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8 days left and we're continuing on my countdown to Miracle Day, Torchwood re-watch! I'll be watching an episode a day and blogging bits and thoughts. With any luck this is going to read like an episode guide and commentary. Let's dive right in!

Episode: Fragments (Series 2 Episode 12)

Written By: Chris Chibnall

Original Air Date: 21 March 2008

Sentence Sum-Up: When the team is caught in an explosion, the members recall how they first came to join Torchwood.

Notable New Characters:

Katie Russell (Andrea Lowe) - Owen's fiance. She's ill and Owen is trying to figure out what's wrong. We love her instantly and we grieve alongside Owen when she doesn't last the episode.

Toshiko's Mother (Noriko Aida) - It's all there in the name. Tosh's Mum, she gets in a bit of trouble and Tosh has to get her out.

Alice Guppy (Amy Manson )/Emily Holroyd (Heather Craney)/Alex Hopkins (Julian Lewis Jones) - All three former Torchwood agents Jack has worked with. The two gals are sort of sadistic and Alex is a bit of a downer. Not much else to say really.

Favorite Quote:

Jack: "You made this, right?"
Tosh: "I just followed the plans."
Jack: "The plans don't work."
Tosh: "What?"
Jack: "The technical plans you followed, they were wrong. They had mistakes in them. That's why the plans were shelved. But you, Toshiko Sato, you automatically fixed things as you went along. What I'm trying to say is, "Aw, baby! You're good.""

Never Noticed:

When Gwen and Rhys first find Jack he's dead. They watch him revive and Rhys, who missed the memo shouts "He was dead! I checked his pulse! He was dead!" It's a perfect little side moment that I never caught before. Rhys is very good about being shocked, vocal and then moving on rather quickly. It's really fun watching him find out more about Torchwood and Jack.

WTF Moments:

When Jack takes the blowfish back to Torchwood he's pleading with him and he says. "I said sorry, you can't lock me up". What?? I mean, I love that line and I'm sure Chris put it in because it's exactly the sort of ludicrous thing a scared kid would say when facing incarceration or worse. And they did establish that he was young. WTF adolescent alien blowfish? That being said it wsn't so bad you deserved a bullet to the brain. He was so young...

OK I get that  a normal person, faceing a bomb with 6 seconds left on the counter might panic, freeze and resign themselves to being blown up, but Torchwood? They're nothing if not prepared to deal with danger and surprise so why did they all go still and not even try to move away just a little? Could be the difference between getting caught in debris and having your face blown off, seems worth it to take a few steps that way. Right? Or how about the idea of Jack taking that 6 seconds to grab Toshiko and cover her? He can't die, she can, think Harkness!

Even though I actually think this was a good idea and their attention to keeping continuity is admirable, I cannot put this damned waistcoat anywhere other than WTF-land. Why Jack, why?

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That's not acting, John is horrified by "Safari Jack"
Random Rants:

Not really much to say. You have to understand how many times I have seen this episode. I love every second of it. It's the genius Chris Chibnall at his best. Because I loved it I have noting to rant about. This episode stands up to even my ridiculous nitpicking, it's top notch. It's so much easier to go on about things wrong with an episode, this is pretty damn near perfection, what else is there to say?

MVC (Most Valuable Character)/MVA (Most Valuable Actor):

Nope. You can't make me. I won't do it. There is NO WAY to chose a stand out in this episode. This is a complete team episode and there isn't a week link amongst the bunch. If anything I can narrow it down to Tosh/Jack/Ianto/Owen and the actors that play them. That's not to say Gwen/Eve wasn't good, just that she was hardly there. It's a four way tie, everyone was amazing, I love them all. The end.

Episode Grade:

A+
This episode is amazing. I'm out of words. Not that I had many to begin with. It's the episode I cannot even comment on because words don't do it justice. It's brilliant. Funny, Heart-breaking and very clever. Not to mention ever other line was in the running for my favorite quote. It's just insanely good. I can't say anything...I just...A+

Tomorrow's Episode: Exit Wounds (Series 2, Episode 13). Remember I'll be live tweeting my re-watch on the @BarrowmanDay twitter at 12:00am PST (US - West coast) and 8:00am GMT (UK). Hope you all can watch with me and chat.

That's it for today! Hope you enjoyed my run down of this episode. What did you all think of this episode? Did you notice anything new? What grade would you give it? xx

<3Dana

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9 days left and we're continuing on my countdown to Miracle Day, Torchwood re-watch! I'll be watching an episode a day and blogging bits and thoughts. With any luck this is going to read like an episode guide and commentary. Let's dive right in!

Episode: Adrift (Series 2 Episode 11)

Written By: Chris Chibnall

Original Air Date: 19 March 2008

Sentence Sum-Up: Gwen becomes obsessed with trying to return victims of the Rift and helping the families they left behind.

Notable New Characters:

Jonah Bevan (Robert Pugh) - Victim of the Rift. Looked into the heart of a Dark Star which messed him up. Now he screams a lot.

Nikki Bevan (Ruth Jones) - Jonah's Mum. Becomes obsessed with finding him after he disappears. 

Favorite Quote:

Gwen: "Ianto, hi. I'm sorry. I didn't realize—"
Ianto: "Doesn't matter."
Gwen: "I wouldn't have come in if I'd known—"
Jack: "Always room for one more. We could have used you an hour ago for naked hide-and-seek."
Ianto: "He cheats. He always cheats"

Never Noticed:

Gwen gets the team together in the boardroom to tell her theory about the negative rift spikes. When she announces this there's a look from Ianto to Jack, a knowing look. I never saw it but it turned me to a believer! There's a lot that I just didn't pay attention to in the "Ianto's-in-on-it-and-tipped-off-Gwen" conspiracy!  I get it. It happened. He knew and he told her. If you doubt, watch this episode again. Clever, clever Chris Chibnall. I just wish we saw the fallout of that between Ianto and Jack. Oh well, plenty of fanfic about it.

