Some Poems Don't Rhyme

It feels as though I've been building up to this forever. In a way, I have. I announced back in February my intention to leave this site, following the transmission of Children of Earth - but in truth, it goes further back than that.

You see, people talk about 'golden ages' in their lives, rare times when they can sit back and smile knowing how good their life is, or was. Truth is, you often only come to notice a 'golden age' when the moment has passed and you're out of it, looking back and suddenly realising how good you had it. Not this time, because ever since the beginning I've known how lucky I've been working on this site, writing for you lovely people and helping to create a now established corner of Torchwood fandom. My eyes have been open all the time, and so I've been aware since day one that eventually the day would come to say goodbye.

Thing is, I never knew it would be this hard. The programme is on a creative high, and a voice in the back of my head wants me to stay put, report upon the fourth series and so on - but, no. If I don't leave now then I probably never will, and I think I need change. It keeps life fresh and exciting, and so very unpredictable. It's time I go embrace what lies on the horizon waiting for me.

So there we are. Hopefully you've enjoyed reading whatever crap I've disguised as news over the last three and a half years. I've tried to make it as entertaining, informative and honest as I possibly could - you guys and gals are so damn clever that anything else would have just be an insult to your intelligence. You might not agree with the opinions sometimes given, but I hope you appreciate them, and let them inform whatever thought processes you yourself might be forming around the series.

If I'm honest, I have no idea what happens next. TORCHWOOD.tv might continue like normal, with the team of writers hired over the last few months. Three years from now, one of them might be bidding adieu after series six, or whatever. Or maybe this is it, the end of the site. I just don't know. I hope it doesn't just fade away unnoticed. It deserves the very best, and nothing less. Fingers crossed, and good luck to those lucky folk who have the challenge of leading the site forward during its next exciting era.

I'll be sticking with sister site SARAH-JANE.tv for the foreseeable future, so hop along over there for the latest news on all things Sarah Jane Smith (The Sarah Jane Adventures). On a more intimate note, there's my personal blog - Life of Cliché - which I write on pretty much every other day. Pop along and say hello anytime you like.

Any last words? Enjoy Torchwood (whatever future it might have) - plain and simple. One day you'll look back on all this - Captain Jack Harkness, Weevils, Children of Earth, the SUV, hell... even Grey - and you'll realise, this really is a 'golden age'.

Okay, I think that's it. I'm done.

Thanks for reading!

"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned - the hard way - that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next." - Gilda Radner

"Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened." - Dr. Seuss

Reader Awards 2009 - Results

Drumroll please!

The moment has arrived at last...

It's what you've been waiting all month long for:

The results of the TORCHWOOD.tv Reader Awards!

Enough of me and my waffle, let's begin shall we?!

***

RATE THE EPISODES

Strange result here - on average, you're under the impression that the show dropped in quality every single night it was on...

All results are an average mark out of ten:

1: "Children of Earth - Day One" 8.89/10
2: "Children of Earth - Day Two" 8.46/10
3: "Children of Earth - Day Three" 8.09/10
4: "Children of Earth - Day Four" 7.28/10
5: "Children of Earth - Day Five" 6.91/10

It gives a series average of 7.926 (I also asked you to mark the "Children of Earth" serial as a whole out of 10, and this averaged 7.854). To put this in its place, the series one average score was 7.416/10 and series two then scored an average of 7.615/10. So, with regards to popularity amongst fandom, it's third time lucky for Torchwood! This has been the most popular series yet...

Here's a league table of all 31 episodes so far broadcast, based upon the average scores you gave them in this and previous Reader Awards:

1: "Captain Jack Harkness" 9.20/10
2: "Fragments" 9.11/10
3: "End of Days" 8.96/10
4: "Children of Earth - Day One" 8.89/10
5: "Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang" 8.48/10

6: "Children of Earth - Day Two" 8.46/10
7: "Exit Wounds" 8.42/10
8: "Children of Earth - Day Three" 8.09/10
9: "They Keep Killing Suzie" 7.90/10
10: "Everything Changes" 7.84/10

11: "Reset" 7.69/10
12: "Adam" 7.65/10
13: "Something Borrowed" 7.53/10
14: "To the Last Man" 7.52/10
15: "Out of Time" 7.49/10

= "Adrift" 7.49/10
17: "A Day in the Death" 7.46/10
18: "Countrycide" 7.28/10
= "Children of Earth - Day Four" 7.28/10
20: "Small Worlds" 7.27/10

21: "Greeks Bearing Gifts" 7.19/10
22: "Dead Man Walking" 7.15/10
23: "Ghost Machine" 7.14/10
24: "Cyberwoman" 7.07/10
25: "Sleeper" 7.03/10

26: "Children of Earth - Day Five" 6.91/10
27: "Combat" 6.84/10
28: "From Out of the Rain" 6.81/10
29: "Meat" 6.66/10
30: "Day One" 6.64/10
31: "Random Shoes" 5.59/10

BEST ACTOR/ACTRESS

Well, the Janto squad were out in force...

