I love the new format, although I think the whole story could be wrapped in a 3 episode timespan. I’m starting to get impatient, I want to know what’s really happening.
Mich67says
Didn’t like it at all(stopped watching after the fourth episode…it didn’t feel like Torchwood at all)…preferred the original. Maybe they should have just let it go after Children of the Earth…it would have been a fitting ending with Jack leaving…perhaps to fulfill his destiny as the face of Boe. Guess I can always watch reruns for the old Torchwood.
Taylorsays
It doesn’t feel like the original Torchwood – the Torchwood team doesn’t seem like it’s even essential to the plot. Mostly, they’re “used to dealing with the supernatural,” and thus it seems natural that they work on the case. Beyond that…?
It does feel drawn out. There’s less character exploration thus far than I would have hoped, particularly with Jack and his newfound mortality. There’s still episodes left, so I guess it’s hoping they really bring it all together. I’ve enjoyed it thus far, but not like I could, I think.
Very disappointed. CoE was so great, so was most of seasons 1-3. But this one is laying a big goose egg for me. They’ve dumbed it down with all this obligatory American stuff. The Welsh version had a darker, richer feel, the pace was faster, it was more intense, more interesting, more intelligently written, and just lovely. This one is bunk. There’s nothing left to love now but Jack and Gwen and they both bear little resemblance to what they were a few years back. I’ll keep watching, though.
I opted for “it’s OK but I miss the old crew.” I struggled through the first couple of episodes & have really felt that Jack & Gwen were very underused. I suppose that Davies felt that was necessary to introduce the American cast, but it was really lacking no matter how much I like Mekhi Phifer and Bill Pullman as actors. However, after this past Friday’s episode I’m beginning to really come onboard. Jack is back to becoming his old assertive self & Gwen is back to blowing shit up. Gotta love that. I will say that this Torchwood, because it is American made, is a bit more graphic in its violence department, but at least it’s not gratuitous.
Tom Esays
It’s just not got a strong enough story arc, it’s really starting to drag. “Something is off” is a good choice of words here, it doesn’t seem to be the move to america or new characters that are the problem but it feels like things aren’t quite working. Time for a new writer?
I think it was a mistake to loose their “Doctor”. As with the old crew they had a doctor. Phifer is going to make a good computer tech as with the old crew and I guess Pullman can just be another worker bee. But as manny have said “something is off”. So if things do not lead to a supernatural running this whole nobody dies thing, this episode will flop big time. One more big thing – In the US Capt Jack and the “Gay” thing is a big no no here. So do not foul this up find his a “girl” friend.
Angryshortguysays
It feels like a bad conspiracy show that’s being drawn out to the point where I can hardly stay awake watching one episode.
I’m very disappointed.
Jack’s been the center of two action scenes.
One, jumping out of an exploding building.
Two, a gay sex scene.
And now, the plot is getting really exciting with the addition of a CEO and the his story of plans within plans going on for decades…
Yawn…
Wake me when we get to the aliens, monsters, supernaturals, or (by the looks of it) the Kennedy’s family conspiracy.
OOOO! Maybe we’ll see an entire episode devoted to a session of Congress passing another law the re-classifies the living and the dead!!!
Tend to agree with the comments already made overall. Its still interesting and I’m going to hack it out, but I have to say that they are dragging it out a bit too long without any real information on the true cause which is somewhat disappointing.
Anachronitesays
can’t stand it. It is even gayer than the BBC version.
I am new to Torchwood, but have watched them all in order from series one to the current Starz episode over the past month or so. By and large, on the whole, I love it. “Miracle Day” is weak in comparison to “Children of Earth” and the two “standard” seasons on BBC, but I’m still plenty into it. The “it’s dragging” argument has some merit but isn’t really bugging me; it’s more WHY it drags, and that seems to be due to Americanizing it. “Miracle Day” lacks, so far, the characterizations and personal quirks that make Jack & Gwen & Ianto & Tosh & Owen fun as individuals and in a group dynamic. Individual episodes that only advance the plot so far wouldn’t be a problem if it used the time to advance or delve into the character relationships. Haven’t seen a lot of that in “Miracle Day.”
