Torchwood

Flicking though the channels on Wednesday night, expecting there to be nothing on, my eyes were caught by a man chewing off someone’s head and blood spewing everywhere, all observed by a horrified policewoman.  The scene was set in a hospital.

But this was not Holby City or The Bill.  It was Torchwood - Doctor Who with added punch - fast paced and with a dark side, yet suitably far fetched enough to not take too seriously and with British sense of humour! The Americans will love it I’m sure.

OK, the story line has been done before - namely in Doctor Who, Buffy and Charmed - as in, girl discovers secret, girl drawn into mission, girl compromises relationship with loving boyfriend for exciting life, girl triumphs in her fights against evil aliens.  However Torchwood has the edge.  It is written by Russell T. Davies the man behind the new Doctor Who and the very disparate series Queer as Folk.  It is set in a real place and therefore challenges the boundaries between reality and fantasy. And it’s hinged around  five characters -  there’s someone for everyone-  and they are not that nice or one dimensional either. 

Also there’s the odd lesbian snog, plus all the action and detective work you would expect.
I was taken aback by full on shagging in toilets and a bouncer  getting plenty of personal pleasure to the CCTV footage. This unexpected scene was  all the fault of a horny alien who came to earth to achieve multiple orgasms. (No pun intended). Totally hilarious!

Yes of course there will be happy endings all round because this is the BBC after all.  But it is this wholesome pretext shared with the post watershed Channel 4 style attitude that makes Torchwood utterly addictive.
A real welcome to my Wednesday night viewing.

Torchwood is on BBC 3: Tuesdays 9pm, repeated BBC 2: Wednesdays 9pm.

Julie Pallot

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