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Do it for the Children.

August 29, 2009 by Jason P. Hunt

So, a while back I get an e-mail letting me know that I’m about to receive a copy of “Torchwood: Children of Earth” for review. First, this is cool that I get to do this. Second, I started worrying that I wouldn’t quite get what was happening because I haven’t seen previous episodes of “Torchwood”. (My cable company and I need to have a chat about BBC America, yes?)

Turns out my concerns were unfounded, as I was able to follow everything without any trouble at all. So, here we go.

First, this note: I know that there’s a reason why everything happens in Cardiff, but I think the whole “everything happens in Cardiff” is getting a little tired. It challenges logic that so many things would happen in a concentrated area and not be in the general knowledge of the public. You can’t keep secrets that well.

Now that I got that out of the way, let’s dig into the guts of it.

“Day One”: The first scene from 1965 felt a little truncated, almost like there was something left out. I’m OK with a tease, but there almost wasn’t enough. But after the first incidents with the children, things start rolling at a pretty good clip. The set-up is done very well. Intercutting between Col. Oduya’s briefing John Frobisher with the Torchwood team looking into the behavior of the children is a great way to spew exposition and keep the pace moving. Exposition is one of the worst things that has to happen in a story, but “Children of Earth” does a good job of getting everything across without the obligatory “here’s where we explain it all” scene.

When the children start screaming in unison, frozen in place, I thought of Sir Alfred Hitchcock.

Ben Foster’s music repeats a motif without being repetitive, giving the episodes a driving pace that adds to the momentum as events build.

I won’t get into too many spoilers, but there are a lot of twists in the plot, and they’re done very effectively, both shaking the audience and moving the story forward at the same time. This is not always easy to do. Plot twists can sometimes get contrived, but Russell Davies does it to great effect.

I thought it was an interesting plot moment when Gwen’s standing at the scanner to see the embryo, and that same scanner shows the bomb in Jack’s stomach. Very interesting juxtaposition of life and death in the same image. In the words of a certain Doctor: “Brilliant!”

I may use that word a lot, but it applies.

“Day Two”: I’m impressed with the attention to detail with the sound mix, as Gwen searches for Captain Jack and Ianto, all shots from her point of view include muted sound, just as they would in real life with her hearing affected by the explosion. And once she’s in the ambulance, the laser sight on her eye as she’s being targeted was a super visual.

While I’m talking about Gwen, let me say I’m glad she’s not Barbie. She just seems more real as a character because she’s not a Hollywood character. Even the gap between Eve Myles’ front teeth adds texture to her character. She’s real, and it makes her a more interesting character. Ultimately, this story arc feels like Gwen is the driver. Captain Jack is reacting to events, while Gwen is taking action to deal with the situation.

Gwen also gets the choice lines. When asked what’s inside the Torchwood facility, she says, “Big science fiction super bits.” And to turn off the surveillance camera: “The technical name is a gizmo.”

Sometimes the accents are a bit thick, but a lot of that could be because I’m a Yank and not used to hearing people talk that way.

Visually, I’m struck by the many reflections in the shots. And that serves the story as well, because all of the players are reflecting on decisions and choices made in the past. Everyone is reflective in some way, and seeing so many reflections in the shots – windows, mirrors, video screens – adds to the subtext of the plot.

And Gwen has another great line: “We’re up the same creek and we still need a paddle.”

“Day Three”: I’m very pleased that Lois is reluctant to help Torchwood. In a Hollywood production, Lois would be supercharged to beat the bad guys. Cush Jumbo does a great job giving us a Lois who wants to do the right thing, but gets more troubled as she learns more about the situation with the 456.

The 456 – great to call them by the radio frequency they use to communicate – are presented in the old-fashioned Alien way. Shrouded in fog, with only hints of visuals to keep them the mysterious alien visitors, they remain scary because we don’t see them. It worked for Hitchcock, and for John Carpenter, and for anyone else who makes suspense thrillers.

While I’m mentioning performances, I want to throw kudos to Peter Capaldi. His portrayal of John Frobisher is spot on – the harried mid-level manager who knows more about pushing paper than most people have forgotten. He’s obviously in over his head, and making the most of it. Capaldi brings just the right amount of fear and resignation to the role.

Gwen: “They’re treating us like criminals. Let’s be criminals.” She has a way of getting right to it.

