***SPOILER WARNING***
This article contains spoiler information about Day Five of the miniseries. Don’t continue reading if you don’t want to know what happens.

Torchwood continues to go from strength-to-strength following the recent airing of its third season, a mini-series aired over five nights on BBC America entitled Children of Earth. Following the Torchwood team’s closest brush with catastrophe yet, creator Russell T. Davies talked with Entertainment Weekly’s Michael Ausiello to discuss the death of a much-loved character, and the show’s future prospects.

Day Four of Children of Earth saw the death of Ianto Jones, who began as a butler-type character but became increasingly important as the show progressed. The character gained somewhat of a cult following, down to Gareth David-Lloyd’s boyish good looks and Ianto’s quick-fire quips and interaction with John Barrowman’s Captain Jack. With all that said, why did Davies risk alienating (no pun intended) a large proportion of the female fanbase? Simple, really. “The threat to the world was just so great it simply would have been unlikely if everyone had survived,” he says. “Poor Ianto was defeated by a greater evil, I'm afraid.”

Far from being intimidated by the fans that are eager for his blood, Davies claims to be glad that there has been such a strong reaction, “because they’re that involved. But if you can’t handle drama you shouldn’t watch it.” And for those who’ve indeed decided that they will no longer tune into one of the BBC’s flagship shows? “I recommend they go watch Supernatural, because those boys are beautiful,” Davies jokes.

Death seems particularly prevalent in the Torchwood universe at the moment. First, Toshiko Sato, the team’s technological genius, was shot by Jack’s brother Gray. Then, medic Owen Harper perished in a nuclear meltdown caused by the same man. The tragic death of Ianto, Gwen’s departure to have her baby, and Jack’s mysterious disappearance into the star-strewn sky has led fans to wonder how a fourth series could be possible. Davies is hopeful, however. “I’m fairly confident [it will continue] in some shape or form. I’m kind of excited what we’ll do next,” he says. He cannot see a Torchwood without its lynchpin, Captain Jack Harkness, however. “[Captain Jack is] absolutely fundamental to Torchwood,” Davies reassures.

What did you think of Torchwood: Children of Earth? Have we seen the last of Torchwood 4, or is there still life left? And how did the death of Ianto Jones affect you?

Source: Ausiello Files

Russell T Davies Talks Torchwood: Children of Earth

Aliens are coming back to Earth after abducting a bus full of children in 1965. Oh, and the Hub just exploded with Captain Jack Harkness still inside. Must be Tuesday.

Never fear, because anyone who watches Torchwood knows that Jack can’t stay dead. Not only that, but both Gwen and Ianto have managed to escape the explosion and the subsequent attempts on their life by the evil Agent Johnson. One of the rare moments of comic relief in this series comes when a PC on the scene of the Hub explosion continues to insist that he knows Gwen Cooper and she’s not a terrorist…even all the way in the van to raiding her flat. Gwen grabs her ever-loyal husband Rhys (the much underappreciated Kai Owen) and the two wisely flee Cardiff Bay, but not before getting a call from Ianto so they know he’s alive. Rhys puts up with way more than any sane man should, God bless him, and he’s getting the hang of this. Looks like he’s about to become the unofficial fourth member of the band.

Gwen and Rhys flee the city hiding on a produce truck, during which she breaks the news to him that she’s pregnant. He is, of course, overjoyed.

Meanwhile, the 456 have sent instructions to Home Office lackey Frobisher and his people to build them their own facility. I want to see that at Home Depot. Frobisher’s wife is getting really tired of all his BS, and he says there’s nothing to worry about, which of course means there’s everything to worry about. He and the Prime Minister state the obvious: Jack Harkness doesn’t die easily, and people are going to start asking questions about the aliens’ previous escapades. Trusty new assistant Lois gets to work to hear about the bomb, and uses her new boss’s ID to quickly connect the dots between Torchwood and the big boom. Unfortunately, or perhaps for the sake of exposition, she then starts asking questions and is promptly told no one wants to hear it.

Later, Gwen tries to set up a meeting with Frobisher, but gets Lois instead, who tells her and Rhys that Frobisher is the one who ordered the assassinations. She has also managed to figure out that Jack is still alive, and researched where, plus set up a meeting. Yes, she is that crafty. Yes, this is probably your new member of Torchwood.

