‘Torchwood: Miracle Day’ May Never See Season 2

Posted Friday, July 29th, 2011 05:32 pm GMT -4 by Bryan Hardbarger0

Fan’s of “Classic Torchwood” may indeed get their wish as CEO Chris Albrecht told Entertainment Weekly he doesn’t see the ‘Torchwood’ as an annual event. Chris went on to say the future of ‘Torchwood’ lies with Russel T. Davies, and if Davies has ‘Torchwood’ near the top of his “to do list” it would happen. However Russel himself has said that he has many projects in the works, and more in his head to flesh out. ‘Torchwood’ may go the way of the doomed Dodo Bird.

According to STARZ, ‘Torchwood’ is not their idea of an annual event. Will the BBC pick up where STARZ left off? Or will it simply slip into oblivion as so many of our favorite science fiction shows have done in the past?

‘Torchwood’s’ ratings dipped this week losing 330,000 viewers, but still managed to pull in 4.13 million to dominate Thursday night’s ratings. With the many number of “Classic Torchwood” fans unhappy with the way the show has progressed, the ratings may kill it before the network does.

Just read the comments on our ‘Torchwood: Miracle Day’ Dead of Night – Recap and read how fans want Ianto, Owen and Tosh back. Some feel the show has gone too far to redeem themselves and bring back the magic that made ‘Torchwood’ what it was.

If Russel T. Davies would read this, I would hope he would appreciate the fans enough to pass the torch, so to speak, to someone willing to take it to a direction fans want to see.

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Trekkmom

I think those fans who are up in arms over the demise of Owen, Tosh and Ianto need to get over it. Yes I loved those characters too, but you can not cater to the fans every whim. Gene Roddenberry was once quoted along the lines of if he had to write what the fans wanted he’d end Star Trek right then and there. Take a page from Joss Whedon, who never had qualms over killing a key or loved character.

There is a reason why those shows have endured over the decades.

Dan

They have got over and they’re not watching, that’s the whole point. People are talking about why they’re not bothering with this new version and the most common factor is missing the old characters, the old premise, the old locations. Viewers don’t owe shows anything, they are not compelled to watch a show they no longer enjoy so no, they don’t need to “get over it”, the writers and producers have to give the audience something they want to watch or get cancelled. Simples.
John Hart

Didn’t Star Trek kill off Spock….AND bring him back? Yeah, thought so. Yeah, Roddenberry was a big risk taker.

The Star Trek series has a lot of different ‘shows’ but very rarely crossed the characters to the different shows. They were smart, used the Star Trek universe, but made up a total NEW show. They didn’t kill off half the crew and bring in new cast people. Original Trek was still the same core group of people. The first ST movie was a huge failure BECAUSE they tried to make it slick and cold with tons of special effects, putting new characters in key positions. They lost the intimate, quirky, character driven feel.

Trekkmom

Death of Spock, was Nicolas Meyer’s brain child in order to Woo Nimoy to a second movie. Rebirth of Spock was the price Nimoy paid to direct movie #3.

Moonlighting wrote to appease the fans wanting to get the two main characters together, that worked out so well it’s referenced even to this day as the death knell of a show.

http://twitter.com/Nyrhalahotep Bryan Hardbarger

I agree with both points of view, Trekkmom and Dan both make valid points. If the producers do NOT want to continue making a show, they should simply END it.
However, if the show is a money maker, which Torchwood obviously is, (or WAS), then they should listen to the fans and attempt to appease the larger percentile of the wants.
It’s NOT difficult to find out what fans are saying, just go to sites like ours, read the comments, and decide if you want to keep the show running properly, or crash it into a mountainside in a bloody blaze of glory.

Annagne

It really depends on which version you read of that story from TCA. IGN has a very different take on it than EW, but both said it depends on Russell’s schedule and his idea for another story. So maybe someone should speak with him.

For both Children of Earth and as has been explained in the press for Miracle Day the stories for those arcs are complete. There won’t be any cliffhangers to end. This series can take its time. There was a two year gap for Miracle Day, after all.

Should they listen to the fans? Only to know whether there is enough audience to recommission. But not to take fan demands into consideration.

