Random Shoes (TV story): Difference between revisions

From Tardis Wiki, the free Doctor Who reference
m (Bot: Cosmetic changes)
 
(344 intermediate revisions by 94 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Template:Infobox Torchwood|
{{title dab away}}
story name = Random Shoes |
{{real world}}
image= [[Image:Random Shoes.jpg|300px]] |
{{ImageLinkTV}}
series= [[Torchwood]] - [[List of Torchwood television stories|TV Stories]] |
{{Infobox Story SMW
series number=[[Series 1 (Torchwood)|Series 1]]|
|image                = Hit and run.jpg
number= 9 |
|series                = ''[[Torchwood (TV series)|Torchwood]]''
enemy = [[Josh]] <br>[[Gary]] |
|season number        = Series 1 (Torchwood)
setting=|
|series episode number = 9
writer= [[Jacquetta May]] |
|scripturl      = https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/documents/torchwood-1-episode-9-random-shoes-goldenrod-revisions-11102006.pdf
director = [[James Erskine]] |
|main character        = [[Eugene Jones|Eugene]], [[Gwen Cooper|Gwen]]
producer = [[Richard Stokes]]<br />[[Sophie Fante]]<br />[[Chris Chibnall]] (co-producer) |
|featuring            = Jack Harkness
broadcast date= [[10th December]] [[2006]] |
|featuring2            = Owen Harper
previous story = [[They Keep Killing Suzie]] |
|featuring3            = Toshiko Sato
next story = [[Out of Time]] }}
|featuring4            = Ianto Jones
|enemy                = [[Josh (Random Shoes)|Josh]]
|setting              = [[Cardiff]] and [[Aberystwyth]], [[2000s]]{{note|Episodes 1-10 of the [[Series 1 (Torchwood)|first series]] of ''[[Torchwood (series)|Torchwood]]'' are set anywhere from [[2006]]-[[2009]] as a result of [[Aliens of London dating controversy|conflicting evidence]] shown in the episodes {{cs|Ghost Machine (TV story)}}, {{cs|Greeks Bearing Gifts (TV story)}}, ''Random Shoes'', {{cs|To the Last Man (TV story)}}, {{cs|Reset (TV story)}}, {{cs|Adrift (TV story)}}, {{cs|Fragments (TV story)}}, {{cs|Exit Wounds (TV story)}}, and {{cs|The New World (TV story)}}. As episode 10, {{cs|Out of Time (TV story)}}, is set at the end of [[December]], this means that episodes 11-13 are almost certainly set the year after episodes 1-10.}}
|writer               = Jacquetta May
|director             = [[James Erskine]]
|producer             = [[Richard Stokes]], [[Sophie Fante]]
|broadcast date       = 10 December 2006
|network              = BBC Three
|prev                  = They Keep Killing Suzie (TV story)
|next                 = Out of Time (TV story)
|clip                  = Spare body part - Torchwood - BBC
|clip2                = "I Don't Want This to End" Random Shoes Torchwood
|clip3                = Eugene Saves Gwen's Life Random Shoes Torchwood
|format                = 1x50-minute episode
}}
'''''Random Shoes''''' was the ninth episode in the [[Series 1 (Torchwood)|first series]] of ''[[Torchwood (TV series)|Torchwood]]''. It was written by [[Jacquetta May]] and directed by [[James Erskine]].


==Synopsis==
Similar to the ''[[Doctor Who (TV series)|Doctor Who]]'' episode {{cs|Love & Monsters (TV story)}}, it side-lined the regular cast in favour of a guest character, centring almost entirely around [[Gwen Cooper]]'s independent investigation of [[Eugene Jones]]' death, and following Eugene himself as he watches and develops feelings for her. The rest of the [[Torchwood Three]] team barely appeared.
A hit-and-run victim, obsessed with aliens in life, realises only one person can solve the mystery of his death: [[Gwen Cooper]].


==Plot==
== Synopsis ==
Finding himself lying in the middle of the road, [[Eugene Jones]] makes his way over towards the police tape blocking off an apparent crime scene.  As he approaches, an officer lifts the tape for an exiting officer and Eugene is able to slip past.  As he approaches the scene, he recognizes the staff of Torchwood, a group he has been interested in and trying to speak to for quite a while.  While the team attempts to determine what happened to the victim, Eugene realizes that the dead body on the ground belongs... to him.
[[Eugene Jones|A hit-and-run victim]], obsessed with [[alien]] life, realises only one person can solve the mystery of his death: [[Gwen Cooper]].


As Eugene's phone rings Tosh answers and hands the phone over to Gwen to inform Eugene's mother of the accident. As the team leaves for Eugene's home, he climbs in the car and finally realizes that he is a ghost.
== Plot ==
Finding himself lying in the middle of the road, [[Eugene Jones]] makes his way to the [[police]] tape blocking off a crime scene. An officer lifts the tape for an exiting officer, and Eugene slips past. He recognises the staff of [[Torchwood Three]], a group to whom he has been trying to speak for quite a while. As the team try to determine what happened to the victim, Eugene realises that the dead body on the ground is him. He tries to touch [[Toshiko Sato|Tosh]], but his hand runs right through her. "Am I dead?"


During the drive Eugene remembers about his childhood the point at which his father left home and the beginnings of his interest in aliens... and in a particular an artifact once given to him by a teacher... an alien eye.  He finally tells of his prior encounters with Torchwood and how he never got the chance to tell them about the eye.
Eugene's [[mobile phone]] rings. Tosh answers it, and hands it to [[Gwen Cooper|Gwen]] to tell [[Bronwen Jones|Eugene's mother]] of the accident. As the team leave for Eugene's home, he climbs in the [[car]], and finally realises that he must be a [[ghost]].


At Eugene's home, Gwen notifies his mother and bother, Terry, of his death while Ianto and Owen investigate the alien "artifacts" in his room.  While most are fakes, there is one empty stand that interests Gwen. Eugene follows on with the Torchwood team in hopes of finding out what happened to him.
During the drive, Eugene recalls his childhood: the day his father left home, and the beginnings of his interest in aliens, in particular, an artefact given to him by a teacher: an [[Dogon|alien eye]]. He thinks of his prior encounters with Torchwood and how he never got the chance to tell them about the eye.


Back at the Hub, Eugene is amazed by all of the technology and true alien artifacts.  Owen attempts to convince Gwen that Eugene's death was nothing but a road accident.  When Owen tells her that he has too much paperwork to do to autopsy Eugene's body, Gwen prepares to do it herself.  As she presses the scalpel to Eugene's body, Eugene faints, and Gwen looks up as if she noticed something. As she looks down to again begin the autopsy Ianto enters with news that a drunk driver in a red car has been pulled over and reports of striking someone near Cardiff.
At Eugene's home, Gwen notifies his mother and brother, [[Terry Jones|Terry]], of Eugene's death, while [[Ianto Jones|Ianto]] and [[Owen Harper|Owen]] look at the [[alien]] "artefacts" in his room. Most are fakes, including an "alien" [[rock]] made with painted [[Rice Krispies]]. One empty stand interests Gwen. Eugene follows the Torchwood team in hope of finding out what happened to him.


Eugene awakens lying on the floor of the Hub and walks home. Seeing his mother crying he walks on.
Back at [[the Hub]], Eugene is amazed by all of the [[technology]] and alien artefacts. Owen tries to convince Gwen that Eugene's death was only a road accident. Owen has too much paperwork to perform an autopsy on Eugene's body. Gwen will do it herself. As she presses the scalpel to Eugene's body, Eugene faints; Gwen looks up, thinking she saw movement. As she looks down to start the autopsy again, Ianto enters with the news that a drunk driver in a red car has been pulled over, and admits to striking someone near Cardiff.


