Talk:Captain Jack Harkness (TV story)

Episode set in 2008?

Why does the episode info say that it is set in 2008 when the show aired in 2007? Where is there any indication that the present-day portion of the series was actually set in a future time?69.125.134.86^{talk to me} 16:41, December 17, 2012 (UTC)

I think other users can (and probably HAVE in the forums) explain this better, but, the parent show Doctor Who has had its "present day" events a year ahead (up until about 2009-10's The End of Time) after the Ninth Doctor accidentally landed a year late from Rose's perspective in Aliens of London. As part of a sort of snowball effect, the Battle of Canary Wharf, which is the reason why Torchwood is only Torchwood Cardiff, adds up to being set in 2007, rather than the episode featuring said battle's airdate, which was July 2006.

In short, while nothing outright SAYS Torchwood series 1 is set in the future, counting all the references in time passing in present-day Doctor Who leading into this Doctor Who spinoff, the start of the show physically can't take place any sooner than the early-mid 2007.

Also, as Out of Time is explicitly set in late December and the next episode Combat doesn't immediately follow it, the following series 1 episodes must take place some time into the new year of 2008.

As I said, another user might be able to summarise this a bit better. In the scheme of things, the year gap was only of importance in TV: Aliens of London. -- Tybort (talk page) 17:00, December 17, 2012 (UTC)

Continues in Utopia?

OK, maybe I missed something, I don't follow Torchwood, but I watched this episode because the Utopia page says this is the first part of the Master arc, a claim repeated in this article's continuity section. But this episode ends with Jack back at the hub toasting the real Captain Jack Harkness, and Utopia begins with Jack running to catch the TARDIS. What's the connection, if there is one? --Captain Infinity ☎ 01:46, August 17, 2015 (UTC)

The events of this episode lead directly into the next, End of Days, which ends with Jack running out to the TARDIS, as seen in the beginning of Utopia. In that sense, the episodes can be seen as one "arc". P&P talk contribs 02:11, August 17, 2015 (UTC)

Thank you. If that's the case then both this article and Utopia are in error in suggesting that this episode links directly to Utopia. The arc should be Captain Jack Harkness -> End of Days -> Utopia -> Last of the Time Lords. Although the only real linking event in this episode is the opening of the Rift. Other than the Saxon posters, this episode has nothing at all to do with the Master. --Captain Infinity ☎ 02:30, August 17, 2015 (UTC)

I've made the edits I mention above. Hopefully I've tracked the correct progression of this arc through the 4 episodes and explained it in a way that future readers here can follow the progression. Thanks again for your help. --Captain Infinity ☎ 03:00, August 17, 2015 (UTC)

Nope, I missed an episode in the arc. Much confusion because some of the notes of the involved episodes say it is 4-part, some say 5-part, and most include Voyage of the Damned, which is not involved at all. The arc consists of Captain Jack Harkness -> End of Days -> Utopia -> The Sound of Drums -> Last of the Time Lords. --Captain Infinity ☎ 03:53, August 17, 2015 (UTC)

Personally, from what I've read, I think your first post was correct and this story isn't involved in the arc. But I don't have a problem with including it, since I haven't seen any Torchwood episodes and therefore can't make an accurate decision. Thanks for clearing that up. Shambala108 ☎ 04:04, August 17, 2015 (UTC)

Thanks. I think part of the confusion is that the original editor(s) who referenced the "arc" was interested in how each episode leads directly into the next. If that's the case then Voyage of the Damned does apply, because the Starship Titanic crashes into the TARDIS at the end of Last of the Time Lords, which is exactly where Voyage of the Damned begins. However, the idea of an "arc" usually refers to a progressive storyline, not interlocking events, which is how I've tried to explain it in my revisions of the episode articles. Having now watched both Torchwood episodes I am of the opinion that they are not really part of the story arc which clearly includes Utopia, The Sound of Drums and Last of the Time Lords. However, for future readers of the Wiki who want to trace each episode's progression, and the tenuous overlap between Torchwood and Doctor Who, I've detailed the structure in each episode article. --Captain Infinity ☎ 04:26, August 17, 2015 (UTC)