John Hart

Bring back the original premise of the show…..with the original team. I think the radio plays,TW the Lost Files, proved that there are a lot of fans out there who still want it.

Trekkmom

I have no qualms with bringing back the show to it’s original format, but unless you’re going to get time travel into it.. (gee does the Doctor do requests?) there is no feasible way to bring back the original team, assuming they’d want to. I think it would work quite well with new team members, joining Jack and Gwen, maybe even eventually replacing them as well.

Misselizabethglass

“there is no feasible way to bring back the original team,”

And that is why you are not a writer.
John Hart

Alternate Universe? This is science fiction. Use your imagination.

There are tons of ways to reset the whole universe. You are talking about a show where the main character can’t die. Is that feasible? Rhys was dead – and now he’s not. Jack has a vortex manipulator and didn’t they time travel in Exit Wounds? Use the Time Agency angle, that fact that Jack is missing two years of memories, aliens can make up pretend memories, gloves bring people back to life, there was a giant demon walking around Cardiff….

Torchwood without Jack? You think Ianto fans are upset, how do you think JB fans would act??

Arthur

The radio plays were amazing. In my opinion, House of the Dead should have been filmed as the sixth episode of COE, with the coda from Day five on the end as a final goodbye. Would have been a perfect, poignant ending to the series.

As far as I’m concerned, Miracle Day didn’t happen.

Themob9

Thank you for mentioning Owen, Tosh,and Ianto. The fact that technically within 4 episode Davies killed off the ‘guts’ of the show is why Miracle Day will never been appreciated as anything but a new US TV show using the name ‘Torchwood’.
So here is a Hypothetical for you. What would have happened to Star Trek, if within 4 episodes they killed of Dr McCoy, Nyota Nhura and Mr Spock, think about it.

http://twitter.com/TDS_Matt Matt Thompson

Don’t know. I’d want to see the show afterward. (And Mr. Hart — Roddenberry had nothing to do with killing Spock in The Wrath of Khan.)

Torchwood is an action drama. It’s dependent on suspense and the belief that characters can die. If characters don’t die, you stop worrying. If Tosh, Owen, and Ianto weren’t dead, I sure as hell wouldn’t be screaming at my TV during a crucial moment in Escape to L.A., terrified that RTD was about to hurt someone else.

Never listen to fans, because all fans want is the same crap regurgitated repeatedly. The hardcore fans I’ve met hate Children of Earth, which seems to show how much they matter in the grand scheme of things.

Morgan Hamilton

You’re right as far as RTD is concerned ‘fans’ are useless & don’t matter because what he wants are “casual viewers” (i.e. butts in the seats).

As long as he gets a high viewer count he could careless about crafting a well-scripted show. Instead he feeds viewers big explosions, ‘dramatic’ set-pieces, crappy dialogue, even worse jokes (and why must gays almost always be the punchline?) and plot holes you can drive oil tankers through.
One phrase I keep running across on-line are variations of — if you want me to suspend disbelief then bloody hell get your real world facts at least marginally close to right!!! FIVE MINUTES ON GOOGLE! — that kinda boils it all down to the basics. MD had barely started before I was being thrown out of the story by the plot hole that Danes would be released so quickly. Even allowing for the speeding up of processes that happens on television, it should have taken MONTHS before he was released if not years. And it keeps on happening in other arenas of knowledge to the point I *know* that he must think the audience has the IQ of a dust bunny. Sic-fi tends to draw a diverse & intelligent audience but you’d never know it by the way RTD crafts his work.

Morgan
Morgan Hamilton

Oh I forgot something. As far as being on the edge of your seat as to who might die? The general buzz around fandom seems to be that Gwen will be last man standing and if we’re really, really lucky Jack might return to being immortal. Anybody else is fair game. Does that sound like a way to keep people watching? Personally I don’t think so because it means you can’t invest in the characters & characters are one of the things that keep fans (and even viewers) interested in a show.

