Torchwood: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray]

Such a good show & such a good price!

This show is incredable! From the first introduction of Gwen, Jack, and the rest of the Torchwood crew, the action is fast-paced and action packed. Every episode seems longer than it actually is because of the sheer AMOUNT of story the writers and actors are able to pack into each segment. The characters are real, beleivable, and sympathetic. Captain Jack Harkness, played by stage and TV actor John Barrowman, is charismatic, cryptic, mysterious, and absolutely ruthless is carrying out the mission at hand, wether it's capturing a "weevil", romancing a coworker, or executing a member of the Torchwood team who's become corrupted by alien technology.

This series has several Dr. Who tie-ins, from the introduction of Jack Harkness in Season 1, to Jack joining the Doctor and Martha in Season 3 of Doctor Who, which on Jacks timeline occurs at the end of Season 1 and the start of Season 2 on Torchwood. There are also multiple episodes and references to Torchwood (albeit Torchwood London, which is not connected to Torchwood Cardiff, due to a breakaway alluded to by Jack but never fully explained, at least not yet) throughout Seasons 2 and 3 of DW.

The budget for this show must be generous, as illustrated by detailed alien makeup effects, and by the Hub (Torchwood headquarters, concealed beneath the Millenium Center in Cardiff, Wales). Numerous locations in and around Cardiff are featured as part of the action, including generous slices of ordinary life for the people of Cardiff, who have no idea where their city lies on a grand cosmic scale, and what lies concealed beneath their feet.

As Jack says in the title sequence, "The 21st Century's when everything changes. You have to be ready." With those words, you embark on a rollercoaster journey that will have you challenged, confused, questioning, and ultimately wishing you could become a member of Torchwood.

Disks:

From the seller "Videoreef" (in case it may show different for you) -

These are from everything I can see Genuine and Authentic BBC productions and they are Region 1 disks (they work in the USA - they are hard to find).

There was NO shipping damage to mine, they were WELL packed (Thanks!)

The overall package is "mid grade" (not to the standards of the limited edition Star Wars on BR, but not as cheap as some of the really low budget TV show conversions either). The box is thin cardboard, easy to blemish, and the folder inside is not too bad - but will wear fast.

The disks (6 of them) are held in plastic retainers in a "book binding" type arraignment (unsure of how well that will wear with any real use). The plastic trays use a type of molecular bonding material that require a sonic screw-driver to remove the disks; the sonic part does not work, you simply beat the plastic tab in the center until the disk falls out.

Disks themselves are heavy (good quality) and have a well printed photo-op type shot on each one.

Video Quality is top notch. video bitrate is 16K (could be hardware limited), I have good hardware (but not super high end) and I have not seen a single artifact on the shows. Audio is again top notch, not ATMOS (but it was not around then).

Overall the media and show is well worth what I paid.

The Show itself.

The show is a spin-off, side show if you will; from Dr Who. It is REALLY geared for adults and is less child friendly than its roots. There is a lot of provocative (sexual) type scenes; traditional and non-traditional and some 'risky' visuals (though it is no where near dancing with 'how much can we get away with') . There are some very complicated relationships that transition throughout the series, IMHO it helps hold the show together. The basis is a "Alien Police Force" kind of thing, with a touch of "dangerous space trash" collection (the Cardiff Time-Rift). While (my favorite new Dr) never shows up, there is a thread of that story line kept well alive in the show.

With all that; the show is not so complicated as to lose viewers between episodes as they can stand alone (in most cases), there will be a few details that will be lost but not so much that you can't understand each as a stand alone story. The Caveat with that is the last 2 seasons (only mentioned for posterity here) as they are multi-part movies.

Overall the series is a perfect example of good British Science Fiction. They are able to keep on the non-offensive side of same sex relationships, open mindedness with the equality of men and women (not to leave out non-traditional definitions there either) - - Without - - trying to go so far as to push some agenda (to become offensive) and destructive of the story-line.

Its sad that shows like this don't last long enough (IMHO).

