This is the latest cover for Torchwood Magazine issue 23 coming out in the UK this thursday. The magazine features an article with creator and showrunner Russell T Davies, who talks about taking Torchwood to the US.
|
|---|
|
|---|
Showing posts with label Captain Jack Harkness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Captain Jack Harkness. Show all posts
New Torchwood Magazine Cover Features Captain Jack and the American Flag!
This is the latest cover for Torchwood Magazine issue 23 coming out in the UK this thursday. The magazine features an article with creator and showrunner Russell T Davies, who talks about taking Torchwood to the US.
'Torchwood: The New World' - Russell T Davies Talks Captain Jack's Return, his Love Life, and More!
For one thing, according to Davies :
It's [the 10-part storyline] far more complicated than just a monster. I think it's a brilliant idea, and when you hear it, it will make sense and you'll see how big it is. It could have filled 20 hours. It's a big 10-hour story.
Davies also talked about the return of Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) on series 4, and that he will no longer be in the same sad, depressed state he was in when Children of Earth ended. The series' showrunner says :
He immediately appears. His first appearance in this is running and fighting and being brilliant. Then you'll discover he's carrying all the legacy of that with him, because that would be an awfully dull way to start. That's why you end those shows on that note, because they're ending. We'd never start The New World that way. It's very keen to move on, but at the same time we're going to be absolutely faithful to people who followed Capt. Jack's story and to John Barrowman's career. So we do acknowledge the past stories while at the same time moving on to new stuff. He was left very dispirited and almost defeated at the end of the last series, which we acknowledge and we deal with in a language that will both satisfy old fans and also will move forward into the future.The way Russell T Davies describes Captain Jack's return introduction for series 4 quickly made me think of David Tennant's Tenth Doctor; with the running, the fighting - OK maybe not the fighting - but the being brilliant certainly, it's all very reminiscent of the Davies Doctor Who era is it not?
The showrunner also revealed his plans for our beloved hero's love life, who is often referred to as being an omnisexual (can't recall who coined that), simply meaning Captain Jack would sleep with anyone who caught his fancy, be it man, woman, or alien. No preferences.
He can sleep with man, woman or alien. Yes, absolutely, and not just with men. It's important to point out that he's bisexual. The trap you fall into with bisexual men is only having them sleep with men. So it's men and women. You'll see the full range of his appetites, in a really properly done way. It's not just exploitative. We always have done that. Equally, open sexuality has to include everything, and that means having a husband/wife great big crime-fighting team and happily in love. That's there in that. That's brilliant, so you have to include the whole gamut so you can't just say the minority stuff is the important stuff
Gwen, who is the lead woman of the series, has a lovely husband called Rhys, played by Kai Owen, and now a baby between the two of them. So the sight of Gwen Cooper with baby in one arm and gun in the other is going to be our poster, I hope, because that's just going to be irresistible. I can't imagine Gwen without him, and so he's back. He's a very big part of events. By the time this starts, it will have been off air for two years, I think. We're taking a brand-new audience into consideration. Rhys is now ahead of the game, as it were. There are no secrets. They're a team. It's a really lovely thing to write in a storyline is a husband-and-wife team who love each other. They have fun with each other. It's kind of sexy. It's kind of sexy in a really unusual way. So I love that coupling. He's right up there with the team.OK, not so sure about Davies' idea of Gwen with the baby in one arm and the gun in another on a poster. Hope the storyline wont have her running around with the baby either. The risk, with the introduction of babies and kids on most established television shows, is that they often tend to dull (or let's be honest - ruin) a series (the same can be said about movie franchises). Let's hope that Russell T Davies will escape the baby trappings and that it wont have that effect on Torchwood.
