Immortal Sins
Torchwood Season 4 Episode 7
We dive deep into a part of Jack’s past to reveal the mastermind by the Miracle in another engrossing episode of Torchwood.
The Review
Through six episodes, we really got no clues as to who was behind the Miracle. Now, we get basically all of them at once. I have not cared too much, because the storyline of seeing how horrible humanity would respond to the Miracle has hooked me. Really, this is a character study about Jack, with a little Gwen on the side. Jack doesn’t come out look especially well, but you understand his motivations. In 1927 he falls in love with Angelo, an Italian immigrant who tried to steal his visa at Ellis Island. When it’s time to do his Torchwood mission, Jack tries to protect Angelo but Angelo agrees to come with him. Only, Jack gets gunned down by police and Angelo is locked up for a year. Angelo’s deep Catholic faith has him initially think of Jack as the devil, and it spirals where numerous people get vials of Jack’s blood seeing him come to life again and again. Angelo apologizes but is ready to be Jack’s companion, like the Doctor (who is name-dropped) but Jack can’t bear to live forever while Angelo withers away.
It’s an extended gay love story, the longest Torchwood has done (well, not counting Ianto’s subplot) and it’s great that to see that depicted on screen. Angelo is apparently behind the Miracle, we didn’t even know him until this episode but knowing about him earlier would’ve made it extremely obvious. Gwen swears to Jack she will see him killed to save her daughter, and we’re reminded of Jack killing his grandson to save the world last season. Jack is clearly a good man, always fighting for the right side, but the ugliness is there. He lies he can use his vortex manipulator to save Gwen’s daughter, and admits that even with his millennia of life: it still isn’t enough for him. Despite seeing the ugly side of Jack, you can’t help but root for him especially in the face of the ugly challenges as well as John Barrowman’s limitless charm. Let’s just hope it pays off.
Jack’s old flame is revealed, in the most personal episode of the season to date. I am still impressed with how consistently the show juggles time zones in a sensible way.
9/10 The great ride continues as we get some more Jack backstory (well, literally too)
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