Children of Earth: Day Four (TV story)

Synopsis

Torchwood finally learns of the events of 1965. Britain is in danger of becoming a rogue state, and everything now pivots around John Frobisher, as the ambassador of the 456 destroys its old allegiances.

Plot

The episode opens with Jack's recollections of the events of 1965. We find out that the aliens offered a cure for a deadly new flu strain that will soon arise, and in return wanted 12 children. Jack's partner (a woman) claims that the aliens said the children will live forever and he was requested as he cant die and doesn’t care.

We then see Clement's attempted abduction, and that Jack was the one primarily responsible for handing the children over. It turns out that the reason Clement wasn’t taken was the 456 disappeared before they could take him, and Jack was unaware that Clement had escaped. The 456 did not seem to care as they handed over the cure data.

Back in the present Clement then steals Gwen's gun and shoots Jack, after Gwen retrieves her gun from Clement, Jack wakes up and Clement runs off in a panic, but Gwen manages to calm him down. They later wonder why Clem wasn’t taken but speculate that perhaps he was on the verge of puberty and so not wanted by the 456.

At Johnson's facility, Alice and Steven are imprisoned, and Alice warns Johnson about angering Jack.

Back at the home office, Frobisher, asks what would happen to the children, and the “456” by responding that a “Remnant” is watching, and then says it is off the record. It then invites Frobisher in with a camera.

A cameraman enters, and we see a profile of the 456. Decker then says he is detecting 3 heartbeats and that there are 3 distinct types of life in there. We then see a child hooked up to something. The child is identified as one taken in the 1960's and appear not to have aged.

As the cameraman leaves, a recording of Frobisher's voice saying it is off the record is played, the 456 then says they do not harm the children and they feel no pain. The 456 then say if humanity refuse to hand over the children, they will wipe out the human species.

The Americans then demand all the records of 1965 from the PM, and threaten him, with UN sanctions of some sort for withholding the information.

After an argument with Ianto about his role in the child swap, Jack calls Frobisher to confirm that the 456 have returned. Jack contends that the 456's return is proof that they cannot be trusted. Frobisher informas Jack that he has Jack's daughter and grandson but they will be unharmed if Jack does not reveal Briton's former dealings with the 456. Jack insists he need to confront the 456.

There is then a Cobra meeting, which Lois attends. The PM then says they will try to haggle, but they cant take military action as there isn’t anything to target. The PM and Frobisher then talk about camouflaged targets but no more. At one point in the meeting Bridget looks at Lois with suspicion. The PM then tells Frobisher to offer 60 Units” and no more.

Back at the 456 “embassy” Frobisher offers the 456 1 child per million people on Earth. The 456 refuse, but Frobisher suggests that they consider his offer, since it is far more children that previously provided. Around the world, children begin to chant a number, which upon investigation, turns out to be 10% of the total children in each country.

Back at Johnson's facility, it turns out that she is being kept in the dark and decides to go into London, but keeps her team on the lookout for Jack.

At the Cobra meeting, a discussion commences regarding how to select the 10%. First it is proposed that every family should lose only one child, and perhaps each "second child" should be taken. The logisitics of this are deemed too complicated. Then Denise, one of the cabinet members, proposes that they select the children on the basis of intellect and social status, using the school league tables. This proposal is accepted and given to Frobisher as the source of the 10% to be given to the 456.

The Torchwood team determines that Lois' footage gives them leverage to blackmail the cabinet, and force there way into Thames House. Ianto phones his sister to warn her, knowing that the line is tapped. He also sends a message to those listening--to protect their children. Ionto also makes a quick call to Gwen, providing Johnson with infomation regarding Torchwood's location.

Frobisher begins to plan how children will be gathered and notes that the government can promise an innoculation to prevent children from chanting messages in unison. He suggests that it can be reported that the false vaccination "went wrong” allowing the government to put the blame on the 456 for the loss of the children.

Thames House and confront the 456.

Johnson arrives a the Torchwood Hub, but Gwen was expecting them, and shows them what they were recording. Rhys has gone into hiding and is ready to send out the footage to the public if anything goes wrong.

Jack and Ianto enter Thames House. Jack talks to the 456, who will not yield on their request for 10% of the world's children. Jack says he is making it a war, then the 456 says the fight begins. The 456 then say they have released a virus into the building that will kill everyone. Ianto and Jack shoot at the 456 chamber, but the bullets bounce off. Jack says he will get Ianto out, but it's too late and Ianto collapses.

The 456 then start to shriek which causes Clement to scream in agony and start bleeding, the 456 then say the Remnant will be disconnected and Clement dies in Gwen’s arms

We then see everyone in Thames house collapsing and dying aside from Decker who gets into an environmental suit in time. Ianto tells Jack that he loves him and dies in Jack's arms. The 456 then tell Jack that he will die and tomorrow the children will be delivered. Jack then kisses Ianto one more time and succumbs to the virus himself.

The Cabinet then wonder what to do next, and decide to go ahead with delivering the children. We then see Gwen and some army or special ops. men walk in. The men point out Jack and Ianto's bodies and she walks towards them, she pulls down Jacks sheet and then she pulls down Ianto's sheet and starts to cry. Jack then wakes up and comforts a distraught Gwen who says "there is nothing we can do."

Cast

Production crew

References

to be added

Story notes

With the exception of Gwen, all the Torchwood 3 team have died .Suzie Costello died in Everything Changes and again in They Keep Killing Suzie, Owen Harper died in Reset and again in Exit Wounds along with Toshiko Sato, and Jack has died many times throughout the series. Ianto is killed in this episode.
This is the final appearance of Gareth David-Lloyd as Ianto Jones.
Nicholas Briggs, playing one of the Prime Minister's advisors, makes his on-screen debut in an official Doctor Who franchise production. Although best known to viewers for providing many of the show's alien voices, including the Daleks, Cybermen, Nestene Consciousness and Judoon since 2005, Briggs is well-known in Who fandom, playing the Doctor in the fan-made Audio Visuals audio dramas of the late 1980s (which later evolved into Big Finish), and appearing in (as well a writing and directing) many of the independent spin-off video productions of the 1990s. He also hosted the long-running Myth Makers interview series. His appearance in this episode also means he has now worked on both Doctor Who spinoffs.

Ratings

6.24m (overnight)

Myths

When Jack kissed Ianto at the end of this episode it would be a "kiss of life" (given Jack's resurrection ability) however it was not.

Filming Locations