It seems that, with each generation, people continue to be obsessed with preserving their youth. However, I cannot say that I submit to that mentality because I have watched my fair share of movies and TV shows that deal with eternal life, and it really does not sound like all it's cracked up to be.

That being said, the mere idea of having a life without end and being able to experience multiple eras in history firsthand has always fascinated me, which is why I do tend to enjoy these kinds of stories. We could spend an eternity discussing all the best tales of immortality from the big and small screen, but here are some of the essentials.

Death Becomes Her (1992)

In Robert Zemeckis' darkly comic, classic '90s movie Death Becomes Her, actor Madeline Ashton (Meryl Streep) discovers that the secret to her longtime rival, author Helen Sharp's (Goldie Hawn), sudden success and "glow-up" is a potion that grants eternal youth. However, it also makes maintaining that youthful glow more challenging, especially after Madeline and Helen suffer insane accidents, which Sabrina Carpenter and Jenna Ortega parodied in the "Taste" music video.

Peter Pan (1953)

I remember looking forward to the freedoms of adulthood when I was younger, but now that I am a grown-up, I think Peter Pan and his Lost Boys had the right idea about staying in Neverland, where they could stay children forever. Steven Spielberg would even use J.M. Barrie's classic fantasy tale as the catalyst of a story exploring the loss of one's inner child in 1991's Hook, which stars Robin Williams as a grown-up Peter Pan.

Deadpool (2016)

Many of the funniest and most gruesome moments from star Ryan Reynolds' adaptation of Marvel's Deadpool comics revolve around the eponymous anti-hero's incredible healing abilities, which also prevent him from aging. Quick-witted mercenary Wade Wilson gained this blessing, or curse, after participating in an experimental program to cure his cancer, which also left him with a grotesque skin condition, inspiring him to wear a costume covering him head to toe.

Doctor Who (1963-Present)

A sci-fi TV show that has managed to get away with featuring the same character in the lead for its entire decades-long run is the British cult favorite phenomenon, Doctor Who. The title character is the last of an alien race known as the Time Lords, meaning he can continue to live on infinitely by regenerating and changing his appearance, which explains why he is played by a different actor every few seasons or so.

The Picture Of Dorian Gray (1945)

One of the most influential stories involving immortality is The Picture of Dorian Gray, in which the title character suddenly ceases to age while his likeness in a recent portrait begins to grow more decrepit over time. One of the most widely praised adaptations of the 1890 novel from Oscar Wilde stars Hurd Hatfield in the title role.

Mr. Nobody (2009)

Writer and director Jaco Van Dormael’s Mr. Nobody is unlike any other film regarding the concept of eternal youth, because the main character is the only one who is not immortal, thanks to a cutting-edge surgical process. Academy Award winner Jared Leto stars in the moving, surreal sci-fi drama as the last mortal man in a utopian future, where he recounts the life (or lives) he has experienced up to this point to a confused journalist.

Interview With The Vampire (1994)

We cannot talk about eternal youth without talking about vampires, and there are few tales of the like that incorporate the theme of immortality as potently as Interview with the Vampire. Director Neil Jordan's adaptation of Anne Rice's novel stars Brad Pitt as Louis, who tells a 20th-century journalist (played by Christian Slater) the story of his life as an ageless creature of the night, dating back to the late 1700s when he is bitten by Lestat (Tom Cruise).

Hancock (2008)

In Hancock, a superhero movie not inspired by a comic book, Will Smith plays the titular boozy, homeless man, who has been mysteriously blessed with extraordinary abilities, including indestructibility and agelessness. However, he comes close to losing those gifts due to a shocking secret about his forgotten past.

Highlander (1986)

It is said in Russell Mulcahy's original cult favorite that there can only be one Highlander. However, the action-packed fantasy thriller, starring Christopher Lambert as a more-than-400-year-old Scottish warrior facing the battle of his life in modern New York City, spawned several sequels and a TV series.

True Blood (2008-2014)

One of the most popular vampire TV shows of all time is HBO's True Blood. Based on a series of novels by Charlaine Harris, the drama takes place in a world where humans and fanged creatures of the night are able to co-exist, thanks to the eponymous, synthetic substitute for blood.

Eternals (2021)

Created by legendary comic book writer and artist Jack Kirby, the Eternals are a group of superheroes given the gift of immortality, among other distinct abilities, by their creators, the Celestials. The Marvel Comic would inspire an MCU film from Academy Award-winning director Chloé Zhao and starring the likes of Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Salma Hayek, and more.

