"Torchwood"
Random Shoes (2006)

Director:

James Erskine

Writer:

Jacquetta May (writer)

TV Series:

"Torchwood" (2006)

Original Air Date:

10 December 2006 (Season 1, Episode 9)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The invisible spirit of a hit-and-run victim tries to convince Gwen to locate the 'alien' who might have been responsible for his death. |

Plot Keywords:

Alien Technology | Bisexual | Spin Off | Investigation | Monster

Cast

John Barrowman	...	Captain Jack Harkness
Eve Myles	...	Gwen Cooper
Burn Gorman	...	Owen Harper
Naoko Mori	...	Toshiko Sato
Gareth David-Lloyd	...	Ianto Jones
Paul Chequer	...	Eugene Jones
Luke Bromley	...	Young Eugene
Nicola Duffett	...	Bronwen Jones
Roger Ashton-Griffiths	...	Mr.Garrett
Steve Meo	...	Josh (as Steven Meo)
Celyn Jones	...	Gary
Robyn Isaac	...	Linda
Gareth Potter	...	Shaun Jones
Joshua Hughes	...	Terry Jones
Amy Starling	...	Waitress

Runtime:

50 min (approx.)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M

Quotes:

Josh: [comes up from behind the counter, sees Gwen and snaps cell phone closed] Hey gorgeous, want to borrow a dream?

Movie Connections:

References Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous (2005)

Soundtrack:

Hope There's Someone

Surprisingly Humanistic...

You don't usually expect a series that deals with alien monsters and bugaboos of all kinds to have an even balance of special effects chaos and a focus on the wonders and weaknesses that make us all essentially human, but "Random Shoes" is one of those prime examples - not an alien in sight, but it gives us an enthralling and touching story nevertheless, even though technically it has been done before in other series and films (usually quite poorly.)

Eugene Jones, a longtime TORCHWOOD "groupie" has been pursuing the team for years, trying to get them to look at something he found. When he suddenly becomes one of the group's new "cases," Gwen takes it upon herself to solve not only what appears to have possibly been a murder, but the riddle of Eugene's very existence. All while unknowingly being followed by his "ghost", who provides the narration throughout the story.

Even more reminiscent of THE X-FILES than most of the other episodes, "Random Shoes" ends on a sad yet uplifting note that's bound to be controversial for the lack of logic behind it. Which, if the viewer is paying attention, is not the point of the whole story. Liiving your life to the fullest, whatever that life is like...THAT is the point. And beautifully put, I might add.