Bayliss has ok'd this thread now that Torchwood is spreading across the pond.

I'm hoping it's ok to make it a few days early in order to draw peoples attention to it, start general discussion etc. If not I expect Bayliss will mod-slap us (well...me).

For those that don't know Torchwood was the name used on the tapes during the UK run of Doctor Who Season 1, in an attempt to stop people nicking them for leaking onto the web.

Torchwood made its first on-screen showing during Season 2, where it was a UK government agency designed to capture and research alien technology. It was last seen at the heart of a battle between the Cyber-men and the Daleks. After the Doctor banished the Cyber-men and the Daleks back to void, the fate of Torchwood is unknown (although all the staff were pretty much dead/cyberised).

Torchwood starts on BBC America 9pm et/pt on Saturday 8th September.



Episode talk only here please. No spoilers.

(Also looking for ideas for the thread title!)

Hee - the title makes it sound like John Barrowman has put on weight and his arse is spreading ... although I suppose you could (and he certainly would) take it a different way.

First of all, I don't speak for TWOP, but I'm pretty sure it's entirely appropriate to start this thread a few days early. Even a couple of weeks early would have probably been fine, as besides the individual episodes themselves these "UK/US" pace threads also tend to talk about the show in general, and given the truly impressive amount of promotion BBCA has been giving the show, this thread is a good place to help build up some of the buzz BBCA is trying so hard to generate. (I don't know if this is true for everyone, but at least on my satellite service, ads for Torchwood are popping up all over the place, not just on BBCA. Some of these seem to be done by my satellite company as the voice over actually tells me which channel to turn to to get BBCA, but most of them seem like standard BBCA promos that BBCA itself bought time on other cable channels to air).

BTW, while Torchwood may have had it's first "on screen" appearance in Dr. Who S2 when PM Harriet Jones uses Torchwood alien tech to destroy the Scyroax (sp?) space ship in The Christmas Invasion, the first on screen mention of it was in the S1 episode Bad Wolf, when one of the questions in the Weakest Link parody is "The Great Colbalt Pyramid is built on top of the remains of what Old Earth institute?" and the correct answer was "Torchwood". I just happened to catch that the other day when I saw that episode again on BBCA (I think they were doing a Labor Day Who Marathon), and it surprised me as I don't remember ever seeing anyone here pointing it out as an early example of S2's recurring refference, or meme, or whatever.

Oh, and the thread title is fine, at least it makes more sense than the UK paced thread title, which seems to be a reference to a joke that was forgotten a long time ago. Some might suggest that since its the US thread we should use the US variant "ass", but I think I'd rather that people in the US all just start using the UK term "arse" in their daily conversations instead, as that's always somehow sounded a bit cooler to me anyway.

Ooh, thread titles:
Torchwood: On What The Ass Represents
Torchwood: The Transatlantic Arse
Torchwood: The Cop, The Captain, The Nerd, The Asshole and The Other One
Torchwood: A Dark and Gritty Reimagining of Scooby-Doo

I wonder why BBC:A's so gung-ho about Torchwood anyway. I mean, it's a fun show and all that, but I can't see it as reaching anything more than a niche audience in the States. Still, it'll be nice if it does well- we might have the amusing scenario of Torchwood getting higher ratings than Doctor Who.

I'm not sure that will happen, given that many more cable systems have SciFi than BBC-America (to get BBC-A, I'd have to get hella expensive digital cable). Which means I'll have to, um, creatively acquire it.

Robin Hood received the highest ratings BBC America has ever had. I'm guessing they hope to recreate that response with Torchwood.

Wins!

I applaud BBCA for promoting the hell out of it. AND ON OTHER CHANNELS. If SciFi had made any sort of similar effort to promote DW, I wouldn't have missed the beginning of each and every season of New Who.

And while it has been demonstrated that people can watch (and appreciate) Torchwood if they HAVEN'T watched DW, watching TW on BBCA while they simultaneously air S2 of DW could make your average American viewer's head explode.

