TORCHWOOD:CHILDREN OF EARTH- I came into this mini-series having only seen one other episode of TORCHWOOD, the season #2 finale preceeding this series.
And that episode by itself was pretty darn bleak and impressive. But CHILDREN OF THE EARTH ratchets it up several notches, with the stakes being nothing less than the world itself.
I found it powerful, and wrenching television, with strong performances throughout. It’s the kind of emotional wringer that BABYLON 5 and FARSCAPE were very good at pulling off, primarily due to the tortured and terrific performance of their actors. And while CHILDREN OF EARTH perhaps lacks any single stand-out actor, all the actors turn in strong performances, and CHILDREN boasts a script, that while science fiction, is more grounded in the issues facing us today.
That and the sustained storyline aspect, creates a cumulative effect that makes for one of the finer hours of television I’ve seen in a while.
It’s not without missteps, what show is, but the few it takes are minor and lost in the numerous strengths of the mini-series.
So all in all easily the best BBC TV production I’ve seen.
If this series doesn’t touch your heart in places, it’s quite possible you’re in need of a new one.
Recommended. A-.
