Why You Need to be Listening to Torchwood: The Story Continues

 Big Finish are currently offering a number of stories free from their back catalogue to enjoy. So, over the next few weeks, I'll give you a review of the individual episode in question, as well as some reasons why you should be listening to the range or series the story hails from in full. We continue the series with - Torchwood: The Story Continues...

The CD cover for "Changes Everything", the first episode of "Aliens Among Us 1", designed by Lee Binding.

Ever since Torchwood ended in 2011, fans have been clamouring for a continuation in some form: even if it wasn't on TV. Series star John Barrowman was campaigning for Torchwood to return for a fifth series, entering into discussions with a number of television companies about a revival. Big Finish revived Torchwood in 2015, around the same time as gaining the licence for New Series Doctor Who, but any stories that were set after "Miracle Day" were most standalone adventures, with only a few loose connections. In August 2017, however, all that changed when Big Finish began an official fifth series of Torchwood, licenced by the BBC, starring John Barrowman as Captain Jack and Eve Myles as Gwen Cooper, and with the blessing and even input of series creator Russell T Davies. Introducing a whole raft of new characters, as well as beginning a brand new arc subtitled "Aliens Among Us", these ongoing adventures have continued into a sixth season (titled "God Among Us"), and have become some of the most phenomenally popular Torchwood audios. Unlike the Monthly Range, this has a greater degree of flexibility when it comes to the fate of certain characters, and takes much more risks with story content and characterisation to create something very unique and exciting.

The box-set cover for "Aliens Among Us 1",
designed by Lee Binding.

"Changes Everything" is the first episode of Series 5 of Torchwood, and designed to establish the new status quo and the new team. Just like like "Everything Changes" did with Gwen in Series 1, "Changes Everything" focuses on the character of Tyler Steele, and his encounters with Torchwood in the course of investigating a series of terrorist attacks on immigrants in Cardiff. And, just like "Everything Changes", you are immediately dropped into the action, with no real clue what's going, and, together with Tyler, you are forced to explore this world and try to piece together what's going on. While you might think this runs the risk of re-treading a lot of the same ground as "Everything Changes", don't worry - because this absolutely doesn't just copy and paste that episode. This stands on its own two feet, and it is mostly thanks to the character of Tyler Steele, who is the  complete antithesis of Gwen in that first episode.  Both Gwen and Tyler are designed as the every-man in these episodes: someone the audience can relate to and understand. However, while Gwen is a broadly sympathetic character, Tyler Steele is anything but. He's much more sordid, and much more interested in himself and what he wants. There a moment, towards the end of the episode, where the contrast between himself and Gwen is so clearly marked out and defined, and defines the intent of this new version of Torchwood. This version is much more grimier, much more rough-and-ready than the Torchwood of the first two series, or even "Children of Earth" and "Miracle Day". The Torchwood Hub is still in the blown-up state it was in after "Children of Earth", the new Torchwood-Mobile (and that's what I'm calling it, because it is hilariously silly) is a Smart Car, and Gwen and Colchester barely have the internet, let alone the tools for controlling the Rift. Its this re-tooling of Torchwood that makes the new version so appealing: if everything was to have stayed the same, there would have been no point in doing it.  This new version feels fresh and exciting, and sees Big Finish really ripping up the rule-book, even at this point into the series. The social commentary in this episode also feels totally right, and well-balanced, considering the subject matter. This could easily spill into a very polemic piece, but writer James Goss never lets it become about anything other than the exciting sci-fi plot, which is to be much admired. Honestly, it's hard to fault "Changes Everything" because, as an opening episode, there is little finer. The plot is gripping, the characters are interesting, it has all the Welsh wit and Gay energy you expect from really good Torchwood, and the arc set-up creates a genuine sense of excitement about where it might go next... If you aren't convinced by "Changes Everything", then there's no convincing you, because this is exactly the first episode of the fifth series that we needed. 

And, if you enjoyed "Changes Everything", then here is a list of 3 reasons why you need to be listening to the rest of Torchwood - The Story Continues:

The CD cover for "Aliens & Sex & Chips &
Gravy", the second episode of "Aliens Among Us
1", designed by Lee Binding.