I mean, I was considering writing up a "Torchwood Primer" for them what haven't seen Doctor Who. And it would go something like, "Actually, a very good introduction to Torchwood's backstory can be found if you watch "Christmas Invasion," which will conveniently be aired by BBCA immediately following Torchwood's premiere. Er, and I think they mention a battle which BBCA won't be airing until after the end of Torchwood's first season, although it actually took place before Torchwood starts. Uh, just go with it."

Thread titles:
"Torchwood: Is America ready for Welsh accents?"
"Torchwood: An Anagram for 'Cow Hotrod.'"
"Torchwood: Melrose Place -- with aliens!"

Yeah, I like that one too.

After the first epi shows on BBCA, I'll be here with bells on. Truly interested in the reactions of Left Side of the Atlantic viewers to the show.

Hee! Actually, I heard he did gain some weight during the filming of it, so you're probably correct (a bit) Prom.


I've noticed it too - and some seems to be "viral" and "subliminal" advertising similar to what they had done with Lost for awhile.


Also, they don't have the rights to air DW first in the US - that goes to SciFi. So, they suddenly have the ability to air a DW spin-off first, and it's something reserved more for the later-evening audience in the UK. So I can see where they would be interested in pushing it for those sole reasons. Plus, John Barrowman does have dual citizenship between the US and the UK.

If you have Comcast digital cable, go to the BBCA OnDemand page and you'll find some background footage, a wrap-up of Captain Jack on Doctor Who, and the first 35 minutes of the first episode of Torchwood.

That would be... bizarre. And yet, it almost seems plausible. If it happens, it will be entirely the fault of the Sci-Fi Channel, which seems to be treating Who almost as shabbily as TWOP is.



That is *really* surprising, given the low regard Robin Hood seems to be held in by the UKers in this forum. In fact, that would only make sense if 1) BBC-A actually has managed to vastly increase it's availability since the days of their first cult smash hit, the original UK version of The Office, and 2) It's largely a question of familiarity & recognition for US viewers: MI-5? What's that, some kind of British highway? Top Gear? Wasn't that a British Pop Music show from the 60's? But at least everyone knows what "Robin Hood" is supposed to be about.



Hee..., kind of makes you wonder what form this show would have taken if RTD had chosen *that* phrase to label early Doctor Who film cans. It so happens there is a high-tech vehicle the Torchwood team tools around in while on official business, and while "Torchmobile" would seem to be the obvious unoffical nickname for it, that's a tad predictable. I think I like "Cow Hotrod" better, if only for the "Huh?" factor.

"Torchwood: A Dark and Gritty Reimagining of Scooby-Doo"

Is winning for now...needs to fit "with more sex" in there somehow.

I'm afraid with can't get the "Something's moving in the dark" quote in, it's a bit spoilerish.

I think my favorite is "What The Ass Represents," but let's take the thread title change talk to the title suggestion thread, in Whimsy. If there isn't one, we need one. Either way, less board talk, more show talk please.

I watched the 35-minute excerpt, and I was surprised when it turned out not to be the whole episode. ("Torchwood Preview" really should have been a clue, though). I don't want to talk about the episode itself until it airs in full, but I just want to say that BBCA chose a very nice, logical cut-off spot.

They did -- and the preview went on for so long that I was almost convinced that it was going to be the whole episode. (Because my digital cable has "counting issues" and for weeks was telling me that they only had 24 minutes of Monk when they had the entire episode - other people may not have this issue.)

FWIW, it's on the most basic (aside from Family) DirecTV package, as well as the others. We're so far out in the boonies, cable isn't an option at all. ;) It's also about the same as the non-digital package around here. (You have to go up to Dish 200 to find it on Dish Network, though.)

I quite like the title you've given it thus far myslef. It made me giggle. I was lucky enough to see the entire series as it aired in the UK, and I can';t tell you how giddy I am to be able to see it finally on US Televison. I will definitely be purchasing the DVD set when it arrives for sale early next year. I get why it was passed on by Sci-Fi here in the US- they seem to be cancelling or passing on all the good shows & keeping those horrible d-list films instead. I was afraid we'd never get it, so yippee & hurrah for BBC America!

