Posted on July 11, 2009 - by John
Torchwood: Children of Earth Review
I am not the only person to think that Torchwood’s “Children of Earth” mini-series is up there with the best of Battlestar Galactica. The Guardian’s Daniel Martin thinks so, and heaps praise on the series. And rightly so. I have rarely seen science fiction encompass all aspects of drama, but CoE has a fair amount of well placed humour, action but most importantly horror. The subject matter is the definition of horrific, and the choices made by the main protagonists cast virtually everyone (apart from Gwen and Ianto) in a poor light. And that includes Captain Jack Harkness.
The Doctor Who spin-off really hits it’s stride after a lukewarm first series ramped up into a very enjoyable second. Last series, the team lost two of it’s mainstays, leaving the enigmatic Captain Jack, Gwen and Ianto behind. After last series’ Who finale, we were half expecting a slew of guest stars but they kept the core cast for CoE to a minimum. And it works well (without giving spoilers) to let the remaining three breathe a little.
The story follows a plot by an alien race only known as the ‘456′ to exchange the threat of annihilation for a ‘gift’. We learn that the Torchwood brethren have a history with them, and we flesh out some misdeeds along the way. But, strikingly, the story is wholly original in the way that it’s subject matter is the most unpalatable aspect. Some scenes were disturbing to anyone who has a child, and the stark reality depicted in the story is in contrast to the somewhat glossy look and feel of previous episodes (and Doctor Who to boot).
This was a show for adults in its subject matter opposed to the first series which seemed over the top in it’s display of sex and bad language. It represents the best of recent Doctor Who and Torchwood in its execution, direction and acting, but more importantly sets a very high standard for British drama in general. Children of Earth doesn’t wimp out at the end, which is always a worry with shows of this ilk, and maintains a firm grip on the subject matter. I thoroughly recommend this to anyone seeking a good story, very well told. 5 out of 5!
