Torchwood: Children of Earth - Day One

[angelophile]

Last night saw the return of Captain Reacharound™* and the rest of the Torchwood crew, promoted from BBC2 to mainstream BBC1 and chopped from an entire season to a short "five nights in one week" format. So, I guess it's Torchwood week this week. I shall celebrate by standing on a rooftop in a long coat and/or indulging in some ill-advised sodomy with work colleagues maybe.

So, Day One. Actually, this is the second episode of Torchwood called Day One. Does that make this Day Two? And if so, what will tonight's episode be called? Oh my goodness, confusion.

Anyway, Russell T Davis contributed the script for the Torchwood opener. I always find his work ethic interesting but his actual writing can veer from the sublime (Utopia, Midnight, The Stolen Earth, Turn Left) to the ridiculous (Last of the Time Lords, Partners in Crime, Planet of the Dead). His Torchwood stuff has also been full of excess and so it was pleasing that he toned that down for the first episode of this special run, for which I'd use the word I so often do in reviews - solid.

There were a few issues for me in that much of the plot and elements seemed recycled from other sources. It was all a bit "kinda John Wyndham-ism" or "kinda Quatermass-ish" or "kinda somthing-else-ish" (I'm being vague to avoid spoilers) with a Torchwood spin, but not enough that it all felt truly original.

However, it was the little moments and actor performances that lifted it. Ianto's scene with his sister was a little cliched but made endearing by Gareth David-Lloyd as he does his puppy dog eyes thing again. (He does that a lot, especially as Captain Reacharound™ appears to have developed commitment issues for drama™. Paul Copley (hey, it's Egg's dad from This Life!) impressed in his role and a number of other cast members gave good account of themselves, including the ever awesome Rhys.

Best of all was Peter Capaldi (who, admittedly, is a little hard to take seriously in a government role after The Thick of It) as mild-mannered and out-of-his depth civil servant Mr. Frobisher. His performance worked on every level, although there's still the slightly disconcerting matter of him looking just a little too much like that chap the Doctor met in Pompeii. Apparently RTD has an explanation in mind for this. Presumably, that he'll be revealed to actually be a time-travelling shape-shifter who favours the disguise of a penguin. I can hope.

A few issues in addition to the recycled plotlines - the extended 60 minute format didn't really do the episode a whole lot of favours as a stand-alone episode. The pacing will probably seem right across five hours, but I can't help but feel the story would have been better served by the standard 45 minute format and a bit of the dead wood trimmed in the process. There were clearly a few sections in the plot (although not hugely so yet) with a Martha shaped hole in them because Martha can't be there because she's on Law & Order UK her honeymoon and the new Home Office assistant is clearly a part meant for Tish Jones. Some of the humour, particularly, fell flat (the running joke about Ianto's car started to wear thin very quickly for example).

However, the Gavin and Stacey shout out early on was great. if only they'd got Rob Brydon in there somehow.

All that said, it was a solid start and some genuine surprises. (Well, one at least.) Has to rank as one of RTD's better episodes and whilst not startling, as part of a greater story arc it started well enough with a nice climax. Effectively it was a big set up episode, though, and dragged a little because of it.

*Credit to Mike for this nickname for Jack. Which I've shamelessly stolen.

Comments

[kirke-novak.livejournal.com]

I hadn't been really convinced about the format (5 eps in 5 days) but now that the drama is developing, I think it was a great idea.
I managed to stay away from spoilers, so I got, I think, about 5 major surprises in only the first episode.

I must admit though, I expected that The Government will be on the other side of the same fence but they are Just Evil. That Evil Chick! She's so Evil. Still, pretty BAMF-y. Mr. Frobisher is the one that is more of the "other side, same fence" type and I think we'll see him rethinking his position yet.

[angelophile.livejournal.com]

Yes, evil goverment chick is evil. It's a bit lame really. I mean how many secret government organisations do they need, though?

I love poor, sad, grey little Mr. Frobisher though. he's not evil, he's just... sad, banal and unhappy. And also a bit of a ruthless bastard. I think he's wonderful.