Jack’s back… but what has he missed? And who is the mysterious Captain John from his past/future that demands the help of the Torchwood team…
Length 47’23”
First Transmitted
9:00pm, 16th January 2008 (and in edited form at 7pm the day after), BBC2.
Guest Cast
James Marsters (Captain John Hart); Kai Owens (Rhys); Tom Price (PC Andy Davidson); Elspeth Morgan (Menna Trussler); Paul Kasey (Blowfish); Crispin Layfield (Mugger); Nathan Ryan (Mugger’s victim); Inika Leigh Wright (Woman in Hologram); Sarah Whyte (Miss Styles)
Writer Chris Chibnall
Director Ashley Way
Setting
Cardiff, across one evening…and then back again. Sometime after End of Days (early 2008). It is generally understood that Doctor Who series three is set around March 2008, so odds are this is when Jack returned.
Did You Spot?
We see the same parking garage from the opening scenes of Everything Changes. Jack refers to seeing the end of the world (presumably an exaggeration of his experiences in The Parting of the Ways, or perhaps seeing the end of humanity in Utopia. Of course, he eventually will see the end of the world when he becomes the Face of Boe). Reference is made to Arcadia, previously mentioned in Doomsday.
Twisted Reality
The Star Wars films’ popularity must have lasted all the way through the 51st century, since John so easily quoted “Help me Obi Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope” during his holographic communiqué. On the other hand, as a Time Agent, John could have spent enough time in the past to have seen the films several times. The line “hungry now” may be a reference to BuffyThe Vampire Slayer, the show that made James Marsters famous.
Love is in the Air
Love is in the Air Jack and John were lovers for two weeks (which ended up being five years as they were stuck in a time loop) and kiss very passionately upon their reunion, before beating each other up. We find out that Rhys proposed to Gwen sometime during Jack’s absence – Jack seems a bit surprised and/or jealous. Owen and Tosh talk about their (lack of) love lives. Jack asks Ianto out on a date (and almost convinces him to phocopy his butt) – Ianto accepts, though something (or someone?) else appears to be on his mind. John seems to have “hard feelings” for most of the team.
If it’s Alien, it’s Ours
John’s possession of his own Vortex Manipulator proves that Jack’s isn’t unique – they must be standard issue to Time Agents, though they apparently vary in size. The manipulator beeps when it receives a message from a fellow Time Agent. Gwen uses some sort of X-Ray device to see all the weapons that John is carrying. The paralysing lip gloss is possibly not alien, but it’s not something we’ve had exposure to in the 21st century. The alien bomb that can recognise the DNA of a person’s killer and blow them up after ten minutes.
Captain Jack’s Large Weapon
Jack’s trusty handgun reappears whilst facing off with John, who bears an impressive weapon of his own. The team are all carrying guns in this episode, including Ianto, who usually maintains a role of peace – he may have had to do his part in Jack’s absence. John carries a large array of weapons on his person – obstrusively, two guns and a sword. We then discover he has one pistol strapped to each leg, laser knife beneath the left elbow, some sort of explosive chargers, a mini pistol…amongst many others.
Torchwood Shop: Now Open for Business
The Torchwood logo is represented on some glass walls in the hub.
To Live and Die in Cardiff
Captain Hart very effortlessly kills the mugger by throwing him off the parking garage roof. Captain Hart seems to have a history of murder, which obviously have not been cured by his rehab, as he also attempts to kill Gwen and Owen, while threatening Ianto and Tosh. He pushes Jack off the roof of the office building, killing him, albeit temporarily. We also find out he killed a woman in an attempt to find an Arcadian diamond.
Sounds Brilliant
As Jack and John fight, Song 2, the second song on Blur’s fifth album (simply titled Blur, 1997) can be heard.
Quotables
Jack: Hey kids. D’ja miss me?
Man: I’m not bluffing!
John: Ah, well, you see, you’ve given yourself away. Only someone who’s bluffing ever says they’re not.
Gwen: Because it’s typical Jack, isn’t he. He disappears, he comes back, then he runs away again. He shuts us out – we don’t even know his real name! He’s supposed to be our boss and we know nothing about him. Drives me crazy!
Ianto: It’s more fun when he’s around though.
Owen: Yeah, yeah.
Tosh: Definitely.
Gwen: Yeah, it is.
Jack: So, uh, how was rehab?
John: Rehab’s…cool.
Jack: Drink, drugs, sex and…
John: Murder.
Jack: Haha! You went to murder rehab?
John: I know, it’s ridiculous! The odd kill… who does it hurt?
Jack: This is the entrance for tourists.
John: I remember the last time you said that.
Jack: Down on one knee?
Gwen: He tried to, and then he had a twinge in his back and had to lie down on the settee, that’s when he popped the question
Jack: And you said yes?
Gwen: Well, no-one else will have me.
Gwen: You are unbelievable!
John: And yet you find me strangely attractive…
Weren’t You In?
