A Preview of ‘The Watch’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

There was a time, when the entertainment industry viewed epic novels and comic book stories in a far different light. In that, these stories were so powerful and sweeping in nature that the only way to properly adapt them, was to give them their own motion picture. A notion that quite frankly, offered up some interesting results, back in the day. For some of these adaptations, simply didn’t do the story justice on the silver screen, because two hours was just not enough time to capture the scope and gravity of a particular tale. But thankfully as time has gone on and special effects and storytelling have evolved, big ideas and epic stories are finally receiving the adaptations they deserve.

Partly because studios are now committed to creating film franchises that properly encapsulate everything that an adapted story accomplished in print, and also because… creative minds everywhere have come to realize that some stories translate better to the small screen, and that's allowed for television to become quite the useful medium for epic storytelling. Because being able to split a story over multiple weeks, pays proper tribute to the story in question. Since now, detailed world-building can take place, as can quality character development, and as an added bonus, big moments from said story can play out in an organic manner. And really, all of this is relevant to our discussion today simply because we are days away from enjoying a brand-new television adaptation of a beloved and grandiose story.

For The Watch, a series inspired by Terry Pratchett’s Discworld fantasy novels, will make its debut on January 3, 2021 on BBC America, and we here at Nerds That Geek had the distinct honor or being able to view some episodes of this new series early, and we wanted to take a moment to share with all of you what you can expect from The Watch, in a spoiler-free manner of course. And really, the first element of note that allows for this series to shine, is its world-building. Because Ankh-Morpork comes to life in this series in a dynamic and beautiful manner, providing the audience not only with a visual feast by way of the wild creatures that populate this place, but this series is quick to establish what this world is all about and how this city is structured and that allows for the viewer to immediately got lost within this series and its wonder doesn’t end there. 

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Because this is a show that is also filled to the brim with colorful and dynamic and quirky characters. The kind that truly stand out because of their unique abilities and proclivities. But what truly makes them worth the audience’s while, is the sheer fact that they have depth. For none of them are there to serve a gimmick in the slightest. Instead, they have hopes, dreams and demons in their past that they are all trying to grapple with and that oddly enough makes them relatable in many ways. Because each and every one of them are outcasts in their own special way, and they all have fears and concerns that we’ve shared in, and all of that really does help to immerse the viewer in this world and in this story. 

But truly, the best part about this series, is that the storytelling is top notch. Because there is a grand mystery for Captain Sam Vimes and his intrepid officers of The Watch to crack. One that is engrossing and dangerous and special in its own right, and the early episodes of this new series do a wonderful job of not giving everything away too early, which in turn will allow for said mystery to unfold in a wonderful and epic manner. And as an added bonus, taking time to solve this incredible mystery will allow for the audience to properly explore this rich and dynamic world, and get to know these intrepid characters inside and out and see what they are capable of and really, in this end, all of these elements make this a downright fascinating series for certain. 

Because it really does a phenomenal job of setting up a grand adventure, one that will be filled to the brim with intrigue and danger and oddly enough… tons of laughs. Because there are also a lot of comedic moments to be found in this story, the kind that work since the jokes are timed perfectly and well, this reviewer is definitely sold on what this wild new series has to offer. Simply because The Watch is unique and fresh and fun and it is absolutely going to take the audience on a wild ride, one that goes to places you don’t expect a fantasy serial to venture into, and it will be quite fascinating to see what kinds of storytelling surprises await us in the weeks to come, as Captain Sam Vimes and his rag-tag band of officers’ work to solve one incredible mystery. 

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