Series 4 (Torchwood)

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Series 4 of Torchwood consisted of ten episodes broadcast between 8 July 2011 and 9 September 2011. Like series 3, the season carried an umbrella title — in this case, Miracle Day. This season marked a major departure from past Doctor Who-franchise productions, as it was a co-production of BBC Wales and the American cable network Starz, and was filmed in both Wales and Hollywood. The episodes of Miracle Day were broadcast on Starz in the US several days before their broadcast on BBC One in the UK.

Production occurred after an aborted attempt to interest the Fox network (which had aired the 1996 Doctor Who tele-movie) in mounting a fully Americanised remake. The Starz/BBC production is a continuation of existing canon, set two years after the events of TV: Children of Earth: Day Five and featuring several returning cast members, primarily John Barrowman, Eve Myles and Kai Owen, along with several scripted references to the Doctor and creatures from both Doctor Who and The Sarah Jane Adventures.

Overview

When C.I.A. agent Rex Matheson investigates a global conspiracy, he finds himself unearthing a threat which challenges the entire human race.

One day, nobody dies. All across the world, nobody dies. And then the next day, and the next, and the next. People keep ageing. They get hurt and sick, but they never die. The populace of the planet dub this "Miracle Day" for the immortality they now seem to have. However, this leads to a negative result: a population boom, overnight. With all the extra people unable to die and continuing births, resources have become limited. It’s suggested that in four months’ time, the human race will cease to be viable. But this can’t be a natural event – someone must have caused "Miracle Day". It’s a race against time as C.I.A. agent Rex Matheson investigates a global conspiracy. The answers lie within an old, secret British institute. As Rex keeps asking “What is Torchwood?", he’s drawn into a world of adventure, and a threat to change what it means to be human, forever.

The answers seem to lie within Torchwood itself. But Torchwood (3rd branch) was destroyed, years ago, and the keys to the institute are held by its only two surviving agents: former Police Officer Gwen Cooper, who has long since disappeared along with her husband and child, and the mysterious Captain Jack Harkness, a man whose history seems to stretch back for centuries and has disappeared off the face of the earth.

Things become even more complicated as Rex soon becomes one of the people continuing to live thanks to "Miracle Day". Luckily, Gwen comes out of hiding and Jack returns to Earth to help. Combining their experience with bizarre situations and information gathered from one of Rex's contacts, a new Torchwood team takes shape.

Adding to the bizarre circumstances, Jack has lost his immortality. While some pharmaceutical companies take advantage of the people needing pain killers, Jack begins to think that something from his past may be causing "Miracle Day". [1]

Miracle Day was written by Russell T Davies and co-produced by BBC Wales, BBC Worldwide and Starz Entertainment. It starred John Barrowman as Jack Harkness, Eve Myles as Gwen Cooper, Mekhi Phifer as Rex Matheson, Alexa Havins as Esther Drummond, Bill Pullman as Oswald Danes and Arlene Tur as Dr. Vera Juarez. It was primarily set in Wales and the US.[2] The series covers an arc in which death ceases to exist on Earth.[3]

Episodes

Note: for the first time in a Doctor Who franchise series, individual episode titles are not displayed on screen.
# Title Writer Director Notes
1 The New World Russell T Davies Bharat Nalluri Return of Jack Harkness. Introduction of Rex Matheson, Esther Drummond, Oswald Danes and Vera Juarez. Beginning of "Miracle Day".
2 Rendition Doris Egan Billy Gierhart Introduction of Jilly Kitzinger.
3 Dead of Night Jane Espenson Billy Gierhart Formation of a new Torchwood team.
4 Escape to LA Jim Gray & John Shiban Billy Gierhart
5 The Categories of Life Jane Espenson Guy Ferland Final appearance of Vera Juarez.
6 The Middle Men John Shiban Guy Ferland
7 Immortal Sins Jane Espenson Gwyneth Horder-Payton Introduction of Angelo Colasanto.
8 End of the Road Jane Espenson& Ryan Scott Gwyneth Horder-Payton Death of Angelo Colasanto.
9 The Gathering John Fay Guy Ferland Reveal of The Blessing.
10 The Blood Line Russell T Davies & Jane Espenson Billy Gierhart Death of Noah Vickers, Allen Shapiro, Geraint Cooper, Esther Drummond, Oswald Danes and Charlotte Wills. End of "Miracle Day"

Cast

The BBC poster for the series
Promotional poster for the series

Recurring

Guest

Casting notes

  • Prior to the US co-production being announced, James Marsters stated he would like to return as John Hart for the new series [4] and Freema Agyeman stated there was still a possibility for her to return as Martha Jones.[5] Neither character appeared during the Miracle Day arc.
  • This series features a whole new cast of characters, with only four original characters returning (Gwen Cooper, Jack Harkness, Rhys Williams, and Andy Davidson) and only two of the original members of the Torchwood team returning (Gwen Cooper and Jack Harkness).

Aliens and enemies

Novels

Other releases

Footnotes

  1. ↑ http://http://gallifreynewsbase.blogspot.com/2011/01/dwn080111003008-torchwood-miracle-day.html
  2. ↑ http://www.gallifreynewsbase.blogspot.com/2010/06/torchwood-international.html
  3. ↑ http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/01/07/torchwood-plot-miracle-day/
  4. ↑ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/cult/s8/torchwood/news/a256963/james-marsters-wants-torchwood-return.html
  5. ↑ http://news.whoviannet.co.uk/2011/03/freema-says-the-door-is-always-open-for-her-to-return/
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
Aliens and Enemies of TW Series 4
The New World
Rendition
Dead of Night
Escape to LA
The Categories of Life
The Middle Men
Immortal Sins
End of the Road
The Gathering
The Blood Line
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