Torchwood: The Complete First Season (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Torchwood is the most-times dark, sometimes gory, adult tie-in to the new Doctor Who series, but that hardly matters as it is the most unique TV you'll ever see. ..Dr. Who producer & two-time Hugo-nominated writer Russell T. Davies created the series as an opportunity to do more than just family fare, part CSI, part X-files and the remaining part is out there on its own. In Dr. Who there have been hidden references to the "secret" organization TORCHWOOD (the name which is an anagram of DOCTOR WHO) since season one (an answer given by the ANNE DROID in BAD WOLF episode 12 ), then appearing more physically throughout season two, even featuring the origin of the organization created by Queen Victorian herself to defend the Earth from alien threats, including The Doctor. The series takes place over a hundred years later as Jack says on the promos, "In the 21st century, everything changes." Captain Jack Harkness (played BRILLIANTLY by the dashing John Barrowman, best known to Americans as the singing Nazi lead in the "Springtime for Hitler" number in the Producers musical) is a character introduced during season one of Dr. Who, an ex-time agent, con-man, the Doctor & Rose meet in the 1940's and turn towards the path of good and righteousness, well almost.
Jack is originally from the 51st century, which is intended to explain his oversexed ways (i.e. he is very liberal in who he "SNOGS"& "SHAGS" ) His background is really complex, even before he meets the Doctor, but he is missing some of his memories from his time as a time-agent, during the "Parting of the Ways" the first season finale of Dr. Who his character becomes even more interesting, but I won't say more without spoiler warnings.
I know I've referenced Dr. Who, a lot, but WATCHING DR. WHO IS NOT A PREREQUISITE FOR ENJOYING TORCHWOOD, MERELY A BONUS. There is a level to Torchwood that is directed at DW fans, but it isn't obtrusive. The initial season of Torchwood begins introducing the viewer to its world through the eyes of Gwen, a low-rung Cardiff lady cop, eventually becomes part of a jaded almost amoral group that uses scavenged alien-tech to protect the world from future threats. The neophyte member eventually serves as catalysis to re-humanize the team. But the dynamic of the characters is one of abrasiveness, deceit, love and lust. The major players are far from perfect, by the end of the season, most of the team have done things both unexpected and at times alarming.
Most of the performances are great to watch, much Americanized, gritty acting. Gwen, played by Eve Myles, who oddly enough played a Victorian servant girl named Gwyneth who opens the closes the very rift Torchwood is build on in Dr. Who season 1. Gwen is an earthy attractive but not unrealistically so, as are most of the players, except Jack, of course, who is over-the-top silver-screen good looking, which is perfect for his over-the-top fearless-leader-with-a-mysterious-past archetype.
Torchwood is very stylish, lots of aerial shots of building in Cardiff, the Welsh city where the series is filmed and most of the action takes place. Its waterside features remind me of New Orleans. Another anchor location of the show in Cardiff is soooo appropriately the Roald Dahl Plaza (Carciff-born creator of Willy Wonka) it would naturally hold a time-space rift and the headquarters of a secret organization under the fountain where it can monitor extra-terrestrial traffic through the rift. Kind of a sexed up Men in Black, except no one wears black, well ok Iantos does, but he's more of a case manager type. The series music co-composed by Dr. Who's Murray Gold is both edgy and original. As is the special effects and make-up. In the pilot episode, the make-up on the Weevil, a reoccurring species, is so good that a long scene is shot in full-light with Gwen and another character studying the creature. That is how confident and bold the makers of Torchwood are! The series won a BEST DRAMA SERIES BAFTA (the British Academy of Film and Television Arts), besting Doctor Who season 2 in the category and first episodes gave BBC 3 its highest ratings ever. One series flaw is that Torchwood is meant to be very covert, but they also seem to be high profile "special ops," other than that amusing conflict, I love the series and think that many Americans who may have never watched any British TV before, will be hooked!
The episode guide that follows may have some MINOR SPOILERS, okay?
#1 "Everything Changes"
This is a good one, I give it 9 out of 10, it is one of the best series pilots I've seen. Unlike some series openers, it seems familiar with characters and where they are going, there's no early season one awkwardness here, INFACT, Eve Myles WON a "BEST-ACTRESS" BAFTA (Wales) for this one, John Barrowman got a nom...
