Beyond The Hub It's a Sin by DJ Forrest

 

Everybody Hurts…Sometimes. 

Bravo, Russell! You’ve once again reduced me to a blubbering wreck.   

It’s been at least 14 years since this happened last. I remember it well. It was the Doctor Who episode where Rose Tyler was thumping against the sealed wall of Pete’s World, with tears and frustration and the 10^th Doctor had his ear pressed against the other side of the wall, and my heart broke. It broke again during their final meeting on the beach at the end of the episode. Although I think Murray Gold’s excellent music score had something to do with that too. 

Dear god man, and you do it to me again, with another powerful ending to an absolutely beautifully put together drama. Where even the music played for each episode, and yes, Everybody Hurts. Sometimes. 

Russell T Davies makes excellent dramas. Dramas that kick you where it hurts. That tug at the heart strings. That take the air from your lungs. That shock you where no other drama can, and he does it with feeling. Like Years & Years, where the stark reality of life and death are played before your eyes. It’s a Sin, does exactly the same. It reaches parts of you, that you’ve kept buried for years, and brings it all up to the surface. It keeps you awake at night, staring at the ceiling, playing over the last few episodes, picking out moments from your own memories, of a time long since gone, but not completely forgotten. 

You remember those characters, through friends of your own, and although you never shared a flat with any of them, you remember those that were close, and those who were not as close, but equally missed. You remember the friendships forged and those who never reached the address book. But you remember, all of them. 

AIDS began in 1981 and in its lifetime, it has taken the lives of more than 25 million people, with 65 million people infected with HIV since the beginning of the epidemic. We lost not just friends, and relatives, but actors, singers, cinematographers, writers, tennis players, and not to mention famous ballet stars. There are over 200 celebrities listed on IMDB who lost their lives to HIV and AIDS related illness since it began. 

Back in 2007, Russell T Davies and Benjamin Cook corresponded over emails for the duration of a year. They produced two big books called The Writer’s Tale. And The Writer’s Tale: The Final Chapter. It was the final year of RTD’s tenure as showrunner for Doctor Who, and during this time, Ben, and indeed us, the readers, learnt a lot about Russell. The one thing in particular that I discovered is that he doesn’t get rid of a single…story…idea. 

In one particular email, he spoke about a story, which would become a semi-autobiographical drama involving a group of boys who all move to London, to find fame and fortune and over the course of a few episodes, their lives would change forever. He talked about it in some detail. The story ideas are those that come from family and friends and close associates, and indeed in some part, come from the writer, and Russell had expressed that his story was about his life moving to Manchester. The gay scene in the 80s and all that went along with it.

When I caught up with Nathan Sussex, during one particular lockdown special, he mentioned his role in the new upcoming drama series which was initially titled ‘Boys’, where he plays a small character role. Then, a few months later, advertised on the telly one evening – It’s a Sin was announced, and in there, a quick glimpse of Nathan, in a bar, huddled with a group of guys at a table, with Olly Alexander, parading into the bar with his friends, pointing out the whole AIDS epidemic as something not to worry about. It’s wonderfully played out and hooks you in from the off. 

As with Years and Years, also an idea that was talked about in 2007, Russell throws NOTHING away. And maybe that’s an idea for all of us. 

Ideas – keep hold of them – you never know when you could use them. 

It’s A Sin, has a wonderful cast – from Olly Alexander, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Callum Scott Howells, Neil Patrick Harris, Lydia West (from Years and Years), Omari Douglas, Nathaniel Curtis, Keeley Hawes and Shaun Dooley, and not forgetting Susan Brown. 

It shares the highs and lows of the five young people, from their initial journey to London, to where we finally see them, and it makes you laugh, and it makes your heart ache and at the very final episode, it makes you cry. There are some seriously poignant moments in this drama series. 

Nobody really knew about the disease when it first happened and how it would affect people. It reminded me of that episode of Eastenders when Arthur’s Son Mark, played by Todd Carty told his parents about his HIV/AIDS, and how his Dad reacted. It was reflected in the episode, when Lydia’s character is paranoid over the pink mug Gloria drinks from that she thought could be infected with AIDS and so paranoid one night gets out of bed, after scrubbing the cup severely earlier on in the episode, chucks it in the bin, then retrieves it and smashes it completely. 

Without fully being aware of the facts and how to deal with a situation, none of us react how we should. It says an awful lot about how some of us have reacted during this pandemic. 

What It’s a Sin did show, was that, unlike all the images we’ve come to associate with AIDS in gay people, those mole-like marks on the body, there were other associated illnesses that I wasn’t aware of, such as the epilepsy that poor Colin was afflicted with, and there was me thinking that he was going to get into bother for the posters he was creating in the shop he worked at. 

Also, what I wasn’t aware of, but I think I’d read somewhere quite recently, was that, those who had been infected by AIDS had been kept isolated in locked hospital rooms, where a guard stood outside and they weren’t allowed out for any reason at all, and nobody was allowed in. It was treated like a tropical disease, that could be passed on to others, and not just if you were gay. 

What a horrible existence – and what a way to die – neglected and alone. Thank god, that was challenged and changed. 

Every character was played exactly as you would have expected them to play if this was a documentary and you were watching it for this reason. The reaction of Gloria’s parents when they found out the truth, and how taking him home, wasn’t exactly the best choice in the world. In fact, when all the boys went home, you knew you’d never see them again – and perhaps their legacy was frowned upon at that time – I wonder if those remaining family members feel a sense of shame for how they reacted back then? 

I was 15 in 1981. There were no computers back then. No mobile phones and definitely no social media, and if I remember correctly, only three channels to choose from on the TV, till 1984 when Channel 4 broadcast some cutting edge dramas and its first soap opera. 

My only regret about this series, is that Neil Patrick Harris wasn’t in it for long enough. He played the ‘quiet gay’ who didn’t publicise his sexuality at work, as that would have lost him his job. His grasp of the English accent was flawless. But he was important for the Colin character to evolve. 

Brilliant cast. Brilliant storyline. Perhaps, stock up on hankies before you give it a watch, if you haven’t already.  

