DAY FIVE Original Transmission
Cast Captain Jack John Barrowman
Crew Written by Russell T Davies (episodes 1, 3,
5)
Electricians Ben Griffiths Jonathan Cox Gareth
Williams
Plot Outline from Wikipedia Day Five
Despite official agreement that children of the political elite would be spared, Prime Minister Green tells Frobisher that he will have to publicly show his children being taken away for the 'inoculation', thus forcing him to hand his children over to the 456, in order to persuade the public that the 'inoculations' are perfectly safe and that the Government are shown to be as much victims of the 456 as the public are. Helpless and pushed to the limit, Frobisher asks Bridget Spears for 'Requisition 31', a handgun which he takes home and kills his wife and two daughters with, followed by himself. As this is happening, Spears visits Lois in custody, asking her to remember Frobisher as a good man.
The army is dispatched to the selected schools to round up the children, with armies also being sent to homes who have not sent their children into the selected schools. After informing them of Ianto's death and of the situation, Gwen and Rhys help Ianto's family move the children that they are looking after, while Agent Johnson breaks Jack out of custody when Alice suggests that he would be able to defeat the 456. Jack realises that the 456 are weak against a frequency which was present when Clem was killed, and a plan to use this frequency against the 456 is hatched. However, a transmitter is unavailable, and Dekker suggests using the same transmitter that was used by the 456; children. Pressed for time and needing a child, Jack reluctantly uses Steven, his own grandson, to transmit the frequency, killing the 456, as well as Steven. Alice is left cradling her son's body, and Jack, having now effectively ruined any chance of a relationship with his daughter, decides to stay away from everyone, disappearing for a short while.
Upon the defeat of the 456, all foreign officials leave, allowing Prime Minister Green to come up with a plausible way of blaming the events on the US, saving his own skin. However, Spears is revealed to have been wearing the Torchwood contact lenses since visiting Lois and learning how to use them; she has recorded everything in the room, including Green's attempts to come up with a story, and states that she will reveal the footage to the public, ending Green's tenure as Prime Minister. Another minister states her intent to succeed Green, while also stating her awareness of the use of the contact lenses. She also promises Lois' release from custody.
Six months later, Rhys and a now heavily pregnant Gwen meet with Jack on a hilltop overlooking Cardiff. Jack has been travelling the world since the defeat of the 456, but feels that "this planet is too small". Jack tells Gwen that there is an alien cargo ship at the edge of the solar system waiting to take him away from Earth as soon as he sends a signal from his wrist-band, which Gwen presents to him, saying that she found it in the wreckage of the Hub. She tells him to stay, but Jack says he hasn't travelled enough yet and that it's time for him to find a new life, as he blames himself for not only the deaths of Steven and Ianto, but for the deaths of Owen and Toshiko and Suzie and the rest of the people who died during the event. Gwen pleads with him not to just run away, but he activates the signal and is whisked off into space, leaving her sobbing into Rhys' arms. Analysis by Cuisle Captain Jack is dead. After Thursday night, I started wondering what the future holds for Torchwood and for Jack Harkness. Is there a future for Torchwood? We were told at the start of this week that Season Four was ready to go if the ratings were favourable. The ratings for Children of Earth are phenomenal. Season Four has to get a green light. But what form can it possibly take? So much has changed. The Hub is gone – though it could be rebuilt. Ianto is gone. Can they really go back to hunting weevils and sex gas aliens?
Then Day Five aired and I suddenly realised, yes, there is a future for Torchwood - with Gwen Cooper in charge. Captain Jack is gone, and he isn’t coming back. Captain Jack Harkness, is, in fact, dead. He was the last victim of the 456. He lost so much in that fight to go on. Ianto’s death was a cruel enough blow for him. But when he was compelled to use his own grandson as the tool to destroy the 456 it was over for him. How could he possibly pick up the pieces after that? Steven was dead, and Alice blamed him. He blamed himself. All he could do was find the first passing cold fusion space ship and head for the stars and a new life, a new name. Captain Jack is dead. And the woman who wrote a snotty review a few days ago in which she claimed to have put up with ten minutes of John Barrowman's 'bad acting' before turning over can eat her words.
Much more happened in the course of this episode. Mr Frobisher’s terrible decision to kill his family and himself rather than be used any further by the 456, and by a government who were nearly as monstrous in their actions was powerful drama. The desperate battle of the chavs versus the army was an echo of the worst days of the Northern Ireland conflict. The makers of Torchwood stopped short of having British soldiers gun down British parents in the street, but they pulled few punches otherwise. This was an incredibly powerful drama unlike anything shown on TV before, and it will be damned difficult to beat. I’m wondering if it will pick up some best drama awards later in the year when the accolades come out. If it doesn’t, it might be because it was just too painful to remember. This was far more than just another TV series. It was a monumental event, and I am glad to have been a part of it in a small way. I’m glad to have been one of those who kept the faith and believed in Torchwood even when critics were slating it.
But of all the shocks they had for us, even eclipsing the tragic death of Ianto Jones, the ‘death’ of Captain Jack overrides everything for me. Goodbye, Jack, God Bless You. Safe journey, Captain. John Barrowman, whatever your future holds, God Bless
You, too. Thanks for bringing Jack to life for us.
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