Torchwood: Children of Earth is now available on Blu-ray and DVD!
Since its conception, Torchwood, a spin off of one of the greatest Sci-Fi shows of all time to come out of the UK, has been billed as a mature, grown up version of its sister show Doctor Who but sadly with two season in the can so far, all that has has meant is lots of sex and snogging (That's "Making out" in british terms) and more sex without any real mature substance to it. Like a little brother trying to be older by going and stealing a bunch of Playboy magazines from the local convenient store and reading them at the family dinner table, the show tried a bit too hard in its first two seasons to live up to the "adult" monkier placed upon its head but thankfully with its third season, "Children of Earth" it finally got taken out back and bitchslapped like the red-headed stepchild it really is and has returned to us as an older, wiser and more thoughtful series. Not to mention hella darker as well!
The new season picks up with the three Torchwood members, who are left after last season's killathon finale still morning the loss of their fallen comrads but still moving on with their lives as part of a super secret goverment organization (yet somehow everyone knows about it) that tries to help defend earth against extra-terrestreal threats when the ever so timely Doctor (Get it? Timely? Cuz he's a Time Lord? I crack myself up!) isn't there to handle situations.
We find out that for some reason, the members of Torchwood are being hunted down by a group of assassins while kids all around the earth stop moving and start chanting a haunting message in unison that is somehow connected to a group of aliens known as the 456 who have been to earth before and its up to the Scooby Gang to solve this mystery of what is really happening! JINKIES!
The season is actually only 5 episodes (compared to the show's previous seasons 13 episode runs) which each are a single day and its all one big story which is quite a change of pace for the show since the past two seasons revolved around Monster/Freak of the Week stories but it pays off here giving this season a more epic overall scope. Another change is how serious and dire everything now is right from the start. This is possibly one of the darkest TV shows I have ever Kids, unless you love having nightmares then leave the room when mommy and daddy decide to watch this… go watch some Sarah Jane Adventures instead! You'll thank me later…The acting from John Barrowman as the unkillable Captain Jack Harkness is really well done and you feel bad for him at the choices he needs to make to have things get done… and may even hate him by the time everything is said and done with, while Garreth David-Lloyd and Eve Myles as Ianto Jones and Gwen Cooper bringing a lot of heart to the story. Newcomers Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo fit right in along with all the veteran characters and pull off some really great moments.
The entire 5 episode season feels like a really well done Sci-Fi modern Sci-Fi movie and the quality is just surpurb. Everyone brings their a-game to the table for this season, including the always amazing composer Murray Gold who's haunting score really helps sell the whole atmosphere and sets the mood well.
This is the show we've all been waiting for Torchwood to become and possibly brings some of the best TV Sci-Fi ever to the table. The more condensed season allows for producer Russel T. Davies to really focus on the overall quality and pacing so much more as well as a bigger effects budget for some scenes. This really is a must see if you are any sort of Sci-Fi fan! You owe it to yourself!
ComicsOnline gives Torchwood- Children of Earth 5 out of 5 times we enjoy watching Captain Jack!
