Torchwood (series)
- For the in-story organization, see Torchwood Institute
Torchwood is a British television science fiction and crime drama created by Russell T. Davies and commissioned by the BBC as a 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."
The spin-off series has not yet featured the Doctor as such, though in the first series 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.
Overview
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 and Angel.[3][4] 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. 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 'rushes' tapes to ensure they were not intercepted.[5] 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.
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, Captain 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 series two finale, in which Torchwood's London headquarters was destroyed, and just before the series three finale.
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.
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".[10] As Torchwood is a post-watershed show — that is, after 9 p.m. — it has 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." [6] 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." [11] 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".[12] 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.
BBC Three described Torchwood as the centrepiece of their autumn 2006 schedule.[13]
Cast and crew
The series two cast, including special guest star Freema Agyeman as Martha JonesTorchwood, unlike its parent programme, centres on a team instead of a single character and companion(s). The show is oriented on Torchwood Three, the Cardiff branch of the Torchwood Institute, tasked (among other things) with keeping an eye on the space/time Rift that runs through the city, and on whatever washes through it. Torchwood Three is a team of five operatives, led by Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), with Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) as the "new girl" who joins up in the first episode and acts as a point-of-view character for the viewer. Aside from the team, one recurring character is Rhys Williams (Kai Owen), Gwen's live-in boyfriend and later husband, who is initially unaware of the nature of Gwen's mysterious new job. Also regularly recurring is PC Andy Davidson (Tom Price), Gwen's former police partner and occasional comic relief.
Prior to the programme's debut, publicity materials prominently featured Indira Varma as Suzie Costello among the other regular cast members, giving the impression that she would appear beyond the first episode. However, Suzie was unexpectedly killed off at the end of the first episode. The character reappeared once more in the role of a villain.
Other characters who have appeared in more than one episode include Caroline Chikezie as Lisa Hallett, and Louise Delamere as Diane Holmes. Toward the end of the first series, the character of Bilis Manger was introduced as a villain. Paul Kasey regularly portrays aliens on the series, as in Doctor Who, under heavy prosthetics, such as the alien Weevils and Blowfishes. Toshiko's mother, portrayed by Noriko Aida, appears once in each series. Doctor Who's Martha Jones[14] — played by Freema Agyeman — crossed over to Torchwood for three episodes in the second series (from "Reset" onwards) before returning to Doctor Who midway through its fourth series. Another guest star in Torchwood's second series is former Buffy and Angel star James Marsters who plays recurring role Captain John Hart, a villainous Time Agent and Jack's former lover. Introduced in the episode "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang", he reappears later in the series finale, once more the villain.[15][16] Making minor recurring appearances in the second series is the mysterious little girl portrayed by child actress Skye Bennett, Dr. Angela Connolly portrayed by Golda Rosheuvel and 20th century Torchwood member Alice Guppy, portrayed by Amy Manson.
Actor Character Position
John Barrowman Captain Jack Harkness Leader, Torchwood Three
Eve Myles Gwen Cooper Police Liaison
Burn Gorman Dr. Owen Harper Medical Officer
Naoko Mori Toshiko Sato Computer Specialist
Gareth David-Lloyd Ianto Jones General Support
[edit] Crew
Richard Stokes produces Torchwood. Originally, Doctor Who director James Hawes was lined up as producer. After directing the BBC Four drama The Chatterley Affair, Hawes backed out of the project. Davies told Doctor Who Magazine that Hawes "has been having such a good time... that he's decided directing is his greatest passion, and as a result, he's stepped down." [17][18]
Helen Raynor and Brian Minchin are the programme's script editors.[17] The series also shares Doctor Who's production designer, Edward Thomas. The show's theme tune is written by Doctor Who's composer Murray Gold, and music for the series is composed by Ben Foster and Murray Gold.
[edit] Production
Series 1 of Torchwood was filmed from May 2006 until November 2006.
