Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (Torchwood)

Last updated

14 –"Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang"
Torchwood episode
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.jpg
The hologram of Captain John's ex-lover tells him that the diamond he was searching for was a ruse to avenge her murder.
Cast
Starring
Others
Production
Directed byAshley Way
Written by Chris Chibnall
Script editor Brian Minchin
Produced by Richard Stokes
Chris Chibnall (co-producer)
Executive producer(s) Russell T Davies
Julie Gardner
Music by Murray Gold
Ben Foster
Production code2.1
Series Series 2
Running time50 mins
First broadcast16 January 2008 (2008-01-16)
Chronology
← Preceded by
"End of Days"		Followed by →
"Sleeper"
List of episodes

"Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" is the first episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood , which was broadcast on BBC Two on 16 January 2008.

Contents

The episode features a guest appearance from James Marsters as Captain John Hart, the former colleague and lover of the alien hunter Jack Harkness (John Barrowman). In the episode, John double crosses Jack's Torchwood team as part of a plan to steal a diamond from a woman who was murdered.

Chris Chibnall wrote the episode with the knowledge that Marsters wished to appear in the series, and wrote the part of John Hart "absolutely" for him. The episode was filmed in Cardiff in July 2007. "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" was seen by four million viewers upon its original broadcast, with an Appreciation Index of 84, and was met with generally positive reviews in both the United Kingdom and United States.

Plot

Jack, after finding the Doctor [N 1] and witnessing the end of the world, [N 2] returns to his Torchwood team, and shoots an intoxicated alien Blowfish [ broken anchor ] involved in a hostage situation.

During a murder investigation at a multi-storey car park where Rift activity has been detected on the corpse, Jack receives a surprise call on his vortex manipulator from the murderer: Jack's former lover, the Time Agent Captain John Hart. Jack joins him at a nightclub to catch up with him, and John accompanies Torchwood to the Hub. He tricks Torchwood into finding three cylindrical devices which he claims are dangerous bombs that need defusing. He believes they will triangulate the location of a diamond he stole off a different former lover.

Torchwood split into three groups. Gwen and John search the docks. John paralyses Gwen and locks her in a crate, telling her that if she is not found in two hours, her main organs will stop working and she will die. Toshiko and Owen search a warehouse. John shoots Owen in the hip. Jack and Ianto search an office block. John pushes Jack off the roof when Jack realises the bombs are a confidence trick. John then takes a pyramid-shaped object from the Blowfish in the Hub's morgue. Gwen is saved by the team, while Jack survives the fall due to his immortality.

Torchwood confront John, who discovers there is no diamond; John's former lover anticipated dying, and thus set a trap to kill her murderer. The device turns out to be a bomb which attaches itself to the murderer of the bomb's owner, which is John, and begins a ten-minute countdown.

Unwilling to die, John handcuffs himself to Gwen and swallows the key in order to force Torchwood to remove the bomb. Gwen formulates a plan to use the Rift at the car park to contain the explosion, but at the penalty of her own life. Jack and Owen catch John and the rest of the team at the car park where John arrived and inject him with the team's DNA, thus confusing the device into detaching from John. Jack throws the bomb into the Rift where it detonates. John then regurgitates his key to free Gwen and agrees to leave. Before leaving, John tells Jack that he found Gray.

Production

Writing and filming

The development of the episode commenced when executive producer Russell T Davies received an email from his agent, telling him James Marsters was interested in appearing on the series. Chris Chibnall wrote the episode "absolutely" for Marsters, and wanted Hart to become a conflict for Jack Harkness. Marsters believed that Hart was somewhat of a doppelganger to Harkness. After scripting was complete, Marsters did not need to discuss with the directors because he felt the script was self-explanatory. [1]

Originally, Captain John was going to come through the Rift on a "pandimensional surfboard" similar to the one found in the Doctor Who episode "Boom Town", Chibnall changed it because the production team decided that "it would look cooler if John just calmly walked out of the Rift, as if it was the sort of thing he might do every day". [2]

