Hollywood Tonight presents Torchwood from BBC America! Synopsis, production notes and stills!

TORCHWOOD SEASON 2
Premieres, Saturday, January 26, 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

  BBC America’s top-rated series, Torchwood, returns for a highly-anticipated second season, blasting into the New Year with U.S. premiere episodes just days after the U.K. premiere. Created by Russell T Davies, lead writer on the current Doctor Who, the high-octane second season will take the Torchwood team through dare-devil action, temptation, heartache and a life changing event. They will journey to the 51st Century and World War I, save a stranded creature from horrific abuse, battle a memory thief who uncovers long-forgotten secrets among the entire team and come face-to-face with an entity that may well be Death itself. Torchwood, second season premieres Saturday, January 26, 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

  Ever since Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) disappeared in the season one finale, the Torchwood team — Gwen (Eve Myles), Owen (Burn Gorman), Tosh (Naoko Mori), and Ianto (Gareth David-Lloyd) — has had to cope without him. It’s clear that, strong as they’ve become, there is no replacement for their mysterious Captain. Thankfully, before the season premiere is through, slick Captain Jack returns to battle a rogue Time Agent, the charismatic-but-psychopathic Captain John Hart, played by James Marsters (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Smallville).

  Captain John is determined to wreak havoc when he appears through the Rift under Cardiff, looking for Captain Jack. Not only does he disrupt Captain Jack’s homecoming but the whole team, the city and world are suddenly in grave danger.

  From the moment these two Time Agents come face-to-face, it’s apparent they have a history — but with Gwen’s life in danger, and cluster bombs scattered across the city, whose side is Jack on? Commenting on his role in the Torchwood season premiere, James Marsters says: "I am a huge fan of Doctor Who and Torchwood, so it was me who knocked on their door.”

  The second season also features guest appearances from Alan Dale (Ugly Betty, The OC), Richard Briers (Hamlet, Monarch of the Glen), Ruth Jones (Saxondale, Gavin & Stacey) and Nerys Hughes (The Liver Birds, District Nurse). In addition, for three episodes, Doctor Who’s Martha Jones (Freema Agymen) teams up with Torchwood to help solve a series of mysterious deaths in Cardiff. She steps into the Hub for the first time, bringing the Torchwood team medical expertise learned while time travelling with The Doctor. Fans can also take Torchwood home with the release of Torchwood: The Complete First Season, on sale January 22. The 7-disc DVD set includes over 6 hours of bonus features including outtakes and cast interviews.

  Also a brand new Torchwood magazine, to be published every four weeks by Titan Magazines, the leading publishers of official sci-fi and cult TV fan magazines, hits shelves February 19 with in-depth star interviews, exclusive behind the scenes reporting and brilliant original fiction. BBC America’s new Supernatural Saturday line-up kicks off with back-to-back episodes of Doctor Who, season three, on Saturday, January 26, 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 PT, followed by the U.S. premiere of Torchwood, season two.

  For up-to-the-minute information on BBC AMERICA, forthcoming U.S. premieres, art work and news from the channel, log on to www.press.bbcamerica.com. BBC AMERICA brings audiences a new generation of award-winning television featuring razor-sharp comedies, provocative dramas, life-changing makeovers and news with a uniquely global perspective. BBC AMERICA pushes the boundaries to deliver high quality, highly addictive and eminently watchable programming to viewers who demand more. BBC AMERICA is distributed by Discovery Networks. It is available on digital cable and satellite TV.

CAST AND PRODUCTION CREDITS
Captain Jack Harkness John Barrowman (Doctor Who, De-Lovely)
Gwen Cooper Eve Myles (Soundproof)
Owen Harper Burn Gorman (Bleak House, Low Winter Sun)
Toshiko Sato Naoko Mori (Absolutely Fabulous, MI-5)
Ianto Jones Gareth David Lloyd (Mine all Mine)
Rhys Williams Kai Owen (Rocket Man) Creator,
Lead Writer and Executive Producer Russell T Davies (Doctor Who, Queer as Folk)
Lead Writer Chris Chibnall (Life on Mars)
Writers James Moran (Severance)
Helen Raynor (Doctor Who)
Catherine Tregenna (Casualty)
J.C. Wilsher (The Bill)
Matt Jones (Doctor Who) Joseph
Lidster Phil Ford (The Sarah Jane Adventures, Waterloo Road)
Peter J. Hammond (Sapphire and Steel, Midsomer Murders, Wycliffe)
Directors Ashley Way (Doctor Who)
Colin Teague (Doctor Who, Holby City)
Andy Goddard (Wire in the Blood, Hex)
Jonathan Fox Bassett (The Inspector Lynley Mysteries)
Mark Everest (Space Race)
Producer Richard Stokes (The Inspector Lynley Mysteries)
Executive Producer Julie Gardner (Doctor Who, The Girl in the Café)

TORCHWOOD TEAM

Jack Harkness
The origins of Torchwood’s team leader, Jack, are obscure and he likes it that way. However, he has vast practical experience of working with aliens and dealing with crisis situations. He has come through a lot of scrapes intact, and is unafraid of dangerous situations. In fact, he’s usually ready with a flirtatious quip whatever the threat.

