Torchwood: Children of Earth

Last updated

Contents

Torchwood: Children of Earth
Children of Earth titles.jpg
Showrunner Russell T Davies
Starring
No. of episodes5
Release
Original network BBC One
Original release6 July (2009-07-06) –
10 July 2009 (2009-07-10)
Season chronology
← Previous
Series 2
List of episodes

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.

Torchwood was shown on the network's premiere channel, BBC One, every weeknight for one week in July 2009. Despite the move to BBC One, the show was cut from a standard thirteen-episode run to just five, something that lead actor John Barrowman felt was almost like a "punishment" from the BBC. [1] Production on the mini-series began in August 2008, and Barrowman along with actors Eve Myles, Gareth David-Lloyd and Kai Owen all returned. The serial significantly features new actors to the series over the course of its five episodes, including Peter Capaldi. Davies had to substantially rewrite parts of the serial to accommodate the unavailability of actors Freema Agyeman and Noel Clarke, whose presence in the serial had been set up in the 2008 Doctor Who finale.

When the series defied expectations by achieving good ratings (peaking at 6.76 million), Davies stated that a surprised BBC Controller rang to congratulate him. Mid-summer evenings are typically considered a graveyard slot for television series. [2] The serial also received acclaim, particularly in comparison to the programme's previous two series, as well as a BAFTA Cymru Award, a Saturn Award and Celtic Media Festival Award, all for best serial. The success of the series led to a fourth series, Torchwood: Miracle Day , which was commissioned in conjunction with the US premium cable network Starz.

Plot

In 1965 Scotland, an alien race called the 456 offer the British government a cure to an influenza strain that would wipe out 25 million people, in exchange for 12 children. One of these children, Clement McDonald, is pubescent and no longer produces the chemical the 456 uses recreationally. Clement escapes and is institutionalised for over 40 years.

Over the course of two days in the present, all the children in the world, along with Clement, are paralysed in place and speak several messages in unison announcing the 456's return on the third day. To cover up Jack's involvement in the events of 1965, civil servant John Frobisher orders a black-ops kill squad to assassinate him. To this end, Agent Johnson plants a bomb in Jack's abdomen, which detonates inside the Torchwood Hub in Cardiff, destroying it, though Jack survives due to his immortality.

On the third day, the ambassador for the 456 arrives in Thames House, occupying a specially built chamber containing a certain composition of gases. Frobisher and his staff, including his personal assistant Lois Habiba, who wears special contact lenses given to her by Torchwood to record what she sees, hold confidential meetings with the 456 to understand why they have returned. The 456 speak through a translation device and demand that 10% of the world's children are handed over to them, or else they will destroy the human race. The governments of the world comply, and Lois records the British government's agreement.

Torchwood threaten to have Gwen's husband Rhys leak the government's agreement to the world. Jack and Ianto storm Thames House, confront the 456 and warn them humanity will fight back. In response, the 456 release a lethal virus. Thames House automatically locks down, and Ianto is killed along with many others. At the same time, the 456 kill Clement with an auditory signal.

The government choose to use the failing schools at the bottom of the league tables to give to the 456. To convince the public of the cover story of an inoculation programme against the paralysing effect, Prime Minister Brian Green orders Frobisher to submit his own children to them. Frobisher agrees, returns home and kills his two daughters to spare them this fate. He then kills his wife and himself. When some parents keep their children home from school, the military tries to secure the remaining children.

Jack uses the same audio signal that was used to kill Clement against the 456, but he is forced to use his own grandson, Steven Carter, as a transmitter, demonstrating his utilitarian moral stance, as previously shown in "Small Worlds".

The 456 writhe in agony, bursting in a spray of blood, before withdrawing from the Earth. Steven is killed. Devastated, Steven's mother Alice refuses to acknowledge her father ever again while Jack also cuts Alice off from his life, their relationship irrevocably destroyed.

Green suggests that they cover up the tragedy and place the blame on the United States, but Bridget Spears, Lois's superior, reveals that she has recorded this conversation on the contact lenses and will release it, ending Green's political career.

After six months of travelling Earth, a guilty Jack decides to leave for space to start a new life, saying goodbye to a pregnant Gwen and Rhys. With Jack gone, the Hub destroyed, most of the team dead and Gwen pregnant, Torchwood is seemingly shut down for good.

