Torchwood (2006–2011)
9/10
A very decent spin off
23 October 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Now - I have to draw the line at "camp" - look, this is a spin off from Doctor Who, and believe me, you can not get anything as camp as the Sylvester McCoy years....

Anyway, Torchwood is extremely good fun. We are bound to get people complaining that they let their seven year old to stay up late to watch it, and... shock horror... it has SEX and VIOLENCE! Erm yes - thats why its on after the watershed! Geez! Well, okay its no perfect, by far, and comparisons to X-Files, Men in Black etc are missing the point - as is the reviewer who commented that it was unbelievable that Cardiff would be on the edge of a rift in time and space. Okay, so its more believable for London or New York to be? Thats right, folks, Rifts check out the local house prices and amenities before popping up! Oh hang on - placing it all in Cardiff is... wow... unusual and unexpected... ohhhh does that make it original? Well, yes it does. Thats one thing people need to understand - there are accents other than "corr blimey mary poppins" and Daphne from Frasier, and there are towns and citied outside of London. Oh how I long for the episode of Dr Who based in plymouth, and wish David Prowse had voiced Darth Vader (Look, I am your favver, me lover).

Oh wow - what a tangent! Okay, the first episode was spasmodic and rather predictable (well except the serial killer being a member of staff), but the episodes have gotten steadily better and better. The latest, the Cyberwoman, with the run on from a Dr Who episode, was excellent, but with a couple of "yes, hang on a second....." points to discuss.

Anyway - Captain Jack - indestructible a la Captain Scarlet.... has the charisma to pull it off, and his squad are all well acted... yes the direction does (now and again) look like an MTV video, with all the fast moving in your face shots, but it is meant to be an in your face series.

So 9 / 10 - not a patch on the David Tennant Dr Who episodes (well except that awful Christmas special and the weird girl-drawing-people episode) but good fun!
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