The Watch - Discworld TV series - new

[Overread]

Soooo BBC America has apparently started releasing some photos from the sets and actors for their new series based on the Nightwatch from the Discworld stories

First Look Photos: BBC America's 'The Watch' Starring Richard Dormer | Anglophenia | BBC America

BBC America has revealed first-look images from new series The Watch. Comprised of eight episodes, The Watch began filming in Cape Town, Sou

www.bbcamerica.com

I can only assume that in creating their adaptation they somewhat failed to read the actual books
Instead of a fantasy world advancing toward a steam powered industrial era I'm more thinking they've bypassed that and its somehow set in the 80s or so. Because I'm seeing electric lighting, spraycan graffiti, electric fans, American style badges on bead chains and yeah....

I'm sure it might be fun to watch, but besides character names I can't help but feel that this will not be Discworld.

 

[Montero]

I was at first excited, then...... yeah. Sam Vimes doesn't look entirely right. However, might still have the spirit even if they've played with the look. We'll have to see.....

 

[Overread]

Yeah though seeing Carrot wearing a chain mail shirt which is open at the front kinda makes me worry about its possible spirit if its making really odd choices like that

 

[Luiglin]

No, no... just plain no.

 

[Vladd67]

No Colon? No Nobby? When did Cheery become non binary?

 

[The Judge]

A female dwarf with a beard, lipstick and iron high-heeled boots presumably isn't woke enough.

I assumed the guy with the multi-coloured clothing was meant to be Nobby in his Peeled Nut clothing, but it could just as easily be Angua or Vetinari by the liberties they're taking.

 

[Luiglin]

A female dwarf with a beard, lipstick and iron high-heeled boots presumably isn't woke enough.

I assumed the guy with the multi-coloured clothing was meant to be Nobby in his Peeled Nut clothing, but it could just as easily be Angua or Vetinari by the liberties they're taking.

Nope, that's meant to be Cheery.

 

[.matthew.]

No Colon? No Nobby? When did Cheery become non binary?

About the same time they decided that Sybil wasn't going to be a kind hearted valkyrie.

They replaced both 'ugly' characters with attractive actors. A female dwarf with that guy, and a fat woman with a size zero. The press release then justified it by saying it's a non binary actor and a black woman, like that disguises what they did.

Personally, I think this already ruins things. Cheery was the immigrant fighting her peoples traditional gender roles, a far more relevant commentary than the non binary discussion. Sybil's entire personality is based on being a dragon doting spinster who has finally found love, even if that love is a drunken policeman. You make the richest person in the city a supermodel half the age that she's supposed to be, and how does any plot from the books make sense for her?

Pratchett was the master of tackling big issues with comedy and humility, all without beating people on the head with them. From my perspective, the watch books were his magnum opus, showing the transformation of Ankh-Morpork through the people living there. To change that for cosmetic reasons and then to claim it's for diversity is a slap in the face.

 

[Luiglin]

About the same time they decided that Sybil wasn't going to be a kind hearted valkyrie.

They replaced both 'ugly' characters with attractive actors. A female dwarf with that guy, and a fat woman with a size zero. The press release then justified it by saying it's a non binary actor and a black woman, like that disguises what they did.

Personally, I think this already ruins things. Cheery was the immigrant fighting her peoples traditional gender roles, a far more relevant commentary than the non binary discussion. Sybil's entire personality is based on being a dragon doting spinster who has finally found love, even if that love is a drunken policeman. You make the richest person in the city a supermodel half the age that she's supposed to be, and how does any plot from the books make sense for her?

Pratchett was the master of tackling big issues with comedy and humility, all without beating people on the head with them. From my perspective, the watch books were his magnum opus, showing the transformation of Ankh-Morpork through the people living there. To change that for cosmetic reasons and then to claim it's for diversity is a slap in the face.

Seconded.

 

[nixie]

No... if I say I'm going to watch this someone please remind me it's only loosely based on the books or I'll end up hitting my head against a brick wall.

 

[The Judge]

Nope, that's meant to be Cheery.

He's a dwarf???!

So who is the tiny girl with the heavy eyeliner? I thought that was Cheery -- she's short enough. It's never meant to be Angua, surely. Oh, good grief. *considers writing to her MP about this*

 

[.matthew.]

No... if I say I'm going to watch this someone please remind me it's only loosely based on the books or I'll end up hitting my head against a brick wall.

After the surprisingly good job Sky did on the TV movies, I think they should have had it (or the BBC if they wanted a more drama version).

 

[nixie]

We need a petition, these film and TV people are always taking liberties with our beloved books but it's a step too far messing around with Disc World's Watch

 

[Overread]

Yeah the really tiny gal who looks like she's going to cry at any moment I think is meant to be Angua.

Also I'm fairly sure I recall that Vetinari is female now as well. Which with Sybil looking like she does probably means a nice little love triangle between her Vims and Vetinari is probably going to happen. I mean I can't imagine why else they'd cast a male role with a female - esp as this isn't pantomime .

I think the best and only approach for any sane Discworld fan is to consider this "NOT" Discworld in any shape or form. In fact I don't even know why they want it to be Discworld aside from the free publicity they'll get as there's clearly no attempt at making it faithful.

 

[Luiglin]

He's a dwarf???!

So who is the tiny girl with the heavy eyeliner? I thought that was Cheery -- she's short enough. It's never meant to be Angua, surely. Oh, good grief. *considers writing to her MP about this*

Angua, who in this instance is short and Carrot's superior I believe.

 

[Luiglin]

I don't mind changes but the only link this seems to have to the books is the names of the characters.

Comes across as 'based on' if your squinting in the dark at a Guards! Guards! closed, buried in a rabbit hole whilst in the middle of a snow storm heralding the oncoming ice age.

 

[Elckerlyc]

So who is the tiny girl with the heavy eyeliner? I thought that was Cheery -- she's short enough. It's never meant to be Angua, surely. Oh, good grief. *considers writing to her MP about this*

No, that's supposed to be Angua.
The guy with multi-coulered clothing is Cheery.
Lord Vetinari is played by the actress who played Duckface.

This is going to be a disaster.

 

[.matthew.]

Also I'm fairly sure I recall that Vetinari is female now as well.

It's political correctness running amok. I mean technically have no problem with Vetinari as a woman as there's like zero sexuality involved in his role as a benevolent tyrant, but still struggle to imagine it.

Angua, who in this instance is short and Carrot's superior I believe.

But... Carrot is supposed to be the driving force behind the watch, the idealist who inspires even the old coppers to acts of bravery. The one who even Vetinari struggles to understand

 

[Luiglin]

Next, they'll be doing The Witches, with Granny Weatherwax played by Emilia Clarke, Nanny Ogg by Emma Watson and Magrat by Dame Judi Dench.

Actually, scratch that.

The Witches, starring Elijah Wood as Granny Weatherwax, Mackensie Crook as Nanny Ogg and William Shatner as Magrat.

Actually, I'd watch that

 

[Overread]

I don't think its political correctness. It's a director and creative team who wanted to make a detective/police show set against a fantasy world in America with a confusing technological period. They just happened to swipe the Discworld title in order to get the producers to sign off on the budget in the hopes that the big name on the title would ensure a big audience.

At least that's my impression when its clear that they've jumped so far from the source material that fan's can't even work out who is exactly meant to be who (and even when you do you're left with that puzzling - wait really? - response). It might be good within itself but it will never ever be Discworld.