H.G. Wells, often called the “Father of Science Fiction“, must be smiling in his grave. This week, the world’s largest and oldest television network, the BBC, announced its lineup of new programs and revealed one of them is a three-part series based on Well’s most famous novel, The War of the Worlds.

Fans of alien invasion thrillers are particularly excited because this version plans to do what almost every other version has not: set the story in its original location and time, late 19th century England. It’s a simple yet genius idea since both the 1953 and 2005 Paramount Pictures film versions, arguably the two most popular takes on Wells’ fable, set the saga in modern day America. Even Orson Welles famous radio play which shocked Americans into believing they were under martian attack set the story in 1938 New Jersey.

Billed as the first British production of The War of the Worlds, the series is being produced by Mammoth Screen, makers of multiple British dramas including Victoria, Poldark and Parade’s End starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Prolific Writer/Producer, Peter Harness (Wallander, Dr. Who) is adapting Wells’ famous novel which he rightly calls, “ground zero for all modern science fiction“.

It may not exactly be Horror, but Modern Horrors bets some buttoned-up Victorian-era Brits are in for some horrifying alien action.