And Russell, do allow me some time to recover before you produce another first-class series, where we know I’ll need a year’s supply of hankies and perhaps somewhere quiet to cry.

 

Who Reviews The Writers Tale by DJ Forrest

 

The Writers Tale is a collection of emails sent between Benjamin Cook of Doctor Who Magazine and Russell T Davies, over the course of a year, which took in Season 4 Doctor Who, including the Specials, Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures, and including snippets of scripts from the episodes and how they were often changed before the final cut. 

It gave an insight to one of my favourite writers and producers of Doctor Who and how stressful it can be juggling so many ‘plates’ as it were, of scripts, and deadlines but the end results are always spectacular. 

I only wish I’d read this book first, because there is so much more to read in the emails than in the first book. 

If you read it from First book to Second, it makes reading the Second book a little bit of a chore, because a lot of the emails are the same, except with additional portions, but you don’t know that at the time, unless you open the First book to match, which I probably should have done. Except then, it becomes more of a study process and I’m only really looking for about an hour’s read before I shut the lights off for the night. So ideally you need to read the Second Book first and then jump to the scripts in the First book, to know what Russell is talking about. I wish I’d done that. 

However, that aside, I learnt a lot more about writing, the techniques of writing, character building, and so much more. I learnt that Russell’s take on the idea process is similar to how I think, and for a long time, I barely made notes except in my head. I worked with music on a loop for action scenes and discovered that Russell also did this, although he almost played the song to death – which after a while I stopped because it was driving me nuts!!! 

But you do need to read this book first. It makes more sense, and it’s more enjoyable, because the emails are longer, and it put me in the mood to re-watch Series 4 and Donna Noble.

What I enjoyed about the book, is that Russell never throws any idea away, and over the years and the various shows he’s written, including all the non-Doctor Who shows, you can see how an idea that he’d wanted for say Doctor Who, was later introduced into another series. I could see the ideas for one particular group of people being used in a futuristic series which later became Years and Years. Although I haven’t as yet seen the RTD series Boys, I discovered that other ideas in the book were later used for this – I made that discovery after a recent interview with Nathan Sussex who plays a part in Boys. 

There is so much to learn about Russell and his techniques, that it’s definitely not a book I want to part with. There are so many helpful tips for writers, that it would be crazy to let it go. You feel his pain and anguish regarding certain elements of his writing for Doctor Who, and how much Torchwood, in particular was a hard write for him. Kind of like you’re spinning so many plates and trying to keep them all spinning, until you have to stop and take a break, before you kill yourself. Torchwood took a lot of time and trouble to put together but you could imagine the cogs moving for ideas, but they’d be far different to those of Doctor Who. I found a great sympathy for him as a writer. We never think about that when we’re demanding more stories, or asking why certain characters have to be killed off. A good death scene is powerful in a drama, but yeah, losing a key component of the team, is gutting for many. 

The book is almost the thickness of War and Peace and if like me, you’ve only an hour a night to read it, you’re going to be reading this for some months to come. I’m over halfway through the book. There are photos of the cast of Who, including some great ones of David and the Master, and RTD with Phil and Julie. 

I would have loved to have been Ben, emailing back and forth with Russell, including into the early hours of the morning. Those 2am emails! They must have been such fun times back then. 

I miss that era of Doctor Who. You felt connected to the characters. You already loved the actors, and you’d been to Cardiff and wanted to revisit the sites where they filmed the series. The FX and the builds were absolutely awesome and that’s what reignited my passion for Who, and the spin-offs. Re-watching old episodes. The humour and All that running. 

I miss those times. 

I miss Russell T Davies. Thank you, Ben, for putting this together, what a wonderful way of learning how a script writer works, and all the pressures of working in the industry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Whoniverse Round-Up October 2019

October 2019

Nathan Sussex

It feels like Old News now but back in September (15th to be exact), Nathan’s gorgeous partner got down on bended knee and proposed, and Nathan said ‘YES!’ So once again, we send our congratulations to them both. Looking forward to the wedding date.

Christopher Eccleston

There are many people who suffer from mental health issues, and this week Christopher Eccleston spoke candidly about his battles with Anorexia and Depression with Lorraine Kelly on 8^th October, 2019. His book I Love the Bones of You is well worth a read.

Russell T Davies

A new drama series coming to Channel 4 and written by Davies in much the same way as ‘Years and Years’ is to hit our screens in the late summer of 2020, and tells the story of a group of young gay men who are infected by the HIV virus during the 1980s. It tracks their lives, episode by episode, and in some cases, some of the stories may end tragically.

It stars a host of well-known faces, with lead role played by Olly Alexander from the band Years and Years. Also, in the series are Omari Douglas and Callum Scott Howells, with Nathan Sussex, Keeley Hawes, Shaun Dooley, Neil Patrick Harris, Nathaniel Curtis, Stephen Fry and Tracy Ann-Oberman.

No trailer available as of yet. But when one does, you can be sure we’ll be posting it to our Facebook Page as soon as we can.

If Years and Years is anything to go by, we’re going to have to stock up on hankies, because I think we’re going to be emotionally drained come the end of the series.

Beyond The TARDIS Years and Years by DJ Forrest

Created and written by Russell T Davies.

'It's all your fault...The banks, the government, the recession, America, Mrs Rook. Every single thing that's gone wrong - it's your fault. We can sit here all day, blaming other people. We blame the economy. We blame Europe. The opposition. The weather. And then we blame these vast, sweeping tides of history, you know, like they're out of our control, like we're so helpless, and little and small. But it's still our fault.

You know why. It's that £1 t-shirt. A t-shirt that costs £1. We can't resist it. Every single one of us. We see a t-shirt, that costs £1, and we think, "Ooh, that's a bargain. I'll have that." And we buy it. And the shopkeeper gets five miserable pence for that t-shirt. And some little peasant, in a field, gets paid 0.01p. And we think that's fine. All of us. And we hand over our quid and we buy into that system, for life.

I saw it all going wrong when it began, in the supermarkets, when they replaced all the women on the till with those automated checkouts.