WTF Moments:

Where is Owen? It's the weirdest thing, it's like Owen doesn't exist for an episode. He's not in any of the scenes and they never mention him. He's not in the boardroom when Gwen gets the team together. When Gwen asks Jack to let her investigate on her own she says "Tosh has her projects, so does Ianto, why can't I?" So Owen doesn't have projects? Or he just doesn't exist. Seriously, where did Owen go? Did they mention it and I missed it? Did Burn have some other commitment during filming? What?

Old Jonah looks nothing like young Jonah. It bothers me. I get that looks aren't the first consideration with casting but young Jonah had 1 10 seconds scene with little or no lines. Young Jonah could have been anyone, they look nothing  alike, look at their face shapes. It's probably just me, but I'm bothered.

Nikki. I just hate her honestly. She's ridiculous. First of all she goes completely batty when her son disappears, which is understandable, but the tapes thing is completely crazy. And then when she finds answers she's horrible to him, she cannot accept the truth and so she's horrible to Jonah. She's ungrateful and she gets upset at Gwen for killing her hope. I want to slap her, suck it up. This is not about you it's about your son, be there for him. Sure this is extreme but a lot of parents deal with their children being damages, scarred, gone crazy, killed and they step up and support them. I hate her, really I do.

I may be missing the obvious explanation but what's the story with the Rift returning victims? I don't get it. They always say the Rift is random and it takes randomly. So how is it that it randomly takes the same people? And it randomly delivers them back to their time? Even only part of the time it makes no sense. What about Out of Time? The 3 fall through the Rift to our time but Owen says that Diane can't go back, it doesn't work that way even if she could go back through the RIft she wouldn't end up where she started. It makes more sense to me that it's random, I don't buy the convenience this episode suggests.

Random Rants:

Gwen is going off about how they have to help the families of the Rift victim and Jack comes back at her with "Seriously Gwen. practically, tell me what we should do". Finally! Someone calling her out about it! It's all well and good to want to help people but there's only so much they can do and she needs to know her place. She's all problems, no solutions, quit bringing me down Gwen! I actually think Chris Chibnall did a clever thing with Gwen in this episode, she is her usual naive self and she has to learn the hard way that good intentions don't solve problems and somethings cannot be fixed. Here's a slice of reality. Eat up.

I'm not going to lie, other than the one scene, you know the one, this has never really been my favorite episode. When we started watching I was sort of dreading the deed and then I saw it in big letters : "Adrift: by Chris Chibnall". The second I said that I wasn't a fan of the episode it wound up being by my very favorite Torchwood writer (MD not included). So I went into this episode expecting to dislike it and hoping against hope to have my mind changed. I wanted to love it like I love all of Chris' episodes! I'll let you know what I thought in the episode grade.

MVC (Most Valuable Character):

You'd think I would say Gwen. It was a very Gween-centric episode and it was all about indulging her little girl fits. But no. I am saying MVC is Ianto. Gwen caused trouble and made no progress on her own, Ianto moved the story forward and made the decision that finally shut her up. He's the hero of the story, even if he ends up in the doghouse with Jack. Gareth as always played it phenomenally. I'm getting sick of saying how brilliant Gareth is.

MVA (Most Valuable Actor):

Tom Price! Don't look at me like that! Tom is the king of making a small part a big star. He's a scene stealer. He's adorable and charming and you just want to see more of him. I am hoping for tons of Andy in Miracle Day. I just can't get enough, a truly standout performance.

Episode Grade:

B
I'm giving it a B because it's got as many positive points as it does negative for me and it sort of evens out. Gwen frustrates me as usual but I love how clever the subplot with Ianto is. I don't understand Owen's disappearance and I hate Nicky. Plot points aside it was a well written episode. I have no grievance with the dialogue and I certainly cannot fault Chris for giving us a moment of Jack and Ianto action. I think upon reflection there is a lot that is good and bad that I hadn't previously considered. B sounds about right.

Tomorrow's Episode:Fragments (Series 2, Episode 12). Remember, I'll be live tweeting my re-watch on the @BarrowmanDay twitter at 12:00am PST (US - West coast) and 8:00am GMT (UK). Hope you all can watch with me and chat.

That's it for today! Hope you enjoyed my run down. What did you all think of this episode? Did you notice anything new? What grade would you give it? xx

<3Dana

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Starz is putting together Free ADVANCED SCREENINGS of the first episode of Torchwood:Miracle Day  across the US!

All of them take place on July 5th and are on a first come basis. Below are links to the Facebook events (with full details) of each of the screenings as well as a couple of details posted by the Official Torchwood Facebook Page.