The Sandman (2022-2025)

The Sandman is Netflix's long-awaited series adaptation of Neil Gaiman's widely acclaimed fantasy comic book series of the same name, published under DC's Vertigo imprint in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Tom Sturridge's title character, also known as Dream and plenty of other aliases for his purpose of manipulating the human subconscious, is one of several beings known as the Endless, who each personify a different abstract concept, such as Death and Desire.

Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

You can always count on a filmmaker like Jim Jarmusch to come through with a stunningly unique take on the horror genre, such as with his acclaimed vampire movie, Only Lovers Left Alive. The dramedy follows the reunion between a rock star (played by Tom Hiddleston) and his lover (played by Tilda Swinton), who have been in an on-and-off relationship for a very long time.

Torchwood (2006-2011)

The Doctor may be the last of the Time Lords, but he is not the only character from the Doctor Who universe who cannot die. The hit spinoff, Torchwood, following the adventures of a secret organization defending Earth from supernatural threats, stars John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness, who was turned immortal when he was revived by the power of the Time Vortex after he was killed by a Dalek.

In Time (2011)

Widely regarded as a movie with a brilliant concept but a lackluster execution is the Justin Timberlake-led sci-fi thriller In Time, set in a futuristic society in which people stop aging at the age of 25. However, they can only live perpetually if they have enough time, which is also treated as currency. In other words, the wealthy are truly immortal, while the poor literally struggle to survive until the next day.

What We Do In The Shadows (2014)

One of the funniest films about vampirism is the horror-comedy movie favorite, What We Do in the Shadows, which later inspired a hit FX series of the same name. The faux documentary follows what goes on in the lives of a group of centuries-old bloodsuckers (played by Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, and Johnny Brugh) sharing a house in New Zealand.

Spring (2015)

Directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead's romantic horror movie Spring is a beautiful, Lovecraftian take on a Richard Linklater-style drama like Before Sunrise. It follows an American man (played by Lou Taylor Pucci) visiting Italy when he falls for a woman (played by Nadia Hilker), who is not only cursed with agelessness, but hides another transformative secret.

The Fountain (2006)

From Darren Aronofsky, The Fountain is a trippy thriller starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz that is told in a nonlinear, anthology-style structure and takes place over the course of 1000 years. One segment, set in the 1500s, follows a quest for the Fountain of Youth, another centers on a modern-day surgeon and his terminally ill wife, and the last follows a man passionately tending to a tree while traveling through space in the deep future. The question the film leaves you with is whether or not Jackman's roles are all the same person.

The Age Of Adaline (2015)

One film that effectively illustrates the challenging consequences of eternal youth is The Age of Adaline. Blake Lively stars in the title role of a mid-20th-century woman who suffers a freak accident that suddenly causes her to stop aging, forcing her to go on the run and live anonymously for decades.

Forever (2014-2015)

The short-lived crime procedural Forever stars Ioan Gruffudd as a man working as a medical examiner in New York City. However, the most perplexing mystery he struggles to solve is why he has not aged in more than two centuries.

The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus (2009)

Known for being the final film starring Academy Award winner Heath Ledger, director Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus stars Christopher Plummer in the title role, who was gifted eternal life by the Devil (Tom Waits) in exchange for the soul of his daughter, Valentina (Lily Cole), once she reaches her sixteenth birthday.

Altered Carbon (2018-2020)

While most stories about eternal life are considered fantasy, the concept is not entirely implausible. For instance, the Netflix series Altered Carbon imagines a dystopian future in which immortality is achieved by digitally preserving human consciousness and uploading it into a new body.

The Man From Earth (2007)

Writer Jerome Bixby was the legendary mastermind behind some of the best episodes of The Twilight Zone, and his final produced work before his death, The Man from Earth, does feel like something that would have been right up Rod Serling's alley. The film stars David Lee Smith as a professor who, during his impromptu retirement party, reveals to his colleagues the shocking revelation that he has inexplicably existed for thousands of years.

He Never Died (2015)

Without giving too much away, He Never Died is a bizarre thriller starring Henry Rollins as a man calling himself Jack, who has been on Earth longer than even he has been able to keep track of.

Cronos (1993)

The feature film debut of writer and director Guillermo del Toro, Cronos, is a chilling thriller about an ancient, highly coveted device shaped like a scarab that can grant people the gift of immortality.