The shocking departure of Ianto Jones, and the subsequent anger from a lot of Woodies, left a real dent in the results. Biggest shock of all... how far down the list one John Barrowman is!

1: Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto Jones) 54.29%
2: Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper) 22.86%
3: John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness) 18.57%
4: Kai Owen (Rhys Williams) 4.29%

At least Kai got more votes this time around...

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR/ACTRESS

Andy Pryor, you did us proud...

1: Peter Capaldi (John Frobisher) 51.39%
2: Paul Copley (Clement McDonald) 11.11%
3: Lucy Cohu (Alice Carter) 9.72%
4: Cush Jumbo (Lois Habiba) 9.72%
5: Liz May Brice (Agent Johnson) 8.33%
6: Tom Price (PC Andy Davidson) 6.94%
7: Susan Brown (Bridget Spears) 2.78%

QUESTION TIME

Winning choice shown:

1: Were you happy with the end of Children of Earth? No (56.3%)
2: Do you think the show will return for a 4th series? Yes (82.4%)
2B: Should another series return to the 13 episode format? Yes (76.5%)
3: Are you a British viewer? No (71.8%)
3B: If 'no' to the above, did you watch the series legally? Yes (58.7%)
4: Would you be interested in an American version of the show? No (87.1%)
5: Can the show continue without John Barrowman? No (73.9%)

THE CHILDREN OF EARTH HALL OF FAME

Securing at least two thirds of the vote it's... GARETH DAVID-LLOYD!

Runners up include Russell T Davies, Euros Lyn, BBC One and other members of the cast and crew.

MESSAGE FROM THE FANS

"'Crapped myself' awesomeness! Loved it!" Shabbs
"Pass the Retcon!" Jennifer S
"Imaginative well acted series arc" Michael R

"Good fun (till Ianto dies...)" Guadalupe
"Terrifying, explosive, yet thought-provoking" Erica
"Heartbreaking honest in it's brutality." Jane

"No Ianto, no series 4!" Sophie
"Gut-wrentching, Fantasticness!" Jon L
"An action-packed thrill ride." Terri

"Happy pills are in order." Wojtek
"Torchwood’s finally grown up!" Steve
"Wouldn't happened under Harriet Jones!" K Faith

"Brilliant start, anti-climactic finish." Aussie 54
"T'was sadly delightful and magical." Jones
"ACTION... SHOCK... ACTION, MORE SHOCK" Joseph

"Best show in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Ann
"RTD punished fans for Janto..." FurBall
"Save the coffee boy please!" Lilith

"Shocking, Stunning Work, want more" Don
"Incredibly overwhelming, sexy, and creepy!" Sander
"Awesome, but not for Ianto!!" Anita

"The best five hour movie EVER!" utini42
"THE SHOW MUST GO ON!" Jon

***

RATE THE AUDIO ADVENTURES

With a mark out of 10:

1: "The Dead Line" 8.78/10
2: "Lost Souls" 7.56/10
3: "Golden Age" 7.07/10
4: "Asylum" 7.00/10

RATE THE (DOCTOR WHO) EPISODE

Just one episode to review this year (average out of 10)...

1: "The Stolen Earth"/"Journey's End" 8.57/10

Here's how it compares to other Doctor Who episodes:

1: "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances" - 9.38/10
2: "Bad Wolf"/"The Parting of the Ways" - 8.92/10
3: "Utopia"/"Sound of Drums"/"Last of the Time Lords" - 8.68/10
4: "The Stolen Earth"/"Journey's End" - 8.57/10
5: "Boomtown" - 7.87/10
6: "The Unquiet Dead" - 7.12/10
7: "Aliens of London" - 6.51/10

BEST TIE-IN BOOK

1: "Almost Perfect" (James Goss) - 35.71%
2: "Pack Animals" (Peter Anghelides) - 21.43%
3: "The House that Jack Built" (Guy Adams) - 16.66%
4: "SkyPoint" (Phil Ford) - 9.52%
= "Into the Silence" (Sarah Pinborough) - 9.52%
6: "Bay of the Dead" (Mark Morris) - 7.14%

ACCESS ALL AREAS - OTHER MERCHANDISE

Alas, there wasn't enough data to put this together, but most things received a score of around 7-7.5, so there's still room for improvement!

***

I'm eternally grateful for everybody who voted. Couldn't have done it without you!

Normally at this point I promise to see you again same time, same place next year... but sob, this is it for me now. Hopefully the new guard at TORCHWOOD.tv continue the tradition, and should a fourth series launch next year, here's to the 2010 Reader Awards!!

For the first time, I'll be one of the fans writing in. Exciting!

There's still time...

...to get your votes in for the TORCHWOOD.tv Reader Awards, so what are you waiting for? All you've got to do is copy and paste this survey, and send the results through to the usual email address. You have until noon on Wednesday to get that in to me, before the final votes will be counted, double checked and revealed sometime on Friday.

