Chibnall's Doctor Who Masterpiece

For all his flaws, did Chris Chibnall hit a home run with the Torchwood episode 'Countrycide'?
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#DoctorWho #Torchwood #Review

[@HarboWholmes]

Demonetisation go chomp chomp: www.patreon.com/harbowholmes

[@Jedi_Spartan]

"All evil men/puppies make that noise."

[@orangepizzaparty688]

Lmao Has the Day One review been demonetised yet?

[@jeffreychongsathien]

The video thumbnail is showing clips from Midnight.

[@sircampbelltenson7297]

HOW HAS THIS NOT BEEN DEMONETISED YET

[@daniel_eizoku]

Put all these videos in a torchwood playlist please so I can follow it

[@NickwBush]

Chibnall isnt a bad writer, he's a bad sci-fi writer, Broadchurch is absolutely outstanding, idk why they appointed a man for a sci-fi showrunner who is incapable of writing anything with aliens in it

[@ProQuo360]

The best way I’ve described Chibnall and his writing is he can tell people stories. He’s got enough characterization and can be grounded in reality. Sci-fi isn’t fully his wheelhouse guaranteed but every writer has a trope to dislike in their stories. People just have turned the tension higher because what they BELIEVE they want isn’t present any more in their favorite Doctor Who episodes.

[@RossM3838]

@@ProQuo360 what they “believe” they want? Isn’t that just what they want? Or do you know better?

[@ProQuo360]

@@RossM3838 just basing it off audience response and criticism. I’m definitely going to claim I don’t know any better than any other lol

[@corbinvickers9993]

Also think of Torchwood series 2. Adrift and fragments are also really good episodes. They are both not heavy on scifi and are focused on characters. That is clearly his strongsuit.

[@ProQuo360]

@@corbinvickers9993 thank you 🙏🏿

[@bombsite1847]

My favourite negative review of this from a forum when it came out- "Problem was, they built up the threat from the killers - all that lurking out of sight, little whooshy bits out of the corner of your eye, yet what do they turn out like? A bunch of fat Welsh peasants. All that whooshy movement was actually just arthritic wheezing, it seems."

[@frances7575]

😂

[@wuboAF]

W H E E Z E

[@moneybxndz161]

LOOOOL 😭 they got out of breath doing all that running

[@xenon8117]

That’s great.

[@xlinnaeus]

Sounds like this guy just doesn't think much of Welsh people.

[@hgwsavage]

Of course his best episode has close to no sci-fi in it.

[@theoldsarcasticpineapple]

69th and agreed, he really sucks at writing sometimes

[@corbinvickers9993]

My favorite chibnall episodes are probably adrift or fragments, both of which also don’t have much sci-fi. He seems much better at character pieces than fast paced action storytelling

[@irrevenant8724]

@@corbinvickers9993 That's what I thought, and one reason why I was somewhat excited to see him become the new Doctor Who showrunner. And then he gave us the TARDIS crew with some of the shallowest characterisation and clunkiest dialogue we've ever seen. I really don't get it.

[@corbinvickers9993]

@@irrevenant8724 it was frustrating. If they had got Mark Gatiss as showrunner and the same thing had happened I wouldn’t be surprised, since he’s only really ever done mediocre stuff on Doctor who. But Chibnall actually does have some really good material in Torchwood and broadchurch. Yet NONE of his talents seem to have translated on to Doctor who. It’s a real shame. I don’t like complaining about Doctor who, I want it to succeed. I hope Chibnall can improve

[@irrevenant8724]

@@corbinvickers9993 Me too. I feel like we *have* seen improvement from S11 to now in terms of tighter episodes and slightly better dialogue and character, but it's still nowhere near enough.

[@lucypreece7581]

Countrycide is horrific, awful, disturbing, sickening and an actual horror movie. and for all of those reasons it is utterly perfect.

[@zeallust8542]

Also its name is a good pun so thats bonus points

[@becauseimapotato7599]

@@zeallust8542 Amazing. It's a terrifying, disturbing, painful mess of PURE SICKENING HORROR... oh also there's a cool pun i guess

[@zeallust8542]

@@becauseimapotato7599 precisely!

[@Petit784]

A missed opportunity for: "That Time Torchwood Fought Actual Cannibals".

[@sammorin254]

Well, think about it. What's the most unbelievable of these two? "Chibnall masterpiece" or "Actual cannibals"?

[@RowanElliss]

Chibnall's Cannibal Masterpiece

[@sammorin254]

@@RowanElliss Oh, maybe it's more because of KZbin censorship? For some reason seeing your reply made me think of that.

[@staceys5447]

Missed opportunity for Shia labeouf to guest star

[@leifhelland6313]

Chibniball

[@crazypomp927]

"Because it made me happy." One of the best lines ever, delivered perfectly, capping off the best Torchwood episode outside Children of Earth. This is one I'll never forget.