In the conference room at the Hub Gwen cannot let go of Eugene's death while Owen and Tosh point out that there is no evidence of involvement of anything mysterious or alien.
Eugene awakens, lying on the floor of the Hub, and walks home. Seeing his mother crying, he walks on.


In the morning Gwen finds Owen watching a DVD that he had collected from Eugene's room. Gwen, a little upset, offers to take the DVD back to the rental shop while she grabs lunch.  As she leaves she also takes Eugene's cell phone from the evidence box.
In the conference room at the Hub, Gwen cannot let go of Eugene's death. Owen and Tosh point out there is no evidence of involvement of anything mysterious or alien.


Gwen stops at a diner around the corner from the video store and is followed in by Eugene. Gwen asks the waiter about Eugene, but he has no recollection of Eugene.  Eugene, upset because the diner is his usual breakfast spot, recites his normal order, two eggs, ham and chips... only to, moments later, have Gwen place the same order with the waiter. Gwen sits down at the table and begins to flip through the picture on Eugene's phone, the most recent of random shoes.  Eugene admits that he doesn't really remember anything from the last few weeks and then says that Gwen should call his friend [[Gary]] to see if he knows anything.  Gwen, seemingly hearing Eugene, flips through his list of contacts and phones Gary, for whom she leaves a message.
In the morning, Gwen finds Owen watching a [[DVD]] he stole from Eugene's room. Gwen, upset, offers to return the DVD to the rental shop while she grabs lunch. As she leaves, she takes Eugene's [[mobile phone]] from the evidence box.


Stopping at the hardware store Gwen meets [[Josh]], who works at the store. Repeatedly hitting on Gwen, Josh tells Gwen that Eugene was a nice guy, but he was a loser and failure.  He also asks if Eugene had committed suicide. Finally, Gwen returns the DVD, paying a £34 fine, and leaves the store.
The video store is closed. Gwen stops at a cafe around the corner, followed by Eugene. Gwen asks the waiter about Eugene, but he does not remember him. Eugene, upset because the cafe is his usual lunch spot, recites his usual order, two [[egg]]s, [[ham]] and [[chips]]. Gwen places the same order. Gwen sits at a table, and flips through the pictures on Eugene's phone. The most recent are of random [[shoe]]s. Eugene says he doesn't really remember anything from the last few weeks, and that Gwen should call his friend [[Gary (Random Shoes)|Gary]] to see if he knows anything. Gwen flips through his list of contacts and phones Gary. She leaves a message.


Gwen's next stop is Eugene's old employer, a telesales business. As gwen wanders through the office she glances at the phone and the floor, trying to recognize the shoes from the picture.  She finally spots the wearer of a pair of Converse All Stars from the picture, Gary. She asks Gary if he had seen Eugene the day he died, and Gary says that he hadn't.  Then Gary goes off on another office worker for writing "Good luck on your new job!" on the sympathy card. As Gwen follows Gary between a row of cubes she is stopped by Linda, a friend of Eugene's that is particularly broken up over his death.  Concerned that she may get in trouble for talking during work hours, Gwen agrees to meet Linda for lunch.  While looking around Gary's desk, Owen calls and Gwen tells him that she's taking care of a few personal things and will be back soon.
Stopping at the hardware store, Gwen meets [[Josh (Random Shoes)|Josh]], who works there. Repeatedly hitting on Gwen, Josh tells her Eugene was a nice guy, but a loser — a complete failure. He asks if Eugene committed [[suicide]]. Gwen returns the DVD, pays a £34 fine and leaves the store. Eugene himself contemplates on Josh's words: has his whole life really just been one big failure?


Later at lunch, Linda begins to fill in some of the missing pieces of Eugene's last weeks. Apparently a few weeks before Eugene had been depressed, and when Linda came into work one day after an arguement with her boyfriend, Eugene agreed to help her move to Australia to start a new life. To get the money, he told Linda that he would sell his alien artifact. When he brought the eye into work a few of his friends laughed, but, he still placed it on Ebay.  After a while the price began to climb to £3,000 and finally jumped to £15,005.50.  Gwen's phone rings and it is Eugene's mother asking Gwen to come by.  She thanks Linda and heads off.
Gwen's next stop is Eugene's old employer, a telesales business. As Gwen wanders through the office, she glances at the phones and the floor, trying to find the shoes from the picture. She spots a pair of Converse All Stars from the pictures, worn by Gary. She asks him if he saw Eugene the day he died. Gary says that he hadn't. He goes off on another office worker for writing, "Good luck on your new job!" on the sympathy card. As Gwen follows Gary between a row of cubes, she is stopped by [[Linda (Random Shoes)|Linda]], a friend of Eugene, broken up by his death.


Together Gwen and Mrs. Jones watch a video of a math competition the Eugene lost when he was a boy. Mrs. Jones explains that Eugene had received a plastic eye from a teacher as a consolation. Terry tells Gwen that the night Eugene lost the competition was the night their father left and that Eugene blamed himself. Mrs. Jones tells Gwen that the boys' father really left for a job in America, but Terry tells his mother that Eugene found their father two weeks ago working in a garage across town. Suddenly Eugene begins to remember why he sold the eye.
Concerned she may get in trouble for talking during work hours, Gwen agrees to meet Linda for lunch. While she looks around Gary's desk, Owen calls. Gwen tells him she's taking care of a few personal things and will be back soon.
[[File:Eye eBay.jpg|thumb|Eugene's Dogon eye on eBay.]]
At lunch, Linda fills in some of the missing pieces of Eugene's last weeks. A few weeks before, Eugene was depressed. When Linda came into work one day after an argument with her boyfriend, Eugene agreed to help her move to [[Australia]] to start a new life. He told Linda he would sell his alien artefact. When he brought the eye to his office, a few of his friends laughed; ignoring them, though, he still placed it on [[eBay]]. The price soon climbed to £[[15005.50 (number)|15,005.50]]. Gwen's phone rings. It is Eugene's mother asking Gwen to come by. She thanks Linda and leaves.


Gwen drives to the garage and prepares to tell Eugene's father about his death. Eugene talks about how finding his father made him believe that everything that he had hoped for was for naught and that he might as well sell the eye and get something for it. As Gwen begins to open her door, Eugene asks her not to go, and she closes the car door. He tells Gwen that he doesn't want anything to do with his father, and when he apologizes Gwen, knowing he is somehow there, tells him it is OK.
Gwen and Mrs Jones watch a video of a [[maths]] competition that Eugene lost when he was a boy. She explains to Gwen that Eugene was given a plastic eye by [[Garret (Random Shoes)|a teacher]] as a consolation. Terry tells Gwen that the night Eugene lost the competition was the same night their father left, and that Eugene blamed himself. Mrs Jones tells Gwen the boys' father really left for a job in [[America]], but Terry tells his mother that he and Eugene found out the truth two weeks back: their father still lives in the area, working in a garage across town. Suddenly Eugene begins to remember why he sold the eye: after discovering the lie, he realised that he'd been believing in fantasies his whole life, waiting for something that'll never come. So why not sell it?


Back in the Hub, Jack confronts Gwen about turning off her phone. She tries to explain to Jack what she is feeling and mentions the alien eye. Jack believes it might be a [[Dogon Sixth Eye]], and item that allows its user to see their past and put it in perspective. They were traded for the novelty factor.  Gwen tells Jack that she has almost tracked it down, and he gives her the weekend to finish her investigation.
Gwen drives to the garage to tell Eugene's father about his death. Eugene talks about how finding his father made him believe that everything he had hoped for was for naught and he might as well sell the eye and get something for it. As Gwen opens her car door, Eugene asks her not to go. As if hearing him, she reconsiders, and closes it again. He tells Gwen he doesn't want anything to do with his father, and when he apologises Gwen tells him it is alright.