Free Torchwood: Miracle Day Screening – San Francisco

Date: Tuesday, 05 July 2011 at 18:00/6:00pm
Location: Embarcadero San Francisco, California

Free Torchwood: Miracle Day Screening – Atlanta

Date: Tuesday, 05 July 2011 at 18:00/6:00pm
Location: Midtown Art Atlanta, Georgia

Free Torchwood: Miracle Day Screening – Dallas

Date: Tuesday, 05 July 2011 at 18:00/6:00pm
Location: The Magnolia Dallas, Texas

Free Torchwood: Miracle Day Screening – Denver

Date: Tuesday, 05 July 2011 at 18:00/6:00pm
Location: The Landmark, Greenwood Village Denver, Colorado

Free Torchwood: Miracle Day Screening – Los Angeles

Date: Tuesday, 05 July 2011 at 18:00/6:00pm
Location: The Landmark, Los Angeles Los Angeles, California

Free Torchwood: Miracle Day Screening – New York

Date: Tuesday, 05 July 2011 at 18:00/6:00pmLocation: The Sunshine New York, New York

Free Torchwood: Miracle Day Screening – Philadelphia

Date: Tuesday, 05 July 2011 at 18:00/6:00pmLocation: Ritz East Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Free Torchwood: Miracle Day Screening – Chicago

Date: Tuesday, 05 July 2011 at 18:00/6:00pm
Location: Century Centre Chicago, Illinois

Free Torchwood: Miracle Day Screening – Houston Free

Date: Wednesday, 06 July 2011 at 18:00/6:00pm
Location: River Oaks Houston, Texas

Free Torchwood: Miracle Day Screening – Washinton D.C.

Date: Wednesday, 06 July 2011 at 18:00/6:00pm
Location: E Street Washington, District of Columbia

Free Torchwood: Miracle Day Screening – Boston

Date:Wednesday, 06 July 2011 at 18:00/6:00pmLocation: Kendall Square Cambridge, Massachusetts
 
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10 days left and we're continuing on my countdown to Miracle Day, Torchwood re-watch! ONLY 10 DAYS LEFT (in the US)!!! How did we get here?! Anyway,  I'll be watching an episode a day and blogging bits and thoughts. With any luck this is going to read like an episode guide and commentary. Let's dive right in!

Episode: From Out of the Rain (Series 2 Episode 10)

Written By: Peter J. Hammond

Original Air Date: 12 March 2008

Sentence Sum-Up: The "Night Travelers", a traveling company, escape from an old film reel and terrorize Cardiff stealing people's last breath.

Notable New Characters:

Ghostmaker (Julian Bleach): Head of the traveling show, not the nicest of people. Carries around a silver flask containing the last breath of his victims. Has a great mustache.

Pearl (Camilla Power): Member of the "Night Travelers" billed as the closest thing to an actual mermaid. She really likes water and sequins.

Favorite Quote:

Jack: "Ianto, you're with me. I need your local knowledge."
Gwen: "Oh, is that what you're calling it these days?"

Never Noticed:

The waitress, one of the Ghostmaker's victims, is wearing a flashy patterned sweater. I am about 80% sure it's a hand-me-down from Gwen's wardrobe in season one.

The nurse at the hospital mentions another patient of hers, a psychiatric case at "Providence Park". Ianto says he knows of the place. Pretty odd that I never caught that moment before especially because fans that like to fabricate Ianto's history (mostly via fanfic) often mention it as a place he knew from his childhood. The most common ideas being that his mother was institutionalized or he was. So I wonder is this fans reading too much into a simple, "I know it"? Do you guys think Ianto knows it because it's a tie to his past or do you think maybe he just knows it, cause he knows everything?

WTF Moments:

This episode is one of the rare instances we get to see Jack in his waistcoat and pocket watch look. It's a great look. I'm bringing it up because at one point Jack wants to know the time, so he pulls out his pocket watch and checks the time. Nothing wrong with that. What irks me slightly and I've touched on this before is why go for the pocket watch? He wears a normal watch. Also he has his Vortex Manipulator which can do prety much anything so I refuse to believe it doesn't have a time function. I guess I get it. When I wear a pocket watch I always check it instead of the clock on the wall or my cell phone. I think maybe it's just because it's fun to check your pocket watch. Still a bit silly.

When Ianto catches the Ghostmaker's flask, the last breaths start flying out before he catches it. When he gets it he puts it to his ear and determines that there is only one left. Listen, I am all for, 'Ianto is a super genius and he knows everything' but REALLY? He mentioned he heard the voice cry out to him, what if the other voices where just not feeling chatty? I don't know, seems a little too easy that he could just know.

Random Rants:

This episode marks the second time in as many episodes that Ianto has mentioned his father. The general consensus is that Ianto made up everything about his father because we know he made up at least some (the bit about him being a master tailor). But why assume that? He doesn't talk about him constantly so it's not like he's often romanticizing the notion of his father. Maybe the Electro really does mean something special to him because of memories with his Dad. It's assumed, again, because of one comment that Ianto had a very bad relationship with his Father and maybe he did. But what if, this was the one good memory he has? I don't think we should discount the possibility that Ianto had a genuine moment with his team-mates.

There is a scene with Jack and Ianto in hospital visiting one of the Ghostmaker's victims. He leans over the woman who is unconscious in bed to check if she's breathing. This scene is worth mentioning because every time I watched it, in fact since the first time I saw it I makes me giggle. I cannot help but think, that woman 'lady in bed' is one hell of an actress! How do you have John Barrowman leaning over you, lingering and not burst into a fit of nervous giggles? I couldn't do it. I wonder if it took a few takes...

MVC (Most Valuable Character):

I would have to say Ianto Jones. It is a particularly Ianto-centric episode. Well, not exactly. it's really cool because it's simultaneously about Jack and Ianto. Bits of both of their past coming together in the present. It was really cleverly plotted. My point, Ianto did sort of steal the show. The same way got to experience eager doe-eyed Jack in Captain Jack Harkness we get see a childlike Ianto in this episode. I love it. Plus, Ianto in that suit, talk about a 45 minute distraction, I think I may have missed half the dialogue!