The main guest star this week is, of course, James Marsters, popular for his appearance as (equally English, with an equally dodgy accent) Spike in Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel between 1997 and 2004. Since his defining role, he has regularly found work but struggled to avoid typecasting (as here). Some of his more unique roles have been in Smallville (2005-8) and Without a Trace (2007-8).
Unanswered Questions
Where did the blowfish come from, and why does he know such intimate details about the Torchwood team? How does he know that Jack is even missing? After Jack ran towards the Hub at the end of Last of the Timelords, what did Jack do until he showed up at the start of this episode? How does John know how to travel via the rift (or, harness the rift energy, as Jack states later)? Was Jack surprised that his Vortex Manipulator beeped because it never had before, or it had been such a long time since he was contacted by a Time Agent? Jack seems quite shocked that there are only seven Time Agents left – how many were there originally? And what led to the Time Agency being disbanded? What clout does a bigger “wrist strap” hold amongst Time Agents? Are some simply more powerful than others (possibly some sort of indication of rank)? Why is Jack so bothered by Gwen’s engagement? Why does Gwen seem so defensive about it? What are her feelings for Jack? Jack warns Gwen not to kiss John – if he knew John possessed a paralysing lip gloss, why didn’t he confiscate it when he disarmed him? How doesn’t the lip gloss paralyse the wearer? Why does Ianto behave so oddly during his conversation with Jack in the office building? Why aren’t Gwen’s eyes paralysed as well? How would Torchwood just happen to have an “anti-toxin” kit with them, as well has have the correct technology to diagnose what had brought her down? How did the murdered woman have the foresight to record such a precise message for John? What did Gwen want Tosh and Ianto to tell Jack? How exactly does the explosion cause the whole team (and John) to go back in time? Who is Grey? Was he Jack’s son?
Fuck Ups
When John reveals his weapons in the bar, the bouncers were standing behind him. As the camera swivels around to show people running out the door, we never see the bouncers run past him (or even try to disarm him). he sequence where Jack and John descend into Torchwood is possibly the worst lit bluescreen work in any Doctor Who related show. Ever. How does John’s paralyzing lipgloss (a) not affect him and (b) start affecting Gwen’s breathing within about 3 seconds of it hitting her lips? Considering the angle that Jack threw the canister over the roof, John shouldn’t have found it in front of the door. Jack threw it back and to the right, and then fell straight backwards down to the benches, this would place the canister to the left of Jack’s body from John’s perspective from the front door. However, John picks up the canister to the right of Jack’s body. If a person fell from the height Jack did onto the benches, they would probably not be so neatly splayed without a hint of blood or gore. There is a major inconsistency to the rhythm of Gwen’s ringtone. Tosh says she can use the mobile network signal to triangulate Gwen’s position where she answered her last call – a few seconds later she says “This is where she made the call”. Owen’s gunshot wound doesn’t hinder him all the time – it seems to come and go.
Torchwood: Declassified Episode 2.01 (13’01”)
Broadcast BBC Two, Thursday 17th January, 7:50pm, immediately after the edited version of the main episode.
James Marsters talks about his character and Chris Chibnall admits the character was tailored for the star while Barrowman explains Jack’s take on him.
Russell T Davies and Richard Stokes on casting Marsters.
Marsters and Ashley Way on loving the character of Hart.
Barrowman, Davies, Way, Marsters and Chibnell discuss the Western themes in Jack and John’s first meeting, and the actors performing their own stunts (comments too from Tom Lucy).
Way talks about the second fight between John and Jack in which the latter is thrown from a roof. Barrowman introduces us to Curtis Rivers, his stunt double, who explains how they ensure his safety.
Eve Myles, Burn Gorman, Davies, Barrowman, Naoko Mori and Gareth David-Lloyd preview the rest of the season.
Site Review by Arthur Penn
What an awful start to the new series.
A valiant but mistimed attempt is made to reintroduce us to the show with the blowfish quickly listing off the character traits in the first scene, but Chibnall (lead writer with the heart of gold) fails where Russell T Davies (Welsh show creator, sometimes based in Manchester) succeeded so well in Everything Changes. We don’t need to be told who the characters are, we’ll figure it out for ourselves! And this, sadly, is the cornerstone of the problems this segment suffers.
Last year I placed bets with myself that there would be a Jack/Gwen relationship, and was genuinely surprised with the Gwen/Owen relationship that formed in its place. This year its far too blatantly clear that the couples to watch are Owen and Tosh (oh, his obvious flirtation) and Jack and Ianto (asking him out on a date?! How un-Torchwood!).
The episode itself didn’t bode well either… Captain John was clearly written for Spike, and Marsters clearly wanted to escape such typecasting, leading to an uncharacteristically uneven performance by a usually solid actor – and why that accent?! The storyline was flimsy, the back-in-time resolution unnecessary, and the characters largely unlikeable.
I’m certain this is a blip of the Greeks Bearing Gifts variety, but as a season opener this was disappointing. Here’s hoping the heights of Out of Time are revisited at least once this year…
