Torchwood: S04E05 -The Categories of Life

Well! What another extravagant episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day. The Categories of Life reintroduced the government (if only subtly), reintroduced Vera’s idea of reversing medical polices and produced a speech of life-chilling proportions. Now, as I have mentioned in previous weeks that the plot to Miracle Day, by episode four in fact, was beginning to feel stretched thin, and indeed this episode offered the same feeling; pulling out a few more desperate cards in order to keep the viewers enthralled yet not let them discover anything that could ‘prematurely’ end the series, and for that, my reviews may reflect that feel.

Now first off, and I must get this off my tired and emotionally drained soul: poor, poor, Vera! What a horrible fate to befall one so brilliant. She was burned, like so many, alive so that details of the Category (or ‘Overflow’) Camps would not be released before the plan is set fully in stone. In fact, not only burned but shot twice! Is anyone with me in hoping that the creep who got her gets a similar fate? But that aside, Vera’s rather premature death (although are the ashes of the victims conscious, considering that no matter what you cannot die?), although meant to be a shock to the viewers, also felt like one of those desperate cards I mentioned above, to keep the viewer watching. Indeed, Vera had also only just been introduced to Torchwood properly – they could have got a seriously good use out of her!

Anyway onto another interesting topic and that my friends, is Oswald Danes. Tricky, odd, Oswald – we know the basics, yes we know what he’s done, what he is, and even why he’s employed by PhiCorp, but who exactly IS he? Again my thoughts towards the fact he’s the first survivor from the Miracle reflect upon his usage by PhiCorp, but his personality, his traits and even his own speeches lead to wondering of, if not who, then what is he? Indeed, as I mentioned, his speech at the crudely named ‘Miracle Rally’ set shivers down the spine; how he so casually referred to the immortalization of man as simply the next stage in human evolution, and indeed, maybe the reason this explanation could send shivers down the spine is that it could, in the deepest most part of the mind, ring with a little bit of truth… or the fact that he called the evolution of the human race simply as Angels – either one!

Ah, now poor Gwen and even worse: poor Rhys! Lovely, sweet, Rhys, trying to do good but it just gets worse and worse – first he believes sending Gwen’s dad to Welsh Category Camp is the best thing for him only to be told the opposite, then trying to rescue said father-in-law (along with Gwen) does the man get another serious heart attack (wonderful acting might I add!) and atop that he repeats himself by happily shipping Mr. Cooper to the Burns Unit, which are in fact cremation tanks. The heart just pines for that poor man, but lovely Gwen is always forgiving; indeed, the setup for the next episode lays within Gwen trying to save her father (and I have a terrible feeling that it will be in vain – this time I HAVEN’T watched/read any spoilers) and indeed the repercussion of Vera’s somewhat death along with the video recordings Rex ever-so-cleverly filmed.

But going back to the camp; what horrors that place presented! Not only is it discovered that by one coloured peg you could be determined as either dead or alive, but the whole system, everything that the camps represent, were a continuation of what Doctor Suarez had demanded only a few weeks ago in episode two – another shiver down the spine, especially when Vera, alive and talking to the creep that killed her, happened to mention this in her own shock. Indeed, it’s subtle references, or developments, like these that are almost Moffat-ish, which adds to the power of Doctor Who within Torchwood – as in one could tell Russell T Davies knows Moffat’s style and decided it needed copying, which is nice, if not a little creepy.

Now finally, considering there wasn’t much new, in terms of plot and development bar the camps of course, one has to turn our heads towards Little Miss Kitzinger. Again nothing’s been revealed about her character that tends towards the innermost story of this year’s series, but it was interesting to say the least, how happy she was when the mysterious messenger appeared to her out of thin air to inform her that her work had not gone unappreciated. Without knowing what to make of it, one cannot truly analysis what the motif is or tends towards, so until anything else is revealed, it’s a subject that cannot be explored any further.

Also, wasn’t it nice to see Gwen back in Wales with her family? A nice way modern technology such as webcams can be used in shows, especially the likes of Torchwood. Now a true fact for you readers: Everything filmed in Wales, bar scenes for the first episode, as far as I’m aware, were in fact filmed in the U.S. which explains why the Welsh camp was inside an old air hanger (and not just because Russell T just HAS to use an old air hanger in at least one episode of Torchwood per-series). Indeed, even Gwen’s parent’s house was completely constructed in some studio in the U.S. – it’s all to do with perception of the programme and how well the team behind the camera can disguise things.

Moving on:

• Jack = 9/10 – A solid mark on 9 as usual, the character is always an enjoyment to watch and explore, especially his gay jokes with the very heterosexual Rex, and of course his affiliation to the question mark that is Oswald Danes.
• Gwen = 10/10 – A very emotional journey again for the main protagonist of the show as we explore her family in more detail, and follow her return to home soil. Even a reunion with husband and rather pink daughter, while confronting her mother and risking her life saving her fragile father, were all just wonderfully done.
• Esther = 9/10 – I personally feel that the character isn’t being used to the best of her abilities. Okay yes she is most definitely the ‘new Tosh’ now, with her expanding computing skills along with emerging similarities, but I for one am hoping she’s USED; and that next time trailer – Oh. My. God! I’m seriously hoping that isn’t Esther who falls off that building!
• Rex = 9/10 – Slowly turning towards Team Rex now. Yes, I still find him pompous and overly-macho, but that’s becoming a good thing now, something that defines the character, and in this episode we finally get to see a real soft side to the man, especially as he discovers the cremation tanks and then later sees and even films Vera burning alive before his eyes…
• Vera = 100/10 – Seriously, she was used to her best and last in this episode. My hopes and dream of her becoming the new Torchwood medic were swiped from my mind, indeed the old idea of a Torchwood team were in this episode now, with Torchwood becoming more of a code word than an organization, but still, here’s hoping. Now please a moment’s silence for the brilliantly written and performed Doctor Vera Suarez. Thank you.

Episodic Rating: 8.5 out of 10; the introduction of the camps, the revelation as to what they were was a breath of fresh air, worthy of an episode, but the lack of forward moving plot – yes a word I have used in almost every other sentence and will keep on using until it is actually used on the show – notches the mark down a peg. Once we discover WHAT PhiCorp’s plan are, how significant people are tied into events and what is really behind the human race’s new found ‘Angel’ immortality will the show truly pick up more noticeable marks.

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