MVA (Most Valuable Actor):

LADY IN BED!! She wins! Other than 'lady in bed'? Well then, let's say Gareth. For all the lovely moment we had with Ianto. He really went through a lot. He drudged up a lot of his past and had brilliant quiet moments supporting Jack. It's absolutely true that the hardest part of acting is reacting and Gareth does it wonderfully. He also had some very emotional moments towards the end. Ianto struggled with failing to save everyone and was on the verge of tears when one child lived. It was intense and beautiful and Gareth was almost as good as 'lady in bed'. Though to be fair he's also had experience getting...close...to John and keeping his cool. Maybe it's a tie.

Episode Grade:

A
I want to give this episode an A+ but I just can't. For the same reason as previous A grades, I cannot award an A+ to an episode that isn't a contender for my favorite. This episode really is phenomenal though. Check back to my WTF moments section, my only complaints were nitpicking and completely trivial. There is nothing negative that stands out and a lot of positive. This episode is a bit difference, a bit unlike what we're used to but I think it's genius. It sort of feels like one of the Torchwood novels, not darker, not sadder, but more detached? And really I mean that in a good way. I do love this episode. Well done.

Tomorrow's Episode: Adrift (Series 2, Episode 11). Remember, I'll be live tweeting my re-watch on the @BarrowmanDay twitter at 12:00am PST (US - West coast) and 8:00am GMT (UK). Hope you all can watch with me and chat.

That's it for today! Hope you enjoyed my run down. What did you all think of this episode? Did you notice anything new? What grade would you give it? xx

<3Dana

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It's Tuesday. That means it's time for the Torchwood this week wrap up. Below are this weeks offerings:

*WARNING - As the premier gets closer it's getting harder and harder to avoid spoilers. Lots of reviewers have seen 1-3 episodes and there has been a fan screening of the first episode. Some of the following could contain SPOILERS, generally they try to warn you in the title or from the start.*

INTERVIEWS/ARTICLES:

Torchwood: Miracle Day (spoiler free report plus edited transcript from Torchwood: Miracle Day London premiere)

Torchwood – Miracle Day (Spoiler Free) Review: The New World

John Barrowman Talks Marriage, "Miracle Day" and Going Kilt Commando (great interview, I love John Barrowman so much.)

Torchwood: Miracle Day - Air Dates (up-to-date air date details around the world)

'Torchwood' app links comic and game with new series

Torchwood Podcast Interviews (Audio of Torchwood BFI PANEL as well as Podcast Interviews with John, Bill, Eve, Julie and Russell)

Russell T Davies: Ianto was 'designed to be a cult character'


Interview: Russell T Davies

Russell T Davies; Christos Tsiolkas (Radio 4's Front Row)

Torchwood gets a Q…

BBC Worldwide and Starz announce interactive Digital Companion to Torchwood: Miracle Day

Torchwood Producer Russel T. Davies Assures Us All That Captain Jack Isn’t Gay

JB Radio - Torchwood Radio Plays (from the official John Barrowman website JohnBarrowman.com)

Both the US and UK versions of Torchwood will have different extra scenes
(this caused a lot of controversy amongst fans. Mickie and I both posted blogs with our thoughts - if you're interested - MY BLOG , MICKIE'S BLOG)

‘Torchwood: Miracle Day’: Episode synopses, Bill Pullman speaks, & interviews (SPOILERS)

PICTURES:

Torchwood takes Manhattan

VIDEOS:

A lot of videos came out this week but 2 that are getting a lot of attention: The 'Starz Studios' Torchwood: Miracle Day Special and the First BBC Torchwood: Miracle Day Teaser Trailer. Those are the official sources. If you cannot see them in your country, click these links for Starz Region Free and BBC Region Free.

Torchwood: Miracle Day - Torchwod: Miracle Day - John Barrowman - Interview

Torchwood: Miracle Day - Torchwod: Miracle Day - Russell T. Davies - Interview

Torchwood: Miracle Day - Torchwod: Miracle Day - Eve Myles - Interview


Torchwood: Miracle Day - Torchwod: Miracle Day - Bill Pullman - Interview

Torchwood: Miracle Day - Torchwod: Miracle Day - Julie Gardner - Interview

Mekhi Phifer Previews 'Torchwood: Miracle Day'

TV NEWS: Ryan's dramatic EastEnders exit  (John Barrowman starting at 57 seconds)

John Barrowman "#Torchwood actor talks sex scenes"

Bill Pullman on playing Torchwood baddie

BONUS:

JBTV: Tonight's The Night to air from 9 July 2011

first TTN script read

"Gareth David-Lloyd - BARROWMAN!"  (PS if like GDL you do not get this reference watch this video "Barrowman*Shakes Fist* Full Jokes" )

That's it for this week! If you've seen more feel free to post links in the comments below, to tweet them at us @BarrowmanDay or send us an email at [email protected]. As always, we're not claiming any ownership of the content. Did I miss anything? xx

<3Dana

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11 days left and we're continuing on my countdown to Miracle Day, Torchwood re-watch! I'll be watching an episode a day and blogging bits and thoughts. With any luck this is going to read like an episode guide and commentary. Let's dive right in!

Episode: Something Borrowed (Series 2 Episode 9)

Written By: Phil Ford

Original Air Date: March 5, 2008

Sentence Sum-Up: Gwen gets impregnated by an alien the night before her wedding to Rhys.

