Torchwood - What went wrong?

John Barrowman, filming of 'Miracle Day' in Cardiff in Feb, 2011.

Torchwood is currently 'in limbo' and networks seem in not too urgent a hurry to revive it. 

Starz seem to have quietly forgotten it, at least for now; BBC Wales are up to their necks in cuts & other projects - and show-runner Russell T. Davies, supposedly taking time out with his seriously-ill partner, Andrew - is actually hard at work in Cardiff, attending to his new & highly anticipated CBBC blockbuster, 'Wizards vs. Aliens'. 

For him, too, Torchwood seems not the most pressing of priorities. It's not hard to see why things have gone so quiet right now. 

After the fun & japes of Series 1, the hard-hitting stories from Series 2 - and the dizzy heights and very acceptable viewing figures of the chilling 'Children of Earth' we had 'Miracle Day' - a transatlantic romp about as closely related to Torchwood as the Jerry Springer Show - where characters were about as real & genuine as a stash of Polish printed £7 banknotes. 

'Miracle Day' reduced the once masterful alpha-male Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) to a weakened, barely-visible character playing a very definite second fiddle to an unconvincing Rex Matheson (Mekhi Pfifer), whilst 'family wife' and ex Cardiff policewoman Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) suddenly became a Welsh Lara Croft, complete with Hollywood designer clothing & unbelievable new confidence - even when out of Wales!

The unwelcome move away from South Wales to LA; a whole host of faux-pas including some excruciatingly bad (and unnecessary) seduction scenes and the poorly-judged insistence that a primarily-American audience needed to constantly be reminded of Jack Harkness' sexuality caused irritation to UK viewers - and led to a total collapse of viewing figures in Australia & New Zealand. 

A disappointing, over-explained storyline with more red herrings than the reject freezer at an Icelandic trawler convention & more false starts than a hyperactive relay racer further turned all but hardened fans away from the show, and what promised to be a valiant return ultimately became little more than a damp squib.

It later transpired that Starz, the US network which partnered BBC Wales was not exactly the neutral co-funder we were initially told to expect. Indeed - they took an active interest in the storyline, and insisted on subtle changes and re-takes. Russell T. Davies was said to be 'cross' when Starz insisted CIA agent Rex Matheson not only survive Miracle Day, but end up an immortal character, like Jack Harkness.

Chris Albrecht, Starz' CEO.

It's believed Starz wanted to maintain an option on their own version of Torchwood, with Matheson as their 'key Immortal', should the show take the States by storm, and should the BBC not wish to continue with the series. However, with viewing figures in the US mediocre at best - and with newer, fresher projects having taken Albrecht's eye, it's not difficult why Starz may have had a change of heart. 

In Britain, it's clear 'Miracle Day' didn't hit the right note for mass appeal, and there's no general clamour for a new series. It would take something special to put Torchwood back on the right tracks!

(c) Great Welsh TV March, 2012