***

In the meantime, can I bring to your attention the efforts of one group of fans who were so unhappy with the conclusion to Children of Earth (SPOILERS for anybody who hasn't seen it yet) that they've decided to start a petition of sorts to bring Gareth David-Lloyd and his now deceased character Ianto Jones back onto the show for the proposed series four.

So far their fundraising has helped raise over £3,000 for the BBC's Children in Need. A massive congratulations to them and their efforts thus far.

Want to save Ianto Jones? Clicky clicky here.

UPDATE: A press release from the organisers of the petition:

IS IANTO JONES REALLY DEAD?

FANS RALLY TO RESURRECT TORCHWOOD CHARACTERFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fans around the world cried out in grief and frustration when Ianto Jones, a major Torchwood character, met an untimely and unexpected demise. Those who were shocked by the popular character’s death in last week’s Children of Earth season three mini-series on BBC1 are not taking it lightly or quietly. The movement to save Ianto Jones began mere moments after he died, thanks to networking communities such as LiveJournal, Twitter and Facebook.

The campaign is everywhere, it seems. The website www.saveiantojones.com had over 18,000 hits at the time of this writing. There is a movement to send coffee to the BBC offices in Wales, following in the footsteps of successful fan campaigns such as peanuts for Jericho, pencils for the US writer’s strike, and Nerds for Chuck. A LiveJournal community set up to coordinate activities can be found at http://community.livejournal.com/savecoffeeboy, Twitter hashtags include #saveiantojones and #bringbackianto, and Facebook groups are too numerous to list.

It’s not all new media, though. Fans are being urged to send postcards and letters to Russell T Davies, creator of the series, and to the BBC. A number of letters suggest a means of enabling Ianto's return – Torchwood is science fiction, after all.

However, it is important to note that this is not just a campaign to reinstate a popular character on a television show. This is a campaign with a heart and the desire to do good, so at http://www.justgiving.com/iantojones fans are donating to Children in Need in the name of Ianto Jones. They are also using the campaign as a platform to communicate to Gareth David-Lloyd, in the most public way possible, just how much he and his character are loved and admired.

And it’s only just getting started. Children of Earth garnered huge ratings for BBC1 when it aired in the UK. BBC America counts Torchwood as one of the highest-rated shows in its history and will air the mini-series over five nights from July 20, 2009. The power of the internet means that some overseas fans have already heard about Ianto Jones’ death, but there are still many more that have yet to be shocked by the news. It is only to be expected that more fans will join this ground-swell of public protest, although it remains to be seen how the BBC will react to the campaign.

One thing, however, is certain. The fans do not intend to let Ianto Jones go quietly into that good night. They are not going to give up a favourite character without a fight.

For more information, contact Carey-Anne Shiel:
saveianto@yahoo.co.uk -- + 44 (0) 7749 770 147 -- www.saveiantojones.com

***

Updates to follow throughout the week, which happens to be my last as a contributor to this lil' old site. Sob!

Exciting Day, Huh?

Not only does today happen to be the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landings, but we've also been treated to our first glimpse of Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor, alongside companion Amy Pond (as played by Karen Gillan) as filming begins on Doctor Who's fifth season, to broadcast at some point in 2010.

On top of that, Torchwood: Children of Earth hits BBC America tonight, from 9:00-10:15P and 8:00-9:15C. Running Monday through Friday, the five day event continues the trend established in the UK and Australia earlier in the month.

For fans in Canada, Space begins airing the serial at 10PM ET. The episodes will be available online for 7 days after broadcast. You can catch the Doctor Who Easter Special on Saturday July 25th at 9PM ET on the same channel.

American and Canadian fans who haven't had a chance to watch the adventure yet... you're in for a treat. And well done for avoiding those pesky spoilers!

Leave your comments about Day One in the comments box below.

John Says Goodbye

Following the transmission of Children of Earth, things have become very quiet with regards to Torchwood news - until today, that is, when a certain John Barrowman popped up on our television screens on This Morning to wish out-going hostess Fern Britton goodbye. John sang a rendition of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" (which opened the show).

Fern is replaced by Holly Willoughby - host of Dancing on Ice, on which John appeared during the show's very first series.

***

Gareth David-Lloyd talks to DigitalSpy - SPOILERS for Children of Earth if you haven't watched it yet. During it, Gareth confirms he'll be playing Prince Charming in a Cinderella pantomime this coming December through January in Preston.

Finally, Eve Myles recently spoke to Nicole Powers, and it results in a fantastic interview.

Parting of the Ways

Children of Earth 'survivors' John Barrowman and Eve Myles are moving away from Torchwood for the time being (?) to head up a couple of individual projects.