Notable New Characters:

Brenda Williams (Nerys Hughes ) - Rhys' Mum. Hates Gwen, as any future mother-in-law is expected to.

Banana Boat  (Jonathan Lewis Owen ) - Rhys' best man, fancies Tosh.

Favorite Quote:

Banana: "So do you fancy a little drink later?"
Tosh: "I'm sorry. I'm intolerant to vasoactive amines."
Banana: "Huh?"
Tosh: "Bananas make me vomit."

Never Noticed:

Nothing worth mentioning.

WTF Moments:

The night of Gwen's Bachelorette party she turns up to a gaggle of girls waiting with alcohol and a stripper. W.T. serious F. I get that the idea is Gwen has a normal life outside of Torchwood but this was too much. Issue 1 was that we've never heard thing one about any of these girls let alone seen them. No reason to think they would be at her party or that they even existed. She's not had time for Rhys since Torchwood, why would she be able to sustain relationships with her "friends". This scene should have been totally different. It should've been a sad statement about how Torchwood has changed her life in some ways. It should have been Gwen and Tosh, very uncomfortable and poor Tosh trying too hard. It should've been pathetic with Gwen and her one remaining girlfriend who she's not even particularly close to. If not, at the very least shouldn't Tosh have been invited to the big party? I am offended on her behalf for her invite that got lost in the post! And if it was a case of Tosh not wanting to go they could've mentioned it in a simple Gwen: "I'm heading off, you sure I can't persuade you to come?" Tosh: "Not really my thing". It was just silly.

And another thing about the instant-bridesmaids. Gwen convinces them she wasn't pregnant the night before? No. Just no. I don't care how drunk they were or how much they remember, this is just stupid. I do not buy it, stupid solution to this problem. No!

All the Gwack. Granted, most of the Gwack was fake out Gwack and not actually what they made it out to be. That's fine. I much prefer them faking us out to actually doing it. What I want to know is the writer's motivation in including those scenes. The way I see it, Phil either is really into Gwack or he really isn't. If he's really into Gwack he's giving us all these almost moments because he wants to support the viability of the couple. If he's conversely part of the GwackIsWhack club then he's doing it to give the Gwack crowd false hope…and then crush their spirits. I'm hoping it's the latter, because I like it when people cry. Not really. Maybe just a little.

This is a WTF coupled with a big thank you to Phil Ford who I am assuming included this moment of hilarity. Why is Ianto the DJ at Gwen's wedding? Is there a better answer than 'because'? Do I need one? Absolutely not. That image is permanently ingrained in the happy lobe of my brain. I wish it wasn't just a blur in the background but let's all take a moment to appreciate this quick bit of brilliance:

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You guys! The headphones!! Stop it! I can't take it. It's too much. Please can we come up with Ianto's DJ name? Oh if only I were clever. I bet he has one in mind. Moving on...

Random Rants:

Before I begin this section, I would like to point out that today's Gwen bashing takes place in the 'Random Rants' section as opposed to the 'WTF Moments'. That alone is testament to two things: First: Her outrageous disregard for any concept of morality or consideration for others, particularly in the case of Rhys, has stopped surprising me and Second: I must hate her a little less if it's not in the fully negative category. Great let's get on with it, in a rant I like to call "Gwen why'd you do that? Oh, I guess you're not so bad."

Lets get the bashing out of the way. Gwen is a lose lipped whore and I cannot believe after everything she's put Rhys through she would have kissed Jack on their wedding day! Bad Gwen!  Ready to be surprised? That's all. I have nothing else negative to say about Gwen in this episode even if she's a bit on the self-centered side. I'll excuse her as she's getting married and impregnated by an alien baby. Happy wedding Gwen, you get a free pass!

How about what I loved about Gwen in this episode? I know it surprised me too! I love that she woke up the day of her wedding thrilled and seemingly in love with Rhys. I say seemingly cause Gwen still needs to rebuild my trust in her. I love that for the first time the attributes I generally find annoying about Gwen are appealing to me. Yes she's pushy and over-emotional but you know what? I'm on her side today! If she needs to get passionate about something at least it's finally something I feel like supporting. I love Gwen and Rhys and if all she wants to do is marry him, then I'm all for it. Know what else? I felt bad for her once or twice! Waking up in a panic and pregnant, trying to confess your secret life to your Dad who thinks you're crazy. She is genuinely going through some stuff. And while weaker women would have crumbled under the emotional strain our Gwen Cooper rose to the challenge.  I really had, I think, maybe, almost, positive feelings towards her!

But one more thing. When Jack gives them the option of Retcon at the end of the episode she turns him down saying, "There will be no secrets in this marriage". Now. I want to believe her, I want to think she's capable of acting like a human being with a conscience, but the past does concern me. I'm going to pay attention now, see how long it takes before we catch her in another lie. Any bets? And even if she is truthful from now on, is she really, given that she hasn't told Rhys about her past transgressions? Does telling him about Owen and then drugging him get her off the hook for that? I mean, she was honest right? No, I'm not buying it either. But it's fine, as I've said before, I want to like Gwen. I want to see everything that Russell T Davies see's in her. I adore Eve Myles and it would be great to not want to slap her character at every turn. I am keeping an open mind, I'm giving Gwen a second (or thousandth but whose counting) chance. If she can keep her slutty, lying ways at bay from here on out, maybe I'll forgive her in time for Miracle Day!

