Must see Torchwood episodes
- Thread starter bigdaddy
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First series is very poor but with the odd glimmer of something better. Some of the scripts patently hadn't had nearly enough time to work on them and it was trying way too hard to be adult and edgy and as a result came off more adolescent than anything.
Second series is much better, seems more relaxed and comfortable with itself-still not brilliant, but a bit improvement.
The mini series is just fantastic. Hard to believe its the same show.
Second series is much better, seems more relaxed and comfortable with itself-still not brilliant, but a bit improvement.
The mini series is just fantastic. Hard to believe its the same show.
I don't know if there are specific episodes that really stand out in the first season, and I've only watched it once, so I barely remember. Honestly, though, I didn't think it was quite as bad as people make it out to be. It's your typical first season, filled with mediocre standalones and characters acting kind of odd because they haven't been fully realized yet. There's also way too much unnecessary sex. You know how Jack is a giant man whore on Doctor Who? Well, everybody in Torchwood is equally whorish for no apparent reason. That was probably the biggest turn off for me (I have nothing against sex; I just didn't see the purpose in these stories), but I'd say it's at least worth watching once all the way through.
The third (I think) episode featuring Gareth Thomas was quite good, and I alone enjoyed Countrycide, Captain Jack Harkness is good also, and the one with people thrown through time had potential, it just had too much story in it for one episode.
Series 1 is like a teenager trying to act like an adult and coming off as even more of a teenager as a result!
Series 1 is like a teenager trying to act like an adult and coming off as even more of a teenager as a result!
I'd watch the first episode from the first season and the season finale. Season two in my opinion is very good and worth watching the entirety of. Children of Earth is must watch. I found "Torchwood" incredibly addicting the more I watched it and I started from series one onwards. Apparently from fans I've talked to and chatted with it varies concerning their like of the series...there doesn't seem to be a general consensus regarding "Torchwood" in general.
They sort of have Jack be a 'darker' person in the first season, but he lightens up eventually (Probably as a result of the events of the encounter with the Master and a resolution with the Doctor).
The show does have a strong continuity with WHO...
The show does have a strong continuity with WHO...
A partially converted 'Cyberwoman' appears in the first season and Martha joins the team for a few episodes in the second season. Also Torchwood appears in Doctor Who season 4 and is mentioned in season 3.
If I was going to cut Torchwood down to the essentials, this is what I would stick with:
- 1.1 "Everything Changes" (duh)
- 1.3 "Ghost Machine" (the best of the early stuff)
- 1.8 "They Keep Killing Suzie" (its moody best)
- 1.10 "Out of Time" (its bleakest and most real)
- 1.12 "Captain Jack Harkness" (maybe the best Jack story they did)
- 1.13 "End of Days" (season finale, whoo!)
- 2.1 "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang"
- 2.4 "Meat" (okay-ish, but important)
- 2.6 "Reset" (part one of a trilogy)
- 2.7 "Dead Man Walking" (unbelievably dumb, but the middle of a trilogy)
- 2.8 "A Day in the Death" (part three of a trilogy and the best of season two)
- 2.10 "Something Borrowed" (silly, but good silly)
- 2.12 "Fragments"
- 2.13 "Exit Wounds" (it's terrible, but you can't deny it's essential)
- 3.1 "Children of Earth, Day One"
- 3.2 "Children of Earth, Day Two"
- 3.3 "Children of Earth, Day Three"
- 3.4 "Children of Earth, Day Four"
- 3.5 "Children of Earth, Day Five"
1.4 "Cyberwoman" is technically important for backstory purposes, but it's also eye-bleedingly awful.
- 1.1 "Everything Changes" (duh)
- 1.3 "Ghost Machine" (the best of the early stuff)
- 1.8 "They Keep Killing Suzie" (its moody best)
- 1.10 "Out of Time" (its bleakest and most real)
- 1.12 "Captain Jack Harkness" (maybe the best Jack story they did)
- 1.13 "End of Days" (season finale, whoo!)
- 2.1 "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang"
- 2.4 "Meat" (okay-ish, but important)
- 2.6 "Reset" (part one of a trilogy)
- 2.7 "Dead Man Walking" (unbelievably dumb, but the middle of a trilogy)
- 2.8 "A Day in the Death" (part three of a trilogy and the best of season two)
- 2.10 "Something Borrowed" (silly, but good silly)
- 2.12 "Fragments"
- 2.13 "Exit Wounds" (it's terrible, but you can't deny it's essential)
- 3.1 "Children of Earth, Day One"
- 3.2 "Children of Earth, Day Two"
- 3.3 "Children of Earth, Day Three"
- 3.4 "Children of Earth, Day Four"
- 3.5 "Children of Earth, Day Five"
1.4 "Cyberwoman" is technically important for backstory purposes, but it's also eye-bleedingly awful.
