Brilliant show, not every episode is a 10 out of 10, but even the bad ones get an 8+ - How many shows can you say that about? It's a breath of TV fresh air, thank goodness. I'm so sick of reality television and mindless soap opera, it's nice to find a program that makes me want to turn on the television (why oh why did they cancel Angel after the excellent season 5??) Go Torchwood, I'm looking forward to season 2.… Expand

This show is great - one of my favorite shows right now. It's equally humorous, intense, campy, insightful and action-packed. I was never a Doctor Who fan, and I think most TV Sci-Fi is pretty lame. There's just something about this show, though, and I love the setting (Wales). Can't wait for Season 2 - there better be one!

Excellent series, saw it in the UK. Can't wait for season 2 over here! The last couple of episodes are epic btw :)

In the shadow of Doctor Who it suffers, but on it's own, it's a fun show which is the best parts of other genre favorites (like The X Files and Alias). I have a feeling Season 2 will be even better as the show finds it's own voice.

I watched this when it first came out in the UK, and was bitterly, bitterly disappointed. The characters are appalling and unpleasant, the stories are dreadfull and the acting is abysmal. I gave up entirely after the cyberwoman episode, which was one of the worst hours of TV I've ever witnessed.

So far, so good, I have heard that this show just keep getting better. Captain Jack harkness is something we haven’t had in long time, a truly charismatic leading man. I hope people give the show a chance and don’t get all up tight about whom sleeping with whom. I have seen enough of the show’s clips on the web, to find it a refreshing blast of cool air in the oh, so stale TV landscape.

Not as good as Doctor Who but still awsome!

Some fantiastic episodes, John Barrowman as Captain Jack is fantastic but watch out for Ianto Jones who is just excellent, and looks damn cute in a suit too!

This shows first season was absolutely terrible. The story lines went from terrible to mediocre. The acting was mediocre. The show says it is for grown ups and proves that it is by swearing here and there and showing nudity for no purpose other than to prove that it is for grown ups. The swearing and nudity does not further the story line at all. They just seem to be thrown in as an afterthought. Oh ya thats right we are for grown ups, so lets have you show your butt and you say the f word. The story lines don't seem to be story lines for grown ups, in fact most of them seem very cheesy/tongue in cheek like Doctor Who (which I don't mind cheesy because I love Doctor Who), they just don't fit with their "adult theme". Each character has had a gay scene just for the sake of showing gay scenes. I can understand one/two gay character but all of them? This show is just about pushing agenda's through bad storytelling. If they want to push agenda's at least tell us a good story.… Expand

While set in the Dr. Who universe, it is not constrained by Dr. Who's unflinching optimism. The characters are much stronger and the plots are darker. It is the best parts of the X-files combined with flair of Dr. Who.

This first season was terrible. Eric E's earlier review hits on pretty much every point I think needs to be made about the show and the Newark Star-Ledger's review puts it in perfectly concise terms. I'm not sure the show was created as an agenda pusher, but I'm pretty sure every character in the show is gay/bi and that's just ridiculously hard to believe (also makes it hard to believe it's not an agenda pushing show, but I digress). The biggest tragedy of the season was how they spend several episodes building up the "big bad" for the last episode and it's solved quickly and in a MOST unfulfilling manner. The only episode I liked this season was the one that had nothing supernatural going on (Countrycide, I believe).… Expand

The best show to come to america, well one of the best, have to include Dr.Who, and Skins.

A great companion piece to Doctor Who. Its X-Files meets NCIS. I digged the "Pan's Labyrinth" episode "Small Worlds". It was the sadness episode of the season.

This new show on BBC is a fantastic veiw! The acting in the series is granted a two thumbs up, As for the romantic sections, the actors/actresses did a phenomenal job making the mood feel right. The special effects lack that of big blockbuster films, but this is still a Television show and there are more financial difficulties. My favorite actor plays the role of Owen Harper, a cunning and sly chap! But I'll let you decide for yourself.… Expand