Episodes

No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code		UK viewers
(millions)  [3]
271"Day One" Euros Lyn Russell T Davies6 July 2009 (2009-07-06)3.16.47
282"Day Two"Euros Lyn John Fay 7 July 2009 (2009-07-07)3.26.14
293"Day Three"Euros LynRussell T Davies & James Moran8 July 2009 (2009-07-08)3.36.40
304"Day Four"Euros LynJohn Fay9 July 2009 (2009-07-09)3.46.76
315"Day Five"Euros LynRussell T Davies10 July 2009 (2009-07-10)3.56.58

Production

A pyrotechnics-laden barricade on Roald Dahl Plass, cordoned off before filming. Torchwood barricade.jpg
A pyrotechnics-laden barricade on Roald Dahl Plass, cordoned off before filming.

Locations

Filming for the series started in Cardiff in August 2008, with a week's filming taking place in London. [4] Additional filming took place in the Maindee area of Newport for the pub scene, [5] and on the set of BBC's Casualty in Bristol, which doubled as the fictional St. Helen's Hospital in Cardiff. [6] The set for Floor 13 was the largest ever built at Upper Boat Studios. [6] However, many of the scenes set in the corridors of the same building (supposedly Thames House in London) were shot in the corridors of the Guildhall, Swansea.

Casting

John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Gareth David Lloyd, Kai Owen and Tom Price all reprise their respective Torchwood roles for the serial. David-Lloyd had first concluded that Ianto was being killed off when his agent told him he was only needed for four out of five episodes. [7]

Peter Capaldi and Nick Briggs had both previously been involved in Doctor Who productions prior to Children of Earth. Capaldi, who portrays Home Office Permanent Secretary John Frobisher, previously played Lobus Caecilius in the Doctor Who episode "The Fires of Pompeii", and would return to Doctor Who in 2013 to play the Twelfth Doctor. Briggs, the voice actor who provides voices for several creatures in the revived series of Doctor Who, including the Daleks, appears as Rick Yates, a member of Brian Green's Cabinet. He had also previously played many roles in the Big Finish range of officially licensed audio dramas. Having been set up to do so by the conclusion of their storylines in "Journey's End", Doctor Who alumni Freema Agyeman and Noel Clarke were due to reprise their roles as Martha Jones and Mickey Smith respectively, but were unable to participate due to "scheduling issues". [8] Davies explained that Agyeman was cast in Law & Order: UK before Children of Earth had been officially commissioned. Because Law & Order offered her thirteen episodes a year, she went with that over Torchwood which had been reduced to five. [9] In response, Davies introduced the character of Lois Habiba, played by Cush Jumbo, to be a "kind of a Martha figure", one with added innocence who is out of her depth. [10] Agyeman didn't rule out returning to the show at a later date, however, [11] and Davies also expressed interest in her returning to the role. [10] Jack and Gwen explain Martha's absence by saying that she is on her honeymoon, and the Doctor Who serial "The End of Time" reveals that she married Mickey rather than her previous fiancé Thomas Milligan (Tom Ellis).

Children of Earth featured a largely new supporting cast for the duration of the five-episode serial. Further new characters included Clem McDonald (Paul Copley), senior Home Office official Bridget Spears (Susan Brown), Prime Minister Brian Green (Nicholas Farrell), and ruthless operative Agent Johnson (Liz May Brice). Katy Wix and Rhodri Lewis play Rhiannon and Johnny Davies, Ianto's sister and brother-in-law respectively. [12] Lucy Cohu plays Captain Jack Harkness's daughter Alice. [13] The voice of the 456 was provided by actor and voiceover artist Simon Poland. [14]

Preview

A preview of Children of Earth was screened at the National Film Theatre on 12 June 2009. [15]

Broadcast

Children of Earth was first broadcast on BBC One over five nights from 6 to 10 July 2009. [16] It was the programme's first transmission on BBC One, after its first series debuted on BBC Three in 2006 and its second series moved to BBC Two in 2008. [17] [18]

