Torchwood (UK)

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Season 4
Season #: 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
6.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 51 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 51
  3. Negative: 11 out of 51
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  1. TheReviewer
    Jul 13, 2011
    10
    A thrill ride that actually makes you think. Torchwood is a British show that has lived a charmed life over the years but remains to be as resilient as its immortal lead character. After the hit and (largely) miss first two seasons the show exploded onto a much bigger, and critically acclaimed, scene with the five-part mini-series 'Children of Earth' in which the British governmentA thrill ride that actually makes you think. Torchwood is a British show that has lived a charmed life over the years but remains to be as resilient as its immortal lead character. After the hit and (largely) miss first two seasons the show exploded onto a much bigger, and critically acclaimed, scene with the five-part mini-series 'Children of Earth' in which the British government conspired to surrender 10% of its children to an alien species. Captain Jack Harkness (the immortal hero played by John Barrowman, star of Desperate Housewives among others) was forced to sacrifice his grandson in order to defeat the invaders in a shocking twist in the final episode. Torchwood had finally found its feet and discovered how to create shocking, thrilling, chilling and thoughtful drama and it hasn't looked back since. 'Miracle Day' starts with Oswald Danes (played by the thoroughly magnificent Independence Day star, Bill Pullman) being dosed with a lethal injection as punishment for the sexual assault and murder of a twelve year old girl but something goes horribly wrong. After a few minutes of writhing agony it becomes clear; he won't die. Mekhi Phifer's CIA character Rex Matheson suffers a similar fate when his is impaled after a freak car accident as it becomes clear that this issue has become a global one. Dark themes are explored here with solders, of whom are blown to bits, remain alive (even after being beheaded by a surgeon in a chilling/funny scene halfway through the premiere). Danes, the now immortal murderer, argues that he has been punished for his crimes and that now should be released; a wish that is granted by a local governor threatened by legal action. The Torchwood team, in ruins after the events of 'Children of Earth' come back into the fold to unravel the mystery in explosive fashion as Captain Jack leaps from a suicide bomber out the top floor of a tower block and Gwen Cooper (Welsh actress Eve Myles) blows up a helicopter with a bazooka, obviously. Torchwood is a mix of fascinating intrigue, sound acting, mind-blowing action sequences, chilling themes and impressive writing (from the likes of Doctor Who's Russell T Davies, House's Doris Egan and Buffy's Jane Espenson). Despite a few questionable moments, Torchwood is unashamedly magnificent madness which you'd be a fool to miss.… Expand
  2. DanHoelck
    Jul 13, 2011
    1
    I confess that I started watching the 4th season without having seen any of the previous seasons, and without knowing much about the show's background (something about an anagram for Doctor Who?). So it's possible that I'm watching this show without the correct context.

    However, as a NEW viewer, and under the impression that the seasons were more or less self-contained, I was intrigued by    I confess that I started watching the 4th season without having seen any of the previous seasons, and without knowing much about the show's background (something about an anagram for Doctor Who?). So it's possible that I'm watching this show without the correct context.

    However, as a NEW viewer, and under the impression that the seasons were more or less self-contained, I was intrigued by the premise. A world where no one dies, and the agents that had to track down the source of this mystery: it sounded like it could be interesting.

    So boring.

    So ridiculously bland and uninspired, I was amazed at how much they'd spent on the marketing. With that kind of budget, you'd think they could have hired some decent writers.

    The revelation "miracle day" event is really dry, and the exposition is completely unimaginative. A nurse tells a CIA agent that she's checked with other hospitals, and no one's died. People just won't die. Even in the UK, no one's dying. It's a miracle. I thought it was luck, but obviously something is interfering with life. No one's dying. And on and on and on for a few more minutes.

    No one bothered to do any kind of fact-checking, so you're continually "taken out of" the show by the obvious inconsistencies made by the production team. A CIA agent spells Torchwood over the phone (to another agent), letter by letter, rather than using the phonetic alphabet (which I'm pretty sure the CIA uses). The fluid in a lethal injection IV is neon green, since we're all too dumb to understand that clear liquid could be poison. A rifle with a gigantic suppressor on it is just as loud as the rifle firing back at it (without a suppressor). The list goes on.