TimeWarner Cable has BBCA OnDemand as well, and I toured through all the Torchwood previews last night. I agree that the episode preview was well done, and had a logical (are you listening, Skiffy?) cut off point--of course, once I see it with commercials, I might be raging about the American butchering of UK-imported shows again. There's also the first Torchwood Confidential on there, but I don't know if it's a cutdown (a la the Doctor Who DVDs) or the full-length version. In addition, there's a "Who Is Captain Jack?" featurette that's basically an edit of all his relevant scenes from this entire DW S1 arc, mainly TEC/TDD and BW/TPotW, but it's a good way to catch people up.

Well, the DeClassifieds ran about 10 minutes (sometimes less, sometimes more) in the UK, so if that's how long it is, it's not cut. I don't have BBCA OnDemand (stupid Charter) so I can't check.

Nice review, from the Chicago Tribune.

Seven reviews so far on Metacritic:

http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/torchwood

Only the Newark Star-Ledger didn't like it.

another lovely review here.

There's so much to agree with, with the Newark Star-Ledger review:

Not to get all philosophical here, but I ask because I've just finished watching the first four episodes of "Torchwood" (Saturday at 9 p.m. on BBC America), the so-called "adult" spin-off of the new "Doctor Who" series, and I'm having a hard time figuring out why the new show gets tagged with the mature label and the original doesn't.

and this:

In the pilot episode, a Torchwood agent helps himself to an alien cologne that makes the wearer sexually irresistible to anyone who smells it, and when the attractive woman he picks up is followed by her angry boyfriend, he sprays him self again and invites the boyfriend to join them. (That this is UFO-assisted date rape never really comes up; it's just a cheap joke.)

and this:

Another episode features a variation on classic "Doctor Who" villains the Cybermen, this time featuring a beautiful woman who was only partially Cyber-ized -- the cyborg parts conveniently making it look like she's wearing a metal bikini and stiletto boots.

and this:

But despite having booty on the brain, "Torchwood" seems a much simpler, more juvenile piece of work than "Doctor Who." There are lots of ways to write in telligent, grown-up material about sex ... but "Torchwood" seems too pleased with its own daring for that. It's the kind of show that sniggers at itself as it moves along.

and this:

[Captain Jack] the character fit better as the third banana in the more cleaned-up universe of the original show. There he was a square-jawed hero type who was good at everything and yet completely likable for all his perfection (perhaps because he never apologized for it), a novel spin on a familiar archetype.

and this:

Outside of Jack and designated wet blanket Gwen, the other team members are largely cyphers through four episodes


There is much truth in this review! But I still find it very watchable. I'm surprised that there have been so many positive reviews for it in the States but I'm glad there have been.

Wonder how the Canadian press will react to it in October?

I wonder if the Star-Ledger reviewer is a regular poster on OG - his anti-TW sentiments are almost verbatim the same as the anti-TW brigade's over there.

All the other press is very positive though, and combined with the promotional push by BBCA will get TW at least noticed and hopefully help not get totally lost among the glut of network Fall TV shows coming up.

No idea, cyberducks, but the bits I pulled out are stuff we've complained about in the pinned TW thread.

I am glad that there are so many positive reviews, though. I hope it'll be a huge hit on BBCA, and on CBC in October. Won't be at all surprised, though, if us Canadians get screwed over again, with a long wait in December/January because of Christmas programming, etc.

I was going to suggest he's been reading the UK version of this thread, as he seems to pretty much directly quote some of the very same complaints about the show that some over there have latched onto. (and I was kind of hoping to see whether or not the great Owen "Date Rape" question would even come up here naturally of it's own accord and become a bone of contention).

I'm also surprised that all of the other reviews have been so positive; the show really doesn't seem to have a very American sort of mindset (despite being pretty blatantly influenced by American shows like Buffy/Angel & The X Files), I was expecting more critics to not quite know what to make of it.

You know, I have to say, I also noticed a certain similarity to most of these reviews, even though they were often written in very different styles. They all seemed to hit many of the same points, even include many of the same quotes from the show. I know that BBC-A has had a pretty extensive promotional campaign going for Torchwood, and unlike certian other channels that have been known to air RTD produced British Sci-Fi shows, BBC-A seems to know what the hell they're doing. I'm assuming all these critics probably got a press kit that highlights the points BBC-A is hoping they'll cover, I'm a little surprised at how closely it feels like some of them seem to be following it.