[@Kostyurik]

It's strictly subjective, but I personally don't understand why are "Children of Earth" is so high praised among Torchwood fans. "Countryside" and "Adrift" are the best episodes when it comes to forming long-lasting psychological trauma, "End of Days" is epic and monumental, "Miracle Day" is super underrated, it is the most engaging and interesting Torchwood ever been, "Day One" is my favorite episode thanks to alien sex gas not despite it, but "Children of Earth" is super slow burning, incredibly boring to watch, I barely sat through all five episodes and have absolutely no desire to ever re-watch it. I guess in order to enjoy "Children of Earth" viewer must love children (I'm not)

[@dylannoneyabiz2426]

"What do they look like? Do they look like us?" "What else would we look like?" loved that bit so much, when the shoe drops

[@jonathanskinner7647]

The episode that defined Jack's theme...here he comes in a ruddy great tractor

[@dansmudge135]

Such an amazing piece and fits this scene better than any other scenes

[@shitsprinkler]

@@dansmudge135 gym

[@danm3882]

The ‘Because it made me happy’ line still gives me the creeps 15 years later!

[@samuelbarber6177]

I think the reason this turned out so well was that Chibnall didn’t force himself into adding aliens for no reason. I heard Broadchurch was good, and that’s likely because Chibnall works best when his stories are based in reality without sci-fi stuff cluttering the story. He’s best on a leash. When you give him a story like this, he can work with that. When you give him access to Doctor Who, he just throws everything and the kitchen sink into the script. That was something that held episodes like Can You Hear Me back.

[@bombsite1847]

Please don't make me picture Chris Chibnall on a leash

[@samuelbarber6177]

@@bombsite1847 look I’m just saying, he works best when there’s a higher up giving him boundaries

[@rosiehawtrey]

@@bombsite1847 So the ball gag, the lycra and the sandpaper posing pouch is a bad thing then... Oops 😁

[@Dr3Mc3Ninja]

"On a leash." Haha, oh, no! But you're right, he needs someone to keep him in check, and ground his writing. I know it is sci-fi and anything is possible, but it needs to be somewhat feasible.

[@samuelbarber6177]

@@Dr3Mc3Ninja I think he just needs someone above him to say: “Hey, how about, instead of throwing this idea in, you save that for a later story, and focus on the already complex plot and characters you have.” This isn’t another adaptation of Les Mis, you don’t have to bring in twelve new characters. That was the issue with Can You Hear Me? It was first a story about mental health and the characters’ psyche through the means of an existential, Lovecraftian deity that cares not for human affairs, but then we throw in Aleppo, and Ryan’s friend, and another God through a third act twist, it had enough story to be a two parter... like most of Chibnall’s stories, now I think about it... maybe he just needs to write two-parters because in my opinion, Cold Blood from Series 5 was actually pretty good... But definitely, his more grounded writing is his best work. Cold Blood didn’t go for the ‘high-concept sci-fi’ like other stories of his do, so maybe that’s why that was actually pretty good... I dunno

[@eataneraser]

"Countrycide" was an incredible play on words that blew my mind the second I read it back in the day and still does

[@themomentposters]

As much as I can’t stand what Chibnall has done to Doctor Who... I bloody loved this episode... remember it scaring the crap out of me at 10 years old... and jack coming in at the end with the tractor was brilliant!

[@elizeyt]

10 years old?! it’s a wonder you weren’t traumatised for life

[@xenon8117]

I was watching this show when it aired and I was 8 at the time. Bloody good show.

[@elizeyt]

my parents watched it and then banned it from me for the next 10 years 😭😭

[@xlinnaeus]

I watched Torchwood on a bus with my mate Alex everyday going to high school at 12 years old! This show was awesome.

[@LaMlleAlex]

You were bloody too young

[@jham5313]

Owen isn't heartless when it comes to cadavers. He sees them as corpses not people. I think you have to, to be in that line of work.

[@safespacebear]

At 17:30 when our boy finally addresses the Chinball trope "the humans were the monsters all along"....ahhh....i feel better now

[@irrevenant8724]

Chibnall's trope is a fair bit more nuanced than that. It's more that both humans and aliens are *people* and you'll find good, bad, and in-between in both groups. The "Cold Blood" two-parter probably best shows this, but "42" also showed a conflict between humans and aliens where both had sympathetic motives. And personally I find it a bit sad that "aliens are two-dimensional individuals" is considered "the Chibnall trope" rather than something we see all the time from a variety of different writers and showrunners. :(

[@Azrael_Equinox]

How did Chibnall to from this, to the timeless child?

[@samuelbarber6177]

@@purestrangeness1839 Agreed. Broadchurch, and this episode, turned out so well because he didn’t have to add in aliens. Give him Doctor Who, and he just throws in every idea he can think of. Remember Can You Hear Me? It’s a deep psychological dive into our characters’ fears, as well as featuring Lovecraftian entities that care not for human emotions, and a second act twist, oh, and remember to throw in a few scenes set in 1380 Aleppo... He works best when there’s someone there to say: “No. Focus on the stuff you have!” And that’s especially with Torchwood. He’s also pretty good with human interaction I find, but that’s neither here nor there.

