Tag: Torchwood

Big Finish review-Torchwood: The office of never was

Although Ianto Jones is a beloved character among the Torchwood fandom, most would agree that he was often relegated to the background despite his intriguing backstory and secret cyber-girlfriend. However, the audio revival of the show, with full-cast dramas that focus on individual characters. Has given him and others a chance to shine.

In “The Office of Never Was,” Ianto takes the lead as he investigates a haunted building, displaying impressive deduction skills and carrying the drama with ease.

This is an extremely well-crafted and engaging story. James Goss, the producer and scriptwriter, delivers a dark tale that cleverly addresses one of Torchwood’s central conceits and provides some hard-edged, real-world consequences. The limited cast is used to great effect, allowing for strong character development and building tension as the story progresses. Goss’s nods to “The Avengers” add an extra layer of entertainment value, while his use of humour helps to balance out the story’s darker moments. The script for is a testament to Goss’s talent as a writer and his understanding of Torchwood and its wider universe.

Gareth David-Lloyd, is a skilled voice actor and brings his A-game to this audio. He effortlessly carries the drama on his own for the first few minutes of “The Office of Never Was,” showcasing his talent for conveying Ianto’s internal struggles and thought processes. His performance is nuanced and engaging, capturing the character’s dry humor and emotional complexity.

Overall, “The Office of Never Was” is another smartly directed, strong and entertaining outing for Cardiff’s favourite member of Torchwood.

Review-The lives of Captain Jack

One of the most interesting character’s in Doctor Who’s history is, Captain Jack Harkness. The con man-come immortal-time traveling adventurer, with a wink and a swagger.

Altough we got to see more of the character in Torchwood, I’d always wanted a Captain Jack spin-off. I wanted to know what happened after The Doctor and Rose left him. Finally, Big Finish have answered that question.

The Year After I Died by Guy Adams.

As the title suggests, this story takes place a year after ‘The Parting of the Ways’. We’re presented with a very different Jack, he’s tortued, trying to lead a quiet life, he’s living alone and has shun human contact. He’s also trying to figure out how he survived the Dalek attack and why The Doctor and Rose abandoned him.the-year-after-i-died

His quiet life is turned upside down when a young reporter named Silo Crook (Shvorne Marks) comes investigating, he again finds himself tasked with saving humanity.

‘The Year After I Died’works extremely well as a direct sequel to ‘The Parting of Ways’. It builds on the story told in the series 1 finale, but doesn’t fall into to the sequel trap of telling the same story. As far as opening stories go, this is a great installment. John Barrowman shins in this, delivering the most subjude/reluctant version of captain Jack we’ve ever seen. This is a very well-written story, with great performances. I would like to see more set in this timeline.

9/10

Wednesday’s for Beginners by James Goss.

After reprising her role as Jackie Tyler for ‘The Ninth Doctor Chronicles’, Camille Codouri returns as everyone’s favourie mum.

The first 15 minutes focus on Jackie Tyler, as she pushes the story forward with monologue. We learn what happens when Rose is away and we experience the true pain and lonliness she feels, it’s heart breaking.wednesday

Soon after, she meets her “handsome American stalker” (Captain Jack) and the story really kicks into gear.

Jackie and Jack make a great duo, Barrowman and Coduri have chemistry to spare and clearly had a blast recording this. Fun and flirtacious inuendo are a bounded around and it’s an absolute joy to listen to.

Jackie’s feeling of isolation and loneliness really resonates and is perfectally juxtaposed with the adventure angle.

Deep down, this is a fun adventure that will have you howling with laughter.

8/10

One Enchanted Evening by James Goss.

This story takes place mere minutes after the Doctor leaves Jack in the bar in ‘The End of Time’.

It turns out the Tenth Doctor wasn’t just trying to get the pair laid, he had an ulterior motive.evening

Jack and Alonso are both in dark places, Jack had just murdered his grandson, Steven, to save man kind and obviously feels a lot of guilt. Alonso had just walked off the Titanic, a broken man. Feeling he should have been braver, more like The Doctor.

The pair bond over the course of an hour, as they work to save a spaceship from being destroyed. The villain is voiced by Katy Manning, whois camping it up no end and clearly having the time of her life.

Although the villain feels very generic, character wise this is the best in the box set. Captain Jack and Midshipman Frame both help each other exorcise their demons.

This is a character driven story, that allows both characters the redemption they feel they need.

8/10.

Month 25 by Guy Adams.

