Torchwood (series): Difference between revisions

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:''For the in-story organization, see [[Torchwood Institute]]''
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[[Image:The Torchwood Team.jpg|300px|right|thumb|The Torchwood Team]]
{{Infobox Merchandise
'''''Torchwood''''' is a British television science fiction and crime drama created by [[Russell T. Davies]] and commissioned by the [[BBC]] as a [[Doctor Who spin-offs|spin-off]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''. An in-house [[BBC Wales]] production for digital television station [[BBC Three]], it is the first television spin-off of ''Doctor Who'' since the unsuccessful pilot of ''[[K-9 and Company]]'' in [[1981]] and the first to be commissioned for a full 13-part series. The title "Torchwood" is an anagram of "Doctor Who."
|image        = Torchwood title.jpg
|publisher    = BBC Wales
|publisher2  = Starz
|publisher3  = Big Finish Productions
|type        = TV, prose, audio, and comic series
|release date = [[22 October (releases)|22 October]] [[2006 (releases)|2006]] - [[9 September (releases)|9 September]] [[2011 (releases)|2011]], [[10 August (releases)|10 August]] [[2017 (releases)|2017]] -
|trailer      = Torchwood Season 1 Trailer
|trailer2    = Torchwood Children of Earth Trailer - BBC One
|bts          = Torchwood At 10
}}{{dab page|Torchwood (disambiguation)}}'''''Torchwood''''' was a multi-media ''[[Doctor Who]]'' [[Doctor Who spin-offs|spin-off]] series about the adventures of [[Jack Harkness]] and the [[Torchwood Institute]].


The spin-off series has not yet featured the Doctor as such, though in the first series [[Jack Harkness|Captain Jack]] tries to protect a hand suspended in liquid — the Doctor's hand, severed during [[The Christmas Invasion]] — and the TARDIS is heard materializing in the final episode of season one. The Doctor's companion, [[Martha Jones]], appears in the second series.  
Originally created as a television show by [[Russell T Davies]] in [[2005 (production)|2005]], ''Torchwood'' was the first TV spin-off of ''[[Doctor Who]]'' to be commissioned for a full 13-part series. The first four series, produced by [[BBC Wales]], were supplemented by [[BBC Books]] [[BBC Torchwood novels|novels]], [[BBC Audio]] [[BBC Torchwood audio stories|audio stories]], and [[Titan Publishing Group]] [[Torchwood comic stories|comics]] and [[Torchwood short stories|short stories]]. The [[Series 4 (Torchwood)|fourth series]], released in [[2011 (releases)|2011]], was co-produced with the American cable network [[Starz]] and was accompanied by [[Web of Lies|an animated online serial]].


==Overview==
In [[2015 (releases)|2015]], [[Big Finish Productions]] began an [[Torchwood - Monthly Range|series of monthly ''Torchwood'' audio dramas]], and in [[2017 (releases)|2017]] they began an official continuation of the television show under the title ''[[Torchwood: The Story Continues]]''.
In 2002, before the revival of Doctor Who, Russell T. Davies began to develop an idea for a science-fiction/crime drama in the style of American dramas like Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series and Angel TV series.


This idea, originally titled ''Excalibur'', was abandoned until 2005, when BBC Three Controller Stuart Murphy invited Davies to develop a post-Watershed (television) science-fiction series for the channel. During the production of the 2005 series of Doctor Who, the word Torchwood (an anagram of Doctor Who) had been used as a code name for the series while filming its first few episodes and on the rush tapes to ensure they were not intercepted.
== History ==
In [[2002 (production)|2002]], before the revival of ''Doctor Who'', Russell T Davies began to develop an idea for a science-fiction/crime drama in the style of American fantasy drama series like ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' and its spin-off series, ''Angel''.{{fact}}


Davies connected the word Torchwood to his earlier Excalibur idea and decided to make the series a Doctor Who spin-off. Subsequently, the word Torchwood was seeded in Doctor Who episodes and other media which aired in 2005 and 2006.
This idea, originally titled ''Excalibur'', was abandoned until [[2005 (production)|2005]], when BBC Three Controller [[Stuart Murphy]] invited Davies to develop a post-{{w|watershed (television)|watershed}} science fiction series for the channel. The word "Torchwood" (an [[anagram]] of "Doctor Who") originated during production of the new ''Doctor Who'' series, when television pirates were eager to get their hands on the tapes. Someone in the production office suggested that the tapes be labelled "Torchwood" instead of "Doctor Who" to disguise their contents as they were being sent to [[London]]. Davies thought that this was a clever idea and remembered the name.


The series is set in [[Cardiff]] and follows the Welsh branch of a covert agency called the [[Torchwood Institute]] which investigates extraterrestrial incidents on Earth and scavenges alien technology for its own use (its origins are outlined in the Doctor Who episode ''[[Tooth and Claw]]''). To paraphrase Torchwood Three's commander-in-chief, Jack Harkness, the organisation is separate from the government, outside the police, and beyond the United Nations. Their public perception is as merely a 'special ops' group. The events of the first series take place some time after the ''Doctor Who'' ''[[Doomsday]]'' series two finale, in which Torchwood's London headquarters was destroyed, and just before the series three finale.  
Davies connected the word Torchwood to his earlier ''Excalibur'' idea and decided to make the series a ''Doctor Who'' spin-off.{{fact}} Subsequently, the word Torchwood was seeded in several ''Doctor Who'' episodes and other media which aired in 2005 and 2006.