Twenty years ago, when they first popped up, did you walk out? Did you write letters of complaint? Did you shop elsewhere? Nooo. You huffed and you puffed and you put up with it. And now all those women are gone and we let it happen. And I think we do like them, those checkouts, we want them, because it means we can stroll through, pick up our shopping, and we don't have to look that woman in the eye. The woman who's paid less than us. She's gone. We got rid of her.

Sacked. Well done. So yes. It's our fault. This is the world we built. Congratulations. Cheers all."

Starring a host of well-known faces from the Whoniverse, Years and Years centred on one family in Manchester and their lives from 2019 to 2029-31. It became very political, it focused on Brexit and what Britain could face with morons in charge of the country. It was stark and frightening, and uplifting and shocking, and sad, and happy, and funny and upsetting, and all the things that you would expect from RTD and that little bit more and then, because you know it's Russell, and because we've known him write such stories, that that touch of sci fi wasn't too far from his fingertips, yes, Years & Years got a little Who-y towards the end.

You rooted for characters. You were shocked by their demise. You were glad some saw it out to the end, when you doubted in some way that they could. You were disgusted by one of their actions. You were mesmerised by the sheer brilliance of some and that nobody questioned their dress sense. Nobody poked holes in their character. There were Ooohs, and Ahhhs, and Wows and Woahs and Bloody Hells.

It's been one of those series that you had to focus on from the very beginning. You couldn't take a break - well you could if it was on iPlayer, but you chose not to. You couldn't break up that level of drama, with tea breaks and rustles of crisp packets.

It was British TV and the BBC at its very best, and it was freakin’ awesome.

There were a few times with the techno gizmos that appeared, like the girl who could phone using her hand, and speak into her little finger and hear from her thumb. She had the power of the Internet literally at her fingertips. Then there were the ultimate upgrades that freaked the hell out of me in the 3rd/4th episode.

The Vivien Rook story and oh how I wondered if Russell remembered that character, he wrote about in Doctor Who episode Sound of Drums. She too was a Vivien(ne) Rook, Torchwood operative with details of Harold Saxon's fake identity. Did anyone else remember that?

Although, this story was a sci fi Dystopian future, it was played quite closely to the events opening up from the 2016 referendum on Britain leaving the European Union, and all the hell that would or possibly could happen. Obviously, nobody really knows how this EU debacle will pan out in the years to come. It might not be as bad as everyone is thinking – but as we’ve never done anything quite as dramatic as this in our past history, least I don’t think we have, and not in our generation, then, we really don’t know, how our lives will be affected by the way politics are unfolding in Westminster.

Then there was the Torchwood: Miracle Day events that opened up in my head about the Concentration camps for the foreign migrants coming to the UK for a better life. The Disappeared.

I think the best part of the entire series was the speech made by Anne Reid, that summed us up in a nutshell, and all to do with a £1 t-shirt and automated tills. I personally hate those machines; I always seem to use the ones that refuse your money and refuse to scan properly. If I’d have used the one operated by a real person, I’d have probably come away a lot quicker. If nothing this series has given us food for thought, and it’s one to take very seriously, given our current climate.

But I wonder, is Russell T Davies, just a brilliant writer or is he a visionary like HG Wells and Isaac Asimov?

Connections Years and Years

Broadcast 14th May, 2019

Directed by Simon Cellan Jones and Lisa Mulcahy 

Written by Russell T Davies

The series of 6 episodes follows the busy Lyons family from Manchester, UK, and their lives that seem to fly by, when they all converge on that one crucial night in 2019. It's so stark and realistic that you truly wouldn't put it past certain governments in countries around the world to do something as crazily scary, in this world we live in.

The series has the whole of social media hyped up about and I can see why. The episodes are gripping from the get go and the characters are people you would expect to meet. Nothing is dressed up. The Lyons are a normal family, with family dotted everywhere. In amongst the chaos ensuing, there's one woman who stands out from the crowd which makes this connection all the more amazing.

Vivienne Rook. Why did that name sound so familiar to me? Was she a real politician? No. Cast your mind back to 2007 - Doctor Who episode, The Sound of Drums. The woman from Torchwood who had dug up all the facts about Harold Saxon and fed them to Saxons wife Lucy. You remember her? Played by Nicola McAuliffe? Do you remember her name?

I do.

Her name was Vivien Rook.

We’ve done the research, so you don’t have to.

Writing Credits 

Russell T. Davies was creator of 6 episodes in 2019. Again, just like Murray Gold, to list all of Russell's credits with Doctor Who and the Whoniverse would take until probably the sun explodes. So to condense it as best we can is to say that Russell created the Judoon, the Ood and the Sycorax for Who. That he created the spin offs from Doctor Who - Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures. That he wrote 5 episodes of Torchwood from 2006 - 2011, a story for one episode in 2011 and a teleplay for 1 episode in 2011. That he created 54 episodes of SJA from 2007 - 2011 and wrote 3 episodes from 2007 - 2010. That he wrote the segment Music of the Spheres for Doctor Who at the Proms in 2009.

That he wrote 31 episodes of Doctor Who from 2005 - 2010, and I really wish he was back at the helm again. I miss RTD.

Russell was executive producer of Torchwood for 37 episodes from 2006 - 2011. Executive producer for Web of lies in 2011. Executive producer of SJA from 2007 - 2010 and the same for SJA: Alien Files in 2010. Was executive producer for Doctor Who series from 2005 - 2010. Including 58 episodes of Doctor Who Confidential - another series I truly miss, from 2005 - 2010.

Let's just say, everything with a Doctor Who/TW/SJA stamp has Russell T Davies all over it and we have loved him for it. Thank you!

Cast 

Sharon Duncan-Brewster played Fran Baxter (the storyteller) for 6 episodes in 2019. Played Maggie Cain in Doctor Who episode The Waters of Mars in 2009.

Jessica Hynes played Edith Lyons for 6 episodes in 2019. Played Joan Redfern and Verity Newman in Doctor Who stories The End of Time: Part Two in 2010, and The Family of Blood and Human Nature in 2007. At both times in the three episodes there were nods to the creator and producer of Doctor Who.

