Torchwood - Children of Earth (2 Disc Set)

This 5-part mini-series shows what Torchwood should have been all along–gripping, dark, clever, and thought-provoking. In my view, there isn't a single episode in season one or two that is well-written AND well-acted AND well-directed AND well-edited throughout. If an episode has a good script, it will be dented by the director's failure to reign in Barrowman (who is playing the Loud American in a room full of Brits, so you can understand him overdoing it on occasion–but someone ought to be telling him so and not using the takes when he does it), or it'll be let down by a tense denouement that goes on far too long (eg in “Sleeper”). “Children of Earth” is free of these faults… For three episodes or so. It will almost certainly let you down by the end, but that's mainly because the first couple of episodes will really raise your expectations. If you haven't yet seen it, it's perhaps worth cautioning you that Torchwood fandom basically self-destructed over this mini-series. It's not without its controversies, and it's clearly written to be the show's swan-song (though it looks like that won't be the case, because CofE was such an unexpectedly big hit on UK TV). Definitely worth a look, and quite possibly of interest even to people who haven't seen the show before. Try not to watch it all in one hit–I don't know anyone who's managed, but try. :-)