Yes, BBC-A gave out press kits that has a synopsis of the show with short summaries of each episode, bits of trivia, character descriptions, excerpts from British reviews, and an interview with John Barrowman along with a DVD of the first four episodes. Many of the reviewers are using this information in their reviews. The press kit has the photo with all six members of the Torchwood team, by the way, not the four that is on all the ads now (how can they leave out Ianto?).

Torchwood: "Everything Changes" Advance Review (pilot spoilers).



This is true. I've never got into Dr Who but Torchwood totally works for me.

Well. That was dark. Really, really dark.

I shouldn't think of this as a DW spinoff, but rather as Men In Black run by the omnisexual guy who ran with the Doctor for a few episodes. "Bisexual" my arse...I'm surprised Jack didn't drop trou and offer to give the Daleks the time of their lives at the Gamestation. "EXTERMINATE EXTER-...PENETRATE! PENETRATE!!!"

It was an interesting episode, though Gwen should've figured that a. Jack would have some sort of Neuralizer; in this case, a roofie colada that gives him the excuse to say "retcon," and b. Torchwood could wipe out her computer, so she could have written the stuff down on paper. At least that's what I would've done.

ETA: A round of applause for Rose "Bad Wolf" Tyler for turning Jack into a guy version of Claire Bennet. I'd suggest he'd get his own Mr. Muggles, but he might end up having sex with it.

I liked it. Well enough to watch again, at least.

Should I feel insulted that BBC America keeps telling me where to find the closed-caption button on my remote? Heh.

Agh, the trappings of the "Introductory" episode made it kind of hard for me to enjoy it. It was likable, and I'm sure the next few episodes are what's going to put it to real test. And did the "That must be someone in an alien costume, I'll walk right over to him!" guy never see a sci-fi/horror movie or tv show before? He deserved to die with that kind of attitude.

Blood! They showed blood!
And not just any blood; deep red spurting blood.
Cool.

I also think I met someone once all spritzed up on alien cologne.
That's my excuse, at least.

I just had beer come out my nose!

I watched it with my parents. I didn't think I would, but I prepped them with some Graham Norton and S1 DW Jack eps, and of course told them that Jack is the definition of "Sexual Innuendo."

I like the show, obviously or I wouldn't be here. I found that it kept my attention more than DW does on Sciffy, and probably because of the commercial cuts being placed differently (and it helps that they use the mini-credits to cut to them - although I don't have to be reminded of what show I'm watching as my remote will do that for me just by pressing a big button).

There was a lot of things that they showed that I didn't think they would, especially with a TV-14 rating. Owen's man-on-man snog, the squirting blood, Suzie shooting herself, and I think there were a few other things. The cuts weren't as obvious as Sciffy does with DW, which is good.

Actually, it's a shame Suzie did shoot herself, because that would be a character I'd love to see. I have seen the rest of the season and won't comment on that yet, but I loved her dynamic in this. There's this human quality to her, and yet an alien detachment that's just intriguing to watch, and probably just as intriguing to act and write. Of course, in a show where the lead "cannot die," who really knows what the next few seasons has in store for us with Suzie (beyond S1)?

And I really thing RTD did a pretty good job at introducing us to the world of Torchwood via Gwen. Where DW uses the companion to show us the world of the Doctor, TW is using Gwen in Ep 1 to do the same and slowly reel us in. And it felt real because of it - not imposed or fake or anything else. We were there asking the same questions, seeing the same sights, and wondering all along.


I know this is off topic, but I know that voice from somewhere too and I can't figure out where.

Oh, and I have to add that I love watching these shows on BBC A - this network was my first introduction to DW last year, and it was fun trying to catch up on S1 and S2 together on the two networks, Wikipedia, and here. Great way to watch.

I'm interested enough to keep watching. It's nice for a TV show to have a secret alien-studying organization staffed not by sinister, soulless experts, but by fallible people who are in way over their heads.

