Torchwood And The Fiction Of Fans

Forgive me for that very Babylon 5 blog title. Anyway, with little to no Torchwood news to discuss (bar a short interview on sci-fi wire which can be found here) I thought that I'd invest in some useless conversation, specifically on the subject of fan fiction.

Recently I commented upon the birth of Torchwood's fan community. One aspect of such a community is the ever growing number of fan fiction sites. And Torchwood's no different. However, very few websites have any solid Torchwood fanfic pages. Mostly the sites have Captain Jack tales from his time aboard the TARDIS. Believe it or not there's not much fan fiction relating to Jack's missing two years.

But there are always exceptions. Below is a short list of some of the sites I've found that talk about Jack's past in very innovative ways.

fanfiction.net

whofic.com

Doctor Who World

I must stress that these stories are in no way "canon" and should not be taken for fact. They are not written by the BBC Production teams, and are in no way associated with them. Still, they're terific fun, so get reading!

If anybody out there has any more website names that do contain Torchwood fanfic adventures, then contact myself or Kurly, and we'll add the site to the list above.

And guys, welcome to the mad, mad world of fan fiction writing!

The World Wide 'Wood

I've been wanting to write this post since like the dawn of time (see file "Castrovalva") but I've waited patiently for the right occassion to do so.

Now, with four out of five cast members confirmed, and filming having now started, I feel we're all ready to start talking about the important stuff: namely, fans.

Fans. We're the people that sit and watch every week . We're the people who dedicate our lives to every aspect of our beloved series. And we're the people who care about Doctor Who and Torchwood so much that both shows now feel very much part of our lives, to such an extent that we're willing to put our lives on hold for 16 years to wait for a Time Lord's return. Fans.

The very fact you're reading this page tells me one thing: Torchwood is not just any other television show to you: It's something very special that you want to desperately be part of, because no matter what you say, you're a fan. And that's a fantastic thing. Embrace your love, because fanlove is, as Russell T Davies once observed, a very special thing.

And we want to hear from you all. Why do you love Doctor Who so much? What are your expectations for Torchwood? Have you any messages of support for some friends of ours in Cardiff, who are working away so hard to bring us 13 weeks worth of programming that we're sure to love? Post your comments here at torchwood.tv, because - along with a number of other websites out there - we're witnessing the birth of Torchwood's fan community.

Together at last, we should all be celebrating that very fact.

Now, John, Eve, Burn and Naoko, if you're reading, we'd love to hear from you guys too. Because quite simply, we're fans. And we love you.

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?

Torchwood institute of fine arts

We all have our own talents in the artistic arena. Some of us are musical, some of us are visual, some have a way with words, and the rest of us write Torchwood blogs. Wherever your talents lay, there is a table for you at the Torchwood arts and crafts fair.

Captain Jack has already found his likeness on a statue, a plushie and now Torchwood Wallpaper. There is lots of fan fiction online featuring the Captain, including this quick one set at Torchwood HQ. If music is your thing that's also an option, somebody at Outpost Gallifrey cooked up a theme song for the spinoff. (Also available here, if you aren't a member)

So far though, people have been making all the same sort of stuff that fans of any show do. So I am challenging Woodies to be more creative. I live right on the beach so my great craft idea has been to make Torchwood ashtrays out of burnt driftwood. I haven't found any buyers yet but it's still early days.

Torchwood jumps the shark

Now that the best days of Torchwood are clearly behind us, all of us fans will have to find something new. The show had a good run and we will always have fond memories of the groundbreaking program, but all good things must come to an end.

Source:http://stakesandstones.co.uk/

Ok yes, the above statement is a bit premature so lets just call this a brief hiatus. Because of the delay in the show's production, the daily dose of Torchwood you have come to expect here will be considerably more sporadic. For the next few months anyway I will only be posting as warranted by the news. After all, there are only so many ice dancing jokes one can make.

For those of you who are in tears now, there are a few other impressive Torchwood sites I would like to recommend to get you over the hump. The Institute is really coming into its own now with breaking news, multimedia downloads, screen caps and even fan fiction. TV.com now has a Torchwood section and forum coming to you straight from Cardiff. There are also all the same old standards I have previously mentioned. The one niche we are still patiently waiting for someone to fill is a Torchwood ringtones site.

Welcome message for all new Woodies!

Since the broadcast of The Christmas Invasion, this page seems to be getting hit on more than Captain Jack at the beach. So for all you newcomers who are just catching up on the Torchwood craze thanks for dropping in. Keep checking in from time to time for all the latest on the Doctor Who spinoff. For my dozen or so regulars who have been with me since the beginning I apologize for this redundant post.

