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.

T Minus 7 Days!

It's only a week to go now until Torchwood: Children of Earth debuts on British television - and the good news for Australian fans is that the episodes show Down Under the exact same day (8:30pm on UKTV, don't you know). In the build up to launch, the BBC have released another trailer for the serial, that has been running inbetween a hell of a lot of post-watershed programming.

Tomorrow's edition of the Radio Times is expected to have a Torchwood themed cover, and will have interviews with the cast and crew. Check back here tomorrow for a full report on what you'll find inside it.

After that, Wednesday/Thursday/Friday see (well, not technically...) the three brand spanking new Torchwood audio adventures air on Radio 4. They are:

Asylum (Weds @ 2:15pm)
Written by Anita Sullivan, directed by Kate McAll.

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.

Jack ...... John Barrowman
Gwen ...... Eve Myles
Ianto ...... Gareth David-Lloyd
PC Andy ...... Tom Price
Freda ...... Erin Richards
Security Guard ...... Matthew Gravelle
Policewoman ...... Sara McGaughey
Dog Walker ...... Dick Bradnum
Girl ...... Isabel Lewis

Golden Age (Thursday @ 2:15pm)
Written by James Goss, directed by Kate McAll.

The Torchwood team are led to Delhi on the trail of a dangerous energy field. As the field grows, they witness the simultaneous disappearance of hundreds of people. Jack discovers that the field centres on an old colonial mansion, Torchwood India. Shocked to find that Torchwood India is still going strong after he shut it down himself over 80 years ago, he is even more surprised to find that its members, including his old flame the Duchess, haven't aged a day.

Jack ...... John Barrowman
Gwen ...... Eve Myles
Ianto ...... Gareth David-Lloyd
The Duchess ...... Jasmine Hyde
Mr Daz ...... Amerjit Dew
Mahajan ...... Ravin J Ganatra
Gissing ...... Richard Mitchley

The Dead Line (Friday @ 2:15pm)
Written by Phil Ford, directed by Kate McAll.

When a Cardiff hospital is inundated with patients who have fallen into coma -like trances, Torchwood move in to investigate. The trances appear to have been triggered by phone calls, all received on retro phones and made from a number that hadn't been active for over 30 years. Determined to find out who has been calling the unfortunate victims, Jack rings the mysterious number, but the line is dead. But then it calls Jack back.

Jack ...... John Barrowman
Gwen ...... Eve Myles
Ianto ...... Gareth David-Lloyd
Rhys ...... Kai Owen
Stella ...... Dona Croll
Jan ...... Eiry Thomas
Bob ...... Matthew Gravelle
Tyler ...... Brendan Charleson

Also, don't forget to check out the new series of Torchwood original fiction novels from BBC Books - which include The House that Jack Built, Bay of the Dead and Into the Silence. Amazon currently has them for around a fiver, or alternatively you can pick them up in Waterstones' current summer 3 For 2 offer. (Thanks to Katie from eBury for this, and apologies it's taken so long for me to report!)

Finally, a sneaky ten hints as to what to expect from next Monday night onwards.

More from us throughout the week!!

A Little Bit of Cardiff in America

So, dear readers, I have returned out of the ether to add the Yank's view of Torchwood, and I came across a great opportunity for anyone to learn a little bit more about Wales, home to Torchwood, amongst many exciting artisans and craftspeople.

The 2009 Smithsonian Folk Life Festival in Washington, DC is featuring Wales this year as the country being showcased. The annual festival gives visitors a chance to learn all about Wales from attendants chosen by the Welsh Assembly to showcase the creativity and ingenuity of the Welsh people.

From organic farmers, to animators, the festival offered much to see and do. I had the good fortune to chat with many there, and one of the more common subjects discussed is that Americans have become more curious to learn about Wales because of the airing of Torchwood here in the United States.

