UK Torchwood fans are not happy. While the fourth season Torchwood: Miracle Day will debut in the U.S. on July 8, fans in the U.K. will have to wait to see it until July 14.
The delay has led to protests and many fans saying they’ll acquire the episodes by other means rather than wait for them to debut in the U.K.
Actress Eve Miles has weighed in on the situation, telling fans if it was up to her and John Barrowman, the fans in the U.K. would get the episodes the same day their aired stateside.
“We never, ever, ever wanted to take this show away from the original fans. What we always wanted to do with the show was give them a gift every year, something wonderful, a big, big present. And if that present isn’t good enough, we aren’t going to give it to you. We’ve made you the best, best series yet. And it works out that it will be a week after the U.S. showing,” she says in the Hollywood Reporter. “But, just hold on tight. I’d just like to remind them that they’re our fans. We want them to sit back and enjoy it, be proud of it like we are, and to stick with us.”
Asked if she understood their frustration, Miles responded, “Oh my God, of course I do. I was the biggest Six Feet Under fan in the world. And if that had happened, it went out there first and it didn’t come out here. That did happen with the first series. It went out there and we had to wait. And the reason why I was so frustrated and kind of pissed off about it is because I couldn’t wait to see it. I was so excited about seeing it. You just want to get to see it, don’t you? I mean fair play.”
“These people have waited just over two years for this next season,” she continued. “You know, they’ve waited long enough. I wish I had the ten episodes here and I can invite them to my house and we could all watch them together. You know, tonight. Unfortunately, my house isn’t big enough and I only have one [episode] myself [she laughs]. Yeah, I’d like to say that if I had something to do with it that this wouldn’t be happening. But, sit tight, because it is a fantastic ride.”
John Higham says
As a Brit I am outraged by this. We usually have to wait months for US genre shows and movies over here. You guy’s in the colonies had a taste of this when Dr Who started to take off and let’s be honest there was plenty of rage out there because of that. So imagine our frustration when a show which was created by the BBC (which we finance by the way), is being kept back for a week.
Dave_From_OZ says
Well, the good news is that it’s on here in Oz on July 9th. The bad news is it’s on cable which I don’t get. Sigh!
ALibertarian says
I’d be surprised if STARZ isn’t putting more $$/££ into this series than the BBC. We’ve always had to wait for Dr. Who over here.
I do wish the media people would figure this out. Show it everywhere at the same time or the pirates will just use “alternative means” and everybody loses.
Sam Sloan says
I guess I will have to be the first to state out loud what just about every American fan is thinking. Brits are now experiencing what American’s who love British programming have always had to endure, a lapse of time from the original airing date to when it becomes available in one’s particular area. American’s have had to do this with Doctor Who, Primeval, Being Human, Torchwood of the past, etc., just as Brits have had to wait for their favorite American shows. It’s all part of the way things have been and remain. With today’s digital media one would think that could change overnight, but evidently saner minds don’t run network and cable programming on either side of the pond.
Sandie says
My sentiments, exactly.
The problem is even more pervasive. I was furious when FOX released the “24” Season DVD Box Set EVERYWHERE before releasing it in the U.S. FOX staff couldn’t even explain that move.
John Higham says
Sorry Sam, but we’ve been experiencing the time lagg on genre shows for years, we are used to it (I remember reading about season 4 of babylon 5 a whole year before it aired over here). It just grates on me that a British show (albehit made now by and American cable company) is aired a week later here. surley there is no compeling reason for the delay and it will hit them hard as so many poeple will seek to get the show by “alternative means”.
Ms.gyspy says
FWIW, Starz is not a standard US television network and for some of us in the US it’s not available. So for those folks (not saying I’m one, mind you) “alternate methods” are the only way to see the show at all.
Summer Brooks says
I don’t get any of the premium movie channels, so I miss out on Game of Thrones, Spartacus, True Blood, etc. But I just saw that Starz is having a free preview next weekend, which will allow me to see at least the first episode of “Miracle Day”. So if you have Starz on your cable or satellite system, see if you’ll have it free next weekend…
I got to see the first episode of Game of Thrones and Spartacus: Blood and Sand the same way, on free preview weekends. It might not hurt to check iTunes next week, too. Starz put out the first 2 episodes of Spartacus: Blood and Sand free on iTunes, and they they might do the same with this new season of Torchwood.
Michael says
To all concerned on both sides of the pond, this season has been financed by the American Cable Company “STARZ”. If you have been keeping up with the coming’s and going’s of Torchwood, the talk has been that they, for the first time, have a “real” budget to work with. As they say money talks and B/S walks. I know Captain Jack is an American but in the UK sense 1942, but who knows, another one of us may sneak into to cast.
Ben Ragunton says
Well as an American I actually found this frustrating because I do NOT get $tarz channel, but I do get BBC1, so I actually had to wait along with the rest of my friends across the pond before I could see Torchwood.
I realize that $tarz financed this season of Torchwood, but it’s still a BBC owned product so I would have hoped for some sort of agreement could have been reached allowing fans on both sides of the ocean to be able to see it at roughly the same time.