T'Nia Miller played Celeste Bisme-Lyons for 6 episodes in 2019. Played a Female General in Doctor Who episode Hell Bent in 2015.

Anne Reid played Muriel Deacon for 6 episodes in 2019. Played Florence Finnegan in Doctor Who episode Smith and Jones in 2007. Played Nurse Crane in Doctor Who classic serial The Curse of Fenric parts 1 - 4 in 1989.

Russell Tovey played Daniel Lyons for 6 episodes in 2019. Played Midshipman Frame for 2 episodes of Doctor Who from 2007 - 2010.

Nila Aalia played the Question Time Host for 1 episode in 2019. Played the flying instructor in Torchwood episode Out of Time in 2006 - (except I don't recall seeing her).

Andrew Byron played a Ukrainian Policeman for 1 episode in 2019. Played Ilya in Doctor Who episode The Pyramid at the End of the World in 2017.

Beatrice Curnew played British Expert for 1 episode in 2019. Played Group Commander in Doctor Who episode The Lie of the Land in 2017.

Emma Fielding played Jane Bordolino for 1 episode in 2019. Was the voice of Kisar in Doctor Who episode Demons of the Punjab in 2018.

Gracy Goldman played Wytel Expert for 1 episode in 2019. Played Mrs Woods in Doctor Who episode The Caretaker in 2014.

Mark Heal played a Red-Faced Man for 1 episode in 2019. Played a Security guard in Torchwood episode Everything Changes in 2006.

Mark Hugh-Williams played a Family Friend for 1 episode in 2019. Played a Bus Driver in Doctor Who episode Rosa but uncredited in 2018. 

Dan Starkey played Mr. Briscoe for 1 episode in 2019. Played a variety of characters for Doctor Who including Commander Skorr, Strax, Ian, another Sontaran, and Commander Jast (uncredited) from 2008 - 2014. Sontar-HA!

Played himself in The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot in 2013, was the voice of Major Skar and Sontaran voices in The Doctor and the Dalek video game in 2014. Was again the voice of Sontarans and Major Kaarsh in The Adventure Games - The Gunpowder Plot video game in 2011, and was Plark in SJA two parter The Man Who Never Was in the same year. Was commander Skorr in Doctor Who at the Proms in 2009.

Roy Tucker played a Bank Customer (uncredited) for 1 episode in 2019. Played the crane Worker in Doctor Who episode The Woman Who Fell to Earth in 2018 uncredited.

Cinematography

Tony Slater Ling was director of photography for 4 episodes in 2019. Was director of photography for 2 episodes of Doctor Who in 2010. Uncredited for The Eleventh Hour in 2010: pre title sequence.

Casting Director

Andy Pryor was casting director for 6 episodes in 2019. Was casting director for Doctor Who for 161 episodes from 2005 - 2020.

Was casting director for An Adventure in Space and Time in 2013.

Was casting director for 31 episodes of Torchwood from 2006 - 2009, and original casting director for 2 episodes in 2011.

Was casting director for Doctor Who: The Adventure Games - Blood of the Cybermen video game in 2010, for Doctor Who: Dreamland in 2009 episode #1.1, and 35 episodes of SJA from 2007 - 2009. And for Doctor Who: Music of the Spheres in 2008

Sound Department

Howard Bargroff was re-recording mixer for 6 episodes in 2019. Was dubbing mixer for 4 episodes of Who in 2018.

Helen Dickson was sound effects editor for 6 episodes in 2019. Was foley editor for 13 episodes of Doctor Who in 2010, was dialogue editor for 4 episodes in 2017, sound editor for 2 episodes from 2014 - 2015, and sound effects editor for 1 episode in 2014.

Was sound editor 12 episodes of SJA in 2009.

Gibran Farrah was adr mixer for 4 episodes in 2019. Was adr mixer for 2 episodes of Doctor Who in 2018.

Emma Butt was a.d.r. mixer for 1 episode in 2019. Was a.d.r. recordist for 2 episodes of Doctor Who in 2018.

Visual Effects

Antonio Buffa was digital compositor for 3 episodes in 2019. Was roto prep artist for 1 episode of Doctor Who in 2017 and prep artist for 1 episode in 2016.

Stunts

Xavier Lake was stunt performer for 1 episode in 2019. Was stunt double/performer for Tosin Cole but uncredited for episode 1 in 2018.

Camera and Electrical Department

Nick Powell was bestboy for 6 episodes in 2019. Was electrician for 6 episodes of Doctor Who from 2012 - 2013.

Tom Williams was B Camera Operator for 6 episodes in 2019. Was first assistant camera for 1 episode in 2011.

Casting Department

Ri McDaid-Wren was casting associate for 6 episodes in 2019. Was casting assistant for 25 episodes of Doctor Who from 2014 - 2015 and casting associate for 15 episodes from 2016 - 2018.

Location Management

Joe Gradwell was unit manager: dailies for 1 episode in 2019. Was location assistant for 2 episodes of Doctor Who in 2018.

Music Department

Murray Gold composed the music for 6 episodes in 2019. Murray is no stranger to the world of Who and indeed Torchwood. He was nominated for a BAFTA 6 times in the Best Original Television Music category, for Queer as Folk, Vanity Fair, Casanova, Doctor Who, and A Very British Scandal - much of those dramas being written and created by Russell T Davies - so I guess it's no surprise that he graces our screens with more of his creative style and it's such a powerful drama, that why indeed not.

I only wish Murray was back on Twitter, as I miss his posts and his occasional tweets back.

Murray's list of credits is scattered throughout 'time and space' with regards to Doctor Who. Bringing music to our ears for the 9th and 10th Doctor, the 11th and indeed the 12th Doctor.

It would take up pretty much all of this article to list everything Who and Who related that Murray has been involved in since 2005 onwards. So, here is a condensed list of credits. For a more in depth look at Murray Gold's history of music - visit IMDB.

As composer - Doctor Who from 2005 - 2017, Torchwood (title music, and additional music) 2006 - 2011. Sarah Jane Adventures composer of 53 episodes from 2007 - 2011. Doctor Who online adventures from 2009 - 2013.