Gwen Cooper
A former police officer, Gwen brings procedural skills to the team and a sensitivity that helps them greatly in dealing with victims. She is grounded, straightforward and very determined, and in the murky world of Torchwood she often acts as the team’s conscience. Her ability to co-ordinate activity has led to her being recognized as the team’s deputy leader.

Dr. Owen Harper
Owen trained as a medical doctor, but since joining Torchwood has expanded his expertise massively. As well as attending to the team’s emergency medical needs and working on the human victims of alien activity, he has gained much expertise in alien anatomy. He is very confident in his abilities – some would say over-confident – but his commitment to his duty has never been doubted.

Toshiko Sato
The team’s technical expert is quiet but highly intelligent. One of the main purposes of Torchwood is to assess the potential application of alien technology for humanity’s use, and this is Toshiko’s job. She also has a keen understanding of practical physics, which makes her useful as a field agent. She is focused and intensely professional, though sensitive.

Ianto Jones
Ianto deals with all the team’s administrative issues. His knowledge is eclectic, his attention to detail unrivalled and his ability to anticipate the team’s needs before they have arisen is uncanny. He dislikes it when his remarkable efficiency is taken for granted, however, and when required, he is also more than capable of undertaking field work for the team.

CAST BIOGRAPHIES

John Barrowman
An entertainer with a capital E John Barrowman sings, dances, acts, presents and judges - a unique talent first appearing as Captain Jack Harkness in the 2006 season of Doctor Who. Born in Glasgow, where he spent his early years, John moved to the United States, living in Illinois, and later studied Musical Theatre at the U.S. International University in San Diego, California. John went on to achieve acclaim in professional stage and screen roles both in musical and straight theatre productions on Broadway and in London’s West End. John has recently featured on a variety of primetime television shows including How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? and Any Dream Will Do.

Eve Myles
Eve won the 2007 Welsh Bafta for Best Actress for her role as ‘Gwen’ in Torchwood, season one. She has appeared in numerous other shows including Soundproof, Doctor Who and is particularly well known in Wales for her role as ‘Ceri’ in Belonging. She is currently filming her ninth season of that show. Eve was also a winner of an Ian Charleson Award for her work in The Taming of the Shrew and Titus Andronicus for the Royal Shakespeare Company and most recently was at The National Theatre playing ‘Doll Tearsheet’ in Henry IV: Part I and ‘Lady Mortimer’ in Henry IV: Part II alongside Michael Gambon and directed by Nicholas Hytner.

Burn Gorman
Returning as Owen Harper in the second season of Torchwood, Burn adds another high profile credit to his already impressive resume. Born in Hollywood and brought up in London where he now lives and works, Burn is also a gifted musician who was BBC Radio 1 Human Beatbox Champion in 2003. Burn’s many successes on stage and screen include playing Mr Guppy in the BBC’s Bleak House and Gazza in Matthew Vaughn’s film Layer Cake. More recently, he can be seen in Fred Claus alongside Vince Vaughn and Kevin Spacey and in the upcoming film The Oxford Murders by cult Spanish director Alex de la Iglesia.

Naoko Mori Naoko
Mori was born in Nagoya, Japan and grew up in the US and UK. Her work in the theatre includes performances in The Caucasian Chalk Circle at Sadlers Wells, London, Snake in Fridge at the Royal Exchange, Manchester and Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. On screen she is best known as Saffy’s best friend Sarah (aka Titicaca) in Absolutely Fabulous and has also played regular roles in Casualty and Psychos. She has made many guest appearances including MI-5, The Smoking Room, Little Miss Jocelyn and Doctor Who. On film she has appeared in Topsy Turvy, Spiceworld – The Movie and Hackers. Gareth David-Lloyd Gareth David-Lloyd trained at The National Youth Theatre. His TV roles include parts in Casualty, Absolute Power, Mine All Mine and a drama-documentary about Beethoven in which he played his nephew, Carl. Before he joined Torchwood his theatre credits included Three Women and a Piano Tuner at Chichester and Hampstead Theatre and Sebastian in Twelfth Night for English Touring Theatre.