Internationally, it was broadcast in Australia from 7 July 2009 [19] on UKTV Australia, and was shown from 20 July 2009 [20] on Space in Canada and BBC America in the U.S. (the air date was set to coincide with the launch of BBC America's HD simulcast). [21]

Soundtrack

Torchwood: Children of Earth
Torchwood Children of Earth Soundtrack.jpg
Soundtrack album by
Ben Foster and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Released7 July 2009
Recorded2008–2009
Genre Soundtrack
Length78:35
Label Silva Screen Records
Producer Ben Foster
Torchwood soundtrack chronology
Torchwood: Original Television Soundtrack
(2008)		Torchwood: Children of Earth
(2009)

Torchwood: Children of Earth is a soundtrack album which was released on 7 July 2009, containing incidental music composed by Ben Foster used in the third series ("Children of Earth") of the British science fiction television programme Torchwood , which aired July 2009. Unlike with the Torchwood: Original Television Soundtrack the album was released simultaneously for download with the official release of 7 July 2009.

Track listing

Track no.Track [22] [23] Track LengthEpisodes used in
1"The First Sacrifice"1:25"Day One"
2"What's Occurring?"2:10
3"Jack's Daughter"1:28
4"Diplomatic Cars"1:20
5"We are Coming"1:12
6"Thames House"1:53
7"Double Crossed"1:26
8"Countdown to Destruction"1:52
9"The Crater"1:00"Day Two"
10"Torchwood Hunted"1:42
11"Gwen's Baby"1:03
12"On The Run"1:13
13"Jack in A Box"1:34
14"Ianto Jones"0:50
15"Tractor Attack"2:21
16"Resurrection"1:11
17"Clement MacDonald"2:05"Day Three"
18"Something's Coming"2:35
19"Eye Spy"1:20
20"Trust Nobody"1:46
21"The World Looks to the Skies"2:10
22"Jack's Secret"1:36"Day Four"
23"Clem Remembers"1:34
24"Judgement Day4:05
25"Requiem for the Fallen"1:23
26"The Ballad of Ianto Jones"4:36
27"The Final Day"0:40"Day Five"
28"Calm Before the Storm"3:22
29"Phase Two Has Begun"1:50
30"Requisition 31"2:38
31"He Was a Good Man"1:40
32"The Children of The Earth"3:27
33"Breaking the Connection"2:25
34"Fighting Back"2:02
35"Run for Your Lives"1:13
36"Sacrifice and Salvation"1:39
37"Redemption"3:13
38"I Can Run Forever"3:28
39"Here Comes Torchwood"2:24Various episodes
40"Next Time on Torchwood"0:31

Home media

The Region 2 DVD release was released on 13 July 2009, followed by the Region 1 release on both DVD and Blu-ray on 28 July 2009. The Best Buy limited edition included the CD for the audio drama Lost Souls. Music for the fifth episode differed from the original broadcast version. The Region 4 DVD release became available on 1 October 2009. [24]

Reception

Reviews

The series was met with critical acclaim. Metacritic, an American review aggregator website, gives Children of Earth a normalised rating of 80 out of 100 (based on a sample of 12 reviews), indicating "generally favourable reviews", with the highest score being a 91 from Time and the lowest a 60 from The New York Times . [25]

Daniel Martin ran a day-by-day review of the show on The Guardian 's website guardian.co.uk which culminated in a positive assessment of the mini-series as a whole: " ... what an incredible week. From its hideous Sex Alien vs Cyberwoman beginnings, Torchwood has become a true treasure." He speculated on the programme's thematic implication that "as people realise their potential in this world, they die", and remarked: "If the same thing does happen to the series it would be awful. But God, it would be poetic." [26]

Ben Rawson-Jones of Digital Spy gave a very favourable pre-review to the first three episodes of the serial. He particularly praised Davies' script for its "economical" and "seamless" re-establishment of the show's returning trio for new viewers whilst not alienating fans. The inter-weaving of the stories for "credible and appealing" supporting characters Rupesh, Clement and Lois was praised; as were the performances from Paul Copley and Liz May Brice. He did however feel that the second episode paled after the explosiveness of the first episode, on which they "failed to capitalise". [27] Summing up the series, Rawson-Jones described Children of Earth as "a powerful human drama, reliant not on special effects but incredible acting, direction and writing" that was a "massive success." [28]

