Maybe it’s just me, but the more I hear about the fourth season of Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood, the more cautiously excited I get about it. Following on from the critically-acclaimed third season/mini-series Torchwood: Children of Earth, the show’s new season is pretty much a reboot for the concept, as the show jumps channels (Co-funded by American cable channel Starz, it won’t be one of a jewel in BBC America’s crown anymore), continents and even titles (The new season will be called Torchwood: The New World). More importantly, the new season is bringing in writers from House and Breaking Bad, as well as Jane Espenson, who’s written everything from Battlestar Galactica and Caprica to Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Warehouse 13, all under the watchful guidance of creator Russell T. Davis. Espenson’s been talking about what she expects from the experience:
I love blending tones—mixing the broadly comedic moment in with the darkly dramatic one can heighten both. Torchwood is a show that welcomes that kind of moment. I’m also really eager to play with all the culture-clash material that comes naturally out of the show’s pedigree. And I’m especially eager to write material that pushes the boundaries of what can ordinarily be done on television. Because of the length of our season and the lead time before production begins, we’re actually approaching Torchwood in a very unusual way—all the episodes will be written before any of them begin shooting. This is allowing us to “break” all the episodes at once, with the entire writing staff working together in a very concentrated one-month work session. This is making for a very intense and collaborative process, all guided by Russell’s very precise vision. The final product is going to be tightly plotted and lovingly crafted.
She also warned fans not to put too much stock in information that’s already been leaked about the season:
We’ve already changed the name of at least one character that was announced in the press. And there’s nothing to stop us from changing more—so if you hear anything, even if it was true at some point, it probably isn’t anymore.
Torchwood: The New World will debut in both the US and UK in summer 2011.
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