[@bobbobbing4220]

in the rp community, we have a phrase.. "eventually you roll a 20"

[@irrevenant8724]

@@bobbobbing4220 Outside the rp community I believe the phrase is "even a broken clock is right twice a day". :)

[@dustinakadustin]

@@samuelbarber6177 I thought can you hear me was terrible, it started alright, then ended 10 minutes early and featured some forced character development as Chibnall realised the show hadn't done any. Then the doctor was really awful to sweet Graham.

[@xlinnaeus]

@@dustinakadustin That's the point of Sam's comment! A massive swing will lead to a massive miss.

[@kaykutcher2103]

This episode explains why my Welsh relatives are so keen to have me over for a visit.

[@vickyotters9207]

Autopsies are a dying practice.

[@johngreen8344]

Eh, it's a living. At least for some people..

[@Jedi_Spartan]

"I feel like they would have brought a caravan." "I want to know what the Torchwood caravan looks like, does it have Torchwood engraved on the side? Is it shiny and black as well with lights?" "Stealth caravan!" "Back to the Torchwood caravan because it's extremely important but do you imagine it being the size of the actual set?" "It's not exactly that inconspicuous though would it? For a top secret organisation that has their headquarters behind the door of the Millennium center. And the Pizza company know where they are and deliver to them all the time. And now their in the countryside in a bunch of tents." "Not very discreet." "I think that should be the pre titles now: Torchwood - Behind a door." "Are they implying that Ianto cleaned up the Hub by himself after Cyberwoman?" "Obviously, it's his way of dealing with the trauma."

[@spanner5686]

Ah Snuggly Chibnal Time

[@Jedi_Spartan]

@@spanner5686 yes.

[@nicolebee3283]

Best thing Chibnall has written but the worst part is the stuff with Owen and Gwen. It makes me very uncomfortable but if you take that out the episode is perfect

[@bigarnd]

Agreed. I find the sexual tension in the show in general all over the place and it doesn’t always add anything to the episodes.

[@krustykrabmeat6881]

I quite liked it in this episode

[@sleepwalking3345]

@@krustykrabmeat6881 i thought it was incredibly cringe. Especially that woods scene.

[@izzierose2]

I actually think it made sense. As said in the video, although her cheating is immoral, you can understand why it happened.

[@atomicvinylreviews3420]

agreed... it made me dislike Gwen from here on out

[@vickyotters9207]

I love this episode. When I was younger I got to see them filming some of it. They always film Doctor Who/ Torchwood/ anything in the same old quarry.

[@CulturePhilter]

“Here he comes in a ruddy great tractor!” Definitely one of the best episodes of series 1.

[@vortexlisa]

I wonder how eating Jack would have worked out... could you imagine if he started coming back together inside one of them?

[@HarboWholmes]

He'd be a lifetime supply. Constantly regenerates limbs, you never have to eat anyone else again. Pretty interesting concept

[@xenon8117]

@@HarboWholmes I’m thinking of Meat now.

[@firstylasty9959]

Yeah, that’s very much like the plot of Meat.

[@emilyhadley9089]

It would be like that segment in one of the episodes of Miracle Day when Jack is strung up on a meathook and slaughtered over and over again by the locals who take his blood.

[@vortexlisa]

@@emilyhadley9089 To be honest I forgot most of Miracle day lol.

[@sircampbelltenson7297]

As someone that has lived in the bleakest and most remote parts of Wales and Scotland I can say that a weirdly silent house having small game tied up outside with foxes barking is quite normal. Still terrifying but normal.

[@rhocat362]

Where do you live now? I'm thinking of moving to Wales.

[@bigmood3386]

why did they make chinball the showrunner of doctor who- a beloved sci-fi show, when his strengths as a writer are clearly writing non sci-fi stuff eg broadchurch and countrycide

[@Venemofthe888]

i watched this episode yesterday and man its absolutely terrifying and shows aliens can be scary but the biggest monster is human. The practical effects are incredible and the tension is always there. Its like watching a 45 minute horror movie. Bodies stripped of skin by humans. Its disgusting, horrible, terrifying and absolutely nuts. The fact the whole team is terrified and sickened about what they find. At the end when Gwen is trying to get a answer from the main cannibal and him whispering because it was fun is chilling beyond belief. Also that fridge opening scene is good for the story and the horror of whats happening

[@donb7519]

kinda reminds me of the supernatural episode where they end up fighting serial killers

[@mattiacraman4011]

I remember first seeing this as a 7 year old. My older sister told me it was just like a movie called ‘The Hills Have Eyes’. I thought that if I could handle this then I could handle that! I’m still in recovery

[@metalswifty23]

This episode makes me uneasy even now and I’m 27. Tf were you doing watching this at 7?

