Star Trek: The Next Generation 's John de Lancie talks exclusively to Narin Bahar about his role in the upcoming Torchwood series
As we get closer to the long-awaited return of Captain Jack and chums, more details are emerging about what we can expect from the Torchwood team’s ten episode run as they swap Wales for the US.
In an exclusive interview with SFX coming to an issue of the mag shortly, Star Trek: The Next Generation ’s John de Lancie was able to tell us a little bit about how he’s bringing Q’s sensibility to Russell T Davies’ world.
Speaking at the at the recent Collectormania show he told us: “I’ve just finished working on Torchwood , I’m a recurring character in the final three episodes of the series. My character is CIA, very gruff, unimpressed by the ‘Torchwood clowns’ as he’d call them. Working on the show was great fun. My sense is the show is still quite British. It has, mostly, an American crew, but the sensibility of it, led by Russell, is very British.”
As a self-confessed sci-fi fan (he told us "the best movie for me is a science fiction movie, the best books for me are science fiction books, I love this stuff") he was very enthusiastic about the Torchwood universe: “It’s a completely different show to Star Trek , there’s no technobabble. It’s someone’s future, potentially real. I enjoyed that.”
When we asked for any more info he could give us on what happens or how his character impacts the team – as friend of foe – his eyes began to twinkle in a way very familiar to TNG fans. “There’s not much more I can tell you, they’re very serious about what we can and can’t say.” He leaned forward in his chair conspiratorially he added: “I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but it’s all about the big yellow banana. That’s the key.”
We’re pretty sure he’s fibbing, but either way Q himself joining Bill Pullman in the cast is another reason to tune in to what is already looking like a highlight of the summer TV schedules (no, don’t point out that in the summer nothing good’s on anyway, we have high hopes this is going to be pretty good, especially after Children of Earth ).
Want to know more about Torchwood: Miracle Day ? Read Dave Golder’s spoiler-free review of episode one . What are your hopes and fears of Torchwood’s transatlantic move? Have your say in the comments below...
This interview is by Narin Bahar.
