The rating data is out for Torchwood's premiere on BBCA and it broke a record for the station. 500,000 statesiders tuned in for 'Everything Changes' which are great numbers for the relatively small cable channel.
The media coverage in the US has been very favorable with the major problem being that people want to see it on a higher-profile network. Thanks to Jim who sent me the following E-mail compiling some of the good reviews:
Hollywood Reporter
"Bottom Line: A crackling good, brilliantly conceived sci-fi series that targets actual grownups."
"As sci-fi fans go, I'm what you might call, um, not one. I'm not big on the whole aliens/fantasy thing in general, so it takes something particularly enthralling in this genre to grab my attention and keep it. This is the highest praise I can give to
"Torchwood," a new BBC America sci-fi/thriller that's so good and unsettling and creepy that even grumps like myself can't help but be in its thrall...
"Compelling, convoluted and camp all at once, "Torchwood" tells the tale of a British crimefighting team that works independently of all law enforcement and government oversight....
LA Times
"'Torchwood' is indescribably delicious"
"... dark and splendid ... often funny ... beautifully shot... one of the strengths of "Torchwood," and of British drama in general, [is] that even in the grip of the fantastic it doesn't undervalue the ordinary."
TV Guide: Matt Roush
"Torchwood: TV's Sexiest Alien Hunters"
"Over the years, I've somehow resisted the lure of the iconic British fantasy Doctor Who, in all of its incarnations. So imagine my surprise to be hooked on Torchwood, a cheeky and often startlingly adult spin-off.
These are the provocative adventures of Torchwood, a super-secret team of dashing agents who specialize in containing alien threats. Think MI-5 in cahoots with The X-Files. "
Variety
"The Brits have seldom excelled in science fiction relative to their strides in other genres, but this semi-spinoff of the new "Dr. Who" from its writer, Russell T. Davies, yields "X-Files"-ish charms with "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" bite -- a smart,
occasionally salacious hour wryly populated by cheesy monsters.
"Davies and the other lead writer on the series, Chris Chibnall ("Life on Mars"), play much of it for laughs, but there's a bit of an edge in this British-Canadian coproduction as well.
"Briskly paced ... "Torchwood" has the fixings of a thinking-man's sci-fi series that doesn't take itself too seriously."
Kansas City Star
The two best serial dramas to arrive on American television in 2007 so far have been “Damages,” a thriller on FX starring Glenn Close, and “Mad Men,” a period piece set in 1960 Manhattan on AMC. That number
just grew to three with “Torchwood,” a “Doctor Who” spin-off arriving at 8 p.m. Saturday on BBC America.
Airing on cable, “Torchwood” is the best TV show debuting here in September — the month the networks used to own.
“Torchwood” is so much more tricked-out with talent and visual wizardry, moves at such breakneck speed and makes such demands on its viewers that it leaves most American TV shows in its dust.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Torchwood, BBC America's latest import, which debuts tonight at 9, is a magnificent creature.
By turns super-slick, raw, bizarre, hilarious, spooky, scary and sublimely sexy, the sci-fi show is about a five-member group of supersmart heroes who greet, battle, and steal technology from aliens - a la Men In Black. (Rest assured, it's a million times better and cooler than MIB.)
Torchwood doesn't disappoint: After tonight's slam-bang premier, subsequent episodes only get more outrageous.
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
The special effects are generally decent and the writing and characterizations leaps and bounds better than in "Flash Gordon," "Eureka" or "The Dresden Files," to name just a few pathetic contemporary sci-fi shows. "Torchwood" is an adult sci-fi show with a sense of humor.
Seattle Post Intelligencer
"Torchwood" thrillingly sails into the darker side of the universe. Doing so creates a world underneath our world that's far more dangerous but, truth be told, a hell of a ride.
Harkness has always been a well of secrets, but this series makes you care about finding out what they are.
There's a lot to love about "Torchwood," especially for fans of the early days of "The X-Files," when it was more of a clever horror anthology series and the alien conspiracy had yet to take over the plot.
San Jose Mercury news
Just when you think you'll be able to concentrate on the networks' new fall shows up pops something new and fresh and captivating on cable: "Torchwood," an imaginative, wickedly funny spinoff from the revived and revitalized "Doctor Who," which drew critical raves and big audiences when it aired in Great Britain last year. The networks also have some promising
fantasy comedy-dramas coming up this season - ABC's "Pushing Daisies," the CW's "Reaper," NBC's "Chuck" - but "Torchwood" ranks right with them.
As written by Russell T Davies, who revived "Doctor Who" and created the original "Queer as Folk," and Chris Chibnall (the fine "Life on Mars"), "Torchwood" is grand fun and great adult entertainment. Like "Buffy" and "Angel," shows to which it owes as much to as it does to "Doctor Who," it's loaded with cultural references, rapid-fire dialogue and self-aware wit.
7 comments:
it makes me happy that my hometown paper(Philadelphia) liked Torchwood!
Can't wait for the rest of the episodes.
WOW! This is fantastic news! Wouldn't it be great if Torchwood became HUGE in the states?
Fantastic!
It would be great as long as it's success in the States never affected the writing and production style of the show, which is what makes it so wonderful now. But if the upshot of success in the States meant the show got more money and could therefore produce more than 13 episodes per season that WOULD be wonderful, cos let's face it guys, 13 episodes for a whole year is not nearly enough to satisfy ME and I'm sure I'm not alone! I'm just so bl**dy grateful for the crossover episodes back to Dr Who so I get 3 more episodes of Capt Jack.
Of course the reviews are based on the first episode, which was exceptionally written by Davies. I'll be curious to see what the ratings will be like half-way through the series when the writing -- how shall I put it -- suffered a tad.
the reviews are not based on the pilot alone - the American press got a dvd with the first 4 episodes on it, and some reviewers have seen the entire series.
As someone in the states living with a petty dictator instead of a president, I hope like anything that the writers will not turn Jack into another George W, barking orders to people with no explanation of why (in bush's case because he is doing something wrong). I really hope that each member of the Torchwood team will add value.
I am not at all surprised by Torchwood's popularity in the states, but I am still no less excited abou7t it too. The fact that it broke records on BCCA, however, is amazing. I am quite glad that my one of my British friends told me to watch this waaay back in January (meaning I have already seen it all because I downloaded it) because I don't get BBCA here.
And, to whoever posted saying they wish there were more episodes: it doesn't have anything to do with money. All series from the UK *that I have come to contact with) are invariably short. Be happy it isn't 6 episode long, which is the usual.
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