Torchwood Season 3 - Only 5 Episodes :(

ixoy

So it looks like Torchwood's 3 season will only be five episodes! URL="http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-News-Blog/Todays-News/Torchwood-Season-3/800040744"]link[/URL

Tired of all the rumors surrounding Torchwood's future, TVGuide.com went directly to the rift, er, Cardiff, Wales, to learn if the truth was out there.

Well, 'Woodies (or Torchies, if you prefer), scripts for Season 3 are currently being developed and filming should start in the middle of August for airing on BBC1 in the spring of 2009. Best news of all, John Barrowman will return as the dashing bi-sexual adventurer. Though keeping more details close to the vest, executive producer Julie Gardner vows that fans "will be pleased with the casting." That better mean Eve Myles is returning!

Fans, however, may not be so happy with the mere five hours slated for next season. "We've decided to do a five-part mini-series, one big story that will run during one week," says Gardner, adding, "I wanted to make a really big noise about the show."

So far, the BBC has only green lit these five hours, but there could be more, we're told. When (or even whether) BBC America will run the mini-series has yet to be decided.

That sucks! After a stonking second season (perhaps the greatest improvement in any show ever), we're reduced to this?! And with Doctor Who only on specials in '09, it's looking like a very lean year.

There's no solid reason for this, but the speculation is that - even though it's a solid performer it's also very expensive and the 3 Who shows (including "The Sarah Jane Adventures") are too dear, especially with the new BBC license fund scheme being introduced. Therefore we get less episodes next year (and it's why "The Sarah Jane Adventures" is having two seasons filmed back to back). It's still crap though and can't be good for the show.

Doctor DooM

That makes it a really thin on the ground year for all things Who. That does suck.

pixelburp

I dunno, I'm not too bothered; Torchwood series 2 was much better, but a smaller season with a tighter script & story arc might work to its advantage. If there was one criticism of series 2, it was that with the exception of zombie-owen, there was no real consistency from one episode to the next. 5 episodes might do that (And hey, Ultraviolet lasted for only 6 eps!).

Doctor DooM

ixoy wrote: »

So it looks like Torchwood's 3 season will only be five episodes! URL="http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-News-Blog/Todays-News/Torchwood-Season-3/800040744"]link[/URL


That sucks! After a stonking second season (perhaps the greatest improvement in any show ever), we're reduced to this?! And with Doctor Who only on specials in '09, it's looking like a very lean year.

There's no solid reason for this, but the speculation is that - even though it's a solid performer it's also very expensive and the 3 Who shows (including "The Sarah Jane Adventures") are too dear, especially with the new BBC license fund scheme being introduced. Therefore we get less episodes next year (and it's why "The Sarah Jane Adventures" is having two seasons filmed back to back). It's still crap though and can't be good for the show.

Funny, I would of thought the merch sales and the DVD sales would put "the franchise" into considerable profit...

ixoy

SDooM wrote: »

Funny, I would of thought the merch sales and the DVD sales would put "the franchise" into considerable profit...

Lots of rumours and suppositions floating about but the latest is that the show will only have one production company next year, rather than two, and they can't do 3 full shows so we end up with a short Torchwood season.

Pixelburp wrote:

Torchwood series 2 was much better, but a smaller season with a tighter script & story arc might work to its advantage.

Meh, the same could be said of nearly any show. I'm of the mind that a 12/13 episode season is a good length for shows - after that quality tends to dilute.

Doctor DooM

ixoy wrote: »

Lots of rumours and suppositions floating about but the latest is that the show will only have one production company next year, rather than two, and they can't do 3 full shows so we end up with a short Torchwood season.

Do you mean Torchwood or the whole of Whoianity? I'm not up on the behind the scenes stuff.

ixoy

SDooM wrote: »

Do you mean Torchwood or the whole of Whoianity? I'm not up on the behind the scenes stuff.

Two production companies to make Torchwood, the Sarah Jane Adventures and Doctor Who. It seems in '09 there will only be one and BBC Wales can't handle the scale of it so they're cutting back. Why there's only one is unclear - some say it's because Tennant is unavailable but others say that '09 was always going to be a short year regardless.

popebenny16

ixoy wrote: »

Two production companies to make Torchwood, the Sarah Jane Adventures and Doctor Who. It seems in '09 there will only be one and BBC Wales can't handle the scale of it so they're cutting back. Why there's only one is unclear - some say it's because Tennant is unavailable but others say that '09 was always going to be a short year regardless.

Yes, something is fishy here. First DT's absence was the reason for a reduced Who next year, then the SJA revelation and now this.

I had thought that RTD was getting out because of ennui, after all his scripts and his leadership this year reeks of it. Julie Gardener's decision to step down always struck me as odd (or Ood ) I am beguining to think there's some politics going on behind the scenes.

As for merchandise, the craze here seems to have gone down a bit, partly I'd say because of the fact that Who runs Easter-Summer, not Sept-Christmass (which makes more toy-related sense), but I dont know about the UK which after all is the core market. That said, Who is the most expensive effort on the Beeb, can the merchdising licences and profit shares be bringing in that much to cover it?

Does anyone know if it'll be BBC Wales doing 2010 Who? Or will it ne relocated to London?

pixelburp

Well I could live without SJA to be honest, it always seemed like a spin-off too far. It was nice to see Sarah Jane get her own show, but whereas Torchwood could at least placate those looking for more adult Who-related thrills, what demographic was SJA serving? Doctor Who already had that market sewn up to begin with, so I didn't quite follow the logic

Kroton

Seems odd to me but maybe they want a gap after loosing tosh and owen... still sad about that.

