Can the UK Survive Without Torchwood? Time Will Tell

A secret agency beholden to no one seeks out alien threats directed towards Great Britain.  Queen Victoria creates it after an encounter with the Doctor –  a member of an alien species called Time Lords who travel back and forth through time.  The Doctor is the last of his kind and on one of his encounters; he meets Captain Jack Harkness, the man who can never die.  Russell T. Davies does a unique job by interweaving these individuals – he introduces a complex multileveled character into the series he rejuvenated (“Doctor Who”) and as a byproduct, creates the innovative series “Torchwood.”

Harkness, who The Doctor describes as a “fixed point in time and space,” has been working for Torchwood for well over 100 years.  In the third season, something that he was a part of for 44 years earlier comes back to haunt him.  After the bloodbath of the season two finale, season three starts off with a pared down cast.  Harkness, alongside Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) and Ianto Jones (Gareth David-Lloyd), attempts to prevent the recurrence of this alien threat from destroying the world.

Without high-falutin special effects, season three is able to drive terror and keep the suspense high all the way to episode five.  The aspects of what makes this show highly entertaining are all there in season three.  With its darker plotlines, “Torchwood” is able to go further than “Doctor Who.”

In this case, it involves children.  At certain points of the day, children just stop whatever they are doing and begin to chant “we are coming; we are coming.”  An adult man (Clement McDonald, played by Paul Copley), who was given to the 456 in exchange for a virus antidote (but escaped) also seems to have a connection with the aliens.  As the 456 speak through the children and Clement, several underlying plotlines are also being played out.

The relationship between Ianto and Jack and Gwen’s marriage to Rhys give comedy relief and poignant moments between the intense points of the major plotline involving the alien menace.

However, the driving force of this story is the middle manager Frosbisher – who acts as a go between for the aliens and the Prime Minister, which makes him the fall guy when this situation falls to pieces.  His realization that he is nothing more than a civil servant who must fall on his sword for an ambitious prime minister gives this season its most tumultuous, heart-wrenching moments.  We see through Frosbisher how humanity acts at its worst when we compromise our principles.  Frosbisher is not the best of men and through a series of desperate acts destroys “Torchwood.”

Clement also brings back the sins of Harkness’ past.  When he asks why he was taken, Harkness responds that he was of no consequence.  Essentially, no one would miss him.  This time, the 456 want 10 percent of the children from earth and not the 12 from Great Britain as they requested over 40 years earlier.  The reason for their need of the children is revolting and the audience is gripped by the sacrifice that Harkness’ grandson must make in order to save the world.

The darkness, sex and violence in the three seasons of “Torchwood” have caused the unpredictability and excitement of this series.  One of the thrills that bring intensity to this truncated third season is caused by the killing off of major characters.  But any science fiction audience member will tell you that things do not always appear as they seem.

Episode five of “Children of Earth” ends with a decimated “Torchwood.”  Rumors have it that it  has been renewed for a fourth season.  Will Captain Jack Harkness come back from intergalactic travel?  Will Eve and Rhys have a healthy child?  How will Great Britain survive without Torchwood?

Stay tuned.