    Did I mention how boring the show is? The dialogue is wooden, the actors try way too hard (or not at all), and any sense of danger or suspense that might be generated by the many action scenes is lost because we don't know who these characters are, so there's really no reason to care if they live or die. And they can't die, so now there's even less of a reason.

    The characters are lifeless, all attempts at intrigue or suspense fall flat, and even the "what if no one could die" premise starts to feel played out by the end of the first episode.

    If you're new to the show, do yourself a favor, and don't waste 51 minutes of your life on this.    … Expand
  3. synistyr
    Jul 13, 2011
    8
    A good start to season 4. Obviously after the amazing 3rd series, a followup would be hard to muster up. Some complained it's been a bit too "Americanized" but I think it shows potential to be a great season.
  4. ilovewilfred
    Jul 10, 2011
    0
    Boring, dull and full of mistakes. Bad acting and over acting abound. The writers also make up their own rules as to how the USA does things, such as in the 'whole pedophile gets out of jail' plot--our judicial system doesn't work like that.
  5. notasailorboy
    Jul 31, 2011
    0
    i've seen the first 3 seasons of Torchwood and they are serviceable, but utterly forgettable kids fluff (ala Doctor Who) which is to say they're fine...

    ...season 4 of Torchwood is the worst television i've ever seen...it's **** may be the worst thing i've ever seen. I'd love to write a more thorough review about the horrible writing, direction and editing of the show, but i would be    i've seen the first 3 seasons of Torchwood and they are serviceable, but utterly forgettable kids fluff (ala Doctor Who) which is to say they're fine...

    ...season 4 of Torchwood is the worst television i've ever seen...it's **** may be the worst thing i've ever seen.

    I'd love to write a more thorough review about the horrible writing, direction and editing of the show, but i would be wasting my time, which is what you'd be doing by watching this show.    … Expand
  6. Hasriona
    Aug 24, 2011
    9
    Although I would have wholly preferred it to be wholly British, the plot of Miracle Day is very intriguing and compelling, with each episode making you want more. The acting is ok, and the special effects quite good. This is the best Torchwood yet.
  7. madisonh
    Jul 30, 2011
    9
    The first episode sucked. But they have been getting better. I am really enjoying the new americanized Torchwood. The have made the transition very well. I do wish they'd stuck with the first two seasons idea of monster-of-the-week but that's just personal opinion. The cast and crew have done a fantastic job of this season and I can't wait for the next episode.
  8. Nami87
    Sep 9, 2011
    8
    I've loved the direction this show has gone since the first two series. I loved that it has moved from it's "Alien-of-the-week" format and into the miniseries/One-Big-Global-Issue format. This series is more slower than usual but I'm enjoying the story more and how the plot is laid out seems real and relevant. I'm not happy with the "Americanization" of the show but in order to reach theI've loved the direction this show has gone since the first two series. I loved that it has moved from it's "Alien-of-the-week" format and into the miniseries/One-Big-Global-Issue format. This series is more slower than usual but I'm enjoying the story more and how the plot is laid out seems real and relevant. I'm not happy with the "Americanization" of the show but in order to reach the American audience I understand the decisions they made.

    The distance from Doctor Who is a nice touch too as it is quite clear that the two shows are completely independent of one another. I would like to see Capt. Jack on Doctor Who again though. but that is neither here nor there. The John Barrowman plays of Mekhi Pfeifer well and I can't wait to see more of it.

    Loved it so far, can't wait for the finale tonight.    … Expand
  9. lightningbarer
    Mar 26, 2014
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've stayed away from Torchwood since I finished season 3, I wasn't a fan at the end of it.
    So I finally come back to Miracle Day. And I have to wonder to myself where the mentality of people go.
    A current User Score of 6.3 is way too high for this mind numbingly bad idea.
    Notice there, I said "IDEA", because if you think about the premise of Miracle Day, it doesn't matter about anything they say matters, because people can't die.
    If people can't die, then there's nothing anyone needs to worry about. And neither does anything else that's said, diseases - the only reason we fear diseases is because we would die if we contracted a deadly one. And we can't die because of "The Miracle" Then there's the food. Why do people need food? To continue living.
    That's out the window then, isn't it? Yes, we'd end up as stick thin skeletons with a tiny skin sack around it, but that doesn't change anything.