The main writer alongside Davies is [[Chris Chibnall]], creator of the BBC light drama show Born and Bred. Other writers include [[P.J. Hammond]], [[Toby Whithouse]], ''Doctor Who'' [[script editor]] [[Helen Raynor]], [[Cath Tregenna]], and ''Doctor Who'' cast member [[Noel Clarke]], who gained acclaim for his screenplay for the film Kidulthood. Russell T. Davies wrote just the first episode.
The series was set in contemporary [[Cardiff]] and followed the Welsh branch of a covert agency called the [[Torchwood Institute]], which investigates extraterrestrial incidents on Earth and scavenges alien technology for its own use. As established in the ''Doctor Who'' episodes ''[[Tooth and Claw (TV story)|Tooth and Claw]]'' and ''[[Army of Ghosts (TV story)|Army of Ghosts]]'', the Institute had been formed by [[Victoria|Queen Victoria]] following an incident involving the [[Tenth Doctor]] and a [[Lupine Wavelength Haemovariform|werewolf]], ostensibly to protect the [[British Empire]] from aliens and other creatures — as well as from [[the Doctor]] himself.


In a [[17 October]] [[2005]] announcement, Stuart Murphy described Torchwood as "sinister and psychological...As well as being very British and modern and real." Davies further described it as "a British sci-fi paranoid thriller, a cop show with a sense of humour. [...] Dark, wild and sexy, it's ''[[The X-Files]]'' meets ''[[This Life]]''."  Davies later denied ever making this comparison, instead describing the show as "alleyways, rain, the city".
To paraphrase [[Torchwood Three|Torchwood Three's]] commander-in-chief, [[Jack Harkness]], the organisation was separate from the government, outside the police, and beyond the [[United Nations]] (the last reference thereby placing Torchwood in a different realm than [[UNIT]]).


As ''Torchwood'' is a post-[[watershed (television)|watershed]] show — that is, after 9 p.m. — it has more mature content than ''Doctor Who''. Davies told ''[[SFX magazine|SFX]]'': "We can be a bit more visceral, more violent, and more sexual, if we want to. Though bear in mind that it's very teenage to indulge yourself in blood and gore, and ''Torchwood'' is going to be smarter than that. But it’s the essential difference between [[BBC One]] at 7 pm, and [[BBC Three]] at, say, 9 pm. That says it all — instinctively, every viewer can see the huge difference there."
Although a secret organisation, the existence of Torchwood was known by the public, and Torchwood operatives made no secret of their identity when on duty. Their public perception was as merely a "special ops" group, with their true responsibilities kept secret to all but a select few. Regular characters included [[Gwen Cooper]], [[Jack Harkness]], [[Ianto Jones]], [[Toshiko Sato]], [[Owen Harper]], [[Rex Matheson]] and [[Esther Drummond]]. [[Martha Jones]], [[Suzie Costello]], and [[Vera Juarez]] have also been portrayed as part of the Torchwood team led by Harkness. Semi-regulars [[Rhys Williams]] and [[Andy Davidson|Sgt Andy Davidson]] are the only non-Torchwood members who recurred across all televised series.
According to Barrowman:
: "I don't do any nude scenes in series one; they're saving that for the next series! I don't have a problem with getting my kit off. As long as they pay me the right money, I'm ready to get out my cock and balls."


Davies also joked to a BBC Radio Wales interviewer that he was "not allowed" to refer to the programme as "''Doctor Who'' for grown-ups". The first series includes content never before seen or heard in the ''Doctor Who'' franchise, including lovemaking scenes (in episodes such as "Day One" and "Out of Time"), same-sex kissing in a romantic/sexual context, and use of extreme profanity in several episodes.
The events of the first series took place some time after the ''Doctor Who'' ''[[Doomsday (TV story)|Doomsday]]'' series two finale, in which Torchwood's London headquarters was destroyed, and just before the series three finale. Though the series has not yet featured [[the Doctor]] himself, the materialisation sound of [[the Doctor's TARDIS]] was heard in the final episode of season one, which led directly into the ''Doctor Who'' episode ''[[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]]'', and other dialogue references have been made, notably in the ''[[Torchwood: Miracle Day]]'' arc. Likewise, the appearance of [[Martha Jones]] in the second series provided vital continuity between [[Series 3 (Doctor Who 2005)|third]] and [[Series 4 (Doctor Who 2005)|fourth series]] of ''Doctor Who''. Conversely, Jack, as well as his team of [[Gwen Cooper]] and [[Ianto Jones]] featured (and former team members [[Owen Harper]] and [[Toshiko Sato]] are mentioned) in the last two episodes of [[Series 4 (Doctor Who 2005)|the fourth series]] of ''Doctor Who''.


==Details==
The initial main writer alongside Davies was [[Chris Chibnall]], creator of the BBC light drama show {{wi|Born and Bred}} (who later moved over to work on {{wi|Law & Order: UK}}). Other writers include [[P.J. Hammond]], [[Toby Whithouse]], ''Doctor Who'' [[script editor]] [[Helen Raynor]], [[Catherine Tregenna]], and ''Doctor Who'' cast member [[Noel Clarke]].


''Torchwood'' is set in contemporary [[Cardiff]], and features a group of "renegade" criminal investigators. Aside from investigating human and alien crime, they are also charged by the British government to covertly investigate alien technology without the knowledge of the [[UNIT|United Nations]]. Confirmed writers include [[P.J. Hammond]] and [[Chris Chibnall]].
In a [[17 October (production)|17 October]] [[2005 (production)|2005]] announcement unveiling the series, BBC Three controller [[Stuart Murphy]] described Torchwood as "sinister and psychological...As well as being very British and modern and real." Davies further described it as "a British sci-fi paranoid thriller, a cop show with a sense of humour. [...] Dark, wild and sexy, it's ''[[The X-Files]]'' meets {{wi|This Life}}."<ref>Frame, Anna (2006-10-25). The X-Files meets This Life. Daily Express p. 49. [note: potentially originated in a RadioTimes piece]</ref> Davies later denied ever making this comparison, instead describing the show as "alleyways, rain, the city".{{fact}}


