Story: Torchwoood: Miracle Day - The New World
Written By: Russell T. Davies
Length: 60 Minutes
Year: 2011
So the new BBC/Starz co-production of Torchwood has arrived, and it was a tremendous start. Torchwood is still inactive after the events of Children of Earth (but while old fans would definitely know the reason, the reason doesn't matter or pertain to the episode so new fans can enjoy the show for different reasons), and as a result Gwen and Rhys and their infant child are living in solitude. But when no one dies for a whole day, and then the next day and the next...Torchwood is suddenly needed.
Enter Rex Matheson, WONDERFULLY portrayed by Mekhi Phifer, a CIA agent who gets impaled during a car accident and survives. He, with some help, manages to find Gwen (while it seems Jack has found both of them), and recruits the Torchwood team for America.
I also really liked Bill Pullman as the creepy and scary Oswald Danes, a convicted (and self confessed) child rapist/murderer who manages to get out of jail by surviving the death penalty. He only has a little bit to do in this first episode, but I am confident (since he is in the opening credits now) that he will have a much larger role in episodes to come.
There is plenty of setup in this episode, and it feels almost like a pilot for an all new show, but with the added benefit of already having some characters and premises tried and true...so a pilot where you don't have to find your feet. That is a great place to be when you've got a really solid idea like death ceasing to exist. I'd give this episode definitely an A or A+ for a solid episode that manages easily play for brand new audiences while not boring old fans with details they already knew or catering to old fans with too many callbacks. It stands on it's own, and it is a great piece of drama. Kudos to Davies and the whole cast for a great start to a season I am quite excited about.
NEXT TIME: The Torchwood Team Heads Stateside
Written By: Russell T. Davies
Length: 60 Minutes
Year: 2011
So the new BBC/Starz co-production of Torchwood has arrived, and it was a tremendous start. Torchwood is still inactive after the events of Children of Earth (but while old fans would definitely know the reason, the reason doesn't matter or pertain to the episode so new fans can enjoy the show for different reasons), and as a result Gwen and Rhys and their infant child are living in solitude. But when no one dies for a whole day, and then the next day and the next...Torchwood is suddenly needed.
I also really liked Bill Pullman as the creepy and scary Oswald Danes, a convicted (and self confessed) child rapist/murderer who manages to get out of jail by surviving the death penalty. He only has a little bit to do in this first episode, but I am confident (since he is in the opening credits now) that he will have a much larger role in episodes to come.
There is plenty of setup in this episode, and it feels almost like a pilot for an all new show, but with the added benefit of already having some characters and premises tried and true...so a pilot where you don't have to find your feet. That is a great place to be when you've got a really solid idea like death ceasing to exist. I'd give this episode definitely an A or A+ for a solid episode that manages easily play for brand new audiences while not boring old fans with details they already knew or catering to old fans with too many callbacks. It stands on it's own, and it is a great piece of drama. Kudos to Davies and the whole cast for a great start to a season I am quite excited about.
NEXT TIME: The Torchwood Team Heads Stateside
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