Tuck Everlasting (2002)

Based on the 1975 novel of the same name by Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting stars Alexis Bledel as a 19th-century teen who falls in love with a "young" man (played by Jonathan Jackson) whose family has accidentally discovered the Fountain of Youth.

Blade Of The Immortal (2017)

Director Takashi Miike, the mastermind behind some of the shocking Japanese horror movies of all time, brings his signature style to this live-action adaptation of the graphic novel, Blade of the Immortal. The film stars Takuya Kimura as a samurai cursed with eternal life, who is enlisted by a young girl to help avenge her father's death.

The Last Witch Hunter (2015)

Vin Diesel's Dungeons & Dragons character served as the inspiration for his role in The Last Witch Hunter, in which he plays a man whose immortality has allowed him the time to become the most skilled asset in war against witchcraft.

Zardoz (1974)

Writer and director John Boorman's Zardoz is better remembered for the ridiculous futuristic outfit that Sean Connery wears than the plot of the bizarre sci-fi adventure. The story is set in the 23rd Century, in which Connery's deadly warrior, known as Zed, comes across a community where death has been rendered obsolete.

New Amsterdam (2008)

Not to be confused with a hit NBC medical drama that happens to bear the same name, New Amsterdam is a short-lived Fox crime drama starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as a New York detective granted eternal youth by a Native American woman he saved 400 years earlier.

The Old Guard (2020)

Based on the graphic novel by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández, the Netflix original film The Old Guard stars Charlize Theron as the leader of a group of ageless mercenaries. It would spawn a sequel that deepens its lore, which was released in 2025.

Immortality (1998)

Also released as The Wisdom of Crocodiles to reflect the novel that inspired it, the aptly named Immortality stars Jude Law as a vampire preying on women in hopes of finding the one who redeems him.

There are few novelties within the media landscape that can be more enjoyable than good crossovers. For years now, creatives have found intriguing ways to cross-pollinate properties. Said events are especially common when it comes to TV shows, and viewers have certainly been treated to some entertaining productions involving multiple series mixing it up. On that note, we’re going to talk about 32 particularly excellent small-screen mashups. 

Batman/The Green Hornet

The 1960s series Batman and The Green Hornet linked up in a few small ways during their runs, but their most prominent crossover occurred during a two-part episode of the former show. “A Piece of the Action” and “Batman’s Satisfaction” saw Gotham’s protectors forge an uneasy alliance with the Hornet and Kato, and the result was a truly action-packed hour of pulpy goodness.

Full House/Family Matters

Remember the time Family Matters’ Steve Urkel appeared on Full House? In Season 4’s “Stephanie Gets Framed,” the Urk Man traveled from Chicago to San Francisco for a science fair and ended up giving Stephanie Tanner advice regarding her new glasses. The result was a relatively sweet installment, which built a solid bridge between two of ABC’s best TGIF comedies.

The Jetsons/The Flintstones

The respective casts of Hanna-Barbera’s prehistoric and futuristic animated sitcoms finally came together in the 1987 TV movie The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones. During the special, the two groups walked a mile in each other’s shoes via time travel, and the result was a fun piece of work that could make you yell Yabba Dabba Doo!

The Beverly Hillbillies/Petticoat Junction/Green Acres

It’s no secret that CBS’ The Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction and Green Acres are all set within the same fictional universe. All three shows crossed over multiple times, but the sweetest example was arguably the Hillbillies Season 7 episode “The Thanksgiving Spirit,” in which the casts of the three comedies warmly shared a meal together.

St. Elsewhere/Cheers

Both Cheers and St. Elsewhere are set in Boston, so it was only fitting that a connection was built between the two NBC shows. The crossover occurred during Season 3 of the medical drama, when several doctors visited the titular pub from one of the best sitcoms of all time. Come for the intrigue of the mashup, and stay for Rhea Perlman’s Carla Tortelli chewing out a group of medical professionals.

Diff’rent Strokes/Hello, Larry

Honestly, Hello, Larry wasn’t all that interesting on its own, but its three two-part crossovers with fellow NBC sitcom Diff’rent Strokes were solid. The final meetup between the two casts, “Thanksgiving Crossover,” was particularly enjoyable and highlighted character dynamics in fun ways.

