DAY ONE Original Transmission
Cast Captain Jack John Barrowman
Written by Russell T Davies (episodes 1, 3,
5)
Electricians Ben Griffiths Jonathan Cox Gareth
Williams
Plot Outline From Wikipedia The series begins in Scotland, 1965, where a bus full of children appear to be abducted by aliens. Over four decades later ("Day One") at 8:40am GMT, every child on Earth freezes momentarily. Witnessing this, Gwen (Eve Myles) immediately starts investigating. Only two hours later, the children stop again, and world-wide and in unison repeat the words "We are coming" in English. Torchwood discovers that a mental patient in his 50s is also saying those words, and Gwen pays him a visit in England, where it is learned he is Clement McDonald (Paul Copley), the child who evaded the alien abduction in 1965, and has minor psychic abilities which manifest through his sense of smell. UNIT and the Government, including civil servant John Frobisher (Peter Capaldi) learn that the aliens responsible are designated the 456, with whom the British government have some familiarity. Prime Minister Green (Nicholas Farrell) makes the situation Frobisher's responsibility so that he may have plausible deniability. A new clerical worker at the Home Office, Lois Habiba (Cush Jumbo), has her curiosity sparked after a phonecall from Captain Jack (John Barrowman) offering Torchwood's assistance, and begins to dig up information on Torchwood and the alien invasion at hand.
Meanwhile, Jack and Ianto (Gareth David-Lloyd) investigate as well, and decide to bring in a child for studying the next time they freeze. Jack plans on using his grandson Steven (Bear McCausland), though his estranged daughter Alice (Lucy Cohu) refuses to allow it. Ianto tries to take his niece, but his sister Rhiannon (Katy Wix) refuses permission. While he is there, she confronts him with the rumours that he is gay and he reluctantly comes out to her about his relationship with Jack. To tie up loose ends, Frobisher has Bridget Spears (Susan Brown) order a hit on Harkness' life, amongst others; Clement is now also being hunted. Jack searches for a children's ward but is shot by a hospital doctor he met earlier, Rupesh Patanjali (Rik Makarem); Jack had considered hiring Rupesh as his new medical officer, but he turns out to be a government spy. Government assassin Agent Johnson (Liz May Brice) places a bomb in Jack's stomach, and kills Patanjali to stop Jack tracing the conspiracy through him. Using a scanner in the Torchwood Hub, Gwen confirms Clement's claim that she is pregnant, but when Jack returns to Torchwood the scanner also reveals the bomb inside his stomach. Seconds after Gwen and Ianto leave the Hub on Jack's orders, the bomb detonates.
Analysis by Cuisle Jack is a granddad, Ianto is an uncle. They are ‘not’ a couple. Rhys and Gwen are buying a house and she’s pregnant. The extended format allows us to expand on the relationships in HUGE ways. There is that much to be said for this five night story arc. I’m not sure whether the waverers will stand the pressure, though. Look for the ratings dropping mid week. But for Torchwood fans, this is fantastic stuff. It’s Torchwood overdose.
Where to begin about what’s happening on Day One. There are double crosses on top of double crosses. The mysterious Mr Frobisher from the Home Office looks like a good guy caught in the middle of a dirty game at the moment, though time might tell. Lois from the Home Office seems like she might be the brave but unlikely ally. But maybe not. The nasty lady in black is definitely bad. The Prime Minister seems to be a coward hiding behind his desk. The first person to mention Close Encounters, by the way, is going to get a very hard stare from me! Aliens took a bunch of children in 1965, with the government’s ok, by all accounts. Now they’re coming back. Why? We’ll find out by the end of the week. Well, those of you not going to see John Barrowman in concert at Henley on Friday will! They’re holding quite a lot back from this first episode to keep the viewers enthralled. From that point of view it is very nicely paced. I’m impressed.
The longer format for the story not only let us have more background for our favourite Torchwood people, but quite a lot of story for the characters at the Home Office and elsewhere. That’s good, too. While the forty-five minute format has its merits, it really isn’t a bad idea to do an extended story once in a while. But I’d like a new 13 part series next year, all the same, please, BBC.
Meanwhile, back to those relationships. Jack is a granddad! Well, actually that didn’t shock me as much as they promised it would. I think we’ve all speculated about that. But Alice had a mother, too, so please don’t anyone go on about that time when Jack claimed to have been pregnant. It’s a shame she isn’t a bit closer to him. Even if his motives for visiting her were a bit mercenary, he did look sad that she wasn’t nicer to him. I’d like to see them coming a bit closer. Ianto’s family! Seriously? Ianto, polite, unassuming, lovely Ianto has a sister who has ‘chav’ written through her like the letters in a stick of rock and a pair of bratty kids who accept money from uncle Ianto and can’t even thank him for it. To say nothing of the one I can only assume is his brother in law. They always seem to read Ianto’s background wrong. I just don’t see him coming from that kind of background. But I’ll let it pass. Jack and Ianto are ‘not’ a couple. Just like The Doctor and Rose weren’t! It was a bit painful to see them denying it every five minutes. But their denial only made the relationship stronger. I hope it lasts.
There was a hell of a red herring with Doctor Rupesh Patanjali all year. We’ve heard it hinted he might be taking over as the medic at Torchwood. It looked like it for a bit. Then he turned out to be a part of the conspiracy. And THEN they kill him. So that’s that, guys. Not the replacement for Owen. And the emotional last moments. Jack has a bomb inside him. He kisses Ianto and sends him to safety along with Gwen and waits to explode. He wasn't the only one. I felt like I was going to explode. It was painful to watch. Even knowing he’s coming back. I had to go walk the dogs afterwards. I was so totally wound up by it all. Tomorrow night can’t come fast enough. But just watch out for the moaners and begrudgers in the press!
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