So I wondered, "WWCJD?" (What would Captain Jack do?) Since I was with my family, randomly snogging aliens seemed right out, so I found myself befriending a pint of Cwrw Braf, while enjoying some smoked ham and Y-Fenni. (My new favorite I may add.)

The Folk Life festival is FREE all you need to do is come to Washington DC between now and July 5th and stand physically somewhere between the United States Capitol Building and the Washington Monument to experience a little bit of Wales for yourself. Oh, and while you're there, tell the artisans how much you love Torchwood! (They love to hear that you've been watching, they are proud of their show!)

For more info: http://www.festival.si.edu/2009/wales/index.aspx

Enjoy!
-Tremas

Get it while it's hot (and cheap!)

Various online retailers have put up Torchwood: Children of Earth (DVD & also Blu-Ray) on their sites, ready for your pre-orders. Amazon has the series available on DVD for £19.99, and for some strange reason has the Blu-Ray at just £17.59 - they have a pre-order guarentee, so if you place an order at this price, they have to go through with the sale (unlike Play.com, who last year cancelled thousands of orders for series two after they put it up at £17.99 by mistake...).

Be warned! Amazon will likely increase the price, to £24.99 probably, when they realise the mistake they've made - so you've only got a limited time to put the pre-order in at this price.

The cover for the Blu-Ray can be seen below...

In other news, the latest issue of SFX Magazine (number #184) contains a preview of the series, which includes an interview with writer Russell T Davies. There's also a talk with John Barrowman and Eve Myles. You can pick the magazine up now, for £3.99.

Finally, now that it's been confirmed that Torchwood: Children of Earth will air at some point in July across the UK, US and Australia I think that it makes sense that I bid adieu to this site at the end of that month, once all five episodes have aired. So, July 31st it is (aptly, that's the day that Outpost Gallifrey and Doctor Who Forum close their doors for the last time too...)

Rest assured, the site will live on, through the very brilliant team of writers that it has aquired the services of over the last few months.

We Are Coming... But when?

Despite the fact that a BBC press release announced that Children of Earth was going to air some time in June, now it's looking like that may not be the case. From the start of Children of Earth's publicity, there was talk of having the mini series simulcast across as many networks in as many nations as possible, especially BBC One and BBC America.

However BBC America has been running teasers, as well as officially announced, that their airdate for the series will be some time in July. Does this mean that the airdate for BBC One will be pushed to July? Or have they just abandoned the idea of the simulcast?

Another article with another "official release" has shown up, saying that July is in fact the month that the broadcast will happen, but after all this back and forth, it's hard be sure. The one date that is known is the special event screening of the first episode slated for June 12th at the British Film Institute, which was sold out to members before it even went on sale to the general public.

Hopefully a solid date will be announced soon, but until then, at least it's safe to say it will air some time before August... We hope.

The show's so vogue

Captain Jack says that "everything changes" - nothing more so than fashion!

As you're no doubt aware TORCHWOOD.tv has dabbled in fashion before - who doesn't want a TW.tv T-shirt?! - but now at last Woodies across the land can rejoice as Forbidden Planet International have on sale an official licensed Torchwood T-shirt (that puts our's to shame, and then some!) that you can get your hands on right now!*

*I admit that's there's been some recent scandal about online buying from FP International, but I'm assured that this has all been corrected now.

*

***

*

In other news, it looks like BBC America won't be airing Children of Earth the same week as BBC One here in the UK. Instead promotional material indicates that it'll go out some time in July - a full month after its mid-June UK debut.

Children of Earth goes global

Viewers in South Africa are seeing Torchwood for the first time, now that BBC Entertainment has aquired the series, and started running it from series one onwards. In a short few weeks they're expected to begin showing series two and then, along with Australia's UKTV, they'll air the brand spanking new Children of Earth mini series.

"AUSTRALIA?" SIGHS GWEN, "PAH! JACK'S BEEN DOWN UNDER A FEW TIMES ALREADY..."

So far the five part series is confirmed as airing in the UK, US, Australia, South Africa and on the Space network in Canada.