The episode was filmed in Cardiff in July 2007. [3] The first meeting between Jack and John at the nightclub was written to be akin to a Spaghetti Western. Instead of fighting, it was decided that they would kiss first, so that the audience "don't see it coming". [1] The following fight scene was intended to be "sexy, rather than brutal", similar to the naked wrestling scene in the film Women in Love . While the scene only lasted one minute on screen, much more was filmed, so much that it took a whole day to shoot. 80% of the acting in the scene was done by Marsters and Barrowman themselves, instead of stuntmen. [4] The style of fighting was similar to what Marsters was used to, and was, according to stunt co-ordinator Tom Lucy, a cross between Western, martial arts, and Bourne. [1]

The building used to film searching for one of the canisters was a British Gas building in Cardiff. The scene with Jack falling off the building was performed by Curtis Rivers, John Barrowman's stunt double. Though Rivers made the stunt to make Jack "look good", Barrowman had to lie on a box over green screen. [1] Marsters and Barrowman were used for filming close to the roof's edge. [3]

Visual effects and animatronics

While the most noticeable visual effect was John's entrance through the Rift, The Mill also made inconspicuous visual effects, such as extending the number of crates at the docks. The visual effect used for the Rift was redesigned for the second series, due to a decision among the visual effects team at The Mill that separate manifestations of the Rift appear different — in this case, orange and gold was used to make the Rift appear "warmer and more magical". The Mill also made three different types of holograms. The projection from Jack's wriststrap device was coloured blue to match earlier appearances, John's wriststrap projected a flashier, full colour image due to specifications in the script, and the golden hue in the projection of John's ex-lover was based on the prop. [2]

The blowfish in the opening scene was intended by executive producer Russell T Davies to be "like Finding Nemo , but evil" and the producer of the episode, Richard Stokes, wanted the designs to be as flamboyant as "the lionfish in The Spy Who Loved Me ". The first designs of the costume were visibly different from the final design; the first designs were more fish-like than humanoid. After a humanoid design was approved by the production team, Millennium FX, who previously created the prosthetics for Doctor Who and the first series of Torchwood, immediately sculpted the costume to Paul Kasey's dimensions. Two versions of the mask were created; one was animatronic, which included mechanical fins, and one was used for the stunt where the blowfish was shot in the head. [5] A Blowfish would later appear in the episode "Fragments," [6] and later appeared in the Doctor Who episodes "The Pandorica Opens" and "Nightmare in Silver."

Broadcast and reception

Ratings and later broadcast

After its original broadcast, an edited version of the episode was shown the following week on BBC Two. [7] The episode was also aired ten days later on BBC America. [8]

Critical reception

Metro picked "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" as their pick of the day on 16 January 2008, complimenting the "fast-paced plot" in contrast to the "puerile humour" and "[meandering] between soft porn and Scooby-Doo " of the first series. [9] In the same newspaper, on the following day, Keith Watson commented that the episode "was like watching Carry On Up the Asteroids", but nevertheless stated that "as dramatic cocktails go, [its mix of gadgets, sci-fi gobbledegook and louche libidos] was out of this world", and gave the episode four stars out of five. [10] The Times commented that the episode was "good, salacious, knockabout fun", the best thing about Torchwood that "everyday Cardiff hums alongside psychotic blowfish and time loops", and asked "when extraterrestrial push comes to intergalactic shove, how could anyone object to a series that begins with a blowfish driving a sports car?". [11] [12] The Guardian stated that parts were "very, very, funny" and the episode was largely "a hoot". [13] However, The Daily Telegraph felt that the series fared better on BBC Three, but on BBC Two it was "both far too pleased with itself and surprisingly amateurish". [14]

