Torchwood: Children of Earth

[Larry]

from the O.G news pages

Torchwood - Series Three
Torchwood
June 2, 2008 • Posted By Marcus
TV Guide are reporting that John Barrowman has been signed up for Torchwood Series Three.

The site says the series will begin filming in August for transmission on BBC1 next Spring. So far only five episodes have been confirmed, which will consist of a five part story to be shown over one week.

I had heard this rumour on another forum about series 3 being just a 5 part self contained story but had no idea about it being shown ovewr the course of a week .

[Dirk Gently]

I'm very sceptical of this news. I wait to be convinced.

[Rob McCow]

Tim, do you mean convinced that the series will be any good or that this 5-part Neighbours-style soap stunt is happening?

Torchwood 5 nights in a row! It's TOO MUCH FOR ANYONE TO HANDLE!!!

[Dirk Gently]

Well to be honest all I know is that it is confirmed to be happening & I remain to be convinced that it'll be any good. I'll have to just wait & see.

[Simon R]

Thank God it's coming back. It's been ages since I've seen John Barrowman on telly.

[Pip Madeley]

I bet he has a picture of himself on top of the set, so he's always on the telly.

[Dirk Gently]

That's the only way I'd end up on TV.

[Pip Madeley]

Nobody wants to see your end up on TV.

[Alex]

I'd be interested to see how it works, but at the same time I'm not hugely optimistic about the show's future after this. Even bringing back James Marsters wouldn't really boost viewing figures that much, and I can imagine many people not bothering with it due to the scheduling.

[Llordllama]

Well I suppose that's good news. But 5 eps over 5 nights? I'm not firing the Tosh-o-meter up more than once for that - I've got a life you know!

[Rob McCow]

It's the series they're already calling Torchweek.

And how can you have a Tosh-o-meter when there's no Tosh? It'd be like Blakes 7 without Blake.

[Llordllama]

Well yes, but I've not decided on the format of the Tosh-o-meter's successor (and until I hear the show's been renewed for definite) I might hold off on building Ianto's Tie-Gauge (or the like)

[Dirk Gently]

I thought the Tosh-o-meter was called that because of how much tosh the episode was?

But now you're saying it's named after the character Tosh? What utter tosh!

[Llordllama]

Well, yes that too. Maybe i ought to take a straw poll to see if I should just stick with it

[Dirk Gently]

Well my straw says, stick with it.

[Larry]

I'd be interested to see how it works, but at the same time I'm not hugely optimistic about the show's future after this. .

I just wonder if this reduced series is a knock on effect of the decision to have no Doctor Who series 5 next year obviously that was designed to help both Tennent and RTD go off and do other things so it would seem rather pointless if RTD now had to spend the rest of the year making a full 13 episodes of Torchwood.

[Andrew Curnow]

I don't think RTD is that involved with Torchwood though is he? Other than setting it up and writing episode 1, I think it's been pretty much farmed out to Chris Chibnall and others.

[Pip Madeley]

You'd be surprised, according to a trusted poster on Roobarbs:

RTD did full uncredited Robert Holmes style (around 50%) rewrites on They Keep Killing Suzie, Random Shoes, and (I think) Greeks Bearing Gifts at the very least, not to mention doing similar for series 2. Likewise on Who, the Sontaran two-parter was a bona fide co-write too.

[Si Hunt]

It's all a bit meh. I don't want to sound ungrateful, but I'm going to struggle to get excited at the news that the best the BBC can offer us is one week's worth of new Torchwood in a whole year.

It hasn't established itself to the level where it can do that - if there is more after that, we'll have got one week of new material in two years. Who's even going to remember it after that, let alone be anticipating its return?

Si.

[Perry Vale]

I just wonder if this reduced series is a knock on effect of the decision to have no Doctor Who series 5 next year obviously that was designed to help both Tennent and RTD go off and do other things so it would seem rather pointless if RTD now had to spend the rest of the year making a full 13 episodes of Torchwood.

The 'no series 5 next year' is due to budget cuts (and nothing to do with RTD & DT going off to do other things), and so is this. This way it means they can have just one production team in Cardiff, working on the DW specials, Torchweek, and the SJA, in turn.

[Si Hunt]

Do you know that for a fact? What's the source of your info?

Si.

[Perry Vale]

Well show me some 'info' or 'facts' to the contrary.

But no, I don't have any 'facts', but this has come from a poster on Roobarbs who has been correct in everything I've seen him post, and who broke this news about the five episode series about two months ago, so he seems quite reliable. And to me, it makes more sense, and fits rather more nicely with other developments, like the BBC not getting the license fee increase they wanted, and the need (if the BBC are to fulfill their promise) to get HD ready for 2010. It also seems to fit the suggested filming schedules for all three shows (DW,TW & SJA).

[Si Hunt]

I'm not getting at you Steve, but I've noticed that lately people are boldly posting things on here as if they were fact, when in fact there's no more evidence to the contrary than "a poster on Roobarbs said..." which makes it rumour! And, no, "prove otherwise" is not a valid reason for believing something to be true!

I do think we have a duty to post rumour, opinion and facts as such!

Si.

[SiHart]

Well show me some 'info' or 'facts' to the contrary.

More to the point, you prove you're right.
This is all just supposition and rumour presented as fact because someone hasn't got things so far. You can't say for sure that's right, so you shouldn't go round posting statements that are presented as fact! Since you knew it was from this Roobarbs source, why didn't you just say so.

Si xx

[Perry Vale]

You can't say for sure that's right, so you shouldn't go round posting statements that are presented as fact!

And Larry can?