“CoE” had tight writing with suspense that also utilized the Torchwood crew as people; revealing Jack’s daughter and grandson was a great device that served both plot and character, same with Ianto’s sister, and the “incidental” characters for that arc were interesting and three-dimensional, even in brief roles (I’m thinking of the PM and his fall guy as well as Lois and even her supervisor). “Miracle Day”‘s crew is a touch generic. So far the flight attendant may have been the most realized incidental character aside from Vera.
Sandiesays
I luv watching the Jack and Gwen “out-of-their-element”. Jack and Gwen ARE Torchwood, as far as I;m concerned.
This past week-end I got the shock of my life when friends who are not into SciFi tried to turn me on to Torchwood. They billed it as the best “New” show on TV. I was so shocked that I didn’t even think to ask them how they heard about it. I never thought that Torchwood would be a genre crossover! I’m busy plotting the next scifi to introduce them to.
OK. It’s taken me several episodes but between last week’s show & tonight’s…I’m hooked and back in the Torchwood corner.
Chrissays
(Warning, this has become somewhat longer than I intended, so apols about it’s length)
I was caught between the ‘something is off’ and ‘don’t care for it at all’. In the end I opted for ‘don’t care for it at all’.
A few things have been bugging me (and friends) about the show.
Firstly I think that it is a pale show compared to CoE. I think that there have been elements where they have tried to be ‘shocking’ as they were in CoE, but they are doing it with characters that we have no investment in. Yes the doctor dying was nasty, but the impact was minor compared to the impact of Yanto dying in CoE. Why, because Yanto we cared about, the doctor, not so much.
Second, I think that there are elements of the script that are actually more to do with RTD preaching at the audience, and I do mean preaching. I’ve seen less zealousness skipping though channels on Godspot shows. Time and time the show seems less about sci-fi and more about political comment (small p) on one subject or another. While that might be fine in passing, it seems to be the mainstay for the series.
Third is the pace. As others have said, what has happened could easily be compacted down. There have been whole episodes where the story doesn’t seem to have progressed at all, and when there seems to have been progression, it’s lead to a dead end!
Forth is the ‘preview’ or ‘cliff hanger’. The last episode I watched was a prime example. (Episode 8 as in Europe we’re a few days behind). Episode 7 finishes with Nana Visitor giving the big reveal that Angelo was still alive. Wow I thought, ok, now we’re going somewhere, someone similar to Jack. Cue episode 8 and actually, he’s just really long lived and nothing more. Major misdirection, as bad as some of the trailers for Hollywood films!
Fifth is my concern of RTD and ‘finishing’. We’ve seen from Dr Who finale episodes that RTD wrote that he has great difficulty in tying things up in the 45 mins/ hour, that Dr Who was usually given. Episodes just got longer and longer, even when they were double or three parters at the end of the series. (I joked with a friend that if he was still at the Who helm then final episodes would be lasting days now, let alone hours). However behind that joke is the point. We’ve two episodes to watch and so far we’ve had no hint of what is going on. I fear that we will have a reveal towards the end of episode 9 and a conclusion at the end of episode 10 that will have very little to do with what has gone before, which will really make the earlier episodes a waste of time and leave me with the feeling that RTD had a great ‘finale’ idea but had no idea how to get there, and what we have seen so far is the results.
I will watch the last two episodes, I’ve invested too much to not, but I feel that I might have to dig out CoE after to remind me of how good it can be.
Whacko says
I love the new format, although I think the whole story could be wrapped in a 3 episode timespan. I’m starting to get impatient, I want to know what’s really happening.
