It begins with a CSI style sweep over Cardiff, and a crime scene. There’s blood, a corpse, rain, forensics and the police.
Before anyone can do pretty much anything, they’re all cleared out. Torchwood, apparently, have told them to clear the area. Who are Torchwood? The attending officers are as in the dark as we, the audience, are. Special Ops, they say. As one welsh accented forensics officer says in the opening 5 minutes of Torchwood’s first ever episode – “There’s no procedure any more – it’s a f**king disgrace”. Thankfully, the episode isn’t.
Over the next few minutes we’re treated to the temporary resurrection of a murder victim via some form of mystical gauntlet, a bar fight, and a snarling creature with a nasty habit of biting people in the neck. With spurting arterial blood spray, and everything. 15 minutes in, and it’s clear that this, if anything, is a distant relative of Doctor Who, at least in terms of content. Swearing, blood, adult humour, sexuality, and Welsh accents abound in Torchwood.
Torchwood is, unapologetically, aimed at the adult audience. Perhaps this is why the BBC have chosen to air the series on its more cult focused, and digital only, BBC3 rather than going for a prime time BBC1 slot. It seems that they want to keep this as far from Doctor Who as possible, lest it be mistaken for cuddly, tea-time family entertainment.
For those that don’t know, the series is a spin off from the first and second seasons of the BBC’s new Doctor Who. Taking the Captain Jack Harkness character from the first series, and the Torchwood institute from the second, it takes place in modern day Cardiff, and features a team of, essentially, misfits in their hunt to track down aliens. And presumably any other nasties that the script writers decide to toss their way.
One other thing that links the series to the new Doctor Who is actress Eve Myles. She’s previously appeared in the first season episode “The Unquiet Dead”. At this stage there’s no apparent link between the character she played in that episode and the character she plays here, but it’s not beyond the realms of possibility. As Gwen Cooper (her previous character’s name was Gwyneth, fact fans), Myles manages a likeable level of bemused confusion in the first episode. As the audience is discovering many of Torchwood’s mysteries at the same time as she does, it’s important that they can identify with her. Also, as she’s given quite a lot of time on screen, it’s quite important she’s not irritating. Thankfully, she achieves both things well.
As for other cast members, John Barrowman returns as the glorious Captain Jack Harkness, once a time traveling scavenger, now a alien catching superhero, in more ways than one. Barrowman oozes charisma. It’s no surprise that writer and series creator Russel Davies wanted to spin things off into a new series featuring his bi-sexual swashbuckler – the character and performance are both deeply watchable. Harkness’ team are, like Gwen, mostly likeable. Burn Gorman, who plays Owen Harper, has the look of a young Willem Dafoe about him, and is the only borderline irritating team member; Toshiko Sato (Naoko Mori) doesn’t get a great deal to do here, Ianto Jones (Gareth David-Lloyd) is a likeable, well dressed Quentin Tarantino look-alike, and Suzie Costello (Indira Varma) features more than you’d think. It’s a team with some potential, who you don’t take an immediate dislike to, and that each have a clearly defined role and character.
The script is witty, effective, and not overly clunky. It’s got that Doctor Who style humour, but can take it slightly further thanks to its adult targeted audience. It also nicely references its source; the Cyberman invasion from series two of New Who, the alien spacecraft from the Christmas special, the destruction of Torchwood (one of four offices, as it happens), and there’s even a mention of the good Doctor himself. Fans of Who will already guess why this branch of Torchwood is placed in Cardiff, but there’s an explanation for that too. The nice thing is, none of it feels forced. There’s a pleasing lack of tedious exposition in Torchwood.
The only criticism of the first episode is perhaps that it doesn’t have a great deal of time to produce a compelling villain, or plot. It takes its time to introduce the characters, establish who Torchwood are, why they’re in Cardiff, and what they’re going to do about the fact that Gwen has discovered them. There’s a – seemingly tacked on – plot about some recurring murders in Cardiff that gets resolved, but it’s secondary to the process of introducing everyone. And the episode just about gets away with it.
As first episodes go, Torchwood is a good one. We’re sold the prospect of the ever likeable Captain Jack catching aliens, a team of charismatic assistants, a central character who’s easy to get behind, and an atmosphere not a million miles from US team based Sci-Fi, like Angel.
I’ve often said that the BBC could produce great Science Fiction. It used to – it had a history of some great television – but hasn’t really done anything to impress of late beyond the triumphant return of Doctor Who. Hopefully, Torchwood will change that during its run. The potential is there, the intention is obvious after episode one, and thanks to its adult focus there’ll likely be none of Russell Davies toilet jokes.
Episode one gets my seal of approval, and there’s not a man eating dustbin in sight. And as the BBC showed episodes one and two back to back, my review of Episode two will soon follow.
