 Series 1 of Torchwood may be a distant memory in the UK, but it's still an unknown commodity in much of the English-speaking world. To combat this, the BBC and its worldwide partners are entering a phase of increased publicity.
Fansite TorchwoodTV reported earlier this week that Torchwood will be unveiled to the largest genre convention in the US next month. The San Diego ComicCon, arguably the world's largest comic convention, will feature a panel devoted entirely to Captain Jack and his not-so-merry band. Such treatment is somewhat unusual for British properties, but is a rite of passage for American genre shows. Famously, the movement to get Firefly to return as the movie Serenity was largely buoyed by Joss Whedon's frequent appearances at the ComicCon. But virtually every other major genre show or film—from Star Wars to Heroes—has seen the necessity of energizing the fan base at the convention prior to releasing their product in the American market.
It is expected that the 8 September start date on BBC America will be confirmed in San Diego. In Australia, the show is already airing, with the help of a region-specific ad campaign. The ads, which largely divorce Jack from his Doctor Who roots, seem to have worked at least in the initial stages of the 13-week broadcast. According to industry website, ebroadcast.au, the show's pilot episode won its timeslot handily across all demographics, and ended up the second-most-watched show on the Monday night it aired. This is something of a coup for Channel Ten, who committed to the show when Doctor Who broadcaster, ABC, balked earlier in the year.
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