Mich67 says
Didn’t like it at all(stopped watching after the fourth episode…it didn’t feel like Torchwood at all)…preferred the original. Maybe they should have just let it go after Children of the Earth…it would have been a fitting ending with Jack leaving…perhaps to fulfill his destiny as the face of Boe. Guess I can always watch reruns for the old Torchwood.
Taylor says
It doesn’t feel like the original Torchwood – the Torchwood team doesn’t seem like it’s even essential to the plot. Mostly, they’re “used to dealing with the supernatural,” and thus it seems natural that they work on the case. Beyond that…?
It does feel drawn out. There’s less character exploration thus far than I would have hoped, particularly with Jack and his newfound mortality. There’s still episodes left, so I guess it’s hoping they really bring it all together. I’ve enjoyed it thus far, but not like I could, I think.
Giselle Dominic says
Very disappointed. CoE was so great, so was most of seasons 1-3. But this one is laying a big goose egg for me. They’ve dumbed it down with all this obligatory American stuff. The Welsh version had a darker, richer feel, the pace was faster, it was more intense, more interesting, more intelligently written, and just lovely. This one is bunk. There’s nothing left to love now but Jack and Gwen and they both bear little resemblance to what they were a few years back. I’ll keep watching, though.
Jeff Allison says
Don’t like it at all. It’s not very well done. And has too much of the We’re Welsh and We’re American in it.
Maybe 3/10
Sam says
I opted for “it’s OK but I miss the old crew.” I struggled through the first couple of episodes & have really felt that Jack & Gwen were very underused. I suppose that Davies felt that was necessary to introduce the American cast, but it was really lacking no matter how much I like Mekhi Phifer and Bill Pullman as actors. However, after this past Friday’s episode I’m beginning to really come onboard. Jack is back to becoming his old assertive self & Gwen is back to blowing shit up. Gotta love that. I will say that this Torchwood, because it is American made, is a bit more graphic in its violence department, but at least it’s not gratuitous.
Tom E says
It’s just not got a strong enough story arc, it’s really starting to drag. “Something is off” is a good choice of words here, it doesn’t seem to be the move to america or new characters that are the problem but it feels like things aren’t quite working. Time for a new writer?
Michael says
I think it was a mistake to loose their “Doctor”. As with the old crew they had a doctor. Phifer is going to make a good computer tech as with the old crew and I guess Pullman can just be another worker bee. But as manny have said “something is off”. So if things do not lead to a supernatural running this whole nobody dies thing, this episode will flop big time. One more big thing – In the US Capt Jack and the “Gay” thing is a big no no here. So do not foul this up find his a “girl” friend.
Angryshortguy says
It feels like a bad conspiracy show that’s being drawn out to the point where I can hardly stay awake watching one episode.
I’m very disappointed.
Jack’s been the center of two action scenes.
One, jumping out of an exploding building.
Two, a gay sex scene.
And now, the plot is getting really exciting with the addition of a CEO and the his story of plans within plans going on for decades…
Yawn…
Wake me when we get to the aliens, monsters, supernaturals, or (by the looks of it) the Kennedy’s family conspiracy.
OOOO! Maybe we’ll see an entire episode devoted to a session of Congress passing another law the re-classifies the living and the dead!!!
How exciting…
Phyllis Teresa says
C-Span could only make it better.
I hadn’t realized it until I read the comments here but, yeah, this plot is too thin to sustain this many episodes.
Still, Gwen in tight racing leathers blowing shit up is never bad.
gla55i5half says
Tend to agree with the comments already made overall. Its still interesting and I’m going to hack it out, but I have to say that they are dragging it out a bit too long without any real information on the true cause which is somewhat disappointing.
Anachronite says
can’t stand it. It is even gayer than the BBC version.
