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First look at BBC’s upcoming Pratchett-inspired TV series

By January 24, 2020Adaptations, News, Television

Pratchett fans were very excited to hear about an upcoming project based on the Discworld’s Watch earlier this year but many have had their excitement quelled with the first look released this week.

It has been explicitly noted by BBC America, and by Terry Pratchett’s estate, that new series The Watch will be very loosely based on the Discworld and characters within it. However, many fans of Pratchett and the Discworld may still expect to see familiar places and characters they have loved for years.

BBC America released the first official pictures from the eight-episode series earlier this week. Fans will be pleased to see a few familiar faces of Ankh-Morpork’s City Watch, first introduced in Pratchett’s Guards! Guards!, as they try to uphold law and order to an unruly and chaotic city.

Readers of Pratchett may expect a traditional fantasy depiction of Ankh-Morpork, however this new series has more of an odd industrial-revolution background with a modern twist. Costume has none of the perhaps-expected leather and iron plates, but uses a far more eclectic and contemporary look.

Vimes and Angua. BBC America

Lady Sybil Ramkin. BBC America

Richard Dormer plays Sam Vimes, the Captain of The Watch, frustrated by Ankh-Morpork’s rules that stop him from doing his job effectively. With Vimes is Corporal Angua played by Marama Corlett as Corporal Angua, and new recruit Constable Carrot is played by Adam Hugill.

Jo Eaton-Kent, a genderfluid actor, will play Cheery, a bearded female dwarf in the books but represented as a non-binary human orphan raised by dwarves. Appearing as Sam Vimes’ archnemesis, Carcer Dun, is Sam Adewunmi, pictured below brandishing a crossbow.

Lara Rossi appears as Lady Sybil Ramkin- the noblewoman who eventually marries Vimes- and follows her as she descends into vigilantism to help protect her city from criminals The Watch are not allowed to pursue.

The BBC America series is out later this year- we will bring you further news when we receive it.

Angua and Carrot. BBC America.

Angua and Cheery. BBC America.

Carcer Dun. BBC America.

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