mark the dawn of a new era for the hit series.

"The fact that we have Steven Moffat [executive producer] writing it and Matt Smith [The Doctor] starring in it gives the show an inevitable element of change," explains Willis. "However, the one thing that hasn't made us scared about this change was reading Steven's scripts. I feel deeply honored and excited to be in a position to be working with such great scripts. It doesn't really matter what color you use, where the camera is or how you position a light; Steven and Matt are brilliant, which has made mine and Piers' jobs much easier."

Renowned as the most dedicated and passionate fans in the world, it seems Whovians certainly have a lot to look forward to. But would Wenger and Willis consider themselves part of the loyal following?

"Steven, myself and Piers were some of the most excited people in the country when we found out Doctor Who was coming back in 2005. Well, in truth, Steven was probably the most excited, but Piers and I weren't that far behind him!" laughs Willis.

"I've always been a fan and I was even accused at the age of eight of shoplifting a copy of Doctor Who Magazine from my local newsagents - completely wrongly I hasten to add," confesses Wenger. "I was accused of it probably because I was in there all the time reading them!"

As noted above, photo is copyright of the BBC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

Doctor Who: The End Of Time On BBC America

Wilf Mott (Bernard Cribbins), The Doctor (David Tennant) and The Master (John Simm) in Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One. Photo copyright of the BBC.

THE final two Doctor Who specials, Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One and Part Two, starring David Tennant as The Doctor, will premiere over the holiday season on BBC America. In Part One, it's the Tenth Doctor's final journey, but his psychotic nemesis, The Master (John Simm), has been reborn on Christmas Eve. With both determined to cheat death, the battle ranges from the wastelands of London to the mysterious Immortality Gate. Meanwhile, the alien race Ood, warn of an even greater danger approaching, as a terrible shadow falls across the entire Universe.

It's the beginning of the end for the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant). Photo copyright of the BBC.

Guess who's back???? John Simm as The Master! Photo copyright of the BBC.

In Part Two, the Doctor faces the end of his life as the Master's plans hurtle out of control. With the sound of drums growing louder and an ancient trap closing around the Earth, the Doctor and Wilf Mott (Bernard Cribbins) must fight alone. But sacrifices have to be made, and the deadly prophecy warns, "He will knock four times."

Bernard Cribbins as Wilf Mott (Donna Noble's grandfather). Photo copyright of the BBC.

This is not Bernard Cribbins' first journey aboard the TARDIS. The veteran British TV, feature film and stage actor played Tom Campbell in the 1966 Doctor Who movie Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D., which starred the legendary Peter Cushing as The Doctor.

Written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Euros Lyn, Doctor Who: The End of Time also guest-stars Catherine Tate (as Donna Noble), Timothy Dalton (as The Narrator), David Harewood (as Joshua Naismith) and June Whitfield (as Minnie Hooper). Part One airs Saturday, December 26th @ 9:00 p.m. EST/PST on BBC America, with Part Two airing the following week, Saturday, January 2nd, 2010 @ 8:00 p.m. EST/PST.

MASTER FILE - The only other survivor along with the Doctor of a long-dead alien race called the Time Lords, The Master, first played by Roger Delgardo, made his debut in the 1971  Jon Pertwee (Third Doctor) adventure The Terror of the Autons. For three seasons, the two Time Lords matched wits, until the Master's final appearance in the season 10 Doctor Who episode Frontier in Space. Delgardo was scheduled to guest-star in one more story, but, sadly, was killed in a car crash on June 18th, 1973 while working in Turkey on another project.

The Master was not seen again until the 1976 episode The Deadly Assassin. Portrayed under heavy make-up by actor Peter Pratt and in his thirteenth and final regeneration, the now grossly disfigured Time Lord was defeated by the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker). In one last bid to save himself, The Master (still a husk of his former self and now played by Geoffrey Beevers) returned five years later in Baker's penultimate story, The Keeper of Traken. Taking over the mind and body of Tremas, a scientist from the world of Traken, The Master was reborn in the guise of actor Anthony Ainley. Following the death and regeneration of Baker's Doctor in Logopolis, The Master carried on with his quest for power and domination of the Universe, his schemes continually thwarted by Doctors Five (Peter Davison), Six (Colin Baker) and Seven (Sylvester McCoy). Ainley's incarnation of the character made his final appearance in the Seventh Doctor's swan song weekly TV adventure, Survival.