Let's not forget Doctor Who at the Proms. Doctor Who video games, mini series animated. Behind the series - Torchwood/Doctor Who. Music of the Spheres, Attack of the Graske.

As an actor, he was a band member in the Voyage of the Damned episode.

Let's see a show of hands for those who still have the Doctor Who and indeed the Torchwood soundtracks still on CD in their rooms? How many? You don't say!

Articles Episode Breakdown The Middle Men by DJ Forrest

Episode broadcast 12^th August 2011

Written by Russell T Davies and John Shiban

This episode began to get down to the nitty gritty. It was steering the story in the direction of Phicorp and who they could be. It also leads to a dramatic cliff hanger for the next episode Immortal Sins. We meet a familiar face (if you’re a fan of Ghostbusters – took me long enough to realise that) and learn of his role in the episode. It’s an interesting dinner date with Stuart and Captain Jack.

It’s sky scrapers and office romances, where deals are made and sometimes broken. Of men in control but not of all the facts. Stuart is busy in his sky scraper office at Phicorp HQ, in LA, when his secretary calls reminding him of his meeting with Phicorp executive board at four o’clock. She also tells him of the paperwork she’s pulled together on the Shanghai deal. Stuart is not his usual self, and Janet picks up on that. He insists he’s fine, couldn’t be happier and insists she call him Mr Owens at the office.

On the television, a psychiatrist is explaining that suicide is impossible now, since the miracle, but people are still finding ways to get as close to death as possible.

   ‘It’s the philosophy of the 45 Club. People who believe that jumping from forty-five floors up or higher is the only guaranteed way to lose consciousness forever.’

Stuart Owens makes a call to Zheng in Shanghai, China. It’s 11pm over there. Stuart insists the information he requests is for his eyes only. Zheng complies.

   ‘In 1999 a large parcel of land near Shanghai centre was purchased by a division of PhiCorp. That’s where the records end. I need to know exactly what’s happened to the land since then.’

   ‘PhiCorp construction?’

   ‘Not on paper. There are subsidiaries, shell companies.’ Stuart says.

   ‘May I ask what this is about?’

   ‘Do you need to know?’

   ‘It could be of some help’.

   ‘Of course, you are aware of the changes going on in the world.’

   ‘Yes. My Uncle was dying. Now he's not.’ Zheng replies.

   ‘I'm trying to understand what happened, whether PhiCorp had anything to do with it. I believe this construction site is key.’

   ‘I asked my uncle what happened. He told me to never question a Miracle. You may not like what you find.’

   ‘He may be right.’

   ‘Call me back in a few hours.’ Stuart says.

Zheng Yibao heads down an alleyway and shoots the lock off a metal gate. He sneaks inside the lot. Later in the day, Stuart phones Zheng again.

High up on the roof of a skyscraper, where the wind whips your face harder than a wet fish wielded by a mad fishmonger Zheng reports back. There was nothing to see. It was a dead end. He ends the call and joins the Shanghai 45 Club.

In San Pedro, Rex records his statement for the camcorder. He states who he is and who he works for, then pauses, and changes his mind. He’s not with the CIA, or any US government authority.

   ‘I’m with Torchwood. And we’re gonna expose everything that’s going on here, everything that I just witnessed.’ He pulls the painkillers from his pocket that Vera had prescribed for him and feels bitter inside at her loss. He pops a few pills to take the edge of his other pain.

   ‘They're calling them Category Ones, and from what I've seen, don't ever let them call you that. The minute you hear Category One, you'd better get the hell out of Dodge, because they are going to burn you. That's what this place is for. Incineration. And we all know the drill. They'll start with the Category Ones, the ones who can't protest. Then they'll go on to convicted felons or illegal immigrants, hell, anyone we just don't like, because everybody gets sick, which means one day everybody ends up here. Those ovens are waiting for all of us. But I will tell you one thing. I'm gonna find the bastard that killed Vera. Oh, yeah, and I'm gonna burn his ass.’ He growls.

Inside the office at San Pedro camp, Esther tries unsuccessfully to get hold of Vera, unaware of what has happened. Rachel downs tools. It’s home time, and since they don’t pay overtime, she’s not going to stay a moment longer.

Outside, there’s a queue to leave the camp.

As Rachel tells Esther about money she can’t move from her bank, Esther notices Maloney walking alone, and Vera nowhere in sight. She glances back at Rachel and makes her excuses.

   ‘Hey, I forgot my cell. You go on ahead. Don’t wait for me.’

In Colin Maloney’s office, Ralph is bricking it. He witnessed Maloney shooting the visiting doctor but not what happened next. Colin is agitated, convincing himself that the matter has been dealt with. Nobody would ever know. Ralph is falling apart. Although he scrubbed his fingers raw, he knows that there would be evidence on him that wouldn’t easily be removed. The tiny flecks of blood under the nails. He demands to know what Colin did with the body.

Colin tries to justify his actions, after changing his shirt, in case he should ever be able to get a game of Badminton in, he convinces himself it’s not his fault, and as Ralph presses him on the use of the Modules, he digs an even bigger hole for himself.

   ‘It's the system. The module was storage. We were supposed to use it as storage until some Senator signs some paperwork and gives the command. I just did things a little early, that's all.’

   ‘But what did you do?’ Ralph persists.

Esther enters the Admin office to find the next shift already at her desk. Playing her role perfectly, she insists that the organisation who recruited them, hadn’t passed the message down the line that Esther was to do a double shift, forcing the young woman out of Esther’s seat, mumbling back out of the room. Esther keeps her eyes on the two in Maloney’s office. Gathering up a handful of papers from her desk, she knocks on the Office door and enters.

Maloney knows he can’t trust anyone with what he’s done, and the more he tries to remain calm, the more chaos enters his day to day life. Ralph continues to stand petrified across the desk from him, as Esther informs Maloney that she has some forms for him. Admitting she’s new, she has no idea what kind of forms they are.

He insists she leaves them on his desk, then causes her to wonder after he explains his shirt change, for a game of Badminton.

It takes her by surprise. Gathering her thoughts, she asks if he would like something to drink. He doesn’t, and insists she leaves his office. NOW!