Morgan

http://twitter.com/TDS_Matt Matt Thompson

”Oh I forgot something. As far as being on the edge of your seat as to
who might die? The general buzz around fandom seems to be that Gwen will
be last man standing and if we’re really, really lucky Jack might
return to being immortal. Anybody else is fair game. Does that sound
like a way to keep people watching? Personally I don’t think so because
it means you can’t invest in the characters & characters are one of
the things that keep fans (and even viewers) interested in a show.”

Killing characters doesn’t bother me. If it hurts, if it pisses me off, it means I liked the character which means it was good drama. As for ‘the buzz around fandom,’ that means nothing to me.

This is why RTD is very smart in ignoring fans. Fans hate risks. They want the same comfort food all the time. How is that interesting? There’s a reason Children of Earth is far and away considered Torchwood’s pique. It was risky, it was dark, it was exceptionally well-written. And yet fans hate it because… someone dies? Yeah, it’s a drama. People die. If they don’t die there’s no point.

meredith

one liked you got is me i pushed a wrong button sorry. there’s a point the best thing classic torchwood had got was very dedicated fans. think about it what if fans favorite is the best? I don’t think you’re a fan who willingly spend your money for it but there’re so many fans who bought action figures because they loved the characters and the show. there’re a lot of fans who voted the polls like ‘what’s the best Si-Fi show you watched’~etc and fans promoted the show on the websites in their free time with passion so people out there would notice the show exists. fans did a lot to the show. Torchwood never becomes this big without them. I think the fan like you is dangerous for the show you said Torchwood is an action show which is not true you’r opinion of the show is not deserve to listen because you never been understood the show itself.

John Hart

I disagree that it’s action drama. Its Science fiction. One of the very basic facts of TW is that Jack can’t die,so that blows the whole ‘this show is based on reality’ belief. Worrying that the characters could die WAS NOT a reason that I watched TW. There’s lots of things worse than death, as Jack will tell you. A creative writer doesn’t have to rely on the threat of death to build supsense.

Where’s the suspense then, if no one can die? Jack couldn’t die, did you not worry for him? Hard core fans hated COE because it was riddled with plot holes, Jack was out of character, and it was Torchwood characters stuffed in a political thriller in a no win situation.

Trekkmom

Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t Owen and Tosh die in season 2 episode 13 and Ianto about halfway through CoE (if it was episode 4 that would make it more than halfway wouldn’t?) So really they had more than a 4 episode career. I really didn’t hear too much whining until Ianto (basically Jack’s love interest) died, then the crap hit the fan at warp speed! Shippers can be so bitter and unforgiving can’t they. Hey been there done that, then you grow and learn to appreciate good story telling/writing.
How would it have been if 3 of the the 7 original cast members had died in the series? Not really sure, especially since TV has come light years in the last 30 yrs since TOS first aired, pretty much nothing on the air now would have flown back then. But all things being equal, basically Star Trek in it’s entirety only lasted a total of 3 years on tv, that’s only marginally longer than Ianto’s reign, and we didn’t get to get another show with Kirk & Spock, so you’re still ahead of the game!It’s sour grapes pure and simple, which is a damn shame, especially if it causes the franchise on the whole to tank.

Misselizabethglass

“Hey been there done that, then you grow and learn to appreciate good story telling/writing.”

Maybe you should grow and learn about good ‘storytelling/writing’ some more. James Moran himself said at WCC that they decided to kill Ianto for shock value. It was an almost predictable death, and it was surrounded by the biggest pile of Stupid I’ve seen since somebody thought the whole Gwen/Jack thing was a good idea.

Arthur

They can’t expect fans of the show to continue to love it when they get rid of half the cast everyone has grown to love. Torchwood isn’t Torchwood (and Jack isn’t Jack) without our teaboy, and I miss Owen and Tosh loads, too. Miracle Day might, *might*, have been watchable with the original team.

Themob9

Jane Espenson is calling Torchwood / Miracle Day a ”Political Thriller” now. I always thought it was essentially SciFi with a twist, you know.. quirky. So can someone please tell me what’s it supposed to be, because I am really confused.