Feature film actor Eric Roberts reprised the role of The Master in the 1996 made-for-TV Doctor Who movie, which starred Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor. It was in the Tenth Doctor episode Utopia, that our hero crossed paths yet again with his old enemy, played by Sir Derek Jacobi. This incarnation of The Master, however, was unaware of his true identity, and only when prompted by a piece of technology did he recall his past lives as a Time Lord. When mortally wounded, The Master regenerated into a much younger version of his former self (actor John Simm). In what later appeared to be one final battle between him and  The Doctor, The Master refused to regenerate and died... or did he? John Simm is back as The Master to cause more chaos and destruction in Doctor Who: The End of Time.

The Doctor meets up again with a representative of the Ood. Photo copyright of the BBC.

Wilf and The Doctor are on the move! Photo copyright of the BBC.

Into the TARDIS! Photo copyright of the BBC.

Guest-star David Harewood (center) as Joshua Naismith. Photo copyright of the BBC.

Former companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) returns. Photo copyright of the BBC.

The Doctor can't quite believe his eyes! Photo copyright of the BBC.

Hello world! Yes, it's me, The Master. Photo copyright of the BBC.

As noted above, all photos from Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One are copyright of the BBC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

David Tennant ' s Final Doctor Who Special On BBC America

[caption id="attachment_4657" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="David Tennant at the Doctor in The End of Time. Photo copyright of the BBC"][/caption]   BBC America today announced the U.S. premiere of David Tennant's final special as the Tenth Doctor. Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part Two, premieres January 2nd, 2010, one week after Part One, on BBC America. The finale to the era of David Tennant is one of the most eagerly anticipated adventures in the history of Doctor Who. Guest-stars include John Simm (Life on Mars) as The Master, Timothy Dalton, Catherine Tate, Bernard Cribbins and June Whitfield. New synopsis for the final three specials airing on BBC America over the holiday season are as follows:   Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars - Lindsay Duncan (Alice and Wonderland) joins the Doctor as his sharpest and most strong-minded companion yet for the second of four Doctor Who specials. The Waters of Mars is a dark, scary thriller that sees the Doctor land at a base in peril on the planet Mars. A creeping infection beneath the Martian surface threatens not only the human race, but also the Doctor's most fundamental beliefs. Together with Adelaide Brooke (Lindsay Duncan), the base's commander, the Doctor must defeat a seemingly unstoppable menace before it can reach Earth and wipe out mankind. The Doctor must fight not only the water, but destiny itself, whilst also confronting his own existence, when the prophecy about his future begins to resonate. Is his song about to come to an end? The Waters of Mars airs Saturday, December 19th @ 9:00 pm EST/PST on BBC America and was written by Russell T. Davies (Torchwood, Queer as Folk) and Phil Ford and directed by Graeme Harper. The executive producers are Russell T. Davies and Julie Gardner (Torchwood, Life on Mars).   Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One - It's the Tenth Doctor's final journey, but his psychotic nemesis, The Master, has been reborn on Christmas Eve. With both determined to cheat death, the battle ranges from the wastelands of London to the mysterious Immortality Gate. Meanwhile, the alien race, the Ood, warn of an even greater danger approaching, as a terrible shadow falls across the entire universe. The End of Time, Part One airs Saturday, December 26th @ 9:00 p.m. on BBC America and was written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Euros Lyn. The producer is Tracie Simpson.   Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part Two - The Doctor faces the end of his life as The Master's plans hurtle out of control. With the sound of drums growing louder and an ancient trap closing around Earth, the Doctor and Wilf must fight alone. But sacrifices must be made, and the deadly prophecy warns, "He will knock four times." The End of Time, Part Two airs Saturday, January 2nd @ 8:00 p.m. on BBC America and was written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Euros Lyn. The producer is Tracie Simpson.   Regarding the final specials, lead writer and executive producer Russell T. Davies told the Radio Times, "It's personal for the Doctor. The Master (John Simm) is his enemy, his opposite, and yet so tantalizingly close to being his soul mate. There's something epic about their sheer existence - the last two survivors of an ancient race [The Time Lords]. It's a clash of the titans, both of them heading for death, and yet both determined to survive - at any cost."   Davies and Tennant are passing the baton to Steven Moffat and actor Matt Smith, who will play the Eleventh Doctor in a new season of the re-imagined series premiering in 2010 on BBC America.   As noted above, photo copyright of the BBC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