As she leaves, Ralph bleats.

   ‘Oh my God, I did not agree to this.’

   ‘Everything’s gonna be fine.’ Maloney insists, if only to assure himself.

   ‘But we murdered her.’

   ‘No. No. The Modules were designed to kill, therefore death within this compound is legal.’

Ralph knows that that can’t be true, but Maloney is taking a stand. In his eyes, murder is legal, while on the camp. She was fatally wounded, would never have survived. She was technically a Category One.

Tony’s having a rough day. While Esther tries to eavesdrop on Maloney, he decides to offload his troubles on her, criticising the office staff who covered the day shift.

   ‘They’re illegal immigrants, all of them. They can’t even spell. Look at this. This is wrong.’ He tells her, showing off every page of misprints.

Inside the office, Ralph continues to panic, while Maloney who is still trying to convince himself that he’s in the clear, tells Ralph what he’s going to do next.

   ‘You're gonna take her car and drive it into San Pedro. You know that shopping mall, the Constitution Mall? Drop it off there. It's a huge car park, thousands of cars. And we've got trucks that go past there every half hour, so just authorise yourself a drive back. She goes missing, it's got nothing to do with us.’

Colin tells Ralph that he needn’t worry about a thing as Vera Juarez is now just a pile of dust. Ralph blanches.

   ‘Oh Jesus.’

     Colin gives them an alibi.

   ‘And we put this place on red alert, complete lockdown. Because lockdown means that every member of the staff is logged and noted. It'll give us a perfect alibi. She disappeared halfway across town while we were on duty all night.’ Maloney makes a call.

   ‘Security? Yeah, give me the chief. We’re going to Condition One.’

Still filming out near the Modules, activity is happening around him. Rex continues to record.

 

Soldiers mobilise and begin Lockdown procedures. In the Admin department, Maloney informs his current staff of the situation.

Outside, Rex is determined to get the news out, somehow.

Esther tries to contact Vera again and is instantly caught by Maloney.

   ‘I said it’s lockdown, miss, what is it?’ Maloney tries to remember her name.

Esther introduces herself again and insists it was a call home. Maloney is adamant that no phone calls will be allowed, reminding her to check the rule book. All exterior calls must all be authorised by the man himself.

   ‘What about visitors, sir? Shouldn’t we escort them out? Isn’t that observer still here? The one from Washington, Dr Juarez?’

   ‘No, she left. She’s gone. As a matter of fact, she said I was running an excellent command. Very good indeed. That’s her exact words. Very good indeed.’

Esther is less than convinced.

In Cowbridge Overflow camp, Gwen seeks out Dr Patel who signed off on the papers for her Dad to be marked down as Category One. Desperate to save him, Gwen insists that the young Indian doctor change the details as he’s not as bad as she’s making out. Of course, as Patel explains, letting one away would mean letting the others away too. She has her orders, and that is it. It’s not her department.

Of course, that’s like waving a red rag to a bull as far as Gwen Cooper is concerned, so it’s only a matter of time before Gwen plans another breakout with her father, and this time she aims to succeed.

In a Los Angeles bar, Janet, the young secretary to Stuart is standing at the bar when she receives a text from an unknown number. She replies, curiously. Captain Jack makes his move and walks up to her.

   ‘No Janet, you don’t know me, but I know you.’

Sounding like a creepy stalker, Jack explains how he knows her and what he wants. Realising that Jack is one of the good guys and her boss isn’t, Janet agrees to help him.

In a swanky restaurant in LA, Jack leaves his great coat with a hot ‘coat boy’ and heads upstairs to surprise Owens who is contemplating the salad.

   ‘I’d go for the steak if I were you.’ Jack says, interrupting the date. ‘With a very large bourbon and a pack of cigarettes. Why not? We’re gonna live forever, right, courtesy of PhiCorp?’

Owens tries to calm what could be a fiery situation, insisting Jack may have the wrong table, but far from it.

   ‘You're Stuart Owens, aren't you? You're the Chief Operating Officer for PhiCorp Industries.’

Impressed, Owens asks who Jack is.

   ‘I’m a friend of Janet’s, your secretary. We met at a bar, the one you were planning on going to after dinner. Does your wife know?’

Jack hits a raw nerve; the wife leaves them alone. Owens calls after her but Jack prevents him from leaving, insisting that if he did, his associates holding Janet, would hurt her. Aware that Owens would need proof, he hands over his mobile. Janet plays her part convincingly.

Owens asks what Jack wants.

   ‘The truth.’ Jack says, seated in Elizabeth’s chair.
   ‘About what?’

   ‘The Miracle. How was it done? Why was it done? How can it be undone?’

   ‘Why would I have the answer?’

   ‘When the day came, PhiCorp was ready. We found warehouses stocked with painkillers waiting for the Miracle to come along.’

   ‘That's your smoking gun?’

   ‘You're a man in charge. You knew it was coming.’

   ‘Mister.’

   ‘Harkness. Captain Jack Harkness.’

   ‘Are you with the military?’

   ‘Freelance. I represent the people who are trying to stop PhiCorp.’

   ‘So, that security breach on the thirty third floor.’

   ‘That was us.’ Jack says.

   ‘It's not me you're after. In fact, I've been trying to find out the truth just as much as you. I'm not a bad man, Mister Harkness.’

   ‘Captain.’ Jack insists.

   ‘I'm not a bad man, Captain. I'm not a good one, either. I'm a middleman in every sense of the word. And faced with the thought of being who I am for God knows how long, I'm just as keen as you to find out exactly what's going on. Especially with the stock market threatening to collapse, a man like me needs insurance. You don't believe me. You think I'm the epitome of evil, the devil in a three-piece suit.’

   ‘In my experience, that's how it works.’

   ‘Your experience must be rather simple. You have a rather archaic view of good versus evil, don't you?’

   ‘Tell me who's behind this.’

   ‘I've been trying to find out. I've sent agents all over the world following the paper trail, the backroom deals, the holding companies within holding companies. That's when I came face to face with the true face of evil.’

   ‘The system itself.’

