TV and Film:The Watch

The Watch
Promotional Art by Paul Kidby
ASIN	[1]
IMDB	8080292
First Broadcast	TBA 2020
Broadcast Channel	BBC America
Director(s)	Craig Viveiros
Producer(s)	Rob Wilkins, Hilary Simon, Phil Collinson, Simon Allen
Writer(s)	{{{writer}}}
Starring	Richard Dormer, Marama Corlett, Adam Hugill, Sam Adewunmi
Duration	480 minutes
Episodes	8
Series	Watch Series
Annotations	Annotations for TV and Film:The Watch
Notes
Preceded by	Good Omens
Followed by	'
All data relates to the UK home release.

The Watch is an original series adapted from Terry Pratchett's books about the Ankh-Morpork City Watch. Developed by BBC America in conjunction with Narrativia. It has been variously described as a "Pratchett-style CSI," "a punk rock thriller" and "cyberpunk."

Blurb

Set in the fictional city of Ankh-Morpork, where crime has been legalised, The Watch is a uniquely anarchic drama. The series centres on a group of misfit cops as they rise up from decades of helplessness to save their corrupt city from catastrophe. The Watch is an inclusive genre-bending series inspired by the legendary ‘City Watch’ subset of Sir Terry Pratchett’s bestselling “Discworld” novels and its many iconic characters.

Cast

• Samuel Vimes: Richard Dormer
• Carrot Ironfoundersson: Adam Hugill
• Sybil Ramkin: Lara Rossi
• Carcer Dun: Sam Adewunmi
• Cheery Littlebottom: Jo Eaton-Kent
• Angua von Überwald: Marama Corlett
• Lord Vetinari: Anna Chancellor
• John Keel: Hakeem Kae-Kazim
• Dr Cruces: Ingrid Oliver
• Archchancellor: James Fleet
• Throat: Ruth Madeley
• Wonse: Bianca Simone Mannie
• Inigo Skimmer: Paul Kaye
• Urdo van Pew: Joe Vaz
• Alice Band: Jane de Wet
• Oook: Matthew Van Leeve
• Samuel Vimes (Young): Munro Lennon-Ritchie
• Death: Wendell Pierce
• Talking Sword: Matt Berry

Differences Between the Series and Novels

'’The Watch’' is an original series and not directly based on any specific Discworld novel. From promotional photos and information, it is already apparent is will differ in multiple ways from the books. Some of the differences in series include:

• Angua is a member of the City Watch before Carrot, and is tasked with training him.
• Carcer has been described as “wounded and wronged” implying he may be a more sympathetic character.
• Cheery is a non-binary character and apparently human, rather than an openly female dwarf.
• Sybil Ramkin attempts to improve the city through “chaotic vigilantism”.
• The technological level of Ankh-Morpork seems to be more advanced than in the books: the city has electricity and light bulbs, and some clothing has zippers.
• Goblins are much taller and are a similar size to humans.
• “Throat” is described as a “snitch” with “a gang of freelance henchmen”, quite a departure from sausage-inna-bun salesman and entrepreneur Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler.
• John Keel, mentor to Sam Vimes, is played by another actor, making it unlikely that the events of ‘’Night Watch’’ have taken place (or will).

External Links

The Watch on Narrativia

Development history of The Watch by Discworld Monthly

The Watch Twitter Account

Watch trailer and clips premiered at New York Comic-Con 2020