Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

…or at least the Disc.

BBC Studios has announced at its Showcase 2021 event that The Watch has secured a raft of sales across the globe. Melding fantasy, comedy and crime, the high-concept drama series inspired by the characters of Sir Terry Pratchett’s “Discworld” novels has secured a raft of sales across the globe.

The Watch has been sold to M-Net across sub-Saharan Africa, TVNZ in New Zealand, yes in Israel, Cosmote TV in Greece, Telefonica in Spain, and to Viasat World across Russia and CIS. Airline passengers will also be able to view the series on Emirates.

A critically praised series, featuring a bold cast of characters, The Watch resonates with audiences worldwide as buyers snap up the star-studded series which has already been sold to and premiered in Australia (Stan), China (Bilibili), and Russia (Kinopoisk). BBC First has also started to air the series in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

BBC Studios President, Global Distribution, Paul Dempsey says: “Following its successful debut in the U.S. The Watch has captured the imagination of our international customers with its unique mix of escapism, comedy and crime.”

Executive Producer at BBC Studios Production, Richard Stokes, says: “It is great to see buyers across the world recognise that this is a series their audiences will love. With a bold cast of characters, The Watch really breaks the mould for the fantasy genre.  The fantastic scripts combined with the direction and the extraordinary cast performances have created a series that will engage fantasy and sci-fi audiences who enjoy immersive worlds and rich storytelling.”

The Watch follows an unlikely group of misfits, The City Watch, who are forced to find the guts to save the world, surprising even themselves in the process. The comedic yet thrilling series pits trolls, werewolves, wizards and other improbable heroes against an evil plot to resurrect a great dragon which would lead to the destruction of life as they know it. From lead writer and executive producer Simon Allen, the modern and inclusive series is inspired by the characters created by Sir Terry Pratchett’s famous “Discworld” novels, including the captain of The City Watch Sam Vimes (Richard Dormer), the last scion of nobility Lady Sybil Ramkin (Lara Rossi), the naïve but heroic Carrot (Adam Hugill), the mysterious Angua (Marama Corlett) and the ingenious forensics expert Cheery (Jo Eaton-Kent) together with The Watch’s own idiosyncratic depiction of Death (Wendell Pierce). The stellar cast for the series also includes Sam Adewunmi as Carcer Dun, and Matt Berry as Wayne, a magical speaking sword.

Click here to read our coverage, including episode reviews, and interviews with cast and executive producer.