Torchwood Episode 4x02 Review

Episode Title: Rendition
Overall Season Rating: A
Episode Rating: A

This week brought us yet another excellent episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day. I think what I love about this show so much is they seem to mix creepy and fun so well. Fringe and The X-Files always were great at that, and I love both of those shows to death. This week we also find out that maybe this isn't exactly a miracle after all. All the problems they mention seem to just be the tip of the iceberg, and while there are some positive global effects, we get the idea that those will be short lasting.

We also meet three new members of the cast. First, Lauren Ambrose from Six Feet Under, plays a PR representative named Jilly Kitzinger who's going through the cast like wildfire trying to pick up clients. The second is Dichen Lachman from Dollhouse. She plays Lyn, who also is a CIA agent. I will save commentary on her for the spoiler section, but know that she still scares me from her days on Dollhouse. Finally, the third is Wayne Knight(Newman on Seinfeld). He plays(I think) CIA Director Brian Friedkin. If he's not the CIA Director, then he's someone else of mass power. This brings me to an interesting coincidence in Torchwood. The number of people showing up, or who will show up in the cast who I have loved in other shows is quite a lot:

John Barrowman(Doctor Who, and Torchwood of course)
Wayne Knight(Seinfeld)
Lauren Ambrose(Six Feet Under)
Dichen Lachman(Dollhouse)
Nana Visitor(Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
John de Lancie(Star Trek: TNG. Breaking Bad)
Bill Pullman(not from a show, but he was Lone Star!)

Two of those have not appeared yet, so I'm sorry if that was a spoiler. But I don't see how a cast member is a spoiler. I have no idea in what capacity they will appear after all. Anyway, on to the spoilers!

The episode starts with Gwen and Jack boarding the plane for the US. Gwen is separated from her husband in a scene that I think was a little too intense. I think they over reacted a little bit. Gwen is awesome enough to know that the Americans will realize they need Torchwood and when that happens her husband and child can join them. Great acting, but a little over the top I think. We then get a cool scene from CIA. One of the analysts mentions that she predicted India would declare war on Pakistan due to upheaval in the Hindu faith and turned out to be totally wrong. In fact India wants peace with Pakistan because there's only one life now. I love all the effects they are noticing because of the "miracle". It really forces us to ask, what would happen if no one could die? More war? Less war? Would people even attempt murder anymore? Love it!!

Then we meet NEWMAN! Actually his name is Brian Friedkin, but he's played by Wayne Knight so he'll always be Newman to me. Esther goes to him to report on Rex and Torchwood, and she seems like she'd like to be a more active member of his team. We also get the feeling there are certainly some feelings between the two agents. Back on the plane, Rex is grilling Jack and doesn't seem to believe his story. Jack has a great line. "The whole world can't die, and I'm the one being ridiculous." I love Jack. He then explains that this could be caused by Morphic Fields. He gives an example of apes on one side of the planet learning to use rocks as knives at the exact same time as apes 10,000 miles away. It's because they are connected through this morphic field. He believes since everyone everywhere stopped dying at the same time, they should look into this more. Lyn then messages Friedkin about the morphic fields. This is very similar to Quantum Entanglement. Fans of Fringe should know what that is by now.

We then see rapist and murderer Oswald Danes. He's going on a news show, and we learn that he's under police escort. I expected that would happen, at least for a while. Later on the show Oswald breaks down crying and saying he's "sorry" for what he did. It did seem genuine, and I think the show was suggesting that is was very sincere. He said he had not said it earlier because he was afraid. I imagine if he was in pain about it, he probably felt dying would finally rid him of his demons. Now he has to live with them, and with what he did forever. I am starting to feel bad for him too. Oswald is approached by a PR representative named Jilly Kitzinger who tells him she can help him. He says he's doesn't want or need her help, and he appears correct as of now since Oprah wants him on her show.

Doctor Juarez has an interesting episode. As they bring people into the hospital she realizes that they need to flip triage. Treat the least wounded people first, and get them out, then move on to the most injured.  She later also realizes that they need all new drugs. Since bodies can't die, infections won't either. Every germ will become drug resistant. Finally she says we need to mass produce pain medication. She's on top of everything. Kitzinger approaches her too after a meeting. The doctors also find out that while we are not dying, we are still aging, just like Jack was.

Speaking of Jack. Friedkin orders Lyn to "Remove" Jack and she poisons him. Turns out it was arsenic, and Gwen scrambles with the help of everyone on board and Dr. Juarez to create an antidote using things on the plane. This was a great sequence. Her yelling and ordering everyone around to create an antidote Mcgyver style. Of course it works, and Lyn is knocked out cold by Gwen. "I'm Welsh *BAM*", once again LOVE IT!

Meanwhile, Friedkin seems to have ordered that both Esther and Rex be taken care of. They both receive a bribe, and are deleted from duty. Esther warns Rex at the last moment, and they escape the CIA. Rex does break Lyn's neck leading to yet another wonderfully creepy Torchwood moment. Lyn approching the car backwards with a broken neck was truly creepy. Gwen however is not phased and she simply tells Esther, "Welcome to Torchwood"

As I said, another great episode. I also love that Esther is getting a piece of the action. I mentioned last week that I hope she's more than just a voice on a phone. This week, she evading the CIA, and driving getaway cars. She ROCKS.