Boy Meets World/Sabrina The Teenage Witch

Fan-favorite Sabrina the Teenage Witch star Melissa Joan Hart briefly appeared as her eponymous character during the closing tag for the Boy Meets World Season 5 episode, “The Witches of Pennbrook.” Her appearance may not be considered canon now, but it was certainly cool to see at the time. 

Scooby-Doo/Josie And The Pussycats

Throughout the two-season run of The New Scooby-Doo Movies, Mystery Inc. ran into a number of notable people – both real and fictional. It was only fitting that the sleuths met up with their fellow Hanna-Barbera-birthed peers from Josie and the Pussycats. The two gangs teamed up to solve a mystery in “The Haunted Showboat,” resulting in a fun romp.

NCIS/NCIS: Los Angeles/NCIS: Hawai’i

In early 2023, NCIS’ first triple crossover debuted, bringing together characters from the mothership show as well as the Los Angeles and Hawai’i spinoffs. The shows’ respective teams joined forces to investigate the apparent suicide of a retired military official. It can be said that this Avengers-style event was well worth the wait.

Happy Days/Laverne & Shirley

Within the fictional TV universe co-created by producer Garry Marshall, Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley cross-pollinated multiple times. One of the most notable instances of that was with the two-part crossover “Shotgun Wedding,” in which Shirley and Laverne became engaged to Richie Cunningham and the Fonz to save them from arranged marriages.

The Mask: Animated Series/Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Both Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Mask: Animated Series were adapted from Jim Carrey movies, so it was only right that they both crossover. The two-part event – which was spread across both shows – was a truly wild romp that involved brain-switching shenanigans, a trip to space and more.

Friends/Mad About You

Amid all the truly strong and ridiculous Friends episodes, is the memorable two-parter, “The One with Two Parts.” The installments see Joey Tribbiani falling for Phoebe Buffay’s twin sister, Ursula, from Mad About You. The fun episodes also featured cheeky cameos from Helen Hunt and Leila Kenzle, who appeared as their MAU characters.

The Golden Girls/Empty Nest/Nurses

Three-show crossovers can be tricky, but NBC pulled off a fun one in 1991 with The Golden Girls, Empty Nest and Nurses. “Hurricane Saturday” saw the characters of the Florida-based sitcoms weathering a massive storm and humorously crossing paths as they did so.

The King Of Queens/Everybody Loves Raymond

Due to a retroactive bridge being retroactively built between them, Everybody Loves Raymond and The King of Queens crossed over multiple times throughout their runs. One of the best of those, however, is the first crossover, which occurred in the Queens Season 1 episode “Road Rayge.” It’s a funny episode that sees Doug Hefferman and Ray Barone striking up a friendship after meeting at the DMV.

Power Rangers In Space/Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation

Power in Space’s “Shell Shocked” marked the realization of a Saturday morning dream, as it saw the rangers team up with the heroes in a half shell. These iterations of the amphibious martial arts masters hailed from Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation (a show that shouldn’t have been canceled after one season). The Turtles were mind-controlled by the Rangers’ nemesis, Astronema, who uses them to take over the power team’s Megaship.

The Office (U.S.)/The Office (U.K.)

Both iterations of The Office collided when Ricky Gervais’ David Brent popped up on a Season 7 episode of the U.S. series. During that installment, he and his American counterpart, Michael Scott (Steve Carell), ran into each other. I don’t know what’s funnier: the two abrasive bosses getting along so well or Michael awkwardly telling David that Dunder Mifflin wasn’t hiring.

Supergirl/The Flash

The Arrowverse showcased a number of great team-ups over the years, but the first was a fun crossover between The Flash and Supergirl, in which the titular hero of the former show found himself in Kara Danvers’ universe. As fun as the Supes Season 1 episode is, what’s even more amazing is that this event happened before the Melissa Benoist-led show moved from CBS to The CW to join its slate of DCTV fare.

Sister, Sister/Smart Guy

Fellow shows on The WB, fan-favorite Sister, Sister and Smart Guy seemed like the right fit for a crossover, with the former sitcom hosting it. The episode saw 10-year-old prodigy T.J. Henderson being recruited to tutor twins Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell for their SATs. T.J. ultimately employed some unconventional – but effective – methods to get the job done.

The Fairly Oddparents/Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius

Few cartoon crossovers can match the greatness of the three-hour-long crossovers between Nickelodeon’s The Fairly Oddparents and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. Known as The Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour, the episodes saw Neutron and Timmy Turner coming into interdimensional conflict on multiple occasions. Even today, seeing characters from two of the best Nick shows of the 2000s is downright delightful.

