The Watch

 is a fantasy police television series developed by BBC America. It is based on Terry Pratchett's hit Discworld novels. The eight part season was ordered in 2018 and is set for release January 3, 2021, though the first episode will be made available on December 31, 2020 on the streaming service AMC+.

Premise
Set in the fictional city of Ankh-Morpork, where crime has been legalized, The Watch is a "punk rock" drama. The eight-part series centers on a group of misfit cops as they rise up from decades of helplessness to save their corrupt city from catastrophe.

The City Watch, an unlikely group of misfits, finds the guts to save the world, surprising even themselves in the process. The 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 modern and inclusive series is inspired by many of Sir Terry Pratchett’s famous “Discworld” creations.

Cast and characters

 * Sam Adewunmi as Carcer Dun
 * Matt Berry as Death
 * Anna Chancellor as Lord Vetinari
 * Marama Corlett as Corporal Angua
 * Richard Dormer as Sam Vimes
 * Jo Eaton-Kent as Constable Cheery
 * James Fleet as the Archchancellor of Unseen University
 * Adam Hugill as Constable Carrot
 * Hakeem Kae-Kazim as Captain John Keel
 * Ruth Madeley as Throat
 * Bianca Simone Mannie as Wonse
 * Ingrid Oliver as Doctor Cruces
 * Lara Rossi as Lady Sybil Ramkin

Seasons

 * Season 1

Reception
As of December 31, 2020, The Watch holds three negative reviews at the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes and one positive one. William Hughes of AV Club gave the series a C+, stating that the series would disappoint fans of Discworld and maybe everybody else too and that "Neither of the two disparate shows that The Watch seems to be trying to be is actually very good." However, John Anderson of the Wall Street Journal felt that while the show can't be taken as seriously as Game of Thrones, which series star Richard Dormer is known for, it is a lot more fun. The series has attracted large amounts of controversy and criticism from fans of Discworld for being too far removed from the source material.

Trivia
Show creator Simon Allen stated that the series is comparable to the "Kelvin timeline" of the Star Trek films, in being part of a greater multiverse.