OMG...Torchwood! I have just discovered this show!

[Overmind One]

I just watched the first episode of season 1 called "Everything Changes", and Im utterly hooked to the show! I have added all 31 episodes available on Netflix into my Instant queue. There is still lots of good science fiction out there that I just never bothered to watch. The loss of Stargate and Star Trek as a series have left a void. Sanctuary and Primeval have filled much of it, and I am giving Dr Who a chance, but it has failed to hook me like Primeval and Torchwood have done.

I have been thinking about how this happens...how did I miss Primeval and Torchwood? For one, the title didnt grab me. Dr Who isnt really huge in the United States like it could be. For that reason, Americans may not get a connection to Dr Who for Torchwood. So, watching it without having a strong foundation in Dr Who is going to be for me like it is for Stargate fans who started with Atlantis and watched SG-1 or the movie afterwards.

So, Im past the first episode into the second.

 

[EvilSpaceAlien]

Torchwood is indeed an awesome show and it gets better and better as it progresses. Season 1 is a bit of a bumpy ride (IMO), season 2 is a good all the way through, and season 3/Children of Earth is bloody amazing. I can't frakking wait 'til Miracle Day premieres!

 

[Overmind One]

Torchwood is indeed an awesome show and it gets better and better as it progresses. Season 1 is a bit of a bumpy ride (IMO), season 2 is a good all the way through, and season 3/Children of Earth is bloody amazing. I can't frakking wait 'til Miracle Day premieres!

Will it ruin Dr Who for me in the future? I have been watching random episodes of Dr Who because some were slow and I couldnt watch it in order like I did for Primeval (I couldnt get enough of that show!). I eagerly wait for Sanctuary each week. And this show is AWESOME! Im into it already. I like all of the characters so far, I like the Torchwood lab better than the Tardis, and I like the humor. Cool show! The profanity sort of surprised me...I could see a few shits here and there, but the "F" word? Its not a dealbreaker.

 

[Tropicana]

I love Torchwood (TW) myself for a more slightly serious content - I love the characters - Gwen, Tosh and Ianto (the cute Tea Boy forever), while DW for me is for the lighter, fun and outgoing side of the Who universe,

 

[Tropicana]

Will it ruin Dr Who for me in the future? I have been watching random episodes of Dr Who because some were slow and I couldnt watch it in order like I did for Primeval (I couldnt get enough of that show!). I eagerly wait for Sanctuary each week. And this show is AWESOME! Im into it already. I like all of the characters so far, I like the Torchwood lab better than the Tardis, and I like the humor. Cool show! The profanity sort of surprised me...I could see a few shits here and there, but the "F" word? Its not a dealbreaker.

TW is more adult themed, so you will see profanity and adult situations like death.

So you got The Sarah Jane Adventures for kids where it's light hearted, silly (in a good way) and fun, then Dr. Who for the mix of kids and adults where there's a mix of serious but still fun and light but not too dark, then, finally Torchwood for the adults, with situations that kids would not understand yet or could comprehend, or may find scenes distressing like bombings, morality, death, etc. While all 3 managing the characters and maintaining the level of interactions that makes you be with the characters (the signature of Dr. Who is in all 3), that you understand them and to an extent, not too bogged down with the character drama.

Let's just say,

Spoiler: --->

it's enough that viewers want to see Gwen and her husband Rhys work it out cos of the life Gwen lives now or Jack and Ianto since Jack is lonely and been living forever and he stays the same while his soul mates die.

There are some episodes of Dr. Who (during Tennant's reign) that coincidences with Torchwood but they are quite few, so to answer your question, it won't ruin Dr. Who.

 

[EvilSpaceAlien]

Will it ruin Dr Who for me in the future? I have been watching random episodes of Dr Who because some were slow and I couldnt watch it in order like I did for Primeval (I couldnt get enough of that show!). I eagerly wait for Sanctuary each week. And this show is AWESOME! Im into it already. I like all of the characters so far, I like the Torchwood lab better than the Tardis, and I like the humor. Cool show! The profanity sort of surprised me...I could see a few shits here and there, but the "F" word? Its not a dealbreaker.

No, while Torchwood takes place in the Doctor Who universe it remains a largely stand alone show that doesn't spoil any DW storylines.

 

[Overmind One]

TW is more adult themed, so you will see profanity and adult situations like death.

So you got The Sarah Jane Adventures for kids where it's light hearted, silly (in a good way) and fun, then Dr. Who for the mix of kids and adults where there's a mix of serious but still fun and light but not too dark, then, finally Torchwood for the adults, with situations that kids would not understand yet or could comprehend, or may find scenes distressing like bombings, morality, death, etc. While all 3 managing the characters and maintaining the level of interactions that makes you be with the characters (the signature of Dr. Who is in all 3), that you understand them and to an extent, not too bogged down with the character drama.

Let's just say,

Spoiler: --->

it's enough that viewers want to see Gwen and her husband Rhys work it out cos of the life Gwen lives now or Jack and Ianto since Jack is lonely and been living forever and he stays the same while his soul mates die.

