New 'Torchwood' to follow 'Earth'

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- "Torchwood" creator Russell T. Davies says the fourth season of the U.K. sci-fi show will pick up where its 2009 miniseries "Children of Earth" left off.

The 10-episode series, "Torchwood: The New World," will star "Torchwood" regulars John Barrowman and Eve Myles. Set to air next summer on the BBC and the U.S. network Starz, the latest installment of "Torchwood" will take place in the United States, as well as the show's traditional setting of Cardiff, Wales.

In the series and miniseries, Barrowman and Myles play members of a secret organization that protects the Earth from alien invaders.

"It has this global sweep to it, which is justified by the story," Zap2it.com quoted Davies as saying about Season 4. "I hate to say 'international in scope' because it usually means a scene set in Berlin for no reason."

The Web site also said a new, as-yet-uncast character, CIA agent Rex Matheson, will feature largely in the new season.

"Rex has no idea what Torchwood is and has to investigate," Davies said. "Torchwood has been destroyed. It's like a legend now, it's almost ceased to exist a long time ago and is spoken only of in whispers. We also have a watch analyst at the CIA called Esther. The two of them become embroiled in the Torchwood legend and investigate what Torchwood is or was and they find themselves on the run and meeting Captain Jack and Gwen, having to decide whether they're friends, whether they're enemies. It's a decision that takes a long time to be decided. That's part of the 10 episodes -- is the two teams coming together, a lot of sparks, a lot of excitement."