In the beginning I was a little wary of the idea of the new series of Torchwood. Don't get me wrong I was thrilled about another series, especially since it would fill the gap until Doctor Who came back on but I was worried that the co-production with the American network Starz would be damaging to the show and its central location of Cardiff. However I think this may be the best series of Torchwood and the American storyline worked well while still keeping a hold on the Welshness.
Miracle Day! No one dies. The mortal become immortal and the only immortal man on the planet (newly returned from vacation) becomes mortal. Conspiracy is the name of the game for this series and the strength of the series is the unraveling of the events surrounding the miracle. Bureaucracy, politics and red tape play a major role and fits in with the American mentality but whether it translates the same in the UK is under debate. The series dragged a bit in the middle with the flashback to Jack in the 1920s and his relationship with Angelo but on the whole was really good and had really good cliffhangers at the end of episodes. I ended almost every episode with my jaw dropped. It kept me interested and I loved that.
It was nice to have Jack and Gwen back but Bill Pullman made the series. He was amazing and I would argue this was his best role. His character, a child molesting killer who survives execution and shows little remorse, he says at one point, "she should have run faster." talking about his victim. Needless to say, Oswald Danes is not the best person in the world but Pullman pulls it off magnificently. He's rather brilliant. The other new stable characters to the decreasing cast of Torchwood includes Rex (Mekhi Phifer) and Esther (Alexa Havins). Esther was a bit of a letdown, especially for Russell T. Davies character because she wasn't as kick-ass as his other female characters, but she did get a bit better in the end learning to sort of stand up for herself. Jilly Kitzinger (Lauren Ambrose) was snarky, fiesty and someone you love to hate. Dr. Vera Juarez (Arlene Tur) I really liked as a character, smart with a bit of sass through in, much more the caliber of female character that I'm used to with Davies and her end was tragic. Davies does know how to pull the rug out from under you. The best surprise for me was seeing John de Lancie.
I was surprised by the negative press the show was getting and I hope, rather unrealistically given the bad press and low ratings, that it will come back for another series. At this point I would rather watch Torchwood than Doctor Who because of the talent of Russell T. Davies and his ability to create a story that keeps me wanting more, always wanting more (i.e. not watching it just to watch it like I've been doing with Doctor Who), and for Davies ability of causing an emotional response that shows the amount I have invested into the show and its characters which I have done unconsciously. Davies is making Torchwood a show that stands apart from Doctor Who (sort of in the way that Angel stood alone from Buffy). I usually love hearing little references from Jack about The Doctor showing the series lineage, but maybe it's not needed and in fact those references are actual a hindrance because maybe for the first time, Torchwood is better.
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