Tim Harrison says
I am new to Torchwood, but have watched them all in order from series one to the current Starz episode over the past month or so. By and large, on the whole, I love it. “Miracle Day” is weak in comparison to “Children of Earth” and the two “standard” seasons on BBC, but I’m still plenty into it. The “it’s dragging” argument has some merit but isn’t really bugging me; it’s more WHY it drags, and that seems to be due to Americanizing it. “Miracle Day” lacks, so far, the characterizations and personal quirks that make Jack & Gwen & Ianto & Tosh & Owen fun as individuals and in a group dynamic. Individual episodes that only advance the plot so far wouldn’t be a problem if it used the time to advance or delve into the character relationships. Haven’t seen a lot of that in “Miracle Day.”
“CoE” had tight writing with suspense that also utilized the Torchwood crew as people; revealing Jack’s daughter and grandson was a great device that served both plot and character, same with Ianto’s sister, and the “incidental” characters for that arc were interesting and three-dimensional, even in brief roles (I’m thinking of the PM and his fall guy as well as Lois and even her supervisor). “Miracle Day”‘s crew is a touch generic. So far the flight attendant may have been the most realized incidental character aside from Vera.
Sandie says
I luv watching the Jack and Gwen “out-of-their-element”. Jack and Gwen ARE Torchwood, as far as I;m concerned.
This past week-end I got the shock of my life when friends who are not into SciFi tried to turn me on to Torchwood. They billed it as the best “New” show on TV. I was so shocked that I didn’t even think to ask them how they heard about it. I never thought that Torchwood would be a genre crossover! I’m busy plotting the next scifi to introduce them to.
Sam says
OK. It’s taken me several episodes but between last week’s show & tonight’s…I’m hooked and back in the Torchwood corner.
Chris says
(Warning, this has become somewhat longer than I intended, so apols about it’s length)
I was caught between the ‘something is off’ and ‘don’t care for it at all’. In the end I opted for ‘don’t care for it at all’.
A few things have been bugging me (and friends) about the show.
Firstly I think that it is a pale show compared to CoE. I think that there have been elements where they have tried to be ‘shocking’ as they were in CoE, but they are doing it with characters that we have no investment in. Yes the doctor dying was nasty, but the impact was minor compared to the impact of Yanto dying in CoE. Why, because Yanto we cared about, the doctor, not so much.
Second, I think that there are elements of the script that are actually more to do with RTD preaching at the audience, and I do mean preaching. I’ve seen less zealousness skipping though channels on Godspot shows. Time and time the show seems less about sci-fi and more about political comment (small p) on one subject or another. While that might be fine in passing, it seems to be the mainstay for the series.
Third is the pace. As others have said, what has happened could easily be compacted down. There have been whole episodes where the story doesn’t seem to have progressed at all, and when there seems to have been progression, it’s lead to a dead end!
Forth is the ‘preview’ or ‘cliff hanger’. The last episode I watched was a prime example. (Episode 8 as in Europe we’re a few days behind). Episode 7 finishes with Nana Visitor giving the big reveal that Angelo was still alive. Wow I thought, ok, now we’re going somewhere, someone similar to Jack. Cue episode 8 and actually, he’s just really long lived and nothing more. Major misdirection, as bad as some of the trailers for Hollywood films!
Fifth is my concern of RTD and ‘finishing’. We’ve seen from Dr Who finale episodes that RTD wrote that he has great difficulty in tying things up in the 45 mins/ hour, that Dr Who was usually given. Episodes just got longer and longer, even when they were double or three parters at the end of the series. (I joked with a friend that if he was still at the Who helm then final episodes would be lasting days now, let alone hours). However behind that joke is the point. We’ve two episodes to watch and so far we’ve had no hint of what is going on. I fear that we will have a reveal towards the end of episode 9 and a conclusion at the end of episode 10 that will have very little to do with what has gone before, which will really make the earlier episodes a waste of time and leave me with the feeling that RTD had a great ‘finale’ idea but had no idea how to get there, and what we have seen so far is the results.
I will watch the last two episodes, I’ve invested too much to not, but I feel that I might have to dig out CoE after to remind me of how good it can be.