As I mentioned in my previous post here the two new characters - CIA agent Rex Matheson and Esther - have yet to be cast since the series wont start filming for another 5 months. But Davies talked a bit more about them, especially about Rex Matheson, who will sort of take on the role Gwen had when Torchwood first began, as an introductory character :
That character is an entrance into the new story. He's a CIA agent. The fact that Torchwood has been off the air for a while and is also brand-new to a lot of people is actually being used as a part of the story in that Rex has no idea what Torchwood is and has to investigate Torchwood. Torchwood was destroyed, disbanded. It's like a legend now. It's like something that ceased to exist a long time ago that's spoken of only in whispers. So Rex is drawn into this, has no choice but to be drawn into this through complications that you will see in the story. Also, he's at the CIA. We also have a watch analyst at the CIA called Esther, who is now friends with Rex but works with colleagues of Rex's. The two of them become embroiled in the Torchwood legend and investigate what Torchwood is or was.[Via Blastr]
There you have it. Captain Jack will have a new love life, though with whom or what is open for debate at the moment, though I gather there will be more than one for him. But we are assured that he will make a brilliant return which makes me happy. I love a happy Captain Jack. There will be more Gwen, Rhys and the baby, plus those brand new CIA characters.
What do you all think?
Torchwood Series 4 Title and Info Revealed! Plus some News regarding the Return of James Marsters
For starters, Zap 2 It reports that the title of series 4 is Torchwood: The New World. The website is right to report that the title does give the series somewhat of a ''Pocahontas'' feel when you hear it. Not sure I like the title for now. Hope it'll grow on me or that they will change it.
Now on to more news.
Davies reveals that the new Torchwood storyline ''is something that's been ticking away in the back of my head for a long while," following the success of Torchwood: Children of Earth - which sort of took Davies by surprise.
Of the new, overarching 10-part storyline, Davies says that it :
[...] has this global sweep to it which is justified by the story. I hate to say 'international in scope' because it usually means a scene set in Berlin for no reason.The show's creator and showrunner also confirmed that most of the series will take place in the US and abroad but that it will also return to it's Welsh roots. Executive producer Julie Gardner says that :
The Welsh setting still features in a really significant way as we move forwards so when we start filming in January, we will start filming in Wales. There will be beautiful landscapes. Gwen Cooper is still that character. She's still Welsh. Her story will take place in the U.S. but also very much in the UK, so that flavor of Wales will be very apparent.Davies reveals that the storyline will take place right after the events of Torchwood: Children of Earth, and that it will deal with Captain Jack Harkness' (John Barrowman) state of mind after the tragic events that took place in the last series which saw the death of his lover, Ianto Jones, and Captain Jack's ultimate sacrifice of his grand-son in order to save all of Earth's children.
Rex has no idea what Torchwood is and has to investigate. Torchwood has been destroyed. It's like a legend now, it's almost ceased to exist a long time ago and is spoken only of in whispers. We also have a watch analyst at the CIA called Esther. The two of them become embroiled in the Torchwood legend and investigate what Torchwood is or was and they find themselves on the run and meeting Captain Jack and Gwen, having to decide whether they're friends, whether they're enemies. It's a decision that takes a long time to be decided. That's part of the 10 episodes is the two teams coming together, a lot of sparks, a lot of excitement.To my chagrin, however, Russell T Davies confirmed that we wont see Captain John Hart (James Marsters) when Torchwood returns, but he is keeping the door open for the character to return in future series. I had mentioned here that James Marsters was very keen on coming back to Torchwood. Let's hope it WILL happen in the near future.
As a bonus, the showrunner confirmed that since the series is on Starz - a premium cable channel that doesn't shy away from nudity or the occasional sex scene (you have to see Spartacus if you haven't yet. Not only is it a wonderful series but it contains a lot of nudity and sex) - there could be the occasional nude sex scene but only if the story demands it. In Davies' words: ''There's nothing worse than a great big global international thriller that stops for a sex scene. Get on with it please.''
Also, there is some good news for the international fans of the show: When the series will air both in the UK and the US, the scheduling will be very close on both side of the pond. All I can add to this is hooray!! There's nothing worse, in my opinion, than delays between airings of a popular series in different countries.
Torchwood: The New World will begin filming in Wales in January 2011, and the series is set to air on Starz in the summer.
[Zap2It]
So, what do you think of the Torchwood series 4 title and where do you think the series is heading? Good or bad? To early to tell? Chime in!
'Torchwood' Series 4 Writers Revealed and I'm Impressed!