Tiroskan

I think SJA was serving the demographic of Who fans who actually wanted a decent show to watch. Since, like, Torchwood sucked. It managed to end up being immature and childish by trying too hard to be grown up and 'adult', while I found that SJA was actually more mature and engaging for having to deal with things with a more deft hand because it was a children's show. Even though season 2 of Torchwood was immensely better (Read; watchable.) it was still rather disappointing and had, I felt, problems with pacing and characterisation which weren't present in SJA or DW.

Personally, I'd rather they ditched Torchwood and we got more SJA and DW. Uh, obviously ^_^;

AngryBadger

pixelburp wrote: »

I dunno, I'm not too bothered; Torchwood series 2 was much better, but a smaller season with a tighter script & story arc might work to its advantage. If there was one criticism of series 2, it was that with the exception of zombie-owen, there was no real consistency from one episode to the next. 5 episodes might do that (And hey, Ultraviolet lasted for only 6 eps!).

Actually you're absolutely right! I was gonna chime in on the woes of a 5-ep season 3, but no, you're on the ball here.

There was a massive improvement in season 2, but there was none of the consistency you find in "Doctor Who", actually I haven't even finished watching the finale yet, whereas I can't stop watching every new episode of "Doctor Who".

A smaller more compact season could be a massive improvement.

EDIT: Oh right....

Stark

Season 3 confirmed. Looks like the 5 episodes will make up one story arc:

http://www.johnbarrowman.com/news/newsindex.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/torchwood/sites/news/pages/production_news_40_seriesthree.shtml

Julie Gardner has confirmed that a third series of Torchwood has been commissioned and that it will be unlike anything we have seen before!

Not only will the series air on BBC One, Torchwood will have a brand new format. The series will consist of just one continuous story, delivered over 5 consecutive nights.

That's not the only thing that will be new about the series - Torchwood will have a brand new producer, Peter Bennett, who has previously worked on Torchwood and on Doctor Who as well as 'The Mummy', 'A View to a Kill' and 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'. Euros Lyn will also join the team as Director. Euros has directed several Doctor Who episodes including the 'Silence in the Library / Forest of the Dead' two-part story from the current series.

And just to add to the excitement, the show will boast some new arrivals in the cast as well...

Julie Gardner says that she and Russell T Davies "are thrilled to be bringing Torchwood back for a third series. The new series promises to be a gripping and surprising TV event and we're certain the audience will love the team's exciting, roller-coaster adventures."

Production on the new series will start in August.

pixelburp

Cool! Though still a little bit of a bummer that it's only 5 episodes, hopefully it'll mean we get a tighter, more coherent story arc this time around. I wonder what the story arc will involve. Something ostensibly Doctor Who related perhaps, now that the team have found themselves on the show proper?

The Master

I think it's strange that with the number of Doctor Who episodes being reduced next year they decide to do a shorter Torchwood season too.

With the Torchwood gang and Sarah Jane appearing in the Who finale their bound to get a bigger audience for their next season so why a shorter one?

It seems next year the only full series we'll have is Sarah Jane.

Kroton

Robster The Lobster wrote: »

I think it's strange that with the number of Doctor Who episodes being reduced next year they decide to do a shorter Torchwood season too.

With the Torchwood gang and Sarah Jane appearing in the Who finale their bound to get a bigger audience for their next season so why a shorter one?

It seems next year the only full series we'll have is Sarah Jane.

I thought that, is a bit odd reducing it esp as dr who is reduced next year.

Does anyone know what the story with torchwood will be after RTD leaves Dr who, who will be responsible for it then? is the shorter season becuase of him and JG going?

Thanks

popebenny16

Moffat is exec producer along with some geezer whom I can't remember, they're taking over in toto, Julie Gardner is off as well as RTD.

Reasons for the reduced shows next year range from DT doing Shakesphere to budget considerations. Gardner recently said it was to "keep people keen" and "refresh" the show, which sounds like bollocks to me.

I'd really say that the new team needs to get their grips on things, and it'll be easier for them to do it at their leisure during 2009

Kroton

popebenny16 wrote: »

Moffat is exec producer along with some geezer whom I can't remember, they're taking over in toto, Julie Gardner is off as well as RTD.

Reasons for the reduced shows next year range from DT doing Shakesphere to budget considerations. Gardner recently said it was to "keep people keen" and "refresh" the show, which sounds like bollocks to me.

I'd really say that the new team needs to get their grips on things, and it'll be easier for them to do it at their leisure during 2009

I know moffat and wagner are replacing rtd and jg on dr who but is this def for torchwood? i've not heard anything offical on that front.
the gap year in dr who is def for giving the show a breather DT's doing Hamlet BECAUSE of it not the other way round.
i just think it's odd to do the same with torchwood after only two esp after it's hit it's stride now.

ta

anotherlostie

I see Burn Gorman has got some fresh work lined up, playing Bill Sykes in the new stage adaptation of Oliver! Not only that but Julian Bleach (The Ghostmaker and more recently Who's Davros) is also starring as Mr. Sowerberry, the undertaker.

The guys must be pretty versatile to be taking on such roles, and I guess Froggy would make a good villain.