I started watching Torchwood a couple years ago on BBC America and then for some inexplicable reason, I stopped. It had nothing to do with not liking the show, because I thought it was excellent. Perhaps I was afflicted with a brief bout of amnesia and simply forgot when it was on. Or maybe Captain Jack Harkness slipped a mickey in my Crown and Coke.
No matter. BBC America has begun re-airing the entire series from the very beginning Saturday nights at 8pm, right before Ashes to Ashes. All of this is leading up to the eagerly anticipated debut of Torchwood: Children of Earth later this year.
So, who or what is Torchwood? They are a special ops division responsible for accumulating alien technology that will later be used when humans and aliens wage war. Oh yeah, aliens exist, and they are alive and well in Cardiff, England. The man in charge is Captain Jack Harkness, who in reality is dead, or rather immortal. You see, Captain Jack disappeared in 1941, but he’s walking around in 2006. You’ll have to watch; it’s not easy to explain.
The first episode focuses on one of Cardiff’s finest, officer Gwen Cooper. Gwen, while casing a crime scene, catches a glimpse of the Torchwood crew using a magical iron glove to raise the dead. From this point forward, she pursues Captain Jack to uncover the secrets behind his group’s clandestine activities. Jack doesn’t seem concerned with Gwen’s snooping and allows her to infiltrate the underground Torchwood facility, while disguised as a pizza delivery girl. Gwen meets the whole gang: Owen, Tashiko, Ianto and Suzie. Jack answers all her questions, then erases her memory, Men in Black style.
Gwen’s determination eventually leads to her joining the team. She convinces Jack it might be better to use the extraterrestrial instruments for good, rather than just study them. However, the lure of utilizing the technology for personal gain is powerful. Alien gadgetry in the wrong hands could, and will, lead to disaster.
The world of Torchwood is pretty wild. Weevils, pet Pterodactyls, perception filters, mystical cologne, and rifts in the space-time continuum are just a few of the crazy elements introduced in the opening episode. The series is a spin-off of Doctor Who, but clearly has a Buffy the Vampire Slayer feel to it. The female protagonist, flesh-eating creatures, and pointed sarcasm all reflect the qualities of Joss Whedon’s television masterpiece. Keep the kiddies away, though. It features two of my favorite things: sex and profanity.
If you’re a fan of shows about aliens taking over the planet, check out Torchwood. It has more than enough action, intrigue and laughs to keep you coming back for more. Most Buffy clones and wannabees fail miserably to live-up to the original, but Team Torchwood holds its own.
Clacked by Scott Tunstall 
on Apr 08, 2009 @ 15:00 EST5EDT