Episode Synopsis:
South Wales coffee makin' cop Gwen Cooper is at the scene of a murder when Torchwood shows, Gwen snoops on the group and sees in a disturbing scene in which the victim is temporally resurrected, then questioned. She starts her own investigation to learn more, and ends up meeting an alien and literally going underground unsuccessfully disguised as a pizza-girl, joins up and then things get weird....
#2 Day One
This one is less good, but is all about the fact that Torchwood is an adult series and begins to set some boundaries. Even so, this one has a great pre-titles scene with Gwen & her boyfriend, and a great opening line...7 out of 10 for this one...
Episode Synopsis:
The title says it all...it is Gwen's first day on the job, and because of her obligatory noob screw up she unwittingly unleashes a hot-sex-addicted-alien....no REALLY...this one is about AN ALIEN WHO SHAGS HER WAY THROUGH THE EPISODE...it seems like a Captain Jack natural. There are some great moments and some great lude dialogue, like following the discovery of the alien's nature and the disintegrated remains of its first partner, Harkness remarks that the guy "came and went, at the same time." More lines like that and hot-girl-on-alien action...
#3 Ghost Machine
This one is spooky and provides some insights into the gruff team member Owen's character. Usually, so far, Owen, played by Burn Gorman, isn't the sort to get involved or outwardly show his real feelings, in the series thus far, he has deflected them and given Gwen and the others attitude to cover. This time, due to his unique interaction with the machine, he is very open and driven.... 8 out of 10 for this one...
Episode Synopsis:
The team retrieve an alien artifact that shows ghost images of the past, thus allowing Owen to witnesses a girl's murder some forty years before. He becomes obsessed with bring the murderer to justice, while Gwen tries to stop future projections from occurring as well.
#4 Cyberwoman
This one may be too much for the Dr. Who fans, but you need not know the back-story to appreciate the story, but it helps to forgive the nature of the story that seems awkward when compared to the rest of the season. The Cybermen, humans converted from a parallel Earth, were all meant to be destroyed at another Torchwood base on this Earth, this is the exception. This time a half converted erotic-cyborg with more gruesome conversion effects and other creepiness, oh and Cyberwoman vs. the pterodactyl...did I mention they have a pterodactyl in the Torchwood HQ...7.5 out of 10 for this one...
Episode Synopsis:
Ianto, played by Gareth David-Lloyd who is sort of the teams Alfred the Butler, managing the Batcave, has hidden what's left of his girlfriend at Torchwood. His plans to get outside help end with the entire team at risk of finding themselves converted or worse!
#5 Small Worlds
This one is creepy, if a little predictable, take something inherently cute and friendly, like say fairies, and make them dangerous, powerful and a little homicidal, throw in a spooky little girl, an old girl friend of Jack's er... Dad...and you have a winning mix, 8.5 out of 10 for this one....
Episode Synopsis:
Jack's senior friend has discovered fairies in a nearby wood, while Torchwood uncovers a mysterious jail death and weird weather bursts. Jack sees a pattern connected to his mysterious past....
#6 Countrycide
This one is grisly, edgy and very frightening, playing-out like a mainstream horror movie, a good one! This one isn't for the squeamish. ...9 out of 10 for Countrycide...
Episode Synopsis:
Deaths in the middle of nowhere split up the team, Gwen and Owen find themselves in another tight situation, a survivor hides from the killer, Tech-chick Tosh and Ianto race against the clock, and the team fight to stay off the menu.
#7 Greeks Bearing Gifts
This one isn't the best of the season, but it does give more development to Tosh's character...6.5 out of 10...
Episode Synopsis:
Tosh gets a strange pendant from a strange woman and she gains the strange ability to read minds. In the process learning way more than just casual thoughts, in order to make things right Tosh must get this woman into Torchwood H.Q.
#8 They keep killing Suzie
This is a great one...disturbing and well written, a fallen Torchwood member returns providing a unique opportunity to deal with the consequences of events in the pilot episode. A great exploration of Gwen and her place in Torchwood... I give it 9.5 out of 10...
Episode Synopsis:The "Resurrection-Gauntlet" was classified as too dangerous to continue experimenting with, but a link to pre-pilot events, force the team to use the gauntlet on a deceased...Read more›

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Separate from the government, outside the police, beyond the United Nations, Torchwood sets its own rules. Led by the enigmatic, ever watchful Captain Jack Harkness, the Torchwood team delves into the unknown and fights the impossible. Everyone who works for Torchwood is young. Some say that’s because it’s a new science. Others say it’s because they die young.

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