My Torchwood Day

So. Tuesday night. I'm reading the internet and hearing that everybody except me has tickets for the Torchwood cinema screenings. I guess, 'Hey, I haven't heard anything after all this time. I musn't have won a ticket after all...' Disheartened, I logged off of my computer and spnt time with my girlfriend for a couple of hours, putting the whole thing to the back of my mind.

Of course, the first thing I do when my girlfriend's gone home is to look on my computer. I was there to seek out any Torchwood news, and post about it here (I promise you, I really do have a life. Just not at the minute!). Suddenly, out of nowhere, my inbox flashed up "2 Unread Mail Messages" - and, seriously, my heart skipped a beat as I saw their titles...

"Torchwood Cinema Screenings"

One was from Kurly himself, who had won a pair of tickets hours before, but couldn't go to the screening because of the fact that he lives in the UNITED STATES! So, kindly, he let me take his place. I was over the moon!

Looking at the next e-mail, my hands were shaking, and as I read, they began to shake some more. I had only won another two tickets on top of the ones Kurly had given me! I had literally gone from having no tickets, to four in a matter of minutes!

Of course, time was of the essense. There was less than 24 hours to go until the screening, and I had to arrange with my girlfriend and two close friends when and where we were to meet up in Manchester City Centre the next day. Having done so, I finally went to bed - unable to sleep out of pure excitement!

The next day seemed to drag on and on. Time really was going at snail pace. But at last came 4 o'clock - the time I'd arranged to meet my girlfriend at the Metrolink station. I swear down, I was seconds away from getting a slap, I was quoting the Torchwood adverts so much! Not only was my girlfriend bored of me speaking by the time we got off of the tram - so was everybody else on board!

Looking around the Manchester shopping centre (us Manks call it the Arndale Centre), we got something to eat at a local Pizza Hut - although I was too excited to eat. No sleep, and now no food - man, I bet I was a pleasure to be around! After the food, we finally went to the Printworks Odeon cinema, and met up with two friends, and ventured inside...

I wish that was the end of the story, but it's not!

Queuing up to register our names, and enter the Torchwood screening, who do I spot doing the ID checks? None other than my own cousin Samantha - who I had no idea worked in the Odeon! Last I knew she was travelling around America after graduating university. It's also at this point that I (unknowingly) ran into Torchwood.tv reader Emma, and her Dad. What a small world we live in!

So, we were inside. Our IDs had been checked and verified. I had my Captain Jack action figure ready in my pocket (hey, he wanted to watch his big debut!) and as far as I knew - nothing could go wrong. Could it?

We queued up outside screen 19 for almost ten whole minutes - only because we'd been told to do so. One member of the cinema staff had told us, downstairs, not to use the word "Torchwood", in case it grabbed unwanted attention. He suggested a code phrase, "Step Up". So, when we got lost in the cinema, and had to ask for directions, that's what we said. "Step Up". The cinema worker smiled, and helped us on our way.

Only he lead us to an actual film, that's just been released, called "Step Up"...

We waited outside it's screen for ages. The crowds grew around us; and strangely, I thought, there was relatively few men lining up. On top of that, there was one girl who looked about 10 years old, who couldn't possibly have been granted access to Torchwood. Suspicious, we decided to investigate, and did indeed learn that we had been queuing at the wrong screen all the time!

Only, the cinema staff clearly didn't believe us - and made us go through ID checks AGAIN. Only thistime, my nice cousin was gone; replaced by a nasty middle aged woman. I grew more and more nervous with every passing second because, although she could find my name on the list, she couldn't find Kurly's. Or I assumed it would be Kurly's name, seen as though he won the ticket. Nope, no Kurly's on the list. So I suggested Aaron (Kurly's real name). Nope. No Aaron. I couldn't believe it. Would I have to be so cold and have to ask my two friends to leave? After all, there was no way I was giving my tickets up!

But, at last, I had a quick second of genius: What if Kurly had registered for his tickets under MY name. Worth a check... And what'd you know, there it was, a second listing of my name. Kurly, the clever sod, had saved the day - from over a thousand miles away!

At last, we were on our way. For real this time. We entered the cinema theatre, and took our seats near the front. Of course, I sat next to the girlfriend, and embarrassed her dearly by pulling out the Captain Jack action figure I had concealed in my pocket. I put Jack down on the spare seat next to me, to allow him full access to the Torchwood debut. Strangely, it was at this point that other Woodies around me started giving me funny looks, and laughing at me.

I have no idea why.

We waited a good quarter of an hour before the episode actually began - but when it did, everyone (and I mean everybody) fell silent. Torchwood was beginning...

After the screening ended, we all wanted to applause it's brilliance. It's not ruining anything to say that Torchwood is most unlike anything ever made by the BBC (or anybody for that matter). My girlfriend stood and told me she loved it, as did my two companions. Throughout the screening, all four of us had been giggling away madly at the script's humour, and I just knew that - like me - my companions had fallen in love with Torchwood and it's characters.

It became clear, walking back home with them, that each one of them is going to watch Torchwood on the small screen - because in 50 shorts minutes, Torchwood did everything that a television drama should do. It engaged the audience, and treated them like interlectuals, and also kept them on the edge of their seats throughout.

That's why we all wanted to clap - and that's why Torchwood made 200 new fans that night in Manchester City Centre.

End of report.