Eve Myles is the revelation of TORCHWOOD so far. Though it was billed as being built around the Captain Jack Harkness character, it has (to date anyway) been all about her character Gwen and she has risen brilliantly to the challenge. Here, she gets some hefty acting moments when she is exposed to the ghost machine, firstly when she relives happy moments with her boyfriend in her flat (sometimes the small moments are the important ones even in flashy sci-fi shows)and then again when she is shown the future and it's one that has her holding a knife and covered in blood. How that future unspools is then the crux of this episode. TORCHWOOD here, more than any of the previous episodes, stakes its claim to being different from its parent programme (DR WHO if you didn't know). In one episode we deal with theft, blackmail, rape and murder (both past and future). There aren't a whole lot of likable characters, including Torchwood team members. Gareth Thomas (once galactic rebel in Blake's 7) makes an appearance as a housebound agoraphobic. The subject matter is very dark, but is beautifully handled in a skilfully built storyline that promises great things to come.
5 Reviews
A quality early episode.
Sleepin_Dragon4 August 2021
The team chase after Sean Harris, and capture an alien device from him, the device takes Gwen to another time.
Of the first three episodes, I would suggest this is the best of the three, some real imagination is showed with the plot, amazing ideas including the alien device, and some terrific character play, including Gwen and Eve at it over dishwasher tablets. Nobody at all feels like they're still settling in, it was all somehow instant.
I liked all that talk of ghosts, that there's always someone behind you, that thought makes you stop and think.
It is very nicely filmed and produced, the accompanying music is very effective, it's just great science fiction with a twist, Russell T Davies just knew what he was doing, oh for those days when he was Doctor Who's showrunner.
Terrific acting, two sci fi greats on show here, we have Cave of Androzani's John Normington, as well as Blake himself, Gareth Thomas.
Thoroughly enjoyed this, the terrific writing is plain to see, 8/10.
Of the first three episodes, I would suggest this is the best of the three, some real imagination is showed with the plot, amazing ideas including the alien device, and some terrific character play, including Gwen and Eve at it over dishwasher tablets. Nobody at all feels like they're still settling in, it was all somehow instant.
I liked all that talk of ghosts, that there's always someone behind you, that thought makes you stop and think.
It is very nicely filmed and produced, the accompanying music is very effective, it's just great science fiction with a twist, Russell T Davies just knew what he was doing, oh for those days when he was Doctor Who's showrunner.
Terrific acting, two sci fi greats on show here, we have Cave of Androzani's John Normington, as well as Blake himself, Gareth Thomas.
Thoroughly enjoyed this, the terrific writing is plain to see, 8/10.
A very solid episode
thomasgouldsbrough16 March 2022
Ghost Machine is probably the best episode of Torchwood so far. So far, Torchwood has struggled to find its identity, as an R rated Doctor Who spinoff. It seems to be R rated, for the sake of being R rated, without any actual purpose. This rectifies this completely, and tells a really strong story filled of twists and turns, that is sure to evoke emotion within the viewer.
Cold, Dark and Yesterday
cchase10 August 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Some disgruntled DR. WHO fans have been known to downgrade this show for having moments that are "too silly", but the lighter, comedic touches are definitely welcome when things get way too "angst-y", and Episode Three definitely underscores why.
In hot pursuit of a hooded figure in unlawful possession of an alien device, Gwen fails to catch him, but does get hold of the machine - much to her regret and soon Owen's as well. The machine tracks and amplifies energy from the past, present or the future...showing the user events that can range from blissful (Gwen's happier moments with Rhys) to mournful (Gwen sees a pivotal event in the life of a local Cardiff man, from his childhood) to downright murderous (Owen witnesses a rape and killing from the 1960's!)
As in the best of classic science fiction, the "ghost machine" is actually nothing more than a MacGuffin to open up an opportunity to explore the darker side of human nature. The writing team of this show excels in this area, and they also manage to provide some real tour-de-force acting moments for Eve Myles and Burn Gorman. But no worries there - everyone in the cast will definitely get their turn in future episodes, whether for a few moments or for the entire hour.
In hot pursuit of a hooded figure in unlawful possession of an alien device, Gwen fails to catch him, but does get hold of the machine - much to her regret and soon Owen's as well. The machine tracks and amplifies energy from the past, present or the future...showing the user events that can range from blissful (Gwen's happier moments with Rhys) to mournful (Gwen sees a pivotal event in the life of a local Cardiff man, from his childhood) to downright murderous (Owen witnesses a rape and killing from the 1960's!)
As in the best of classic science fiction, the "ghost machine" is actually nothing more than a MacGuffin to open up an opportunity to explore the darker side of human nature. The writing team of this show excels in this area, and they also manage to provide some real tour-de-force acting moments for Eve Myles and Burn Gorman. But no worries there - everyone in the cast will definitely get their turn in future episodes, whether for a few moments or for the entire hour.
Ghost Machine-Nice and emotional story in early season one
ScourgeOfImdb15 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This episode is a bit more of a different beast. Dealing with a more sensitive topic this time, it gets a bit more gritty. The story this time revolves around a device that shows people past events with the person forced to do nothing but watch. Owen stumbles across said device and is transported back to a rape under a bridge in the 1960s. Shocked, he goes to look up the case and finds that the man was never charged. He goes to hunt down the man and there is some great acting on show here from both characters in the scene. Burn Gorman really lets his acting skills shine in this episode and has some brilliant scenes here. Overall, a good episode with some great performances
8.3/10.
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