Trekkmom

Can’t it be both? One of the reasons Star Trek has endured is because of it’s commentary on social and political ideology’s. The fact that Miracle Day has something to do with Jack, with someone he’s already met, it’s probably more than certainly extraterritorial in nature, don’t you think. The fact that it’s surrounded by political intrigue,doesn’t take away from the nature of Sci Fi.

http://www.economania.co.uk Bill Kruse

The new Torchwood is adult and intrigueing. The old one was adolescent on its best day. Let’s stay with the new formula I say.

BB

Croozen

NO NO they went to far should be taken off US tv or put in a porn channel .. Sifi will feel this soon .., they stepped over the line .., way over

Reefer Madness

It was one episode you homophobic idiot….get over yourself.

http://www.economania.co.uk Bill Kruse

The new Torchwood is adult and intrigueing. The old one was adolescent on its best day. Let’s stay with the new formula I say.

BB
Livana007

Don’t scrap it! The show is great! Where are these jokers getting these reviews from. I’ve only heard positive comments from fans. Don’t the fans count for anything?

http://www.facebook.com/people/Cathy-Norman/1784180930 Cathy Norman

As you will find out the fans count for ”naught”..
Arthur

All the positive comments I’ve seen are from new fans, not longterm fans of the original series. Miracle Day had its moments, but it was NOT Torchwood for me.

Bronxpr718

Every episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day has been SO worth my time. I seldom watch a series and enjoy it as much as I’ve enjoyed this one. THIS IS the first Torchwood “anything” I’ve ever seen– though I’ve been interested in watching since forever– just…there was always a scheduling conflict that got in the way of my watching it ) I’m glad I got the chance to know the Harkness character, and I want to see more damn-it; I truly hope there will be a Season 2.
Myra Austin Email

I have never seen previous episodes of the original Torchwood. This latest Miracle Day Torchwood however had me glued to my seat. I can’t believe the negative comments. It would be a terrible shame if they didn’t continue to Miracle Day series 2 after all we need to find out plan B !!!
http://www.Facebook.com/LoganDorkins Logan Spears

A lot of the Torchwood fans I’ve been speaking to also want Tosh, Owen and Ianto back. They also complained about the length of ‘Miracle Day’, finding it a little tedious with one storyline. I thought it was well planned, however, and really hope that Davies can put in the effort for a series 2.

http://sciencefiction.com/ Bryan Hardbarger

The main issues here are the killing off of favorite characters, moving to America, and not taking into consideration the fans paying VERY close attention to plot holes.

OTHER than that, Miracle Day, as a WHOLE, was quite good. I know I’ve said this before, but it continues to come up. Was it rather tedious starting out? sure, in comparison to “Classic Torchwood.” But Miracle Day was actually well done, despite these issues.

Arthur

I know that Torchwood members don’t typically have a long life expectancy, but killing off beloved characters is not a good thing to do. It’s like.. “here, get attached and grow to love these people, now we’re going to rip them away from you and let the show go on.” I mean, if they HAD to kill off characters, they should have let that be the end of the show. It’s not Torchwood without all the people I grew to love.

Lady_b Chambers

ha ha i Love you guys i just read some great opines and views that i hadn’t see till now first off Torchwoods is an offsider to Docter who to begin with then to add to that it did wonderful job as seasons of a show all on it’s own come on guys just enjoy it “ Torchwood” love it and then kip the opines and views come i like a good sifi fan chat they always have the lest name calling hu ha…..;)
Socal_Steve

Loved this show discovered it about 3 days ago and had to watch all the episodes I did like as a new viewer because I had no prior knowledge about the bbc version… I believe starz failed to promote this series I mean I just now found out about it on 10.10.11 that i would say is a failure to promote this show and any lack of success for this show should be put squarely on starz’ shoulders this is something all the premium networks fail to do like HBO and Game of Thrones (but thankfully there will be a 2nd season for that show)…. Well heres to hoping for Torchwood Miracle Day Season 2
Mars

I really hope they will continue this series.
It’s like LIE TO ME…a great show…why was that cancelled?
ALl the shows I like get cancelled…is it me…?