New Girl/Brooklyn Nine-Nine

I’m not sure anyone could’ve predicted that a crossover between New Girl and Brooklyn Nine-Nine would happen, but that’s exactly what fans were treated to in 2016. This was a two-part event spread across both comedies, and it was certainly fun to see Andy Samberg’s Jake Peralta, Zooey Deschanel’s Jessica Day and more mix it up.

Luke Cage/Iron Fist

After much demand from the fans, Netflix’s Luke Cage featured a true superhero tag team between the show’s eponymous character and Danny Rand of Iron Fist. While reception to the latter show and its protagonist had been relatively underwhelming, fans loved what was done with Rand on Cage. All in all, it was a team-up worthy of the Heroes for Hire legacy.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air/In The House

One crossover that I’d argue is rarely talked about is the one that took place between The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and In The House. ITH’s “Dog Catchers” saw Alfonso Riberio guest star as Carlton Banks and Tatyana Ali as Ashley Banks. The story involved Carlton (inadvertently) alerting Marion Hill (LL Cool J) to the fact that friend Tiffany Warren’s (Maia Campbell) new boyfriend was two-timing her with Ashley.

The Simpsons/Futurama

“Simpsorama,” a Season 26 episode of The Simpsons, finally brought Springfield’s famous family into contact with the cast of Futurama. The Planet Express crew made their way to the present to prevent Homer and co. from causing a dire situation in the future. The crossover not only employed the kind of gags specific to both Matt Groening-produced shows but preserved the heart as well.

Scandal/How To Get Away With Murder

Kerry Washington’s Olivia Pope and Viola Davis’ Annalise Keating finally met each other when Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder crossed over. The 2018 multi-episode arc saw the crisis manager and defense attorney join forces to collaborate on a class action case. Both actresses brought their A-game for what proved to be a truly emotional story, with some poignant social commentary.

Supernatural/Scooby-Doo

I’m not sure many people envisioned Supernatural bringing in the Scooby-Doo characters upon the announcement of a crossover in 2017. However, the episode, “Scoobynatural,” ultimately received high praise from critics and fans alike. Seriously, the sight of Sam and Dean Winchester aiding Mystery Inc. in a case (set against the backdrop of one of the animated franchise’s classic episodes) was so much fun.

The X-Files/Cops

Have you ever wanted to know what it would be like if The X-Files’ Mulder and Scully’s off-kilter adventures were ever presented in a format similar to Cops’? Well, look no further than the Season 7 episode “X-Cops,” as it put the two in such a situation. The idea may have sounded wild at the time, but it proved to be highly entertaining TV.

Archer/Bob’s Burgers

It’s rare that a crossover gets wilder than the one between Bob’s Burgers and Archer, which occurred in the later show. "Fugue and Riffs" featured an amnesiac Sterling Archer waking up to discover that he’s the head of the Belcher family from Bob’s. That episode was certainly fun, especially considering that H. Jon Benjamin voiced both Archer and Bob regularly anyways.

That’s So Raven/The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody/Hannah Montana

Disney Channel gifted children of the 2000s with a real treat when the three-way TV event That's So Suite Life of Hannah Montana. It brought together the casts of the hit shows That’s So Raven, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and Hannah Montana for a madcap meetup that’s still beloved today.

Doctor Who/Torchwood/The Sarah Jane Adventures

Series 4 of Doctor Who ended on a high note with a two-part finale that brought the eponymous Time Lord and his allies together with characters from two spinoff series, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures. Not only did the Who writers manage to provide plenty of crossover craziness, but they also wrapped up a number of pivotal story arcs in the process.

Generator Rex/Ben 10

It’s not often that two awesome do-gooders link up on the small screen, and Ben 10/Generator Rex: Heroes United offered a shining example of that. While it was great to see the two eponymous characters ultimately team up, it was also cool to see them come to blows upon first making contact.

Bones/Sleepy Hollow

The notion of the cast of Sleepy Hollow and Bones coming together for a two-part story sounds weird on paper, and that’s because it is. Nevertheless, it was intriguing to watch Special Agents Seeley Booth and Temperance “Bones” Brennan team up with FBI Agent Abbie Mills and Ichabod Crane to investigate a decades-old corpse on Halloween.