Gwen's next stop is a university talk at Aberystwyth University on [[black hole]]s and [[anti-matter]].  There, Gwen runs into Gary who initially runs away from her. Finally he tells her that he initially bid up the price of the eye to cheer Eugene up, but that Eugene started to think that his bids were possibly the alien. In the end though Gary says that the £15,000 bid was real.  When she again asks Gary if he saw Eugene the day he died, he says that he had coffee with Eugene before he went to meet the auction winning alien.  Gwen asks Gary about the shoe photographs.  While he says that they are random shoes he also tells Gwen that he misses Eugene.
[[File:Dogon Sixth Eye.jpg|thumb|left|Eugene's alien eye.]]
Back in the Hub, [[Jack Harkness|Jack]] confronts Gwen about turning off her phone. She tries to explain to Jack what she is feeling, and mentions the alien eye. Jack believes it might be a [[Dogon]] sixth eye, an item that allows its user to see his past and put it in perspective. They were traded for the novelty factor. Gwen tells Jack that she has almost tracked it down, and he gives her the weekend to finish her investigation.


In a hotel room in Aberystwyth, as Gwen looks through some of Eugene's belongings, Eugene tells Gwen that he took the eye and called a taxi to take him to the meeting point. As he talks he realizes that he really enjoys the time he is spending with Torchwood, and Gwen in particular, and doesn't want it to end. He tells Gwen that he loves her and again she seems to hear him.  She stands and walks to the window near where Eugene is standing and Eugene blows on her hair to make it move ever so slightly. She brushes the hair from her face, closes the window and heads to bed.
Gwen's next stop is a lecture at [[Aberystwyth University]] called "[[Black Holes and the Uncertainty Principle]]". Gwen runs into Gary, who initially runs away from her. He finally admits to her that he bid up the price of the eye to cheer Eugene up, but Eugene started to think that the bids were made by an alien. Gary says that the £15,000 bid was real. When she asks Gary again if he saw Eugene the day he died, he says that he had [[coffee]] with Eugene before he went to meet the auction-winning alien. Gwen asks him about the shoe photographs. He says they are random shoes, and he misses Eugene.


As Gwen returns from Aberystwyth, Eugene recognizes the Happy Cook diner as the location of the drop off. Gwen enters and quickly recognizes the waitresses shoes. Eugene also begins to remember coming in and meeting Gary and Josh. At first he thinks they are their for moral support, but Josh makes it clear that they are the real buyers and did it as a joke and to cheer him up. And though someone real had bid the £15,000, Josh got carried away, and although they only had £34 on them Josh still expects to be given the eye so he can turn around and resell the eye. Eugene quickly uses his phone to take a few photographs of the shoes under the table. When Eugene doesn't hand over the eye Josh attempts to take it from him.
In a hotel room in Aberystwyth, as Gwen looks through some of Eugene's belongings, Eugene tells Gwen that he took the eye and called a taxi to take him to the meeting place. As he talks, he realises that he really enjoys the time he is spending with Torchwood, and Gwen in particular, and doesn't want it to end. He tells Gwen that he loves her. She stands and walks to the window near where Eugene is standing, and Eugene blows on her hair to make it move slightly. She brushes the hair from her face, closes the window and heads to bed. Eugene lies down next to her.
[[File:Josh demands eye.jpg|thumb|Josh insists Eugene hand over the eye.]]
As Gwen returns from Aberystwyth, Eugene recognises the [[Happy Cook]] restaurant as the location of the drop off. Gwen enters and recognises [[Jen (Random Shoes)|the waitress]]'s [[shoes]]. Eugene begins to remember coming in and meeting Gary and Josh. At first he thinks they came for moral support, but Josh makes it clear that they were the real buyers and did it as a joke and to cheer him up. Although someone made a real bid of £15,000, Josh got carried away, and although they only had £34 with them, Josh still expects to be given the eye so he can turn around and resell it. Eugene uses his phone to take a few photographs of the shoes under the table. When Eugene doesn't hand over the eye, Josh tries to take it from him.


Gwen, meanwhile, is hearing the same story from the waitresses point of view. Apparently the two men began to fight over the eye. When the waitress picks it up Josh grabs it and heads for the door, only to be tackled by Eugene, who grabs the eye and swallows it whole. Josh attempts to heimlich the eye out of Eugene who eventually escapes.
Gwen, meanwhile, is hearing the same story from the waitress' point of view. Apparently, the two men began to fight over the eye. When the waitress picked it up, Josh grabbed it and headed for the door, only to be tackled by Eugene, who grabbed the eye and swallowed it. Josh tried to get the eye out of Eugene, who then escaped.


As the waitress finishes her story Josh and Gary come into the diner and Josh begins to talk to the waitress and tell her not to mention anything to anyone asking questions.  As Josh talks Gary sees Gwen standing off to the side.  As Josh turns to run Gary tips him and tells Josh that he misses Eugene.
As the waitress finishes her story, Josh and Gary come into the restaurant, and Josh begins to talk to the waitress to tell her not to mention anything to anyone asking questions.


Eugene remembers all of what happened. Josh and Gary chased him from the diner and then lost him.  Eventually Eugene stops running to catch his breath and as he walks across the road he is struck by a car.  Gwen calls Eugene's father to tell him of the news.
As Josh talks, Gary sees Gwen standing off to the side. Josh turns to run. Gary trips him and tells Josh he misses Eugene. Eugene remembers all of what happened. Josh and Gary chased him from the restaurant and then lost him.


We later find Gary, Gwen, Eugene and his family at Eugene's funeral.  For the first time Eugene sees his father as a normal man and realizes that he wished he had more time with him.
Eventually, Eugene stops running to catch his breath and, as he walks across the road, he is struck by a car. Gwen calls Eugene's father to tell him the news.


At the back of the funeral home, Gwen is handed a paper bag by the mortician, a bag containing the eye.  Eugene doesn't understand why he's still around now that the eye is no longer in his body, and Gwen, knowing he is there begins to talk to him when the [[Torchwood SUV]] pulls up. Gwen hands the bag to Jack and asks if she can have a few minutes to speak with Eugene's family.
Gary, Gwen, Eugene and his family are at Eugene's [[funeral]]. For the first time, Eugene sees his father as a normal man, and begins to wish he had more time with him.


As she crosses the street a car comes around the corner and nearly hits Gwen.  Charging from the sidewalk Eugene yells her name and knocks Gwen to the ground. Not only can Gwen see him, but so can everyone else.  And for a moment he can say thank you to Gwen before he floats up into the light.
At the back of the funeral home, Gwen is handed a paper bag containing the eye by the mortician. Eugene doesn't understand why he's still around, now that the eye is no longer in his body. Gwen is giving a last speech to the dead man, almost seeming to know he's there, when the [[Torchwood SUV]] pulls up. Gwen hands the bag to Jack and asks if she can have a few minutes to speak with Eugene's family.


