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1 Topic by graybags 2021-01-07 23:21:01 (edited by lighton 2021-01-08 10:01:30)
- graybags
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Topic: The Watch (2020)
https://next-episode.net/the-watch-2020
A series based on the Ankh-Morpork City Watch from Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. Set in a fictional city where crime has been legalised, The Watch is a genre-busting comedy drama 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 comedy follows several of Sir Terry Pratchett's best-loved creations on a riotous and emotional odyssey.
Anyone else seen this? I'm a big Terry Pratchett fan, I even met him and shook his hand many years ago. I've read all 41 Discworld novels and have so far have hated all the TV adaptations they've made. So when I saw that they were bringing out a new TV series, set in Ankh Morpork and the City Watch, I was very wary, but hopeful. But boy am I disappointed, probably more than I ever have been in a TV show based of a series of books I love. I just can't get my head around any of it. I don't like the casting choices, the way they've switched characters' genders, the way Ankh Morpork looks, the Mended Drum, Vimes, oh god, the list is endless. I understand that when you read a book you kind of imagine how people and places look, and maybe with such an extensive series of books that world would be pretty well established in my head but this is just wrong on so, so many levels for me. *sigh* Anyone agree?
2020. Meh.
- Wizard
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Re: The Watch (2020)
I saw the trailer, and like almost everyone else that saw it, it was universally hated. I quite liked the three movies that were made: Going Postal, Hogfather and The Colour of Magic.
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Re: The Watch (2020)
Wizard wrote:I quite liked the three movies that were made: Going Postal, Hogfather and The Colour of Magic.
Agreed. They were all really cheap, but still really fun to watch. graybags wrote:https://next-episode.net/the-watch-2020 I understand that when you read a book you kind of imagine how people and places look, and maybe with such an extensive series of books that world would be pretty well established in my head but this is just wrong on so, so many levels for me.
It was, apparently, only supposed to be a "loose" adaption, and that does show. Agreed, a genuine adaption would have been a better idea here, but still, I managed to enjoy this quite a bit by simply watching it for what it is, not for what it should be. The same goes for that Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy movie that most people seem to hate. As somebody who watched the movie before knowing the source material, it was really fun, and I still think it is. As for this show - maybe try to watch it as its own thing. If you understandably can't, you probably aren't gonna enjoy it. It's a shame, really. This spent a lot of time in development, they should have had more faith in it.
- graybags
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Re: The Watch (2020)
Yep, same goes for HHGTTG, I've read all those too. The old BBC series kind of got it right, the movie fails pretty miserably. Honestly, with The Watch, if they didn't mention Ankh-Morpork and hadn't given the characters names from the books, nobody would even know it was related to Discworld.
2020. Meh.
5 Reply by some_one 2021-01-08 02:03:49 (edited by some_one 2021-01-08 02:04:34)
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Re: The Watch (2020)
The librarian might be a bit too specific to overlook, but other than that, yeah. It might have even improved the show. But oh well, gonna keep watching. Again, it otherwise seemed fine so far.
- graybags
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Re: The Watch (2020)
some_one wrote:The librarian might be a bit too specific to overlook, but other than that, yeah. It might have even improved the show.
When I typed that I thought "Hmmm... Perhaps the only one is The Librarian..." so yeah, I agree Speaking of The Librarian, what an odd way to do him. I mean, they might not have the budget for a decent-looking CGI Orangutan, but come on, he looks terrible.
2020. Meh.
- lighton
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Re: The Watch (2020)
graybags wrote:But boy am I disappointed, probably more than I ever have been in a TV show based of a series of books I love.
I put it on my watchlist when I read about it, then the trailer was released, and then I removed it from my watchlist ASAP! Huh? It's rating is 'average good', I enjoyed watching it. The Watch got a way worse rating.
- CarmarthenLad
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Re: The Watch (2020)
some_one wrote:It was, apparently, only supposed to be a "loose" adaption, and that does show.
It started off as an adaptation of the Watch storyline of the Discworld, but got mangled by a show runner so vain that he eventually decided that it was an original tale "inspired" by the Discworld novels. I heard Pratchett wasn't even credited in the end, is that true? Terry Pratchett's daughter & the Pratchett estate washed their hands of the whole project a long time ago.
- graybags
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Re: The Watch (2020)
CarmarthenLad wrote:some_one wrote:It was, apparently, only supposed to be a "loose" adaption, and that does show.
It started off as an adaptation of the Watch storyline of the Discworld, but got mangled by a show runner so vain that he eventually decided that it was an original tale "inspired" by the Discworld novels. I heard Pratchett wasn't even credited in the end, is that true? Terry Pratchett's daughter & the Pratchett estate washed their hands of the whole project a long time ago.
