2.08: A Day in the Death

[Dave]

A victim of his newfound circumstances, Owen Harper believes he needs absolution. Will the lonely girl on the rooftop help him, or will it be a mission to the retrieve an alien device that is proving more lethal by the second? And how far will Toshiko go to help him?

I my opinion the weakest episode this season, and not very well thought out. The idea of Owen being undead really interested me if they were going to do it from a science fiction angle, rather than a fantasy one, but it was very badly handled.

Just look at the practicalities: We were told last week that the energy within Owen that was there when Death was attempting to take over had completely gone. If so, what is animating him now? He can't eat, he can't sleep, his body will never repair itself, and yet his muscles work. He can't breath and yet he can still speak!

I had no interest in the 'lonely girl on the rooftop' at all, and I've no idea how Tosh can change her loves and emotions on and off on a weekly basis.

 

[Mad Tam McC]

As Dave said, I was sitting throught this episode, thinking, if he can't breath (and Owen proves the point at one point) how can he speak?

I do wish people who write Sci-fi on telly would think things through.

It seems to be that muscles that Owen has conscious control over still work, while those (we don't - e.g. heart and digestive system don't).

 

[Pyan]

Boring first three-quarters, and then a waste of Richard Briars in an uninspired guest appearance. As Dave says, the weakest of this series by far, and a big disappointment.

Mind you, I watched 2.09 - "Something Borrowed" straight after it on BBC3, and all I can say is....just you wait!!

 

[Lenny]

I didn't think it was that bad an episode. The singing... thing was a bit corny, but it was interesting to see things from the dead guys perspective.

I quite liked his underwater scene. I don't know why, but I did.

Oh, and is it bad of me for wanting them both to jump?

I missed the new one last night (plum forgot, I did... probably because I watched this one last week).

 

[Esioul]

I actually think Torchwood is improivng this season- I never though Owen had much of a personality- or of an itnerestingf one, at any rate, before. Him being a zombie is an imporvement.

 

[Dave]

Owen... being a zombie is an improvement.

He has found a sense of humour that he never had when he was alive, that is for sure.

 

[Dr.Jackson]

Despite being a good premise, as most people have spotted, there are problems which the writers haven't thought through - how are they going to dig themselves out of this one.
Over time, Owen will degenerate since he won't heal. He can't get into much physical action because of this; who would want their hand to fall off in a fight? Maybe, like a zombie, he can only be 'killed' by destroying the brain. If that is the case, as his body gets broken over time, will he end up being a brain in a jar? This mystical energy which animated him has now gone, so somehow the writers need to explain what is keeping him undead.

Richard Briers appearance was a bit short, although I picked up that he was playing the character a bit like an older version of Owen, or maybe it was my imagination, but they seemed to have the same kind of attitude and way of expressing things (and fancying Tosh a bit!).