==Cast==
As she crosses the street, a [[car]] comes around the corner and nearly hits Gwen. Charging from the pavement, Eugene yells her name and knocks Gwen to the ground. Not only can Gwen see him, but so can everyone else. Gwen gives him a huge kiss. For a moment he can say thank you to Gwen, before he floats up into the light.
*Captain [[Jack Harkness]] — [[John Barrowman]]
*[[Gwen Cooper]] — [[Eve Myles]]
*[[Owen Harper]] — [[Burn Gorman]]
*[[Toshiko Sato]] — [[Naoko Mori]]
*[[Ianto Jones]] — [[Gareth David-Lloyd]]
*[[Eugene Jones]] — [[Paul Chequer]]
*Young [[Eugene Jones|Eugene]] — [[Luke Bromley]]
*[[Bronwen Jones]] — [[Nicola Duffett]]
*Mr [[Garret]] — [[Roger Ashton-Griffiths]]
*[[Josh]] — [[Steven Meo]]
*[[Gary]] — [[Celyn Jones]]
*[[Linda (Random Shoes)|Linda]] — [[Robyn Isaac]]
*[[Shaun Jones]] — [[Gareth Potter]]
*[[Terry Jones]] — [[Joshua Hughes]]
*[[Waitress]] — [[Amy Starling]]
*[[Café owner]] — [[Leroy Liburd]]
*[[Pete (Random Shoes)|Pete]] — [[Ryan Chappell]]


==Story Notes==
== Cast ==
* [[Jack Harkness|Captain Jack Harkness]] — [[John Barrowman]]
* [[Gwen Cooper]] — [[Eve Myles]]
* [[Owen Harper]] — [[Burn Gorman]]
* [[Toshiko Sato]] — [[Naoko Mori]]
* [[Ianto Jones]] — [[Gareth David-Lloyd]]
* [[Eugene Jones|Eugene]] — [[Paul Chequer]]
* Young [[Eugene Jones|Eugene]] — [[Luke Bromley]]
* [[Bronwen Jones]] — [[Nicola Duffett]]
* [[Garret (Random Shoes)|Mr Garret]] — [[Roger Ashton-Griffiths]]
* [[Josh (Random Shoes)|Josh]] — [[Steven Meo]]
* [[Gary (Random Shoes)|Gary]] — [[Celyn Jones]]
* [[Linda (Random Shoes)|Linda]] — [[Robyn Isaac]]
* [[Shaun Jones]] — [[Gareth Potter]]
* [[Terry Jones]] — [[Joshua Hughes]]
* [[Jen (Random Shoes)|Waitress]] — [[Amy Starling]]
* [[Café owner (Random Shoes)|Café owner]] — [[Leroy Liburd]]
* [[Pete (Random Shoes)|Pete]] — [[Ryan Chappell]]


*This episode was originally titled '''Invisible Eugene''' up until two weeks before it aired. It was then changed to its present title. It was still listed as "Invisible Eugene" in the ''[[Radio Times]]'' and other television listings.
== Crew ==
*Screenshots of Eugene's website as posted on the Torchwood Institute website suggest it to be hosted on the fictional [[Cheapserve]] webhost. Cheapserve has been used before by the ''Doctor Who'' production team.
{{wales crew
*For the first 8 minutes of the original broadcast of this episode, the [[BBC Three]] digital on-screen graphic identifier was absent, with the DOG of the [[CBBC Channel]] in its place. After this, the DOG disappeared.
|1stAD=Nael Abbas
*[[Dogon Sixth Eye]]
|1stAD2=Daf Arwyn Jones
*[[Dogon]]
|2ndAD=Daniella Bowen
|3rdAD=Rhian Salisbury
|3rdAD2=Nick Britz
|AD=
|AD2=
|Runner=Joney Lyons
|Runner2=Michael Green
|FloorRunner=
|FloorRunner2=
|FloorRunner3=
|LocationManager=Paul Davies
|LocationManager2=
|LocationScout=Iwan Roberts
|UnitManager=Geraint Havard Jones
|AssistantUnitManager=
|ProductionManager=
|ProductionCoOrdinator=Carmelina Palumbo
|AsstProductionCoOrdinator=
|ProductionManagerAsst=
|ProductionManagementAsst=
|ProductionAssistant=
|ProductionScriptSecretary=
|ProductionSecretary=Margarita Felices
|ScriptSecretary=Helen Pugsley
|ScriptSecretary2=Claire Thomas
|AccountsAssistant=Debi Griffiths
|AccountsAssistant2=Kath Blackman
|ProductionRunner=
|ProductionRunner2=
|ProductionRunner3=
|Driver=
|Driver2=
|AssistantProductionAccountant=
|AssistantProductionAccountant2=
|AssistantProductionAccountant3=
|ContractsAssistant=
|ContractsAssistant2=
|ScriptEditor=Brian Minchin
|ScriptEditor2=
|ScriptExecutive=
|ScriptSupervisor=
|Continuity=Sally Hope
|CameraOperator=James Moss
|CameraOperator2=
|BCameraOperator=
|2ndUnitCameraOperator=
|2ndCameraOperator=
|FocusPuller=Chris Reynolds
|FocusPuller2=
|2ndUnitFocusPuller=
|2ndFocusPuller=
|PolecamOperator=
|Grip=Dave Logan
|CameraAsst=Gareth Coop
|CameraAsst2=
|CameraTrainee=
|BoomOperator=James Drummond (boom operator)
|BoomOperator2=
|SoundMaintenanceEngineer=
|Gaffer=George Vince
|BestBoy=Suzanne Sanders
|Electrician=
|Electrician2=
|Electrician3=
|Electrician4=
|StuntCoOrdinator=Roderick P. Woodruff
|StuntCoOrdinator2=
|Choreographer=
|Wires=
|Stunt=
|Stunt2=
|Stunt3=
|Stunt4=
|Stunt5=
|Stunt6=
|Stunt7=
|Stunt8=
|ChiefSupervisingArtDirector=Stephen Nicholas
|SupervisingArtDirector=Keith Dunne
|ArtDirector=
|AssistantArtDirector=
|ArtDeptCoOrdinator=Matthew North
|ArtDeptProdManager=Jonathan Allison
|ArtDeptOpManager=Adrian Anscombe
|AssociateDesigner=
|ProductionBuyer=
|SetDecorator=
|Designer=Penny Harvey
|PropsBuyer=Catherine Samuel
|PettyCashBuyer=
|StandbyArtDirector=Cathy Featherstone
|ASupervisingArtDirector=
|SetDesigner=
|StoryboardArtist=
|ConceptArtist=
|ConceptArtist2=
|DesignAssistant=
|DesignAssistant2=
|DesignAssistant3=
|DesignAssistant4=
|CyfleTrainee=
|GraphicArtist=
|StandbyProps=Matt Baker (standby props)
|StandbyProps2=Keith Pitt
|StandbyProps3=
|StandbyCarpenter=Gareth Thomas
|StandbyRigger=Neil Ruck
|StandbyPainter=Clive Clarke
|StandbyScenicArtist=
|StorePerson=
|ChiefPropsMaster=
|PropsMaster=
|PropertyMaster=Stuart Wooddisse
|AssistantPropsMaster=
|DressingChargehand=
|PropsChargehand=Dewi Thomas
|PropsStoreman=
|DressingProps=
|DressingProps2=
|ForwardDresser=
|SpecialistPropMaker=
|SeniorPropsMaker=
|ChiefPropsMaker=
|FabricationManager=Barry Jones
|PropsMaker=
|PropsMaker2=
|PropsMaker3=
|PropsDriver=
|PracticalElectrician=
|ArtDepartmentDriver=
|ConstructionManager=Matthew Hywel-Davies
|ConstructionWorkshopManager=
|WorkshopManager=
|ConstructionChargehand=Scott Fisher
|ConstructionChargehand2=
|ScenicArtist=
|ScenicArtist2=
|Graphics=BBC Wales Graphic Design
|TitleSequence=
|CostumeSupervisor=Charlotte Mitchell
|CrowdSupervisor=
|WardrobeSupervisor=
|AsstCostumeDesigner=
|CostumeAsst=Dan Summerville
|CostumeAsst2=Maxine Brown
|CostumeTrainee=
|Make-upSupervisor=Claire Pritchard
|Make-upSupervisor2=Sarah Astley-Hughes
|Make-upArtist=
|Make-upArtist2=
|Make-upArtist3=
|Make-upArtist4=
|Make-upAssistant=Haley Watkins
|Make-upAssistant2=Ellen Rhian
|Make-upAssistant3=Anwen Hughes
|Make-upAssistant4=Vicky Owen
|UnitDriver=
|UnitDriver2=
|UnitDriver3=
|UnitDriver4=
|CastingAssociate=Andy Brierley
|CastingAssociate2=
|CastingAssistant=
|AsstEditor=Matt Mullins
|AsstEditor2=
|VFXEditor=
|VFXCoOrdinator=Will Cohen
|VFXCoOrdinator2=Marie Jones
|VFXProductionAssistant=
|OnSetVFXSupervisor=Barney Curnow
|DigitalMattePainter=
|DigitalMattePainter2=
|DigitalMattePainter3=
|DigitalMatteArtist=
|DigitalMatteArtist2=
|MattePainter=
|MattePainter2=
|MattePainter3=
|PostProdSupervisor=Helen Vallis
|PostProdSupervisor2=Chris Blatchford
|PostProdCoOrdinator=Marie Brown
|SFXCoOrdinator=
|SFXSupervisor=
|SFXSupervisor2=
|SFXTechnician=
|SFXTechnician2=
|ProstheticsDesigner=
|ProstheticsSupervisor=
|OnSetProstheticsSupervisor=
|ProstheticsTechnician=
|ProstheticsTechnician2=
|ProstheticsTechnician3=
|ProstheticsTechnician4=
|ProstheticsTechnician5=
|ProstheticsTechnician6=
|ProstheticMakeUpArtist=
|DubbingMixer=Tim Ricketts
|DialogueEditor=
|SupervisingSoundEditor=
|SoundSupervisor=
|SoundEditor=Paul McFadden
|SoundEditor2=
|SoundFXEditor=Howard Eaves
|ModelUnitSupervisor=
|ModelUnitDOP=
|ModelUnit=
|ModelMaker=
|FoleyEditor=
|Colourist=Mick Vincent
|SeniorVFXArtist=
|3DArtist=
|3DArtist2=
|3DArtist3=
|3DArtist4=
|3DArtist5=
|3DArtist6=
|3DArtist7=
|3DArtist8=
|3DArtist9=
|3DArtist10=
|3DArtist11=
|3DArtist12=
|3DArtist13=
|3DArtist14=
|3DArtist15=
|2DArtist=
|2DArtist2=
|2DArtist3=
|2DArtist4=
|2DArtist5=
|2DArtist6=
|2DArtist7=
|2DArtist8=
|2DArtist9=
|2DArtist10=
|OnlineConform=
|OnlineConform2=
|OnlineEditor=Jon Everett
|OnlineEditor2=Matthew Clarke
|RightsExecutive=
|FinanceManager=
|VisualFXProducer=
|VisualFXProducer2=
|VisualFXSupervisor=Dave Houghton
|VisualFXSupervisor2=
|Thanks=
|Thanks2=
|WithThanksTo=
|WithThanksTo2=
|SpecialThanks=
|ConductedAndOrchestratedBy=
|Vocals=
|CounterTenor=
|RecordedBy=
|MixedBy=
|CrouchEnd=
|FromIdeaBy=
|Character1=
|CharCreatedBy1a=
|CharCreatedBy1b=
|Character2=
|CharCreatedBy2a=
|CharCreatedBy2b=
|Character3=
|CharCreatedBy3a=
|CharCreatedBy3b=
|OriginalTheme=
|CastingDirector=Andy Pryor CDG
|ProductionExec=Julie Scott
|SeniorProductionAccountant=
|ProductionAccountant=Ceri Tothill
|SoundRecordist=Jeff Matthews
|CostumeDesigner=Ray Holman
|Make-upDesigner=Marie Doris
|VisualEffects=The Mill
|SpecialEffects=Any Effects
|Prosthetics=
|Music=Murray Gold
|Music2=Ben Foster
|Editor=Phil Hookway
|ProductionDesigner=Edward Thomas
|DOP=Simon Butcher
|LineProducer=
|AssociateProducer=Terry Reeve
|CoProducer=Chris Chibnall
|AssistantProducer=
|Writer=Jacquetta May
|Writer2=
|Producer=Richard Stokes
|Producer2=Sophie Fante
|Director=James Erskine
|ExecutiveProd=Russell T Davies
|ExecutiveProd2=Julie Gardner
|ExecutiveProd3=
|CreatedBy=Russell T Davies
|DedicatedTo=
|InMemoryOf=
}}


