Post by Slinky on Oct 2, 2008 3:44:44 GMT -5
Okay, I have remained silent on this one long enough. If you haven't been tuning in to Torchwood on BBC, you have been missing the best sci fi series on television.
Ah, I already know what your going to say. Many of you are going to say that Heroes is the best show, others will chime in with Battlestar Galactica, others may want to nominate one of the dozens of other fantasy related programs that is presently being aired on one of the hundreds of television channels out there today. I understand. All those shows are very good, without a doubt, but believe me, Torchwood has them all beat hands down. Now, I know that all of you naysayers out there, will be quick to point out the fact that this is a show made outside the good ol' USA, the show is filmed in the UK to be precise, and that generally British Sci Fi only appeals to those who have memorized every single Monty Python sketch. This is where you are wrong. In fact, I will put Torchwood, or Doctor Who for that matter, up against any contender you can throw out. I know that is a bold statement, but if you haven't been watching either of those shows, then you have missed the boat.
Big time.
Torchwood is a very mature, smart, and sexy sci fi series for adult fans. Think of it as a combination, X-Files, Doctor Who, Millennium, and Nip Tuck hybrid. The Characters are compelling, the story lines are well thought out, and sometimes it can scare the crap out of you. Torchwood delivers in all categories. Once you begin to watch, I guarantee you will be hooked.
Big fan of Russel T Davis’ work? I know I am. Well known for producing and writing Queer as Folk, he hit it big by picking up Dr Who after its 16 year long hiatus. Davis didn’t stop there. After Dr Who hit it big with the kiddies, he created a spin off called Torchwood staring Capt’n Jack Harkness who was first introduced in Dr Who’s The Empty Child.
So I guess you’re thinking; ‘what the crap is this girl ON. No way in hell is a sci-fi that good’. Well, I’m here to prove you wrong . And you don’t need to be a nerd to understand it.
So let’s back it up a tad, and explain where this spin off originate from. Torchwood is an organisation that defends planet earth from outside invaders. Of the alien kind. Their methods are often described as barbaric. There base is set up in Cardiff. Torchwood was first introduced in Dr Who as a very primitive base that collected space junk and analysed it. One visit from The Doctor later, they started to slowly evolve and decided to copy The Doctors methods of helping planet earth from unearthly invaders.
Capt’n Harkness was then introduced as a con-man- eg tricking Time Agents into selling them space junk by lying and saying it was really valuable then blowing up the evidence while taking off with half the profits.
Harkness can be described in one word-
Gor-geous
Just ask the other one billion squealing fangirls and boys. I’m sure they’ll tell you the same thing.
So Davis put two and two together. Bring Harkness to Torchwood. Harkness leads a group of four each as dysfunctional and quirky as Harkness himself. Gwen Cooper is the girl who tries to lead a normal life but is failing miserably. Dr. Owen Harper is the boy who really needs to watch his mouth. Toshiko Sato the gifted girl who needs to mind her own business and Ianto Jones is the middle man.
Each episode is amazingly well crafted. While Dr Who tends to focus mostly on aliens, Torchwood has a much more down to earth feel. Be it heart warming, or downright disturbing, Davis isn’t afraid to flaunt it for all it’s worth. Torchwood will make you stop and really think. As cliché as it sounds, Torchwood has something for pretty much anyone whose reluctant to watch a sci-fi.
Talking about it really won’t prove how amazingly well done this program it. You have to go out and watch it for yourself, then you’ll see what I mean