Although...

I do hope the makeup artist is kinder to the lead actress in future episodes. I thought the heavy, pale foundation and the racoon eyes seriously detracted from the police uniform. Was the crew using one of Bille Piper's old makeup plots?

Also, nothing in the episode itself scared me quite as much as that Heinekin commercial.

I read the IGN review and saw the picture - nothing like having multiple angles on the shadows there. Here's a direct link if anyone into photography wants a closer look. What is going on in it?

Also, Eve Myles was just as pale in her DW guest appearance in S1 (Gwyneth the maid in the Dickens ep).

And can I say how much I love British police uniforms?

arizonamyre said


I actually thought it was Graham Norton - since he had his show w/ David Tennant in the middle of the mix, it made sense.

Kudos to BBCA for their commercial cuts - much more savvy than SciFi.

And I enjoyed TW. The Star Ledger thought that Owen's "perfume" trick was a cheap joke? I thought it tied nicely into the glove idea - these people have access to technology that starts to make them feel "above" and CJ believes that they put it down at the end of the day. Susie becomes a killer (just to perfect her resurrection technique) and Owen's doing chemical date rape. Which is not a joke, cheap or otherwise. Tosh may be more benign - speed copying books, but they have all succumbed to temptation. Wait - did the waiter guy (forgot his name) take anything? None of the others' hands are clean, and flawed characters are more fun in my little world.

I hope we get more info about how CJ got back in time to Earth from Satellite 5. Interesting to know he can't die, and I'm spoiled enough to know that he has more interaction with the Doctor, and I'm hoping it's as fun as the last time.

Edited b/c "he" is never quite as clear as a name.

But then, I'd expect any competent Shadowy Secret Organization to break in while she was asleep and confiscate any written documentation. Of course even if they had, they might well have missed the single word "Remember" written on a brochure for the Millennium Plaza. (BTW, the author of one of the reviews of this show seemed to think the Millennium Plaza was some sort of apartment complex)



I think the Pterodactyl fills the role of Mr. Muggles on this show, which is not to say it's necessarily safe from Jack's advances.



Hey don't knock it, after the episode I stuck around to catch David Tennant on the Graham Norton Show, where they chatted a bit with those creepy Proclaimers twins, and if it wasn't for the CC I'd have never even suspected that what the Proclaimers were speaking in was supposed to be any form of English at all.

I also thought that as an "introductory", "meet the characters, have a look at our cool set, listen as we explain the premise" episode it felt a bit empty. There was no real major monster-centered story at all, just a quick introduction to the Weevil and a murder mystery subplot that barely takes up 10 minutes of the show. But if this ep. is really all about atmosphere & mood, it at least does a pretty good job of it. It was nicely dark & ominous, and I think BBC-A might have actually done the show a favor with their editing by cutting out some of the more excessive unnecessary "Google Earth" eye-view aerial pans of Cardiff and shots of Cap'n Jack standing on the roof edges of tall buildings for no discernible reason (other than to show that someone on the show is a big fan of Wings Of Desire)

I couldn't help but giggle just a bit at our first sight of Torchwood, the super-secret shadowy Special Ops mystery organization, as they come rolling up in their big-ass tricked out SUV with flashing lights all over and playing loud bad techno music to announce their arrival.

And although I was of course aware of the fact, it's still a bit of a culture shock to actually see that in the UK ordinary beat cops don't carry guns and so when confronted with a dangerous situation such as coming face to face with a monster or having someone pull a gun on them, they apparently have no recourse but to stand there and cry.

Heh. Although 'heh,' doesn't do much to express how funny I found this.

It was hard to find y'all! I enjoy Doctor Who, but I'm hit or miss with it, so I haven't been able to keep up with the forums.

I did enjoy this a lot, though I'm glad I taped it, so that I can see it again. Will it hurt my knowledge/enjoyment that I'm not as up on Doctor Who as I'd like to be? I don't think so from this first episode.

I enjoyed the show. Certainly enough to watch it again.

I loved the reversal of Gwen walking into Torchwood and seeing all the oh so serious people at their mysterious duties only to have them crack up and admit they are messing with her (and us). Very funny.