Firstly, Eve Myles will be appearing alongside Trevor Eve in a new BBC One drama commission, titled Framed. According to DigitalSpy, "the programme, adapted from Frank Cottrell Boyce's best-selling children's novel, sees a secretive convoy of men invade a Welsh village." It's expected to air this Winter on the BBC.

Also coming up, John Barrowman will be travelling across the globe as part of this year's Children in Need extravaganza Around the World in 80 Days. Various celebrities will be paired up, and travel segments of the world together. John's partner is the ever lovely (if boring...) Myleene Klass. Other celebs taking part include Lee Mack and Frank "I'm funny me, honest" Skinner. ETA - October/November.

***

5.8 million viewers (26.7% of the available audience) saw the last part of the Children of Earth serial on BBC One last night, making it the 4th most watched programme of the day.

We'll have a full ratings round-up in a couple of weeks when the full data breakdown is released.

In the meantime you can catch Torchwood: Children of Earth on DVD and Blu-Ray from Monday at all good entertainment outlets.

Why don't you follow this blog for all the latest, up-to-date Torchwood news?

The Reader Awards 2009

Now that the show is over for another year (well, potentially forever) here in the UK and Australia I thought now was the ideal time to launch what has become a TORCHWOOD.tv tradition - the end of series Reader Awards!

The Awards are open to all site readers, so I encourage you to copy and paste the below categories, and then email your responses to this email address.

Closing date for entries is noon on Wednesday July 29th - which gives readers in the USA a chance to vote (for the first time) once the series concludes there on the 24th.

The results will be announced on July 31st, in what'll prove to be one of my last posts for the site.

Good luck, and get voting!

RATE THE EPISODES

Give each episode a score out of 10 - with 10 meaning 'exceptional' and 1 being 'abysmal'. Please, don't just pick one episode; make sure you score them all!

1: "Children of Earth - Day One"
2: "Children of Earth - Day Two"
3: "Children of Earth - Day Three"
4: "Children of Earth - Day Four"
5: "Children of Earth - Day Five"

For a complete overview now mark the story as a whole out of 10:

N/A: "Torchwood: Children of Earth"

BEST ACTOR/ACTRESS

Choose from any one of the regular cast:

1: John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness)
2: Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper)
3: Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto Jones)
4: Kai Owen (Rhys Williams)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR/ACTRESS

Choose from any one of the following:

1: Liz May Brice (Agent Johnson)
2: Susan Brown (Bridget Spears)
3: Peter Capaldi (John Frobisher)
4: Lucy Cohu (Alice Carter)
5: Paul Copley (Clement McDonald)
6: Nicholas Farrell (Brian Green PM)
7: Cush Jumbo (Lois Habiba)
8: Tom Price (PC Andy Davidson)

QUESTION TIME

Simple: Just answer the following questions (all YES/NO)

1: Were you happy with the end of Children of Earth?
2: Do you think the show will return for a 4th series?
2B: Should another series return to the 13 episode format?
3: Are you a British viewer?
3B: If 'no' to the above, did you watch the series legally?
4: Would you be interested in an American version of the show?
5: Can the show continue without John Barrowman?

THE CHILDREN OF EARTH HALL OF FAME

Who, from the whole of the CoE cast and crew, most deserves a spotlight of recognition for their work on the mini-series?

MESSAGE FROM THE FANS

Give a five word (no more!) summary of Children of Earth. The ten best will acompany the results when they're published at the end of the month.

***

RATE THE AUDIO ADVENTURES

Again, a mark out of 10 for these Radio 4 bound stories:

1: "Lost Souls"
2: "Asylum"
3: "Golden Age"
4: "The Dead Line"

RATE THE (DOCTOR WHO) EPISODES

Last year we asked you to give a score to all the previous Doctor Who episodes featuring appearences by the Torchwood cast. Since then, one further adventure has aired. Give it a mark out of 10, and the results will be collected together and then compared against the other episodes already surveyed.

1: "The Stolen Earth"/"Journey's End" (with John Barrowman, Eve Myles & Gareth David-Lloyd)

BEST TIE-IN BOOK

Choose from any one of the following:
1: "Pack Animals" (Peter Anghelides)
2: "SkyPoint" (Phil Ford)
3: "Almost Perfect" (James Goss)
4: "Into the Silence" (Sarah Pinborough)
5: "Bay of the Dead" (Mark Morris)
6: "The House that Jack Built" (Guy Adams)

ACCESS ALL AREAS - OTHER MERCHANDISE

Give the following marks out of 10 - 10 being the highest; 1 being the lowest:
1: The Torchwood Action Figures (Underground Toys)
2: Torchwood - the Official Magazine (Titan Publishing)
3: Something in the Darkness [Series Guide] (Steven James Walker, Telos Publishing)
4: The official website (www.bbc.co.uk/torchwood)

TORCHWOOD.TV

Leave your opinions of the site here. They won't be published on the main site, but will help me and the site's other writer's understand what you, the reader, want to see more/less of - and how successful a job we're doing!

Again, send your results here.

