Children Of Earth

''Children of Earth'' is the banner title of the third and penultimate series of the British television science fiction programme ''Torchwood'', which broadcast for five episodes on BBC One from 6 to 10 July 2009. The series had new producer Peter Bennett and was directed by Euros Lyn, who had considerable experience on the revived '' Doctor Who'', ''Torchwood's'' parent show. ''Torchwood'' is a series about an organization known as Torchwood which defends the Earth against alien threats. The plot of ''Children of Earth'' deals with aliens demanding the Earth's children, and a related earlier conspiracy 40 years ago; as such, Torchwood is pitted against the British government when the government attempts to conceal its past actions and concede to the present-day aliens' demands. The first, third, and fifth episodes of the serial were written by executive producer Russell T Davies, who also conceived its overall storyline. The third episode was co-written by James Moran whilst the second and fourth were penned by newcomer John Fay.

''Torchwood'' was shown on the network's premiere channel, BBC One, every weeknight for one week in July 2009. Despite the move to BBC One, the show was cut from a standard thirteen-episode run to just five, something that lead actor John Barrowman felt was almost like a "punishment" from the BBC. Production on the mini-series (or serial) began in August 2008, and Barrowman along with actors Eve Myles, Gareth David-Lloyd (his final appearance in the show), and Kai Owen (now given co-star billing) all returned. The serial significantly features new actors to the series over the course of its five episodes, most prominently Peter Capaldi. Davies had to substantially rewrite parts of the serial to accommodate the unavailability of actors Freema Agyeman and Noel Clarke, whose presence in the serial had been set up in the 2008 ''Doctor Who'' finale.

When the series defied expectations by achieving good ratings (peaking at 6.76 million), Davies stated that a surprised BBC Controller rang to congratulate him. Mid-summer evenings are typically considered a graveyard slot for television series. The serial also received very positive reviews, particularly in comparison to the programme's previous two series, as well as a BAFTA Cymru Award, a Saturn Award and Celtic Media Festival Award, all for best serial. A number of fans were upset by the death of Ianto Jones in the fourth episode of the serial, with some campaigning and raising money for charity in an attempt to persuade the writers to bring back the character in future. The success of the series led to a fourth series, '' Torchwood: Miracle Day'', which was commissioned in conjunction with the US premium cable network Starz.

Plot

Over the course of two days, all the children in the world are paralyzed in place several times, and speak in unison, in English, and in temporal order based on the hour, a message revealed in stages, one word at a time: "We are coming back tomorrow." Home Office Permanent Secretary John Frobisher is aware these events are tied to an alien race known as the 456, named after the radio frequency they used to communicate the first time they came to Earth in 1965. At that time, in secret, the 456 had given the British government a cure to a new strain of Indonesian flu which was otherwise destined to wipe out 25 million people—in exchange for twelve children. Captain Jack Harkness had been one of four British agents who were chosen to give the children to the 456, and since public knowledge of the exchange would now be disastrous for the British government, Frobisher orders, through a black-ops department run by an Agent Johnson, the assassination of those four agents. To this end, Agent Johnson plants a bomb in Jack's abdomen, which detonates inside the Torchwood Hub in Cardiff, destroying it. Aware of Jack's regenerative abilities, Johnson's troops also collect Jack's remains from the blast rubble, and lock them in a secure facility, monitoring the regeneration of his body. Torchwood employees Ianto Jones, Gwen Cooper, and by extension, her husband Rhys, due to the possibility that they might share Jack's knowledge, are also put on Agent Johnson's "kill" list; thus, as Ianto and Gwen try to flee the base after the bombing, they consequently need to avoid snipers and other assassins.

In the meantime, Frobisher also orders the construction of what will turn out to be an "isolation tank" inside Thames House, decreed by information transmitted to them by the 456 when the children first began to speak of their arrival.

