“Torchwood: The Complete Second Season”-Own it on DVD September 16, 2008
- Release Date: September 16, 2008
- Publisher: BBC Video/Warner Bros.
- Price: $51.99 on Amazon.com
- Rating: Not Rated
- Run Time: 628 minutes
- Starring: John Barrowman, Burn Gorman, Eve Myles, Freema Agyeman, Naoko Mori, Gareth David-Lloyd, Indira Varma
- Bonus Features: Deleted Scenes, Outtakes, “The Life and Deaths of Captain Jack,” Torchwood Declassified
- Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama
- Buy It on Amazon.com
“Torchwood” is a spin-off of “Doctor Who” that follows the immortal Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) and the other team members of Torchwood, an organization that fights for the future of the planet. Since the new “Doctor Who” is quite similar to “Buffy,” you can almost think of “Torchwood” as the “Angel” of the franchise. Like “Angel,” it is darker and geared slightly more towards adults. Of course there aren’t any vampires with a soul (but there is an immortal captain) in this series but the look and feel is very similar.
The second season picks off where the first left off. Captain Jack had just taken off for a short trip with the Doctor on “Doctor Who,” leaving his team to fend for themselves. He returns to the fray along with Captain John Hart (played by “Buffy” and “Angel” alumni James Marsters) in the season opener. Throughout the season, Torchwood fights enemies like alien terrorists, a memory thief, the “Ghostmaker,” and more.
“Torchwood” is a very fine sci-fi show that at least matches the new “Doctor Who” and maybe even surpasses it. The cast is superb starting with the great John Barrowman. The other Torchwood team members are all well-acted but nobody really stands out from the pack. The season also sees two great guest stars, James Marsters’ Captain John Hart and Freema Agyeman’s Martha Jones. Marsters is always hilarious and devious in every role he plays and this one is no exception. Freema Agyeman was Doctor Who’s third season companion and she stops by “Torchwood” for a three-episode arc. Since she is my favorite companion in the new series so far, it isn’t a surprise that I loved her guest spot on this show as well.
Video and audio quality are both top-notch. The cinematography really sets the mood in “Torchwood” and the special effects are much better than they are on “Doctor Who.” The extras are plentiful and well-done but considering the “Doctor Who” franchise always goes all-out on bonus features, this is hardly a surprise. Along with all thirteen episodes of “Torchwood Declassified” (a 10-minute companion behind-the-scenes series) the package also contains a 22-minute feature on Captain Jack Harkness, nine minutes of outtakes, and over fifteen minutes of deleted scenes. All of the extras are of high quality and really add to the set.
If you like sci-fi shows, “Torchwood” is a must-see. The only problem is the relatively high price of the set ($51.99 at Amazon.com). If you don’t mind paying a bit more for a quality series, this isn’t a problem and you should definitely pick up the set as soon as possible. If you haven’t watched the first season, I would suggest that you watch it first because even though you could technically watch the show without knowing what happened in seaon one you will miss out on the backstory. Recommended