For the second series[2] Lead Writer Chris Chibnall wrote the opening episode[19] and two further episodes.[20] Both Catherine Tregenna and Helen Raynor have written two episodes for the new series.[21] The other episodes were written by James Moran, Matt Jones, J. C. Wilsher, Joseph Lidster, PJ Hammond & Phil Ford. Russell T Davies was initially announced as writing two episodes, but due to commitments to Doctor Who he is no longer writing any episodes.[20] Block One, which consists of episodes by Raynor and Tregenna and is directed by Andy Goddard. Colin Teague is directing Block Two, which consists of Episode 2 by Moran and Episode 4 by Tregenna, with Ashley Way directing Block Three, consisting of Episode 1 by Chibnall and Episode 6 by JC Wilsher[22]. An edited repeat of the second series episodes, suitable for children to view, was shown on BBC Two at 7pm.
[edit] International broadcasts
The Canadian network CBC was a co-producer series one, [23] and premiered in October 2007.[24][25] The show airs for French-speaking Canadian audiences on Ztélé. The first series is scheduled to screen on TV2 [26] in New Zealand on July 9 2008, and on Cuatro TV [27] in Spain in 2007.
In Australia, after the ABC [28] and SBS passed on the series, Network Ten acquired the rights to air it. [29] After its premiere on 18 June 2007, a reviewer for The Sydney Morning Herald's The Guide said "The appeal of Torchwood is not so much that it's gloriously implausible sci-fi pulp, but that it knows it's gloriously implausible, sci-fi pulp." [30] Ten's press release cites rival programming in their decision to move the show to a Wednesday 12 am timeslot.[31]. Torchwood now airs on UKTV in Australia.[32]. Series one was played on Imparja, but as of 3 February 2008 the station is no longer affiliated with Ten and will not screen more [33].
On April 2, 2007 it was announced that BBC America had acquired the rights to broadcast the series in the United States.[34] The series started on September 8, 2007[35]; the broadcast of the series is tied-in to a "radical makeover" of the channel that is to occur later in 2007. [34] The second series started on BBC America January 26, 2008 [36]. Torchwood has become one of the biggest hits for BBC America with its first series premiere in September 2007 attracting an audience of almost half a million viewers. [37]. Episodes on BBC America are generally less edited than Doctor Who episodes on Sci Fi Channel, allowing for harsher language and more-suggestive sexual content (while some words are still muted for broadcast).
Furthermore, HDNet has acquired the US high definition rights for the first 26 episodes (Series 1 and 2) and began airing Series 1 episodes on Monday evenings, starting September 17, 2007[38]. On Monday February 11, 2008 HDNet began showing Series 2 episodes.
In Sweden, Torchwood premiered on 24 June 2007 on TV4 Plus. In Mexico Torchwood premiered on July 9, 2007 on XEIMT-TV Canal 22. In Spain it premiered on 5 August 2007 on Cuatro. The show is set to run in France on NRJ 12. It will also air on KNN in South Korea and on TRT in Turkey. In Latin America the series premiered on 28 August 2007 on People+Arts[39]
In Italy it premiered on 3 September 2007 on Jimmy. In Hong Kong, it premiered on 8 November 2007 on ATV World. In Finland, it premiered on 3 December 2007 on YLE TV2. In Belgium and the Netherlands, it premiered on 8 January 2008 on Sci-Fi Channel.
[edit] Setting
"With Doctor Who we often had to pretend that bits of Cardiff were London, or Utah, or the planet Zog. Whereas this series is going to be honest-to-God Cardiff. We will happily walk past the Millennium Centre and say, 'Look, there's the Millennium Centre'." Russell T Davies, "Dr Who spin-off based in Bay", South Wales Echo, 17 April 2006.