Looked at in the whole of his work, Russell T. Davies used his run as executive producer of Doctor Who (2005-2008) to expand the universe surrounding the Time Lord. Using the Doctor Who anthology as a jumping off point, Davies was able to build the premise that brought Elizabeth Sladen back into the Family of Time as a more mature Sarah Jane Smith...and through the first two series of Doctor Who, built the foundation that led to Torchwood; using "The Unquiet Dead" , "The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances" and "Bad Wolf/Parting Of The Ways" from Series One; then "Tooth And Claw" and "Army of Ghosts/Doomsday" for establishing the hows and whys for the Institute.

It's obvious that the BBC decided that that, in spinning off one of the characters from a reimaging of The Doctor, the one that HAD to be spun off was Jack Harkness. As portrayed by John Barrowman, Captain Jack was too handsome, too tragically heroic, too charismatic...and too adventurous (Both in his work and his off hours) to NOT have a storyline built around him. In many ways, Captain Jack is another vision of the Doctor; sort of an off-kilter reflection that one might see in a Hall of Mirrors. Jack is immortal but wishes for death, a leader who demands his team follow his leadership yet keeps secrets of his past (Their future) from them...Barrowman has matured Jack from his introduction...SOME. Certainly, he is a more severe and understanding human in Cardiff than he was during his time on the TARDIS...and this plays out over the 13 episodes.

Barrowman's equal in this series is the brilliant Eve Myles as the police constable turned Torchwood police liaison Gwen Cooper. Cooper, a descendant of the housemaid Gwyneth from "The Unquiet Dead" (Something that was retconned in Series Four of Doctor Who), observes Torchwood reanimate a corpse in the series opener ("Everything Changes"), and begins a winding trail to--oddly enough--becoming somewhat of a "Companion" to Jack. Myles is an oddly attractive woman--once she gets out of the PC uniform and into regular clothing, she has a wonderful body with that odd gap between the front of her upper teeth--which somehow makes her more human and appealing. Gwen's adjustment to working at Torchwood--the sequence in "Ghost Machine" in which Jack teaches her how to user firearms--makes Gwen almost seem a natural for the unique mission of Torchwood.

The rest of the Torchwood team--the medical specialist Owen Harper (Given an angry, arrogant edge by Burn Gorman--at least until "Out Of Time"), the computer/systems specialist Toshiko Sato (Naoko Mori, played as a bit of a wallflower save "Greeks Bearing Gifts"; in which we find out she holds a torch for Owen) and the administrative specialist Ianto Jones (Gareth Lloyd-Davies, who never seems to have a hair out of place or his suit out of joint--well, except for "Cyberwoman" and "Countrycide") round out Torchwood Three.

Torchwood is a series that delves into the seamier side of Doctor Who's world. The basic premise of the Torchwood Institute--a first line of defense on Earth against aliens (Aliens in this case defined as beings from other planets AND dimensions in time and space) allows for the issues that might inhabit any law-enforcement unit--relationships (How Gwen cannot tell her boyfriend, Rhys Williams, what she does...or as the season goes on, who she's sleeping with), the usage of what the team garners through the rift, and the potential for corruption from those items. This is the theme of the first episode, in which the usage of one of the items...and it's corruptive, corrosive nature...leads to the death of one member of the team...and opens up the spot that Gwen fills. From then on, the season veer wildly--aliens consuming bodies during sex, devices opening portals to the past, cannibals, fairies that aren't all sweet and nice, mind reading devices...oh yeah, and demons looking to consume all life.

Overall, Torchwood is a wonderfully different take on the Whoniverse. It is at times sadder, a little more visceral, and definitely more intense. Barrowman and Myles give the series a heft and weight that couldn't be displayed in Doctor Who. But that weight and intensity is why Davies gave this series a run...and it works.

Highly recommended.

Torchwood comes from the creators of the recent Doctor Who revival (and writer / creator of the UK's Queer As Folk). Torchwood is actually an anagram of Doctor Who, for those that are interested.

Like most new shows, this first season takes a little time to find it's feet, to get you caring about the characters and feeling 'in-tune' with what it's all about. However, as first seasons go, the team have done a great job. John Barrowman smoulders his way through each episode looking fantastic but much screen time is devoted to the supporting cast members and it certainly is not a 'one-man' show.

Yes, the show deals with aliens, monsters and general threats to humankind (both real and perceived) as you would expect, however what keeps it interesting is that the worst aspects are generally related to more human emotions. Some episodes are quite dark, dealing with the worst of human frailties; jealousy, guilt, anger and obsession all wrapped up in a sexy, flirting undercurrent of repressed (and unrepressed) desire.

