Torchwood – The Complete First Season (2007/BBC DVD)
Picture:
B Sound: B Extras: A Episodes: A+
The new Dr. Who has proven nothing short of
wonderful, and has been a great success for its producers at the BBC. Following up on that success is the spinoff Torchwood, detailing the adventures of
Captain Jack Harkness, an immortal adventurer who traveled with the good Doctor
and who now runs the quasi-governmental entity that forms the title of the
show. Torchwood's mission finds its
members hunting and collecting the strange technology left behind in the
aftermath of the Doctor's many clashes with the Earth's alien foes. They also do a fair job of encountering their
own unique alien visitors, and even manage to imprison a few in their facility.
Torchwood strikes an edgier, more
sexually charged tone than Dr. Who, but
features many of the same critical elements that make its parent show great.
Tight scripts, excellent casting, and wonderful location shots of England
(Cardiff, mostly) blend to make each episode a fast-moving sci-fi romp. John Barrowman is excellent as Harkness, and Eve
Myles is at once sexy and tough as ex-copper Gwen Cooper. Her character provides not only the moral
center of the Torchwood team, but as a late-comer, also lends a layman's
perspective to the weirdness the other team members seemingly accept without
question.
Did we mention the show has plenty of snogging (kissing)? It seems in one episode or another, everyone
gets a chance to do a little lip-wrestling. And when your lead character (Harkness) proves
to be equally interested in paramours of both sexes, things can and do get a little
wild. Beyond the physical aspects of his
relationships, Harkness can be deeply introspective, his character as complex
as any of the alien devices he seeks to protect. There is a deep and abiding sadness about him
that is explored and revealed as each episode builds toward the first-season
climax.
The extra edge of this show doesn't just manifest itself sexually. Barrowman's Harkness, and the rest of his
team, aren't afraid to blast aliens with conventional weapons or the more
exotic stuff found in their adventures. This
represents of a departure from the mostly non-violent approach taken by Dr. Who and his normal companions.
The box contains the requisite bevy of extras fans of the Dr. Who series have come to expect. Commentaries, documentary
pieces, and other extras abound. The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 picture and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound are both
solid from episode to episode and facilitate enjoyable viewing of the story and
action.
Although Dr. Who could never be
considered a kid's show, it is still mostly safe to watch with kids in the
room. Not so with Torchwood. It's sexy, gory,
and edgy enough to warrant sending the kids off to bed, but it still manages
plenty of moments of levity for all that snogging and shooting. "Everything
Changes" marks the show's tagline, one often quoted by Jack Harkness,
but the Russell T. Davies and his fellows at the BBC have remained as sharp as
ever with this snazzy spinoff.
- Scott R. Pyle