The episode also received positive reviews in the United States. The Chicago Sun-Times summarised it as "gay and playful sci-fi fun" and compared it with Buffy the Vampire Slayer 's "good and efficient wit", and theorised that its rising quality made it "not hard to imagine it could be must-watch TV by season four", [15] the Orlando Sentinel stated it was "a bracing mix of campy comedy, chilling twists and sexual surprises" and commented that it "enlivens Saturdays", [16] and the Sci Fi Channel, who syndicate Doctor Who, called the script "excellent", commented that "Marsters and Barrowman's chemistry is just terrific", and lamented that the show only airs thirteen episodes per series, as opposed to the American standard of 24. [17]

Notes

  1. ↑ As depicted in "End of Days" and the 2007 Doctor Who episode "Utopia".
  2. ↑ As depicted in the 2007 Doctor Who episodes "The Sound of Drums" and "Last of the Time Lords".

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Harkness</span> Fictional character in the TV series Doctor Who and Torchwood

Captain Jack Harkness is a fictional character played by John Barrowman in Doctor Who and its spin-off series, Torchwood. The character first appears in the 2005 Doctor Who episode "The Empty Child" and subsequently features in the remaining episodes of the first series (2005) as a companion to the series' protagonist, the Doctor. Subsequent to this, Jack became the central character in the adult-themed Torchwood, which aired from 2006 to 2011. Barrowman reprised the role for appearances in Doctor Who in its third, fourth, and twelfth series, as well as specials "The End of Time", and "Revolution of the Daleks".

Torchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. A spin-off of the 2005 revival of Doctor Who, it aired from 2006 to 2011. The show shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from BBC Three to BBC Two to BBC One, and acquiring American financing in its fourth series when it became a co-production of BBC One and Starz. Torchwood is aimed at adults and older teenagers, in contrast to Doctor Who's target audience of both adults and children. As well as science fiction, the show explores a number of themes, including existentialism, LGBTQ+ sexuality, and human corruptibility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gwen Cooper</span> Fictional character from the television series Torchwood

Gwen Elizabeth Cooper is a fictional character portrayed by Welsh actress Eve Myles in the BBC science-fiction television programme Torchwood, a spin-off of the long-running series Doctor Who. The lead female character, Gwen featured in every episode of the show's 2006–2011 run, as well as two 2008 crossover episodes of Doctor Who. Gwen appears in Expanded Universe material such as the Torchwood novels and audiobooks, comic books and radio plays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Owen Harper</span> Fictional character in Torchwood

Dr Owen James Harper is a fictional character played by Burn Gorman, and a regular in the BBC television series Torchwood, a spin-off from the long-running series Doctor Who. The character last appeared onscreen in the Series 2 finale, "Exit Wounds".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toshiko Sato</span> Fictional character in Torchwood

Toshiko "Tosh" Sato is a fictional character from the television series Doctor Who and its spin-off Torchwood, played by Naoko Mori. After a one-off appearance in the Doctor Who episode "Aliens of London" (2005), Toshiko is re-introduced as a series regular in the Torchwood premiere episode "Everything Changes" (2006). The character appears in every episode of the show's first two series as well as Expanded Universe material including Torchwood novels, audiobooks and comic strips.

"Everything Changes" is the first episode of the British science fiction television programme Torchwood, which was first broadcast on the digital channel BBC Three on 22 October 2006. The story was written by show creator and executive producer Russell T Davies as an introduction to the show's mythos. The episode re-introduces Captain Jack Harkness, who had proved popular in the first series of the 2005 revival of Doctor Who, as the leader of Torchwood, a team of alien hunters.

Day One (<i>Torchwood</i>) 2006 Torchwood episode

"Day One" is the second episode of the first series of the British science fiction television series Torchwood. Directed by Brian Kelly, the episode was first broadcast on the digital channel BBC Three on 22 October 2006 with the series pilot, "Everything Changes", and later repeated on terrestrial channel BBC Two on 25 October. It was the first work in the Doctor Who universe to be written by future Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ianto Jones</span> Fictional character in Torchwood

Ianto Jones is a fictional character in the BBC television programme Torchwood, a spin-off from the long-running series Doctor Who, played by Welsh actor Gareth David-Lloyd. A regular within the show, Ianto appears in every episode of the programme's first three series excluding the finale of series 3, as well as two crossover episodes of Torchwood's parent show, Doctor Who. Additionally, Ianto appears in Expanded Universe material such as the Torchwood novels and audiobooks, comic books and radio plays. Within the narrative of the series, Ianto begins as general support officer for Torchwood Three, a team of alien hunters stationed in Cardiff, and develops into an active field agent. Initially the regular character with the least screen time, Ianto's role expanded in response to growing cult appeal.