The closing date is 12pm on Wednesday July 29th.

The results will be published Friday July 31st.

Get voting!

Why don't you follow this blog for all the latest, up-to-date Torchwood news?

Torchwood Lives!

A quick reminder: SPOILERS for anyboy who has yet to see the conclusion to Children of Earth - you have been warned!!

Man, Day Five has provoked some strong reactions. On the one hand there's the corner of fandom who feel utterly, utterly angry about Russell T Davies' finale, feeling that it pushed Jack Harkness into a direction they didn't like. They feel like their favourite show didn't quite end the way it should have, and I can understand that...

...But, sorry, I'm firmly positioned in the second camp - those fans that watched Day Five and thought it was a bloody good piece of drama. Flawed, certainly, but it was still incredibly powerful and moving. The fact that so many of you are pissed that Jack just runs away at the end demonstrates that. They say the best dramas invite response, and for the first time this show offered that, and more.

Somehow, I don't quite think this is the end of Torchwood (desite how things might first appear). Jack's departure prepares the character for his role in the finale to David Tennant's era onboard Doctor Who, and there after he's free to return to Cardiff (or wherever...). Sure, John Barrowman won't be available to film the series until March 2010 at the earliest, due to prior commitments, but that's not going to stop him!

Then there's the fantastic ratings. 6 million people. Read back over that. No, you're not dreaming - 6 million! The BBC would be foolish not to look at those numbers and order some more episodes, with or without Harkness. Plus, it's an ideal opportunity to bring in new characters/actors - actors who might also be on the cheap side to hire! Well, in the middle of a recession every penny matters.

Rumours are abound that the show could be moving across the pond to the USA, or at least an American remake is bound our way. Russell T Davies is the latest in a long line of production personnel to move over to LA (Julie Gardner has gone, too) - and based off of the show's success over there, I wouldn't rule out the Americans wanting a piece of the Torchwood pie.

Online fandom continues to thrive, also. Forums are going into meltdown over events seen in CoE, and brand spanking new sites are being set up by the people who watched this latest series, fell in love with the series and decided to label themselves fans. They own the show now, as do you, and online they'll never let its flame go out.

TORCHWOOD.tv will continue to offer up the latest happenings within the Torchwood community, with a whole host of writers onboard to ensure it stays as one of the top online resources available. Tomorrow sees the launch of our third annual Reader Awards, which everybody is entitled to vote in, and they'll be posted up in time for my own personal farewell at the end of the month. Yep, after three years reporting, it's almost my time to bid fandom adieu as I move onto ventures new. But the site, like the show it follows, lives on.

Why don't you post your reactions to CoE in the comments section below, and while you're at it take a stab at predicting what you think the future holds for the Torchwood brand. Please, remember, the show hasn't been cancelled by anybody; so try to remain positive!

Torchwood: Children of Earth hits DVD/Blu-Ray here in the UK on Monday 13th July.

Why don't you follow this blog for all the latest, up-to-date Torchwood news?

"Shake the Dirt Off My Shoes..."

My Blu-Ray DVD 'boxset' of Children of Earth has arrived through the post, and this afternoon I sat down to watch the concluding episode of the serial - hours ahead of its official BBC One debut. Normally I'd probably just wait it out, and watch as it goes live - but alas, I'm at work from 7pm onwards so that's never been an option.

HAHA, PROOF! THAT UGLY BLIGHTER IS ME, DON'T YA KNOW?

Here's a quick preview of what to expect. It's pretty light on SPOILERS, but if you want to go into the episode not wanting to know anything at all, I suggest you look away now.

***

1: PC Andy Davidson takes off some clothes...
2: Not only is Captain Jack immortal - a certain well known accessory of his is, too...
3: It's all to do with getting high...
4: Abortion becomes an option...
5: "The Government has sold us out..."
6: Jack's Ret-Con is namechecked (and also, kinda blamed).
7: "They've got kids. Ianto's niece and nephew... Save them"
8: Mr. Frobisher makes an important decision. It's the only option left...
9: Rhys threatens to hit one of the other men in Gwen's life...
10: One cast member's name doesn't feature in the episode's credits - for the very first time since the series started back in 2006.

As for the episode's ending... well, put it this way I'm not too sure what form a fourth series of the show would take. I'm taking the ending as more of a cliffhanger than a definite ending, however. A little bit like how series one ended the story very specifically, but left enough room for series two, and beyond.

More on the episode after it goes out tonight.

Torchwood: Children of Earth - Day Five airs 9pm, BBC One.

Why don't you follow this blog for all the latest, up-to-date Torchwood news?

Heartbreak of Jack & Ianto

One of the things I've found most satisfying with the whole Children of Earth storyline is how well it's served the Jack and Ianto relationship. Honestly, the tail end of series one their relationship was utterly laughable - but how far we've come since then. Between series two, the recent audio dramas and this run of adventures, I'm at last feeling their love. It's real, and at times it's so convincingly heartbreaking.

