The Last Temptation of Owen Harper…

There are times that it’s great to get something that’s totally away from the usual Torchwood format (if such a thing really exists), but there are also occasions when a story that would fit right into the broadcast tales grabs you. This latest story from James Goss does exactly that, with a killer line before the credits, and considerable twists along the way. At one point, you might start thinking that it’s heading for a cop-out, and that the drama will be removed from the equation, but have faith in Mr Goss’s ability to fake you out.

It’s set during that period in season 2 when Owen is dead – on any other show, that would sound mad; for Torchwood, it’s a Wednesday – and his existence is continuing without any of the things that keep everyone going even in the darkest times. But what if he could experience those again? What would he do to ensure that that situation continued? Is he really the shit that he can often come across as? And what does his friendship with Andy Davidson actually mean to him?

Those questions are at the heart of this, with great performances from Burn Gorman, Tom Price and Lois Chimimba as Andy’s new girlfriend, Caite. Peter Doggart’s sound design and Scott Handcock’s direction counterpoint scenes neatly, and Blair Mowat’s score for this uses the themes established in the show to very good effect.

Verdict: A great character study of the late Owen Harper and his effect on those around him. 9/10

Paul Simpson

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