Sound factors in again during the scene when Captain Jack’s daughter and grandson are picked up by the authorities. Things get very quiet, and the barking dog who suddenly yelps and goes silent adds the right dramatic beat to the moment when Alice realizes what’s about to happen.

The reveal at the end of “Day Three” – that Jack was involved in the events of 1965 – is another of the plot twists that make the story compelling to watch. And Jack Barrowman does a good job delivering the tortured soul of Captain Jack. Now that he realizes what’s really going on, his character goes through the most emotional turmoil, and Barrowman has a very expressive face that helps him show this.

“Day Four”: [spoiler here – highlight to read The reveal that the 1965 children are hooked into the 456 as a drug is a horrifying and fascinating plot device.] There are a lot of things in the plot that are horrifying to contemplate. The scene where the British cabinet calmly and rationally discusses giving children to the 456 is like watching a train wreck in slow motion. You can’t look away, despite being horrified at the implications of what’s being discussed. It’s a fascinating scene, mainly because it shows politicians as they probably are: self-serving and worried about public perceptions.

Ianto’s death is well-played, very Shakespearian. And Jack’s realization that he’s miscalculated, and that miscalculation will cost the life of his friend, is the beginning of the end for Captain Jack. This is a scene that reinforces that Captain Jack is not Captain Kirk, and things don’t always go according to plan…

I’m not a big fan of the Jack/Ianto relationship, but it was at least unobtrusive and organic within the story, instead of being overtly pushing through the fourth wall to make a statement.

“Day Five”: Everything gets hectic. The pace by now is frantic, and the tension is high.

I have to say, I was surprised when Captain Jack sent Gwen home. I figured he’s got a plan, because in Hollywood the hero always has a plan. I figure he’s getting the pregnant Gwen out of harm’s way. But when he gets put into a prison cell, and ignores Lois’ pleas for information, I figure I must have figured wrong. This is a good moment for Captain Jack – everything’s falling apart around him. The hub’s gone, Ianto’s dead, the team is scattered, and it looks like the 456 is going to win and take the children.

And I figure Russell Davies must have something against politicians. The selection of Frobisher’s children as among those being given to the 456 just goes to illustrate how self-absorbed the Prime Minister has become, worried about saving his career more than anything else. And it’s good to see him get his in the end. [spoiler – highlight to read: When Frobisher goes home and kills his family, and then himself, I was shocked. But thinking about it, it made sense. It showed just how desperate things have become. And intercutting this scene with Bridget telling Lois how John Frobisher is a good man only added to the horror of the event.]

Gwen has another great line that invokes the Doctor: “Sometimes the Doctor must look at this planet and turn away in shame.”

The end is not something that would have ever made it past the suits in Hollywood . Jack’s decision – which affects his family, perhaps ruining his relationship with his daughter forever – is the only choice he can make, but it comes with such a high price. I won’t spoil it for those who haven’t seen it, but it’s a gut-wrenching scene. And the choice Jack makes as a result is both cowardly and completely understandable. I don’t think an American would have even thought to write the ending this way. We’re too ingrained to expect the hero to come out in the end with everything right in the world. That’s not the case in “Children of Earth”.  

The production is high-caliber. As I’ve noted, the sound design and music play a key role in delivering the goods on this story. Special effects are better than the average Syfy Vancouver-monster-of-the-week project. And the acting (in spite of some heavy accents) is great. Euros Lyn’s direction is clean and focused, and he keeps everything moving forward without being too rushed. The use of intercutting scenes reinforces the story with great effect. I’ve seen it used before, but “Children of Earth” does it (dare I say it again?) brilliantly.

At first, I had some reservations about what I was getting into. Hearing so many negative comments about Davies and his handling of “Doctor Who” gave me a little pause, but his writing is brilliant. It’s just dark enough to be on the brink of horrific. The situation that plays out in this story is every parent’s nightmare, written on a galactic scale. But the themes of the story – self-reflection, family, the importance of children – resonate even with the addition of aliens in the mix. The only thing I didn’t think was accurate was the portrayal of the American military. Despite what some people may wish, Americans are not that way, and the military is not prone to handing over decisions to the United Nations. That’s the only part that I had a hard time accepting.

So, rent it. Watch it. Then go hug your kids. For a long time.

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