Also Days 871, 873, and 875. Yes this one got complicated. In my desire to watch everything in the order it was broadcast I've caused myself a bit of a headache for the blog. The last four episodes of this Torchwood season were broadcast at the same time as the second of season 6 of Doctor Who (or season 32 if you want to be pedantic) meaning that this gets a bit confusing. Anyway enough of that. It's time to talk about the final season of Torchwood!
Attempting to follow on from the success of the last season, Torchwood again tackles one single story spread across the entire run of episodes. The story in this case being, what would happen if everyone suddenly stopped dying. It's an interesting idea and over the 10 episode of this season the various repercussions are explored.
With only Jack and Gwen surviving from the previous series, it's also time for some fresh blood for the Torchwood team and these come in the form of Esther and Rex from the CIA (that's the American Central Intelligence Agency, not to be confused with the Celestial Intervention Agency on Gallifrey!). I really liked these two characters and it's fun to see them spark off the old Torchwood gang. Saying that there was one particular episode where it got a little tiresome to hear constant jokes about things like crisps vs chips or mobile phone vs cell phone etc.
There are some fairly gruesome scenes in this season as well. Considering people are not dying but still getting sick or injured then this leads it moments where normally someone would be dead but are still very much alive despite the fact they are only half a body for example! Immortality would seem a good thing but when you still get old and sick etc then really it's more of a curse.
The guest cast for this season is really impressive. I particularly need to mention Bill Pullman (yes, the president from Independece Day!) who plays a great character, Oswald Danes, a convicted poedophile and murderer who was due to be executed. Luckily for him the day of this execution is also the day the "miracle" begins and so he survives the lethal injection. Throughtout the season he has moments where you believe he genuinely feels sorry for his actions and that he's not all bad but really it seems to be all a ploy and really he is rotten to the core.
Whilst this season certainly has some interesting ideas in it I can't say its as good as Children Of Earth. I think the main problem with it is simply it's too long. The story is to thinly stretched over the 10 episode run. This results in some fairly weak episodes. I think it's episode 2 which focuses pretty much entirely on Gwen and Jack on a plane to America. Whilst there is some jeopardy introduced int he fact that Jack is one the only mortal man on the planet and whilst he's on the plane he is poisoned, it just feels a bit like padding to me.
Also the reveal of what caused the miracle also seems a little bit of a let down and it isn't really explained in a satisfactory manner. I was left scratching my head a little I'm afraid.
So that is that. The final episode of Torchwood that I will watch on this quest of mine. Yet another chapter has come to a close as the final end approaches!
No comments:
Post a Comment