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.

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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?

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.

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?

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.