   ‘Precisely. If the schemes and conspiracies are being plotted, then they must be seen only as patterns, waves, shifts that are either too small or too vast to be perceived. Someone is playing the system right across planet Earth with infinite grace, beyond any one person's sight. No, I'm sorry, Captain, but PhiCorp isn't controlling this. Profiting, yes, but this is part of a much larger design way beyond any of us.’

   ‘But how can you be part of it and not know what's going on?’

   ‘Let me give you an example. These warehouses full of drugs, no doubt you'd love to uncover an incriminating memo dated the day before Miracle Day signed by me authorising the stockpiling of painkillers. The truth is, a pattern like that began say maybe five years ago with the systematic increase in production in random factories around the world, based on market share projections. What was the warehouse?’

   ‘Washington DC, Third and Boston.’

   ‘I'd imagine transportation of the drugs to the Third and Boston was then carried out over a twelve-month period by, say, maybe five different haulage companies outsourced to seven or eight different independent suppliers.’

   ‘So, that means everyone's to blame.’ Jack says.

   ‘Everyone and no one. Whoever is behind this, they don't show themselves. Not to me, not to you. But to play the system like this, the markets, the politics, industry, they had to be planning this for a very long time. I wish I knew who they were.’

   ‘I was told that the miracle involves geography. Does that mean anything?’

   ‘No. But there is one word that my operatives picked up dating back to the mid-nineties and then erased.’

   ‘What is it?’

   ‘The Blessing.’

   ‘What does it mean?’

   ‘There was a document from Italy from a source inside the Council of Ministers, a contact then deceased. It simply referred to The Blessing. It said, they have found The Blessing.’

Downstairs, the cavalry have arrived. 

   ‘It seems my wife called the authorities. Hmm.’

Jack has gone.

 At the San Pedro overflow camp, Rex has no way out, unless… Taking the red peg from inside his jacket, he clips it onto the lapel, knocks over a few barrels, and lies down on the ground, eyes closed. A young guard hears the commotion and checks it out, only to be knocked out by Rex when he leans too close to the ‘patient’. Changing into the young guard’s clothing – the perfect fit – he responds to the man’s radio, when the older guard tries to get his attention.

   ‘Billy, do you read me, what’s going on?’

Rex informs him that he’s needed at the Module. They need more men at the Module, and suggests he head there pronto as he’s already there. Insisting that he didn’t listen when discussion about the checkpoint was brought up, the older guard buys the new instructions, knowing the younger guard wasn’t good at listening to commands. Lucky break there, Rex!

Rex heads to the security gate. He uses Billy’s card to open the security gate. A tannoy above his head orders him to identity himself. Unsure of how he could get away with it, mumbles that he’s going out for a smoke. Hoping again that there wouldn’t be a huge party on the other side, he steps through, and is surprised by half the platoon. Awkward!

   ‘Who the hell are you?’

Ralph bursts into Maloney’s office reporting back about Rex. A man with a camera breaching the compound. Poor Ralph, any more trouble and he’s going to require a new pair of briefs. Maloney too, and as much as he tries to convince himself that all is fine, you can tell by his complexion that it hasn’t just crossed his mind that Rex could ruin everything.

Esther can see the pair flustering in the office and decides to try again with paperwork, insisting a few forms require signatures. Maloney snaps. He doesn’t require Esther to walk with him anywhere, and as she heads out after Ralph, Tony calls her back. The annoying, irritable man who has read his Rule book, knows it inside out and back to front, insists Esther remains in the Department.

   ‘How blonde are you? It’s a lockdown. We haven’t got clearance. Got to stay at your desk.’

In the Generator Room at the San Pedro Camp, poor Rex is chained to a metal strut. He shouts at Maloney, angry at the way his girlfriend was treated, hurt and broken, his shirt open revealing his chest wound, he continues to berate Maloney as he enters the room. Maloney dismisses the soldiers.

   ‘I need to know who you are.’ Maloney says. Rex has already given his details to the soldiers but does it again, demanding to know who he’s talking to. Maloney fills him in of his position as Director of the San Pedro facility. Rex, despite chained and helpless, insists that as the head of the facility, Maloney stands to face the charges of the injustices happening in the San Pedro facility. Of course, Maloney, heart sinking realises that the net is tightening and begins to break down. But curiously, looks at the footage that Rex has taken, yet still denies that what he’s seeing is real.

Rex of course, at this point has no idea that the man he’s barking at, murdered his girlfriend. He tries to turn it around, hoping that Maloney will become the hero, and give the information to the police. It’s damning evidence of what is going on inside the Compound.

Esther meanwhile knows something is wrong and needs to get out of the office. She pops her head around the door and asks Ralph the details of the man caught breaching the compound and finds out his current location. Despite calls from Tony that nobody leaves the office, she heads out regardless.

   ‘I’m reporting you.’ Shouts Tony.

Maloney, tears in his eyes, watches the death of Vera Juarez in technicolour. He’s crying.

Esther spies Maloney’s golf cart parked outside the Generator building.

Maloney spots Rex’s scar and pats his trousers, muttering to himself. Rex frowns. The man is clearly distraught, but no amount of convincing him to call the authorities will snap him out of what he’s currently doing. Rex hopes he’s looking for a set of keys to release him.

   ‘I just can’t focus, can’t think. I’ve never been too practical. I’m more of an ideas man. I’m very good at Badminton.’ Maloney mutters. He produces a pen from his top pocket. ‘It’ll have to do.’ Stepping towards Rex, who is curious of the pen, until Maloney moves the fabric of his shirt away from the wound, exposing it fully, shouts and begs for the man, not to do anything stupid, raises his voice, begging and screaming in pain as the pen is pushed into the wound, causing blood to pour from the wound. It’s then that Rex realises, that Maloney is the killer.

   ‘It was you.’

   ‘I’m sorry.’ Maloney sobs.

   ‘You killed her.’

   ‘I’m very sorry. It’s just been such a long day. All I want to do is go home.’ Again, he pushes the pen into Rex’s body, forcing more blood to pour from the exposed wound.