In the announcement, BBC Three controller [[Stuart Murphy]] said "Torchwood is sinister and psychological... as well as being very British and modern and real." Davies himself has characterised the series concept as "a dark, clever, wild, sexy, British crime/sci-fi paranoid thriller cop show with a sense of humour &mdash; ''[[The X-Files]]'' meets ''[[This Life]]''."
As ''Torchwood'' was a post-{{w|watershed (television)|watershed}} show — that is, after 9 p.m. — it had more mature content than ''Doctor Who''. Davies told ''[[SFX (magazine)|SFX]]'': "We can be a bit more visceral, more violent, and more [[sexuality|sexual]], if we want to. Though bear in mind that it's very teenage to indulge yourself in blood and gore, and ''Torchwood'' is going to be smarter than that. But it's the essential difference between [[BBC One]] at 7 pm, and [[BBC Three]] at, say, 9 pm. That says it all — instinctively, every viewer can see the huge difference there."{{fact}}


The series will star [[John Barrowman]] as [[Jack Harkness]], one of the [[Ninth Doctor]]'s [[companion]]s from the [[Season 27|2005 season]] of ''Doctor Who''. Although no crossovers with the parent series are planned, Barrowman reported on his website that the story of ''Torchwood'' would be "seeded" in the [[The Christmas Invasion|Christmas special]] and [[Season 28|2006 season]] of ''Doctor Who''.
Davies also joked to a [[BBC Radio|BBC Radio Wales]] interviewer that he was "not allowed" to refer to the programme as "''Doctor Who'' for grown-ups".{{fact}} The first and second series included content never before seen or heard in televised ''Doctor Who'', including intense [[sex]] scenes (e.g. ''[[Day One (TV story)|Day One]]'', ''[[Out of Time (TV story)|Out of Time]]'', ''[[Dead of Night (TV story)|Dead of Night]]''), [[homosexuality|same-sex]] kissing in a romantic/sexual context (e.g. ''[[Cyberwoman (TV story)|Cyberwoman]]'', ''[[Captain Jack Harkness (TV story)|Captain Jack Harkness]]''), and use of extreme profanity in several episodes. Such content was controversial,{{fact}} and, as the series progressed, such scenes were minimised, to the point where, by [[series 3 (Torchwood)|series 3]], relatively little of this content remained.


According to Davies, the name originated during production of the new ''Doctor Who'' series, when television pirates were eager to get their hands on the tapes. Someone in the production office suggested that the tapes be labelled "Torchwood" instead of "Doctor Who" to disguise their contents as they were being sent to [[London]]. Davies thought that was a clever idea and remembered the name.
The show's first two series shared the format used by ''Doctor Who'' at the time, thirteen episodes aired weekly over a span of months. However, the format changed in the third season, which was one five-part story, ''[[Children of Earth]]'', written by Russell T. Davies and released over the course of a week in [[July (releases)|July]] [[2009 (releases)|2009]]. The fourth season, a 2011 coproduction between [[BBC Wales]] and [[Starz]], similarly took the form of one long story, '' [[Torchwood: Miracle Day|Miracle Day]]'', but stretched across ten episodes. No fifth series followed on television.


As it is scheduled to be shown post-watershed, that is, after 9:00 pm, it is also expected to have more mature content than the parent series. Davies joked to a BBC Radio Wales interviewer that he was "not allowed" to refer to the series as "''Doctor Who'' for grown-ups." BBC Wales Head of Drama [[Julie Gardner]] will serve as executive producer alongside Davies. ''Torchwood'' is set to premiere in Autumn [[2006]] on BBC Three. The date of the premiere is '''Sunday 22nd October 2006.'''
In 2015, [[Big Finish Productions]] began [[Torchwood - Monthly Range|monthly ''Torchwood'' audios]], including some set following the events of ''Miracle Day''. This led to their 2017 announcement that, with the cooperation of Russell T. Davies, they would be releasing a fifth series of ''Torchwood'' on audio.<ref>[https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/russell-t-davies-season-5-torchwood-audio-drama Season 5 of Torchwood is finally coming, just as an audio drama]</ref> Like series 3 and 4, it was marketed under a new subtitle, ''[[Aliens Among Us]]''. It was followed by series 6, ''[[God Among Us]]'', in 2018, and ''[[Torchwood: The Story Continues#Among Us|Among Us]]'', in 2023.<ref>[https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/cult/a860252/torchwood-big-finish-series-6/ Torchwood returning for official series 6 at Big Finish]</ref><ref>[https://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/torchwood-is-among-us Torchwood is Among Us!]</ref>


Interviewed on ITV1's afternoon chat show ''Loose Women'' on [[18th October]] 2005, Barrowman suggested that the series might be repeated on [[BBC One]] sometime after its initial BBC Three airing. He also stated that it will not be revealed in the series how Jack Harkness has arrived in the early 21st century.
[[12 October (production)|12 October]] [[2016 (production)|2016]] marked the 10th anniversary of ''Torchwood''. In celebration, cast and crew were invited to the Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff, and a special screening of [[Everything Changes (TV story)|the first episode]] was shown for the fans.<ref>http://www.bafta.org/wales/whats-on/special-screening-10-years-of-torchwood</ref> [[Big Finish]] also produced a special audio story to celebrate the show's anniversary, entitled ''[[The Torchwood Archive (audio story)|The Torchwood Archive]]''.


After the BBC announced ''Torchwood'', tabloid newspaper ''The Daily Star'' wrote that singer [[Charlotte Church]] would be appearing as a Satan-worshipping villain in the series. The accuracy of this claim is false. However, rumours are surfacing that [[Rachel Stevens]] will be joining the cast.
== Cast ==
=== Main cast ===
* [[Jack Harkness]] - [[John Barrowman]]
* [[Gwen Cooper]] - [[Eve Myles]]
* [[Rhys Williams]] - [[Kai Owen]]
* [[Owen Harper]] - [[Burn Gorman]] (series 1-2)
* [[Toshiko Sato]] - [[Naoko Mori]] (series 1-2)
* [[Ianto Jones]] - [[Gareth David-Lloyd]] (series 1-3)
* [[Rex Matheson]] - [[Mekhi Phifer]] (series 4)
* [[Esther Drummond]] - [[Alexa Havins]] (series 4)
* [[Oswald Danes]] - [[Bill Pullman]] (series 4)