Yes, I've seen Day Four at last - but I won't say anything further on the matter, not wanting to spoil anything for readers outside of the UK or Australia. Let's just say, it's another chapter in the "Janto" relationship, and quite an important one...

If you haven't seen the episode yet, avoid the comments section below.

***

Children of Earth - Day Four was watched by 6.2 million viewers; that's the highest figure yet! Normally shows that run across five nights see a drop-off throughout the week. Well, Torchwood is the exception! 27% of the available viewing audience were watching at the time, and it was the 2nd most watched programme of the day.

Our friends at the Doctor Who News Page report that 82,000 watched on BBC HD, and a further 232,000 watched the BBC Three repeat. A great success!

Torchwood: Children of Earth - Day Five is the final part of the serial, and airs tonight at 9pm on BBC One. It follows 15 hours later on Australian television's UKTV Channel.

Why don't you follow this blog for all the latest, up-to-date Torchwood news?

He, Houdini

I don't know if this is public knowledge yet, or if it is how many people know about it. It might not even be true. I'm just reporting something that has been sent to me by one reader, who's apparently 'in the know' about these things. Only just got the email, having been at work since the afternoon...

In their own words (Can anybody confirm if this is true?):

"Apparently John Barrowman was filming Fifth Gear yesterday and narrowly escaped serious injury when his car rolled over. No one has said anything officially. Just heard about it. Would love to find out if it's true. Captain Jack is really unbeatable! This didn't come from me tho.."

Firstly, if true, John came to no harm whatsoever, so don't worry yourself. Secondly, how much of a real life Captain Scarlet... erm, Harkness even is he?

Updates to follow. Probably.

Why don't you follow this blog for all the latest, up-to-date Torchwood news?

Wait... You Haven't Seen It Yet?

Day Four, that is. And the only reason why I haven't been able to watch it thus far is because of pesky work getting in the way. It means, however, that I have to stay off all the usual internet forums I read until I do, and I can't even open the comments box for the previous blog entry on this site, scared that it will reveal that Ianto is really one of the Chuckle Brothers, or another such mammoth twist to end all twists.

Wanna know the worst part? I've actually got the Blu-Ray sat right infront of me now, and if I wanted to I could sit and watch both parts and over indulge. But, get this, I'm too tired - so it'll have to save until I'm alive and/or alert enough to watch it tomorrow afternoon. Geez.

Anyhoo, I hope everybody reading at least had fun watching it. Apparently it had a stonking good cliffhanger, that I refuse to know anything about... *fingers in my ears*

I'm not alone of course, because as I write this the episode has yet to hit Australia, for instance. They have another few hours to wait. Still, that's not as bad as the Americans who still have weeks to go until CoE hits their screens (television, that is - I'm sure it's hit a good few computer screens already...). Even Ausiello of Entertainment Weekly hasn't seen what's in store for episode 4 (or 5 for that matter).

So, after reading all this, I'll sum things up in quite a helpful conclusion for you. I haven't seen the episode in question, but you probably have - and for that, I've had my revenge. You see I've made you sit here and read this blog post of mine, when there's no real point to it whatsoever, other than me confirming that I haven't seen an hour of television.

Guess I get the last laugh after all!

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"The Best 5 Hour Movie EVER!!"

At least that's how one of our readers is describing Torchwood: Children of Earth so far. I guess they're not alone in that opinion, as the ratings for Day Three indicate that the figures have gone back up to the level they were at on Monday, with 5.9 million people watching. That's 300,000 up from the night before, making the programme the 3rd most watched of the night (after the soaps) with an audience share of 27.1% and an amazing audience appreciation of 90/100 - to put that in its place, anything over 85 is considered exceptional.

The BBC HD figures, BBC Three repeats and iPlayer views also remain very strong.

It's astonishing just how well received this mini series has been thus far. People at my work who used to scoff at the mention of Torchwood before have been coming up to me and saying how brilliant they're finding this adventure, and asking when the next series starts. My family are addicted, too. Oh, and for people on the bus or on the street it's watercooler television, as everybody I hear is talking about it.

Torchwood has become must watch television, great stuff.

Honestly, the BBC would be fools not to recommission the drama now, wouldn't they?

Torchwood: Children of Earth - Day Four airs tonight on BBC One from 9pm, and is also showing across in Australia mere hours later, at 8:15pm on UKTV.

Why don't you follow this blog for all the latest, up-to-date Torchwood news?

They've Come For Your Children!!

Another explosive episode tonight, huh? I must admit that I'm finding the 456 creature utterly, utterly creepy. It's one of those things that I think they should keep hidden from us as viewers, much like the Alien in the Alien series. As soon as we're granted a full look at the thing, it loses all sense of mystery and horror - because nothing 'real' can live up to what our imaginations might conjure up regarding the thing.

