Last summer, Starz brought BBC's Torchwood back for a fourth series with Torchwood: Miracle Day. A true British/American continuation of the popular U.K. series, the 10 episode season was filmed partially in Hollywood. This week, Torchwood: Miracle Day was released on Blu-ray and DVD in a four-disc set.
Torchwood: Miracle Day asks the question, what happens if everyone on Earth stops dying? When that actually happens, it prompts Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) to return to Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles), and together, they travel across the Atlantic to the United States, where they team up with the should-be-dead CIA Agent, Rex Matheson (Mekhi Phifer), and his colleague, Esther Drummond (Alexa Havins). Actually, Rex forces this union, but that's just semantics, as Jack is always in charge.
With Torchwood staffed again, they track the cause of this disaster to stop it. And "not dying" is definitely a huge disaster; when no one dies, resources quickly become scarce. The only one who seems able to die now is the previously-unkillable Jack. Governments across the globe have their own (very unpleasant) ways of dealing with the crisis, including rounding up and incinerating the should-be-dead victims. Jack and company decide that balance needs to be restored, with nature instead of bureaucracy making the decisions, and they set out to do so.
Meanwhile, Oswald Danes (Bill Pullman) rises and falls in popularity. Spared from execution just as the "miracle" begins, Oswald becomes an inspirational celebrity. He travels the country, spouting new found belief in "the miracle," aided by sleazy publicist Jilly Kitzinger (Lauren Ambrose). That is, until his benefactors turn on him. And, of course, there is more going on here than meets the eye.
Torchwood is beloved by many of its fans for the relationship between Jack and Gwen. It is present here, just as it had been left at the end of series three. Jack still has to compete for Gwen's attention with her adoring husband, Rhys Williams (Kai Owen), and their baby. But Jack does have the lure of an otherworldy threat around him, and she lives for that danger. The two men in her life accept that Gwen is going to choose both the danger and the stable marital relationship.
Article comments
1 - nan00se4
just checking that i can comment
2 - nan00se4
A good detailed discription of Mircacle Day but the critical analysis is obviously written from a very one sided point of view.To say this was still TW seems to be ignoring the below standard dialogue,uneven acting,poor pacing and lack of the quirky wit, seen within the first three series, not to mention issues with canon that some fans have raised.
The morality you speak of was scripted with a sledge hammer. To say that it left people having to think for themselves and this is a mark of good television is a subjective view point and implies that those who did dislike it were unable to use there own critical facilites or thought process.Having read many comments on forums and in the reviews I can insure you this is not case.The only questions left unanswered were those relating to substantial plot holes and a myriad of pointless scenes which did very little to further the plot or provide a depth of exploration of a potentially interesting theme flawed by the use of every cliche they could manage to include. To promote quality discussion you need to present a bi focus approach to the to the issues not one that is really aimed at a knee jerk reaction.
The relationship between Gwen and Jack has not been for me a focus for watching Torchwood and to have a series which appeared to devote more time to what had become a tedious plotline did nothing to keep my attention.
And finally the Blessing is not something I wish to to see in glorious Blue Ray.Seeing it the once brought tears of laughter to my eyes and it remains a representative of the worst of the three seasons of Torchwood.Apart from providing a dissapointing and weak ending it did little to provoke the discussion you spoke of.
I have seasond 1-3 on DVD but will not add this to my collection .I would rather end my collection at Children of Earth and unless there are some substantial changes to in the future this wil be my last series.