Sci-fi Talk

A Conversation with Executive Producer Simon Allen Reinventing Ankh‑Morpork for a New Medium The Watch is one of the most daring and divisive fantasy adaptations of the last decade — a punk‑rock, genre‑bending police procedural inspired by Terry Pratchett’s Ankh‑Morpork City Watch. Developed by BBC Studios for BBC America, the series premiered 3 January 2021 and later arrived on BBC iPlayer on 1 July 2021, introducing viewers to a world where crime, chaos, magic, satire, and rebellion collide. In this episode of Rewind, Tony chatted with Simon Allen, the executive producer who led the charge in transforming Pratchett’s beloved Watch into a modern, serialized fantasy adventure. Together, they explore the creative decisions, challenges, inspirations, and controversies behind bringing the Discworld’s most dysfunctional police force to life. “Go premium with Sci‑Fi Talk Plus — your home for commercial‑free podcasts and videos. Get exclusive Summer Movie coverage, sit‑down interviews, film clips, and red carpet mo