Discworld TV Series The Watch First Look Released

With the fantasy series set to debut later this year, BBC America has revealed the first official photos from their new TV series The Watch, based in part on the late Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series of comedic fantasy novels. In the photos, fans have been given their first look at the characters from the series and what the world will look like in this latest adaptation. Game of Thrones’ Richard Dormer leads the cast as Captain Sam Vimes with other The Watch cast members including Adam Hugill as Constable Carrot, Jo Eaton-Kent as Constable Cheery, Marama Corlett as Corporal Angua, Lara Rossi as Lady Sybil Ramkin and Sam Adewunmi as Carcer Dun.

Production on The Watch began back in September in Cape Town, South Africa, the official description of the series from BBC America reads:

“Set in a fictional city where crime has been legalized, The Watch is a genre-busting series that follows a group of misfit cops as they rise up from decades of helplessness to save their corrupt city from catastrophe. Uniquely anarchic and thrillingly entertaining, the character-driven drama follows several of Terry Pratchett’s best-loved creations from his ‘Discworld’ novels on a riotous and emotional odyssey. “

The reactions to the first look has not been well received by fans to say the least. Replies to BBC America’s tweet of the first look range from the mildly curious in part to outright mockery by many.

“So ‘inspired by’ means you’re trying to get Sir Terry’s fans to tune in even though this has NOTHING to do with the already genre-busting, hilarious, snarky, diverse Discworld? Awful idea. Terrible execution,” @sg1marzipan77 tweeted.

“Remember how everyone loved Good Omens because it was a faithful adaptation with a minimal amount of updating for a modern audience?” @DoNothing69 queried. “Next time do that, not this.”

To make things even worse, the official Twitter account for the late Terry Pratchett shared a 2004 article written by author Ursula K. Le Guin, outlining her disappointment with the Sci Fi Channel adaptation of her Earthsea books. Le Guin was not kind in lambasting the adaptation in this piece, written 14 years before her death in 2018, and Pratchett’s official account (plus his daughter Rhi Pratchett) sharing this take down couldn’t be more clear in the message being sent about The Watch.

Are you excited about The Watch or do your feelings line up with other fans of Pratchett’s novels? Let us know in the comments section below!