Arrow/The Flash/Supergirl/Batwoman/Legends Of Tomorrow

The producers behind “Crisis on Infinite Earths” did the impossible by uniting the casts of not two, three or four Arrowverse shows but all five series that were on the air at that time. What was even more impressive was that in addition to Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow and Batgirl being involved, Black Lightning’s eponymous hero was also in the mix. You’d be hard-pressed to find a small-screen crossover as massive as this one was.

It's been a week since Doctor Who vet John Barrowman's flashing allegations resurfaced thanks to a viral video that became relevant again following the host of allegations against fellow franchise actor Noel Clarke. Despite Barrowman's apologies both past and present, the renewed attention is taking its toll on Barrowman's future regarding Doctor Who projects, among other industry gigs. Just days after it was first announced that Barrowman was removed from the immersive Who experience dubbed Time Fracture, the UK studio Big Finish has cancelled the upcoming audio series Torchwood: Absent Friends with David Tennant.

The Torchwood audio drama was heavily hyped as being the highly anticipated reunion between David Tennant's iteration of The Doctor and John Barrowman's Captain Jack Harkness, but was shelved by Big Finish for at least the foreseeable future. The official statement from the company (via io9) was brief but made it clear what the plans are with the project going forward

The statement is obviously a major bummer for fans, but it's worth noting that Big Finish did not rule out the possibility of Torchwood: Absent Friends being released at a later date. It's presumed that the entire project's production was complete, considering it was set to release this month, so it's almost likely that it will see the light of day at some point in the future.

That outlook is a bit more optimistic than what happened with Time Fracture, the immersive experience that completely removed a video of Barrowman attached to the project. That event is still scheduled to proceed as planned, sans Captain Jack, and at this point, one would assume the creative team will close out the experience's run without re-adding Barrowman's footage to it, since it appears it won't be necessary for the experience to make sense.

The canceled audio drama may not even be the latest project to drop John Barrowman following the viral spread of the resurfaced video in which Noel Clarke talked about Barrowman routinely exposing his genitals to others on set as a prank. Clarke's claims were confirmed by multiple people associated with Doctor Who, though it was stressed by many that his actions weren't perceived in ways one would consider sexual in nature.

John Barrowman's loss of two Doctor Who-related jobs may cause some concern with fans. After all, the actor had only just returned to the franchise for these key appearances as Captain Jack after years of being away. With Barrowman's recent setbacks, one has to wonder if the controversy could impact whether or not Captain Jack will appear in Season 13 or any later seasons. There has been no explicit confirmation that Jack was set to appear in Season 13, though a leaked tie-in novel featuring the character was teased for Episode 3, so there were expectations.

Doctor Who Season 13 is still in the works, so it's difficult to speculate too much on who will or won't be involved in the season. We still don't even know for sure how much longer current Doctor Jodie Whittaker will be with the series. For more on that, be sure to read up on some of the chatter about who could be the one to replace her if she does leave after Season 13.

John Barrowman’s time as Captain John Harkness in the Doctor Who universe (or multiple universes?) mostly took place over 10 years ago but, recently, his time on the set has been a major topic of discussion. The popularity of his character in the main Doctor Who series sparked his own spin-off, Torchwood, though a number of stories have since surfaced that have accused Barrowman of exposing himself on both sets in the name of comedy. A few alums from both shows have spoken out about the rumors in the past but, now that they've resurfaced, a fellow Torchwood star has chimed in, speaking in defense of Barrowman.

John Barrowman’s Torchwood co-star, Gareth David-Lloyd, was the one to defend him in the midst of the reignited allegations. In an interview with Metro, David-Lloyd explained that he fully understands in hindsight that Barrowman's on-set actions were inappropriate. However, based on his comments, David-Lloyd doesn't believe his co-star meant to make anyone feel uncomfortable but only sought to "entertain" the cast and crew of Torchwood. Here it is in his own words:

Gareth David-Lloyd seems to partially attribute John Barrowman's actions to the fact that the cast and crew of Torchwood were so close. He adds that because he was a less experienced actor at the time, he was somewhat unaware of how his co-star's actions would make others feel. In the same interview, David-Lloyd went on to double down on his belief that Barrowman meant no harm with his antics on set:

John Barrowman initially apologized for his behavior back in 2008, saying he never meant to affect anyone negatively and that he would be more diligent through his actions moving forward. He has also apologized again recently since the rumors have resurfaced. In this most recent statement, Barrowman said that he understands the effects of his "exuberant behaviour" and that he has changed his behavior and understanding since the initial allegations.