Doctor Who Specials Are Landing On BBC America

[caption id="attachment_3953" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="David Tennant (The Doctor) and Lindsay Duncan (Adelaide) in Doctor Who: The Waters Of Mars. Photo copyright of the BBC"][/caption] THE BBC today announced the imminent arrival of the final Doctor Who episodes starring David Tennant as the Doctor. Television's longest running Science Fiction series, shot in HD, has just three episodes to go before a new Time Lord arrives onscreen in 2010. The next special, Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars, airs on BBC America, Saturday, December 19th @ 9 p.m. EST/PST. It stars Tennant and British stage and screen actress Lindsay Duncan (Rome, Langford) as Adelaide, his cleverest and most strong-minded companion. [caption id="attachment_3954" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The Doctor and Adelaide are on the move! Photo copyright of the BBC"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_3955" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="What is it that The Doctor and Adelaide are on the run from? Photo copyright of the BBC"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_3956" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Could it be this gruesome-looking chap? Photo copyright of the BBC"][/caption] All will be revealed as the Doctor and his companion Adelaide face terror on the Red Planet in one of the show's scariest adventures yet. Peter O'Brien (Casualty, Neighbors) guest-stars as Ed, Adelaide's second-on-command on the base. The Waters of Mars is written by Russell T. Davies (Torchwood, Queer as Folk) and Phil Ford and directed by Graeme Harper. The executive producers are Russell T. Davies and Julie Gardner (Torchwood, Life on Mars). [caption id="attachment_3957" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Proceed with extreme caution! Photo copyright of the BBC"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_3958" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Adelaide and The Doctor see something strange in the shadows ahead of them. Photo copyright of the BBC"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_3959" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The angry Red Planet takes on a whole new meaning in The Waters of Mars. Photo copyright of the BBC"][/caption] The remaining episodes starring David Tennant will air over the holiday season as a two-part special. Airdates will be released in early December. The actor shot a total of four specials before exiting the role - Planet of the Dead was the first to air last July on BBC America. As noted above, all photos copyright of the BBC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

