Torchwood Torched At Fox
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the Fox network has passed on Torchwood after reading Russell T. Davies’ script.
Perhaps that’s when they discovered the lead character, an American who cannot stay dead for very long, is omnisexual… and that’s a critical part of his character.
BBC Worldwide stated “BBC
Worldwide Productions and the Fox Broadcasting Company have mutually
agreed not to progress together with a 13-episode serialized Torchwood
format. We are currently in
discussion with several interested networks.” Former Torchwood and Doctor Who producer and now BBC Worldwide American agent Jane
Tranter said they were still making progress in placing the vaguely more adult Doctor Who spin-off. “It’s
very much ongoing and very much alive,” Tranter said.
We’ll see. What American executives perceive as fit for your eyes differs – greatly – from their British counterparts.
What a waste. Torchwood is a brilliant show; it simply must not fit Fox's current pattern of mediocrity. This move keeps my currently viewed Fox program total at … well … is House still on Fox?
If they want to stay true to the BBC original, they'd better try cable. Maybe SyFy, but I'm not ever sure they'd be up for omnisexual antics.
I don't think that Showtime currently has a pet SF series so Torchwood would be a perfect fit IMHO! Any pay-per-view network that would have the cojones to feature shows that star a serial killer, an edgy comedienne who attacks male and female TV icons by impersonating them and a housewife with multiple personalities that can cope with life better than she can should make a suitable home for an omnisexual humanoid who's incapable of dying!
With the network pretty much dead last, NBC might do well to consider not only Torchwood, but picking up Doctor Who for prime time rebroadcast. It'd have to be better than the crapola that's on now.
Last time I looked, BBC America was owned by Time-Warner (owned in the sense that the US channel is theirs under license from the BBC; certainly not the content on that channel). So I doubt a Doctor Who transplant to NBC is likely. Although it'd be fun.However, there's no way I see NBC or any broadcast network going for Torchwood. They just ain't got the guts. BUT if they've got the budget (and that's a big IF) MTV's Logo channel certainly could air it without causing anybody another aneurysm.