Ianto turns up at what remains of the Hub looking for Jack, only to see the bag of pieces formerly known as Jack loaded into a private ambulance which is also big and black. He’s smart enough to write down the license plate number, and also smart enough to slip a card to his sister in her husband’s morning racing form. The kids are smart enough to figure out that the big grey sedan outside is full of bad guys and the house is bugged, so Ianto’s sister’s husband goes on a fake tear to distract them while Ianto’s sister reads the card and finds out where to meet him. You have to hand it to the Torchwood writers: these characters are using their heads, and not just stumbling around for drama’s sake.

In order to allow Ianto’s sister to escape out of the house undetected, her husband and a bunch of the neighborhood kids go attack the car outside and scare the crap out of the thugs therein. Apparently their juvenile delinquency comes in handy for something. Ianto’s sister meets him at a local park, and he’s forced to explain to her what it is he actually does. At least she doesn’t totally flip out before he borrows her laptop and her car.

The Bag of Pieces Formerly Known As Jack Harkness gets shipped to a remote location which is of course all grey and mostly concrete because it looks cooler that way or something. Slowly and quite painfully (and incredibly gory, but what did you expect?) it re-forms itself into the man we know and love. Cue the obligatory naked Barrowman, before Agent Johnson decides if she can’t kill him, she’ll just go Han Solo on him – and fills his cell with concrete, effectively entombing him alive (shades of the end of season two, anyone?).

Gwen and Rhys sneak into the compound to break Jack out, but are quickly cornered by Agent Johnson and her big army of minions. Just when you think all is lost, the coolest thing in the world happens. Ianto breaks into the place with a forklift. A FORKLIFT. Really, how awesome is that? He literally picks up and rips out the Big Concrete Box Formerly Known As Jack Harkness (and the wall), and Gwen and Rhys jump on the forklift along with it. Everyone makes a narrow escape.

They take the Big Concrete Box to a quarry and drop it off a cliff to shatter it open, thus resurrecting Jack. Cue more naked Barrowman, in full rear view. Allow me to take a moment to appreciate that.

Oh and by the way, the 456 are coming tomorrow. Frobisher has built their Home Depot box in a room at Thames House, and all there is to do is wait.

What do you think? How scary are the 456 really going to be? How cool is it that you can beat bad guys with a forklift? Sound off below.

Torchwood: Children of Earth Part 2 Recap

When last we left the Torchwood team, they were still reeling from the deaths of two of their own and the return of their leader’s now-vengeful younger brother. The four radio plays in between have helped us whet our appetite but if you’re like me, you’ve been waiting with bated breath for the new season of BBC America’s top-rated import. Wait no more, as tonight begins a controversial five-night mini-season that will change the franchise forever.

If you’ve been watching BBC America for five minutes over the last two months, you know the general premise: all the children on the planet Earth stop at random intervals, announcing as one the arrival of a fearsome alien entity known only (and oh how creatively) as the 456. Meanwhile, the members of Torchwood are being hunted down by the British government as their past catches up with them. Anyone want to guess whose?

We start our tale in 1965, when a bunch of kids are on a school bus in the middle of nowhere at the middle of the night. They get out and are herded toward a big, bright light, and subsequently disappear while a lone unidentified man looks on. Worst. Field trip. Ever.

This leads directly into a big white title card and the familiar few notes of the former Torchwood theme. Gone are the opening explanatory narration by John Barrowman and the opening montage…I suppose they figure if you’re watching the show, you probably know all of that by now. It was clunky, but I liked it! (Okay, I just sort of liked listening to Barrowman talk. I admit it.) The credits now roll over the first few minutes of the show, echoing an emerging trend in television: saving a little time by scrapping the opening credit sequence. Sports Night didn’t have one, Eli Stone didn’t really have one, and now Torchwood doesn’t either. Personally, I think it’s a smart creative decision. We can now watch the credits roll while Russell T. Davies’ favorite character, ex-cop Gwen Cooper, is wondering what the heck is up with the kids of Cardiff. She’s not the only one to notice: in the kitchen of top Home Office aide John Frobisher, his kids aren’t moving either. Neither is Steven Carter, the son of Alice Carter. And if you think she looks like someone, you’re right… The only person other than the children to experience this two-minute freeze is Clem MacDonald, an elderly gentleman committed to an asylum. What does he have to do with it? Well, he was a child in 1965, of course! You didn’t think that flashback was there for nothing?