Eve Myles Talks About Torchwood: Children Of Earth

[caption id="attachment_1849" align="aligncenter" width="200" caption="Eve Myles as Gwen Cooper in Torchwood: Children Of Earth. Photo courtesy of and copyright of the BBC"][/caption] SPOILER ALERT!! - Continuing the Q & A leading up to the BBC America broadcast of Torchwood: Children Of Earth (July 20th @ 9 p.m. EST/PST). The show's leading lady, Eve Myles, who plays Gwen Cooper, sits down for a chat. Eve Myles landed her dream role in 2006, when she was given the part of feisty Gwen Cooper in Torchwood, which Russell T. Davies created especially for her. EVE MYLES - I was so excited when I got the scripts. It's a five-hour psychological action-packed thriller. With a movie, you're looking at maybe 90 minutes of action, but with this new series of Torchwood, we've got five hours. It's an event. It's not just the third series, where everybody is used to what Torchwood is, this series will actually terrify people. For Eve, the new series and the single storyline across all five episodes felt like the right evolution for Torchwood. EM - We've tipped the series on its head and given people a whole new format. It's a completely different style of Torchwood, and is exactly what we should have done. It feels brand new all over again. It's exciting and it's positive. [caption id="attachment_1851" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Gwen and Dr. Rupesh Patanjali (Rik Makarem) are on the run in Torchwood: Children Of Earth. Photo courtesy of and copyright of the BBC"][/caption] Of Gwen's role in the team she says: EM - Gwen is still the heart and emotion of Torchwood, but she also realizes the responsibility she has as a member of the team. Everybody's got to lose something to gain something, and as harsh as Gwen comes across sometimes, if she wasn't, people would die. She's got a huge responsibility on her shoulders. A few years ago she was working as a young police woman in Cardiff. A couple of years later, here she is saving the world with Captain Jack (John Barrowman). One way or the another something has to give. Viewers will see Gwen forge a close relationship with Clem, played by Paul Copley - the survivor of an horrific ordeal who is still haunted by his past. The scenes Eve Myles filmed with him proved to be a major highlight for the actress. EM - He's absolutely fantastic. I was completely overwhelmed - he's so right for the character. Gwen inevitably becomes his guardian because that's what Gwen does - she's Torchwood's social worker. She's a social worker who can run and fight and stand in her own corner and win. With Clem, she has this incredible desire to protect him. She's his protector and he's the key to what's going on. [caption id="attachment_1852" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Paul Copley as Clem in Torchwood: Children Of Earth. Photo courtesy of and copyright of the BBC"][/caption] In contrast to the tender moments of some of the scenes she filmed, there was still plenty of high-octane action for Eve - a self-confessed adrenalin junkie. Of the action-packed scenes, Eve Myles says: EM - It's the best part of the job for me. It's the only job where you can really push yourself. We've got the most amazing team - you know you're in safe hands. You go through things a thousand times before it ever happens. In rehearsals, you don't have the pyrotechnics, you don't have the explosions - so when you actually do the take, you get the realness of it - it's all genuine. It's real shock, fear - every kind of emotion you can think of that would come if you were really caught up in that. I'm an adrenalin junkie, so it's the perfect job for me. But for Eve, the adrenalin-fuelled action is on the back burner as she is five months pregnant. Having just completed filming for the new BBC One drama Framed, in which she stars opposite Trevor Eve, she is now taking time out to concentrate on her pregnancy.

EM - I'm not working now until the baby is born. I've worked continuously recently, but now it's my time to concentrate on the baby.

[caption id="attachment_1853" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Eve Myles with her co-stars Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto Jones) and John Barrowman in Torchwood: Children Of Earth. Photo courtesy of and copyright of the BBC"][/caption] As noted above, all photos courtesy of and copyright of the BBC, so please no copying or duplicating of any form. Thanks!

