Dr. Who spinoff heads 'maverick' BBC3 lineup
- Publication: The Hollywood Reporter
- Date: 2006-07-25
- Author: Mimi Turner
- Page: 10
- Language: English
Comedies 'Dogtown,' Stupid' on tap
By Mimi Turner
LONDON — "Torchwood," the Russell T. Davies-scripted "Doctor Who" spinoff, tops the bill for the BBC3 fall lineup unveiled Monday by BBC controller Julian Bellamy.
The 13-part, sci-fi crime thriller will get a 9 p.m. outing rather than the 7 p.m. slot that family-skewing "Doctor Who" enjoys on BBC1, and is expected to contain more hard-hitting content.
"Torchwood" follows the adventures of a team of investigators as they use alien technology to solve crimes, both alien and human.
The cast includes John Bar-rowman as Captain Jack Harkness, the enigmatic leader in charge of protecting humanity from alien intervention; Eve Myles, a Torchwood newcomer whose life changes forever when she steps through its doors; Burn Gorman, who plays seasoned medic Owen Harper; and Naaoko Mori, who plays team techno geek Toshiko Sato.
The hotly anticipated show will be "completely different" from the BBC1 hit show, BBC controller of drama commissioning Jane Tranter said.
"'Torchwood' builds on some of the myths and legends that have been present in 'Doctor Who,' but it's a completely different show in every way, in terms of the tone and audience it's going for," she said.
Apart from science fiction, Bellamy hopes to build on BBC3's enviable track record on the comedy side with a slew of new projects.
In "I'm With Stupid," a sitcom set in a halfway house, Mark Benton and Paul Henshall star as unlikely friends in a community rife with gambling, scheming and unrequited love.
Sketch show "Dogtown" is set in the fictional coastal town of Horton-Le-Whole, which is populated by characters ranging from the eccentric to the bizarre.
The factual will focus on body image this season, headed by makeover show "Say No to the Knife," which attempts to provide an alternative approach to going under the surgeon's scalpel. Also on tap are "Binge Season Britain" and "Eataholics."
"This autumn is my first season launch as controller of BBC3, and I'm proud to introduce what I believe is one of the channel's strongest ever seasons," Bellamy said. "Whether it's comedy, drama, factual, entertainment or current affairs, our values should always shine through — maverick, innovative and witty, and with entertainment at its core."
Spelling correction: Naoko Mori
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- APA 6th ed.: Turner, Mimi (2006-07-25). Dr. Who spinoff heads 'maverick' BBC3 lineup. The Hollywood Reporter p. 10.
- MLA 7th ed.: Turner, Mimi. "Dr. Who spinoff heads 'maverick' BBC3 lineup." The Hollywood Reporter [add city] 2006-07-25, 10. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Turner, Mimi. "Dr. Who spinoff heads 'maverick' BBC3 lineup." The Hollywood Reporter, edition, sec., 2006-07-25
- Turabian: Turner, Mimi. "Dr. Who spinoff heads 'maverick' BBC3 lineup." The Hollywood Reporter, 2006-07-25, section, 10 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Dr. Who spinoff heads 'maverick' BBC3 lineup | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Dr._Who_spinoff_heads_%27maverick%27_BBC3_lineup | work=The Hollywood Reporter | pages=10 | date=2006-07-25 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=22 March 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Dr. Who spinoff heads 'maverick' BBC3 lineup | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Dr._Who_spinoff_heads_%27maverick%27_BBC3_lineup | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=22 March 2025}}</ref>
