Lynn Talks about Torchwood and Dw Final Episode

Director Euros Lyn speaks exclusively to Wired.com about his two upcoming directorial projects: Torchwood: Children of Earth and the two-part finale for the Tenth Doctor.

Speaking of the Torchwood shoot, Lyn said: "It's been an endurance test. It was a 16-week shoot for the Torchwood season - longer than most feature films. But the intensity keeps you focused on the work."

"For the first time, we'll see Torchwood facing a threat from home while they're also investigating an alien invasion. When they try to discover why all the children in the world have suddenly stopped at the same time, Torchwood also has to deal with human beings who are trying to hide a past mistake."

Work on the Doctor Who specials begins immediately after the work on Torchwood wraps. "I've seen the scripts, and they're amazing," he said. "I'm being very careful not to give anything away, but I think fans will be thrilled with David's farewell and how we set up the 11th Doctor."

The article includes the first look at the BBC promo poster for Torchwood (pictured below; click for larger view) as well as a video of the trailer.

Euros Lyn will stand at the center of the British sci-fi world in 2009.
In addition to shooting each of the five episodes of Torchwood's third season, the Welsh television director will also oversee this year's final Doctor Who episode, in which David Tennant transforms into Matt Smith.

"It's been an endurance test," Lyn told Wired.com. "It was a 16-week shoot for the Torchwood season -- longer than most feature films. But the intensity keeps you focused on the work."

Lyn is careful not to divulge too much in the way of spoilers for the new season of Torchwood, BBC's Doctor Who spinoff that delves into activities at the fictional Torchwood Institute, a Welsh organization that investigates aliens that walk among us.
But he did elaborate on some of the whispers that are already out there.

"When we catch up to our characters, they've mourned the loss of Owen (played by Burn Gorman) and Tosh (Naoko Mori) and are trying to move on," Lyn explained. Owen and Tosh sacrificed themselves to save their friends in the second season's finale.
"For the first time, we'll see Torchwood facing a threat from home while they're also investigating an alien invasion.

When they try to discover why all the children in the world have suddenly stopped at the same time, Torchwood also has to deal with human beings who are trying to hide a past mistake."

Set for a summer premiere in both the United Kingdom and the United States, the third season of Torchwood (titled "Children of Earth") will be a week-long TV event with all five episodes airing over five consecutive nights.
"It's one big story playing out over the five episodes," Lyn said. "I've never worked for 16 weeks straight before, but it's such a great script with such a great cast -- I've enjoyed every minute.

"('Children of Earth') reaches out beyond the sci-fi genre. It's a human story of epic proportions."
Before coming to Torchwood, Lyn directed two episodes of Russell T. Davies' Doctor Who, including the Hugo Award-winning "The Girl in the Fireplace." According to Lyn, he's always loved the sci-fi genre and never thought he'd get a shot at directing a Who episode during the show's 15-year hibernation.

"When I read Russell was bringing the show back, I sent him a pleading message to take part," Lyn said. "I loved directing those shows."

Lyn's next Doctor Who venture will be a rare "regeneration story," in which the Doctor will transform into a new physical being -- a Time Lord trait that comes in handy when changing out the actors who play the show's title role. This will be Tennant's final episode, and Lyn is very much aware that he's helming TV history for a show pulling north of 10 million viewers per episode.

Lyn was already in the early stages of prepping the regeneration story, and he's aware that fans and media alike would love to wrench out a few details about the story.

"I've seen the scripts, and they're amazing," he said. "I'm being being very careful not to give anything away, but I think fans will be thrilled with David's farewell and how we set up the 11th Doctor.

"I have to approach the project as I would any other. From the script's perspective. The past or the significance of the episode isn't relevant. You have to start with the script from day one."

For Lyn, that "day one" will continue immediately after the final day of work on "Children of Earth" wraps.
"We're in post-production on Torchwood now, and I'm already into prep for Doctor Who."