Russell T. Davies Talks About Torchwood: Children Of Earth

[caption id="attachment_1798" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Torchwood series creator, lead writer and executive producer Russell T. Davies. Photo courtesy of and copyright of the BBC"][/caption] SPOILER ALERT!! - Leading up to the premiere on BBC America of Torchwood: Children Of Earth (beginning on July 20th@ 9 p.m. EST/PST) I will be running a series of BBC America press Q & A interviews spotlighting key people connected with the program. First up, is the show's creator, Russell T. Davies. Do people need to know the back story to Torchwood to be able to enjoy this new series? RUSSELL T. DAVIES - No, not at all. There are fleeting references to the past, but from the moment it starts, we're telling a brand new story. It's been deliberately written so that no one will be lost - and at the same time, the faithful viewer will discover so much more about the members of the Torchwood team. There are plenty of rewards for the long-term fan. How did you come up with the concept for this new series? RD - It was a story I'd had in mind for ages, I'm just glad the BBC gave me a canvas big enough to tell the tale! But underneath the Sci-Fi and the aliens, there's something very relevant to the world, I hope. The way we sit in the West and watch footage of atrocities in different countries and imagine it's all so far away, and so impossible here. Which is a nice comfy lie that we tell ourselves. That was the heart of it. I wanted to tell a story in which civilization snaps, where we turn on ourselves and nothing is safe. Plenty of people live like that on this planet. In this story, it's Britain's turn. Torchwood: Children Of Earth feels very epic. Did you enjoy writing the one storyline over five episodes? RD - I loved it because it was a huge challenge. Lots of thrillers are written by just one writer, but we had three across five episodes, and that meant a lot of e-mailing and late-night phone calls. However, we really worked as a team, all locked in one room to thrash out the storyline and create the characters, and that's my favorite way of working. We also had the producer and director in the writers' room right from the start, which is a very unusual way of working in this country, but with huge results. It meant we were all focused, we all knew the tone and the ambition of the piece, and we all aimed in the same direction. [caption id="attachment_1801" align="aligncenter" width="264" caption="The Torchwood team - Ianto Jones (Gareth David-Lloyd), Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) and Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles). Photo courtesy of and copyright of the BBC"][/caption] The children of Earth are key to this storyline. Do you think using children is scarier than the actual alien? RD - They just touch a nerve. A threat to our children gets a primal reaction out of all of us. Beyond that, though, I think we can be scared of our kids, too. That they can seem unknowable, unreachable - that's why a gang of young hoodies can seem more unnerving than an adult gang of thugs. The 456 is Torchwood's fiercest threat to date. How do you think the team deal with the situation? RD - The whole story tears Torchwood down, and then watches them rebuild, but always questioning them, asking what sort of heroes they are, and how far they will go? And what's the difference between a freedom fighter and a terrorist? At the same time, we get to know Jack, Gwen and Ianto more intimately than we ever have before - exploring their families, their history, their hopes and loves, along with their failings. As the alien threat gets bigger, so Torchwood's humanity is exposed as well as threatened and celebrated, too. And their lives are on the line; none of them is safe! The 456, tell us more about it. RD - The size of this story and the scale of it - spread across more than 40 years of history - means that we needed something bigger, a threat with real intelligence, a race with different protocols and standards. Some of my favorite material comes from Episode Three, where we have to see the government engage in genuine diplomatic relations with an alien species. You watch those scenes thinking - that's what it would really be like. [caption id="attachment_1803" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The kiddies of the world unite (but not in a good way) in Episode One of Torchwood: Children Of Earth. Photo courtesy of and copyright of the BBC"][/caption] There are some fantastic guest-stars in this series. What do you think they added to the story? RD - Just pure class! It's a joy, an absolute joy to work with actors of this caliber. Writing is easy, compared to the task of standing there, saying this stuff, in a whacking great close-up. But we've got great new talent, like Cush Jumbo as Lois - the innocent secretary who discovers state secrets on her computer - and wonderful stars such as Peter Capaldi, who makes his character of John Frobisher so detailed and so nuanced, and so heartbreaking in the end. Add to that, Susan Brown as Bridget Spears - keep an eye on her, she's a slow burn - and Nicholas Farrell as the most clever and manipulative Prime Minister you could imagine. And then Liz May Brice as a truly ruthless assassin! We've also got Paul Copley as Clem, a character holding so many secrets from the past - Paul is simply astonishing to work with. And then the greatest engima of the whole series is Lucy Cohu, playing Alice [who has a link to Captain Jack]. What a mix! Best cast I could have imagined! The relationship between Captain Jack and Ianto has developed. Was that something you had been planning for a while? RD - Not planning as such, it just grew naturally out of the scripts and performances from John and Gareth. And it's such a rich area - the sheer will-they-or-won't-they tension of two men getting closer. But, again, you can come to Torchwood as a new viewer and follow their relationship from the start, so you won't get lost. And it's honestly a pleasure to write for two such fine actors. They make the whole process a delight. You re-create scenes of devastation in the middle of Cardiff Bay. Did you watch the filming of that? RD - Oh, I stay away from filming, it terrifies me. Far too much like hard work. But I did pop down to the Bay to see some of the devastation, and, as ever, a lot of it is plain old camera trickery. By choosing the right angles, and by adding beautiful FX shots, we were able to make the damage look a lot worse than it is. You can go down to Cardiff Bay today and it isn't even scratched. [caption id="attachment_1810" align="aligncenter" width="200" caption="Peter Capaldi as John Frobisher in Torchwood: Children Of Earth. Photo courtesy of and copyright of the BBC"][/caption]

 As noted above, all photos courtesy of and copyright of the BBC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any form. Thanks!