I liked the way they alluded to DW in Jack's remark about finding the "right kind of doctor" to explain his immortality. And did anyone think the hand in the jar was the one Ten lost in TCI? I'll bet anything that's where they got it.



That bit makes me laugh. Every. Single. Time.



No, the voice is John Oliver. You can see him (here in the States) often on The Daily Show with John Stewart. He is very funny.

edited because Flaregun is more observant and because her and here are so very different.

It's amazing how much those little bumpers help ease the transition into a commercial where there was never meant to be one. Of course, coming back from the commercials is still a bit awkward, but it's true that BBC-A is way better than Sci-Fi at inserting commercials into shows that were not made with commercials in mind, which I guess is only to be expected. In fact, between that and their effective promotion, I'm really starting to wish they'd manage to get themselves included in more basic cable packages so the channel would be available to everyone, and then convince Sci-Fi to drop Doctor Who so they could broadcast the latest first-run episodes in America themselves (and then maybe somehow get the rights to the new season of Battlestar Galactica in the bargain, although I suppose that wouldn't really make much sense). It's just hard to respect yourself watching Sci-Fi with all those insesent ads for grade-z Giant CGI Reptile movies. Sure, BBC-A might be full of ads for Hotel Babylon and How Clean Is Your House, but they have English accents so they're classy.



Gotta say I'm not lovin' that checkered bowler hat, it just looks like she's about to join a chorus line of similarly attired policemen and break into in a Bob Fosse Broadway dance number. I do really like those illuminated badges though, in a strange way it's more futuristic looking than anything Torchwood itself has.




The "waiter guy"'s name is Ianto. It's Welsh (in fact I believe it's Welsh for "Jeeves"), and don't worry, we'll see what alien tech he's been squirling away soon enough, God help us. And whatever you might think about Owen, I just can't really get behind the whole "date rape" accusation of him here. After all, he's pretty much just sprtizing himself with Axe Body Spray, ...if that Axe crap worked the way it does in the commercials. And don't sugarcoat it, Tosh's choice of stolen office supplies is just plain lame. A high-speed scanner that can copy an entire book onto your computer in three seconds? Isn't Hewlett-Packard coming out with one of those in another 6 months or so?



Ah, the vagrancies of spelling; one dropped letter and you've made John Oliver a woman whenever s/he's in America. And yes, she is extremely funny on TDS, in fact she just might be the best correspondent that show's had since Stephen Colbert.

I think it's actually Welsh for "John". And with Jones being as common as Smith, so basically it's kind of like "John Smith".

Upon rewatch, I still loved the feel and tone of the show and several of the characters intrigued me, but I had found Gwen pretty annoying at the start and that unfortunately didn't change on rewatch. It's still a very fun ride, though.

And by doing that, he's forcing her "No" into a "Yes", it's not a free choice for her. That's why I see it as rape. YMMV.

I agree the show is very watchable, and yes, still can't stand Gwen. I'll watch it on CBC in October and see what's cut out up here.

Oh! John Oliver. Of course. Thanks!

Er... As an introductory episode, I, personally, found it outrageously slow. Although, yeah, great for mood setting. But I wondered if it seemed as outrageously slow for the people who didn't already know Torchwood and Captain Jack from Doctor Who. For those of us who did, though, it was a lot of "get on with it, already." IMHO and all that.

And no matter what you say about BBCA's commercial cuts on this, I thought their cuts on Christmas Invasion were criminal -- so I really can't get on board the whole "they do commercial breaks better than SciFi" bandwagon.

I didn't find the pacing that bad, myself. A little odd, maybe; but I think that's just my not knowing the show's particular rhythms yet. I'll give it another couple of episodes, at least.

BBCA did cut Christmas Invasion brutally, but the cuts did make sense. I haven't seen a side-by-side or anything like that, but if they had to slash it down to an hour (including commercials imploring me to sell the gold someone thinks I have lying around or the timeshare someone thinks I have but don't use), I'd say they did a decent job -- as much as I hate that they cut the entire Christmas dinner/wardrobe selection scene. They sacrificed characterization; SciFi excises plot.