MVC (Most Valuable Character):

I'm going to say Rhys. Rhys who is the most adorable, wonderful, fabulous fiance and almost husband to Gwen shines in this episode. He's pitch perfect in his emotional outbursts. Love seeing him vocal about his anger as well as intensely protective of Gwen. Not to mention it is sexy on Kai Owen. Rhys steps it up in a big way, proving himself to be a competent provider for Gwen when she needs support or saving from aliens. He never signed up for any of this madness but he shines when the pressure is on. Rhys is a winner and Gwen needs to take notice.

MVA (Most Valuable Actor):

This episode it goes to the truly incomparable Eve Myles, for a number of reasons. First, because whenever I blatantly Gwen bash it's worth reminding that I adore Eve, she's absolutely brilliant and the fact that I can hate Gwen so much means she's very convincing in the role. Second, because she was really spectacular this entire story. She had a lot of story to work with a lot of emotions to get through and she pulled it off without a hitch. She is annoyingly wonderful at her craft. I have a talent crush on her. Well done Eve.

Episode Grade:

B+
I am knocking it shy of perfection because the implied Gwack makes me ill and because the bridesmaids from nowhere are really just too much. That being said, not a bad showing. I had a really hard time picking a favorite quote on this one because there were a lot of excellent moments. A great deal of funny slipped in with some solid drama. There was also a nice bit of horror to it without it keeping me up all night. A nice blend of all the things that make Torchwood the show we love. And on a final note, I love Phil Ford, he's just an incredible writer and a top notch gent. Phil Ford gets an A+.

Tomorrow's Episode: From Out of the Rain (Series 2, Episode 10). Remember, I'll be live tweeting my re-watch on the @BarrowmanDay twitter at 12:00am PST (US - West coast) and 8:00am GMT (UK). Hope you all can watch with me and chat.

That's it for today! Hope you enjoyed my run down. What did you all think of this episode? Did you notice anything new? What grade would you give it? xx

<3Dana

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There seems to be a lot of confusion surrounding the times and dates Torchwood: Miracle Day will premiere around the world. To help clear things up I thought I would start a list of all the information available so far. The following are confirmed by official sources unless otherwise noted.

United States 
Date: Friday, July 8th
Time: 10pm ET/PT
Network: Starz

United Kingdom 
Date:  Thursday, 14th July
Time: 9pm
Network: BBC One

Canada
Date - Saturday, July 9th
Time: 9pm ET
Network: SPACE

Australia
Date: Saturday, July 9th
Time: 8:30pm
Network: UKTV

If you know of any other announced dates please let me know either by commenting on this entry or sending an email to [email protected]. Please include a link to the source of your information. I'll update as more dates come in. Follow @BarrowmanDay on twitter or like BarrowmanDay on Facebook for the latest on this and other Torchwood/Barrowman news.
 
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12 days left and we're continuing on my countdown to Miracle Day, Torchwood re-watch! I'll be watching an episode a day and blogging bits and thoughts. With any luck this is going to read like an episode guide and commentary. Let's dive right in!

Episode: A Day in the Death (Series 2 Episode 8)

Written By: Joseph Lidster

Original Air Date: 27 February 2008

Sentence Sum-Up: Owen finds a woman on a roof and they reflect on his life since his death.

Notable New Characters:

Maggie Hopley (Christine Bottomley): The woman on the roof. Considering killing herself. Sad story but really she's just a plot devise.

Henry Parker (Richard Briers): Old man who collects alien artifacts. Another plot devise in the telling of Owens life after his death.

Favorite Quote:

Owen: We all assume life's going to be shit, don't we? That it's all just darkness.
But you know what? Sometimes, it's not.

Never Noticed:

When Owen is sneaking into Henry's house and he's stopped by the guard they exchange words. The guard asks, "what are you" Owen responds "I'm wrong.". That's necessarily a nod to the Doctor calling Jack wrong in Utopia. I love the parallel between Jack and Owen and the way their relationship has changed since Owen's return.  I'm really glad it was Owen too. When they first planned to kill a team member and bring them back with the glove it was supposed to be Ianto. I think having it be Owen is a lot better because the dynamic between Jack and Owen is phenomenal. Owen is angry and cold as usual, but to the extreme. Everything that made Owen Owen with the added drama of his situation. Ianto similarly  would have gone on being Ianto, numb and sad and distancing himself. I think the story arch is better suited for Owen. And I like the way it forced Jack and Owen closer. Ianto and Jack are already close. this was the right choice.

WTF Moments:

None. This was a fully unobjectionable episode. I really didn't have a strong reaction to this episode overall. It's just sort of depressing.

Random Rants:

A while ago someone asked me about this episode. There's a part where Jack throws Owen a Tintin shirt and it's obvious there is significance in the gesture. This person said they've watched the episode a few times and couldn't figure it out. I said I didn't know and honestly it wasn't an episode I watched a lot but I'd look into it. First attempt was to google. That did absolutely nothing but I did read the entirely of the Wikipedia entry on Tintin. There is an awful lot to that character! I read through it a few times trying to figure out a connection between Tintin and Owen. If I squint really  hard there's one and it gave me a headache. My next plan of action was to re-watch the scene in question. That proved useless.

