15 –"Sleeper" | |||
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Torchwood episode | |||
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Starring | |||
Others
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Production | |||
Directed by | Colin Teague | ||
Written by | James Moran | ||
Script editor | Brian Minchin | ||
Produced by | Richard Stokes Chris Chibnall (co-producer) | ||
Executive producer(s) | Russell T Davies Julie Gardner | ||
Music by | Ben Foster | ||
Production code | 2.2 | ||
Series | Series 2 | ||
Running time | 50 mins | ||
First broadcast | 23 January 2008 | ||
Chronology | |||
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"Sleeper" is the second episode of the second series of the British science fiction television series Torchwood , which was first broadcast on BBC Two on 23 January 2008. [1] A specially edited pre-watershed repeat was shown the following day. [1]
In the episode, an alien sleeper cell with false memories attacks strategic targets in Cardiff to prepare the Earth for invasion.
Torchwood are called to investigate fatal injuries sustained by two burglars in the failed attempt to rob a flat owned by Beth Halloran and her husband Mike. They suspect Beth is responsible, though she has no recollection of the events, but willingly goes with the team. When they return to the Hub and place Beth in one of the cells, a nearby Weevil cowers at Beth's presence. Jack suspects there is more to Beth than she lets on, and orders her to undergo a mind probe.
After numerous evaluations under the probe, they suddenly discover alien technology buried under Beth's right forearm, allowing it to transform into a bladed weapon that matches the injuries on the burglars. Jack surmises that she is an alien sleeper agent, yet to be activated by her controller and given the belief she is human through memory transplants. Beth's transceiver is cut off from the other sleeper agents, and placed in an alien cryogenic chamber until Torchwood can find a way to prevent her from activating.
At the same time, other sleeper agents are awakened by a signal and set off for assigned targets and killing those that get in their way. Two of them commit suicide bombings using explosives in the implants, destroying a communications centre and a military pipeline. David, the last of the advance guard, kills the council member in charge of emergency responses. Beth escapes by using her alien implant to make her heart rate appear flat, goes to the hospital to say goodbye to Mike, before accidentally stabbing him. Jack and Gwen apprehend Beth, and she agrees to try to help locate any other sleeper agents.
Extrapolating from the targets already hit and the signal that Beth has received, Torchwood deduce David is likely targeting a nearby military base that stores nuclear weapons; a bomb detonated in the base would likely wipe out much of the surrounding areas. Jack rushes to stop David. Unable to reach his target in time, David warns Torchwood that there are numerous other agents around Earth, before his implant explodes harmlessly outside the base.
Back at the Hub, Beth is conflicted with the thoughts that she could kill again. Rather than be cryogenically frozen again, Beth uses her implant, transformed into a blade, to threaten Gwen, forcing the other Torchwood members to shoot and kill Beth.
The explosion of a building that was scheduled to be filmed in Cardiff on 1 July 2007, the day after 2007 Glasgow International Airport attack, was in danger of being cancelled. Instead, the filming was announced via the local media to warn the public that there would be a controlled explosion, and not another terrorist attack. [2]
Nikki Amuka-Bird, who plays Beth Halloran, later played the Glass Woman in the 2017 Doctor Who Christmas Special, "Twice Upon A Time".
William Hughes, who plays the Graingers' son, previously appeared as the eight-year-old version of the Master in the 2007 Doctor Who episode "The Sound of Drums".
Derek Lea, who plays the Sleeper Agent/Paramedic; also appears as a worker being examined by Martha Jones at the ATMOS factory in the 2008 Doctor Who episode "The Sontaran Stratagem" and as a taxi driver in "Partners in Crime".
Broadcast at 9pm on BBC 2 on 23 January 2008, the episode achieved 3.4 million viewers, a 14% share, "a solitary share point" down on the share of the season 2 debut episode on 17 January, according to The Guardian's report of overnight returns. [3] BARB later listed the episode as BBC2's top audience draw for week ending 27 January 2008, on a certified estimate of 3.78 million viewers including timeshift. [4]
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".
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.
The Torchwood Institute, or simply Torchwood, is a fictional secret organisation from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its spin-off series Torchwood. It was established in 1879 by Queen Victoria after the events of "Tooth and Claw". Its prime directive is to defend Earth against supernatural and extraterrestrial threats. It is later revealed in "Army of Ghosts" that the Torchwood Institute has begun to use their findings to restore the British Empire to its former glory. To those ends, the organisation started to acquire and reverse engineer alien technology. Within Torchwood, an unofficial slogan evolved: "If it's alien, it's ours". According to one base director, Yvonne Hartman, its nationalist attitude includes refusing to use metric units.
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".
"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" 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.
"Greeks Bearing Gifts" is the seventh 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 26 November 2006.
"Countrycide" is the sixth 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 19 November 2006.
"Cyberwoman" is the fourth episode of the first series of the British science fiction television series Torchwood. Written by Chris Chibnall and directed by James Strong, the episode was first broadcast on the digital channel BBC Three on 5 November 2006, and later repeated on terrestrial channel BBC Two on 8 November.
"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.
"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.
"To the Last Man" is the third episode of the second series of the British science fiction television series Torchwood, which was first broadcast on BBC Two on 30 January 2008. The episode was written by returning series guest writer, Helen Raynor, directed by Andy Goddard and produced by Richard Stokes. As with all episodes of Torchwood's first two series, "To the Last Man" featured series regulars John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Burn Gorman, Naoko Mori and Gareth David Lloyd, with Mori's character Toshiko Sato given the main focus.
"Meat" is the fourth episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood, which was first broadcast on BBC Two on 6 February 2008. It was written by Catherine Tregenna, who had previously written episodes for the first series of the show, directed by Colin Teague and produced by Richard Stokes. The episode featured the five initial series regulars John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Burn Gorman, Naoko Mori and Gareth David Lloyd plus recurring actor Kai Owen in a central role.
"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" 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" 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.
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.