Along with Russel T Davies, who will pen several of the episodes as befit the showrunner, the new writers are:
John Shiban (Breaking Bad, Supernatural, The X-Files)
Doris Egan (House, Tru Calling, Dark Angel)
Jane Espenson (Game of Thrones, Battlestar Galactica, Buffy)
John Fay (UK Torchwood)
Apparently, the writers are now hard at work writing the scripts for the upcoming new season. The story will tell an international tale in a serialized, overarching storyline in ten episodes, as in the format of Torchwood: Children of Earth.
[Chicago Tribune]
The names on the list are clearly impressive, especially - well to me at least - Jane Espenson. Though they are mostly American writers, I am certain that they will keep the subtle (or not so subtle) British humour and story style that I admire from, well, British series, so that Torchwood will still feel like the same show. I'm also quite certain that Davies will put his mark on the scripts.
Torchwood Series 4 will see the return of John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness and Eve Myles as Gwen Cooper. Casting is on the way for the many new characters that will appear on the series.
What do you think of the new writers for Torchwood?
James Marsters Plans to Return to Torchwood!
Marsters reveals his plans to get Russel T Davies to get him in Torchwood and says that:
If he doesn't call me, then I am going to find him. I will tickle him until he bleeds.[Io9]
His words ladies and gentlemen, not mine. I can only say that I will, of course, support him 100% of the way in his endeavour. After all, Torchwood needs Captain John Hart to return if only to see him aggravate John Barrowman's Captain Jack Harkness again and maybe repeat that famous kiss. Just saying.
Anyone else keen to see James Marsters' Captain John Hart return to the series?
Torchwood is set to begin filming in early 2011. It is written by showrunner Russell T Davies and co-produced by the BBC and Starz.
Russell T. Davies Hints to A Darker Torchwood
For starters, when the series returns in 2011, it will be one long story made up of 10 episodes and it: "will have a very American flavour. Most of it will be shot and set in the States (or other foreign countries)."
Davies didn't want to talk about the story yet, saying that : "It’s too soon to give away the story, but I’ve always had this story in mind, and the whole existence of season four will make sense once you know what the story is."
Davies confirmed that he wrote the first episode of series four of Torchwood but that as for writing more episodes for that, it's still in the air.
The Torchwood showrunner went on to talk about the very successful recent series Torchwood: Children of Earth:
Actually, this story is also very dark. I think with that, Torchwood found its feet. People found something very compelling and very chilling about it. I love the way people got on their high horse saying, ‘Oh, he killed his grandson!’ Hello! He saved every single child in the world! If you would fail to do that then you’re the monster, frankly. It’s this extraordinary treatment that only science fiction heroes get You find that. If ever a word is said out of place by the Doctor or Captain Jack, or even by Sarah Jane sometimes, people throw their hands up in horror, whereas in any other drama any character is capable of any thing at any time. That’s the only way to write, and it’s the same for these people as well. I thought it was fascinating and challenging what he did there, but hard – it was so hard. I do think with the whole of Children Of Earth we found a new heartland for Torchwood.But as for the upcoming series, Davies also added that:
For faithful viewers you’ll see the same people in the same world, following on. Though it also starts from scratch, because there’s a brand new Starz audience there sitting waiting to be scooped up, new viewers coming to it. But I restarted Doctor Who in 2005 from scratch, so I know what I’m doing. I did it with Children Of Earth, actually – that practically tripled Torchwood’s audience, and no one said to me that they were lost. So it’s a new starting point and yet… as a faithful viewer you do get that awful feeling when something reboots or revamps that you’re not comfortable anymore, and there’s none of that. It’s still Gwen, it’s still Jack, and hopefully more. You’ll feel very comfortable with it. And there’s great new American characters coming into it. Bear in mind, of course, Captain Jack, he’s American as well, so it doesn’t seem quite as alien, I think, as if you suddenly introduced American characters into Emmerdale or something!”Go here for more on SFX magazine's interview with Russel T. Davies.
I don't know what you guys think of this, but I have faith in series 4. Children of Earth was so good though, I just hope they will be able to top it!
Torchwood: Los Angeles
According to Ausiello, a good chunk of Series 4 of the Starz/BBC produced Torchwood will film on location in Los Angeles! I wonder if Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) will shed a few clothes while there . . . maybe get a sun tan?
[Ask Ausiello]
More Torchwood Series 4 News
Ever since the announcement was made that Torchwood is officially back for Series 4, a few informations have slowly come trickling here and there, but nothing major, such as casting, yet.