Roald Dahl Plass, outside the Millennium Centre, acts as the exterior of the Hub.Torchwood is filmed and set in Cardiff. The makers of Torchwood deliberately portray Cardiff as a modern urban centre, contrasting with past stereotypical portrayals of Wales. "There's not a male voice choir ... or a miner in sight," said BBC Wales Controller Menna Richards.[40] Conservative MP Michael Gove described the debut of Torchwood as the moment confirming "Wales' move from overlooked Celtic cousin to underwired erotic coquette." [41][42] Filming has also taken place in areas outside of Cardiff, including Merthyr Tydfil.[43]
The team's headquarters, referred to as the Hub, is beneath Roald Dahl Plass in Cardiff Bay — formerly known as the Oval Basin. This is where the TARDIS landed in the Doctor Who episodes "Boom Town" and "Utopia" to refuel, and is the location of the spacetime rift first seen in "The Unquiet Dead". The Hub itself is around 3 stories high, with a large column running through the middle that is an extension of the fountain above (which in turn acts as an emergency escape route from the Hub) and at the base of which lies the rift machine.
The military base scenes in "Sleeper" and the booby-trapped abandoned warehouse scenes in "Fragments" were filmed at RAF Caerwent, near Chepstow, South Wales.
[edit] Reception
Main article: Criticism of Torchwood
As a spin-off of long-running British cultural artifact Doctor Who, Torchwood's launch into British popular culture has received much positive and negative review, commentary and parody following the hype of its inception, especially in regards to its status as an "adult" Doctor Who spin-off as well as its characterisation and portrayal of sex. The series initially attracted record high ratings, [44] which later fell, [45] but ensured the programme at least a second series.
In April 2007, Torchwood beat its parent series, which is also made in Wales, to win the Best Drama Series category at the BAFTA Cymru Awards. The awards, given by the Welsh branch of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, celebrate the achievements of film and television productions made in Wales. Eve Myles won the Best Actress category at the same awards, ahead of Doctor Who's Billie Piper.[46]
In 2008, the episode "Captain Jack Harkness" was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form.[47]
[edit] Themes
Main article: Themes in Torchwood
Torchwood explores several themes in its narrative, in particular LGBT themes. Various characters are portrayed as sexually fluid; through those characters, the series examines homosexual and bisexual relationships. Although the nature of their sexual flexibility is not explicitly discussed, the characters offer varying perspectives on orientation.
Through the use of repetition, in particular of thematically important lines, and by drawing parallels between characters, the show also delves somewhat into existentialism, the value of human life, and the corrupting nature of power.
[edit] Episodes
Main article: List of Torchwood episodes
The premiere episode "Everything Changes" was written by Russell T. Davies and serves to introduce the main characters and roles within the series, using newcomer Gwen as the audience surrogate in a similar style to the introduction of the companion characters in Doctor Who. The second episode, titled "Day One", aired immediately after the first. It continues Gwen's neophyte role and includes a classic "sex monster" science fiction storyline[48] in the vein of The Outer Limits episode "Caught in the Act" and Angel's second episode "Lonely Hearts". The first 13-episode series ended with a two-parter on January 1, 2007. The first part, entitled "Captain Jack Harkness", is a love story set in wartime Britain, with a subplot which serves to push the setting towards an "apocalypse" for series finale "End of Days". It deals with the ramifications of diseases and persons from throughout history falling through time and across the universe to arrive in the present day, and particularly in Cardiff. The episode also sets up Jack's return in the Doctor Who episode "Utopia".
The second 13-episode series of Torchwood begins by following on with Jack's return from the previous Doctor Who episode, "Last of the Time Lords" with the series premiere, "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang", which aired January 16, 2008. The series introduces Jack's ex-partner Captain John Hart in its premiere, reveals flashbacks to Jack's childhood in "Adam" and shows how each member joined Torchwood in the penultimate episode "Fragments". A three-episode arc ("Reset", "Dead Man Walking" and "A Day in the Death") in the middle of the series guest stars Doctor Who actress Freema Agyeman as Martha Jones, temporarily drafted into Torchwood. The arc focuses upon the death and partial resurrection of main character Owen Harper, and how he coped as a dead man. The second series' finale, "Exit Wounds" (which aired 4 April 2008) features the departures of main characters Owen and Tosh, whose deaths at the hands of Jack's long-lost brother Gray reduced the series' cast to Barrowman, Myles and David-Lloyd in its closing scenes.