[[Martha Jones]] joined the show in the middle of Series 2 during the episode "[[Reset]]". She has a three episode appearance. When she joined the show, she was a fully qualified doctor, but left at the end of [[A Day in the Death]].
=== Secondary cast ===
* [[Andy Davidson]] - [[Tom Price]]
* [[Martha Jones]] - [[Freema Agyeman]] (series 2)
* [[Lois Habiba]] - [[Cush Jumbo]] (series 3)
* [[John Frobisher]] - [[Peter Capaldi]] (series 3)
* [[Vera Juarez]] - [[Arlene Tur]] (series 4)
* [[Jillian Kitzinger]] - [[Lauren Ambrose]] (series 4)


==Story arcs in The Torchwood Series==
== Main series ==
Like [[Doctor Who]], Torchwood has used arc words which appear throughout the season and take a leading role in the finale. Arch words for Doctor Who have also appeared in Torchwood, most notably the appearance of "[[Mr Saxon]]" posters.
=== Series 1 - 2006-2007 ===
{{main|Series 1 (Torchwood)}}


Doctor Who Arcs
=== Series 2 - 2008 ===
{{main|Series 2 (Torchwood)}}


S1=Bad Wolf
=== Series 3 - 2009 ===
{{main|Torchwood: Children of Earth}}


S2=Torchwood Institute
=== Series 4 - 2011 ===
{{main|Torchwood: Miracle Day}}


S3=Mr Saxon
=== Series 5 - 2017-2018 ===
{{main|Aliens Among Us}}


S4=Medusa Cascade, Rose Returning and Lost Worlds
=== Series 6 - 2018-2019 ===
{{main|God Among Us}}


In Series 1 the recurring theme was death and something being in the "darkness", which was revealed to be the release of Abbadon in the series finale; it has remained a recurring theme in the show in Series 2 as part of the arch involving Owen. In Series 2, the story arc was "Gray" refers to Captain Jack's lost brother, who returns in the series finale. Although not a official story arc at the moment there are oftern references to a unknown species as what Jack desribes as "the worst possible creatures you can ever imagine" and by Gray as "they live to torture", nothing is none about them but they are asumed to be the ones behind the attack on Jack's home and captured Gray.
=== Series 7 - 2023 ===
{{main|Among Us}}


Torchwood Arcs
== Other media ==
=== Prose ===
==== Novels ====
''[[BBC Torchwood novels|See list of Torchwood novels]]''


S1="Something in the Darkness"
==== Short stories ====
''[[Torchwood short stories|See list of Torchwood short stories]]''


S2=Gray
=== Video games ===
* ''[[Torchwood Mission Game (video game)|Torchwood Mission Game]]''


==References in Doctor Who==
=== Comics ===
''[[Torchwood comic stories|See list of Torchwood comic strips]]''


The word "Torchwood" first occured in the 2005 ''Doctor Who'' episode ''[[Bad Wolf (TV story)|Bad Wolf]]'', during a deadly version of the game show, ''[[The Weakest Link]]''. One of the answers was that the [[Great Cobalt Pyramid]] was built on the ruins of the famous Old Earth [[Torchwood Institute]].
=== Reference books ===
* ''[[Torchwood: The Encyclopedia]]''
* ''[[The Torchwood Archives]]''


In the episode [[Tooth and Claw]] it is revealed at the very end that [[Queen Victoria]] founded the [[Torchwood Institute]], taking the name from the estate, with a remit to investigate paranormal events such as the werewolf in this episode.
=== Audio ===
==== Audiobooks ====
* ''[[Another Life (novel)|Another Life]]'' Read by [[John Barrowman]] (abridged)
* ''[[Border Princes (novel)|Border Princes]]'' Read by [[Eve Myles]] (abridged)
* ''[[Slow Decay (novel)|Slow Decay]]'' Read by [[Burn Gorman]] (abridged)


In the [[Series 2 (Doctor Who)|Series 2]], "[[Rise of the Cybermen]]", [[Pete Tyler (Pete's World)|Pete Tyler]] asks a guest (off camera) at [[Jackie Tyler (Pete's World)|Jackie Tyler]]'s birthday party how things are in Torchwood. This story is set on a parallel [[Earth]], and [[Pete's World]] Torchwood Institute later features in "[[Doomsday]]."
==== Audio stories ====
* ''[[Hidden (audio story)|Hidden]]'' Read by [[Naoko Mori]]
* ''[[Everyone Says Hello (audio story)|Everyone Says Hello]]'' Read by [[Burn Gorman]]
* ''[[In the Shadows (audio story)|In the Shadows]]'' Read by [[Eve Myles]]


==See also==
* ''[[The Sin Eaters (audio story)|The Sin Eaters]]'' Read by [[Gareth David-Lloyd]]
[[List of Torchwood television stories]]
* ''[[Department X (audio story)|Department X]]'' by [[James Goss]]
{{stub}}
* ''[[Ghost Train (audio story)|Ghost Train]]'' by [[James Goss]]


==External links==
* ''[[Army of One (audio story)|Army of One]]'' by [[Ian Edginton]]
* ''[[Fallout (audio story)|Fallout]]'' by [[David Llewellyn]]
* ''[[Red Skies (audio story)|Red Skies]]'' by [[Joseph Lidster]]
* ''[[Mr Invincible (audio story)|Mr Invincible]]'' by [[Mark Morris]]


[http://www.bbc.co.uk/torchwood/ Official BBC website]
==== Torchwood ====
{{Main|Big Finish Torchwood series }}


[[Category:Torchwood|*]]
==== Radio ====
[[Category:Doctor Who spin-offs]]
* ''[[Lost Souls (audio story)|Lost Souls]]''
[[Category:BBC]]
* ''[[Asylum (audio story)|Asylum]]''
* ''[[Golden Age (audio story)|Golden Age]]''
* ''[[The Dead Line (audio story)|The Dead Line]]''
* ''[[The Devil and Miss Carew (audio story)|The Devil and Miss Carew]]''
* ''[[Submission (audio story)|Submission]]''
* ''[[The House of the Dead (audio story)|The House of the Dead]]''
 
=== Web series ===
''[[Web of Lies (webcast)|Web of Lies]]''
 
=== Magazines ===
''[[Torchwood The Official Magazine]]'' was a title launched in 2008 and published by [[Titan Publishing Group]], that ran for twenty-five issues. The licence expired as a consequence of a realignment of ''Torchwood'' merchandising in response to the [[BBC]]'s co-production agreement with [[Starz]].
 