John Barrowman is outstanding and breaks the mould for the handsome hero/protagonist in every way possible - from his unashamed open multi-sexuality, through a 007-like callousness, to a softer caring side. Yet still he leaves tyou with an air of mystery and detachment to allow for some slow reveals as the season progresses.

This is an adult show and definitely not for the kids. It is really targeting those who have grown up with Doctor Who but want something more dangerous and sexy from their shows. Not unexpectedly some previously taboo areas are covered; lesbianism, gay and bisexual behaviour, but all dealt with in a measured and humourous way.

Two of the best episodes - "They keep killing Suzie" and "Captain Jack Harkness" really showcase the cast's talents and the real potential of this show. I'm looking forward to Season 2 to see if they can keep up the momentum.

Once again, BBC has put American Television Production to shame. The show is amazing and it is almost impossible to get up and get a sandwich during, even though I have it on DVD and can pause the show. If you like sophisticated well written well acted dark engaging stories, let yourself disappear for an hour of uninterrupted intense story telling. This is not intended for children and may even be too much for the PG-13 crowd; it is great story telling for adults and does not dumb down the show for its audiences - something that many Americans will find uncomfortable at first, but then will be highly disappointed by the production and story telling of American broadcasting and cable fair.

Sadly instead of bringing us the show as it was intended, FOX plans to create an Americanized knock off which will once again, as with "the office" be good but still not be likely to match the quality and story telling of the original series: it is truly a shame that broadcasters in the US do not respect their audiences enough to air overseas hit shows as they are and not "fix them" for us. In other words, I recommend that you watch the BBC version of this show either online or by purchasing the DVDs.

I have to refrain from saying Torchwood is light years ahead of Doctor Who - partly because it probably isn't but mainly because it's too different to even compare the two. Where Doctor Who (at least at its best) keeps you on the edge of your seat from the excitement, Torchwood keeps you rivited to your TV from the intensity. Yes, Torchwood is far more "adult" oriented; and far less alien "monster" oriented. But to me the main difference is the level of intensity. And this intensity proceeds not just from the nature of the relationships between the characters - who are definitely not the typical one-dimensional sci-fi characters - but from the uncertainly of each episode's resolution. I've watched all of Season 1 and a few of Season 2, and, so far, each episode has had an unexpected turn of events at the ending. This show, unlike Doctor Who, does not have "happy endings." You always know, with Doctor Who, that all will be made right again with the world; not so with Torchwood. Yes, the alien entity is effectively dealt with; but there's no sense of relief. All is not right with the world again. The resolution leaves as much loss as gain in its wake - if not more so. This was no more true than with the 2-part Season 1 finale. Part 1 was absolutely magnificent, in every respect - as great a show as I've ever seen; Part 2, though, was a great let-down - because when the alien entity finally made its appearance, it was entirely anti-climactic, and the resolution unsatisfactory in that it wasn't really worthy of what went before it. The loss was far greater than the gain. It's unusual enough to see any Sci-Fi show which doesn't have a happy ending that restores everything to the way it was before anything happened; but to see one that never has a happy ending is nothing short of amazing - particularly amazing because we're conditioned to believe that saving the world from the "bad guy" is such a good thing that it makes everything alright again. But everything's not alright just because the world's been saved. What's lost is lost and gone forever. Kind of like in the real world.

Like, the title of this review says, just...wow. I have just finished watching the entire series and I LOVED it. I had heard of the show before, but never gave it much thought. I've always been a fan of the X-Files and CSI, which this show is somewhat similar to, but I just never really watched it. I'm glad I decided to give the first episode a try...I was hooked from the start.

What I especially love is the writing and the acting. Eve Myles as Gwen Cooper is great. She is probably the heart of the show. Sure, John Barrowman is the lead character, but Eve somehow just gives the show heart. Don't get me wrong; John is incredible in his role as Captain Jack. I never saw the show Dr. Who, so I can't really compare him to what he was like on that show. I think that the episode that stands out for me is "The Keep Killing Susie". I loved the twists and turns in that episode; just when you think she (Susie) is dead...she's not and we have no idea why until the final 20 minutes or so of the episode.