[@DanTheMan2150AD]

There’s plenty of good moments during this episode, but the sexual tension between Owen and Gwen doesn’t really do it for me, weird considering Owen is my favourite character. Also, that variation on Captain Jack’s Theme when the tractor drives through the wall is bloody marvellous.

[@bombsite1847]

🎶here he comes in a bloody great tractor🎶

[@frankj2879]

Yeah, that was the one part stopping the episode from being perfect, but it was still damn good!

[@bigarnd]

Agreed. I find the sexual tension in the show in general all over the place and it doesn’t always add anything to the episodes.

[@hermiona1147]

I felt that sexual tension but absolutely didnt like them together.

[@dylanburton4955]

​@@hermiona1147 You probably weren't meant to like them two to be together.

[@GeorgeTheDinoGuy]

I just finished the children of earth as you uploaded this and I am praying for you to do a video on it!

[@mefoster8415]

Haha I'm in the same spot. Finished it last night. Gonna start miracle day once I've watched this

[@sparkymist]

@@mefoster8415 I loved miracle day

[@lynbaker7780]

Children of the Earth was the first Torchwood I ever watched. I was hooked! It is the best of all the series. It did cause minor distress for me when Peter Capaldi was cast as the Doctor because he was perfect as Frobisher. Luckily, Peter is a fantastic actor and I quickly accepted him. All of this to say, Children of the Earth is heartbreaking perfection and totally underrated.

[@obi501]

@@lynbaker7780 children of the earth might be my favourite Dr who content

[@GeorgeTheDinoGuy]

@@mefoster8415 same!

[@zeallust8542]

Ladies, if your relationship isnt fulfilling enough for whatever reason and you're even thinking about having an affair, if you love your man just please let the poor guy go and break up with him. Its rough, but its better off.

[@CashelOConnolly]

Or woman 🙄🏳️‍🌈

[@zeallust8542]

@@CashelOConnolly Yep, same situation.

[@ladylandlubber499]

I think the differences between the three new who show runners comes down to how they view humanity. Davis is optimistic but realistic, people are good at heart but deeply flawed. It gives him a very grounded feeling and there's always hope even if it's sometimes hard to see. Moffat is very, very optimistic, people are good and deserve the best, they just need to see it with in themselves. It helps with the fairy tale tone of his run and is also why many of his villains aren't really villains and nobody really dies. Even in the most bleak situation I don't think hope is ever really lost for Moffat. Chibnall though... he's very pessimistic. It doesn't matter how hard you try or what you do, you have to do better. All of the 'good' characters are shells of people because he knows they have to be good but I don't think he really believes anybody truly can be. I think that's why he wrote the Doctor to be so special. As if to say, only one in a million billion people can be good, truly good. It's a bleak worldview that's fundamentally opposed to the core of the show.

[@tomnorton4277]

Moffat can be kind of difficult to figure out because Peter Capaldi's Doctor was almost sociopathic in Season 8. The social awkwardness of Matt Smith was charming, showing him being not fully connected to humans but not distancing himself either. It was like watching someone on the autism spectrum. Then you transition to Capaldi outright throwing Clara to the wolves TWICE, belittling her countless times, gaslighting her about stuff that he's perfectly willing to do himself, and projecting his own flaws onto her. That's not mere social awkwardness, that's like watching an abusive relationship. By the time Capaldi finally pulled himself together in Dark Water, after Clara gave him a well deserved taste of his own medicine (which, naturally, the asshole whined about before projecting his own whining onto her), I was firmly in the mindset of "This shitbag isn't the Doctor". Even after he agreed to "Go to Hell" for Clara's sake and Missy helped him remember who he was, I didn't see Capaldi as a legitimate incarnation until The Zygon Inversion. I wish Moffat had either swapped Capaldi with John Hurt or straight up called Capaldi the Valeyard and had him grow into the Doctor from there. Capaldi's habit of gaslighting and projecting fits perfectly with the Valeyard, who outright blamed Colin Baker (criminally underrated Doctor by the way) for Peri's death, plus he's at a perfect point in the Doctor's timeline because Anthony Ainley's Master confirmed that the Valeyard is "somewhere between your twelfth and final incarnation". Thanks to John Hurt's Doctor, Matt Smith is the 12th incarnation so you can easily slot the Valeyard into Season 8 and then turn him into the Doctor in Season 9. Michael Jayston's "amalgamation" from the Trial of a Time Lord arc can be explained by his Valeyard being a "spin-off" incarnation of Capaldi like the Dream Lord was a "spin-off" of Smith.

[@frankj2879]

Oh, whatever one thinks about Chibnal, this is a classic. Watched it as a child and was haunted for months. The way it's so set up to make you think it was aliens... then it turns out to just be f*cked up people. So well done.

