Torchwood heads to the US.

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » 2007-09-13 03:07am

The BBC's sci-fi drama Torchwood has garnered rave reviews in the US ahead of its debut this weekend.

TV Guide branded the Doctor Who spin-off "cheeky... and often startlingly adult," with Variety adding that it "has the fixings of a thinking-man's sci-fi series that doesn't take itself too seriously".

The Los Angeles Times gushed about the "dark and splendid" show's "overtones of Men in Black and Buffy the Vampire Slayer", with the Hollywood Reporter review stating that it is "so good and unsettling and creepy" .

However, one detractor was the Newark Star-Ledger's Alan Sepinwall, who dubbed the John Barrowman series "a pornographic parody of The X-Files".

The first season of Torchwood will launch on BBC America this Saturday, while the second season will be screened on BBC Two in early 2008.

Oh no! It might encourage them to do more!

Soontir C'boath · Post by **Soontir C'boath** » 2007-09-13 08:51am

At least I'll be able to see if it's as horrid as you Brits have been claiming it to be.

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2007-09-13 09:37am

There were a handful of good or even great episodes, but it was simply far too gratuitous, with central characters that were far too selfish, inept and irrational to be credible. It may improve greatly next season, since it's having a pretty long break where the writers will hopefully iron out most of the character and plot flaws.

Azazal · Post by **Azazal** » 2007-09-13 09:37am

I thought Torchwood had been on Sci-Fi, or was it just the drugs making me think that?

ThatGuyFromThatPlace · Post by **ThatGuyFromThatPlace** » 2007-09-13 04:37pm

Azazal wrote:I thought Torchwood had been on Sci-Fi, or was it just the drugs making me think that?

I'm not sure you could tell the difference.

I already cought a couple of episodes on the 'net, Which ones were worth watching though because I must have stopped before then.

Genii Lodus · Post by **Genii Lodus** » 2007-09-13 06:04pm

Dartzap wrote:Oh no! It might encourage them to do more!

I think the BBC has already commissioned a second series (unfortunately).

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2007-09-14 03:17am

It's on BBC America. Has been for a couple of weeks, actually.

Lord Woodlouse · Post by **Lord Woodlouse** » 2007-09-15 12:35pm

Genii Lodus wrote:
Dartzap wrote:Oh no! It might encourage them to do more!
I think the BBC has already commissioned a second series (unfortunately).

They have (did so from right in the middle of season 1). Freema is appearing in about three episodes of it, and James Marsters (Spike from Buffy) is going to be in an episode. It's showing at the beginning of next year (it essentially took a year out between season 1 and 2).

It's been upgraded from BBC3 to BBC2, as well, which means ratings will probably rise. I'd be very surprised if we don't get a season 3.

Soontir C'boath · Post by **Soontir C'boath** » 2007-09-15 07:21pm

Wow, they actually put out ads on USA channel earlier today I saw a Torchwood ad on an MTA bus. They're really trying to get themselves known.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2007-09-15 07:28pm

Lord Woodlouse wrote:
It's been upgraded from BBC3 to BBC2, as well, which means ratings will probably rise. I'd be very surprised if we don't get a season 3.

I don't see how that would change all that much, since it was on BBC2 and 3 at the same time anyway.

Lord Woodlouse · Post by **Lord Woodlouse** » 2007-09-16 11:44am

Admiral Valdemar wrote:
Lord Woodlouse wrote:
It's been upgraded from BBC3 to BBC2, as well, which means ratings will probably rise. I'd be very surprised if we don't get a season 3.
I don't see how that would change all that much, since it was on BBC2 and 3 at the same time anyway.

It aired first on BBC3, and all the advertising for for BBC3. This time it airs first on BBC2 and the advertising will be for BBC2. BBC2 just generally gets a few million more than BBC3 usually.

For a BBC3 production it got very good ratings, even toward the end.

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2007-09-19 08:04am

Genii Lodus wrote: I think the BBC has already commissioned a second series (unfortunately).

It would be unfortunate if the second season is going to be as shite as the first, but hopefully the TW writers have gotten all the negative feedback and come up with better script ideas (but I'm more looking forward to the second season of ITV's Primeval).

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2007-09-19 12:10pm

I have to second BO. If the next series is going to be radically different, it may just hit the target (remember, not every series hits the mark from the pilot season).

Though I, too, and looking forward to Primeval more, given the cliffhanger that TW totally lacked and the whole fucking up of the storyverse, with no reset button because it's a finale.

Quadlok · Post by **Quadlok** » 2007-09-19 03:00pm

The reason We here in the US are excited for Torchwood is: because of all the characters seem to be bisexual. Seriously, you almost never see that in the US (at least not on basic cable or broadcast), so its original enough and titillating enough to make many people want to watch it just for that.