Torchwood is definitely a darker drama/action/sci-fi and every now and then humorous show. I just hope I am able to watch the fourth season in some way. It's going to air on a channel that I do not get and hopefully BBC America will still be able to pick it up (or it'll maybe be available on Amazon Instant Video...???). At any rate, this is a show that I wish I had discovered when it first aired. Thankfully it's on DVD and I am eager to watch the bonus features on the DVD. So far I have only viewed the actual episodes, so this will definitely be a 'bonus'.

Excellent series - so good to see the crew again.... very unusual sci-fi series...discs work fine - no problems..

Für mich ist Torchwood einfach die perfekte Spin-Off Serie zu Doctor who, die ich immer und immer wieder schauen kann.

Als Serie für Erwachsene gedacht behandelt sie düstere Themen und kann zum Teil sehr gesellschaftskritisch sein. Aber gerade das macht Torchwood eben aus. Es gibt nachvollziehbare Charaktere, spannende Handlungen, düstere Gegenspieler und böse Witze.

Die Schauspieler machen einen tollen Job.

Die erste Folge finde ich persönlich noch nicht ganz so gut, aber es ist oft so, dass eine Serie ein bisschen Anlaufzeit braucht. Schlecht ist die Folge für mich trotzdem nicht. Aber wem die erste Folge nicht gefällt, der sollte danach nicht direkt aufgeben.

Außerdem hat auch Torchwood Folgen (ganz nach Russel T. Davies Manier wie es sie auch bei Doctor who gibt) die scheinbar gar nicht in die Staffel passen. Nicht von der Handlung her, sondern weil sie komplett anders aufgebaut sind und ein anderes Gefühl vermitteln. Man muss sich darauf eben einlassen.

Ich habe die ersten beiden Staffeln mittlerweile vier mal (!!!) gesehen, so gut haben sie mir gefallen. Allerdings sind sie im englischen Original nochmal ein ganzes Stück besser.

L'inizio di una bellissima serie, molto ben fatta, a parte gli effetti speciali che potevano essere più curati, ma si tratta di una serie TV non di un film. Bella la squadra, nuova l'ambientazione e ottimi gli attori. Decisamente una cosa nuova e ben riuscita. Lo consiglio a chi ama la fantascienza con un pizzico di umorismo e romanticismo.

こちらのtorchWoodはDoctorWhoとはちがう組織です。なんだかFBIみたいな組織ですね。Captain Jackがリーダーで色々な事件を解決していくお話です。何故かDoctorの手(新生ドクターになって、クリスマスの日に地球をかけて剣で闘って時に失っなった手)がジャーの中入れて地下基地に置いてあります。最後のepisodeで理由がわかり納得しました。

Doctor whoと同様に見ていると、どんどん内容に引き込まれていきます。是非、見て頂きたいドラマです。字幕を英語で日本語はありませんが勉強になりますよ。すべて台詞を理解する事はできませんがドラマと英語字幕を見ながら感覚で理解しながら楽しむのもいいかも…

Being a fan of Doctor Who meant I just HAD to watch Torchwood, and almost straight away, I fell in love with it. Great and highly original sci-fi plots of the kind Doctor Who just won't broadcast, with great writing and great acting make this one of the best science fiction programmes of the decade.

I won't go into the plot details but Torchwood revolves around a organisation called Torchwood, who have the job of protecting Earth against alien invaders and utilizing alien technology for Earth's protection. The team consists of a small number of unique characters, from local police-officer Gwen, to misunderstood secretary and tea boy Ianto, and from self proclaimed "Ladies' Man" Owen to introspective Toshiko. The characters are loveable, and totally command the viewers' attention from the moment episode one starts.

The episodes themselves contain some highly original plots. There's one episode about a "sex gas" monster which is downright silly, and at the other end of the spectrum there's a gritty episode which sees the team stranded in the Welsh hills with a group of local human cannibals.

Torchwood comprises of diverse stories, a little bit of alcohol, sex, drugs, and pretty much everything that Doctor Who doesn't have. It's well worth a watch; you won't be disappointed.

Also in the DVD set is the series of short behind-the-scenes episodes (one per episode of the main series). These are also enjoyable to watch, and well worth the price of the boxset.