U.S. Torchwood Sparks Familiar Controversy

I was recently made aware of the news that FOX is working with the BBC to create a U.S. reboot of the popular british sci-fi show Torchwood. For those of you unfamiliar with the show, Torchwood is a spin-off of the famous series Doctor Who (in fact, the name “Torchwood” is an anagram of “Doctor Who”). Similar attempts to bring British television to the U.S. through remakes have failed; most notably NBC’s take on Coupling. Meanwhile the fantastic show Secret Diary of a Call Girl was brought in its original format to U.S. television to much acclaim. So this raises the question: does FOX really need to completely remake the series for a U.S. audience?

I am strongly against the idea, and not just because I’m a big fan of the original british show, but because creating a parallel U.S. series of the show without having a U.S. version of Doctor Who (the parent show) and while the british version will still be airing new episodes makes absolutely no sense to me. Yes, BBC America airs Doctor Who, but why bring the spin-off to one of the primary networks when a lot of that audience has not been exposed to the parent show? I want to know the logic behind this decision.

The very attractive John Barrowman playing Captain Jack Harkness on Torchwood

The most scandalous aspect of this whole situation is far worse than network and casting changes, it’s character changes. Captain Jack Harkness, the character (originally from Doctor Who) that the whole show is based around, is played by the well-known and openly gay actor/singer John Barrowman. Captain Jack is notorious for his sexual exploits with men, women, and alien alike; Barrowman describes the character as being “omnisexual”. Recently, rumors have been circulating from those close to the project that the U.S. version might see Captain Jack being re-written as a straight, male figure. This is ABSURD. First they want to bring a spin-off show to main-stream U.S. TV without its parent show, and now they want to completely change the character that the show is based around? They might as well start over with a whole new show. I also find it utterly insulting, not only to John Barrowman, but to the potential U.S. viewership that FOX would have the gall to “censor” the show’s sexuality. If people are uncomfortable with the character’s sexuality, then they don’t have to watch, but I honestly have little doubt that it will increase viewership, if for no other reason then some of the steamier scenes. This news, combined with all the nonsense about Constance not being able to bring her girlfriend to prom, have gotten me particularly riled up recently. When is this country going to become more accepting? But that’s a rant for another time.