I could have sworn that, while John Oliver does a huge chunk of the closed-caption spots, Eric Idle did some of them as well. I'm almost as bad at voices as I am at faces, though, so don't anyone go asserting that without checking it first!

And I'm glad I wasn't drinking anything when I read that Captain Jack/Mr. Muggles comment.

My impression was that Tosh was using her device to read the books incredibly quickly.

I actually like that Tosh chose to use her illicit alien tech to gain knowledge. She reminds me of Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus near the beginning of the play, when still in the first stage of corruption. Faustus (bless his nerdy heart) uses his illicit hell-tech to get Mephistopholes to bring him a whole bunch of books and then quizzes his new servant about astronomy. Of course, Faustus then goes on to use his otherworldly power for ends that are more frivolous (Owen) and malign (Susie), and eventually, despite periodic efforts to repent, he gets dragged down into hell (Susie? And who knows who else). But in the meantime he is unkillable (Jack). There is a great scene in Act 4 where Faustus gets his head cut off onstage and appears to die - then he regenerates it and rises, which really freaks out his murderers, who are still holding the severed one. Hee. Am I wrong to hope for a scene like that on Torchwood?

(By the way, Faustus repeats his getting-a-limb-cut-off-and-regrowing-it trick later in the play, leading to the great line "Oh horrible! Had the Doctor three legs?" - which reminds me of our Doctor and his three hands.)

I need to stop before this tangent gets out of hand. The sixteenth century is when everything changes...

Anyway...I like Tosh.

I happened to just now catch a rebroadcast of this, and I was indeed shocked by what was cut. But then I realized, this was apparently an hour-long edit of the special (with commercials) to make it fit into a standard episode time slot, while the Sci Fi version ran an hour & a half. As a very extreme, severe edit, I thought it was at least amazingly coherent, to someone who didn't know any better it would look like it was complete and with nothing missing. When you're dealing with syndication it's just an unavoidable problem with these extended, odd length "special" episodes: everything simply *has* to come out to a standard-length hour long episode, and the only two ways to do that are to either chop the episode to the bone, or spit it up into two hour-long episodes, and since TCI was just about one full hour without commercials, there just wasn't nearly enough material to do the latter. I'm sure someone will still dig out the full 90-minute full version to play around Christmas time, although I suspect it will only be Sci-Fi that has the rights to that version.

As for the first episode being "slow" or, as I described it, rather "empty" of any real compelling story, I think that was in some ways deliberate. This episode really played largely like a Torchwood orientation film, and it's probably no accident that next week's ep. is entitled "Day One", as an indication that that is when the real Torchwood adventures begin.

Anyway, now that the episode's aired, can someone tell those of us without that Comcast digital preview thing what the cut-off point of the "preview" of the episode was that everyone thought was so effective?

ETA:

That is really interesting, Flipote. I'm not familar with that specific version of the Faust story, but from what you describe it sounds like there might be some very real, intentional parallels going on. I don't recall anyone really mentioning it before now, but I'm thinking that I just might have to keep the idea of a "Faustian bargain" in mind as I watch the season play out again. Hmm...., *very* interesting...,



Seems to me like we got something fairly close to it tonight, with Jack rising up again and the bullet hole in his forehead healing. If you insist on an actual full-on head regeneration, there's always that scene from the movie Men In Black...,

I have to join the chorus of "I like it"s. Gwen wasn't that terrible in my mind. She is pretty and not entirely stupid just not as clever as she should be about "special ops stuff".
The parts that really worked well were any with Captain Jack since he is played with a kind of charismatic cheekiness that works. I'm hoping that he is not the only one on the show with a personality.

Gwen seems to be some sort of guide for the team. She has not defined her life as "torchwood" so at least thinks of the ramifications of their work for people. That's good but she better not be too boring.

As for the woman who killed herself, I like how her goal was being able to grant immortality since that tied in nicely with what Jack is trying to escape from.

No. I saw the entire season of Torchwood without having seen a single DW, and loved it so much I was even convinced to give DW a try despite thinking it looked silly (and I'm so glad I did).