IGN writer Ahsan Haque gave the miniseries a rating of 9.5 out of 10, also awarding it their Editor's Choice Award. John Barrowman's performance was highly praised, saying that he handled "these gut-wrenching moments with poise, yet manages to give us just enough to know how much his choices are tearing him up inside. He might not be able to die physically, but emotionally, what Jack has to suffer and live with is a fate far worse than death." Also, Haque felt that the additions of Rhiannon and Johnny "supply a lot of the grounded humanizing moments that really help the story stay grounded to the human condition, and not turn into a mindless sci-fi action-fest." However, Haque pointed out the "slightly campy feel" as well as technobabble as faults. The review ended with: "Best. Torchwood. Ever. Really, we mean it!" [29]

Mike Hale of The New York Times was more mixed in his review, noting that the mini-series pays tribute to the 1960 British sci-fi film Village of the Damned , and sums up by saying "Children of Earth is still good fun, if not good, exactly." [30] Hale also mentioned the problem with maintaining a 5-hour mini-series over 5 nights, a sentiment echoed by Los Angeles Times reviewer Robert Lloyd who felt that the format led to an inevitable lag in the middle. [31]

Not all reviews were positive. Jim Shelley of The Daily Mirror gave the mini-series an unfavourable review, commenting that "Torchwood is the modern-day Blake's 7 : ludicrous plot, hammy acting, an adolescent penchant for 'Issues'. This week's plot was plagiarised from 50s sci-fi classic, The Midwich Cuckoos . Contrary to its scheduling, Torchwood always seems to me like Dr Who lite." He went on to say that he felt a large part of the problem was with lead actor John Barrowman: "Unlike David Tennant's Doctor, Barrowman's endless appearances on friendly drivel like Tonight's the Night , The Kids Are All Right and Any Dream Will Do , is so over-exposed, 'Captain Jack' is about as intriguing or alien as a Weetabix and twice as irritating. Unlike Tennant, as an actor he is just not good enough." [32]

Fan reaction

The death of Ianto Jones in Children of Earth triggered protests from fans of the show, including the "Save Ianto Jones" campaign, which collected more than £10,000 for the Children in Need charity. [33] Other fans resorted to abuse and threats, causing writer James Moran to fire off an angry missive in a blog post. [34] Showrunner Russell T Davies made no apologies for the decision to kill off the character, saying, "I'm just delighted that the fans are so wrapped up in the character to have that reaction." [35] Writer John Fay, in executing Davies' vision, noted that Ianto's death was a means for the viewer to see the price of Jack's immortality and seeing those he cares for die around him. [36] Ianto's death led several fans to accuse the show's creators of subscribing to homophobic narrative conventions. [37] AfterElton, one of the websites critical of the decision, later published an opposing view that analysed the death in view of the character's earlier refusal to admit to his relationship, and claimed that, instead of being an expression of homophobia, the death was a sign that the LGBT community was leaving behind its image of victimhood. [38]

Awards

In 2010, Children of Earth won the BAFTA Cymru award for best drama series, [39] a Saturn Award for Best Television Presentation during the 36th Saturn Awards [40] and a 2010 Celtic Media Festival Award for best drama series. [41] It was also nominated for a GLAAD Media Award by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation for Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series during the 21st GLAAD Media Awards [42] and for a Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials. [43] Lead actress Eve Myles won the 'Best Actress" award in the SFX Reader's awards poll, [44] and was crowned best actress in the 11th annual Airlock Alpha Portal Awards. [45] Myles was also nominated for a 2010 BAFTA Cymru Best Actress award, [46] whilst John Barrowman made the shortlist of the 2010 TV Choice Awards, where he was up against Eleventh Doctor actor Matt Smith. [47]

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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Barrowman</span> Scottish-American actor, author, and singer (born 1967)

John Scot Barrowman is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his roles as Captain Jack Harkness in Doctor Who and spin-off Torchwood, (2006–11) and as Malcolm Merlyn in the Arrowverse (2012–19).

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 teenagers and adults, 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">Torchwood Institute</span> Fictional secret organization in the Doctor Who and Torchwood universe

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.