On another note, am I the only one who's noticed how little airtime Captain Jack/John Barrowman has had during the last couple of episodes? They've very much been lite on the character - maybe because Barrowman is off here, there and everywhere filling in as presenter on gameshows, or panel shows, or whatever. I miss him, in a strange way.

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You can read the blog of Day Three's co-writer James Moran here, and there's also an interview with him over at Den of Geek! for your enjoyment, here.

Let us know what you thought of tonight's episode in the comments section below. If you missed it, it's available via BBC iPlayer (UK only, alas) for the next 7 days.

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Britain is Taken!!

The second episode of the five part Children of Earth serial grabbed an average of 5.6 million viewers last night - just 300,000 short of the night before. That's not an all that significant drop in viewers, so I'd say the prospects for a fourth series just got that little bit better...

(That 5.6 million translates to 24% of the available viewing audience... oh, and the show was - for the very first time ever! - the most watched programme of the day. It beat the likes of the soaps, and the Michael Jackson memorial over on BBC 2.)

As for some reactions...

Ed Martin is loving how the series has become 'event' television.

Charlie Jane Anders has some horribly nice things to say about the show.

It's 3 stars out of a possible 5 from DigitalSpy.

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Torchwood: Children of Earth - Day Three airs tonight on BBC One, at 9pm. In Australia that same episode airs a mere 15 hours later, at 8:15pm on UKTV.

Why don't you follow this blog for all the latest, up-to-date Torchwood news?

John Barrowman's Bum!

Ever since the BBC forced the Doctor Who production team to cut a scene in the 2005 episode "Bad Wolf" which would have featured the sight of Mr John Barrowman's bum, we've been promised that one day Captain Jack Harkness would find another reason to take his clothes off and show us his peach. Well, fanboys and fangirls (who probably spend too much time wishing this sort of thing into existence) tonight your wishes came true!

That episode really kicked things up a gear or two, huh? Personally I'm loving Lois Habiba, played by the very lovely Cush Jumbo (fantastic name, too!!). If she doesn't find her way into the show's regular cast next series, there's no justice in the world. She's beautiful, clever and has ten times more charisma than Freema Agyeman's Martha Jones ever did. I was watching her tonight, and thought to myself - "hang on, she has more character depth in two episodes than Toshiko Sato did after two whole series!" Another sign of the show's growing confidence and maturity.

Anyhoo, enough from me - what did you guys and gals at home think? Did you too love Cush, or was it John's tush that really had you going? Or Ianto's "Here He Comes in a Great Ruddy Tractor?" (Ben Foster fans will know straight away what I'm referring to there..!) Let us know in the comments section below, why don't you?!

Torchwood: Children of Earth - Day Two is available over the next 7 days via iPlayer.

Why don't you follow this blog for all the latest, up-to-date Torchwood news?

Reactions - Day One

Children of Earth's opening episode managed a rating of 5.94 million viewers (on average) between 9pm and 10pm last night. Not only does this make Torchwood the 5th most watched programme on British television for Monday July 6th, but it's the show's highest ever rating! And if you're wondering, that equates to 25.58% of the available audience watching!!

We were beaten only by the three main soaps - the pesky Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Eastenders.

It's likely that tonight's installment will see a drop of in figures (as is usual between first and second episodes of any show) and the figure should probably settle at around the 4.5-5 million mark.

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Elsewhere, reviews are coming in from a number of places. BEWARE, if you haven't seen the episode in question yet the links contain nasty SPOILERS:

Sam Wallaston at the Guardian gives his (mixed) review.

Brian Viner from the Independent offers another analysis.

Keith Watson of Metro is in a playful mood (SPOILERS for episode 2).

Meanwhile Charlie Brooker's You Have Been Watching wants your Torchwood reviews, because next week's episode is dedicated entirely to the show! You can tweet them to Brooker direct through this Twitter page!

Oh, and here's one we missed first time around - it's an interview Eve Myles conducted with Under the Radar magazine. Thanks to Mark Redfern for alerting us to it.

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Don't forget, Torchwood: Children of Earth - Day Two airs tonight at 9pm on BBC One, or for readers Down Under, that's 8:15pm on UKTV.

Why don't you follow this blog for all the latest, up-to-date Torchwood news?

Bang Bang Boom!

Now, that was explosive...

So, Torchwood has blasted back onto our screens at last. Hooray, it's been worth the wait! One of the things I noticed about this opening episode is just how mature it feels. Every season the show grows up that little bit more, and it's working in its favour. Back in 2006 we had brash episodes about sex-addicted aliens, and now instead we have quieter moments with the team and a general intelligence injected into the scripts.

In other words, based off what I've seen so far, I approve of Children of Earth!

What did you make of the episode? Reactions in the comments section below!

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Catch a trailer for Day Two at the BBCi site (plus an interview with Eve Myles).

Meanwhile, a couple of interviews with the show's cast that ran earlier today:

Eve Myles and Gareth David-Lloyd on BBC Breakfast.