lol
E_liarouen

I started watching Torchwood as a Starz show. I was a big fan of Doctor Who, but never saw the BBC spinoff until it aired with the Miracle Day season. I LOVED it. Being unbiased I think the ongoing plot was awsome. Since then I’ve watched the other BBC seasons and liked them too but, what can I say, I thought the starz one was better. I like Toshiko (not really Owen), but I also liked the characters in Miracle Day and I was really looking forward to seeing the next season.
But unfortunatly this show was on Starz and they never follow through with anything so I don’t know why I was expecting much. Spartacus is wonderdul and Party Down is alright but other shows deserve a chance at second seasons too.
Arthur

I feel like Torchwood should have ended after COE Day Five. It wouldn’t
have been a happy ending, but it would have been a poignant end to the
series. Gwen and Rhys are left behind to start their beautiful little
family, and Jack leaves Earth with nothing (namely Ianto, who he clearly
won’t be over for a very long time) to keep him there. If anything, I
would have loved to see “The House of the Dead” be the final episode,
with the coda/”six months later” from the end of COE Day Five tacked on
as a goodbye. As far as I’m concerned, that was the proper end of the
Torchwood for me.
Arthur

Agreed. Ianto was arguably one of the most popular characters on the show (definitely my favorite, and I am definitely not alone in that aspect) and I don’t think they realized what a massive mistake getting rid of him would be. The show is just lacking SO much without him – the charm, the humor, the warmth watching he and Jack’s relationship develop.. the list goes on. His death was so unnecessary, no matter what the writers say – and Jack is just broken without him.

And yeah, they changed EVERYTHING way too much for fans of the original series to want to support Miracle Day. They ought to keep their audience in mind.
Layla59

Bring back Torchwood Miracle Day (or change the name)…but my TV viewing is just not the same without it. I loved that I got to see Gwen and Captain Jack again. More, more, more.
Gomezfloralba

PLEASE bring Torchwood back another season. I understand Miracle day ain’t nothing compared to the other seasons. Either way Miracle day was still good, and left us still wanting more. It couldn’t have possibly ended there. I love Torchwood still till today, I watch the episode. It breaks my heart knowing there won’t be anymore Torchwood, this is my favorite show.
Maggieanne70

Bring Torchwood back. As either the original or Miracle Day! Please. Gwen and Jack are great. Owen, Tosh, Ianto….whoever best makes the team. They are great. But Jack and Gwen own the shows. Please bring them back….soon!
Sue1066

Give us at least a good finale. One that doesn’t leave you with a cliff hanger. (wow, I can’t wait for the next season.) Get someone else to write the next season, just don’t drop it, leave it hanging as it did.
UTexasex

The sci-fi story was pretty good, but the gratuitous and openly nude homosexual side-bar should be shoved to the cutting room floor. It adds nothing to the story, and in the long run diminishes the series, and turns off otherwise interested fans as a being somehow an “in your face” Hollywood, and BBC stunt to promote a social agenda that people would rather not have thrown at them.
Lukasrolf

Hollywood is a gay loving community. It dosnt supprise me that they show sex sences of that calibur. Story was good for a Sci-Fi but gratuitus sex and violence are what americans have been bred to. Anything else would be considerd to mild for most audiences.
Buzz

For the first five episodes I to wanted Lanto, Owen and Tosh back but as the first season was ending I found myself more accepting of the new additions. The one thing that has always been a constant is ”Captain Jack ” played by “John Barrowman” and with that in mind consider that the Doctor can’t even claim this fact. Now looking at the last scene of Torchwood you need only to let your imagination run wild to see the amazing possibilities. I’m thinking perhaps a periodic interaction between Jack & the Doctor and maybe using the TARTIS to break a rule or two by going back to when Lanto, Owen and Tosh were still alive and bringing them into the present for the greater good… I think all of you die hard fans should be posting your imagination for Russel T Davies and anyone else who has the power to keep Torchwood alive!!!
Buzz

A Suntarin I can handle but please I can’t take another Dalak.
Deidra47

The creator owes the fans a conclusion. Not a good planner if he has too many projects going. I don’t see this show being renewed season after season but if they aren’t going to go forward, make a final movie bringing all the loose ends together.

‘Torchwood: Miracle Day’ May Never See Season 2

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