==== Music ====
== Worldbuilding ==
* The songs "Starman" by [[David Bowie]] and "Hope There’s Someone" by Antony and the Johnsons feature in this episode.
* Eugene calls [[28 (number)|28]] a perfect number.
* Eugene's father sings "Danny Boy" at the funeral.


===Outside of Universe References===
=== Cultural references from the real world ===
* This story bears some structural similarities [[DW]]: ''[[Love & Monsters]]'', in particular the heavy use of flashbacks and voice-overs by a guest character as narrative devices. In addition, both Eugene Jones and [[Elton Pope]] (from ''Love & Monsters'') are lonely young men with fixations on the respective main characters of each series and both come to similar epiphanies about taking life as it comes rather than waiting for the unobtainable while confronting painful memories. Also, ''Love & Monsters'' featured an organization called "[[LINDA]]" and ''Random Shoes'' featured a woman named "Linda."
* Owen calls Gwen's fascination with Eugene's death a "[[Disney (in-universe)|Disney]] moment".
* In the flashback to Eugene's maths contest, Rushmore are described as having 'a mountainous forty-two [points]', a possible reference to Mt. Rushmore in the [[United States]] and ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]''.
* ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'' can be seen playing in the video store.
* The [[Internet]] auction website eBay is referenced, although the page displayed in this episode does not match eBay's current page layout.
* Eugene had rented ''[[Night of the Living Dead]]'' in the video store.
* The DVD Owen is watching is the 1960s version of the BBC science fiction drama ''A for Andromeda''.
* Other movie titles seen on display are ''Hitch'', ''Monster in Law'', ''Legally Blonde'', ''A Cinderella Story'', ''Bratz: Rock Angelz'', ''Ice Princess'' and ''The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement''.
* The name and logo of the "[[Happy Cook]]" resemble those of the Happy Eater chain of roadside restaurants.


===Ratings===
=== Foods and beverages ===
*BBC3 - 1.1 million viewers
* Eugene visits a [[Happy Cook]] restaurant.
*BBC2 - 2.3 million viewers
* Eugene orders a [[banana]] [[milkshake]].


===Filming Locations===
=== Influences ===
 
* Producer [[Richard Stokes]] likened this episode to ''[[It's a Wonderful Life]]'', in which the main character is afforded the chance to look back over his own life and reevaluate it, while remaining invisible to the other characters.
 
=== Locations ===
* The hit and run driver who killed Eugene was stopped in [[Caernafon]].
 
=== Technology ===
* The [[Internet]] auction website [[eBay]] is referenced.
* One of the bidders for the Eye was [[C. Blackstaff]].
* A mechanical device appears behind [[the Tenth Doctor's hand]], which Eugene calls the [[Head of Vexor 11]].
 
