Torchwood: Children of Earth

For my blog this week, I have chosen to write about Torchwood, a popular show on BBC currently in its 6th season. The season I have focused on is called Children of Earth. It is only 5 episodes long but tells the story about an alien group called the 456 trying to capture 10% of the earth's children. As I start watching the show I am amazed at how this show has not been brought to America yet. It is thrilling, intelligent, and has an interesting story line. But as I further continue watching, I notice things that might be too inappropriate for the American eye. Torchwood's main taboo is its exploitation of children. In the show, we see the children possessed by the aliens, reciting a message in unison. Later on in the show, you see one child literally die with his ears bleeding and him compulsively shaking. What is even more twisted is that his grandfather was the one who sacrificed his grandson to be dead. Controversial issues are brought up such as sacrifice and family. But out of all that, what is most absurd about the show is the reason for the children even being wanted by the aliens. They do not need the aliens to survive but rather to be used as a drug.

The show to me is really good because it tears me from my own personal beliefs. I do not believe in killing to save another life, but I also do not think that I could have let the world end. Seeing children in that state creeped me out and I even had to look away while the kid was convulsing. It was hard to imagine kids being targeted like that, however, it was a unique creative idea that hooked me. I was more invested into the show because it involved children and because I cared so much more. With that being said, I am more open to twisted shows than most Americans. I feel as if people would not respond as well to the program and parents would be upset. All in all, it is a great show that tests the boundaries of child use in plot.