Children of Earth: Day One

I hadn't seen this is quite a while ,began watching again and felt like leaving a quick review.This is one serious,intense bit of drama! no silly scifi nonsense here...I love the world wide scenario, it affects the planet..the mysterious and horrible truth of what the aliens really want...good stuff here! lots of depth and content thats missing from the usual "aliens are coming to take over the world" shooter up type movies ,that have no elaboration on the alien agenda at all other than they acme and want to fight...silly.....this is a deep and thought provoking experience that will keep you on the edge of ur seat...its heavy, dark , intense, horrifying all in a good way that makes for for a great movie !

Gwen witnesses children behaving strangely, standing impassive, seemingly frozen in place. It lasts only moments, but inevitably happens again - only this time it's more extreme. Every child on the planet is affected, and every child says in unison: "We are coming."

By this point, Torchwood had gone mainstream. With a large fanfare, it moved to BBC One, gained a bigger budget, recruited a great cast, and delivered five chilling episodes to remember.

December 2025 sees the news dominated by another spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea, touted as somehow linked to Torchwood or as recapturing its vibe - yet they are polar opposites.

Episode one is chilling, unsettling, fast-paced, and genuinely brilliant. I had genuinely forgotten just how good it was - arguably a step up from series one and two.

Why is it so much more uncomfortable when kids are the focus of danger? The moment when all the children mindlessly chant "We are coming" is genuinely impressive.

There's so much going on, so many plot threads, yet it remains cohesive and logical, flowing perfectly. We learn a lot about Jack, get some insight into Gwen, and Ianto's extended family is a nice touch.

Proof that when Russell T Davies wants to entertain, he knows exactly what to do. Russell, please rewatch this show - a reminder of what entertainment really is. No preaching necessary.

8.5/10.

Having grown up with Nigel Kneale's truly haunting "Quatermass" with Sir John Mills, this latest "Torchwood" series brought back many childhood memories as there are shades of the final '70s series in this production. With a most mysterious alien force at work and the earth in true peril, season three of the series has a true emotional resonance with the viewer.

This is a new, revised "Torchwood", aimed at a more mainstream audience but now equipped with a bigger budget and a prime time slot on BBC1. As a result, the series pulls no punches and delivers a more satisfactory experience than many of the recent "Doctor Who" tales.

The pace of this season is perfect and the production team acknowledge the age old adage that what you don't see is far more frightening than what is revealed. With excellent production values, "Children of Earth" is a true treat for dedicated "Torchwood" fans and the more casual viewer who is new to the adventures of Captain Jack and company.

As a piece of sci-fi, 'Torchwood' is pitched at a slightly more adult audience than 'Doctor Who' although there have been crossovers of character and plot between the two.

'Children of Earth' is a new departure for the series - a five-part story developing on BBC1, the UK channel with the biggest ratings. Therefore the production values have gone up a notch and the plot feels tighter than in some of the earlier editions.

The plot is, on the face of it, simple. At 8.45 GMT, every child in the world stopped whatever they were doing, sat or stood still, and there was a deathly quiet - later, the same stopping happens again with the children chanting in unison 'we are coming'. But who is coming, why are the Home Office so interested, and who is the solitary man also affected by the same force that is affecting the children? Captain Jack and his team at Torchwood intend to find out. The plot opener deals with past secrets, family backgrounds, and - the weakest aspect of the episode IMO - the developing relationship between Jack and Ianto. There's also a weird angle involving the NHS, and some revelations which weren't flagged up in previous series.

In look and feel this new episode of Torchwood feels like a film (although seeing it on a big screen in high definition probably helps reinforce that impression) rather than a run of the mill TV production. Clearly made with bigger things in mind than prime time TV, it remains to be seen whether the story will develop and grip in the same way that this opener will to Torchwood fanatics and general followers of sci-fi alike.