What I never did until today was watch the episode in it's entirely. You'd think it would be the obvious answer. Watch the episode see if that scene was referring to something that happen earlier. Well I've watched it now and I think I've got it sussed. Maybe. It starts earlier in the episode when discussing Henry. Owen says, "We've been monitoring Parker for ages. There's nothing to be scared of is
there?" and Ianto responds, "Unlike, say, Tintin?". So I thought about it, this discussion that got it started. Then I went back and read the Wikipedia entry again. This is what jumped out at me: "Despite his generally delicate and unassuming appearance, Tintin is athletic and possesses great physical strength, being able to knock out enemies much larger than him in combat with a single blow.". So I got to thinking about why Jack would toss Owen the shirt which to me, was likening him to Tintin. I think he was saying he believed in Owen's ability even though he was being treated as someone "delicate and unassuming" since his death. I think it was Jack trying to be supportive without being too mushy. OR I am reading way too much into this and Jack is just being an ass. Owen mentioned he hated Tintin, so Jack get's him a Tintin T-Shirt. Who knows. Either way it is an interesting point of the episode.

MVC (Most Valuable Character):

Owen I suppose. I mean really this is all about him. His life, his death, his reflection on the after-afterlife. He's the focus to be sure and it's a really interesting look into the twisted mind of a thoroughly messed up character. Burn does a bang up job and we get more of the Owen and Jack relationship I am so intrigued by.

MVA (Most Valuable Actor):

I'm going to say John. He might not have had as big a part as Burn did but he was just as important to me. The point of fascination in this episode as well as the last, for me at least, was the change in relationship between Owen and Jack. For Dead Man Walking I gave it to Burn but just barely. This episode I think John sort of won the match up between two brilliant actors. This side of Jack, so conflicted and unsure is difficult to watch. It's hard to watch and I think it should be. We should be uncomfortable seeing Jack like this and we should feel helpless as he does. There's some brilliant writing that aids in that but I think it's mostly John's performance and he deserves to be singled out.

Episode Grade:

B
It wasn't bad and it wasn't phenomenal. I can see a lot of good points and no particularly bad points. But inoffensive hardly amounts to perfection. It's not an episode I watch a lot. Not because it's bad but because it's sort of forgettable and because it's so depressing. It's hard to say much about it. You just sit, watching, devastated. It's fine. It's a B. But not a B I need to revisit often.

Tomorrow's Episode: Something Borrowed (Series 2, Episode 9). Remember, I'll be live tweeting my re-watch on the @BarrowmanDay twitter at 12:00am PST (US - West coast) and 8:00am GMT (UK). Hope you all can watch with me and chat.

That's it for today! Hope you enjoyed my run down. What did you all think of this episode? Did you notice anything new? What grade would you give it? xx

<3Dana

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Hey All.

I started writing a comment on Mickie's Two Versions Blog and it occurred to me that it would make more sense to just write it as a response blog so I could post my thoughts on the issue as well.

For those in the UK who have previously been unaffected by the editing of BBC television for other parts of the world, let me fill you in. There are always multiple versions of BBC shows. You guys are just noticing it now because it may affect you for the first time. Every episode of Doctor Who or Torchwood we see in the US is cut down for time because we don't have the same run times in the US as in the UK. We only get to see the full episodes once the DVDs come out. And content, well, you're not the only one struggling with that either. When we had Torchwood on BBC America they've had to censor some things because it's not a pay channel like Starz. Particularly I think we lose the swearing. But we don't get the worst of it. Other non-UK countries have it much worse. If they get it at all  on TV, they get these shows delayed by WEEKS, MONTHS or even YEARS and when they do get them they are vastly different. All the questionable language and sexual content is cut. This is not a new issue this is just the first time it might affect the UK.

As for the BBC censoring some of the content of the show I don't know the details I assume there is stuff that is OK to show on Starz that isn't OK to show on BBC. Mickie mentioned the show Rome having aired on the BBC and having strong sexual content as well as being very violent. I've not seen this show so I cannot vouch for how extreme it is but let me give you a little insight into Starz. The pay channels in the US, specifically Starz, HBO and Showtime are known for their caution-to-the-wind adult programs. That's not to say they push the envelope just because they can, they have a lot of beautifully done shows that are improved or only possible because they don't have restrictions. But let's be clear. These channels and what they are allowed to show is one step down from porn. In fact, I think there are tamer "adult films" out there than some of the things I've seen. I don't know if that puts it into perspective for you all in terms of what the BBC usually sees fit to show but I imagine they have restrictions that Starz does not, even after watershed.

Mickie took issue with the two companies creating a show together that neither could air in it's entirety. I get that, I don't want to have to compare notes with my friends across the pond and try to track down the UK versions to get the whole story but that might just be the case. I hope they at least give us the full unedited episodes on the DVDs.

In defense of the networks let me say this. If I had the chance to create Torchwood without restriction. Or if I was creating any show really I would never dream of holding back. I think the executives of both networks came to the conclusion that they needed to make the best show possible and worry about editing later. There's nothing wrong with that. And if all goes as I hope we will all eventually see the full versions.

I feel bad for my UK friends, struggling with this for the first time. Until now they never had to worry about losing any content because the shows have been tailor made for BBC television. This year with Torchwood taking on the US trying to be noticed globally (as it should be) they really want to make it the best series yet. As much as neither of us wants to have edited versions I would hate it more if the shows was simultaneously shorter and more toned-down to meet the needs of the networks. We have to take a hit for the team here. Accept that we might not get the full version until the DVDs but know that all the versions airing around the world are going to have a higher entertainment quality. This is a bigger picture scenario. We're all in love with this show but if the rest of the world really grabs on that could mean 7 more years of Torchwood and then everyone wins.