[@mr.scarlo2234]

Why were you watching this as a child?

[@frankj2879]

@@mr.scarlo2234 bad parents lol. Watched peep show n shit, played gta. Was pretty normal tbh

[@stevenhale2935]

Same, this is the one that stuck with me and never left - terrifying. I think mum just thought it was more dr who haha

[@robalexander8065]

To be fair, many things seemed scarier, funnier and better when you watched them as a kid. The real test is how much things stand up when rewatched with a more jaundiced eye and critical faculties as an adult.

[@xenon8117]

@@frankj2879 I was watching this and peep show at 8. Ah peep show, miss it.

[@daiboy456]

Quite possibly the most horrific words uttered in the whole Doctor Who universe are "because it made me happy" in this episode.

[@fullfiledprophecies]

the fact that Chibnall can write such a good episode, makes it all the more baffling and unfortunate with what happened with doctor who. great autopsy again. I've always loved this episode cause it was a great chance to show Ianto reintegrating back into the team and just how strong he can be for the team. :)

[@jmace2424]

I applaud your ability to say “fought sex gas and evil fairies” and not burst out laughing but I think you forgot to say “sexy cyborg.”

[@kuradamax]

this and the Fae episode are precisely why i use this show as Hunter: The Vigil inspiration

[@arvarvanwar]

14:37 I distinctly remember this scene being when I stopped caring about Owen as a character, and just wanting him to...not be there

[@Catyclept89]

You are absolutely pumping these out, and the quality still never drops. I love your vids, so much and the fact it’s so consistent in quality and quantity is just fantastic ☺️ Just remember, have a break if you need one. I wouldn’t want you to have burnout providing us with these ♥️

[@HarboWholmes]

Yeah I'm going to be taking a break from Torchwood for 3 weeks after They Keep Killing Suzie (but I'll still be uploading the Series 4 reviews!)

[@jeremyashford2145]

The affair between Gwen and Owen never rang true. It marked them both as losers.

[@atomicvinylreviews3420]

exactly.. i felt it never added anything to the episodes, just made me dislike the characters, in particular Gwen... Owen's character was always a ratty persons so it kind of fit him haha

[@WindspriteM]

@@atomicvinylreviews3420 I think it was supposed to make you dislike it

[@atomicvinylreviews3420]

​@@WindspriteM that's true, though I still feel it was a bad move, and ultimately hurt the series more than helped, especially with Gwen's character..

[@caitlinb35]

I disagree. While the affair wasn't a good look for either one of them, it was important to Gwen's arc and also to a lesser extent Owen's. Their relationship largely developed out of trauma from the job (as seen in Cyberwoman and Countrycide), which they then used as an excuse for what they were doing. It's supposed to be wrong, but you're also supposed to see how Gwen is losing a support system and how difficult it is to have relationships outside of Torchwood. I think it worked for me because they spent time adding a human element to their relationship, so it wasn't just sexual tension, but the need for a distraction based on what Owen and Gwen were going through in Torchwood (Countrycide in particular did a good job pointing this out). Undoubtedly it was immoral, and I don't blame people for saying it made them both look bad or didn't get resolved well. But it was supposed to show more of their characters.

[@atomicvinylreviews3420]

@@caitlinb35 those are all fair points, and I get what they were going for, but I think it backfires a bit when you just end up hating what is supposed to be the most relatable/audience surrogate character... i dunno, just felt like the negative of that outweighed the positive

[@crow6558]

for something that is so important for season one and gwen's character, gwen and owen's affair has such an unsatisfying ending and really just fizzles out without either of them acknowledging it or facing any consequences which is pretty disappointing.

[@xenon8117]

Yeah Rhys never remembers Gwen admitting to it, neither of them talk about it ending and it always felt a little pointless to me. Although I can accept it for the amusing lines we get in Greeks Bearing Gifts from them both in their heads.

[@crow6558]

@@xenon8117 my absolute least favorite thing about the show is that gwen essentially roofies her boyfriend so she can admit her affair to feel better without actually being held accountable and this is presented as... a good thing?

[@caitlinb35]

It's frustrating, because I totally see what they were going for with the affair and for a second there with the trauma of this episode it adds a human (if very flawed) element to both their characters. But it really just does fizzle out, it's a shame, because there should have been some closure, or yes consequences, for what happened.

