"Torchwood" Exit Wounds (2008)

User Rating:

8.8/10   

Director:

Ashley Way

Writers:

Russell T. Davies (creator)
Chris Chibnall (written by)

TV Series:

"Torchwood" (2006)

Original Air Date:

4 April 2008 (Season 2, Episode 13)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

When the villainous Captain John Hart returns to abduct Captain Jack Harkness whilst unleashing a wave...

Plot Keywords:

Investigation | Renegade | Immortality | Monster | Anti Hero

Cast

John Barrowman	...	Captain Jack Harkness
Eve Myles	...	Gwen Cooper
Burn Gorman	...	Owen Harper
Naoko Mori	...	Toshiko Sato
Gareth David-Lloyd	...	Ianto Jones
Kai Owen	...	Rhys Williams
James Marsters	...	Captain John Hart
Tom Price	...	PC Andy
Lachlan Nieboer	...	Gray
Paul Kasey	...	Weevil
Golda Rosheuvel	...	Dr. Angela Connolly
Syreeta Kumar	...	Nira Docherty
Cornelius Macarthy	...	Charles Gaskell
Amy Manson	...	Alice Guppy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Marc Davis	...	Cowled Leader

Runtime:

50 min (approx.)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Certification:

UK:15

Trivia:

The pistols used by the Torchwood team are, in fact, airsoft pistols which run on gas. They are Tokyo Marui Hi-Cappa's with tactical torches fitted.

Quotes:

Captain John Hart: You took your time!
Gwen Cooper: [pointing gun] On your knees, now!
Captain John Hart: [sigh] Honestly, it's just "sex, sex, sex" with you people.

Season 2: Solid sci-fi that improves greatly on season 1 without itself being brilliant

Torchwood was infuriating in its first season. The story of the shadowy group investigating and controlling the alien presence on earth was clearly meant to be a Dr Who spin-off for adults but for some reason it decided that adults wanted to see lots of girl-on-girl kissing and sexual playfulness. Now, this may well be true but we have other media to provide such material – sci-fi dramas on BBC2 not really being where I'm looking for titillation. Anyway, while not completely removing this aspect of it, the writers seem to have realised this and as a result season two is a more assured affair.

The stories are better and, within these the characters also stand-up as more interesting and engaging. I particularly liked the themes that the stories explored as these are what makes it more interesting than just a simple sci-fi about aliens and guns. This is not to say that it is brilliant of course, because it is not. We do still have a touch of silliness about the whole thing, with perhaps a bit too many Eastenders scenarios for my liking across any specific story. That said it is darker and more interesting than season one, with death, loss, love and other themes handled pretty well.

The cast are given more to work with as a result and they respond by mostly improving their performances. Barrowman keeps his camp larger-than-life character but has more material in his dark streak – it doesn't feel like he is flicking it on or off like a switch. It is the rest of the cast that improve through. Mori and Gorman in particular both have more to do and produce characters that I cared for and was moved by – particularly in the key moments of the final episodes. Myles is less annoying than before although I still found her grating at her worst. David-Lloyd is better (but still not great) while Owen has more to do and adds the fresh eyes that usually helps this type of thing. Dr Who's Martha Jones makes a welcome and enjoyable appearance as well.

Season two is not brilliant then, but it is a lot better than I had expected. The biggest problems with season one have been at least partially addressed and it does mean that it feels like it is presenting to an adult audience rather than just sexually teasing them. It is not good enough to win over those who were horrified by season one, but for those returning to it, the good news is that the weaknesses have been partially addressed and the potential has been realised a bit more.