I think there has been a lot of negativity amongst fans surrounding this new series of Torchwood and I'm not saying I am entirely innocent but I do try to keep positive. At every turn fans are questioning what that networks are doing and really complaining about every decision we're not even privy to yet. I'm not sure why fans seem to think this series was doomed from the get-go but I suspect it mostly has to do with it being a US/UK co-production. I think people need to take a step back. What's the point of worrying about an outcome we really don't know about and certainly have no control over? It's unnecessary stress about something that should be bringing fans joy. We get more Torchwood! Isn't that what we've wanted all along? Why speculate about all the things that can go wrong when we can look forward to all the things that can go right?

I may be a huge fan of the show and of John but guys, it's just a show. It's fiction and at the end of the day it's for entertainment purposes and it doesn't actually matter. It should be a happy thing in our lives, it certainly is in mine. Everyone has spent this whole wait expecting the worst and now my friends who saw the BFI screening have nothing but positive reviews. Have a little faith. I do. I don't think any of the people involved would have agreed to this collaboration if it was going to make Torchwood worse. From the start John Barrowman has been saying it's going to be the best series yet, and you know what? In Barrowman I trust. I am excited and I am going batty waiting the last 12 days until it's on my TV.

I've said my peace, feel free to say yours. I would love to hear people's opinions even if you don't agree with me. And I hope that after you read this you can anticipate the return of Torchwood with a smile and leave all the network politics to the networks. xx

<3Dana
 
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13 days left and we're continuing on my countdown to Miracle Day, Torchwood re-watch! I'll be watching an episode a day and blogging bits and thoughts. With any luck this is going to read like an episode guide and commentary. Let's dive right in!

Episode: Dead Man Walking (Series 2 Episode 7)


Written By: Matt Jones

Original Air Date: 20 February 2008

Sentence Sum-Up: Jack goes to extreme measures to resurrect Owen and the team has to deal with the consequences of that choice.

Notable New Characters:

None.

Favorite Quote:

Jack: "Only in suffering do we recognize beauty".
Owen: "Yeah, yeah! Who said that?"
Jack: "Proust."
Owen: "You've read Proust?"
Jack: "Yeah. Well, no. We dated for a while, he was really immature."

Never Noticed:

When Jack initially brings Owen back with the glove, he asks him about the code for the alien morgue. Owen says the number out loud and you can see Ianto on the side repeating it silently to himself, committing it to memory. Good thing he thought to do that because, no one grabbed a pen. Then again I suppose they could always just play back the CCTV of that moment.

WTF Moments:

When Martha goes to begin Owen's autopsy she looks through the medical instruments and grabs THIS:

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What is the meaning of that?? A simple scalpel like everyone else uses wouldn't have worked? No one says anything, but I found this all a bit curious. I guess the only other Doctor isn't there to question her. It made me giggle though, how unnecessarily large!

When they decided that Owen was turning into something dangerous and they had to eliminate the threat by getting rid of him. Why did they not at that point think about the glove? Wouldn't it be the logical first attempt to destroy the glove and see if that changes anything? And why did they just leave it lying around in the Hub? It's crazy technology that they can't even begin to understand, didn't occur them to secure it? Someone didn't have their thinking cap on.

Random Rants:

Gwen had a breakthrough!! Hooray I hate her a little less! Gwen was struggling with everything going on with Owen and she was sad. So what did she do? Did she throw herself at Owen or Jack? No! She called Rhys! Thank God! She's learning I think! She had a hard day and she turned to the man she loves for comfort. How normal of her. I am actually praising her now for reacting like a normal human being instead of a morally bankrupt crazy person. Cookie for Gwen.

When Jack and Owen are locked up and they have their heart to heart. Aside from the fact that this is the best scene of the episode there was a moment that made me smirk especially. Owen asks Jack why he brought him back and Jack says, "I guess I was hoping for a miracle. And I still am." Ha!! Jack won't be hoping for a miracle for long! Totally made me think of miracle day and how he'll be eating those entirely unrelated words. 

MVC (Most Valuable Character)/MVA (Most Valuable Actor):

The MVC and MVA goes to Owen and Burn. It was obviously and Owen-centric episode and he kept us interested in his story. The array of emotions Owen goes through from shock to terror to confusion to anger is really authentic feeling. How would you react to coming back from the dead and coming back wrong? I am obsessed with the underlying story between Owen and Jack. Jack not being ready to give up on him and Owen being connected to Jack in a way that is unique to the two of them. It's interesting seeing Jack react to someone else cursed to seemingly eternal life or in this case eternal death. It's a great dynamic and the pair play off each other so well. The best part of the whole episode is the back and forth between Owen and Jack while they are locked up. Burn really lets us see a vulnerable side of Owen that doesn't come out often. He brings humanity to a character who is faced with no longer necessarily being human. It's how a lot of people would react, it's just very well portrayed. Well done Burn and honorable mention to Jack/John.

Episode Grade:

B+
I actually really liked this episode. It's another one I don't watch often and I think it's because it's both rather sad and scary. I don't do well with scary and most people don't like to repeatedly have their hearts broken. It's something to revisit every so often but seeing Owen struggle, while well done and entertaining, is a bit emotionally draining. The fact that I don't want to watch it a lot speaks to how effective it is at being a honest representation of human nature. That's not an easy accomplishment. This episode had a lot to praise but it's short of an A because it's shy of perfection and not one of my favorites, for the reasons I mentioned.

Tomorrow's Episode: A Day in the Death (Series 2, Episode 8). Remember, I'll be live tweeting my re-watch on the @BarrowmanDay twitter at 12:00am PST (US - West coast) and 8:00am GMT (UK). Hope you all can watch with me and chat.

That's it for today! Hope you enjoyed my run down. What did you all think of this episode? Did you notice anything new? What grade would you give it? xx

<3Dana

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