Full of wit, sex, and darkness, “Doctor Who”’s spinoff series, “Torchwood,” is mesmerizing, thought-provoking, and brave. When I first heard about Russel T. Davies and crew’s plans to create a spinoff for Captain Jack, I was ecstatic; however, I was admittedly worried because of the nature of spinoffs. It is in my experience that they are often cheap knock-offs of their parent shows or they are weighed down by the back story that is so heavily tied to its parent that they lose a lot of viewers in ancient history. “Torchwood” did none of that. Series creator Russell T. Davies takes the fun, intelligent universe of “Doctor Who” and makes it dark, dirty, and delectable and can also stand alone beside its iconic parent. With John Barrowman’s charismatic and enigmatic performance as Captain Jack at point with the gut-wrenchingly good Eve Myles as Gwen Cooper, the comedic and surprisingly deep performance of Burn Gorman as Doctor Owen Harper, Naoko Mori’s fascinatingly distant Toshiko Sato, and the dry-wit of Gareth David-Lloyd’s Ianto Jones, the show was brimming with talented actors that sold their roles perfectly. The acting and the writing gave birth to characters that took classic stereotypes of ethnicity, occupation, sexuality, and gender, and broke all the rules. The kickoff of the show, “Everything Changes,” is a classic way to introduce a world such as the one of Torchwood Three, in which the audience meets the world of the show through the eyes of an outsider, Gwen Cooper. The first few episodes, though full of wonderfully entertaining re-creations of sci-fi classics (sex-driven aliens and ghosts), it isn’t until the fourth episode, “Cyberwoman,” that the show goes beyond just playing around with familiar stores with new twists. By episode ten, a beautiful piece about three people from the 1950s that fall into Torchwood’s care, the show has gone from a fun romp with some sexual themes to a heart-filled drama with characters that have depth, themes that reach into the taboo, and a rich backlog of well thought out enemies, allies, and wildcards. The finale is a spectacle that has few things that compare in range. It’s a stunning historical fiction romance, a tear-jerking drama, and an edge-of-your-seat sci-fi. The potential for this show is great. I look forward anxiously to the second series, which is promised to debut in January in the UK on BBC Two.… Expand

Anyone that is a fan of Doctor Who (old or new series) will love Torchwood. It brings back fan-favorite Captain Jack from the 2005 series. Jack finds himself back in Cardiff, a town on the Welsh border that has been emphasized in the new DW series. How and why he's there is left a mystery. Just because it's a Doctor Who spin of doesn't mean it's for kids. This series is darker and more adult, but has the same tones of campiness that older DW fans can love. The seriousness allows for deeper exploration of the characters.… Expand

Great show, great cast, best new show in years!

I watched the first series in the UK and was dubious on a number of levels... I'm watching it again in the US with glee.. the second time around seems less burdoned by the whole Dr Who spinoff syndrome. And knowing the story arc means I can enjoy the wickedness even more.

No, it's not a classic, and it's not as good as the current incarnation of "Doctor Who," but it's still a heck of a lot better than (for example) "Flash Gordon." Definitely watchable.

A show that starts of good, quirky and sexy but ends up by the final episode romantic, tearjerking, actionpacked and even sexier.

I also caught this series in the UK. It starts off a bit slow, and the main character is a bit of a twit, but at around Episode 4 it REALLY kicks into high gear and is fantastic the rest of the way. Definitely worth checking out for any Doctor Who fan! Though be warned, it IS meant for adults. Don't let the kiddies watch this one....

Did you all see the same Torchwood I saw? It makes NO sense and isn't even fun like Dr Who, where its OK to not make that much sense? The characters are SO not believable at all and the acting (except for a couple of the episodes) is wooden and contrived. The stories are all "been there, done that" - (can you say, 'fight club'?) Dont get me wrong I want it to do well, I really do! I loooove Dr Who and LOOOVED Captain Jack in Dr Who, but for some reason this show falls flat. I watched all of season 1 already and found 4 episodes that were what I would expect in this spinoff. Sadly, the rest were so illogical that I think I actually felt a brain aneurysm starting to form. Unfortunately, this is a great premise that really takes itself too seriously, and with the writing it has, it shouldn't. Maybe season 2 will be better... I sure hope so!… Expand

Fantastic show -- different than anything we get here in the US. Can't wait for series 2.

Great show, with the thrills and spills of doctor who with added kick.

I love this show and hope they don't take it off the air. It's raw, dark, sexy and completely origional, as are the characters.

I don't know whats worse the acting or the writing. A major disappointment.

Love it . It's raw, dark, sexy and original, as are the characters.

Torchwood is a great show. In my opinion its better than doctor who. I wish there were more shows like Torchwood in America.

Just watch scary episodes of Doctor Who. This is a terrible show.