This is the story we’ve spent 12 years waiting for. When we were first introduced to Captain Jack (12 years ago!) we learned he was a former time agent, with two years of his memory missing. Now, we’re finally getting some answers. We even learn his real name..month-25

I’m a long time fan of Guy Adam’s work with Big Finish, but this could well be his best story. It’s gripping spy/conspiracy drama, that some how manages to be laugh out loud funny. This is well-written and well acted. Barrowman perfectly manages to speak the way we imagine a twenty-something Captain Jack would speak.

9/10.

‘The Lives of Captain Jack’ is a remarkable set, which I highly recommend. John Barrowman delivers some absolutely stunning performances.

James Goss and Guy Adams have managed to take such a well-known character and find new ways to make him to grow and mature, as well as answering questions fans have had for well over a decade.

It’s a must have box set, let’s hope this becomes an annual release. Maybe Jack could even meet a certain Professor Song…

Series 5 of Torchwood announced

File this under excited, series 5 of Torchwood is happening. Sort of….

The audio production company, Big Finish announced today, they’re working on the official fifth series of Torchwood. Torchwood:Aliens among us, will follow the events of Miracle Day, the Torchwood team is reunited, and Captain Jack, Gwen and Rhys are joined by new characters co-created and overseen by Russell T Davies.

In this series, Captain Jack and Gwen Cooper have restarted Torchwood in Cardiff, home of the original Torchwood Three. But it’s in a very different Cardiff. Something terrible’s happened to the city. With every day getting darker, will Torchwood need to adopt a whole new approach?


Starring John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Kai Owen, Tom Price, Paul Clayton, Alexandria Riley and Sam Béart, Jonny Green. Torchwood: Aliens Among Us continues the TV series that fans love worldwide.

Producer of Torchwood Season 5, James Goss said:

“Russell’s been wonderfully involved in the continuation of Torchwood. We came up with some characters and ideas, he very kindly, very politely said ‘Marvellous, but no. Howabout…?’. And that’s what lead to Jack and Gwen being joined by Mr Colchester (Paul Clayton), Ng (Alexandria Riley), Tyler (Jonny Green) and the enigmatic Orr (Sam Béart). Who are they? What part do they have to play in the future of Torchwood? And can they save Cardiff from an invasion that’s already been lost?”

“This is an ambitious series for Big Finish – an entire season of Torchwood! There are some great scripts by some new writers, but there are also some familiar old faces – of course Rhys and Andy are in it, but there’ll be a few other surprises, including an appearance by someone who just has to be, has to be dead…”

This new series of Torchwood will be released in three boxsets, the first being out in August. Torchwood Series 5.2 will follow in October and 5.3 will complete the season in the new year.

The episode titles for Series 5.1 (out in August) are:

EPISODE 1: Changes Everything
EPISODE 2: Aliens & Sex & Chips & Gravy
EPISODE 3: Orr by Juno Dawson
EPISODE 4: Superiority Complex by AK Benedict

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Big Finish review-Torchwood: The Dollhouse

While the concept of the “Dollhouse” is intriguing, the story fails to deliver on its potential. There are two main flaws in the piece. Firstly, the inclusion of Torchwood in the US is questionable, and its presence is never fully explored. Secondly, the story attempts to parody “Charlie’s Angels,” which is difficult to translate into audio form. The dialogue can feel clunky and anachronistic, but the cast does their best with the material.

Guy Adams’ portrayal of “Mr. Beamish” stands out as particularly impressive.

Unfortunately, the story never reaches its potential, and the ending suggests a possible sequel that one can only hope improves upon the original.

Overall, “The Dollhouse” is a disappointing entry in Big Finish’s “Torchwood” series and not indicative of the high-quality content the series typically produces. However, the series always has room for additional female-led series and new talent, and it’s admirable that Big Finish is willing to take risks with fresh faces. As it stands, “The Dollhouse” is not recommended.

Big Finish feels the Burn

Big Finish, the renowned audio production company, has just announced exciting news for Torchwood fans: Burn Gorman is set to reprise his role as Owen Harper in their upcoming range of audios.

Gorman’s first audio appearance will be in Corpse Day, set for release in May. Torchwood fans will no doubt be thrilled to hear that the talented actor is returning to the role of Owen Harper, adding even more depth and intrigue to the already beloved character.

Burn’s first audio, will be Corpse Day, which will be released in May.