Expect the series to hit screens in the United Kingdom this coming June.

(In the meantime you can read this exclusive comic strip adventure, commissioned by the kind folks at Watch)

Also, play.com are advertising the Blu-Ray DVD package of Torchwood series two, for release in June. No news on if it'll contain extra features not seen on the regular DVD release (like commentaries, which some fans still haven't forgiven 2Entertain for excluding last time....)

***

Wet Paint! TORCHWOOD.tv has had a little make-over. Hope you approve!

The Canadian branch of Torchwood

Perhaps needing something to warm them up in the great white north, the Canadians thought investing in a steamy scene between Jack and Gwen might just do the trick. Just like with Doctor Who, it was announced today that CBC will be a production partner on Torchwood.

Source:http://doctorwho.time-and-space.co.uk/

Series two of WHO, which starts on BBC1 on Saturday April 15th, will not air in Canada until the fall because of the coverage of some sport with a bunch of guys skating around with sticks. So I would assume that would also push back a Torchwood airing until the beginning of 2007 for our northern neighbors. Jeez, some of these backwards countries we have in the world just need to get their priorities straight.

The Trip Of A Lifetime Begins...

Whereas England is still in the buildup to season two of Doctor Who (expect a press release two weeks from today), America at long, long last has a broadcaster, and so, tonight, after almost a year of waiting, it begins. Doctor Who is coming.

It's going to be interesting to see how the typically british show performs for sci-fi, and its going to be even more interesting to see how the reactions 'across the pond' (for me anyway) will be. Doctor Who is a show I have emense pride in. It's one brilliant journey through time and space from beginning to end, and I see no reason why America children won't fall in love with Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper and John Barrowman just as much as British, Canadian, Austrailian, French, German, et al have.
But this post could be read my many after the show's broadcast. I could be past tense already! In that case, hello, and welcome to this mad, mad world! It's great to have you here, and both myself and Kurly look forward to hearing from all you guys and gals.

As you are about to see/have seen Doctor Who is something rather special. It's American broadcast is the icing on the cake, and the perfect way to celebrate the show's new found worldwide acclaim. We already have our Stargates, our Gallaticas, our Treks, but ladies and gentlemen, now we have our Doctor Who.

And we're never going to let it go again.

Are we?

America Stands Back to Back?

So no real Torchwood news today, but for any fans waiting with baited breath for the new Doctor Who series on Sci-Fi later this month, some interesting news has begun to surface...

Our sources at gateworld have uncovered an interesting story: Apparently the new, third season of Battlestar Gallatica won't air until October 2006 at the earliest, a full 14 weeks or so after it was intended to air over the summer. What's that I hear you cry? Doctor Who season two is 14 episodes long? Wow, coincidence or what? I think in this case, not. It makes commercal sense for sci-fi to show Doctor Who back to back. Not only does The Christmas Invasion bridge the gap between seasons expertly, but it means the channel won't have to show year old episodes this time next year. No doubt the channel has already lost a hell of a lot of it's Who audience because of the Canadian DVD release, as well as downloads and such. Their showing series two so soon after the British airdates makes this far less likely to happen for the next season.

Also, the show will be doubled up with the mighty Stargate franchise over the summer, and as the two are very 'sci-fi-friendly' it makes sense that they are paired together. The audiences of one are more likely to watch the other too.

Finally there's the case of ratings. The series was a huge ratings success in Britain, but that's not neccesarily the case for America too. By showing the two series back to back, if ratings do begin to drop, sci-fi can advert (spoiler coming!!!) Eccleston's demise/Tennant's rise in The Parting Of The Ways. Think of it as Doctor Who's own sweeps period. But with an army of Daleks on top of that.

Of course, this is all just speculation for now. The 14 week break could be used for another show, or a series of special sci-fi films, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see. If it is the case however, it means America can expect to see Torchwood a lot earlier than expected too...