Torchwood Episode 2×08 – “A Day In The Death”
Episode grade: A-
Owen stands in the middle of a street, looking grim and serious, as all around him the world goes by in rewind. Or maybe those people are all just walking backwards, in fast-forward. “My name is Dr. Owen Harper,” he says, “and I am a zombie alcoholic.” No, wait, “and this is my life.” I don’t see anyone waiting to jump out with a big red book anywhere. “A life that is full of action, and violence, and work, and wonder. Secrets, and sex, and love, and heartbreak.” Each of these eight pillars of Owenosity is illustrated with a quick flash of a scene from a previous episode, I’m not going to bother identifying them except to note that ‘wonder’ is attached to the magic date rape spray from way back in the first episode. Gross. Oh, and heartbreak is attached to the actual literal ‘heartbreak’ caused by a bullet ripping through it, hee. “And death,” he adds, which was probably what that one was supposed to go with, but they really timed it badly in that case. “My death. The death I survived. The death I am now living through.” And we’re back to the backwards street again.
“Except,” Owen continues, “this isn’t living.” We watch from inside Owen’s fridge as he opens it, grabs a bottle of drink, then puts it back with a sigh, remembering that he has no digestive system any more. “Every day is the same,” he says, even though we see that the next day, he remembers before he grabs the bottle. “I get up, get ready for work, same as everyone else.” Owen squeezes some shaving foam into his hands and is about to rub it onto his face when he realises that zombies don’t need to shave. If he needs this many reminders of his undead status every day, I think we can safely assume that Owen is not a morning person. “Thing is, I’m not the same. I get to work, and everyone’s doing the same old thing. Babbling away about aliens and weddings.” Owen at work, looking on as everyone babbles about aliens and weddings. “I’m not real.” Owen floats underwater. “Three days ago, I died, and they think I’m fine. But they’re wrong.” Owen touches his mouth, and discovers that he isn’t going to drown, duh, and starts screaming inaudibly. And now he’s going to be full of water and have to do that disgusting regurgitation thing again, nice. Pan up a tall building to find Owen sitting on the edge of the roof with a sobbing blonde woman. “So,” Owen asks, “you ready to jump?”
Credits. Episode by Joseph Lidster, who is a television newbie, but has done a lot of work on Doctor Who audio plays which I can tell you nothing about. Zombie Owen is still a stupid and nonsensical idea, but I’m just holding that against the episode where it happened. At this point, we just have to accept that it has happened, however ridiculous it may be, and move on with our lives.