John Barrowman on his favourite chat show, Loose Women.

As ever, if you're new to the site, welcome! Hope you feel at home here, and within the Torchwood community as a whole.

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Tonight's the Night

(See what I did there? I thought it was clever and highly amusing, anyways...)

Tonight sees the first new venture onto television for the Torchwood team since... would you believe it, April 2008. Children of Earth runs all week long, becoming true 'event' television in the process. But let's face it, for us Woodies it was always going to be an event, wasn't it? After all, we've had over a 15 month wait - not to mention a Doctor Who crossover that's wet our appetites, and four rather accomplished radio plays that have helped bide time.

If you're new to the Torchwood experience, having seen trailers and such over the last couple of weeks and thought you'd investogate further, then welcome! Firstly, to the world of Torchwood - which spins out of Doctor Who, or more specifically Russell T Davies' take on the science-fiction juggernaut. The show is centred around Cardiff's Torchwood team, who investigate strange goings on around the town that are often related to the presense of extra terrestrial beings.

Tonight is the start of the show's third season; although rest assured that you need no more of an introduction than what you'll get during tonight's opening installment.

(And if you do like what you see tonight and during the rest of the week, you should know that the DVD and Blu-Ray boxsets of series one and two are also available now...)

Secondly, welcome to TORCHWOOD.tv! We're a site dedicated to all things Torchwood (but you've probably guessed that, right?) and have been reporting all the latest news, as well as commentary and other such ramblings, ever since the show's commission was first announced back in 2005. On a personal level, I hope you enjoy what you see here and decide to join us on our Torchwood odyssey on a regular basis.

Torchwood: Children of Earth - Day One kicks off at 9pm tonight on BBC One here in the UK, and runs on UKTV in Australia a few hours later, from 8:15pm local time.

Radio Play Wrap-Up

Well folks, in just a few more hours those lucky people in the UK will be watching the opening credits of Torchwood: Children of Earth's first episode.

But until that time, why not have a discussion of the three most recent radio plays? I have a feeling that any and all coverage from herein on will focus on CoE, but before that let's give the audio dramas a bit of love, hmmm?

So leave a comment or two (or twelve) in this post.

What did you love (or not) about the shows? How did they stack up against Lost Souls waaay back in September? Do you think that CoE will address some of the new canon (especially in regards to Asylum?) Which, if any, do you wish had been made into an actual episode?

And a spoiler-lite refresher:
Asylum: In which it is revealed that Captain Jack's Torchwood eventually becomes firefighters.
Golden Age: Colonialism is most efficient when run with people-power.

The Dead Line: Don't blink answer the phone! Blink Answer the phone, and you're dead.

Thin Dead Line

Right, that's two down - one to go! By now you've no doubt listened to the two brand spanking new Torchwood radio adventures, that have been airing on BBC's Radio 4 station (Wednesday's "Asylum" and yesterday's "Golden Age"). Well, today's there's one final story to round off the series - "The Dead Line" and from the sounds of things, it's a corker!

Don't forget, ahead of Children of Earth next week various media outlets are running stories regarding the series. SFX Magazine, for example, have published a lengthy interview with the show's creator, Russell T Davies (who, as ever, positively shines during it). Digitalpy have also been previewing the series, and here's just one example of their coverage.

The DVD and Blu-Ray release of CoE has been pushed forward a couple of weeks, to July 13th - meaning that there's an ever so slight chance some fans who have pre-ordered the release will get the boxset ahead of transmission for Friday's finale (depending on when the discs are shipped - there may well be an embargo for even shipping releases until, say, Thursday afternoon).

The Blu-Ray release of series 2 has also hit UK stores, and those across Europe.

More developments surrounding CoE over the weekend, and across next week.

(You can read a 'making of' for the three audio adventures here - thanks to reader J. M. Ferretti)

Takin' Over the Asylum

Right now, at the very second I'm writing this, the first of three new Torchwood radio adventures is about to go out to listeners in the UK. It's called "Asylum" and it's by award winning playwright Anita Sullivan, and stars John, Eve and Gareth - reuniting them with Tom Price as the returning PC Andy Davidson.

The official synopsis:

When PC Andy arrests a teenager for shoplifting, he thinks it is going to be a routine case. Then he sees the weapon she is carrying and decides to call in the Torchwood team. Under questioning from Gwen, the girl remembers her name but little else, and when she speaks it is in a strange mix of English and Scandinavian, but with a Cardiff accent. Then the girl's blood tests come through and the team is faced with a dilemma.

I'm hearing a little time travel is involved...

You can download the episode over the next 7 days on BBC's iPlayer service, and after that it'll be available through iTunes and on CD release sometime over the next few months.

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Don't forget that the latest issue of Torchwood: The Official Magazine is out now - with previews of Children of Earth, as well as interviews with the cast and crew, and various pieces of original fiction. You can pick it up from all good newsagents, priced £4.99.