“Torchwood: Miracle Day”
a review by Darby O’Gill
Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) & Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) are back! After the disbandment of Torchwood, following the events of Children of Earth, Jack Harkness found himself wondering the galaxy looking for answers, if not forgiveness, and Gwen and her husband Rhys moved to an isolated cottage in Whales to raise their daughter away from the madness of the world. It was only a matter of time until an unforeseen event would undoubtedly bring these two together again, and that event came to be known as “Miracle Day.” It’s the day where no one died. Not a single person. All across the globe, the sick and injured continued to live. And the next day, and the next, and the next, it’s as if the entire planet had become immortal over night. Well, not the entire planet. The earth’s one immortal man from the future, Captain Jack Harkness, finds that he is once again just a mere mortal man, and that whoever, or whatever is behind the miracle wants Torchwood out of the picture once and for all.
The concept behind Torchwood: Miracle Day is great! It really makes you realize just how fast our systems and governments would start to fall apart if an event like this were to ever actually happen. The camps and the treatment of the undead, or “Category Ones” as they’re called on the show, would be unreal! It’s funny to think about just how quickly the rich and powerful can adapt to creating a system that would benefit their needs and interests. Did I say funny? I meant sad.
As great as the story is, one might say, and when I say “one” I mean a Doctor Who fan, that the story is far too big of an event for the Torchwood team to handle alone, and I agree. I think something of this scale would warrant the Doctor’s attention, but that’s just merely a nerd’s gripe. My biggest problem with the show is that that it took ten episodes to tell this story. It really only should have been about six. I understand that creator Russell T. Davies wanted to have the story unfold in a very true and believable manner, but this series was introducing the Torchwood franchise to a much wider U.S. audience, and I think it ultimately hurt them in the long run. With that being said, I really like that they didn’t just reboot the show in America the same way they did with Being Human or Skins. I’m really glad that they just simply created a story that would bring the surviving Torchwood team members to the States. The new American cast members were also outstanding! Bill Pullman’s portrayal of the murdering pedophile Oswald Danes is amazing! The show truly captures the way the media today can turn a disgusting monster into a media poster child. 
Speaking of the media, Lauren Ambrose’s portrayal of the public relations consultant, Jilly Kitzinger or is it Lucy Statten Meredith now (a little inside joke for those of you that have already seen Miracle Day), makes you realize just how soulless the profession can be at times, and yet she’s still somehow likeable. Mekhi Phifer and Alexa Havins effortlessly gel their way into the team dynamic of Torchwood. And Barrowmen and Myles are as strong as ever! It’s really great to see just how far Gwen Cooper has developed as a character over the last few years. Torchwood: Miracle Day might not be the strongest of the series’ ventures, but it’s definitely worth checking out!
Rating:
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