Torchwood is a British science fiction series created as an adult-oriented spin-off of Doctor Who by then-showrunner Russell T. Davies. It ran from 22 October 2006 to 4 April 2008 for two seasons, first on BBC Three and then on BBC Two, before concluding. It was followed by a five-episode miniseries, Torchwood: Children of Earth, and the US co-produced Torchwood: Miracle Day that aired on Starz.
Series summary[]
Torchwood is a secret operation funded by the British royal family with the purpose of protecting Britain from alien incursions and acquiring alien technology for the benefit of the British Empire. There are four Torchwood sites according to the TV series (a fifth was introduced in a radio play) and the series focuses on Torchwood Three, which is based in Cardiff and has the mission of protecting Wales. Their base is located around a temporal rift that can act as a gateway from other points in time and space; thus they may find themselves fighting off an alien invasion one week and helping the confused crew of a plane that has travelled forward in time from 1953 the next.
The team of just five (unlike their hundreds-strong London operation) is led by the immortal and indestructible Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) and comprises ex-cop Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles), tech expert Toshiko Sato (Naoko Mori), medical officer Dr Owen Harper (Burn Gorman) and administrator Ianto Jones (Gareth David-Lloyd). Weapons specialist Suzie Costello (Indira Varma) died in the first episode but made posthumous appearances afterwards; UNIT liaison and medic Dr Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) appeared in several season two episodes.
Spin-offs[]
After Torchwood finished, it returned for Torchwood: Children of Earth, a five-part miniseries. In 2011, the BBC and US network Starz co-produced a 10-episode series called Torchwood: Miracle Day, which was partly set in the US as well as Wales.
Westphall connections in Torchwood[]
- Much of Torchwood was set up in its parent show, Doctor Who. The character of Captain Jack Harkness was introduced in the Doctor Who episode "The Empty Child" and appeared in the following four episodes before being separated from The Doctor. Dr Toshiko Sato appeared in a small capacity in the Doctor Who story "Aliens of London". The origins of Torchwood were revealed prior to the launch of the Torchwood series, in the Doctor Who episode "Tooth and Claw", and the destruction of Torchwood One was shown in the episode "Doomsday". Additionally, the character of Dr Martha Jones, who appears in several season two episodes of Torchwood, was a main cast member in the 2007 season of Doctor Who.
- Jack returned to Doctor Who for three episodes beginning with "Utopia" and Jack, Gwen and Ianto joined Doctor Who for a two-part story beginning with "The Stolen Earth".
- In the Torchwood episode "Greeks Bearing Gifts", Tosh begins a relationship with a woman named Mary, who turns out to be a an alien. An alien of the same species appears briefly in "Invasion of the Bane", the pilot episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures.
- A letter from the Torchwood Institute from Torchwood can be seen on Sherlock's Mantelpiece in Sherlock episode "The Lying Detective".