His cries of pain alert Esther to his whereabouts, and she innocently calls out to Maloney, distracting him. She informs him of a phone call back in the office. It’s Vera, calling for him. At this point, only Esther is in the dark. Rex calls out to her. Tells her to run. Tells her that Vera is dead. Maloney is the killer.

Her reactions are too slow. Maloney needs to tidy this situation up. Fast. He grabs Esther by the hair and slams her into a wall, and starts laying into her. Esther fights back, gouging her thumbs into Maloney’s eyes. Further tussles and he’s trying to strangle the life out of her. Esther wrestles free and in a double handed hold, crushes Maloney’s windpipe. The man stops fighting and remains still.

Distraught, she goes to Rex, tears in her eyes. The Watch Analyst has turned into a field agent, and this was her first kill. Except, as Rex explains, nobody dies. He needs to get free and insists that she return to the body and get the keys for the cuffs. After returning and fishing them out of his pocket, she makes to leave as Maloney grabs her ankle and brings her crashing to the floor. This time he’s got the perfect strangle hold, and there’s nothing Esther can do.

Ralph fires a shot and Maloney falls to the side, relieving the pressure on Esther’s throat.

   ‘This has got to stop.’

Grateful, Esther thanks him and returns to Rex.

At the Overflow camp in Cowbridge, Rhys finds a perfect truck for transporting his father in law. It’s still got the keys in. As he’s prepared to move, Pidgeon knocks on the window, and demands to know what he’s doing.

   ‘My job, isn’t it? Don’t scare a man like that.’ Rhys snaps at him, heart still recovering.

   ‘Patient transfer at this time of night?’ Pidgeon queries.

Rhys tells him it’s his job, that his supervisor gave him the orders for the patient transfer at 5 am. Pidgeon asks the name of the supervisor.

   ‘Captain Jack Harkness.’ Rhys replies. ‘He ordered me.’

Pidgeon didn’t see the name listed and went off to make some calls. Rhys waited. Over at the other side of the Overflow camp, Gwen waited also. It was getting late, and Rhys would have ‘Hell to pay’ if he didn’t turn up soon.

   ‘Not long now Dad, I promise.’

Pidgeon comes back to Rhys. There’s no movement for another hour. After more discussions, Pidgeon goes off to make another phone call. Rhys, tired of waiting a moment longer, drives off.

With more patients, due to arrive soon from abroad, two hospital staff prepare to move the Category Ones to the Ovens. Gwen begins to push her Dad’s trolley bed out towards the soon to be waiting Rhys. It’s a tight squeeze, weaving around many of the rooms, and one door proves difficult, but thanks to a cleaner, she can get through.

Rhys is full of apologies as Gwen berates him for his tardiness.

   ‘I was on time, only this officious bastard held me up.’

   ‘Why didn’t you just run him over or something?’

   ‘I’m not the running over type, you know that. Anyway, I drove off when this silly bugger was on the phone. He’s probably followed me.’

They opened the tailgate and got the old Dad into the back of the truck just at the moment the patrol came around the corner.

   ‘Take Dad home.’ Gwen instructs Rhys. ‘There’s something I’ve got to do here before I go to the States.’

   ‘You’re going back to America?’ Rhys is shocked.

   ‘We’ve got to find out what’s behind all of this, and put a stop to it once and for all. But before I do, I haven’t finished with this place yet.’

As Pidgeon spots Rhys, and Rhys spots Pidgeon, Gwen pulls him into a kiss before they go their separate ways.

Discarding her nurses uniform, Gwen pops into a bathroom and puts in the Eye-5 contact lenses and hopes someone back at the base is listening.

Jack is searching for any mention of The Blessing when the Eye-5 software comes alive on screen.

   ‘Hello. Anybody home?’

   ‘You’re a sight for sore eyes.’ Jack smiles typing his response.

   ‘Jack, is that you?’

   ‘In the flesh. You OK?’

From her vantage point, Gwen informs Jack that she’s coming back, to the fight, but after finding a box of plastic explosives, she’s just got something she’d like to show him. Tilting the mirror so Jack can see what’s about to happen, informing her that he’s opened up the radio link, so she can send her message.

   ‘This is the truth for the whole world to see. We let our governments build concentration camps. They built ovens for people in our names. Now I don't care if the whole of society bends over and takes this like a dog, I'm saying NO.’

Gwen detonates the plastic explosives, destroying all the Modules. Jack laughed heartily.

   ‘That’s my girl.’

Outside the San Pedro Overflow Camp, Esther is far from calm. In her haste to be part of the work team, she had submitted her own name. She would be on the system. Rex calms her as best he can. She’d saved his life. She’d become the lion and not the mouse. He knew this was still new to her.

   ‘It’s OK, you’re allowed to feel like this.’ He hugged her. ‘This is not over, not for Torchwood, and I need you in this fight.’

In the apartment, Jack, Esther and Rex watch the television. The News forecaster shows the horrors of what the Overflow camps would rather you didn’t see. Jack’s pleased, Rex less so.

   Despite all their best efforts, the Press Secretary announces that there will be no backing down on the crisis of the Category Ones process. It will carry on as normal.

   ‘You see that, they should be shutting down those camps right now. They’re just talking about it.’

   ‘At least we’ve made it public.’ Esther says.

   ‘Torchwood wasn’t designed to fight politicians. If we really want to stop this happening, we need to look at the bigger picture, find out what the Blessing is.’ Jack tells them.

Gwen arrives back on US soil and calls her husband for the umpteenth time. Still no answer. Leaving another message, she hears her name called on the tannoy, and hurries towards the white courtesy phone.

   ‘This is Gwen Cooper. Hello, this is Gwen Cooper, you said I had a message.’

   ‘Lenses.’

   ‘What? What did you say?’

   ‘Lenses.’

Staggered by who else would know about Torchwood’s Eye-5 software. In the restroom she applies the lenses and stares at the mirror in front of her. She receives a message that rocks her to the core.

   ‘We have your mother. We have your husband. We have your child.’

   ‘Who. Who are…Who are you? What do you want? What do you want!’

After a pause, she receives the answer.

   ‘Bring us Jack.’

Next - Immortal Sins – Issue 44.