While Gwen is wondering what’s going on with the children, Jack and Ianto are at a local hospital removing an alien from a dead guy. They lie through their teeth, saying they were the deceased gentleman’s neighbors; they particularly enjoy highlighting that yes, they’re a couple. This is possibly just to confuse the crap out of attending doctor Rupesh Patanjali, who stumbles upon them removing the alien and figures out they’re Torchwood. He later approaches Jack and Ianto with a sob story about disappearing bodies, which Jack at first brushes off but begins to reconsider. I remain convinced John Barrowman preens without even trying. He may be overacting just a little, but come on, it’s Barrowman. It’s part of the fun. And I have to say, “smart alec” looks good on Gareth David-Lloyd. (Even if their relationship in this episode seems more frosty than romantic, or maybe that’s just me. As if adding some violins to the moment where Jack makes the deadpan remark that he hates the word “couple” is supposed to make us fawn over it. I’m not even an ardent fan of the pairing, and I think that’s messed up.)

Torchwood: Children of Earth "Day One" - Recap

Torchwood : Children of Earth is the 3rd season and the third incarnation of Russell T Davies' Doctor Who spin-off show. With the third series, comes a new added impetous as Torchwood has moved to the BBC's main channel, BBC One. Over three seasons, Torchwood has never stayed on one channel, moving from premiering on the digital-only BBC Three for the first, and BBC Two for the second. With each series has come a slight reinvention of the product. Season One began by resembling several shows, its own parent show for one, and whilst it had its moments of quality, seemed to some like a family TV show with added adult content simply for the sake of it, leading to the Torchwood team sometimes being mocked as the "Scooby Doo Gang" on internet forums and blogs.

Season Two began by bringing more of the same, but as the season evolved the show began to find more adult themes that felt meaningful, and less like adult themes being injected into a family show. With characters being killed, brought back to life, and stories given to them that had meaning, depth and sometimes, incredible power.

Season Three's move to BBC One gave the show new pressures. No longer was it to be considered a secondary show on the BBC, but given a marquee slot on the main channel. The cost of this, and certainly a worry for the fans, was that the season was being shortened to five one-hour long episodes with a concurrent story. This worried many fans worldwide, wondering how the show would fair in a mainstream spot on the most popular channel in the UK, and whether some of the character plots and themes might sink by the wayside due to their more controversial nature, and higher exposure.

Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), Ianto Jones and Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) are on the trail of a new mysterious occurance. The children of Earth all stopping, at precisely the same moment and chanting "We are coming... We are coming...". The mysterious behaviour catches not only the eyes of Torchwood, but the world at large, including UNIT and the UK and US Governments. The mysterious chanting leads them on a mystery involving a Government conspiracy, seemingly lead by John Frobisher (Peter Capaldi from Doctor Who's episode Fires of Pompeii, and the brilliant government satire The Thick of It), organising the arrival of a mysterious alien force known only as The 456.

Jack, Ianto and Gwen ably assisted by her husband Rhys, begin to investigate and find that there is a conspiracy afoot, that could affect every child on the Earth and lead the entire planet devastated. Who are the 456? Why are they coming to Earth? Have they been here before? And ultimately, do you sacrifice the few, in order to spare the many?

Thankfully all worries about the move to BBC One have been lifted, as Torchwood has evolved and matured into five amazing hours of television. The move to one single concurrent story has been a triumph for the show, and Torchwood's new season not only integrates even tighter with the "Whoniverse" but is now its own show in its own right, beyond its parent program. This season has been easily one of the best pieces of Sci-Fi the UK has produced for years, if not one of the best UK TV dramas in several years.

With the move of show runner and creator Russell T. Davies to work in the United States, the future of Torchwood is still in the air, but after rated an impressive 5.9 million viewers over the 5 nights on average, the BBC would be mad to cancel one of its most popular shows simply because the creator is moving onto pastures new. Torchwood is back, and is better than ever.

Torchwood : Children of Earth airs at 9pm PST (8pm Central) on BBC America and BBC America HD from the 20th July for 5 nights.
It is available in the UK on BBC iPlayer until 17th July, or for purchase on DVD and BluRay in Europe now.

Torchwood : Children of Earth Preview