There are some episodes of Dr. Who (during Tennant's reign) that coincidences with Torchwood but they are quite few, so to answer your question, it won't ruin Dr. Who.

Im getting the adult themed part clearly. I really prefer it over DW for that reason I think. I also like the music better and the way its filmed. It seems somehow more "grounded" to me.

No, while Torchwood takes place in the Doctor Who universe it remains a largely stand alone show that doesn't spoil any DW storylines.

That is good to know. I plan to watch all of this series in order like I have done Primeval and Sanctuary and my other favorites. Im hoping that I click with DW soon, because there is so much of it to watch. But Torchwood has me hooked.

 

[EvilSpaceAlien]

That ios good to know. I plan to watch all of this series in order like I have done Primeval and Sanctuary and my other favorites. Im hoping that I click with DW soon, because there is so much of it to watch. But Torchwood has me hooked.

I didn't really click with Doctor Who to start with either, and I was always a bit indifferent towards the RTD era episodes, however when Moffat became showrunner in season 5 of the new series, it truly became one of my favorite shows on tv.

 

[heisenberg]

I've just watched the first 5 episodes and it indeed more adult orientated than doctor who but it's good to watch.Except I didn't like the fairy episode.

Will it ruin Dr Who for me in the future? I have been watching random episodes of Dr Who because some were slow and I couldnt watch it in order like I did for Primeval (I couldnt get enough of that show!). I eagerly wait for Sanctuary each week. And this show is AWESOME! Im into it already. I like all of the characters so far, I like the Torchwood lab better than the Tardis, and I like the humor. Cool show! The profanity sort of surprised me...I could see a few shits here and there, but the "F" word? Its not a dealbreaker.

And that's probably why you can't get into doctor who. The thing is,the series plants seeds and clues in almost every seasons in the massive story arch they have. You need to start from the beginning and follow your way through.

But frankly you should checkout 4 of my favourite episodes from the series, entitled "blink".Fantastic episode blink(Season 3 episode 10), it's a very good psychological thriller episode.

Then there is the master episode which spans 3 episodes Starting with the episode entitled utopia(3x11 to 3x13).Then my favourite of them all,end of time(Part 1&2),oh wow!

 

[EvilSpaceAlien]

I think I should mention that there are a few Doctor Who episodes that you should watch because they will enhance your experience watching Torchwood and they'll give some backstory to the character of Captain Jack Harkness. First there's The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances (1x09-1x10), the two parter where we see Jack for the first time. Then there's Bad Wolf/The Parting of Ways (1x12-1x13) and Utopia, The Sound of Drums, and Last of the Time Lords which gives us answers to the reason why Captain Jack can't die. The season 3 episodes take place between seasons 1 & 2 of Torchwood while, the season 1 episodes take place before the series started.

 

[Tropicana]

But frankly you should checkout 4 of my favourite episodes from the series, entitled "blink".Fantastic episode blink(Season 3 episode 10), it's a very good psychological thriller episode.

I LOVEEEEEEEEEEE "BLINK"-episode!

You gotta watch that episode OM1, it is one of the best DW episodes ever, maybe of all time! It has the right mix of horror, humour, intelligent plot and awesome characters.

 

[EvilSpaceAlien]

This thread actually gave me an urge to rewatch Torchwood from the start and I just reached episode 6 "Countrycide" which I think is one of my favorites from S1 because it truly showcased how insane, crazy, and just downright sick, some human beings can be.

 

[Joelist]

This thread actually gave me an urge to rewatch Torchwood from the start and I just reached episode 6 "Countrycide" which I think is one of my favorites from S1 because it truly showcased how insane, crazy, and just downright sick, some human beings can be.

I have to admit I disliked Torchwood Season 1. While it had decent plots it went way over the top in the obsession with sex. Also it was very hard to like any of the characters as they tended to act like jerks constantly (like Gwen cheating on Rhys with Owen, Ianto's pulling a gun on his teammates more than once, Jack being a little tin horned dictator and even Tosh's dallainces). The change in Jack was especially bad, as in DW he was likeable and a touch debonaire - in TW he was just way too dark.

It should also be noted that BBC got a lot of flack over these issues, and TW Season 2 toned down the sex and did make the characters more personable. It was also the last full season of Torchwood. Since then it has been on as an occasional miniseries.

 

[Inara]

I have to admit I disliked Torchwood Season 1. While it had decent plots it went way over the top in the obsession with sex. Also it was very hard to like any of the characters as they tended to act like jerks constantly (like Gwen cheating on Rhys with Owen, Ianto's pulling a gun on his teammates more than once, Jack being a little tin horned dictator and even Tosh's dallainces). The change in Jack was especially bad, as in DW he was likeable and a touch debonaire - in TW he was just way too dark.

It should also be noted that BBC got a lot of flack over these issues, and TW Season 2 toned down the sex and did make the characters more personable. It was also the last full season of Torchwood. Since then it has been on as an occasional miniseries.

I was frustrated with the first season of Torchwood for similar reasons. I think they tried too hard to "be adult" in the "Hey, our characters have sex lives!" sense, and often ended up with the characters doing extremely stupid things for no reason. I wanted to like the show, since it was supposed to be a DW spinoff starring Captain Jack, but I really couldn't connect with him being "our" Jack. I understand what he went through, but it was just so startling to see him so different right off the bat, and almost a guest star in The Gwen Show.

