# Terry Pratchett OKs Night Watch TV Series **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [March 19, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280 "2011-03-19T20:40:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/161 "2019-09-18T21:33:30Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > Does it say anywhere that the TV series is based on **Night Watch** , the novel? The announcements just say the series is inspired by Pratchett’s City Watch series. We know Carcer is a character in the series, but suspect his role and the storyline will bear little resemblance to what’s in the novel **Night Watch**. Other than Carcer and the name, there’s been no suggestion of a connection to the book. Pretty sure they’re just using the name because it literally is about the night watch and the book has a good reputation. I’m guessing the first season will have a lot more in common with Guards! Guards! but with Carcer as an antagonist instead of a dragon. If I was really going to take a stab in the dark, I’d further guess that Carcer is going to be shown becoming the ringleader of a particularly heinous group of criminals (possibly including corrupt watchmen). Vimes and crew will realize that the city’s tolerance for “regulated” crime has gone too far and they have to actually do the whole “serve and protect” thing. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/162 "2019-09-18T23:40:58Z")
The original team to make this is not involved anymore. Not even Rhianna has any input in this version. It’s basically been taken out of their hands and given to a whole new group, so whatever we thought it might have been, it’s gone through a couple of evolutionary changes. I am worried it might be awful, but more likely it will be good in a not-quite-the-books way like the recent _Dirk Gently_ series was. Which may or may not annoy me. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/163 "2019-09-19T06:00:53Z")
Just a note - the TV series is currently called _The Watch_, not _Night Watch_. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/164 "2019-09-19T17:50:29Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > The original team to make this is not involved anymore. Not even Rhianna has any input in this version. Do you have a source for this? Narrativia is still listed as a production, and I believe Rhianna is still the co-director of Narrativia. Even if she’s not directly hands-on or writing, it seems like she’s still at least connected to the production. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/165 "2019-09-19T22:33:04Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > Do you have a source for this? Here is [a short Twitter thread](https://twitter.com/rhipratchett/status/1172096652603248641) where she explains a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/166 "2019-09-20T00:21:39Z")
A thought about casting Sybil. In the novel, Vimes is transported back in time, where he briefly meets a younger version of his wife. Only a couple of paragraphs, IIRC. Perhaps the series is going to expand the role of young Sybil. So they’ve hired a young actress. And with makeup she can also play the older, larger Sybil. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/167 "2019-09-20T07:13:13Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > A thought about casting Sybil. > > In the novel, Vimes is transported back in time, where he briefly meets a younger version of his wife. Only a couple of paragraphs, IIRC. Perhaps the series is going to expand the role of young Sybil. So they’ve hired a young actress. And with makeup she can also play the older, larger Sybil. That doesn’t appear to be the case based off the pocket description on [Narrativia’s page](http://www.narrativia.com/watch.html). They’re pretty clear about that “inspired by” - for instance, they have Angua training Carrot not the other way around. So people who want a series that’s basically the books in film form should steel themselves. That’s not what this apparently is. It’s Disc Elseworlds. Which I, personally, don’t mind. To mix fandoms - Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations is a right good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/168 "2019-09-20T16:55:12Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Here is [a short Twitter thread](https://twitter.com/rhipratchett/status/1172096652603248641) where she explains a bit. She doesn’t sound thrilled with the direction things are taking. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/169 "2019-09-20T16:57:01Z")
Shoulda kept the rights, then. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/170 "2019-09-20T16:58:41Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > So people who want a series that’s basically the books in film form should steel themselves. That’s not what this apparently is. It’s Disc Elseworlds. > > Which I, personally, don’t mind. To mix fandoms - Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations is a right good idea. As for myself, I’d prefer the new writers (assuming the show goes it the direction it seemes to be) receive the same treatment as Terry’s old hard drives. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/171 "2019-09-20T17:30:28Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > So people who want a series that’s basically the books in film form should steel themselves. That’s not what this apparently is. It’s Disc Elseworlds. > > Which I, personally, don’t mind. To mix fandoms - Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations is a right good idea. If that is the way they market it, I’m fine-ish with it. But if they put Pterry’s name anywhere on it except as an “Inspired by the vastly superior to our dreck writings of” then may they rot in Hell. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/172 "2019-09-20T20:03:06Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > As for myself, I’d prefer the new writers (assuming the show goes it the direction it seemes to be) receive the same treatment as Terry’s old hard drives. Then he and his estate should have done a Watterson. But let’s be honest here - much as I love Pterry, he never was above merchandising the everliving fuck out of the Disc. Any frigging knickknack CMOT Briggs and the gang could imagine. Too late to be precious about your IP \*after \*you’ve sold it to the highest bidder. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/173 "2019-09-20T20:06:52Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > If that is the way they market it, I’m fine-ish with it. But if they put Pterry’s name anywhere on it except as an “Inspired by the vastly superior to our dreck writings of” then may they rot in Hell. I somehow doubt the man who started with Niven and Leiber pastiches would be quite as judgmental about this as (some of) his fans. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/174 "2019-09-20T20:46:54Z")
Of course he wasn’t. Pterry was a much better person than I am. He was semi-noble in outlook - I’m a petty, vindictive jerk. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/175 "2019-11-20T09:47:04Z")
_bump_ for more casting news. Ha ha ha! Well played, BBC, well played! A [female Vetinari](http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2019/11/casting-news-bbc-americas-the-watch-enlists-anna-chancellor-james-fleet-and-more) (and Doctor Cruces and CMOT Dibbler). Love it! So many troglodyte heads are going to explode over this, and I, for one, can’t wait! I am sad that CMOT is being rewritten to be some sort of thief-adjacent character rather than a merchant, but I’ll live. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/176 "2019-11-20T10:09:31Z")
Awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/177 "2019-11-20T10:14:18Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > _bump_ for more casting news. > > Ha ha ha! Well played, BBC, well played! A [female Vetinari](http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2019/11/casting-news-bbc-americas-the-watch-enlists-anna-chancellor-james-fleet-and-more) (and Doctor Cruces and CMOT Dibbler). Love it! > > So many troglodyte heads are going to explode over this, and I, for one, can’t wait! > > I am sad that CMOT is being rewritten to be some sort of thief-adjacent character rather than a merchant, but I’ll live. Count me as a troglodyte, because I think the casting is turning into an absolute and utter shitshow. It is like we have been dropped into a universe where _The Onion_ has become reality. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/178 "2019-11-20T10:19:46Z")
Yes, folks, [this](https://www.google.com/search?q=Ruth+Madeley&client=firefox-b-1-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj5kYLpx_jlAhWChJ4KHfeNCtsQ_AUoAXoECBEQAw&biw=1408&bih=703) is Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler. I have never in my life wanted something that went woke to go broke so bad. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/179 "2019-11-20T12:03:20Z")
It’s so far away from what I had always hoped for that I admit I’m a little disappointed from what I’ve read about it. I hope my worries will be unfounded. Ruth Madeley is disabled in real life, so, aside from the gender change and complete character change, that’s another unexpected adjustment on CMOT Dibbler. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280/180 "2019-11-20T12:12:26Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > So many troglodyte heads are going to explode over this, and I, for one, can’t wait! Horseshit. There is nothing troglodyte about thinking that the casting of this is a load of utter bollocks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-oks-night-watch-tv-series/575280.md?page=10)