The renewed interest in these reported incidents involving John Barrowman comes on the heels of another situation involving Doctor Who star, Noel Clarke. The actor, who played Mickey back in the beginning of the 2005 revival and was recently rumored to return, has been accused of sexual assault and harassment by over 20 women. In a recently resurfaced 2014 video recorded at a convention, Clarke actually recalled an incident related to Barrowman’s on-set conduct, and said clip has sparked new interest in the years-old allegations.

As of right now, it doesn't appear that there have been any recent instances in which John Barrowman has exposed himself on the set of a production. Still, the BBC appears to be heavily investigating any claims of misconduct and is reportedly taking those claims very seriously. Now that Barrowman has the support of Gareth David-Lloyd, it remains to be seen whether any of his other Doctor Who or Torchwood co-stars will also speak in defense of him.

Doctor Who Season 13 is in development, and fans have been doing their best to try and dig up any details about the season ahead of its release. The results have been hit or miss so far, though the latest information dug up may have just confirmed that John Barrowman's Jack Harkness will yet again reunite with The Doctor and friends for another adventure.

The news came from a description of an upcoming Doctor Who novel that was up on the Penguin Random House website, but it was removed once word traveled around. Luckily, this wasn't before the synopsis was pulled from the site (via Radio Times), which explain how Jack may re-enter the story in Season 13. Read the synopsis below, which was said to be a tie-in adventure to Season 13, Episode 2.

It looks like Jack is on another collision course with the Torchwood Institute, which is interesting given the events of the latest special, "Revolution of the Daleks." When the Doctor Who character bid farewell to the 13th Doctor, he announced he was off to see Gwen Cooper, who was featured alongside Harkness in the Torchwood spinoff. Given that this tie-in adventure is set to an episode so early in the season, could this mean Season 13 will feature a mini-Torchwood reunion of sorts?

If so, it wouldn't be all that surprising. After a long time away from the franchise, John Barrowman appeared as Captain Jack in in Season 12 and the latest special. It would not be at all surprising to learn that showrunner Chris Chibnall got him on board for another appearance. As for the official word so far, BBC declined to comment on any speculation.

While The BBC is often unwilling to comment on these matters, it does need to be said that the fact Captain Jack is appearing in a tie-in Doctor Who novel does not necessarily guarantee his involvement in the episode it's referencing. Or, Jack could only play a small part in the actual adventure, which would justify fans buying a tie-in novel to see the full scope of what he got into. As a big fan of John Barrowman and Captain Jack, I'm choosing to remain optimistic and that he'll not only be featured but that this could be some backdoor pilot for a Torchwood revival!

Ok, maybe that's a bit too optimistic, but with Doctor Who Season 13 still in production, who's to say what is and isn't possible at the moment? All we can do is speculate, continue to scour the web for answers on upcoming episodes and continue to guess who could take Jodie Whittaker's place if this is indeed her final season.

Doctor Who fans have been clamoring for John Barrowman's Torchwood to return ever since the spinoff series last aired in 2011. Those calls for a revival have sprung up again, and this time, there's a valid reason to justify the calls and even believe there's a chance it could happen.

The latest on the revival front is that the BBC is bringing back its channel BBC Three, the first network home of Torchwood during its four-season run. BBC Three is set to return in 2022, and beyond the fact that audiences are all about television revivals these days, Torchwood celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. If ever there was a time to announce Torchwood will return for Season 5, one would think that time is coming up.

If you're someone who believes there's no such thing as coincidences, you may even suspect there are some talks for a Torchwood revival already happening. Is it a happy coincidence that John Barrowman marked his triumphant return to Doctor Who in Season 12 and the New Year's special when he'd been away from the franchise almost as long as since Torchwood has aired a new episode? I'm not saying the return means anything, but the timing is arguably suspicious, to say the least.

Especially when you think back to "Revolution of the Daleks," in which John Barrowman's Jack directly referenced his intention to reconnect with a Torchwood co-star. Jack bid farewell to The Doctor over the phone and made a point to mention Gwen Cooper sent her love. Jack also mentioned he'd be spending some time with Gwen, which could very well be a subtle nod tease that something is in the works.

