In 2006, the Torchwood series had the onerous task of being the first spin-off from the legendary Doctor Who series post 2005. The main series had two seasons to introduce characters and concepts that would serve as an introduction to this spin-off, which would also be the first BBC series spin off to have an entire first season. With its desire to be more adult, does Torchwood manage to live up to its big sister?

First of all, the series opens with a shot that really struck me: a corpse bathed in blood. It's a shot that may seem fairly banal, but for a series in the whoniverse, it really sets the tone for what we're in for. The series doesn't start with dialogue or a funny montage about the life of a teenage girl, no, it starts with a victim who has lost her life. I think that sends a very strong message and is very stark when you go from Doctor Who to Torchwood.

This introductory scene is followed by some very interesting shots and dialogue. The most obvious is Jack's personality, which the viewer can understand from the first sentence the character utters. But that's not all: it also allows the series to take on a new dimension. It won't all be dark, it'll be fun too.

After the whole assassination sequence, we get to meet Gwen Cooper, the woman who will represent us this season. While her actions don't really stand out, it's still nice to see someone normal with a family. Normality and banality are so present that when the extraordinary happens, everything is rationalised. But I'm still puzzled that we don't explore Gwen more, even though the whole episode focuses on her and her obsession.

I don't have much to say about the other members. The episode doesn't manage to introduce everything at once, even if something that was really well thought out was showing their vices to show that they're deeply human and therefore fallible.

On the other hand, something really problematic about this episode is showing Owen behaving like a sexual predator without anything in the story showing him that what he's done is wrong and that he should suffer the consequences. Having already seen the whole series, I can understand why the writers wanted to make him a grey character, fluctuating between his role as protagonist and antagonist, but you can't let someone drug a victim to abuse her and pretend it's normal. I feel that if such an element is introduced into a story, it should be resolved in that story, or at least show that his behaviour will be dealt with in subsequent episodes. But here, nothing.

Script-wise, it's pretty good, even if I find it falls into the trap of exposition. Two scenes explain what Torchwood is, and both times it's just dialogue. Why not turn the plot so that Gwen discovers Torchwood through their actions? She would have been much more active and we would have had a much stronger episode. But hey, it's an introductory episode, we're introduced to elements and there are still a few scenes where we discover Torchwood through action, like when they drug a character to make him forget the last few hours, so it's not a huge problem, but they could've gone further.

I liked the character of Suzie, even if I found the plot twist centred on her a bit out of nowhere. There are no clues to help the viewer understand what's going to happen to this character. But I was very touched to discover this character who is so sad about everything and who has fallen into addiction. It's a mature subject that totally works with the idea of the series.

So, does this first episode manage to live up to Doctor Who? Well, I'm torn. On the one hand, the show manages to reinvent the universe, but on the other it makes a lot of missteps and gets a bit lost in the way it introduces things. I think the big problem with this episode is that it took 50 minutes to introduce Torchwood. I think a double episode would have been more relevant to allow us to dwell on more things.

It was alright. Not the best story ever, but a pretty good introduction to Torchwood as a group and as a series. I like the fact that everyone is so unlikeable right from the start lol

While Torchwood is a blind spot for me, I can comment on the first Series (maybe in the future the rest of the televised Shows, despite being very much not interested in its EU Material).

It’s been a while since I watched this Episode, only really rewatched it like possibly once? But… I thought the Episode was pretty solid. Love Gwen and the Episode does its Job very well, introducing you to the wider World of Torchwood.

Funnily enough, I would compare it to Rose, while I enjoy that one (Rose) a bit more slightly, this one is also just a great introduction as was Rose. As stories on their own? Pretty solid. But that’s all, just solid.

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time! 

"Everything Changes: Torchwood Steps Out of the Shadows"

The success of Doctor Who’s 2005 revival inspired Russell T Davies and the BBC to launch its first spinoff, Torchwood. Introduced during Series 2 of Doctor Who, the spinoff follows Torchwood 3, a small Cardiff-based team led by Captain Jack Harkness. Their mission: to investigate alien activity, collect remnants of invasions, and protect the city in the Doctor's absence.

The opening episode, Everything Changes, effectively establishes the show’s darker, more mature tone while firmly grounding it in the Doctor Who universe. It also introduces the cast of characters, from Gwen Cooper, a sharp and determined police officer who stumbles upon Torchwood, to her boyfriend Rhys, and the rest of the team—Captain Jack, tech-savvy Toshiko, cynical Owen, secretive Ianto, and the enigmatic Suzie.

Davies crafts a compelling mystery that balances intrigue and action, giving a taste of the show’s character-driven storytelling. Through Gwen’s eyes, we gradually learn about Torchwood’s purpose and its flawed, very human members. These moments lay the foundation for long-term storylines and emotional arcs.

Eve Myles shines as Gwen, the perfect audience surrogate. Her quick wit, courage, and compassion make her an easy character to root for. John Barrowman’s Captain Jack is equally magnetic, blending charisma and mystery, even for viewers unfamiliar with his Doctor Who appearances.

The supporting cast also impresses. Burn Gorman’s Owen stands out with his sarcastic humor and cynicism, though his use of a “love potion gas” to get laid in one scene feels ethically dubious. Naoko Mori’s Toshiko is clever and resourceful, though her role here is more subdued.

The series’ mature tone is immediately evident, with bloodier action, tenser interactions, and darker themes than its parent show. The climax delivers a memorable twist, revealing Suzie as a weak link and unexpected villain, leaving the episode on a bleak, impactful note.

📝Verdict: 8/10

With Everything Changes, Torchwood carves out its own identity while staying firmly rooted in the Doctor Who world. It’s a thrilling start to a spinoff that promises plenty of intrigue, drama, and moral complexity.

A solid introduction to be fair! I like Gwen, and the series begins as it means to go on, apparently, with Jack able to taste oestrogen in the rain and commenting on how at least he can't get pregnant again. Wild ride for sure

I really like this episode. It's basically Rose for Torchwood in that we're introduced to the world through the life of an ordinary woman. The plot is relatively basic, but as with the earlier mentioned Rose that's all you need for this intro.

S1E1

Everything Changes

8/10

And here we have it - the beginning of Torchwood. The mystery of Torchwood is setup, we follow Gwen's journey, and everything moves at a good pace. On rewatch, it holds up. Really loved the opening in the rain with Gwen watching the Torchwood gang do their thing. There's not quite enough to link Susie to the murders for the audience to figure it out before it's shown to us, but nonetheless it's an interesting confrontation between her and Gwen. Overall, solid start to the series!

On the one hand, this is a pretty solid introduction to what would turn out to be a pretty middling series, but certainly Torchwood would also go on to have its moments and then of course its life in Big Finish so it is hardly all that bad, either.

Gwen really stands out in Everything Changes, and I also like the general climate and energy of the pilot. It feels full of the ambition that would both enable the series to tell its best stories, and would constantly lead to missteps, too. I do feel the story is in a bit of a weird place, since it has to service new viewers, Doctor Who fans, and establish its tone all in one episode. It largely succeeds, but does do weird things like put a lot of mystery up around Jack, even though many viewers are going to already know a lot about this character from Doctor Who.

Still, it does a good job at catching and holding your interest. Everything Changes is a pretty strong introduction to any series.

RTD does a marvelous job of introducing some iconic characters to accompany the fabulous Captain Jack. Seeing the world through Gwen's eyes and having the story slowly unfold in front of her has some very spooky, fairy-tale qualities. The whole concept of the Torchwood base and a Cardiff based alien prevention squad is genius. A perfect set up!