Torchwood, the Doctor Who spin-off debuting in the United States on BBC America in September, will also be showing this fall on HDNet, a high-definition satellite channel.
From HDNet’s press release:
HDNet announced today that it has acquired the high definition rights to the first twenty-six episodes of TORCHWOOD, the hit sci-fi drama that the BBC describes as “inventive, intelligent and unpredictable.”
Set in Cardiff, Wales, TORCHWOOD is the name given to a renegade group of investigators who scavenge alien technology to solve crime, both alien and human. Led by Captain Jack Harkness, the Torchwood Institute is a group onto themselves, “separate from the government, outside the police and beyond the United Nations.” The series delves into the unknown, with the characters battling against the impossible and highly volatile world of savage aliens and monsters while still trying to maintain their own lives.
In what the BBC called an “incredible achievement,” the first two installments of TORCHWOOD set a ratings record in the U.K., scoring higher than “LOST” when the two programs went head-to-head.
“We’re thrilled to be airing TORCHWOOD in HD,” said Mark Cuban, president and co-founder of HDNet. “This is certainly a Russell T. Davies signature show. TORCHWOOD explores adult themes and doesn’t shy away from anything. Whether it’s the diverse storylines or the hero’s ambivalence to sexual boundaries, this is not your typical show, and I love it.”
TORCHWOOD is a spin-off of the long running science fiction hit DR. WHO. HDNet will premiere TORCHWOOD on Monday, September 17, at 7:00 p.m. ET with encore airings scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET, and 1:00 a.m. ET to accommodate west coast prime time.
From this, HDNet has picked up the first two seasons. The second season debuts in the UK in early 2008, so I’m curious if HDNet would be broadcasting the second season of Torchwood at roughly the same time as the UK premiere.