== Story notes ==
* This episode was originally titled ''Invisible Eugene'' up until two weeks before it aired. It was then changed to its present title. It was still listed as ''Invisible Eugene'' in ''[[Radio Times]]'' and other television listings.
* This episode is the second episode of Torchwood to be rated 18 by the {{w|Irish Film Classification Office}}, the other being ''[[Countrycide (TV story)|Countrycide]]''. Yet strangely it is one of the only episodes to be rated 12 by the BBFC.
* This story bears some structural similarities to the ''Doctor Who'' story ''[[Love & Monsters (TV story)|Love & Monsters]]'', in particular the heavy use of flashbacks and voice-overs by a guest character as narrative devices. In addition, both Eugene Jones and [[Elton Pope]] are lonely young men with fixations on the respective main characters of each series and both come to similar epiphanies about taking life as it comes rather than waiting for the unobtainable while confronting painful memories. Also, ''Love & Monsters'' featured an organisation called "[[LINDA]]" and ''Random Shoes'' featured a woman named "Linda." Both of these episodes do not feature the main characters as much as other episodes.
* The episode was repeated on [[BBC Two]], three days later at 9:00pm on Wednesday [[13 December (releases)|13 December]] [[2006 (releases)|2006]].
* For the first six minutes of the original broadcast of this episode, the [[BBC Three]] digital on-screen graphic identifier was absent, with the DOG of [[CBBC]] in its place. After this, the DOG disappeared.
* The song used while Eugene wanders around the Hub is "[[Hope There's Someone]]" by [[Anohni]].
* The answer to the final question that Eugene missed in the Interschool Maths Final, "What curve is represented by y-squared = 4ax?" is a [[parabola]].
* The [[Happy Cook]] has a similar name and logo to the real life {{w|Happy Eater}} restaurant chain.
* Screenshots of Eugene's website as posted on the Torchwood Institute website suggest it to be hosted on the fictional [[Cheapserve]] webhost. Cheapserve has been used before by the ''Doctor Who'' production team.
* Eugene mentions that his father [[Shaun Jones|Shaun]] returned for Eugene's funeral 14 years after Shaun abandoned his son following the maths competition in [[1992]], in [[2006]]. [[Aliens of London dating controversy|This clashes with and contradicts dates given in several other stories]].
 
=== Ratings ===
* 1.08 million viewers<ref>[https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/weekly-top-10/ BARB Ratings - October, 2006]</ref>
 
=== Filming locations ===
* The National Museum of Wales in [[Cardiff]] was used in place of [[Aberystwyth University]]. Time and financial limitations meant the journey to Aberystwyth would have been impractical, especially considering the short amount of time it appears onscreen.
* The National Museum of Wales in [[Cardiff]] was used in place of [[Aberystwyth University]]. Time and financial limitations meant the journey to Aberystwyth would have been impractical, especially considering the short amount of time it appears onscreen.


===Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors===
=== Broadcasts ===
* In the previous episode, ''[[They Keep Killing Suzie]]'', Suzie says that after you die it's just dark. Unless it was the eyes keeping him from seeing it, why did Eugene remain on Earth, and not experience the blackness? ''Jack states that the purpose of the sixth eye was to look back and see where you've been. Having swallowed the eye, Eugene himself states that the events after his death have allowed him to see his life for what it really was.''
{| class="wikitable sortable"
* Despite his arm passing straight through Tosh when trying to get her attention, Eugene has no trouble getting in and out cars. ''Maybe he can't interact with sentient objects, unlike cars.''
!Date
* It is stated that Eugene's father works nights at a garage, but Gwen calls the garage in the daytime and is able to speak to him. ''As Gwen phones him on the way back from Aberystwyth, it is likely the phone call was made in the early morning, when he could have been at the end of his night shift.'' Apparently it is also impossible to think that Eugene's father has a mobile, or a house phone.
!Time
* It is established that Eugene's father left in [[1992]], and Eugene narrates at his funeral that his father is "14 years too late", seemingly placing the story in [[2006]]. However, Gwen joined Torchwood some time after the [[Battle of Canary Wharf]], which took place sometime in [[2007]]. ''The fact that no specific dates are mentioned, plus the possibility of Eugene merely rounding the figure to the nearest year could account for the differences.''
!Channel
* The flyer states that the talk takes place at [[Aberystwyth University]], but when the episode was made in 2006 it was officially known as the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. The name did change to Aberystwyth University in 2007 however, when the events of this episode are set. The flyer also states that it takes place at the 'Science and Natural History Museum' and is hosted by 'N. Wales Astronomy Society', neither of which exist.
!class="unsortable"|Notes
*In the Happy Cook, Gary says that they failed to catch up with Eugene because Josh was wearing new shoes. However the shoes in the picture on the phone do not look new. ''Josh may have bought the shoes second hand, and referred to them being new to him.''
|-
|[[Sunday]] [[10 December (releases)|10 December]] [[2006 (releases)|2006]]
|22:00
|[[BBC Three]]
|First broadcast.
|-
|[[Wednesday]] [[13 December (releases)|13 December]] [[2006 (releases)|2006]]
|21:00
|[[BBC Two England]]
|
|-
|[[Monday]] [[5 March (releases)|5 March]] [[2007 (releases)|2007]]
|02:00
|[[BBC Three]]
|
|-
|[[Friday]] [[23 November (releases)|23 November]] [[2007 (releases)|2007]]
|21:00
|[[BBC Three]]
|
|-
|[[Saturday]] [[24 November (releases)|24 November]] [[2007 (releases)|2007]]
|04:05
|[[BBC Three]]
|
|-
|[[Thursday]] [[17 June (releases)|17 June]] [[2010 (releases)|2010]]
|23:50
|[[BBC HD]]
|
|}
 
=== Production errors ===
{{Torchwood discontinuity}}
''to be added''


==Continuity==
== Continuity ==
* During the scene in the conference room, Jack is handling an object that resembles the bolt gun from [[DW]]: ''[[The Satan Pit]]''.
* Jack is seen handling an object that resembles the [[bolt gun]] shown in [[TV]]: {{cs|The Satan Pit (TV story)}}.
* The [[Tenth Doctor]]'s [[The Doctor's hand|severed hand]] is seen once more in the [[Torchwood Hub]].
* [[Cardiff#Splott|Splott]], the suburb of Cardiff visited in [[TW]]: [[Ghost Machine]] is mentioned.


==External Links==
== Home video releases ==
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/torchwood/epguides.shtml?ep=9 '''Random Shoes'''  episode guide entry on the BBC website]
[[File:TWS1Part2.jpg|thumb|Series one, part two DVD cover.]]
*{{dwrefguide|torchwood_09.htm|Random Shoes}}
*{{briefhistory|torchwood/2006i.html|Random Shoes}}
*{{locguide|randomshoes|Random Shoes}}


{{Torchwood series 1}}
=== DVD releases ===
{{wikipedia|Random Shoes}}
* This episode was first released on DVD, with three other episodes entitled ''Torchwood: Series 1, part 2'' on [[26 February (releases)|26 February]] [[2007 (releases)|2007]].
[[Category:Torchwood episodes]]
* It was later released in ''Torchwood: The Complete First Series'' on [[19 November (releases)|19 November]] 2007.
* It was also released in the Series 1-4 boxset (Region 2 release: 14 November 2011.)
 
=== Blu-ray releases ===
* Released in the US with the rest of Series 1 as a Complete First Season set on 16 September 2008.
 
* It was released in the Series 1-3 Blu-ray boxset on 26 October 2009 in the UK. The US release was on 19 July 2011.
* It was also released in the Series 1-4 Blu-ray boxset. (Region 2 release: [[14 November (releases)|14 November]] [[2011 (releases)|2011]])
 
== External links ==
{{dwrefguide|torchwood_09.htm|Random Shoes}}
* {{briefhistory|torchwood/2006i.html|Random Shoes}}
* {{locguide|randomshoes|Random Shoes}}
* {{whoniverse|tw1_09|Random Shoes}}
 
== Footnotes ==
=== Notes ===
{{notelist}}
=== Citations ===
{{reflist}}
 
{{TWTV}}
{{TitleSort}}
[[fr:Random Shoes]]
[[he:נעליים אקראיות (סיפור טלוויזיה)]]
[[ru:Случайные ботинки]]
 
[[Category:Torchwood television stories]]
[[Category:2006 television stories]]
[[Category:Series 1 (Torchwood) stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in Cardiff]]
[[Category:Stories set in Cardiff]]
[[Category:Stories set in 2007]]
[[Category:Stories set in Wales]]
[[Category:2006 television stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in the 2000s]]

Latest revision as of 20:26, 3 November 2024

RealWorld.png

Random Shoes was the ninth episode in the first series of Torchwood. It was written by Jacquetta May and directed by James Erskine.

