“The 21st Century Is When It All Changes, and Ya Gotta Be Ready!”
This is probably the most quoted line from Captain Jack Harkness of Doctor Who spin off, Torchwood, which made its American debut Saturday on BBC America. This is the first official airing in the United States although, just about every Doctor Who fan found a way to see it before. I was worried that this show would never make it to this side of the pond. Torchwood is a post watershed show so it’s not exactly family friendly. That’s family in the Traditional Values Coalition sense, not the Stonewall sense. And without a broadcast outlet, there would probably be no DVD release.
Being around 50-minutes per episode I was wondering what would be cut when there are approximately six extra minutes. Having seen it in both forms, I have to say that all the important bits were left in and there were no noticeable cuts. Of course, this still needs to play out when the more “controversial” episodes are aired. BBC America did keep the show in its 16 by 9 aspect ratio which it doesn’t do for Doctor Who.
So how is the show itself? It’s unlike anything on American Television. That’s not always a compliment, but overall I’ve enjoyed the first season of the show. It can go over the top quite a bit. It’s can also have very big mood swings, going from humorous to very dark and depressing in a few minutes. Some of the concepts are really ridiculous. (Wait for the second episode to see this.) There are a number of continuity references to the parent series, but you can still follow the story without having seen them.
This first episode manages to introduce the cast without resorting to the Melrose Place running to each apartment and asking “So and so, have you seen such and such?”. Rather, we see the mysterious team as they co-opt a murder scene and resurrect the victim for two minutes. This catches the attention of the very Welsh police officer, Gwen Cooper. At this point you must realize that the show is recorded in Wales so unlike most British shows that find their way over here, you don’t have the received pronunciation accent. It takes some getting used to, but once you do, the show becomes easy to follow. Gwen manages to do some research, follow the team, and via a pizza delivery tricks her way into Torchwood headquarters. She gets a tour of the place, has her memory erased, but some clues she left for herself (and a clue someone else unwittingly left) manages to find her way back to Torchwood and sees one of the team members leaving. Suzie confronts Gwen and after politely telling her to hold on, pulls a gun out of her purse while Captain Jack emerges from the “invisible lift” and attempts to avert a catastrophe. Suzie shoots Jack, but he doesn’t stay dead. When she realizes this, she unexpectedly shoots herself dead. Don’t worry, we haven’t actually ween the last of here. She manages to return in a convoluted plot that shows she’s probably the smartest of the bunch. Jack now has a vacancy and offers it to Gwen, who, of course, accepts.
So begins the voyage that is Torchwood. We have characters in a Sci-Fi show that we haven’t seen in an American show. All the characters are at least bisexual, with Captain Jack described as omnisexual. The various team members are eventually shown to be selfish, deceptive and very flawed. The promise of a diverse crew that Gene Roddenberry made all those years ago has finally come to pass, on another show.
It’s on Saturdays at nine. Check it out!