Season 2 was more to my liking. It was silly and over-the-top sometimes, but that felt more like an adult version of Doctor Who for me. I did not care for the miniseries though. I think a lot of viewers reacted to shocking nature of certain story points by automatically equating shocking to good, but the plot holes were plentiful and the characters often did yet more really stupid stuff just to get the storyline where the writer wanted it to be instead of having a naturally evolving story.

I've read the intended storyline for the BBC/Starz co-produced series, and I won't be watching. One particular point was a kill for me, especially after the traumatic stuff in the last miniseries. I normally don't get Starz, but I'm currently getting a free run of it for a year on my satellite service. Not sure if I'll still have it when the new Torchwood airs, but I still don't plan on watching, even if it's free. As long as it's Darkity Dark, it's not for me anymore.

Now I know this sounds negative, but honestly, I enjoyed the show for what it was. I just didn't like the Darkity Dark version we got in the miniseries, and appear to be getting in the new miniseries. Wouldn't trade the fun I did have watching for anything though. Fandom is also hella creative too.

I do recommend watching at least the Doctor Who episodes relating to Torchwood. You get to meet Captain Jack pre-immortality and see how he got that way, and I think it's helpful to see just how much the character changes over time. There are a lot of other tidbits referring to characters and events from DW, but they're not vital to enjoying Torchwood on its own. I thought it was a lot more fun watching all three shows -- Doctor Who, Torchwood, and The Sarah Jane Adventures -- as they came out, because there were some shoutouts that wouldn't necessarily mean anything to those who hadn't seen the other show, but could give you a giggle if you had.

 

[heisenberg]

Watching episode 8, it seems pretty cool!..................................................................

Spoiler: Alert

Suzzy comes back

 

[Overmind One]

Watching episode 8, it seems pretty cool!..................................................................

Spoiler: Alert

Suzzy comes back

This show is really good! Im not having a problem with Season 1 like some have said here. Are you watching it for the first time too? I love this show! I even tried to break my little marathon with an episode of Dr. Who, but I couldnt last the episode. Im now on episode 5, season 1.

 

[heisenberg]

This show is really good! Im not having a problem with Season 1 like some have said here. Are you watching it for the first time too? I love this show! I even tried to break my little marathon with an episode of Dr. Who, but I couldnt last the episode. Im now on episode 5, season 1.

Yes, this is the first time I am watching it. Playing catchup until the new season airs.

 

[Overmind One]

Yes, this is the first time I am watching it. Playing catchup until the new season airs.

I am really surprised at myself at immediately clicking with Torchwood but not so easily with Dr Who. I am fully aware of the legendary status of Dr Who worldwide, but being American we were inundated with Trek and other stuff and Dr Who never really took hold. I have it on Netflix and have watched a few random episodes (I would skip those which didnt hook me in 10 minutes). But Torchwood...they had me in the first 10 minutes.

 

[heisenberg]

I am really surprised at myself at immediately clicking with Torchwood but not so easily with Dr Who. I am fully aware of the legendary status of Dr Who worldwide, but being American we were inundated with Trek and other stuff and Dr Who never really took hold. I have it on Netflix and have watched a few random episodes (I would skip those which didnt hook me in 10 minutes). But Torchwood...they had me in the first 10 minutes.

I am not sure whether you got my previous message but you can't skip Doctor who(or watch it in random order). It plants seeds and clues in every episode,and each season has a massive story arch that encompasses it. You need to watch it from start to finish especially if you are watching a new doctor coming in.

Spoiler: episode

There are a few episodes where you'll see Rose Tyler on the TV screen

There are a few weird episodes in doctor but the show was always eccentric but entertaining! I hope you don't give up on doctor who. Believe me when I tell you, there are some amazing episodes(like "Utopia", "Blink", "stolen earth", "End of Time", "Planet of the dead",Waters on Mars", "Turn Left", "Midnight"). Many didn't like how season 5 turned out but I frankly enjoyed the adventure.

 

[Overmind One]

I am not sure whether you got my previous message but you can't skip Doctor who(or watch it in random order). It plants seeds and clues in every episode,and each season has a massive story arch that encompasses it. You need to watch it from start to finish especially if you are watching a new doctor coming in.

Spoiler: episode

There are a few episodes where you'll see Rose Tyler on the TV screen

So, are you also including the original Dr Who or just the new show? That is DECADES!

There are a few weird episodes in doctor but the show was always eccentric but entertaining! I hope you don't give up on doctor who. Believe me when I tell you, there are some amazing episodes(like "Utopia", "Blink", "stolen earth", "End of Time", "Planet of the dead",Waters on Mars", "Turn Left", "Midnight"). Many didn't like how season 5 turned out but I frankly enjoyed the adventure.

I keep hearing about that episode "Blink" here so I will watch that. But Torchwood is AWESOME! It almost has a Firefly quality..Harkness reminds me of Mal for some reason. I like the style of the show a lot.