An entertaining show... though mainly carried by Captain Jack and wondering who in the world he's going to smooch next.

The writing in series 1 was a bit patchy, leaving plenty of room for improvement in series 2, but that was easily outweighed by the sheer brilliance of the concept and execution. Edgy storylines, well-rounded and believable characters and stunning locations make this a show not to be missed. Leaves other "safe" sci-fi shows standing.

Rises to "mediocre" on occasion but this is truly one of the more dreadful genre programs to come down the pike in recent memory. Terrible television with poor production values, bland characters substitute a checklist of hip antihero traits rather than personality and episode plots that liberally raid from better shows. Obviously sailing by on the strength of the Doctor Who brand and the novelty of bisexual characters. Yawn.… Expand

Very good, not at doctor who level yet, but i saw some more episodes and there are some brilliants, a good cast and very good scripts and story lines. I'll give it a 10 because it's between the better series in exhibition

Watching this on HDNet and I give it an 8 because the cinematography is awesome. A solid 6 show premise wise, which isnt bad at all. Acting is solid as well.

I like the variety in styles between the episodes. Although I enjoy Dr. Who, this seems less cartoony. I'm hooked.

Terrible show. Torchwood is supposedly a top-secret organization given unlimited resources and authority by UK government, and charged with defending Earth and being custodian of powerful alien artifacts. Yet: none of the personnel know anything about each other or have had background checks; none of the personnel have formal military training; all of the personnel are emotional trainwrecks. Seriously: it seems like each episode, someone breaks down and cries as a result of the normal day-to-day duties of their job. The Earth is defended by incompetent crybabies. On the plus side, Captain Jack is an interesting character portrayed by a skilled actor. They should fire everyone else on the team, and start over.… Expand

"Torchwood: Miracle Day" doesn't have the old (british) feel to it. I'm enjoying the new season nonetheless. Mekhi Phifer is doing a great job. Can't wait to see what happens next.

A thrill ride that actually makes you think. Torchwood is a British show that has lived a charmed life over the years but remains to be as resilient as its immortal lead character. After the hit and (largely) miss first two seasons the show exploded onto a much bigger, and critically acclaimed, scene with the five-part mini-series 'Children of Earth' in which the British government conspired to surrender 10% of its children to an alien species. Captain Jack Harkness (the immortal hero played by John Barrowman, star of Desperate Housewives among others) was forced to sacrifice his grandson in order to defeat the invaders in a shocking twist in the final episode. Torchwood had finally found its feet and discovered how to create shocking, thrilling, chilling and thoughtful drama and it hasn't looked back since. 'Miracle Day' starts with Oswald Danes (played by the thoroughly magnificent Independence Day star, Bill Pullman) being dosed with a lethal injection as punishment for the sexual assault and murder of a twelve year old girl but something goes horribly wrong. After a few minutes of writhing agony it becomes clear; he won't die. Mekhi Phifer's CIA character Rex Matheson suffers a similar fate when his is impaled after a freak car accident as it becomes clear that this issue has become a global one. Dark themes are explored here with solders, of whom are blown to bits, remain alive (even after being beheaded by a surgeon in a chilling/funny scene halfway through the premiere). Danes, the now immortal murderer, argues that he has been punished for his crimes and that now should be released; a wish that is granted by a local governor threatened by legal action. The Torchwood team, in ruins after the events of 'Children of Earth' come back into the fold to unravel the mystery in explosive fashion as Captain Jack leaps from a suicide bomber out the top floor of a tower block and Gwen Cooper (Welsh actress Eve Myles) blows up a helicopter with a bazooka, obviously. Torchwood is a mix of fascinating intrigue, sound acting, mind-blowing action sequences, chilling themes and impressive writing (from the likes of Doctor Who's Russell T Davies, House's Doris Egan and Buffy's Jane Espenson). Despite a few questionable moments, Torchwood is unashamedly magnificent madness which you'd be a fool to miss.… Expand

Torchwood is original, clever, inventive, exciting and all around great sci-fi. Unfortunately, in the first season at least, the tone is completely inconsistent, most of the characters are unconvincing and underdeveloped and some of the dialogue is gut-wrenchingly awful. Good news then that these problems are (almost) entirely fixed by the second series, where the show becomes one of the best around. I would recommend this (occasionally excellent but mostly mediocre) first series simply because of how good it gets in the next.… Expand