"Captain Jack Harkness" is the twelfth episode of the first series of the British science fiction television series Torchwood, which was originally broadcast on the digital television channel BBC Three on 1 January 2007.

End of Days (<i>Torchwood</i>) 2007 Torchwood episode

"End of Days" is the thirteenth and final episode of the first series of the British science fiction television series Torchwood. It originally aired on the digital television channel BBC Three on 1 January 2007, alongside the previous episode, "Captain Jack Harkness". The episode was written by Chris Chibnall and directed by Ashley Way.

Adam (<i>Torchwood</i>) 2008 Torchwood episode

"Adam" is the fifth episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood, which was broadcast on BBC Two on 13 February 2008.

Adrift (<i>Torchwood</i>) 2008 Torchwood episode

"Adrift" is the eleventh episode of the second series of the British science fiction television series Torchwood, which was first broadcast on BBC Three on 19 March 2008, and repeated on BBC Two one week later. The episode was written by series one and two head writer Chris Chibnall, directed by Mark Everest and produced by Sophie Fante and Richard Stokes. The episode featured the five initial series regulars John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Burn Gorman, Naoko Mori and Gareth David Lloyd plus recurring actors Kai Owen and Tom Price.

Fragments (<i>Torchwood</i>) 2008 Torchwood episode

"Fragments" is the twelfth episode of the second series of the British science fiction television series Torchwood, which was broadcast on BBC Three on 21 March 2008.

"Exit Wounds" is the thirteenth and final episode of the second series of the British science fiction television series Torchwood, and was broadcast on BBC Two on 4 April 2008. It marked the final appearance of Burn Gorman as Owen Harper and Naoko Mori as Toshiko Sato, with both characters being killed off at the end of the episode. It is also the final Torchwood episode in its original format.

<i>Torchwood: Children of Earth</i> 2009 Torchwood series

Children of Earth is the banner title of the third and penultimate series of the British television science fiction programme Torchwood, which broadcast for five episodes on BBC One from 6 to 10 July 2009. The series had new producer Peter Bennett and was directed by Euros Lyn, who had considerable experience on the revived Doctor Who, Torchwood's parent show. The eponymous series is about an organization known as Torchwood which defends the Earth against alien threats. The plot of Children of Earth deals with aliens demanding 10% of the Earth's children, and a related earlier conspiracy 40 years ago; as such, Torchwood is pitted against the British government when the government attempts to conceal its past actions and accede to the present-day aliens' demands. The first, third, and fifth episodes of the serial were written by executive producer Russell T Davies, who also conceived its overall storyline. The third episode was co-written by James Moran whilst the second and fourth were penned by newcomer John Fay.

Andy Davidson (<i>Torchwood</i>) Fictional character

Andy Davidson is a fictional character in the BBC television programme Torchwood, portrayed by Tom Price, a spin-off from the long-running series Doctor Who. Andy, an officer with the South Wales Police, is a supporting character who first appears in Torchwood's premiere episode "Everything Changes" and recurs regularly from thereon. Though initially only credited as 'PC Andy', the character's surname 'Davidson' was given in novels and online media and eventually confirmed by dialogue in Children of Earth, "Day Three" (2009). Like Gwen's partner, Rhys, Andy is used by the production team as an everyman character who grounds the series in a recognisable real-world setting. The character had originally been slated to be killed off in the first series, though the production team had a change of heart, believing him to work well as a supporting character. Both cast and crew, as well as professional reviewers have spoken of the character's role in providing comic relief and an outsider's perspective on the Torchwood Institute.