1. A New Beginning:                                                Unlike some of the other Torchwood audios from Big Finish (which do require a certain degree of familiarity with the eras that they are set it), "Aliens Among Us" functions as a perfect jumping on point for new listeners. There are some references to the previous post-"Miracle Day" episodes like "More Than This" and "Visiting Hours", but, for the most part, these stories stand on their own. That way, anyone can get into this series of Torchwood: not just fans of the show on the TV who haven't made the leap to audio, but even people who have never seen the show before. That's where this series excels: it doesn't rely on everything that's gone before. You don't need to know about Tosh, Ianto or Owen. You don't need to remember in great detail the events of "Miracle Day". You can just dive straight into this series, and enjoy it on its own terms. There's no prerequisite block on new fans coming on board, and that fresh approach also means that, for die-hard Torchwood fans, this doesn't just feel like its treading old ground. Can you imagine the temptation just to find a way to bring back Ianto, Owen and Tosh, and do a load of stuff in the style of the first two series? It would have been there, but Big Finish took the brave step of bringing in new characters (and even writing Gwen and Rhys out for series 6, when Eve Myles's schedule no longer permitted her involvement in the series), in order to push Torchwood forward, and prevent it from becoming stale and predictable. I think the biggest disappointment for fans would have been had it been the same as before, and, while some won't like the approach, many will absolutely adore it.

The box-set cover for "Aliens Among Us 3",
designed by Lee Binding.

2. The Social Commentary:                                          The very best Torchwood episodes have always had strong messaging, or political leanings, embedded in them. And series 5 and 6 are no different. Very much taking their cue from stories like "Adrift" and "Children of Earth", these stories are packed with social commentary and, sometimes cutting, examinations about the darker side of our world and how, sometimes, the greatest monsters of them all are, in fact, the human race. A lot of the arc storytelling of this series is driven directly by the commentary, and the two dovetail in and out of each other. The arc of aliens even coming to Earth, fleeing from some unknown force, is inspired by the refugee crisis that was big in the news back in 2016-17 (and is still present today, despite its lack of focus in the news), and individual episodes deal with things like racist attacks, slum tourism, the housing crisis, zero-hours contracts and online trolls. All of these provide a unique, Torchwood spin on the topics, but they remain committed and focused to presenting the issues they are looking at as believably as possible. And, like all the best Torchwood stories, it doesn't just focus on these elements as relentlessly grim issues, but also looks at the lighter side of them too (if you can say they have a 'lighter' side). There's plenty of fun (Gwen and Rhys go to an escape room, for God's sake!) in these stories, but the serious nature of these issues is never forgotten, and their exploration is what makes some of these stories so compelling.

The CD for "A Kill to a View", the second episode
of "Aliens Among Us 2", designed by Lee Binding.

3. The Twists:                                                                     One of the things I have loved about Torchwood Series 5 and 6 are all the twists and turns producer James Goss has peppered throughout the series. Seriously, some of them are utterly amazing, and will take you completely by surprise if you get the chance to go into them completely blind. This twists don't feel like they come out of nowhere, mind, but do arise naturally from the ongoing story. When I first listened to "Aliens Among Us", I was honestly on the edge of my seat, because I genuinely didn't know where the series was going next. Each twist opens up the series completely, and its impossible to guess where it's going to go next. Each one will challenge all your judgments and expectations, and it makes for one of the most fun, thrilling and exciting experiences you will have with Torchwood. While some only affect individual episodes, others cast much longer shadows, including into series 6 "God Among Us", and even backwards in time to some of the other stories Big Finish are telling with these characters, like the solo Bilis Manger audios, or the ongoing Andy/Norton Folgate story-line, and show just how interconnected the Torchwood universe is that Big Finish have created. But don't worry: these are little more than tidbits and call-backs for fans. What's important here is giving TV and new Torchwood fans a great time, and, in terms of twists, this series really delivers.

The box-set cover for "Aliens Among Us 2", designed by Lee Binding.

Torchwood: The Story Continues is one of Big Finish's most exciting and radical ranges. Given unlimited reign over the ongoing story of a Doctor Who property in a way I don't think Big Finish have had since the Eighth Doctor's adventures in the early 00's, these stories are able to go anywhere they want, do anything they want and tell any story they want. With the blessing and input of Russell T Davies especially, these stories have a certain legitimacy that many other projects will never have, and the new characters are wonderful and add to the many notable past Torchwood regulars without trying to replace them. You are missing out if you don't listen to Torchwood: The Story Continues - not just because it's the official fifth and sixth series of Torchwood, but because these stories are some of the best that Torchwood will ever offer.

Until the 24th of August 2020, you can get "Changes Everything", the first episode of "Aliens Among Us 1", from Big Finish completely free. You can find it here:                                                                       https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/torchwood-aliens-among-us-changes-everything-2333

You can also save up to 33% on "Aliens Among Us" Volumes 1-3 until the 24th of August 2020 too. You can find a full list of the titles here:                                                                                                               https://www.bigfinish.com/collections/v/weekly-deals

Happy listening!

All pictures copyright to the BBC/Big Finish Productions. Thank you very much for reading.