Similar to the Doctor Who episode Love & Monsters [+]Loading...["Love & Monsters (TV story)"], it side-lined the regular cast in favour of a guest character, centring almost entirely around Gwen Cooper's independent investigation of Eugene Jones' death, and following Eugene himself as he watches and develops feelings for her. The rest of the Torchwood Three team barely appeared.

Synopsis[[edit] | [edit source]]

A hit-and-run victim, obsessed with alien life, realises only one person can solve the mystery of his death: Gwen Cooper.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Finding himself lying in the middle of the road, Eugene Jones makes his way to the police tape blocking off a crime scene. An officer lifts the tape for an exiting officer, and Eugene slips past. He recognises the staff of Torchwood Three, a group to whom he has been trying to speak for quite a while. As the team try to determine what happened to the victim, Eugene realises that the dead body on the ground is him. He tries to touch Tosh, but his hand runs right through her. "Am I dead?"

Eugene's mobile phone rings. Tosh answers it, and hands it to Gwen to tell Eugene's mother of the accident. As the team leave for Eugene's home, he climbs in the car, and finally realises that he must be a ghost.

During the drive, Eugene recalls his childhood: the day his father left home, and the beginnings of his interest in aliens, in particular, an artefact given to him by a teacher: an alien eye. He thinks of his prior encounters with Torchwood and how he never got the chance to tell them about the eye.

At Eugene's home, Gwen notifies his mother and brother, Terry, of Eugene's death, while Ianto and Owen look at the alien "artefacts" in his room. Most are fakes, including an "alien" rock made with painted Rice Krispies. One empty stand interests Gwen. Eugene follows the Torchwood team in hope of finding out what happened to him.

Back at the Hub, Eugene is amazed by all of the technology and alien artefacts. Owen tries to convince Gwen that Eugene's death was only a road accident. Owen has too much paperwork to perform an autopsy on Eugene's body. Gwen will do it herself. As she presses the scalpel to Eugene's body, Eugene faints; Gwen looks up, thinking she saw movement. As she looks down to start the autopsy again, Ianto enters with the news that a drunk driver in a red car has been pulled over, and admits to striking someone near Cardiff.

Eugene awakens, lying on the floor of the Hub, and walks home. Seeing his mother crying, he walks on.

In the conference room at the Hub, Gwen cannot let go of Eugene's death. Owen and Tosh point out there is no evidence of involvement of anything mysterious or alien.

In the morning, Gwen finds Owen watching a DVD he stole from Eugene's room. Gwen, upset, offers to return the DVD to the rental shop while she grabs lunch. As she leaves, she takes Eugene's mobile phone from the evidence box.

The video store is closed. Gwen stops at a cafe around the corner, followed by Eugene. Gwen asks the waiter about Eugene, but he does not remember him. Eugene, upset because the cafe is his usual lunch spot, recites his usual order, two eggs, ham and chips. Gwen places the same order. Gwen sits at a table, and flips through the pictures on Eugene's phone. The most recent are of random shoes. Eugene says he doesn't really remember anything from the last few weeks, and that Gwen should call his friend Gary to see if he knows anything. Gwen flips through his list of contacts and phones Gary. She leaves a message.

Stopping at the hardware store, Gwen meets Josh, who works there. Repeatedly hitting on Gwen, Josh tells her Eugene was a nice guy, but a loser — a complete failure. He asks if Eugene committed suicide. Gwen returns the DVD, pays a £34 fine and leaves the store. Eugene himself contemplates on Josh's words: has his whole life really just been one big failure?

Gwen's next stop is Eugene's old employer, a telesales business. As Gwen wanders through the office, she glances at the phones and the floor, trying to find the shoes from the picture. She spots a pair of Converse All Stars from the pictures, worn by Gary. She asks him if he saw Eugene the day he died. Gary says that he hadn't. He goes off on another office worker for writing, "Good luck on your new job!" on the sympathy card. As Gwen follows Gary between a row of cubes, she is stopped by Linda, a friend of Eugene, broken up by his death.

Concerned she may get in trouble for talking during work hours, Gwen agrees to meet Linda for lunch. While she looks around Gary's desk, Owen calls. Gwen tells him she's taking care of a few personal things and will be back soon.

Eugene's Dogon eye on eBay.

At lunch, Linda fills in some of the missing pieces of Eugene's last weeks. A few weeks before, Eugene was depressed. When Linda came into work one day after an argument with her boyfriend, Eugene agreed to help her move to Australia to start a new life. He told Linda he would sell his alien artefact. When he brought the eye to his office, a few of his friends laughed; ignoring them, though, he still placed it on eBay. The price soon climbed to £15,005.50. Gwen's phone rings. It is Eugene's mother asking Gwen to come by. She thanks Linda and leaves.

Gwen and Mrs Jones watch a video of a maths competition that Eugene lost when he was a boy. She explains to Gwen that Eugene was given a plastic eye by a teacher as a consolation. Terry tells Gwen that the night Eugene lost the competition was the same night their father left, and that Eugene blamed himself. Mrs Jones tells Gwen the boys' father really left for a job in America, but Terry tells his mother that he and Eugene found out the truth two weeks back: their father still lives in the area, working in a garage across town. Suddenly Eugene begins to remember why he sold the eye: after discovering the lie, he realised that he'd been believing in fantasies his whole life, waiting for something that'll never come. So why not sell it?

Gwen drives to the garage to tell Eugene's father about his death. Eugene talks about how finding his father made him believe that everything he had hoped for was for naught and he might as well sell the eye and get something for it. As Gwen opens her car door, Eugene asks her not to go. As if hearing him, she reconsiders, and closes it again. He tells Gwen he doesn't want anything to do with his father, and when he apologises Gwen tells him it is alright.

Eugene's alien eye.

Back in the Hub, Jack confronts Gwen about turning off her phone. She tries to explain to Jack what she is feeling, and mentions the alien eye. Jack believes it might be a Dogon sixth eye, an item that allows its user to see his past and put it in perspective. They were traded for the novelty factor. Gwen tells Jack that she has almost tracked it down, and he gives her the weekend to finish her investigation.

Gwen's next stop is a lecture at Aberystwyth University called "Black Holes and the Uncertainty Principle". Gwen runs into Gary, who initially runs away from her. He finally admits to her that he bid up the price of the eye to cheer Eugene up, but Eugene started to think that the bids were made by an alien. Gary says that the £15,000 bid was real. When she asks Gary again if he saw Eugene the day he died, he says that he had coffee with Eugene before he went to meet the auction-winning alien. Gwen asks him about the shoe photographs. He says they are random shoes, and he misses Eugene.

In a hotel room in Aberystwyth, as Gwen looks through some of Eugene's belongings, Eugene tells Gwen that he took the eye and called a taxi to take him to the meeting place. As he talks, he realises that he really enjoys the time he is spending with Torchwood, and Gwen in particular, and doesn't want it to end. He tells Gwen that he loves her. She stands and walks to the window near where Eugene is standing, and Eugene blows on her hair to make it move slightly. She brushes the hair from her face, closes the window and heads to bed. Eugene lies down next to her.

Josh insists Eugene hand over the eye.

As Gwen returns from Aberystwyth, Eugene recognises the Happy Cook restaurant as the location of the drop off. Gwen enters and recognises the waitress's shoes. Eugene begins to remember coming in and meeting Gary and Josh. At first he thinks they came for moral support, but Josh makes it clear that they were the real buyers and did it as a joke and to cheer him up. Although someone made a real bid of £15,000, Josh got carried away, and although they only had £34 with them, Josh still expects to be given the eye so he can turn around and resell it. Eugene uses his phone to take a few photographs of the shoes under the table. When Eugene doesn't hand over the eye, Josh tries to take it from him.

