mondojohnson

According to the dubious Which Torchwood Character Are You? quiz at buddytv.com, I am “tough-Welsh-chick-with-a-heart-of-gold” Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles). Of course, it would have been nice to have been Captain Jack Harkness, but I’m not nearly that self-confident.

Here is the breakdown:

You may be extremely ambitious and feisty, but your compassion and ability to relate to people helps keep you grounded. However, your empathetic nature and your desire to believe in the goodness of others can sometimes hinder you when you’re put into dangerous situations. Romance isn’t hard for you to find, but your affairs don’t always end well.

This is as accurate as any horoscope, I suppose. At least I’m not Owen Harper…

Which one are you?

Now that John Barrowman has confirmed that Torchwood will be returning for another run (see previous post), I thought I’d present my fantasy picks for a newly reassembled Torchwood team. Torchwood: Children of Earth [SPOILER ALERT] killed off Ianto Jones, leaving a skeleton crew of just Captain Jack and Gwen Cooper. Their former headquarters were blown up, and the encounter with the 456 left a bad taste in Captain Jack’s mouth, prompting him to go on an intergalatic walkabout.

I’ve got some ideas about which characters in the Whoniverse ought to be called up for duty in rebuilding Torchwood. In no particular order, here they are:

1. Mickey Smith (Noel Clarke). The last time we saw Mickey — the long-suffering, sometimes boyfriend of Rose Tyler — he was leaving the TARDIS, opting to return to his native universe after having spent time in the alternate one containing Rose and his grandma. His experiences have matured him from a goofy slacker to a sharp warrior. As he walks away, Captain Jack runs after him, saying he needs to talk. Perfect segueway to bringing Mickey on board.

The only hitch I can anticipate is that actor/director Noel Clarke is very busy with his own successful projects, including the upcoming 4.3.2.1.

2. Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman). The Doctor’s former traveling companion was walking off with Mickey when Captain Jack ran after them. He wanted to talk to them both. This one seems an easy pick: Martha is already adored by Captain Jack, is a physician, has worked with Torchwood before, and has single-handedly saved the world. No-brainer.

3. Lois Habiba (Cush Jumbo) The sweet, conscientious and courageous junior assistant to the Eichmann-like bureaucrat John Frobisher is a stand-out fan favorite. Appearing in all five episodes of Torchwood: Children of Earth, she proved her mettle with her brave civil disobedience, helping to bring down the wicked 456 collaborators in the government.

4. PC Andy Davidson (Tom Price). PC Andy was Gwen Cooper’s partner back when she was a police officer, and he is always loyal to Gwen’s sense of justice — even when he is kept in the dark about Torchwood and its “spooky dos”. He traditionally appears as a bit of comic relief, but he is extraordinarily noble and tough when he needs to be.

5. Rhys Williams (Kai Owen). Gwen’s lovable husband is already a de facto member of the team, having helped them out of several scrapes. Perhaps Captain Jack should make it official and put him on the payroll.

6. Captain John Hart (James Marsters). My long-shot pick. Captain Jack’s former colleague at the Time Agency — and former boyfriend — is a bit of a crazy mercenary; it might not be wise to give him the keys to the store. He has certainly caused a lot of trouble, but he was hoodwinked into behaving badly the last time we saw him. He really does seem to love Captain Jack, though; maybe if he’s kept on a short leash? It would make for good TV, in any case.

What are your picks? Tell me in the comments.

Breaking news from Blogtor Who: Torchwood will return for another series, a full 13-episode season (not just a mini-series a la Children of Earth).

The news was given by John Barrowman on BBC’s Radio 2 in an interview with Stephen Wright. I have transcribed the relevant clip below (pardon any inaccuracies):

STEPHEN WRIGHT: “And what about Doctor Who? I know that you like the new Doctor Who, and of course there’s Captain Jack. Are you going to have further adventures in the new Doctor Who series; is there going to be any more Captain Jack?”

JOHN BARROWMAN: “Well, first off, the Doctor Who aspect I don’t know about Captain Jack’s future in Doctor Who, because nothing’s been said or I haven’t been asked. I’m kind of prepared that I won’t be in any of it, which is fine… but, Torchwood — we are discussing the future of Torchwood, because most definitely Torchwood will come back to the BBC, which is fantastic.”

STEPHEN WRIGHT: “But you’re not sure when.”

JOHN BARROWMAN: “We’re not sure when, ’cause we have to work out the logistics of the filming and it’s already said that it’ll be 13 episodes instead of 5.”

STEPHEN WRIGHT: “Okay, well, that’s great news!”

Great news indeed!