[@crow6558]

@@caitlinb35 right, that’s exactly it. i don’t hate the concept of them having an affair, but it just ultimately doesn’t do anything or lead to anything which is a shame because there was a lot of potential there. instead it’s like they just shoved it under the rug and hoped the audience would forget about it as soon as they realized they went too far with what gwen did and couldn’t figure out how to excuse her actions. which again is frustrating because instead of her not facing any consequences it could have been used to make her a more fleshed out and developed character

[@caitlinb35]

@@crow6558 Exactly! Like the potential for the storyline is totally there, and it worked in Countrycide (mostly). If they'd given the same energy to the storyline afterwards, it could have been great. If Rhys had left Gwen, Gwen could've seriously reflected on what she did and how she could both make it up to him/let him in to her world or just in general properly process her trauma. it would have been such humanizing growth for her character. Even if they just had Owen and Gwen have a mature conversation about what happened, how their feelings weren't in it/Owen was struggling about Diane, etc. their friendship could've gotten more developed, and they could realize they can both have a support system in each other without the affair continuing, or something like that. I don't know, just anything like that would've been more cohesive and helped both characters come out of it a little better.

[@nightowl8477]

11:13 I think _"Here he comes on a really big tractor"_ or a phrase along those lines was what inspired the Torchwood theme, which is to the beat of that sentence. Utterly bizarre fact, but there you go.

[@merlin8046]

It's just like Supernatural's 15th episode of the 1st season "The Benders" where they expected to find some monster hunting people but they just found a sick family who enjoys hunting humans.

[@MovieMagic515]

With so much Sci Fi there are bound to be similar stories.

[@qwertyrobbo101]

The cannibals line at the end 'It makes me happy' scares the crap out of me!

[@blobfish5730]

Now this, this is a title that will get lots of views.

[@orangepizzaparty688]

Indeed it is

[@jleigh329]

I remember watching this episode while I alone in my house (I think at night) on BBC America for the first time. And that I think that atmosphere definitely added to everything while I was watching it. And even though people tend to think this is the *only* "great" episode of "Torchwood" (while it is really great), (as unpopular as this is) I loved Series One of "Torchwood" (not just for this episode) and I prefer it to Series 2. I mean, I don't hate Series 2. I just love Series 1 more. And obviously "Children of Earth " is amazing (to me that goes without saying). But yeah, to me Series One had a lot of *great* episodes like "Everything Changes", "Cyberwoman", "Countrycide", "They Keep Killing Susie" and "Captain Jack Harkness". But maybe that's just me. 😕🤷‍♀️

[@VortexTraveller]

11:14 Here he comes in a ruddy great tractor, here he comes in a ruddy great tractor...

[@evanhanley6437]

His best episode. Its essentially his tribute to old fashioned country style horror films and I love it.

[@atomicvinylreviews3420]

Great video as always man! I think calling it a "masterpiece" is a bit much... it's a good episode, and certainly one of, if not the best thing Chibnall's written in the Torchwood/Doctor Who universe but if you've watched a lot of horror, this episode feels a little un-original. I'm also not a fan of the whole Gwen Owen affair thing. I get what they were going for with trying to make it "understandable" by showing how Torchwood changed her and made her feel she needed to be with someone who understood it's world ect... But in practice I feel it added little to to show and just made me really dislike Gwen, which is not ideal, since she's arguably the main character of the show. And to a lesser extent made me dislike Owen too, though it fit his character since his whole thing is being a lovable ratty scumbag haha. I actually much preferred the sexual tension between Owen and Tosh later in the series, Their dynamic was interesting and it honestly felt tragic at the end of the show when they (SPOILERS) died never really being able to be together ...

[@dustinakadustin]

I really wish regular doctor who had more stuff that was like this, less alien stuff is more. A lot of chibnalls run on doctor who feels like they just shoehorn in aliens because it's doctor who.

[@BadWilf]

Series 2 of Torchwood is absolutely outstanding. Rightly, a lot of love goes to Children on Earth. But when I've got a spare hour and feel like watching Torchwood, it's series 2 I reach for.

[@sophiemason8444]

I'm gonna bat for Chibnall here. I don't think he's a good fit for Dr Who, and I don't think that's his fault. Some writers are better at different things, and I think Chibnell has always struggled with the scale that Doctor Who tries to go for. He's just not a good fit for Dr Who, and I don't believe that's entirely his fault. Given how down to earth Countrycide was an how limited it was in terms of cast and location, I get the impression Chibby felt more at home on this type of thing

[@msredfox]

rewatched this masterpiece of an episode last night and it still manages to give me chills, Chibnall can have his bad moments, but _god_ he can write some downright horrific, brutal and scary episodes when he wants to

[@etourdie]

I mean, Greedo did say, "Maclunky"

[@stefan3723]

this is my absolute favourite episode, its so well made! glad to see you covering it :]

[@mikemckenzie1397]

I watched this as soon as I saw it come up, I really love this series of your analysis and take on Torchwood episodes and it's giving me plenty of reason to re-watch them with a different perspective!

[@Yvonne_2473]

One of The best episodes overall. My only complaint is that it seemed the end might have gotten cut short for length reasons? Would have liked a scene with Ianto and basically anyone from the team. From what we got thy just left him sitting all by himself in the back of the car... I think he could use some company after all the trauma. 🤔 But the rest is perfect. Just rewatched it yesterday.