Battlehymn Republic · Post by **Battlehymn Republic** » 2007-09-19 03:05pm

Is Torchwood and Dresden Files similar in any way?

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2007-09-20 09:39am

Admiral Valdemar wrote:I have to second BO. If the next series is going to be radically different, it may just hit the target (remember, not every series hits the mark from the pilot season).

They tried to make Torchwood much more edgy with fucked up characters, sex and swearing, but they overcooked those things and didn't apply coherent writing, creative stories and more functional characters to the proceedings.

Though I, too, and looking forward to Primeval more, given the cliffhanger that TW totally lacked and the whole fucking up of the storyverse, with no reset button because it's a finale.

It was a proper cliff hanger and the Primeval writers were less cowardly than Russell T. Davies was in his S3 final for Doctor Who - they also successfully pinned down how a secret government agency should operate.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2007-09-20 12:06pm

I'd hardly call the Home Office secret, I get your drift though.

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2007-09-20 12:14pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:I'd hardly call the Home Office secret, I get your drift though.

Well at least they don't go around in a SUV with the words "Home Office" branded on it's side...

Post by **Broomstick** » 2007-09-20 10:07pm

I'm actually having a little difficulty with some of the accents. Which is a turnabout since it's usually my husband going "What did he say?" with non-US productions but he lived in the UK for six months so he picks up the dialogue faster than I do. I mean, here the US we are famillar with some UK accents but Torchwood is apparently using a few we don't usually hear.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-09-20 10:56pm

Yeah, Welsh. Where it's set?

BO, don't forget the Glowy Blue Neons of Spookiness.

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2007-09-21 06:27am

I find many British accents to be rather annoying and hard to understand even to a native Brit like myself, with broad Bristolian and Glaswegian accents being the worse.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2007-09-22 11:06pm

Watched again tonight. I'm getting better at understanding the Welsh accents, which is making the Other Half happy as he doesn't need to translate as much.

Which got me thinking that Jacks sounds so normal/ordinary to me that his voice is almost incongruous. Which prompted the Other Half to speculate that the actor really was an American, as he had a perfect Midwestern US accent. I countered that I wasn't entirely sure he was from the US because he didn't mumble enough (American really do chronically mumble - I think that's why so many Canadians do well in broadcast media here. They sound like Americans, except they don't mumble so we can understand them). But then, he is an actor and actors who mumble usually don't get lead parts, right? On the other hand, in both Dr. Who and Torchwood I never heard the accent slip, which can and does happen from time to time even with people good with accents, especially during emotionally charged scenes.

After the episode I hit the internet - John Barrowman was born in Glasgow, Scotland (at which point I hear "He doesn't sound Scottish at all" from over by the TV) but moved to Aurora, Illinois at the age of 8 and then to Joliet, where he lived through high school.

Well, damn - that's MY neighborhood! I just didn't expect a Chicago-area connection to Dcotor Who/Torchwood.

It does explain the accent, though. I don't know how he sounds off-screen, but his Midwestern accent sounds so authentic because it is, being installed in childhood.

AND he's gay... >sigh<. It seems the yummy looking ones always are. Either married or gay. Apparently Mr. Barrowman is both. (Good for him)

I will also say (getting back to the show) that from what I've been hearing on the Internet I was expecting non-stop orgies or something and didn't find as much sexual stuff in The Ghost Machine as in the prior episodes. I was also a little surprised that most of the "ghosts" were actually still alive (although not all, obviously).

I'm hoping Gwen and her man can work it out (why can't I remember his name?) rather than it falling apart and an obvious Gwen/Jack romance get started. I'd rather they keep that sexual tension unresolved and let Gwen have some normal aspect to her life. Although how that can happen without her significant other at some point learning about Torchwood I don't know.

But those people really do have to stop bringing the alien widgets home.

Zac Naloen · Post by **Zac Naloen** » 2007-09-23 05:26am

John Barrowman always has an American accent.

It's not put on, that's just how he talks.

As for not mumbling, he is a major star of West End theatre in this country. If he couldn't speak clearly that wouldn't be the case

2000AD · Post by **2000AD** » 2007-09-23 05:32am

Broomstick wrote:
I'm hoping Gwen and her man can work it out (why can't I remember his name?) rather than it falling apart and an obvious Gwen/Jack romance get started. I'd rather they keep that sexual tension unresolved and let Gwen have some normal aspect to her life. Although how that can happen without her significant other at some point learning about Torchwood I don't know.

As someone who has already watched the show .... welll .....

*snigger*

I wont spoil it for you.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-09-23 07:31am

The idea that anyone can get that involved in such a rubbish show terrifies me. Gwen being cripplingly retarded is the central plot point in about half of the episodes, including the 'world ends' finale. Who fucking cares about her bullshit personal life that sucks because she's a stupid bitch?