The New World (Torchwood)

32 – "The New World"
Torchwood episode
Cast
Starring John Barrowman – Captain Jack Harkness Eve Myles – Gwen Cooper Mekhi Phifer – Rex Matheson Alexa Havins – Esther Drummond Kai Owen – Rhys Williams Bill Pullman – Oswald Danes
Guest Arlene Tur – Vera Juarez Paul James – Noah Vickers Marina Benedict – Charlotte Willis Brian Guest – Mr Peterson Sharon Morgan – Mary Cooper William Thomas – Geraint Cooper Tom Price – Sergeant Davidson Penny Bunton – Female Hiker Ron Butler – Senior Professor Jim Castillo – Male Anchor #2 Rick Chambers – Senior Male Anchor Hymnson Chan – Male Nurse Van Epperson – Archivist Ellen Fox – TV Journalist Laura Gardner – Female Expert Lauri Hendler – Angry Nurse Carla Jeffery – Teenage Girl Clint Jung – Male Professor Charlene Lovings – Nurse Jessica Mathews – Female Anchor #3 Rocky McMurray – Senior Guard Laura Morgan – Flight Attendant Phil Nice – Male Hiker Bunnie Rivera – Rosita Robin Sachs – British Professor Heather Ann Smith – Joan Cabina Jackie Torres – Female Anchor #2 Mischelle Turner – Female Anchor David Grant Wright – Male Anchor
Production
Directed by	Bharat Nalluri
Written by	Russell T Davies
Produced by	Kelly A. Manners Skip Schoolnik (associate producer) Brian Minchin (UK unit)
Executive producer(s)	Russell T Davies Julie Gardner Jane Tranter Bharat Nalluri Vlad Wolynetz (co-executive)
Production code	4.1
Series	Miracle Day
Running time	50 mins
First broadcast	8 July 2011
Chronology
← Preceded by Children of Earth (serial) Followed by → "Rendition" (episode) The Devil and Miss Carew (radio play)

"The New World" is the first episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Torchwood, and was broadcast in the United States on Starz on 8 July 2011 and in Canada on Space on 9 July 2011. It will be broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 14 July 2011.

Plot

Synopsis

In Kentucky, convicted pedophile and murderer Oswald Danes (Bill Pullman) is due to be executed by a lethal concoction of drugs. However, the execution fails. At the start of "Miracle Day", a mysterious email is sent to members of the intelligence agencies in the US, bypassing the usual security protocols and containing only the word "Torchwood". CIA agent Rex Matheson (Mekhi Phifer) is fatally injured in a car crash whilst receiving information on Torchwood from Esther Drummond (Alexa Havins), and is taken to a Washington DC hospital. There he is treated by surgeon Vera Juarez (Arlene Tur), who informs Esther that Rex has survived, and also that no-one has died in the past 24 hours at any US hospital. This information leads to the discussion of the "miracle" on International news and social networking sites. It is revealed that individuals can still become sick and injured, but continue to live regardless. As Esther investigates the remaining files on Torchwood in the CIA archives, Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) appears in the US to deal with Esther, after erasing all online mentions of Torchwood. Jack gives Esther an amnesia pill, and she subsequently forgets about her encounter with Jack, though her memories of Torchwood itself are triggered by a file brought to her by CIA agent Noah Vickers.

Oswald meets a representative of the Governor of Kentucky who has come to apologize for any pain Oswald suffered during his failed execution. But Oswald demands that he should be released since he technically already served his sentence or else he will sue the State for breaching his Eighth and Fifth Amendments rights for unlawful imprisonment and unnecessary pain. Realizing the lawsuit would cost millions for the State, the Governor reluctantly release Oswald due to Force majeure much to public anger. In Wales former Torchwood operative and young mother Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) is called out of exile by her old collegaue Andy Davidson (Tom Price), who informs her that her father Geraint (William Thomas) has had two heart attacks, but not died. Gwen is persuaded not to investigate the strange events any further by her husband Rhys (Kai Owen). However, CIA agent Rex Matheson links Torchwood with the worldwide miracle and with Esther's help tracks Gwen down using the phonecall data from Davidson's phone. Upon arriving at Gwen's seaside house, a helicopter arrives with the intention of killing Gwen. Gwen fights off the helicopter, and escapes with the help of Jack who has arrived to watch out for her. The remaining members of Torchwood escape to Roald Dahl Plass, the site of the original Torchwood Institute, where Jack reveals that he hasn't healed from an injury sustained at the CIA archives, and therefore is assumed to be mortal, just as the entire populace is now Immortal. Gwen discusses what actions they should take, but is interrupted by the arrival of the South Wales Police force and Rex's announcement that he is renditioning Torchwood to the United states.

Continuity

Jack flashes a fake badge to gain access to the bomber's autopsy. He claims to be an FBI agent named Owen Harper, a reference to his former Torchwood colleague.

The CIA agents make several mentions of 456 level security, a reference to the aliens (the 456) that are encountered in Torchwood: Children of Earth.

Reception and Broadcast

The episode recieved positive reviews. Crave Online said it's good to see John Barrowman easily step back into his iconic character,they gave the episode 8 out of 10. When premiered on SPACE in Canada, the episode drew in nearly a million viewers with an average of 432,000, the highest the channel has ever had for a show. Overall, the first episode of "Miracle Day" was entertaining and intriguing enough to justify Torchwood's new lease on life.

External links

• The New World on Tardis Wiki, the Doctor Who Wiki