"Torchwood" Ghost Machine (2006)

Director:

Colin Teague

Writers:

Russell T. Davies (creator)
Helen Raynor (written by)

TV Series:

"Torchwood" (2006)

Original Air Date:

29 October 2006 (Season 1, Episode 3)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

When Gwen retrieves an alien object from a fleeing hoodie, she's haunted by a vision of a lonely young boy...

Plot Keywords:

Bisexuality | Renegade | Cardiff | Investigation | Bisexual Male

Cast

John Barrowman	...	Captain Jack Harkness
Eve Myles	...	Gwen Cooper
Burn Gorman	...	Owen Harper
Naoko Mori	...	Toshiko Sato
Gareth David-Lloyd	...	Ianto Jones
Kai Owen	...	Rhys Williams
Gareth Thomas	...	Ed Morgan
Ben McKay	...	Bernie
Llinos Daniel	...	Eleri
John Normington	...	Tom Flanagan
Emily Evans	...	Lizzie Lewis
Christopher Elson	...	Young Ed Morgan
Christopher Greene	...	Young Tom Flanagan
Julie Gibbs	...	Bernie's Mum
Ian Kay	...	Snooker Player

Runtime:

50 min (approx.)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

UK:12

Company:

BBC Wales

Trivia:

Just before filming the first chase scene, which was filmed over several nights, John Barrowman sprained his ankle, forcing a quick rewrite which put Jack at the wheel of a car attempting to head off the suspect.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): As Owen tries to revive Edward, he thumps the chest rather than keeping his hands on it and pushing down in quick bursts. Not correct heart stimulation.

Quotes:

Toshiko Sato: The little boy? You said there was a name on the card around his neck?
Gwen Cooper: Flanagan. Tom Erasmus Flanagan.
Captain Jack Harkness: Unusual name, that'll help. Run a full check. Births, marriages, deaths. Criminal records, passports. However long it takes, wherever he is, we'll find him.
Owen Harper: Found him. Flanagan, Thomas Erasmus. 74 Bryneiron Terrace, Butetown.
[pauses]
Owen Harper: He's in the phone book.

Movie Connections:

References "Cash in the Attic" (2002)

The darker side of Torchwood emerges

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Eve Myles is the revelation of TORCHWOOD so far. Though it was billed as being built around the Captain Jack Harkness character, it has (to date anyway) been all about her character Gwen and she has risen brilliantly to the challenge. Here, she gets some hefty acting moments when she is exposed to the ghost machine, firstly when she relives happy moments with her boyfriend in her flat (sometimes the small moments are the important ones even in flashy sci-fi shows)and then again when she is shown the future and it's one that has her holding a knife and covered in blood. How that future unspools is then the crux of this episode. TORCHWOOD here, more than any of the previous episodes, stakes its claim to being different from its parent programme (DR WHO if you didn't know). In one episode we deal with theft, blackmail, rape and murder (both past and future). There aren't a whole lot of likable characters, including Torchwood team members. Gareth Thomas (once galactic rebel in Blake's 7) makes an appearance as a housebound agoraphobic. The subject matter is very dark, but is beautifully handled in a skilfully built storyline that promises great things to come.