In 2010, Titan began publishing a monthly comic book for the North American market, ''[[Torchwood The Official Comic]]'', reprinting comic strips and short stories from the UK magazine. Material from the magazine was also used in the [[Torchwood The Official Magazine Yearbook (2008)]] and the [[Torchwood The Official Magazine Yearbook (2009)]].
 
== Continuity ==
* In ''Torchwood'' [[Series 1 (Torchwood)|Series 1]], the episodes [[TV]]: ''[[Everything Changes (TV story)|Everything Changes]]'' and [[TV]]: ''[[Cyberwoman (TV story)|Cyberwoman]]'' make direct reference to the [[Cyberman (Pete's World)|Cybermen]] in [[TV]]: ''[[Army of Ghosts (TV story)|Army of Ghosts]]'' and [[TV]]: ''[[Doomsday (TV story)|Doomsday]]'' as well as the [[Battle of Canary Wharf]].
* The presence of [[the Doctor's hand]] in [[the Hub]] alludes to his losing it in [[TV]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion (TV story)|The Christmas Invasion]]''.
* Graffiti seen in [[the Ritz]] in [[TV]]: ''[[Captain Jack Harkness (TV story)|Captain Jack Harkness]]'' continues the presence of the [[Bad Wolf meme]] and [[Harold Saxon]] posters are seen on the walls.
* ''[[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]]'' continues directly from the closing moments of the "Torchwood" [[Series 1 (Torchwood)|Series 1]] finale [[TV]]: ''[[End of Days (TV story)|End of Days]]'', in which both Jack Harkness and the audience hear the sound of [[the Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]].
* [[Abaddon]] from [[TV]]: ''[[End of Days (TV story)|End of Days]]'' is referred to as the son of [[The Beast (The Impossible Planet)|the great Beast]] from [[TV]]: ''[[The Impossible Planet (TV story)|The Impossible Planet]]'' and [[TV]]: ''[[The Satan Pit (TV story)|The Satan Pit]]''.
* In "Torchwood" [[Series 2 (Torchwood)|Series 2]], [[Freema Agyeman]] reprised her role of [[Martha Jones]] in the episode [[TV]]: ''[[Reset (TV story)|Reset]]''. Her alias [[Sam Jones]] references a companion of the [[Eighth Doctor]].
* [[UNIT]], an organisation closely associated with the [[Third Doctor]] in particular, appears in a flashback in [[TV]]: ''[[Fragments (TV story)|Fragments]]'' as well as throughout ''[[Series 3 (Torchwood)|Torchwood: Children of Earth]]''.
* [[Toshiko Sato]] explains her appearance as the doctor in [[TV]]: ''[[Aliens of London (TV story)|Aliens of London]]'' as her filling in for Owen, who had a hangover.
* A [[Hoix]] makes a small appearance in [[TV]]: ''[[Exit Wounds (TV story)|Exit Wounds]]''. The Hoix first appeared in [[TV]]: ''[[Love & Monsters (TV story)|Love & Monsters]]''.
* The episode [[TV]]: ''[[Turn Left (TV story)|Turn Left]]'' presents [[parallel world (Turn Left)|a parallel world]], where, by saving the Earth from [[Sontaran invasion of Earth|a Sontaran invasion]] (an event shown in the usual timeline in [[TV]]: ''[[The Sontaran Stratagem (TV story)|The Sontaran Stratagem]]'' and [[TV]]: ''[[The Poison Sky (TV story)|The Poison Sky]]''), [[Gwen Cooper]] and [[Ianto Jones]] die, while [[Jack Harkness]] is captured and taken to [[Sontar]]. (In this parallel world, as in the normal one, [[Toshiko Sato]] and [[Owen Harper]] have already died.)
* In [[TV]]: ''[[The Stolen Earth (TV story)|The Stolen Earth]]'' and [[TV]]: ''[[Journey's End (TV story)|Journey's End]]'', the surviving Torchwood team and [[the Hub]] appear. While Jack goes off to save the [[Tenth Doctor]], Gwen and Ianto remain in the Hub to fight off a [[Dalek]]. [[TV]]: ''[[Journey's End (TV story)|Journey's End]]'' concludes with Jack offering Martha a job with Torchwood.
* After leaving Earth in [[TV]]: '' [[Children of Earth: Day Five (TV story)|Day Five]]'', following all the deaths he's claimed responsibility for up to and including [[Ianto Jones|Ianto]] and [[Steven Carter|Steven]], Jack Harkness is seen at a [[Zaggit Zagoo bar|bar]] drinking his sorrows. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'')
* [[Captain John Hart]] makes a cameo appearance in [[TV]]: ''[[Time Heist (TV story)|Time Heist]]'', his image appearing alongside other criminals.
 