<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">Freema Agyeman</span> English actress (born 1979)

Freema Agyeman is an English actress. She rose to fame with her role as the Doctor's companion Martha Jones in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who (2007–2010) and its spin-off Torchwood (2008), and received further recognition for playing Crown Prosecutor Alesha Phillips in the ITV crime procedural Law & Order: UK (2009–2012), Amanita Caplan in the Netflix science fiction drama Sense8 (2015–2018) and Dr. Helen Sharpe in the NBC medical drama New Amsterdam (2018–2023).

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

Martha Jones is a fictional character played by Freema Agyeman in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its spin-off series, Torchwood. The show's first female black companion, she is a companion of the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who, after Rose Tyler but before Donna Noble. According to the character's creator Russell T Davies in his non-fiction book Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale, Martha was developed from the beginning with the intention of appearing for the whole of the 2007 series, and to later make guest appearances in subsequent series and crossover appearances in the show's two spin-offs; Martha subsequently made guest appearances in Torchwood series two and in Doctor Who series four in 2008 and special episode "The End of Time" in 2010. Martha was also intended to make guest appearances in the 2009 series of Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures, but could not due to the actress's other work commitments.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyberwoman</span> 2006 Torchwood episode

"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.

<i>Doctor Who</i> series 3 2007 series of Doctor Who

The third series of the revived British science fiction programme Doctor Who, and the twenty-ninth season of the show overall, was preceded by the 2006 Christmas special "The Runaway Bride". Following the special, a regular series of thirteen episodes was broadcast, starting with "Smith and Jones" on 31 March 2007 and ending with "Last of the Time Lords" on 30 June 2007. In addition, a 13-part animated serial was produced and broadcast as part of Totally Doctor Who.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Stolen Earth</span> 2008 Doctor Who episode

"The Stolen Earth" is the twelfth episode of the fourth series and the 750th overall episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 28 June 2008. The episode was written by show runner and head writer Russell T Davies and is the first of a two-part crossover story with spin-offs Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures; the concluding episode is "Journey's End", the finale of the fourth series, broadcast on 5 July.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lost Souls (Torchwood)</span> 2008 Doctor Who audioplay

"Lost Souls" is an original BBC Radio 4 audio play written by Joseph Lidster and is a spin-off from the British science fiction television series Torchwood, itself a spin-off from Doctor Who. It aired on 10 September 2008 in the Afternoon Play slot as part of Radio 4's Big Bang Day which celebrated the switching on of CERN's Large Hadron Collider that same day. Andrew Marr introduced the audio play live from CERN. An mp3 version of the audio play was freely available until 18 September, when the play was released on CD and as a purchasable download.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ianto's Shrine</span> Shrine in Cardiff

Ianto's Shrine is a shrine dedicated to the fictional character Ianto Jones, located in Cardiff, Wales. Established after the character's death in a 2009 episode of Torchwood, the shrine is visited by fans who often leave tributes in the form of notes, photos, flowers, and memorabilia.