However, I decided to make a news roundup of the newest informations that have been released. You can also go read my previous posts here and here.
John Barrowman and Eve Myles are both back as Captain Jack and Gwen Cooper.
Torchwood series 4 will be comprised of both a UK and an American cast.
Torchwood is also about intimate, personnal stories.
There will be some culture clash.
From what I have read and heard, I think that it will be one continuous story like Children of Earth.
The Series is set to air in the summer of 2011.
There may be some announcements made soon but perhaps not in time for Comic-Con.
Source, Source
Torchwood Season 4 Finally Gets the Green Light!!
Finally! Praise the Lord! Halleluja!!
Can you guess I'm happy? (you can't see me but I'm actually doing a happy dance here)
The story just broke over The Guardian UK a few minutes ago that:
John Barrowman and Eve Myles are to return for a fourth series of the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood, after the BBC securing funding from the US cable network Starz Entertainment.
Barrowman, as Captain Jack Harkness, and Myles, as Gwen Cooper, will be working along with new cast members on the new 10-part series with a team of writers led by Torchwood's creator, Russell T Davies.
The new series will be a three-way co-production between BBC Wales, which made the previous series, Starz and the corporation's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, which distributes the show.
Torchwood has previously been shot on location in and around BBC Wales's Cardiff base. The new series will feature location filming in the US and around the world and is being made by BBC Worldwide Productions.
[The Guardian]
We've been bombarded with so many Torchwood stories that I can't help feeling a bit cautious, but I truly, really hope that this time it's true! Starz is the home of the awesome series Spartacus so I believe it's the right partnership for Torchwood, which has never shied away from sexual content.
Anyone else excited about this?
*update
Well, the story is on the BBC website so it's REALLY OFFICIAL PEOPLE
John Barrowman Says No Torchwood Without Captain Jack
However, Barrowman has made it very clear that there is no Torchwood without Captain Jack and that he is part of the talks that are currently in progress.
“I know that there are discussions happening right now with some American networks," he said. "That’s all I know. Julie Gardner and Russell T. Davies (the executive producers), have said there will be no ‘Torchwood’ without John Barrowman as Captain Jack. So I’ll be there and I’m just waiting to hear like everybody else."
“I know scripts are written. That’s all I know,” he said. “But I don’t know when. I don’t have an answer for you. I’m waiting to hear.
Asked whether moving across the pond would change the omnisexual status of his character, Barrowman offered this:
“If it was going to happen, there would be hopefully Russell writing it. There would be no change to Captain Jack. He would still be the same sexually charged character that he is, and it would pick up from where it left off." [Airlock Alpha]
It is still mind puzzling to me that following the immense success of Torchwood: Children of Earth there is still nothing clear as to the series' future.
I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for concrete, official news.
Thanks to Nancy for the heads up!
News on the Filming of Torchwood Season 4
We know that Russell T. Davies is working on was has been dubbed Torchwood USA and that it has been picked up by FOX. Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner - both BBC veterans - are executive producing it. So far, so good.
It also seems that John Barrowman may have filmed scenes (YAY!) and I'm really hoping to see Captain Jack Harkness again. Apparently, the busy actor has a clear calendar from March until october . . .
It is unknown if Eve Myles, who plays Gwen Cooper, was at hand to film and what her involvement would be. One thing known for sure is that actor Gareth David-Lloyd wasn't there (though his character, Ianto Jones, died in the ''Children of Earth'' series, some were hoping to see him again, maybe as a ghost).
[Firefox News]
Captain Jack should Remain Omnisexual on US Torchwood
The Ausiello Files just posted an exclusive story on John Barrowman and his most famous character, Captain Jack Harkness of Doctor Who and Torchwood fame.
Barrowman claims that:
I hope wherever [the franchise] goes that the show stays the same.
The last thing I would want would be for Jack to become this heterosexual, straight hero. He’s an omnisexual guy. He likes men, women, aliens, whatever. I think we should continue going down that route.
As for the US version of the show, the actor has no information yet other than Fox has commissionned a script from Russell T. Davies and that he would reprise his role as Captain Jack.
Go here to read the article.
