"Torchwood - The Complete First Season" Review

BBC Warner
DVD
$79.98 or as low as $52.99 from Amazon.com

I call this series a cross between Doctor Who and MI-5. It's the story of a special operations group who search for alien invaders. Yeah, the E.T. kind of aliens. Set in Cardiff, we meet young PC Eve Myles who encounters the Torchwood team while out on a call atop a building investigating a stabbing. Peering over the ledge, she sees the team huddled around the victim and apparently bringing him back to life so they can ask him who killed him. She ultimately follows the team back to their headquarters, where she is invited to join the organization. Heading up the team is the charming and dashing Capt. Jack Harkness, who keeps his background a mystery to everyone and is apparently immortal.

Played only slightly tongue-in-cheek, the series expands the usual sci-fi fare to include some unusually adult themes. It comes by its Dr. Who heritage quite honestly, since it was created by Russell T. Davies and the Jack Harkness character once made an appearance in that series. For fans of science fiction looking for something well off the beaten path, Torchwood is a welcome treat. The plots aren't particularly compelling as much as they are character-driven. The main characters have hearts and souls, and show a full gamut of emotions. The first season is comprised of thirteen episodes, with commentaries by Davies, the writers and actors, and includes a BBC 3 special on the "Making Of". This is the kind of program that keeps its fans coming back for more.