The remaining Torchwood team make contact with Lois Habiba, a new personal assistant in Frobisher's office who has covertly accessed computer information on Torchwood and the assassinations. Lois helps the others to locate and rescue Jack; they, in turn, provide her with special Torchwood contact lenses that will allow them to see what she sees, hoping she will help them learn the cause of these events. Torchwood also identifies and rescues Clement MacDonald, one of the original twelve children sacrificed to the 456, but who successfully escaped then by running away. Clement went mad soon after escaping, and has been institutionalised for over 40 years since; nevertheless, he still remains susceptible to the same paralysis fugue that forces the children to mouth the messages of the new 456 signal. (In addition to going mad, MacDonald also gained a heightened ability to smell: he can use it to tell when people speak truth, and it also makes him smell the 456 for days before they arrive.)

On the third day, the ambassador for the 456 arrives in a column of fire over Thames House before appearing in the isolation tank. Frobisher and his staff, including Lois who still wears the Torchwood contact lenses, hold confidential meetings with the 456 to understand why they have returned. The 456 demand that 10% of the world's population of children be handed over to them, or else they will destroy the human race. They reveal one of the children from 1965, now a shrivelled husk despite having not aged. Children around the world begin to chant (still in English) a number equal to 10% of their country's child population. The governments of the world, although disgusted, secretly agree in conference that they have no choice but to comply with the 456.

Torchwood, with Lois's help, announce themselves and insist they intervene in the situation, threatening to reveal the 456's demands and the government's agreement, recorded through the contact lens, to the world. Jack and Ianto storm Thames House, confront the 456 and give them an ultimatum—that they leave the Earth or else they will face a war. In response, the 456 release a lethal virus. Thames House automatically locks down, sealing and killing everyone inside except Mr. Dekker, who successfully puts on a hazard suit in time and Jack, due to his immortality. At the same time, they send an auditory signal to Clement, killing him. As Ianto collapses and dies in Jack's arms, the 456 gives a final demand for the children before Jack also succumbs to the virus. When Jack revives, he and Gwen mourn over Ianto's lifeless body.

With Torchwood's failure, and Lois in prison for charges of espionage, the governments of the world agree they must deliver the children as promised. Prime Minister Brian Green, along with his Cabinet and one member from both the US military and UNIT, decide to cover up the United Kingdom's actions as a programme of inoculations given at schools to prevent the 456 speaking through the children again. After refusing a random lottery to select the children out of fear that their own children might be selected, they choose to use the schools at the bottom of the league tables to give to the 456. In discussions the 456 reveal they use the children's bodies to produce a chemical that they use as a recreational drug. Green orders Frobisher to submit his own children as part of those that have been selected, in order to keep up the pretence of random selection to the rest of the country. Frobisher agrees, returns home and kills his two daughters to spare them this fate, then he kills his wife and himself. When some parents keep their children home from school, Green orders military measures to secure the remaining children. While Gwen and Rhys help to protect Ianto's niece and several other local children from capture, Jack, Johnson and Dekker consider a means of stopping the 456. They realise that the audio signal used to kill Clement could be used against the 456. However, it requires that one child act as the focal point for the transmission, likely killing him or her. Jack is left with no choice but to use his daughter Alice's son, Steven, who is the only child immediately available to them. Jack, Johnson and Dekker successfully send the signal, amplified through all the other children, and the 456 suffer in pain before withdrawing from the Earth. Steven dies and Alice and Jack sever all contact with one another.

Green suggests that they cover up the tragedy and place the blame on the United States, thus saving his own skin, but Bridget Spears, Frobisher's direct assistant and Lois's superior, reveals that she is wearing the Torchwood contact lenses that Lois gave to her and has recorded this conversation and will release it, ending Green's political career and avenging Frobisher.

Six months later, Gwen and Rhys meet with Jack, who had been travelling the world trying to rid himself of his guilt over his grandson's death and the loss of Ianto. Jack wants to make a new life for himself and plans to return to space. Gwen gives Jack his vortex manipulator, found in the wreckage of Torchwood, and he teleports away. With Jack gone, Gwen pregnant and the rest of the team dead, Torchwood is effectively disbanded.

Episodes

Production

Locations

Filming for the series started in Cardiff in August 2008, with a week's filming taking place in London. Additional filming took place in the Maindee area of Newport for the pub scene, and on the set of BBC
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