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I thought it got off to a pretty poor start really. Two badly written, poorly directed, derivative episodes that didn’t hook me at all. It takes the whole of episode one to introduce an extremely bland “team” (apart from the irritatingly smug Captain Jack Harkness and the just plain annoying Owen Harper) in extremely clunky fashion. The best thing in the episode is the Weevil which is introduced and then largely ignored.
I’d hoped episode two would improve matters, but unfortunately things just get worse. I suspect this is on BBC3 because the only audience it’s going to get are the Doctor Who fanboys and it would probably receive a critical mauling if it aired on BBC1. There’s still time for this series to improve, but it needs a lot more originality in it’s plotlines. A slow start like this would have doomed it to failure if it was shown in the US.
Not impressed. The worst part comes first: the team. Their manner of introduction reminded me of the Spice Girls. This is Sporty Torchwood, Posh Torchwood… This much achieved, the episodes use any available plot twist to ensure that yes, we are still aware that Jack is Sexy Torchwood and that annoying little twat is ‘boyish but clever for his age’ Torchwood.
We are also to believe that they are so used to living surrounded by aliens that they don’t pay attention to a dinosaur flying around. I wasn’t able to join Gwen’s sense of awe and wonder, nor was I able to smirk at “how cool” these wild Torchwood guys are. All I could think was “Smack the conceited little mare” for her flippant copmment about the flying beast. This juxtaposition between the newbie’s sense of wonder and the seasoned pro’s complete ambivalence works with Doctor Who, though it wears thin. Here, with four people non-plussed by these amazing happenings, it grates before the end of episode 1. There’s only so many times you can hear “a transmimensional, blood sucking doo-dah…. so what?” before you start thinking “Yeah, yeah, we get it, you’re hardened to this, she’s new, you’re a pro, yadda yadda”.
Also painfulyl crowbarred in is the Jack/Gwen thing. It’s such a terrible cliche. She’s devoted to her man, who’s a bit boring, Jack’s gorgeous and exciting, but wait, she’s not leaving her man, but he must have her, he’s attracted to her like he never has been, blah, blah and I woke up and it was all a dream. For something that’s tagged as adult sci-fi the long term plot is transaprent and the characters are cardboard cut-out poor. Likewise, the Weevil is in place for later happenings, no doubt, as we are constantly reminded of it and Jack ensured we are aware of an open plot line by rubbing our nose vigorously in the fact that “we don’t know why! Eh? Eh?”. And “Twat-Kid… don’t you go taking that trap out again! Eh? Eh?” Oh please.
THat said, there were some nice parts. The guy’s final remarks before his 2 minutes were over. The rough shagging in the toilets. Well, actually, that’s about it… not up to the mark yet.
“Episode one gets my seal of approval, and there’s not a man eating dustbin in sight.”
You might think that’s a good thing. I, on the other hand, will be found proclaiming “bring on the man-eating dustbins!” with enthusiasm and vigour in a bakery near you.
why was jack stood posing twice on the rooftops of very tall buildings? how did he get up there and how did he get down? I assume he walked up through the attics of the buildings, then up ladders, then via an access hatch. what the hell for. why would anyone do that just to strike a pose. seemed highly pretentious.
Jack Standing up on the building.
I think its possibly meant to be more of a symbolic shot, possibly representing the fact Jacks a kind of Sentinal for the city. Always looking and seeking out threats that crop up over the city.
It did look unashamedly cool in some ways, how many other Brit TV series do you see where the leading man stikes poses in such a way.
On Torchwood as a whole.
More Gritty, darker and aimed at older audiences (AT LAST!)
Yes there are some quirks and annoyances. The Dr Owen character is too annoying and makes childish comments, was he a trainee doctor before being plucked into Torchwood.
But it is good to see him get put down by the other characters. Gwen is a necessary way of introducing the viewer to Torchwood but she does seem a little out of depth. Only a handful of members for such an organisation, it seems like the torchwood is skeleton crew numbers! Surely there should be more cast, even supporting cast members. Not even extras to bolster the numbers!
Overall though, until now we haven’t seen Brit Sci Fi looking this good. Its a good break from Dr Who, which though I loved it, it was too wishy washy and kiddish.
Not since Blakes 7 has Brit Sci Fi been this good and aim at adult audiences.
Lets hope we see more improvement in Episode III.
I ve thoroughly enjoyed the series of Torchwood as i did Dr Who before it. I most sincerely hope that there will be a second series of Torchwood to look forward to in the new year. Please give my utmost thanks to the cast of the programme, i have enjoyed all their escapades to date, and look forward to many others in the future. I ve gotten used to watching the episodes on Sundays and even the repeats during the week, needless to say, i wlii be bored senseless when the series ends this month. Hurry up back to our screens Torchwood, you will be sadly missed, till then.
Linda – you’ll be pleased to hear this news then.
My reviews of the remaining episodes are coming…too much to do…