Review: 'Torchwood: Miracle Day' is Torchwood in America

By Tracey Brown Jul 9, 2011, 0:34 GMT

The good news is that fans can stop their worrying, as this version of Torchwood is fundamentally the same dark and quirky show they loved, just a bit more glammed up.

After an overly long delay, Torchwood is finally back tonight, premiering on Starz for its fourth season as Torchwood: Miracle Day. 

The good news is that fans can stop their worrying, as this version of Torchwood is fundamentally the same dark and quirky show they loved, just a bit more glammed up. 

All of the sudden, people stop dying on earth, no matter what fatal disease or horrific accident they may have had. That is the “miracle”, but of course, what seems a gift at first, can quickly turn to confusion for those given a reprieve, and bring disaster to human society if it continues. 

When murderer/pedophile Oswald Danes (Bill Pullman) is being executed by lethal injection – he doesn’t die. When CIA agent Rex Matheson (Mekhi Phifer) is in a rather nasty car accident that should have been fatal – he doesn’t die.  Rumors circulating about Torchwood and his unexplained survival lead him and colleague, Esther Drummond (Alexa Havins), to begin investigating.

As we saw at the end of Season 3, only John Barrowman (as Captain Jack Harkness), Eve Myles (as Gwen Cooper), Kai Owen (as Gwen’s husband Rhys) and Gwen’s cop friend Andy (played by Tom Price) remain from the original cast.  Their presence will be most welcome for longtime Torchwood viewers, especially while they get used to the mostly American cast.

This season is called Torchwood: Miracle Day, but could just as easily been called “Torchwood in America”.  That isn’t a bad thing necessarily, but there have been some changes to cater to an American audience (mostly regarding the largely American cast and Los Angeles locations) and also to audiences who may have never seen an episode of Torchwood. 

One advantages of the increased budget from the BBC’s partnership with Starz, is the spectacular and exciting action sequences, unlike any that have been seen on Torchwood in the past. 

Much as there was with the premiere episodes of Doctor Who this season, there is also a more universal perspective to the storyline, which is clearly an effort on the BBC’s part to make their American fans feel more included. 

The story hops effortlessly between Cardiff and Los Angeles contrasting brash bright brutality with lush pastoral bliss. Mekhi Phifer as Rex is particularly welcome in the new cast slinging brusque impatience with a constant stream of ironic wise cracks that lighten some of the grimmer moments that might otherwise drag the story down. John Barrowman is back, whip thin and reserved, his more over-the-top impulses dampened by the possibility of his mortality.

Bill Pullman’s everyman murderer offers enough unhinged threat to make most viewers tune back in for another go. 

The reunion between Jack and Gwen with the introduction of Rex into the mix will for many be the highlight of the episode. Gwen reminds us once again that her domestic situation is not wholly blissful as she blazes back into Jack’s life with a guns blazing, baby on her hip and Rhys trailing behind.

There is a feeling of correctness seeing the Torchwood team reunited and there are plenty of winks to long time fans who will find Captain Jack’s new digs somehow just appropriate. 

All in all, the Starz reboot for Torchwood doesn’t disappoint for new viewers who will come away with many questions and old viewers who will be satisfied to see some of their favorites back in action.