    That's the problem with this series. The initial premise "sounds" cool, but lacks anything beyond that.
    Take Season 1, the premise is a rag-tag band of guerrilla fighters protect the world from alien threats that slip through the net. Tell me why season one should fit that mark? Because other than Day One (and that is a VERY tight squeeze to fit it) the stories are lame, sexed up versions of BAD Dr Who Episodes.
    Season 2, the premise is to learn more about Jack's past as Time Agent. Do we? Not really, we get some lame and pitiable character development and death within the same series smacks of "Well, we don't know what to do with them, kill 'em."
    That might sound hard but it's the truth, building up the stories of Tosh and Owen and then suddenly killing them off shows lack of respect with both their characters, a lack of respect for the fans and a lack of respect for the writing involved.
    Children of Earth could have been a turning point, it wasn't great but it showed a marked improvement over the terrible characterisation and bad writing of the previous two seasons. But then came Miracle Day.

    With anything that Russell T Davies has produced in this vein, there's other things given and shoved in our faces than a fantastical story that should be the main focus.
    While with Torchwood and Who, he injects a form of social satire into it, the constant and stupid news reports with talking heads, I sometimes think he read too much Frank Miller and loved the talking heads in TDKR.
    But the worst part about Torchwood is the over-saturated Sex in it. I don't mind my Whovian world being mixed with a raunchy scene here or there. Just like the cheesecake I occasionally eat.
    But I don't have it for every meal and not in Super Sized amounts either.
    I don't have issue with the gay and lesbian relationships in the Torchwood story, I applaud the fact that gay relationships are being shown on TV, but if you want to do so much sex with any gender, don't set it in a Sci-Fi Show, create a drama where sex is a major feature in it. A Sci-fi show can have sexiness in it sure, we can even have sex as a feature in it. Just understand that the target demographic of this genre is going to want to see sci-fi stuff as the major feature, sure the sex is always going to be appealing, but we like the aliens and ray guns and spaceships and monsters and everything to do with the freaking genre too!

    Torchwood was a bold attempt to make a Darker and more dangerous style of sci-fi and to do it with Who as well, I think it could have worked with a better creative staff.
    It's gone now, and should really stay that way.    … Expand
  10. ermac
    Dec 19, 2012
    7
    Italian:
    In assoluto la migliore stagione della serie. Nulla di eccelso ma buono English:
    Absolutely the best season of the series. Nothing sublime but good
  11. SPN_Sammy
    Jan 26, 2014
    2
    Being a die-hard Torchwood fan, I had rather high expectations for this fourth series. Unfortunately, there were entirely too many different writers...not to mention double the number of needed episodes to portray such positively atrocious writing. Mr. Davies completely tossed out three years of established canon and I was left more than a wee bit disappointed. There were a few brightBeing a die-hard Torchwood fan, I had rather high expectations for this fourth series. Unfortunately, there were entirely too many different writers...not to mention double the number of needed episodes to portray such positively atrocious writing. Mr. Davies completely tossed out three years of established canon and I was left more than a wee bit disappointed. There were a few bright spots, but on the whole, they were few and far between.

    Personally, I'd recommend fans who've been there from the beginning of series 1 to give this Americanised version a pass. Stick with what Torchwood is supposed to be: Wales, the Hub and Captain Jack Harkness.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

43
#43 Best TV Season of 2011
75
#75 Most Discussed TV Season of 2011
77
#77 Most Shared TV Season of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
70

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. TV Guide Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    Jul 15, 2011
    70
    Our heroes' new companions may be less than electrifying, but there's plenty of action to compensate--and, as always, sex (though Capt. Jack now asks about protection)--and a chilling adversary in Oswald Danes (Bill Pullman), a psycho killer who survives execution and becomes a perverse cult hero in the media.
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  2. The Huffington Post
    Reviewed by: Maureen Ryan
    Jul 8, 2011
    60
    The way to keep both casual and hardcore sci-fi fans in the fold is to tell stories that revolve around memorable characters, to take on compelling questions and to give the tales intellectual and emotional plausibility. Torchwood: Miracle Day doesn't quite have all those elements nailed down all the time, but it gets reasonable chunks of those things right--enough to keep me tuning in and hoping that the story gains coherence (and not just speed) over the course of the season.
    Read full review
  3. PopMatters
    Reviewed by: Lynnette Porter
    Jul 8, 2011
    80
    The most effective scenes focus on characters' interactions, the sorts of moments Torchwood always did well.
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