Torchwood - We-Are-Coming

[caption id="attachment_1305" align="aligncenter" width="206" caption="John Barrowman, Eve Myles and Gareth David-Lloyd star in Torchwood: Children of Earth. Photo courtesy of and copyright of the BBC"][/caption] KICKING off the first of BBC America's HD offerings in July is Torchwood: Children Of Earth premiering over five consecutive nights. The series re-joins Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) and Ianto Jones (Gareth David-Lloyd) as they are still coming to terms with the death of two of their closest friends. Despite their pain, they know they have a job to do. This time they are faced with their fiercest threat to date - one which throws the future of Torchwood and the entire human race spiraling into danger. Battling against the odds, do they stand a chance of saving mankind? Series creator, lead writer and executive producer Russell T. Davies on the concept of Torchwood: Children Of Earth - "I wanted to tell a story in which civilization snaps, in which we turn on ourselves, in which nothing is safe. Plenty of people live like that, on this planet. In this story, it's Britain's turn." An ordinary day becomes a world of terror as every child around the globe stops - stops playing, laughing, stops doing anything. Then, as one, they begin to speak with the same voice, announcing to the governments of Earth, "We are coming." As Torchwood investigates, a trap closes around Captain Jack and sins of the past return as long-forgotten events from 1965 threaten to reveal an awful truth. Torchwood is forced underground, as the government takes swift and brutal action. With members of the team being hunted down, Britain risks becoming a rogue state, with the mysterious and powerful 456 drawing ever-closer. Jack, Gwen and Ianto are helpless as events escalate, with humankind ultimately facing the end of civilization itself. Special guest-stars in Torchwood: Children Of Earth are Peter Capaldi (In The Loop, The Thick Of It, Skins) as Mr. Frobisher, a government official hiding a terrible secret, Paul Copley (Coronation Street, The Bill) as Clem, a survivor still haunted by his past, and Liz May Brice (Bad Girls, The Bill) as Johnson, the cynical government agent determined to expose Torchwood. The new season promises to be Torchwood's most disturbing and intense adventure to date. The first episode of Torchwood: Children Of Earth airs on Monday, July 20th @ 9 p.m. EST/PST, with a new episode premiering each subsequent night from Monday, July 2oth through Friday, July 24th @ 9 p.m. EST/PST. Prior to the premiere of Torchwood: Children Of Earth, BBC America takes a behind-the-scenes look at the series as a whole with Torchwood: Inside The Hub. This original premiere features everything there is to know about Captain Jack and the rest of the Torchwood team. Using exclusive interview footage and clips from earlier seasons, revisit the history of this top-secret group, relive some of their greatest victories and get a sneak peak at what Torchwood: Children Of Earth holds in store for our heroes. Torchwood: Inside The Hub premieres Monday, July 20th @ 8 p.m. EST/PST.

About Torchwood

Torchwood is separate from the government, outside the police, beyond the United Nations, more secret than MI5 or MI6. Not even the government is supposed to know about them.

The Torchwood hub is situated deep beneath the Cardiff Millennium Centre.

Torchwood was formed in 1879 by the Royal decree of Queen Victoria as a result of her experiences in the season two Doctor Who episode Tooth and Claw.

Torchwood is an anagram of Doctor Who. When the first season of the new Doctor Who (2005) was being made, TV pirates were desperate to acquire the preview tapes. one of the people in the office had the idea of labeling the tapes with the anagram Torchwood rather than Doctor Who as a security measure to disguise the tapes when they were delivered from Cardiff to London. Writer Russell T. Davies liked the idea so much that it later inspired him to use it as a title when creating this spin-off series.

John Barrowman first appeared as Captain Jack Harkness in Episode Nine (The Empty Child) of the first season of Doctor Who. He also appeared in The Doctor Dances, Boom Town, Bad Wolf and The Parting of the Ways in the same season, and again, in the season two stories Army of Ghosts and Doomsday.

The part of Gwen in Torchwood was written specially for Eve Myles. She first appeared as Gwyneth in Episode Three (The Unquiet Dead) of the first season of Doctor Who.

Gareth David-Lloyd's character of Ianto Jones began as the team's assistant who always sports a finely-tailored suite while ensuring the rest of the team has everything it needs, including a fresh pot of coffee. Ianto has since come to be an integral part of the team, especially after the loss of Tosh (Naoko Mori) and Owen (Burn Gorman) in season two.

