Jack Harkness bares his soul, in a gripping third episode to Torchwood US...

"Miracle Day: Dead of Night”

The action gets into full swing this week, in more ways than one. I’ve done a lot of talking about my fears that Russell would tone down a lot of what made Torchwood so great in order to grab American audiences. In a twist of fate, tonight’s episode was on par with classic Torchwood, and was written by an American. Jane Espenson is no stranger to cult television, having worked on several series with Joss Whedon, as well as Warehouse 13, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and many other great programs. She has done quite a bit of writing for the new series, and if she continues to be as brilliant as she was this week, this will be the best series of Torchwood yet.

Oswald Danes is really laying it on thick, telling television audiences that he’s been forgiven, and that he is essentially the face of the miracle. It’s frightening how pitch-perfect Bill Pullman is in the role, showing just enough humanity in his public persona; but in private he comes off creepy and smug, with a sense of entitlement and a chip on his shoulder. The next ten minutes of the episode are of our new Torchwood team – Jack, Gwen, Rex and Esther – all sitting in their hidden base researching every hint they might have as to what the miracle is and who is behind it. There’s also a great amount of playful banter that happens here that harkens back to better times. You could just imagine the conversation happening with Owen, Tosh and Ianto instead of Rex and Esther. There’s also some great teasing between Esther and Gwen as Esther corrects her “Brit Speak”.

The biggest plot point revealed is that Phicorp – a pharmaceutical company that Jilly Kitszinger has ties to – seems to have a stock pile of painkillers, all of which they have been mass producing for over a year. They knew about the “miracle”, and now they are about to profit, as they have a politician looking to push legislation to make all prescription drugs available over the counter. Rex convinces Vera to go in and find out more for them, and the two have a passionate night together. I’m not sure if that constitutes necrophilia, but I’m sure that RTD will write in a happy ending for Rex (which I won’t complain about, because Mekhi Phifer has been incredible in this, and is a wonderful addition to the team).

Rex isn’t the only one reaching out for love. Jack goes out to a bar, and hooks up with a bartender, proving that while the last two episodes have been tame on this front, Jack is still a man of action. And being on Starz, there’s more to see than was ever shown on the Beeb. I’m curious to find out what newcomers to the series will think of Jack being, well, Jack. I say bring it on, and if folks can’t deal with it, they should go watch the Disney Channel.

The pieces of the bigger mystery seem to be falling into place, and yet, there seems to be more that we haven’t seen. While Phicorp knew about the “miracle”, it appears that someone else is behind it, instructing them, and moving the pieces on the board (cue Bela Lugosi: “Pull the string!”). Rex just happens to be treated by Vera after his accident. Vera is hounded by Jilly – who is also pulling Danes into the mix – to be a part of Phicorp. Rex and Esther are on the run, having been set up as traitors by someone who has connections in the CIA. And on top of all of that, someone wants us to believe that there’s a connection between all of this and the former Torchwood Institute.

Jack is less sure of himself now, and he seems to be questioning his place in all of this. Rex takes him to task for allowing his friends to be killed, which sends Jack off to the bar in search of validation. Afterwards, he calls Gwen, wanting her to tell him that everything between them is alright. But as they talk, Esther gets a secure line and hands Gwen a laptop for a video chat with Rhys and Anwen. Gwen is ecstatic to see her family, but Jack is left still wondering if he’s the man he once was. Barrowman plays this scene beautifully, nearly in tears as he tries to tell Gwen how he truly feels about her, yet unable to actually say the words. And even if he were honest about his feelings, he has to think about her life with her family, and she doesn’t appear to be ready to give all of that up for a man who doesn’t have a history of being entirely forthcoming and honest. It’s a glimpse into Jack’s soul that we rarely see, but is fascinating yet sad all at once. He’s a man who has lived for over a century but still doesn’t know how to live an ordinary life. He also has a great scene where he delights in the discomfort of a hangover, which is just funny to see. This series is showing us a new and different Jack, and where he goes from here is anybody’s guess.

The acting has been superb, and the writing incredible, but one complaint I would make is that some of the background characters seem a little two-dimensional, such as Lyn from last week’s episode, or the pair of cops that Danes runs into on the street in this week’s episode. It can be argued that these characters are merely there to push the action along and that little else is required of them, but a little depth might be nice. It has been nice to see that the humor prevalent in earlier Torchwood episodes is back with a vengeance. And the tension – sexual and otherwise – is still abundant, often adding to the humor. I am also impressed with the way the mystery of the “miracle” is being played out, with just enough information being given, and some clues feeling more like MacGuffins. Is it all misdirection, and in the end will the answer be something we’ve seen all along? Stay tuned, because it’s just getting better each week.

See also Caleb's previous review:

Torchwood S4E2 review

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