Welshrogue

Via Boing Boing

Via Boing Boing

Everyone in Torchwood has secrets, even Ianto. The problem is that he keeps his in the basement of the Hub and his secret is going to get out.

<SPOILER>

With references to the recent Dr Who series, Episode 4 of Torchwood shows a different side to Ianto. His girlfriend, who had worked at Canery Wharf during the Cybermen/Darleks battle is a half converted cyber(wo)man who Ianto still loves. He is trying to get her help to change her back into the girl he fell in love with but if that happened, then the episode wouldn’t be that interesting would it?

Episode 4 is Ianto’s coming out party. He gets to show a lot more emotion than he normally does and the team discover that he isn’t the quiet unassuming support person they think he is.

I have to admit it that the Cyber(wo)man is a pretty hot outfit, one that I hope is coming to a Halloween party near me soon!

</SPOILER>

Whilst chasing a suspect, Gwen touches an artifact that shows her the ghost
of a little boy wandering a train station. Owen then uses the object and
witnesses a murder that was committed 30 years previously.

<SPOILERS>

A very interesting concept, a way to view the past, gives this episode an
original plot. It is more of an Owen Harper showcase and you see that
there is more to the cocky doctor than just his attitude. He actually
becomes upset and emotional and decides to track down the murderer. Gareth
Thomas, Rog from the BBC series, Blakes 7, makes a guest appearance and
is very good and believable.

The episode asks how dangerous is it to be able to see not only the past
but the future but it doesn’t feel cheesy in the way it does it. After the
last episode with the sex monster alien, the only alien ‘stuff’ here is
the object that allows the holder to view a different time. Its a good old
murder mystery  with a twist.

</SPOILERS>

Gwen has a bad day at work, when while trying to fit in with an already close knit team, she accidentally releases a gaseous sex alien.

As Russell T Davies said in the Torchwood Declassified for this episode, if you are going to do an adult science fiction show, you have to have a sex alien!

<SPOILERS>

This is a fun episode, it doesn’t take itself too seriously yet still avoids everything falling apart into a farce. It does include some female on female lip locking as Gwen gets her first taste, as it were, of a
female possessed by an alien sex monster. The special effects in this episode really show how much money Torchwood has behind it. In a way, this episode is a simple story designed to let the viewer slowly enter the world of Torchwood after the last episode introduced the team.

As an aside, if you had to be killed by an alien, there can’t be many more enjoyable ways to go than in this episode.

Again, Torchwood seems to be pushing the limit to see what they can or cannot have in the series, swearing, sex, and references to sex all seem to be regular features of the show making this more like This Life than any other science fiction show you have seen!

</SPOILERS>

Since this is episode 1 and everything is new, then everything can be considered a spoiler, continue at your own risk.

<SPOILER>

WPC Gwen Cooper is called to a murder scene just as it is closed off so the members of Torchwood can take over. She sees what they do and decides to track down and find out more about the mysterious Torchwood.

This is the first episode of the spin off from Doctor Who so consider it an episode to introduce the main characters and set the scene for the following episodes. You only get one alien/creature, a little alien tech and a lot of explanations about Torchwood.

The main characters are WPC Gwen Cooper obviously as the one through who we discover Torchwood. The Torchwood team consists of Suzie Costello, Ianto, Doctor Toshiko Sato, Doctor Own Harper and their leader, Captin Jack Harkness.

They work from the Torchwood Hub, underneath the city of Cardiff, Wales. The Hub is built on a rift in time and space that runs through Cardiff. We also discover that Torchwood is an organization that is above the law, without control from anyone outside of it.

As Gwen finds out, Torchwood deals with aliens, artifacts left by the aliens, and anything else that falls under the category of strange.

Think of the X files meets This life and you will have a good idea of what Torchwood is all about. Set out as an adult science fiction show, the first episode provides hints of where the series will go with swearing, sex and alien tech. This isn’t your father’s Doctor Who by any means.

Torchwood feels modern and definately different from any other science fiction show out there. Definatly a show that is going to get a big following.

</SPOILER>

We all know Captain Jack (Harkness) is an outgoing sort of a chap. Well apparently so is the actor who portrays him. John Barrowman was recently (November) on the Jonathan Woss, I mean Ross show and here are the clips of him. Be warned, its funny!

Part One

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ru4xLTnvnM]

Part Two

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic72m9JRRdI]

Apparently Torchwood has an even larger following that first thought. May I present todays offering.

T.O.R.C.H.W.O.O.D. Fan Fiction 

which as the name suggests offers up not only information and discussions on Torchwood episodes, but also original fan written stories and ideas.

At last Wales has joined the ranks of France and Italy as countries of high design. Finally there is a (web)site that offers those proud Welsh the chance to show off their heritage with clothing.

The Red Dragonhood

At a time when Americans are clamoring to take a online course on Wales via The University of Rio Grande in Ohio, Russell T Davies is in everyone’s minds, and his products are on television everywhere with Torchwood and Dr. Who, now you can wear your heart on your T shirt!

One of the great things about DVD`s is that they often contain extra`s such as a gag reel, and behind the scenes featurettes. I for one enjoy seeing how the movie was made, and hearing the various cast members give their opinions on many different things. Pirates of the Caribean: Dead Mans Chest for instance has hours and hours of the stuff. It gives added value to a movie that perhaps wasn`t that great but still you want to own it.

The BBC and Russell T Davies in their infinite widsom have come up with something similar for their Doctor Who & Torchwood series. After each new Doctor Who episode there is a Doctor Who Confidential which lets the writers, the actors and other members of the crew take you inside the filming of that episode. With Torchwood, its Torchwood Declassified, and the same applies with cast and crew all chipping in with opinions and little nuggets of knowledge that the geek, I mean fan really wants to know.

How this can transfer to other shows I am not too sure. The BBC is lucky to have several channels where they can show the main episode on one channel and then on another channel afterwards show the behind the scenes show. In North America it would have to be one channel showing the series and then straight afterwards showing the behind the scenes episode.

I hope that other producers, and writers take up the challenge thrown down by the Beeb and Russell T Davies and come up with their own ways of giving the viewers some behind the scenes access for other series.