=== Crossover characters/aliens ===
==== ''Doctor Who'' ====
===== From ''Doctor Who'' =====
* [[Toshiko Sato]] ''(Series 1 and 2)''
* Captain [[Jack Harkness]] ''(Series 1 through 4)''
* [[Cyberman (Pete's World)|Cyberman]] (partially converted) ''([[Cyberwoman (TV story)|Cyberwoman]])''
* [[Hoix]] ''([[Exit Wounds (TV story)|Exit Wounds]])''
* [[Martha Jones]] ''([[Reset (TV story)|Reset]], [[Dead Man Walking (TV story)|Dead Man Walking]], [[A Day in the Death (TV story)|A Day in the Death]])''
 
===== To ''Doctor Who'' =====
* [[Gwen Cooper]] ''([[The Stolen Earth (TV story)|The Stolen Earth]], [[Journey's End (TV story)|Journey's End]])''
* [[Ianto Jones]] ''([[The Stolen Earth (TV story)|The Stolen Earth]], [[Journey's End (TV story)|Journey's End]])''
* [[Weevil]]s ''([[The Pandorica Opens (TV story)|The Pandorica Opens]])''
* [[Blowfish]] ''([[The Pandorica Opens (TV story)|The Pandorica Opens]]'', ''[[Nightmare in Silver (TV story)|Nightmare in Silver]]'', ''[[The Magician's Apprentice (TV story)|The Magician's Apprentice]]'')
 
==== ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'' ====
===== To ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'' =====
* [[Arcateenian]] ''([[Invasion of the Bane (TV story)|Invasion of the Bane]])''
 
===== From ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'' =====
* [[Trickster's Brigade]] ''([[Immortal Sins (TV story)|Immortal Sins]])''
 
== Future ==
John Barrowman, in an 2010 interview with ''The Scottish Sun'', said that he expected Torchwood to run until 2017.<ref>http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/torchwood-2017-13416.htm</ref>
 
However, Russell T Davies stated in October 2012 that for personal reasons the show was on an indefinite hiatus.<ref>http://www.denofgeek.us/tv/russell-t-davies-on-the-future-of-torchwood/22566/russell-t-davies-on-the-future-of-torchwood</ref><ref>http://screenrant.com/torchwood-season-5-delay-scott-163133/</ref>
 
=== Video game ===
In an interview with Robert Nashak of BBC Worldwide, it was revealed that the BBC were looking into creating a game for ''Torchwood''. Whether these would be in the form of [[The Adventure Games]], or for retail on platforms, is unknown. <ref>http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/torchwood-the-game-8995.htm</ref>
 
== Aborted ideas ==
=== Musical ===
According to Russell T Davies in ''[[The Writer's Tale - The Final Chapter]]'', two former members of the pop group [[ABBA]] issued a proposal for a stage musical based upon ''Torchwood''. The proposal was rejected, and in his book Davies strongly indicates that the idea was never taken seriously.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8441444.stm BBC News - Abba duo linked to Torchwood musical] <small>accessed 22nd March 2010</small></ref>
 
=== American series ===
In January 2010 US media reported that Davies, [[Julie Gardner]] and [[Jane Tranter]] were planning a US version of ''Torchwood'' for the Fox network, which had previously aired the [[Doctor Who (TV story)|1996 ''Doctor Who'' TV movie]]. According to the reports, Barrowman and other original cast members may have appeared. The media coverage did not indicate whether or not the series was expected to be a remake/standalone, or if it would tie in with existing Whoniverse continuity. On the 20th January 2010 it was announced that Fox had ordered a pilot script for a US version of ''Torchwood'' from BBC Worldwide.<ref>http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=1&article=53791 C21Media - Fox ignites Torchwood pilot script <small>accessed 22nd March 2010</small></ref>
On 21st April 2010, however, BBC Worldwide announced that Fox had chosen not to proceed with the series, which according to the BBC was to have been a 13-episode, serialised programme, similar to the UK original.<ref>[http://gallifreynewsbase.blogspot.com/2010/04/american-torchwood-on-hold.html Doctor Who News Page - Fox Withdraw from American Torchwood] <small>accessed 22nd April 2010</small></ref>
 
The show was later picked up by the American network Starz, which co-produced the [[Series 4 (Torchwood)|fourth series]].
 
== Merchandising ==
''Torchwood''-themed product ranges included:
* [[Torchwood merchandise|calendars]]
* [[Torchwood - Series 1 and 2 (soundtrack)|a soundtrack release]] for series 1 and 2
* [[SciFi Collector Torchwood action figures|an action figure line]]
 
== External links ==
{{official website|www.bbc.co.uk/torchwood/}}
{{YouTube|channel/UC8EY2Nlow8wdUMCBucHEaOg}}
{{youtube|torchwoodofficial}}
 
== Footnotes ==
{{reflist|2}}
{{TWTV}}
{{Spin-offs}}
 
[[de:Torchwood (TV-Serie)]]
[[fr:Torchwood]]
[[it:Torchwood]]
[[pt:Torchwood]]
[[ro:Torchwood (TV)]]
[[ru:Торчвуд]]
 
[[Category:Torchwood (TV series)| *]]
[[Category:Television overviews]]

Latest revision as of 20:17, 3 November 2024

RealWorld.png

You may wish to consult Torchwood (disambiguation) for other, similarly-named pages.

Torchwood was a multi-media Doctor Who spin-off series about the adventures of Jack Harkness and the Torchwood Institute.

Originally created as a television show by Russell T Davies in 2005, Torchwood was the first TV spin-off of Doctor Who to be commissioned for a full 13-part series. The first four series, produced by BBC Wales, were supplemented by BBC Books novels, BBC Audio audio stories, and Titan Publishing Group comics and short stories. The fourth series, released in 2011, was co-produced with the American cable network Starz and was accompanied by an animated online serial.

In 2015, Big Finish Productions began an series of monthly Torchwood audio dramas, and in 2017 they began an official continuation of the television show under the title Torchwood: The Story Continues.

History[[edit] | [edit source]]

In 2002, before the revival of Doctor Who, Russell T Davies began to develop an idea for a science-fiction/crime drama in the style of American fantasy drama series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series, Angel.[source needed]

This idea, originally titled Excalibur, was abandoned until 2005, when BBC Three Controller Stuart Murphy invited Davies to develop a post-watershed science fiction series for the channel. The word "Torchwood" (an anagram of "Doctor Who") originated during production of the new Doctor Who series, when television pirates were eager to get their hands on the tapes. Someone in the production office suggested that the tapes be labelled "Torchwood" instead of "Doctor Who" to disguise their contents as they were being sent to London. Davies thought that this was a clever idea and remembered the name.