Rhys Williams (<i>Torchwood</i>) Fictional character of Torchwood

Rhys Alun Williams, portrayed by Kai Owen, is a fictional character in the BBC television programme Torchwood, a spin-off from the long-running series Doctor Who. The character is introduced in the premiere episode as the co-habiting boyfriend of the principal character Gwen Cooper. Initially a recurring character, Rhys' role is increased after the second series; actor Kai Owen is given star billing from the show's third series — a five-part serial subtitled Torchwood: Children of Earth — onwards. The character has gone on to appear in expanded universe material such as the Torchwood novels and audiobooks, comic books and radio plays.

<i>Torchwood: Miracle Day</i> 2011 Torchwood series

Torchwood: Miracle Day is the fourth and final series of the British science fiction television programme Torchwood, a spin-off from the long-running show Doctor Who. In contrast to the first three series, which were produced by the BBC, the fourth series was a British–American co-production involving the BBC's drama production house BBC Cymru Wales for BBC Worldwide and the US premium network Starz. It was broadcast in ten episodes beginning on 8 July 2011 (U.S.) and 14 July 2011 (UK).

Captain John Hart (<i>Torchwood</i>) Fictional character of Torchwood

Captain John Hart, played by James Marsters, is a fictional character from the BBC science fiction television programme Torchwood. He is introduced in the episode "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang"—the first episode of Torchwood's second series. Whilst the character has not featured subsequently to the second series finale, he went on to appear in a Torchwood Magazine comic strip and Marsters has stated his interest in reprising the role on more than one occasion.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Home and Hart". Torchwood Declassified. Season 2. Episode 1. 23 January 2008. BBC. BBC Two.
  2. 1 2 "Making an Entrance". Torchwood Magazine (1). Titan Magazines: 19. February 2008. ISSN   1756-0950.
  3. 1 2 "O Captain, My Captain". Torchwood Magazine (1). Titan Magazines: 12–23. February 2008. ISSN   1756-0950.
  4. ↑ "Fighting Talk". Torchwood Magazine (1). Titan Magazines: 16. February 2008. ISSN   1756-0950.
  5. ↑ "Blow by Blowfish". Torchwood Magazine (1). Titan Magazines: 55–59. February 2008. ISSN   1756-0950.
  6. ↑ Hedman, Joan O'Connell (15 April 2008). "Torchwood Recap: Season 2, Episode 12, "Fragments"". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  7. ↑ Marcus (18 January 2008). "Torchwood- Appreciation Index". Outpost Gallifrey. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  8. ↑ "America's Most Wanted". Torchwood Magazine (1). Titan Magazines: 5. February 2008.
  9. ↑ "Metro Life, TV guide, Pick of the Day: Torchwood, BBC2, 9pm". Metro . 16 January 2008. p. 28.
  10. ↑ Watson, Keith (17 January 2008). "Carry on, captains". Metro . p. 27.
  11. ↑ Chater, David (16 January 2008). "Tonight's TV". The Times . London. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  12. ↑ Teeman, Tim (17 January 2008). "Torchwood; Wonderland: The Secret Life of Norman Wisdom aged 92¾". The Times . London. Archived from the original on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  13. ↑ Martin, Daniel (17 January 2008). "Time to Relight Torchwood?". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  14. ↑ Walton, James (17 January 2008). "Last night on television: Wonderland: The Secret Life of Norman Wisdom Aged 92 3/4 (BBC2) - Torchwood (BBC2)". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 21 January 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  15. ↑ Elfman, Doug (26 January 2008). "Gay and playful sci-fi fun". Chicago: Sun-Times Media Group. Archived from the original on 28 January 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  16. ↑ Boedeker, Hal (26 January 2008). "'Torchwood' dazzles in Season 2". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on 30 January 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  17. ↑ Huddleston, Kathie (25 January 2008). "Torchwood Season 2 Premiere". SciFi Channel. Archived from the original on 28 January 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2008.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.