He's credited, but I bet he's also turning in his grave. Or maybe not, he was quite an easy going bloke.
2020. Meh.
10 Reply by CarmarthenLad 2021-01-08 18:40:32 (edited by CarmarthenLad 2021-01-08 18:44:05)
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- vapdne
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Re: The Watch (2020)
I started reading Pratchet in about 1994 so there were about 15 Discworld novels already out by then. Plus his Nomes books and maybe some others. By this time I'd read and re-read all of Douglas Adams Hitchhikers novels and both his Dirk Gently books about three times each! I didn't like the Hitchhikers film, I mention this as it's been brought up already. Not because of any intense love of the books which by the time I saw the film I hadn't read in over 10 years but because it wasn't funny. No other reason. Anyway, back to Pratchet. So I started reading the Nomes books on the recommendation of a girlfriend but only got through the first one and then a chap I knew lent me one of the discworld novels. Can't remember which, it wasn't the first I know that and over subsequent years up to about 2000 I guess I read about a dozen all out of order. I was bored of him by then and although I tried re-reading them in order (I always like to keep my books) at the start of our first lockdown I gave up after book 5. I'd rather be stuck on a desert island with just a couple of Cormac McCarthy novels than the entirety of Pratchets work. Unless I needed fuel. To The Series (eventually). Now I know I read Guards! Guards! at some point but can't remember anything much. I started watching this not expecting a lot (I live in an area of the UK which is currently under the strictest lockdown controls, Kent, so I'm *ucked for work (again) or any kind of social life) and I think its okay. I'll watch it to the end no doubt. Reasonably funny, could do with a better budget but its alright. Nothing I particularly like or don't like. Probably headed for a 3.5/5.
I don't watch trailers. I never have and I never will. I don't like Tom Cruise, James Cameron and there's lots more to add, give me time I don't like Star Wars or Star Trek or any superhero *hit
- Ed_C_NC
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Re: The Watch (2020)
I agree with the other assessments. I'm another one who has not only read the entire Discworld series several times, but even took the considerable effort to find out the proper reading order. I like this show. Mostly. It has it's moments, and a LOT of time and thought has gone into a lot of details. But it's NOT Pratchett. lt's an OK "Inspired by". It's yet another example of a magnificently written story, genuinely loved by huge numbers, re-written by a screenwriter who had the ego to think they could improve on someone else's story and make it better than that which had the massive book sales and awards. And an example of a producer who let them. I also don't understand why producers use screen writers to rewrite the core of the story, instead of just to clean up and tweak up from a written to a visual story.
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- g371
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Re: The Watch (2020)
Probably that tweaking part is not so easy and I assume that they also calculate price/performance - what is written in 1 paragraph in the book maybe is a month of CGI and a nice bill that comes with it.
- mrverene
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Re: The Watch (2020)
The Pratchett books are in my ever-expanding backlog of things I'll get to one day, assuming my consciousness is uploaded to something with a several thousand year lifespan, so this is my first exposure to him. Not having any particular investment in it I almost stopped watching mid-pilot. It struck me as cheesy and trying too hard to be funny but I stuck it through and the plot/world got me interested enough to continue. The show's definitely grown on me since, though apart from the orc chatter I don't find it particularly funny.
- g371
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Re: The Watch (2020)
Yeas, orc lines are great and imo they gave the sword role to the right actor.
- mrverene
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Re: The Watch (2020)
I need an hourglass theremin immediately.
- vapdne
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Re: The Watch (2020)
I stayed with this show and decided it ain't half bad. I don't watch it as a Terry Pratchet adaption. It works! Any presumption is gone and it is fairly decent. It's got faults sure but I'm glad I watched it and would watch another season.
I don't watch trailers. I never have and I never will. I don't like Tom Cruise, James Cameron and there's lots more to add, give me time I don't like Star Wars or Star Trek or any superhero *hit
- g371
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Re: The Watch (2020)
▼Spoiler This is your last breath Hello, I'm Deeeeeeeath
- graybags
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Re: The Watch (2020)
vapdne wrote:I stayed with this show and decided it ain't half bad. I don't watch it as a Terry Pratchet adaption. It works! Any presumption is gone and it is fairly decent. It's got faults sure but I'm glad I watched it and would watch another season.
How can you watch it but not watch it as a Terry Pratchett adaptation? It's based in a universe he wrote 41 books about. I wish I could do that, but I... just... can't.
2020. Meh.
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