Davies connected the word Torchwood to his earlier Excalibur idea and decided to make the series a Doctor Who spin-off.[source needed] Subsequently, the word Torchwood was seeded in several Doctor Who episodes and other media which aired in 2005 and 2006.

The series was set in contemporary Cardiff and followed the Welsh branch of a covert agency called the Torchwood Institute, which investigates extraterrestrial incidents on Earth and scavenges alien technology for its own use. As established in the Doctor Who episodes Tooth and Claw and Army of Ghosts, the Institute had been formed by Queen Victoria following an incident involving the Tenth Doctor and a werewolf, ostensibly to protect the British Empire from aliens and other creatures — as well as from the Doctor himself.

To paraphrase Torchwood Three's commander-in-chief, Jack Harkness, the organisation was separate from the government, outside the police, and beyond the United Nations (the last reference thereby placing Torchwood in a different realm than UNIT).

Although a secret organisation, the existence of Torchwood was known by the public, and Torchwood operatives made no secret of their identity when on duty. Their public perception was as merely a "special ops" group, with their true responsibilities kept secret to all but a select few. Regular characters included Gwen Cooper, Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones, Toshiko Sato, Owen Harper, Rex Matheson and Esther Drummond. Martha Jones, Suzie Costello, and Vera Juarez have also been portrayed as part of the Torchwood team led by Harkness. Semi-regulars Rhys Williams and Sgt Andy Davidson are the only non-Torchwood members who recurred across all televised series.

The events of the first series took place some time after the Doctor Who Doomsday series two finale, in which Torchwood's London headquarters was destroyed, and just before the series three finale. Though the series has not yet featured the Doctor himself, the materialisation sound of the Doctor's TARDIS was heard in the final episode of season one, which led directly into the Doctor Who episode Utopia, and other dialogue references have been made, notably in the Torchwood: Miracle Day arc. Likewise, the appearance of Martha Jones in the second series provided vital continuity between third and fourth series of Doctor Who. Conversely, Jack, as well as his team of Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones featured (and former team members Owen Harper and Toshiko Sato are mentioned) in the last two episodes of the fourth series of Doctor Who.

The initial main writer alongside Davies was Chris Chibnall, creator of the BBC light drama show Born and Bred (who later moved over to work on Law & Order: UK). Other writers include P.J. Hammond, Toby Whithouse, Doctor Who script editor Helen Raynor, Catherine Tregenna, and Doctor Who cast member Noel Clarke.

In a 17 October 2005 announcement unveiling the series, BBC Three controller Stuart Murphy described Torchwood as "sinister and psychological...As well as being very British and modern and real." Davies further described it as "a British sci-fi paranoid thriller, a cop show with a sense of humour. [...] Dark, wild and sexy, it's The X-Files meets This Life."[1] Davies later denied ever making this comparison, instead describing the show as "alleyways, rain, the city".[source needed]

As Torchwood was a post-watershed show — that is, after 9 p.m. — it had more mature content than Doctor Who. Davies told SFX: "We can be a bit more visceral, more violent, and more sexual, if we want to. Though bear in mind that it's very teenage to indulge yourself in blood and gore, and Torchwood is going to be smarter than that. But it's the essential difference between BBC One at 7 pm, and BBC Three at, say, 9 pm. That says it all — instinctively, every viewer can see the huge difference there."[source needed]

Davies also joked to a BBC Radio Wales interviewer that he was "not allowed" to refer to the programme as "Doctor Who for grown-ups".[source needed] The first and second series included content never before seen or heard in televised Doctor Who, including intense sex scenes (e.g. Day One, Out of Time, Dead of Night), same-sex kissing in a romantic/sexual context (e.g. Cyberwoman, Captain Jack Harkness), and use of extreme profanity in several episodes. Such content was controversial,[source needed] and, as the series progressed, such scenes were minimised, to the point where, by series 3, relatively little of this content remained.

The show's first two series shared the format used by Doctor Who at the time, thirteen episodes aired weekly over a span of months. However, the format changed in the third season, which was one five-part story, Children of Earth, written by Russell T. Davies and released over the course of a week in July 2009. The fourth season, a 2011 coproduction between BBC Wales and Starz, similarly took the form of one long story, Miracle Day, but stretched across ten episodes. No fifth series followed on television.

In 2015, Big Finish Productions began monthly Torchwood audios, including some set following the events of Miracle Day. This led to their 2017 announcement that, with the cooperation of Russell T. Davies, they would be releasing a fifth series of Torchwood on audio.[2] Like series 3 and 4, it was marketed under a new subtitle, Aliens Among Us. It was followed by series 6, God Among Us, in 2018, and Among Us, in 2023.[3][4]

12 October 2016 marked the 10th anniversary of Torchwood. In celebration, cast and crew were invited to the Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff, and a special screening of the first episode was shown for the fans.[5] Big Finish also produced a special audio story to celebrate the show's anniversary, entitled The Torchwood Archive.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Main cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Secondary cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Main series[[edit] | [edit source]]

Series 1 - 2006-2007[[edit] | [edit source]]

Main article: Series 1 (Torchwood)

Series 2 - 2008[[edit] | [edit source]]

Main article: Series 2 (Torchwood)

Series 3 - 2009[[edit] | [edit source]]

Main article: Torchwood: Children of Earth

Series 4 - 2011[[edit] | [edit source]]

Main article: Torchwood: Miracle Day

Series 5 - 2017-2018[[edit] | [edit source]]

Main article: Aliens Among Us

Series 6 - 2018-2019[[edit] | [edit source]]

Main article: God Among Us

Series 7 - 2023[[edit] | [edit source]]

Main article: Among Us

Other media[[edit] | [edit source]]

Prose[[edit] | [edit source]]

Novels[[edit] | [edit source]]

See list of Torchwood novels

Short stories[[edit] | [edit source]]

See list of Torchwood short stories

Video games[[edit] | [edit source]]

Comics[[edit] | [edit source]]

See list of Torchwood comic strips

Reference books[[edit] | [edit source]]

Audio[[edit] | [edit source]]

Audiobooks[[edit] | [edit source]]

Audio stories[[edit] | [edit source]]

Torchwood[[edit] | [edit source]]

Main article: Big Finish Torchwood series

Radio[[edit] | [edit source]]

Web series[[edit] | [edit source]]

Web of Lies

Magazines[[edit] | [edit source]]

Torchwood The Official Magazine was a title launched in 2008 and published by Titan Publishing Group, that ran for twenty-five issues. The licence expired as a consequence of a realignment of Torchwood merchandising in response to the BBC's co-production agreement with Starz.

