God Among Us 3
Torchwood Series 6 Episodes 9-12
Torchwood: God Among Us concludes in epic fashion, with a Cardiff utterly destroyed, the Committee on the ascendant, and Torchwood out of trust with the city and each other.
The Review
A Mother’s Son for the second time in Series 6 gives us the perspective of an outsider finding themselves connected to Torchwood, but thankfully it’s much better. It settles on Bethan, a mother who loses her son in the floods and goes on a question to find him, or who’s responsible. The voice mails she has of her son saying he’s scared as his dorm gets ripped away by the water is stomach churning. Still, there are precious few episodes, and I’d prefer them to be centered on a member of the team. The big mystery is why no one can remember Torchwood’s involvement, I thought maybe God was doing something but it turns out Yvonne was drugging the water. Poor Andy has somehow found himself on the Disaster Relief Committee, key word at the end there. Also, we get some more Orr, finally, who isn’t limited to sexual desires anymore. It’s a depressing story presenting the horror of Cardiff after the disaster, and sets a grim tone for the toll it’s taken on the city. You can’t say Torchwood doesn’t know how to push the envelope to darkness. 9/10. Bethan was played by Mina Anwar, aka Gita Chandra. Who would’ve thought?
ScrapeJane is a story about belief, and how belief can make the very real come true. It’s a great pairing of Colchester and Ng (though I’d have liked to have a scene where Colchester comes to terms with Ng still being on the team after the whole impersonating Gwen thing). RIP to Jeff, our favorite hapless podcaster from Cardiff Unknown as he is ripped to death by ScrapeJane. Colchester’s disdain for podcasters is great, and is icy delivery of ‘merch’ was gold. We get a bit more introspection into Ng, about asserting herself as a Welsh woman and fear of God destroying Earth too. The real star as usual though is Paul Clayton as Colchester, who really makes you feel the fear of ScrapeJane and also gives a heartbreaking monologue about how fears if Colin stops believing in him, he’ll die. It’s a fun actually genuinely scary in some sections story, and ties into the endgame of this season as Ng worries this devastation is caused by God not believing in Herself. 9.25/10, more than anything, it’s another chance for Paul Clayton’s brilliant work as Colchester. He keeps going, because what else is there to do?
Day Zero is a staggering story, and one that lands with an even harder punch after the tumult of the pandemic. The water runs out in Cardiff, and it leads to absolute mass chaos. Colchester is shocked at the depravity of people, but experiences a slight change of heart when Tyler tells him he resurrected him. We have the push/pull forces of Jack and Yvonne, the former getting himself to shot to death in a failed bid to save a kid’s life, while Yvonne almost quits (until being talked out of it by God), but is shocked by her tactics failing. At the center of it is a totally overburdened Andy, who is trying his best but way in over his head. Ng doesn’t have much to do, expect with Andy slamming her by saying she’s not Gwen. The center of it all is Orr, who uses her powers to somehow provide water. Feeling the desperation and pain of the city, she makes it rain to solve the water crisis, but is utterly devastated at the misery of humans. It’s a bleak but beautiful story, showing a city on the brink from the most human of causes. 10/10, the end is still coming, like it always does, as Andy moves to capture God. We’re in for it now.
Thoughts and Prayers ends a two season storyline with a big, bold apocalypse that really comes down to people believing in each other. Don’t get me wrong, the end of the world is rendered beautifully as the Committee begin their great reset with fireballs and flame raining down. The world is saved by the unlikeliest of characters: Orr. The brilliance is that it makes perfect sense, Orr always had such a deep love and affection for people and it is her faith in humanity that ends up winning the day. Ng tries to save a world for once, Tyler admits he cares for Jack, Andy of course was working for the good guys all along, and Colchester still keeps prioritizing the work ove Colin. Yvonne comes up with the plan to use Orr to blast the Committee’s home planet to dust in a very Jack way, by the seat of her pants. Throughout it all is God, who doesn’t really get absolved for everything she’s done, but willing gives up her powers and goes to start a new adventure on Earth. It’s a triumph because of the scale, but really the characters that have been so beautifully realized throughout this series. 9.75/10: the power of love wins the day: because one gender-fluid alien so loved humanity.
God Among Us 3 is a triumphant conclusion to a six boxset arc that saw Big Finish take on the Torchwood mantle (with some help from RTD of course) and give us stories about the corruption of institutions but the hope of people. The twin titans of Jack and Yvonne lay out a lot of the framework, but little arcs like Colchester’s insecurity, Tyler growing into an empathetic person, it’s beautiful.
9.5/10 Truly a classic series of stories, and right behind Children of Earth for the best Torchwood there is. Not long now until we find out what’s next
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