Torchwood is really, really weak with only a few good glimmers.
I've watched S1 and S2 only once and I've no real desire to watch either again (although some episodes were decent).
S3 of course is quite good. Starkers is right in that it's hard to believe it's the same show.
And RoJoHen is right too, in that everyone is a complete whore, for no reason other than fulfilling someone's idea of "edgy, adult" TV. It comes across more as some teenager's locker room fantasy.
I've watched S1 and S2 only once and I've no real desire to watch either again (although some episodes were decent).
S3 of course is quite good. Starkers is right in that it's hard to believe it's the same show.
And RoJoHen is right too, in that everyone is a complete whore, for no reason other than fulfilling someone's idea of "edgy, adult" TV. It comes across more as some teenager's locker room fantasy.
And Season 1 and 2
Thanks for the list, this is what I was looknig for, but it seems the show is so bad that no one could think of must see episodes.
Would there be any problems with just skipping the show and just watching the miniseries? That seems to be the only thing people seem to like.
But it seems the only relationships the characters have is all based on sex, so do I need that?
Al wouldn't call Torchwood bad (I mean, I didn't want to scrape my eyes out as with, for example, SyFy's Flash Gordon abomination), though it is true they go overboard with the indiscriminate sex early on, to prove how adult Torchwood was. I do recall enjoying about half of the first season, and thought S2 had more enjoyable episodes.
Though there were alot of sexual relationships, that's not the only relationships that grew
Though there were alot of sexual relationships, that's not the only relationships that grew
I think it's a good concept with occasional flashes of brilliance. The first series has a lot of shit, but when it's good, it's brilliant. The second season is less bad, but also less good.
Children of Earth is definitely the pinnacle, though. You could watch it on its own if you wanted, but you would be missing some decent stuff.
Children of Earth is definitely the pinnacle, though. You could watch it on its own if you wanted, but you would be missing some decent stuff.
^ Steve that's a great list. Probably what I would have come up with had I thought about it lol.
Personally I quite like all of Torchwood, as has been pointed out though it is very adolescent in trying to prove it's grown up in the first series. Almost like it's "I said a naughty word *giggle*" "There's sex on screen *giggle*. I think they were just trying too hard and didn't have enough time to polish the scripts and everything, but it's mostly brainless and kills time in the first series. Though personally the list of episodes I'd watch are:
Series One
1x01 Everything Changes
1x03 Ghost Machine
1x08 The Keep Killing Suzie
1x09 Random Shoes (just because I like it no real significance)
1x10 Out of Time
1x12 Captain Jack Harkness
1x13 End of Days
Series Two
2x01 Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang
2x02 Sleeper
2x03 To The Last Man
2x05 Adam
From there only skip 2x10 From Out of The Rain.
Series One
1x01 Everything Changes
1x03 Ghost Machine
1x08 The Keep Killing Suzie
1x09 Random Shoes (just because I like it no real significance)
1x10 Out of Time
1x12 Captain Jack Harkness
1x13 End of Days
Series Two
2x01 Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang
2x02 Sleeper
2x03 To The Last Man
2x05 Adam
From there only skip 2x10 From Out of The Rain.
But it seems the only relationships the characters have is all based on sex, so do I need that?
I wouldn't say the only relationships are based on sex, but you make a valid point.
Honestly, here's what you need to know:
Captain Jack and Gwen work for Torchwood.
Gwen is engaged to Rhys.
Captain Jack and Gwen may or may not have feelings for each other.
Rhys doesn't like Captain Jack.
Captain Jack, the great multi-sex-tasker that he is, is actually in a relationship with Ianto.
QFT. It's about on a par with TNG's first season, but IMHO the show really hit its stride with Series 2, and "Children of Earth" was one of the best pieces of British drama in recent years, of any genre. I think it's a shame that the show completely changed direction just when the old format had started to really work, but the new format seen in "CoE", and which seems to be continuing with the new miniseries, does seem very promising.
I'd make the exact same Series 1 list, minus "End of Days", which I didn't like, but it is essential, I suppose. Then, I'd jump in with Series 2 and watch the rest of the series. Yep, I'm a fan of Torchwood from Series 2, minus the horrible "Something Borrowed", which felt more like Series 1.
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