[@Nova-iq2ox]

Thanks for making content, i particularly enjoy falling asleep to it thanks to your soothing voice and amazing scripts.

[@doctorwhomst6459]

It's always good when you get to a video before it is humanly impossible to watch it all

[@erinella]

Maybe its just me, but Gwen cheating on Rys is one of the main reasons I can't stand her as a character. It could be my virgin brain speaking but I just don't understand why she had to have sex with Owen in order to "share" her experience in Torchwood. What happened to just talking? Friendly sleepovers no longer a thing? Even going out for a coffee or a drink? I highly doubt she and Owen conversed about Torchwood while in the middle of the act, so I don't understand why she so desperately needed it. She could have talked to anyone on the Torchwood team, especially Jack, but instead chooses to betray Rhys, her long term partner, and for what? Torchwood related intimacy? Yes, Rhys and Owen are on opposite sides of her life, but is sex some sort of integral bridge that HAS to be used as a means of sharing her experience with aliens? I find it to be a very weak excuse just so she can bonk Owen. She should have broken up with Rhys if she wanted to sleep with Owen, it's as simple as that. And the fact that she continues to lie to Rhys, eventually marrying him and having a child, just makes this deception all the more irritating. Build up of tension or not, I find it very hard to rationalise this decision, even after your explanation in this video. Cheating is such a deep betrayal of trust and Gwen never faces the consequences for her actions, which could have at least made her choice to cheat addressed for what it is: reprehensible and wrong. But it isn't and she gets away with it, at Rhys' expense. It's so wrong.

[@antonettedeinum7820]

I dont think any episode had me so much on the edge of my seat quite like this one. Having grown up in Rural areas it definitely freaked me out

[@seanmansfield4853]

Excited to see your review for this. Countycide was always one of my favorite Torchwood episodes.

[@megmcguireme]

I don't hate chibnall, I love broadchurch, I just don't like him writing doctor who

[@xlinnaeus]

Yeah, this is the best Chibnall episode ever. Fantastic twist. Sometimes humans are more monsterous than any alien. This expectation leads the TW team to almost being in denial. The real thematic challenge is to their impression of humanity itself. What an awesome story!

[@CyberChamp]

I can never look at this after watching I'm A Celeb because the area was used in the first episode of the 2020 series

[@staceyhucknall8539]

not me getting an advert for cooking knives during this... read the room youtube

[@Ben-vf5gk]

Really curious as to what you're going to make of Adrift, what I think is the best Dr Who related thing he's written

[@nightowl8477]

This better not be an unpopular opinion, you've gotten me hyped. Swear to god, Ben, is this is another Last of the Time Lords situation

[@Ben-vf5gk]

@@nightowl8477 Jack gives a speech and then performs a miracle like space jesus thanks to the power of people loving him... oh no wait that's End of Days. You know I said I only enjoy Last of the Timelords, I wasn't calling it great. As a whole the trilogy is one of my favourites but even I have problems with it

[@Ben-vf5gk]

@@nightowl8477 It's alright tho, both Sam and Stubagful have called Adrift great

[@thealternativeaddamsfamily]

To this day, this is still my favorite episode of any series in the Doctor who universe. And there's literally not one alien in it.😂

[@oxenford539]

i really dislike the whole gwen/owen affair thing. i get it- they're trying to make the show edgy and more mature, but it just makes me dislike 2 of the show's main characters.

[@samwitherington8202]

I think leaving Torchwood to help build giant robots really did Owen a world of good. Sure, he's slightly mental, but at least can watch the cool stuff, rather than be part of it.

[@cptsteele91]

The beginning of Resident Evil 7 reminded me of Countrycide in a weird way, I know they aren't that similar but it just kept bringing this episode to mind

[@AlistairKirk93]

Loving these reviews

[@cassielipton7209]

I’ve been waiting for you to cover this one. When I first watched this I was not prepared I was alone in my house at night and oh boy was this terrifying

[@PapaLuge]

This episode really took *Burger King Foot Lettuce* to the next level

[@ClappingForChlamydia]

this was a fantastic episode! i remember i watched it when it first aired and couldn't sleep that night. and honestly, now that I have seen Broadchurch, this episode makes so much sense as a Chibnall creation!

[@acotscohotdog]

This episode absolutely terrified me as a kid - I had nightmares about the skinned body for weeks. Looking back, I realise what a brilliant episode it is.

[@raptyrn1290]

11:25 What are you doing Billy?! You missed his head, Billy. Love that meme.

[@AgherDeadpan]

Chibnall, Doctor Who and Masterpiece in one sentence. Somehow I dont believe that, even for a second.

[@shreyasiroy3579]

Watch it... if you love horror... watch it...

[@bluesheepminecraft]

1:00 Holy shit you used the sugar pine 7 short film as the example? That's a blast from the past lol - was starting to think I was the only one who remembered them

[@JoshRazauskas]

I forgot Chris Chibnall wrote this episode. Great breakdown as always man.