Gwen, meanwhile, is hearing the same story from the waitress' point of view. Apparently, the two men began to fight over the eye. When the waitress picked it up, Josh grabbed it and headed for the door, only to be tackled by Eugene, who grabbed the eye and swallowed it. Josh tried to get the eye out of Eugene, who then escaped.

As the waitress finishes her story, Josh and Gary come into the restaurant, and Josh begins to talk to the waitress to tell her not to mention anything to anyone asking questions.

As Josh talks, Gary sees Gwen standing off to the side. Josh turns to run. Gary trips him and tells Josh he misses Eugene. Eugene remembers all of what happened. Josh and Gary chased him from the restaurant and then lost him.

Eventually, Eugene stops running to catch his breath and, as he walks across the road, he is struck by a car. Gwen calls Eugene's father to tell him the news.

Gary, Gwen, Eugene and his family are at Eugene's funeral. For the first time, Eugene sees his father as a normal man, and begins to wish he had more time with him.

At the back of the funeral home, Gwen is handed a paper bag containing the eye by the mortician. Eugene doesn't understand why he's still around, now that the eye is no longer in his body. Gwen is giving a last speech to the dead man, almost seeming to know he's there, when the Torchwood SUV pulls up. Gwen hands the bag to Jack and asks if she can have a few minutes to speak with Eugene's family.

As she crosses the street, a car comes around the corner and nearly hits Gwen. Charging from the pavement, Eugene yells her name and knocks Gwen to the ground. Not only can Gwen see him, but so can everyone else. Gwen gives him a huge kiss. For a moment he can say thank you to Gwen, before he floats up into the light.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

General production staff

Script department

Camera and lighting department

Art department

Costume department

Make-up and prosthetics

Movement

Casting

General post-production staff

Special and visual effects

Sound



Not every person who worked on this adventure was credited. The absence of a credit for a position doesn't necessarily mean the job wasn't required. The information above is based solely on observations of the actual end credits of the episodes as broadcast, and does not relay information from IMDB or other sources.


Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Eugene calls 28 a perfect number.

Cultural references from the real world[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Owen calls Gwen's fascination with Eugene's death a "Disney moment".
  • Walking with Dinosaurs can be seen playing in the video store.
  • Eugene had rented Night of the Living Dead in the video store.
  • Other movie titles seen on display are Hitch, Monster in Law, Legally Blonde, A Cinderella Story, Bratz: Rock Angelz, Ice Princess and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.

Foods and beverages[[edit] | [edit source]]

Influences[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Producer Richard Stokes likened this episode to It's a Wonderful Life, in which the main character is afforded the chance to look back over his own life and reevaluate it, while remaining invisible to the other characters.

Locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The hit and run driver who killed Eugene was stopped in Caernafon.

Technology[[edit] | [edit source]]

Story notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • This episode was originally titled Invisible Eugene up until two weeks before it aired. It was then changed to its present title. It was still listed as Invisible Eugene in Radio Times and other television listings.
  • This episode is the second episode of Torchwood to be rated 18 by the Irish Film Classification Office, the other being Countrycide. Yet strangely it is one of the only episodes to be rated 12 by the BBFC.
  • This story bears some structural similarities to the Doctor Who story Love & Monsters, in particular the heavy use of flashbacks and voice-overs by a guest character as narrative devices. In addition, both Eugene Jones and Elton Pope are lonely young men with fixations on the respective main characters of each series and both come to similar epiphanies about taking life as it comes rather than waiting for the unobtainable while confronting painful memories. Also, Love & Monsters featured an organisation called "LINDA" and Random Shoes featured a woman named "Linda." Both of these episodes do not feature the main characters as much as other episodes.
  • The episode was repeated on BBC Two, three days later at 9:00pm on Wednesday 13 December 2006.
  • For the first six minutes of the original broadcast of this episode, the BBC Three digital on-screen graphic identifier was absent, with the DOG of CBBC in its place. After this, the DOG disappeared.
  • The song used while Eugene wanders around the Hub is "Hope There's Someone" by Anohni.
  • The answer to the final question that Eugene missed in the Interschool Maths Final, "What curve is represented by y-squared = 4ax?" is a parabola.
  • The Happy Cook has a similar name and logo to the real life Happy Eater restaurant chain.
  • Screenshots of Eugene's website as posted on the Torchwood Institute website suggest it to be hosted on the fictional Cheapserve webhost. Cheapserve has been used before by the Doctor Who production team.
  • Eugene mentions that his father Shaun returned for Eugene's funeral 14 years after Shaun abandoned his son following the maths competition in 1992, in 2006. This clashes with and contradicts dates given in several other stories.

Ratings[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • 1.08 million viewers[1]

Filming locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The National Museum of Wales in Cardiff was used in place of Aberystwyth University. Time and financial limitations meant the journey to Aberystwyth would have been impractical, especially considering the short amount of time it appears onscreen.

Broadcasts[[edit] | [edit source]]

Date Time Channel Notes
Sunday 10 December 2006 22:00 BBC Three First broadcast.
Wednesday 13 December 2006 21:00 BBC Two England
Monday 5 March 2007 02:00 BBC Three
Friday 23 November 2007 21:00 BBC Three
Saturday 24 November 2007 04:05 BBC Three
Thursday 17 June 2010 23:50 BBC HD

Production errors[[edit] | [edit source]]

If you'd like to talk about narrative problems with this story — like plot holes and things that seem to contradict other stories — please go to this episode's discontinuity discussion.

to be added

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Jack is seen handling an object that resembles the bolt gun shown in TV: The Satan Pit [+]Loading...["The Satan Pit (TV story)"].

Home video releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

Series one, part two DVD cover.

DVD releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • This episode was first released on DVD, with three other episodes entitled Torchwood: Series 1, part 2 on 26 February 2007.
  • It was later released in Torchwood: The Complete First Series on 19 November 2007.
  • It was also released in the Series 1-4 boxset (Region 2 release: 14 November 2011.)

Blu-ray releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Released in the US with the rest of Series 1 as a Complete First Season set on 16 September 2008.
  • It was released in the Series 1-3 Blu-ray boxset on 26 October 2009 in the UK. The US release was on 19 July 2011.
  • It was also released in the Series 1-4 Blu-ray boxset. (Region 2 release: 14 November 2011)

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ Episodes 1-10 of the first series of Torchwood are set anywhere from 2006-2009 as a result of conflicting evidence shown in the episodes Ghost Machine [+]Loading...["Ghost Machine (TV story)"], Greeks Bearing Gifts [+]Loading...["Greeks Bearing Gifts (TV story)"], Random Shoes, To the Last Man [+]Loading...["To the Last Man (TV story)"], Reset [+]Loading...["Reset (TV story)"], Adrift [+]Loading...["Adrift (TV story)"], Fragments [+]Loading...["Fragments (TV story)"], Exit Wounds [+]Loading...["Exit Wounds (TV story)"], and The New World [+]Loading...["The New World (TV story)"]. As episode 10, Out of Time [+]Loading...["Out of Time (TV story)"], is set at the end of December, this means that episodes 11-13 are almost certainly set the year after episodes 1-10.

Citations[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ BARB Ratings - October, 2006
v • e
Torchwood television stories
Series 1
Series 2
Series 3
Children of Earth: Day One • Day Two • Day Three • Day Four • Day Five
Series 4
Stories listed here are only those that have been officially licensed by the BBC.
Retrieved from "https://tardis.wiki/w/index.php?title=Random_Shoes_(TV_story)&oldid=3890498"