TW #21 : A Day in the Death

"My name is Doctor Owen Harper, and this is my life. A life that is full of action. And violence. And work and wonder. Secrets. And sex. And love. And heartbreak. Death. My death. The death I survived. The death I'm now living through. Except.... this isn't living. Every day is the same. I get up. Get ready for work. Same as everyone else. The thing is, I'm not the same. I get to work and everyone is doing the same old thing. Babbling away about aliens, weddings. I'm not real. Three days ago I died. And they think I'm fine. But they're wrong."

Episode 21 :            A Day in the Death.
Companions:           Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper, Toshiko Sato, Owen Harper, Ianto Jones, and Martha Jones.
Air Date:                 27th February 2008.

Owen Harper chats with a suicidal woman on a rooftop, reflecting on his adjustment (or lack thereof) to his new life (or lack thereof). Will a mission with Torchwood assist in his salvation or bring about the end of the world?

I thoroughly enjoy this episode of Torchwood despite having elements that say I shouldn't. Firstly, there is no threat. No villain. No apocalypse on the horizon. It is simply Owen sitting on a rooftop with a young woman who is thinking of committing suicide. He tells her what has happened to him and that he can't die, and runs her through the day he has just had. A Day in the Death is about Owen coming to terms with what he has for his humanity and realizing that sometimes the universe throws something at you that just makes you understand that there is more out there and it isn't all bug eyed monsters.

A Day in the Death is the sort of episode that shouldn't work but does really well. It is a breath of fresh air for a show that is routinely dark and gritty to show us the same wonder that we normally experience through the eyes of the Doctor. For all the negativity in the show at this time, this episode has a great upbeat ending that I didn't see coming. I give this a big thumbs up.

Unfortunately this is the last we see of Martha. After three busy days with Torchwood she is off back to UNIT. Don't worry, she'll make another appearance soon enough.