References

  1. ↑ Sanders, James (30 June 2009). "Barrowman felt "punished" by Torchwood axe". Pink Paper. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  2. ↑ Millar, Paul (28 July 2010). "Davies: 'Torchwood surprised BBC One'". Digital Spy . Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  3. ↑ "Multichannel top 10 programmes (select BBC1, and week Jul 06 – Jul 12, 2009)". UK: Barb. Retrieved 25 February 2010.
  4. ↑ "Torchwood Magazine". Torchwood Magazine . November 2008.
  5. ↑ "Filming under way for new series of Torchwood" (Press release). BBC Press Office. 26 August 2008. Retrieved 26 August 2008.
  6. 1 2 "Torchwood Magazine". Torchwood Magazine . January 2009.
  7. ↑ "Stop All the Clocks". Torchwood Magazine (17): 32–37. September–October 2009.
  8. ↑ "NYCC 09: Torchwood Season 3 Details Revealed". IGN. 7 February 2008. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  9. ↑ Behbakht, Andy (11 May 2021). "Doctor Who: Why Martha & Donna Were Only Companions For One Season Each". ScreenRant. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  10. 1 2 Sepinwall, Alan (26 June 2009). "Russell T. Davies talks 'Doctor Who' & 'Torchwood'". New Jersey Star Legder. Retrieved 9 July 2009.
  11. ↑ Wilkes, Neil (7 February 2009). "Freema talks 'Doctor Who' return". Digital Spy. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  12. ↑ "Torchwood Magazine". Torchwood Magazine . December 2008.
  13. ↑ Jackson, Alan (10 January 2009). "I didn't get where I am today without... Lucy Cohu, 38, actress". The Times. London. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
  14. ↑ Simon Poland IMDb, accessed 31 August 2021.
  15. ↑ "The Official Site". John Barrowman. Archived from the original on 20 April 2009. Retrieved 30 April 2009.
  16. ↑ "Programme Information - Network TV BBC Week 27: Unplaced 2009" (Press release). BBC Press Office. 18 June 2009. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
  17. ↑ "Torchwood: Children of Earth Trailer gets UK/US Preview". BBC Online. 2 February 2009. Archived from the original on 9 February 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  18. ↑ Torchwood will light up BBC1 prime time, Western Mail, 14 August 2008
  19. ↑ "UKTV >> TORCHWOOD CHILDREN OF EARTH". Archived from the original on 24 October 2009. Retrieved 27 June 2009.
  20. ↑ "Torchwood: Children of Earth". BBC America. Retrieved 1 June 2009.
  21. ↑ ""Torchwood: Children of Earth" to air this summer over consecutive nights?". AfterElton.com. 10 January 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2009.
  22. ↑ Amazon.com Track Listing. Retrieved 2010-10-09
  23. ↑ Torchwood: Children of Earth (CD Booklet). Ben Foster. Silva Screen Records. 2009. SILCD1290.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. ↑ Archived 4 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 26 August 2009.
  25. ↑ "Torchwood: Children of Earth series three reviews". Metacritic.com. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  26. ↑ Martin, Daniel (11 July 2009). "Torchwood: Children of Earth: Day Five". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  27. ↑ Rawson-Jones, Ben (28 June 2009). "How good is the new 'Torchwood'? Find out!". Digital Spy. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
  28. ↑ Rawson-Jones, Ben (11 July 2009). "Torchwood's Final And Finest Hour". Digital Spy. Retrieved 11 July 2009.
  29. ↑ Haque, Ahsan (17 July 2009). "Torchwood: "Children of Earth" Review". IGN. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  30. ↑ Hale, Mike (17 July 2009). "Gay Heroes and a Reptilian Monster, from the BBC". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
  31. ↑ Lloyd, Robert (20 July 2009). "Review: Torchwood Season 3 on BBC America". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
  32. ↑ Shelley, Jim (13 July 2009). "Why Torchwood is the modern version of Blakes 7". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
  33. ↑ "Saving Ianto Jones". Archived from the original on 23 July 2012.
  34. ↑ James Moran. "the pen is mightier than the spork".
  35. ↑ "Torchwood"'s Russell T Davies Makes No Apologies — For Anything
  36. ↑ Caron, Nathalie (10 September 2010). "Torchwood Writer reveals the reasons why Ianto Jones had to die". SyFy. Archived from the original on 12 September 2010. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  37. ↑ "Buffy" Vs. "Torchwood": Which Did a Better Job Killing Its Gay Character?
  38. ↑ Death By "Torchwood": Captain Jack, Ianto Jones, And The Rise Of The Queer Superhero
  39. ↑ "Bafta Cymru success for Welsh TV at awards ceremony". BBC News. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  40. ↑ Wightman, Catriona (23 June 2010). "In Full: Saturn TV Awards 2010 - Winners". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  41. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  42. ↑ "21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards - English Language Nominees". Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. 2010. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
  43. ↑ Wightman, Catriona (1 August 2011). "In Full: TCA Awards 2010 - Winners". Digital Spy. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  44. ↑ "'Torchwood's' Myles named Best Actress". Digital Spy. 16 February 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
  45. ↑ "'Doctor Who' Dominates 2010 Portal Awards". Airlock Alpha. 1 August 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
  46. ↑ "Bafta Cymru Nominations" (PDF).
  47. ↑ "Doctor to battle Captain Jack at TV Choice awards". BBC News . 29 June 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
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.