BBC America Acquires TORCHWOOD Season Three
Captain Jack is back in the highly anticipated third season of the hit sci-fi series, Torchwood.
The highest-rated show in BBC America's history is set to return with five all-new episodes in 2009.
Torchwood, the award-winning, adult-themed Doctor Who spinoff that garnered huge critical acclaim for Seasons One and Two, will premiere its abbreviated third season on BBC America shortly after the U.K. bow next spring.
"Torchwood really represents the essence of the channel--it's sexy, action packed and a little bit subversive," Richard De Croce, SVP, Programming, BBC Worldwide America said. "Clearly our viewers love it as much as we do."
Created by Russell T. Davies, lead writer and exec producer on the current Doctor Who, the dark, wild and sexy sci-fi drama follows the adventures of a team of investigators based in Cardiff, Wales, who use scavenged alien technology to solve present day crime--both human and alien. Led by the enigmatic Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), the Torchwood team is separate from the government, outside the police and beyond the United Nations. Torchwood sets its own rules, delving into the unknown and fighting the impossible.
In the British style, the season is only five one-hour episodes long, all of which will be seen on consecutive nights on BBC 1 as the series has progressed up the ladder each season after its start on BBC 3.
It hasn’t been decided how BBC America will schedule the show, executive vice president of communications Jo Petherbridge said on July 25, the same day the deal was signed.
The intent is for Torchwood to continue for a fourth season and beyond on BBC 1.
The show will have a brand new producer for Season 3--Peter Bennett, who has previously worked on Torchwood and Doctor Who as well as The Mummy, A View to a Kill and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
Julie Gardner says that she and Davies "are thrilled to be bringing Torchwood back for a third series. The new series promises to be a gripping and surprising TV event and we’re certain the audience will love the team’s exciting, roller-coaster adventures."
[Thanks to Multichannel.com and to BOB ALPI at Pop Culture Zoo.]