A tone of intrigue gives us a brief respite from the action in Torchwood US...

“Miracle Day: Escape to LA”

[Spoilers as usual]

Oh, poor Oswald Danes. Someone is trying to steal his spotlight, and worse, they’re just as bad as he is. Enter Ellis Hartley Monroe, a pastiche of Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann. She has made a name for herself by condemning those who have been affected by the miracle with her “Dead is Dead” campaign. The slogan is pasted all over walls, pamphlets are handed out on the street, and she’s all over the television with her message of hate. She tells us that since the government, the medical community, and even the Vatican won’t speak out about it, she will. And Oswald isn’t happy at all about this little development. Who will come out the victor in this little skirmish?

Politics and emotions are the name of the game in this week’s episode. The team has made their way from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles in order to infiltrate the Phicorp Headquarters, where they hope to obtain a server that should reveal all of the secrets they desire. But when Esther tries to help her sister and her children, the people behind the miracle find out where they are. The “soulless”, as those affected by the miracle have been dubbed, are being shipped off to quarantined hospitals, so as to not pose any risk to the population at large, and to make “normal” people feel better.

It's at one of these hospitals that Vera is trying to make sense of everything. Patients are being dumped by other without proper paperwork, and some are being brought in by loved ones who just can’t deal with them any more. At one point, a woman brings an elderly man – father, one assumes – and is told she can’t just leave him there. She breaks down, telling them that she can’t deal with it any more, and won’t put up with it for eternity. It is here that the real showdown begins between the two media-hungry showboaters, as Danes arrives, ready to get some camera time in. But Monroe is already there, taking about how this is just the first great step in ensuring our safety and health, and putting on her public face as though she spoke for everybody (again, like a few politicians we know). Danes is furious, and tells Jilly that is he and Phicorp aren’t happy, she will face the consequences. But before she can fix the problem, Danes steps up to the barricade and makes a grand entrance, walking up to the hospital and inside. He gives one of his rousing speeches, and looks like the second coming of Christ as he essentially “blesses” the sick and dying masses. He even takes time to hold a toddler to prove that he’s one of them, and he speaks for them – footage of which winds up making all of the news rounds, making him the most loved celebrity on the planet. Danes’ stunt worked like a charm, as those outside ask why Monroe won’t go inside. She leaves in a huff, with plans to head to New York. But the powers that be have other plans for her, claiming that even though she could have worked well with them, they already had Danes. Let’s just say you almost feel sorry for her in the end. Almost.

And as for the team, getting the server isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It means an elaborate scheme to get inside the facility, evacuate everyone, and then get into a secured room to retrieve it. And when they do get to it, they are greeted by a hit man that has been following them around LA. C. Thomas Howell guest stars as the killer, and he is really good with what little they give him. He is truly menacing, and even gives a little speech about how things aren’t real good in his line of work at the moment. He also seems to have a bit of a fascination with Jack, as he’s the only mortal left on the planet, and he really wants to know why. But just before the killer spills the information of who is behind all of this, Rex comes in and shoots him in the throat. Well, we’ll just have to wait a little longer for that revelation.

The information on the server reveals land and construction deals, all of which appear to be internment camps. And worse yet, Rhys calls Gwen to let her know that her dad is being taken to one of these camps. I have a feeling we’ll be heading back over the Atlantic soon.

“Escape to LA” isn’t a blockbuster episode, but there were some really good things happening in it, and some new twists given. While Jilly has been painted as being more than she seems, and possibly having more to do with the hows and whys of what’s going on, we almost get the feeling that even she isn’t in on everything. When Danes threatens her, we see that maybe she is as expendable as anybody else. Or it could be misdirection as well. There’s also a brilliant scene where the team gets an apartment. The landlord is sort of a gruff, biker-looking sort, but as he’s leaving, he tells them about a café that does some “fabulous” food. Rex just looks at Jack, snorting “Do you make everyone gay?”.

Jack merely gives him that look and replies “That’s the plan”. Rex doesn’t seem to hate gays, but he doesn’t seem overly comfortable with them. He also has some shining moments in this episode. At one point, he breaks into his father’s apartment, seeming to want to talk, or maybe apologize. His father just tells him to get out, because Rex couldn’t be bothered to come visit in 15 years. He also has little patience for the Torchwood way of getting things done, claiming that they don’t take anything seriously. For Rex, the job should be go in, shoot if needed, and do the job. I’m certain that this is more a commentary on the difference between American and British television, but it could be a piercing look at how our country goes about getting things done. And Esther seems to be falling apart at the seams because of family issues. I’m certain we haven’t seen the end of this plot point either, and it could make for some very interesting twists later on. And let’s not forget a wonderful scene where Jack (who introduces himself as “John Smith”, a clever nod to our favorite time traveller) and Gwen are getting information from a Phicorp employee, where Gwen employs a hilarious West Coast accent. It really has to be seen to be believed.

John Shiban (The X-Files, Star Trek: Enterprise, Breaking Bad, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries) gives us an episode that plays out more like a political thriller than a sci-fi action show, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. He has helped bring out the force behind what is going on as an Illuminati sort of group, who has everything planned out, but for what intention and to what ends, no-one can speculate.

However, as much as an episode like this – heavy on intrigue and exposition – is needed, it’s time to get back to the action. With Gwen’s father being carted off for internment, Esther’s family in crisis, and Danes being touted as a “saint”, something big is bound to come out of all of this.

See also Caleb's previous review:

Torchwood S4E3 review

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