In 2010, Titan began publishing a monthly comic book for the North American market, Torchwood The Official Comic, reprinting comic strips and short stories from the UK magazine. Material from the magazine was also used in the Torchwood The Official Magazine Yearbook (2008) and the Torchwood The Official Magazine Yearbook (2009).

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crossover characters/aliens[[edit] | [edit source]]

Doctor Who[[edit] | [edit source]]

From Doctor Who[[edit] | [edit source]]
To Doctor Who[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Sarah Jane Adventures[[edit] | [edit source]]

To The Sarah Jane Adventures[[edit] | [edit source]]
From The Sarah Jane Adventures[[edit] | [edit source]]

Future[[edit] | [edit source]]

John Barrowman, in an 2010 interview with The Scottish Sun, said that he expected Torchwood to run until 2017.[6]

However, Russell T Davies stated in October 2012 that for personal reasons the show was on an indefinite hiatus.[7][8]

Video game[[edit] | [edit source]]

In an interview with Robert Nashak of BBC Worldwide, it was revealed that the BBC were looking into creating a game for Torchwood. Whether these would be in the form of The Adventure Games, or for retail on platforms, is unknown. [9]

Aborted ideas[[edit] | [edit source]]

Musical[[edit] | [edit source]]

According to Russell T Davies in The Writer's Tale - The Final Chapter, two former members of the pop group ABBA issued a proposal for a stage musical based upon Torchwood. The proposal was rejected, and in his book Davies strongly indicates that the idea was never taken seriously.[10]

American series[[edit] | [edit source]]

In January 2010 US media reported that Davies, Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter were planning a US version of Torchwood for the Fox network, which had previously aired the 1996 Doctor Who TV movie. According to the reports, Barrowman and other original cast members may have appeared. The media coverage did not indicate whether or not the series was expected to be a remake/standalone, or if it would tie in with existing Whoniverse continuity. On the 20th January 2010 it was announced that Fox had ordered a pilot script for a US version of Torchwood from BBC Worldwide.[11] On 21st April 2010, however, BBC Worldwide announced that Fox had chosen not to proceed with the series, which according to the BBC was to have been a 13-episode, serialised programme, similar to the UK original.[12]

The show was later picked up by the American network Starz, which co-produced the fourth series.

Merchandising[[edit] | [edit source]]

Torchwood-themed product ranges included:

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

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ Frame, Anna (2006-10-25). The X-Files meets This Life. Daily Express p. 49. [note: potentially originated in a RadioTimes piece]
  2. ↑ Season 5 of Torchwood is finally coming, just as an audio drama
  3. ↑ Torchwood returning for official series 6 at Big Finish
  4. ↑ Torchwood is Among Us!
  5. ↑ http://www.bafta.org/wales/whats-on/special-screening-10-years-of-torchwood
  6. ↑ http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/torchwood-2017-13416.htm
  7. ↑ http://www.denofgeek.us/tv/russell-t-davies-on-the-future-of-torchwood/22566/russell-t-davies-on-the-future-of-torchwood
  8. ↑ http://screenrant.com/torchwood-season-5-delay-scott-163133/
  9. ↑ http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/torchwood-the-game-8995.htm
  10. ↑ BBC News - Abba duo linked to Torchwood musical accessed 22nd March 2010
  11. ↑ http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=1&article=53791 C21Media - Fox ignites Torchwood pilot script accessed 22nd March 2010
  12. ↑ Doctor Who News Page - Fox Withdraw from American Torchwood accessed 22nd April 2010
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.
v • e
Spin-offs and connected series
 
Licensed by the BBC
TV
PROSE
Target Books
BBC Books
Panini Comics
AUDIO
Silver Fist/
Who Dares
Big Finish
BBC Audio
COMIC
Marvel UK
HOMEVID
BBV Productions
 
Licensed from copyright holders
TV
Metal Mutt
Productions
HOMEVID
Reeltime Pictures
BBV Productions
AUDIO
BBV Productions
(Audio Adventures
in Time & Space)
Magic Bullet
Productions
BBC Radio 4
Bafflegab
Productions
Storytel
Radio Static
AUK Studios
PROSE
Souvenir Press
World Distributors
Sparrow Books
Virgin Books
The New Adventures (1997-99) • Decalogs (1997)
Mad Norwegian
Press
Faction Paradox (2002-06, 13)
Allison & Busby
Random Static
Telos Publishing
Novelisations
Big Finish
New Worlds
Obverse Books
Obverse
Quarterly
Obverse
Sextet
Simon and
Schuster
Headline Review
The Berkley
Publishing Group
Candy Jar Books
Thebes Publishing
Meteoric Books
Arcbeatle Press
Snowbooks Ltd
Lethe Press
Salt Publishing
Harper Collins
Self-published
Mango
Ce Acatl
Trinitite Team
Titan Books
Titan Sherlock
Holmes books
Oak Tree Books &
Chinbeard Books
Odd Tales Productions
The Cheshire House
Overmorrow Publishing
COMIC
Souvenir Press
World Distributors
TV Century 21
Marvel UK
Image Comics
Graveyard Shift
Comics
Comeuppance
Comics
Self-published
Meteoric Books
Lucky Comics
Telos Publishing
Cutaway Comics
Unlikely Heroes Studios
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