The Watch gets a new trailer. Keep reminding yourself it was only inspired by Terry Pratchett’s Discworld

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 Musketeers), 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, Game of Thrones), the last scion of nobility Lady Sybil Ramkin (Lara Rossi, I May Destroy You), the naïve but heroic Carrot (Adam Hugill, 1917), the mysterious Angua (Marama Corlett, Blood Drive) and the ingenious forensics expert Cheery (Jo Eaton-Kent, Don’t Forget the Driver) together with The Watch’s own idiosyncratic depiction of Death (Wendell Pierce, The Wire).

Okay, it says inspired by the books and I understand that they want to put their own stamp on things, but after watching this trailer I still don’t know what to make of it. I never really imagined Vimes as being a Captain Jack Sparrow knock-off. It is more like somebody described the Pratchett books to the show’s creator during a drunken conversation. It’s a shame Lady Sybil is not the plus-size force of nature she was in the books.

I can understand the need to make things more palatable to a general audience and there does seem to be a heavy kind of Guardians of the Galaxy vibe with the trailer, but surely you want to at least keep things a little more in keeping with the source material so you bring in the long-term fans as well……but it is just inspired by the Discworld books so maybe that doesn’t matter? It just all seems like a bunch of really odd decisions and I just wonder why link it with that when it looks like they could have made their own thing.

Is it going to be more style over substance?

Let’s try and be positive. The golem looks great and there are some cool looking set pieces and it is just a trailer. Maybe if it wasn’t linked to the Discworld in any way I would be more up for it.

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

It also stars Adam Hugill (1917), Jo Eaton-Kent (Don’t Forget The Driver), Marama Corlette (Blood Drive) and Lara Rossi (Crossing Lines) together with Sam Adewunmi (The Last Tree). Wendell Pierce (The Wire, Selma) and Matt Berry (What We Do in the Shadows, Year of the Rabbit) are joining the series voicing the characters of “DEATH,” a dry, sardonic Grim Reaper, and “Wayne,” a magical speaking sword, respectively.

Dormer stars as Sam Vimes, Captain of The Watch, disempowered by a broken society that’s reduced his department’s jurisdiction to almost nothing. Jo Eaton-Kent is Constable Cheery, the ingenious non-binary forensics expert, ostracized by their kin and finding a new home and identity. Adam Hugill plays Constable Carrot, the idealistic new recruit, raised by dwarfs, but really a human abandoned at birth. Marama Corlette is the mysterious Corporal Angua who is tasked with Carrot’s training and keeping the rookie alive. Lara Rossi plays the formidable Lady Sybil Ramkin, last scion of Ankh-Morpork’s nobility, who’s trying to fix the city’s wrongs with her chaotic vigilantism. Sam Adewunmi is the wounded and wronged Carcer Dun, out to hijack destiny itself, take control of the city and exact a terrible revenge on an unjust reality.

Further casting includes Paul Kaye (Game of Thrones) who plays Inigo Skimmer, a.k.a. The Duke of Stab, a member of the Assassins’ Guild whose long and distinguished career is jeopardized when he runs into The City Watch, as well as Ralph Ineson (Chernobyl) who is voicing Sergeant Detritus, a huge a troll made of stone and a member of The City Watch. An elemental exemplar of truth, loyalty and kindness, Detritus and Vimes have been close friends for many years since each saved the other from ruin.

The show will premiere in January 2021 on BBC America.