Producer James Goss said:

“We’ve been trying to get Burn Gormansince we started. We’ve been hunting him across the globe, from Man In The High Castle to And Then There Were None, and we kept getting so close – and then he vanished into the depths of Hungary to make a film for months – but as soon as the project wrapped he was raring to go”

Goss added:

“Watching him recreate Torchwood’s sour zombie doctor was amazing – it was impossible to think that this was the same man who’d had us all giggling moments before. It was one of the most delightful days we’ve had on Torchwood – we put him together with Tom Price and just left them to it. Owen Harper is back from the dead, and he’s deader than ever. If you’ve never tried a Torchwood, I beg you to try Corpse Day. It’s pretty much everything.”



Here’s the synopsis:

Glynn Lewis is just putting up a spice rack when there’s a knock at the door. A knock that will bring a brutal end to his perfect family.

PC Andy is very excited. It’s Corpse Day – the day when the local constabulary gets help on dead cases from Torchwood. This year, he’s volunteered to act as a liaison, and he knows he’s going to have a brilliant time.

For Dr Owen Harper, today’s just like any other. There’ll be bloodshed, screaming and murder. At the end of it all, he doesn’t care. After all, life’s just for the living, and he’s long dead.

Review:Torchwood-Zone 10 

Big Finish Productions is a company that produces audio dramas based on popular television series, such as Doctor Who, Torchwood, and The Sarah Jane Adventures, among others. They are well-known for their ability to delve deeper into the lives of characters that may have been underdeveloped in the original show. This is particularly true of Toshiko Sato, who was a beloved character on Torchwood but did not always receive as much screen time or attention as some of the other members of the team.

Zone 10 is a Big Finish audio drama that features Toshiko Sato as the central character. In this story, she is investigating a mysterious radio signal known as “The Pulse,” which has been puzzling scientists for over forty years. Her search takes her to Russia, where she meets Maxim Ivanov, a member of the KVI (Russia’s equivalent of Torchwood). Together, they explore the restricted area known as “Zone 10” in an attempt to decipher the signal.

David Llewellyn is the writer responsible for this excellent drama, and his ability to further explore Toshiko’s character without undermining her portrayal on television is truly impressive. The story is both bleak and emotionally powerful, with many gripping moments that will keep listeners on the edge of their seats.

The performances in “Zone 10” are also noteworthy. Naoko Mori, who portrays Toshiko Sato, delivers a standout performance, perfectly capturing the character’s intelligence, vulnerability, and determination. Krystian Godlewski is equally impressive as Maxim Ivanov, and the chemistry between the two actors is palpable.

The direction and soundscape are also excellent, with the audio drama immersing listeners in the world of Torchwood and Zone 10.

Overall, Zone 10 is a fantastic addition to the Torchwood universe and a must-listen for fans of the series.

Big Finish review-Torchwood:Uncanny valley

The tale of artificial intelligence has long been a fixture of science fiction, but in this new production, the subject matter is handled with remarkable maturity. The adventure begins with Jack unexpectedly arriving at the secluded home of Neil Redmond, a reclusive billionaire and entrepreneur-celebrity. Suspicious of Jack’s motives, Redmond initially distrusts him until the Captain drops some impossible knowledge. The two men then recount the events that brought them both to the remote Welsh castle.

Redmond had been left wheelchair-bound following a horrific car crash, but a mysterious woman persuaded him to purchase a company that specialises in “living dolls”. As a result, he was gifted an avatar of himself, which he named NJ and would often appear at press conferences in his stead.

Writer David Llewellyn’s deft touch is on full display in this thought-provoking instalment of Torchwood. The story is both mature and insightful, with adult themes that are not gratuitous. But perhaps the standout element of the production is John Barrowman’s performance as Captain Jack Harkness. He slips back into the RAF greatcoat with ease, embodying the charismatic and enigmatic character he knows so well. Barrowman’s portrayal is as captivating as ever, making this production a must-listen for any Torchwood fan.

As a longtime fan of Torchwood, I’ve enjoyed each of the audios in this range for different reasons. If you’re new to the Big Finish audios, I highly recommend giving this one a listen – it’s quintessential Torchwood at its best.

Big Finish review-Torchwood: Fall to Earth

The first episode of Big Finish’s new Torchwood series, ‘The Conspiracy,’ got off to a really great start. It was a nice mix of drama and narration, and set the scene up for Torchwood’s latest arc really nicely.

