The Man From UNIT?

The big question that everyone's asking lately is "how much will Torchwood be like U.N.I.T?" Alright, except that lonely guy in the corner, it's not a massively popular question, but still, it raises an interesting idea.

Can Torchwood escape the shadows of U.N.I.T?

Early indications show that RTD has planned a dark atmospheric military-type group, who give no second thoughts to sleeping with their comrads. We have no bumbling Sgt. Benton figure here, or even romantic Mike Yates. Torchwood will feature dirty characters, with dark histories and tortured souls. Unlike our friends in UNIT, these characters are not loveable rogues. From what we know so far, they're anything but.

When the facts do begin leaking from production I'm sure it will become obvious that these characters are almost anti-heroes. Jack Harkness will be our own 21st Century hero. He represent everything that modern heroes should - and should throw Torchwood the series firmly into the year 2006 with a bang.

But wouldn't it be a shame if he couldn't escape the past, and Doctor Who fans condemned him to death for being too similiar to UNIT? I hope that day never comes - because Torchwood is after all it's own show, with it's own mythology. It can escape Doctor Who's past and establish itself in audience's hearts.

I know it can.

Moving swiftly on (I'm sure my post above will cause a civil war in the Doctor Who Community!), http://www.johnbarrowman.net/ has recently run a competition open to anybody, to find the former home of John Barrowman in Glasgow. Pam Griffin's won the competition; putting a picture of the house up on jb's own forum.

Pam won a signed copy of Barrowman's "Barrowman Sings Cole Porter" CD for her efforts (the lucky thing!). Now, John - if you're reading this (and I'm sure you are dude!) - then surely your two fave torchwoodtv writers deserve signed CD's soon too...?