Everything Changes (Torchwood)
| 01 – "Everything Changes" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Torchwood episode | |||
| Cast | |||
Starring
| |||
Others
| |||
| Production | |||
| Directed by | Brian Kelly | ||
| Written by | Russell T Davies | ||
| Script editor | Brian Minchin | ||
| Produced by | Richard Stokes Chris Chibnall (co-producer) | ||
| Executive producer(s) | Russell T Davies Julie Gardner | ||
| Music by | Murray Gold | ||
| Production code | 1.1 | ||
| Series | Series 1 | ||
| Running time | 50 mins | ||
| First broadcast | 22 October 2006 | ||
| Chronology | |||
| |||
"Everything Changes" is the first
The story is told from the perspective of
Upon broadcast the episode earned BBC Three its highest ever viewing figures. Critical reaction to the episode was mixed, with reviewers making both positive and negative comparisons to Torchwood's parent show Doctor Who.
Plot
During a murder investigation in Cardiff, police officer
As she escapes, Gwen follows the Torchwood SUV to Roald Dahl Plass, where she loses sight of them. Discovering a local pizza store makes regular deliveries to Torchwood, Gwen disguises herself as a pizza delivery girl. Monitoring her actions, Torchwood willingly let her into their underground hub. Jack shows Gwen around the hub, including the captured Weevil from the hospital. They then leave the hub via a pavement slab lift, which takes them to Roald Dahl Plass in front of the Millennium Centre; the slab makes anyone standing on it unnoticed to passersby.
Over drinks, Jack explains that Torchwood is one of several branches, including Torchwood One which was destroyed at
The next day at work, Gwen is shown a drawing of the murder weapon, which triggers a series of memories. These solidify when she spots a Millennium Centre programme with the word "Remember" in her own handwriting at home. Outside the Millennium Centre, Suzie explains she killed the man Gwen saw resurrected to test the gauntlet. Suzie pulls a gun on Gwen as she is the only one that can link Suzie to the murder weapon. Jack rises from the pavement lift, and Suzie turns and shoots him in the head. Jack then comes back to life. With no chance of escape, Suzie shoots herself in the head. Gwen now remembers everything.
The gauntlet is sealed away. Standing on the roof of the Millennium Centre, Jack tells Gwen that he died once, but was brought back to life,[N 2] and that he can never die. He agrees with Gwen that perhaps Torchwood can do more to help people, and offers her a job, which she accepts.
Production
This episode had the working title of "Flotsam And Jetsam". This title was worked into the script when Jack describes the idea of "flotsam and jetsam" falling through the Rift into Cardiff.[", in a 100-minute premiere special; the closing credits of both episodes were combined to air at the end.
Music
The song "We Are the Pipettes" by The Pipettes is featured in this episode (as Gwen & Andy arrive to break up a bar fight), "She Moves in Her Own Way" by The Kooks (heard in the background at Jubilee Pizza) and "Spitting Games" by Snow Patrol (as Owen hits on Linda at the bar).
Broadcast
In the unofficial overnight viewing figures, "Everything Changes" gained an average audience of 2.4 million for its debut showing on BBC Three,
When "Everything Changes" was repeated on analogue channel BBC Two three days after its BBC Three airing, it won an audience of 2.8 million, a 13% share.[4] This again placed the episode third in its timeslot, behind Who Do You Think You Are? on BBC One and the thriller Bon Voyage on ITV1.[4]
Reviews and reception
The website of The Stage entertainment industry newspaper gave "Everything Changes" a positive preview in its coverage following the 18 October press screening of the episode. "The first episode is an economical, by the numbers introduction to the team", wrote reviewer Mark Wright. "It's certainly bold, the cast are very pretty and the dialogue has a zippy archness to it. Whether that will become grating after a few episodes remains to be seen, but if you like your sci-fi drama a bit punchier than the whimsical Doctor Who, touch wood, you should find a lot to enjoy in the adventures of Torchwood."[5]
Previewing the episode for the Radio Times listing magazine, Mark Braxton was impressed, but felt that the series would offer better episodes later in the run. "It's slick, scary, funny and expensive looking, but it's also very much an establishing episode", Braxton commented. "With the guided tour dispensed with, however, the fun can really begin."[6]
The Guardian newspaper's television reviewer Sam Wollaston also gave the episode a guarded welcome, although he felt that the attempts to make Cardiff appear glamorous were a failure. "They've done their best to sex the place up—lots of helicopter shots of that posh bit where Charlotte Church lives, but it still looks like Cardiff, to be honest. No matter—most of the interesting things are going on below the ground... It's not yet clear whether Eve Myles as new Torchwood recruit PC Gwen Cooper can fill Billie Piper's boots. Surely not—those boots are two gaping weekend voids that no one can fill. But this looks promising: it's slick, quick and a tiny bit scary. Not much humour yet, which was the lovely thing about Doctor Who. But it's early days; don't jump quite yet."[7]
Notes
- ^ As depicted in the 2006 Doctor Who episode "Doomsday". In the 2007 Doctor Who episode "The Sound of Drums", Jack confirms that he changed the old Torchwood regime that was destroyed at Canary Wharf.
- ^ As depicted in the 2005 Doctor Who episode "The Parting of the Ways".
References
- Sci Fi Wire. Archived from the originalon 15 October 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2007.
- ^ Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 23 October 2006.
- ^ "Torchwood scores record audience". BBC News Online. 23 October 2006. Retrieved 23 October 2006.
- ^ Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 26 October 2006.
- ^ Wright, Mark (19 October 2006). "Everything changes—a first look at Torchwood". The Stage. Archived from the original on 4 January 2007. Retrieved 2006-10-23.
- ^ Braxton, Mark (21–27 October 2006). "Today's Choices – Sunday 22 October". Radio Times. 331 (4307). BBC Worldwide: 74.
- ^ Wollaston, Sam (23 October 2006). "The weekend's TV". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2006.
- ^ Heggie, Iain (21 October 2006). "Aliens versus yoof". The Scotsman. Retrieved 19 December 2006.
- ^ Rawson-Jones, Ben (13 January 2008). "Cult Spy: Catching Up With 'Torchwood'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 7 May 2008.
External links
- Everything Changes on Tardis Wiki, the Doctor Who Wiki
- "Everything Changes" episode guide entry on the BBC website