‘Fall to Earth’ is a very different type of story. While it only has two cast members for the whole episode – namely Gareth David-Lloyd as Ianto Jones, and Lisa Zahra as Zeynep – there’s no narration for this one. In fact, the entire story is focused on one telephone conversation, and it’s both the most random and most mundane of telephone conversations, at that: a cold caller trying to sell Ianto some insurance.

What makes this cold call interesting to listen to, however, is that Ianto’s been called while he’s on a crashing spaceship and there’s no one else who can help him…

Despite being a two-hander and, even on audio, mostly taking place in one setting, this is a very fast-paced episode. It unfolds over real time as Ianto does his best to convince this insurance seller to help him, even if he has to actually buy insurance to do it.

Along the way, we gradually learn more about both Zeynep, the person whom Ianto is talking to the entire time, and how and why Ianto ended up on the spaceship in the first place.

There’s heaps of drama in the story, as Ianto and Zeynep get to know each other better and form a really close bond over the course of the episode. It’s actually the kind of story you’d expect from Torchwood – something that’s a lot more focused on the ordinary humans than on spaceships, aliens, and conspiracies. Those things are just the catalyst that allow the emotional drama to happen, and we get a lot of it with this story.

Towards the end, it gives its listeners a massive gut-punch, and the fact that it’s delivered so well after only an hour of build-up is a testament to the writing of James Goss.

Gareth David-Lloyd carries the weight of this story entirely on his shoulders, and he does so with remarkable skill and emotional range. His portrayal of Ianto’s desperation, fear, and eventual resignation is truly captivating and serves to draw the listener in even further.

Gareth’s performance is the standout aspect of the episode, and it’s clear that he has a deep understanding of the character he’s been playing for over a decade.

I struggle with audio dramas, my mind drifts a lot. However ‘Fall to Earth’ grabbed my attention from start to finish. It’s a beautiful two-hander and shows exactly what Big Finish and Torchwood can really do at their best. With a few more releases like this, Torchwood on Big Finish may become the definitive version.

Episode 143:Torchwood-The Conspiracy 

In which Martyn and Gerrod review the first of the new Torchwood range, by Big Finish.

*The review contains mild spoilers*

Captain Jack Harkness has always had his suspicions about the Committee. And now Wilson is also talking about the Committee. Apparently, the world really is under the control of alien lizards. That’s what Wilson says. People have died, disasters have been staged, the suspicious have disappeared.

It’s outrageous.

Only Jack knows that Wilson is right. The Committee has arrived.

Torchwood contains adult material and may not be suitable for younger listeners.

Next episode includes interviews with Verne Troyer, Ray Panthanki and Adeel Akhtar.

The podcast is available from all good podcast services, such as but not limited to Amazon Music, Podchaser, Player FM, Stitcher, and Apple Podcasts.

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Big Finish confirm Torchwood series 2

Big Finish have confirmed a second series of Torchwood audios will be available from March 2016.
The news came just one day after the release of Torchwood: The Conspiracy.

Another six Torchwood releases are currently in pre-production for 2016. Series 2 will begin in March 2016: just one month after concluding instalment of series 1.

Producer James Goss said:

“Everyone involved’s just had so much fun that we didn’t want to stop”.

Big Finish added:

“It’s okay, you don’t have to. We’ve already got the first script in and it’s a delight.”

The new series will continue the adventures of Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) and his team, with stories taking place at different points in Torchwood’s history.

Big Finish Executive Producer Jason Haigh-Ellery said:

“It’s wonderful to be able to commit so soon to a second series of Torchwood, this is completely down to the immense support we have received from the fans of the series. We are delighted to be continuing the adventures of Captain Jack and his team!”

Co-executive producer Nicholas Briggs added:

I couldn’t really imagine that the response to our Torchwood series wouldn’t be positive, So I’m very pleased not to have been proved wrong. The series has so many dedicated followers and the audios have been written, directed and produced with such love for the source material. James Goss, as producer, has brought so much enthusiasm and joy to the project. I find myself hoping every day that I’ll receive another excited email from him.
And we’re so grateful that the brilliant stars of Torchwood have come in to record and have been so bloomin’ good! Russell T Davies has been so supportive and full of encouragement too. Frankly, we had no choice but to get on with a second series as soon as possible.

Torchwood: The Conspiracy is available to buy and download today, starring John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness. Listen to our review here.

Series 1 continues in October with Torchwood: Fall to Earth, starring Gareth David-Lloyd as Ianto Jones, followed in November by Torchwood: Forgotten Liveswith Eve Myles as Gwen Cooper and Kai Owen as Rhys Williams. Three further releases will follow at monthly intervals.