[@smorgasbord9940]

You crank these things out ridiculously fast

[@Squicx]

This episode SCARED the hell outta me. I'm surprised it was made by chibnall actually. This episode is actually my personal favourite Torchwood episode because of the fact it tricks you into thinking it's a savage alien that hunts it's prey when really it's the distorted mind of humanity

[@cameronmonaghan6883]

It's proof that Chibnall is best when the story goes for completely messed up. Torchwood needs to come back. I would love it if the cannibals were placed in front of a weevil so they realise how small and insignificant they were compared to the vast universe

[@douglasparkinson4123]

good to see jack wielding the Mk IV-VI service revolver like he would have been issued when we was in the RAF. excellent british revolvers. just dont attempt to engage at out of 50 meter range.

[@davi0121]

This episode is also the debut of Jack's theme, the best soundtrack from Torchwood.

[@CashelOConnolly]

Gwen and Owen were floozies 🤣

[@MrExplosion449]

How on earth can this be written by the same man who wrote the timeless children? How can someone be simultaneously a great writer, and an absolutely terrible one?

[@nathanielfarkas746]

This is episode is great because of the birth of captain jack’s song, Here he comes in a ruddy great tractor

[@Dray1]

Here he comes in a ruddy great Tractor!

[@warsmithgalvinc4151]

Right so the best Chibnall has written has no aliens, no super natural element and is just a very good horror movie with the Torchwood actors believing its the rift. Why did he get the job to write Dr Who?

[@katyluvs2read]

This was the first episode of Torchwood I randomly saw on BBC America and I had a VERY different idea of what this show was supposed to be about! Was absolutely hooked though

[@p5ych0p4th]

Is it really Chibnalls Masterpiece, if it’s basically the same episode that Glenn Morgan and James Wong had written for the fourth season of X-Files (“Home”)? I mean even down to the twist, it’s the same basic story. Given how his Doctor Who Episodes before he became Showrunner were also pretty derivative of better Scripts, it kinda shows a pattern.

[@VeracityLH]

Word of God says Rhys was supposed to die (for good) in End of Days. Did the popularity of his relationship with Gwen or of Kai Owen save him? This episode is even more amazing when you realize that Eve Myles and Owen Teague were a couple in another show!

[@orangepizzaparty688]

When I first watched this episode I didn’t know what a cannabalist was and didn’t understand the episode properly. In my defence I was 11 when I watched it. Don’t ask why I was watching Torchwood when I was 11

[@xenon8117]

I was watching it when I was 8 so...

[@orangepizzaparty688]

@@xenon8117 Lmao I mean I understood most of it well enough It still hit hard at the end of series 2 and children of earth

[@kateglew580]

I get that it was built up to and all that but Gwen and Owen's affair was a huge writing mistake imo. It considerably weakens both characters (Gwen more so), and it never gets properly paid off, like the writers didn't know how to resolve it so they just acted like it never happened. If they actually faced consequences for their actions, then I might have been more okay with it, but it ended up just being a loose plot thread that never got tied up.

[@CineScarborough]

I love this episode. It's such a powerful conclusion that humans were the bad guys all along.

[@idcthtubrokeurlbow5306]

this episode made me go vegetarian, i just felt sick looking at meat after. i just love that u spend the episode expecting aliens and then that horrific human reality, because this happens and aliens are just so fantasy

[@endwalker4408]

As someone whos lived up the road from dartmoor I can say it can be a irl horror movie up there

[@Temptation666]

It is a good episode but i kept feeling i had seen it all before. Pretty sure he copied an older movie ide here. Can't remember its name but it exist.. And that takes away any respect i could have had for Chibnall in regards to this episode

[@leejames1073]

There’s a film called inbread or sumn it’s about inbread cannibals in the country side

[@Temptation666]

@@leejames1073 Nope not that one have not seen it. Also it is later than Torchwood. But a good guess :-) It is an old much used idea i think. I remember thinking early in the episode. "Oh no not again" I also saw the police officers involvement a miles away. I both liked the episode and at the same time it felt like a cliché

[@Temptation666]

@@leejames1073 I have tried to find it but i can't. Maybe my lack of surprise was simply a combination of books i had read and known criminal cases of cannibals and/or rural hunts on human victims. It is so many years ago.

[@leejames1073]

@@Temptation666 yeah it’s a fairly commonly used trope and scared the shit out of me when I first saw the torchwood episode as at the time I was a young kid living in a village in the countryside, hope u find what ur looking for mate👍

[@andybrookes3519]

This episode along with Adam were the best Torchwood episodes outside Children of Earth imo

[@Nick-us6se]

Did this man just drop a Power Rangers Turbo reference like it’s no big deal

[@HarboWholmes]

Maybe 👀 (I don't even like Turbo tbh, that finale is the only good part of that season)