Source:http://www.stakesandstones.co.uk

So I don't have to repeat myself on the page, follow the archive links in the column on the right to see what we have been talking about since October. They are backwards chronologically though, so scroll to the bottom and read up to avoid confusion. You probably got here from the Wikipedia page on Torchwood, so if you have read that you are already up to date on everything anyway and it basically serves as the FAQ for Torchwood. Many thanks go out to the generous people who keep up that page and thanks for linking to this site.

The only other place online I have found that is consistently updated with Torchwood information is The Torchwood Institute, it is a Live Journal community and has also been there from day one. Join them today and become a Member of the Innuendo Squad! Other names I have thrown out for fanboys and girls of Torchwood are Woodvians and Woodies. Any other suggestions are obviously welcome, then perhaps we can take a vote.

I don't claim to be objective, I don't claim to be any good, the only claim I make is that I enjoy writing about Torchwood. I have been a Doctor Who fan for over 20 years but will generally defer that topic to the thousands of sites that are already online. With Torchwood I saw an empty spot and jumped right in. Again, thanks for stopping by, now you too can help spread the Torchwood gospel throughout the countryside.

Torchwood Web Pioneers

Torchwood still has a relatively small presence on the World Wide Web. I suppose it is a rare breed who dedicates a page to a show that is still in pre-production. But of course I am not the only trailblazer out there who is already providing a site where Woodvians can surf.

Source:http://www.stakesandstones.co.uk/

All the established Doctor Who news sites are now covering Torchwood news as well. Outpost Gallifrey and UNIT News have both setup special Torchwood sections.

There are a handful of other Torchwood fansites around including The Institute, http://www.sylvestermccoy.com/torchwood/, and Torchwood.org.

The most thriving Torchwood community is perhaps at The Torchwood Institute on Live Journal. There is also some Torchwood talk at Torchwood Online plus chatter at all the usual Doctor Who forums.

My favorite of the batch however, which will no doubt provide months of entertainment until the show premiers is YTMND:Torchwood. Feel free to post any sites I may have missed in the comments below.

Bartender, I'll take a double entendre

Now anybody can tell a filthy joke, but it is a true measure of your size if you are able to be a cunning linguist. Show off your stuff in the innuendo department by entering a unique contest. (I have removed the information about the contest by request as they are trying to keep it a secret from JB)


Source:http://www.concordfoods.com
If you haven't been by the Torchwood Institute lately, it looks like the official Innuendo Squad polo shirts are nearly ready. More information here.

Also, I would like to apologize for being guilty of doing something which I hate when I see others engaging in. Which is, talking negatively about something you don't know anything about. Since my post mentioning Pantos last week, I have done some more research and heard from a few folks who have given me a better idea of what they are. Sorry, but I had just assumed that they were like the "holiday specials" we get here in the States, which are complete insipid drivel.

While I won't promise I won't ever offend anybody here at Torchwood.TV, I always welcome all feedback and comments to make this the best Torchwood site around.

Torchwood Opening Title Sequence

Some clever artist has already edited together many of Captain Jack's scenes from season 27 of Doctor Who into a potential opening title sequence for Torchwood. It is set to the theme song from MacGyver (a show Terry Nation wrote for) and available for download at the Delta Wave Site (Pg 2). There are several great homemade music videos presented on those pages featuring John Barrowman and the rest of the season 27 cast. Delta Wave also started up a new Torchwood forum this week.


Opening title sequences and theme songs on TV shows are a dying breed, so it is not even certain if Torchwood will have one. But the opening still serves a purpose in setting the mood and can make or break a show. The horrible K-9 and Company theme was perhaps what led to that show's downfall. If you have any musical talent, get started this weekend on your own ideas. The BBC has a fun flash app for tinkering around with the Doctor Who theme here. The only song for the new show I could come up with so far is the Batman TV theme, with the chorus repeating "Torchwood" instead.

The Innuendo Squad

Over at The Torchwood Institute they have already come up with a name for fans of Torchwood. I had suggested Woodies but unfortunately it didn't go over too well. As a reader of this page you can of course consider yourself a founding member of The Innuendo Squad and can now show the world! Follow this link to get yourself set up with a nice polo shirt which will undoubtedly make absolutely no sense to anybody in your neighborhood.


Source:http://www.stakesandstones.co.uk
When you wear an Innuendo Squad shirt everybody you meet will listen intently to your every word. They wouldn't want to miss any of the jets of innuendos you are bound to spew forth. So what are you waiting for? The fun will start right away as you are forced to explain the slogan to all your friends and family. Plus it makes a great gift for the kids.