Torchwood fans can get an additional fix of their favorite program with a special Torchwood weekend. Captain Jack, Gwen Cooper, Ianto, Tosh and Owen Harper are all back on BBC America with a marathon leading up to the premiere event of Torchwood: Children Of Earth. Enjoy an action-packed, adrenalin-fueled weekend with every single episode of the Sci-Fi smash hit from seasons one and two. The Torchwood weekend starts with Season one on Saturday, July 18th beginning @ 7 a.m. EST/4 a.m. PST, and season two on Sunday, July 19th beginning @ 7 a.m. EST/4 a.m. PST. Last but not least, if you miss installment of Torchwood: Children Of Earth, you can watch the entire five-episode run again in yet another special marathon on Sunday, July 26th starting @ 1 p.m. EST/10 a.m. PST. As noted above, photo courtesy of and copyright of the BBC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any form. Thanks!

The British Are Coming!

[caption id="attachment_1491" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Guess who's coming to San Diego??? David Tennant as The Doctor in Doctor Who. Photo copyright of the BBC"][/caption] IN support of BBC America's U.S. premiere of four Doctor Who specials, The Doctor himself, David Tennant, will appear alongside writer/executive producer Russell T. Davies at this year's Comic-Con in San Diego. They will take part in a Doctor Who panel along with executive producer Julie Gardner and director Euros Lyn on Sunday, July 26th from 10 a.m - 11 a.m. PST in Ballroom 20. David will travel to Comic-Con fresh from the Doctor Who set, having shot his final scenes at the 10th Time Lord. He and fellow panelists will discuss the latest incarnation of television's longest running Science Fiction series and take questions from the floor. There will also be exclusive sneak peeks from the upcoming specials. Fans can visit the BBC America booth (#3629) to capture their own photograph alongside part of the Doctor Who set, as well as purchase exclusive merchandise including David Tennant figures. Fans of BBC America's highest rated show ever, Torchwood, which will have just completed the five-part special Children of Earth, will get to chat first-hand with the stars and makers of the show. Just 48 hours after the last episode, the series makes a return visit to Comic-Con with a panel featuring star John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness), writer/executive producer Russell T. Davies, executive producer Julie Gardner and director Euros Lyn on Sunday, July 26th from 2:15 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. PST in Room 6BCF. As part of the Torchwood panel, catch the talent from BBC America's most buzzed about new Science Fiction drama, Being Human. Creator and writer Toby Whithouse, plus lead actors Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow and Aiden Turner, talk about the inspiration for the show and what it's like to play three twenty-somethings with secret double-lives - as a werewolf, a vampire and a ghost. All four panelists will be signing exclusively at the BBC America booth on Saturday, July 25th from 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. PST. Cult comedy favorite and BAFTA-nominated The Mighty Boosh comes to Comic-Con for the first time to celebrate the airing of all three seasons on Adult Swim and the BBC's DVD release, just two days before the convention begins. Inspired by the Perrier Comedy Award-winning live comedy show, creators/stars Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding along with actors Michael Fielding, Rich Fulcher and Dave Brown will be onstage to discuss the magical, bizarre and exciting world of The Boosh on Friday, July 24th from 4:45 p.m. - 5:45 p.m PST in Room 6A. The hit UK comedy series follows crazy zookeepers Howard Moon and Vince Noir and was described by The San Jose Mercury News as "an acid trip fantasy-comedy [that] is seriously deranged and seriously funny."  This panel will be preceeded by a Mighty Boosh signing in the Autograph Area from 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m PST. Fans can also catch exclusive BBC America screenings during the convention with back-to-back episodes of Doctor Who and Torchwood. On Saturday, July 25th from 7:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. PST in Room 6A, key talent from Torchwood and Doctor Who introduce the last episode of the five-part series Torchwood: Children of Earth, and an advance viewing of Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead, the first of four specials starring David Tennant. Underground Toys (Booth #3949) will be selling its entire Doctor Who and Torchwood lines of toys and novelty items as well as once again introduce new limited-edition Comic-Con action figures that have never been seen before. As noted above, the photo of David Tennant is copyright of the BBC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any form. Thanks!