[edit] Spin-offs
BBC Two is airing Torchwood Declassified, a making-of programme similar to Doctor Who Confidential. Each Declassified episode runs under ten minutes, in contrast to Confidential's 45 (formerly 30).[49] Torchwood Declassified is also available online at the BBC's Torchwood site.
Torchwood has "a heavy online presence".[50] At the Edinburgh International Television Festival, BBC Director of Television Jana Bennett said that the online features will include the ability to explore the Hub, an imaginary desktop, weekly 10-minute behind-the-scenes vodcasts. Due to digital media rights restrictions most video content on the BBC3 websites is only accessible to users within the UK. "You can join the corporation of Torchwood and be one of its employees," said Bennett.[51] The Flash-based interactive website, including the Hub Tour, debuted on 12 October 2006.[52]
To tie in to Radio 4's CERN themed day in June or July of 2008, a CERN-themed radio episode of Torchwood written by Joseph Lidster will air as the day's Afternoon Play. This will be the first Torchwood drama not to feature Burn Gorman and Naoko Mori. [53]
[edit] Merchandise
Titan Magazines have launched a Torchwood Magazine[54] which was released on 24th January 2008 in the United Kingdom. The United States version was launched in February 2008. The Australia/New Zealand version was launched in April 2008.
[edit] DVD releases
The UK series one, part one (Episodes 1-5) DVD boxThe complete first series has been released on Region 2 DVD in the UK. A North American Region 1 release occurred 22 January 2008, following the broadcast of Series 1 on BBC America in the United States and the CBC in Canada. Series One Part One, Two and Three have been released In Australia Region 4, with the Complete First Series released in February 2008. The complete series 1 sets released in the UK and US also include the episodes of the behind-the-scenes series Torchwood Declassified. The Complete Second Series will be released on 30 June 2008 (Region 2), along with the Complete First series on Blu Ray. Series 1 and 2 episodes are currently available for download through iTunes in the US.[55]
DVD Name UK Release Date North American Release Date Australian Release Date Series One Part One (Episodes 1-5): 26 December 2006 Complete (Episodes 1-13): 22 January 2008 Part One (Episodes 1-5): 31 July 2007 Part Two (Episodes 6-9): 26 February 2007 Part Two (Episodes 6-9): 6 September 2007 Part Three (Episodes 10-13): 26 March 2007 Part Three (Episodes 10-13): 2 October 2007 Complete (Episodes 1-13): 19 November 2007[56] Complete (Episodes 1-13): 6 February 2008
[edit] Books
Accompanying the main series of Torchwood are a series of novels. On 4 January 2007, BBC Books published the first three original novels based upon Torchwood.
Another Life by Peter Anghelides Border Princes by Dan Abnett Slow Decay by Andrew Lane The books were published in paperback-sized hardcover format, the same format BBC Books uses for its New Series Adventures line for Doctor Who. These novels were later released, abridged, as audiobooks.
BBC Books released a second trio of Torchwood books in March 2008.
Something In The Water by Trevor Baxendale Trace Memory by David Llewellyn The Twilight Streets by Gary Russell A third set of books has been announced, to be released 2nd October 2008[57]:
Pack Animals by Peter Anghelides SkyPoint by Phil Ford Almost Perfect by James Goss
[edit] Original Audiobooks 4 February 2008 saw two Torchwood audiobooks released not based on previously released novels[58]; Hidden by Steven Savile, and Everyone Says Hello by Dan Abnett. A third, In The Shadows by Joseph Lidster, is listed for release in September 2008.
Story arcs in The Torchwood 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.
Doctor Who Arcs
S1=Bad Wolf
S2=Torchwood Institute
S3=Mr Saxon
S4=Medusa Cascade,Rose Returning and Missing Planets
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.Lord Clapsar is Jack's greatest foe
Torchwood Arcs
S1="Something in the Darkness"
S2=Gray
S3=Lord Clapsar
References in Doctor Who
The word "Torchwood" first occured in the 2005 Doctor Who episode 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.
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.
In the Series 2, "Rise of the Cybermen", Pete Tyler asks a guest (off camera) at 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."