So, while it may seem like Torchwood fans are up in arms and generating hype for a revival literally all the time, there is reason to be excited for the moment. The odds look the best they have in a decade that John Barrowman will return, though it's worth noting nothing is guaranteed.

This is especially true in regards to the revival happening on BBC Three, which, as mentioned previously, was only one of the networks to air Torchwood. The series made the jump from BBC Two in Season 2, BBC One in Season 3, then finally there was a co-production between BBC One and Starz for Season 4, which was re-titled Torchwood: Miracle Day. Should the series return, I'm sure there would be many options for a network to take it. BBC Three is an option for the return, but certainly not the only one.

Torchwood is a unique cases, mainly because it was technically never canceled. Showrunner Russell T. Davies put the series on hold after his husband's diagnosis with brain cancer, and the series has been in a strange limbo ever since. The only real successful effort at a revival happened in 2017 in the form of an audio drama, but Gwen actress Eve Myles wasn't quite as involved in the series as Barrowman.

Both Myles and Barrowman have stayed fairly busy since the show's hiatus, so getting them together for a full season could be quite a challenge. It gets doubly hard when adding Russell T. Davies to the equation, who is back in the spotlight thanks to his television series It's A Sin. It wouldn't be hard to believe more projects are heading his way soon, assuming Season 5 of Torchwood isn't already being inked out to conflict with that.

The odds seem better now than in previous years that Torchwood may one day return to television, but fans will have to wait and see if it happens for sure. American audiences can binge the Doctor Who spinoff on HBO Max in the meantime and read about the surprising pick John Barrowman had for the next Doctor right here.

The global appeal for Doctor Who is probably the strongest it’s ever been, as fans anticipate the show’s 2015 premiere this fall. One would think that the return of one of the series’ most popular characters in the contemporary era, John Barrowman’s Captain Jack Harkness, would be a no-brainer. However, there are still no plans to reunite The Doctor with his former traveling companion, and the fault apparently doesn’t belong to Barrowman.

John Barrowman, who portrayed the enigmatic immortal Captain Jack on Doctor Who and its 2006-2011 spinoff Torchwood, revealed to the UK paper Ipswich Star that despite being a regular on American television’s Arrow on The CW, he’s still game for a return to Doctor Who. However, the prospects of that are still very much in the court of the network overlords at the BBC or ITV. According to Barrowman:

Captain Jack has not been seen on television since the last Torchwood series, “Miracle Day”, finished its run in 2011. His last appearance on Doctor Who came by way of a quick cameo in the 2010 curtain call episode for David Tennant’s 10th Doctor, “The End of Time.” The precise reason as to why we haven’t seen him for what is now nearly four years remains a mystery. However, such an idea may require complex answers.

The character’s charisma, humor and television-groundbreaking approach to sexuality has made him memorable and popular enough to warrant branching off into his own adventures on Torchwood, where he headed the Who mythology’s governmental organized team tackling extraterrestrial incursions and other supernatural phenomena. We’ve certainly seen Captain Jack go through quite a lot in the last few Torchwood series, relating to loss of family and paramour. Consequently, it could be the case that either the network or the show’s creative forces simply feel that we’ve seen enough of him, for now.

However, it’s still possible to have Captain Jack return in ways that avoid saddling Doctor Who with Jack’s heavier baggage. Rendered immortal after being killed and resurrected by The Doctor’s temporarily power-imbued companion Rose Tyler, Captain Jack has found himself woven through the Who timeline circuitously. (Fans even argue about canonical validity of "Miracle Day.") Thus, there are numerous possibilities within the mythology to bring him into the picture in a non-linear way. In fact, a fun prospect would be a story arc following up on an old clue that the slowly-aging, but undying Captain Jack was destined in the far, far future to become the giant tendril-sporting disembodied head bigshot known as The Face of Boe.

For now, though, Barrowman seems content with his current place in the pop-culture zeitgeist, having also carved out quite the following for his Arrow character, Malcolm Merlyn. The character has at times proven to not only be as enigmatic as Jack, but also walks the line between the role of loving father and pure, heartless evil with disturbingly impressive ease. However, should we ever get a pallet cleanser that sees Captain Jack walk through the big blue doors of the TARDIS again to team with Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor (or maybe a later incarnation), it will be that much sweeter, given how long we will have had to wait.

Earlier this week, Netflix subscribers all over the country got some bad news when it was announced that the streaming service would soon be losing a huge chunk of its British TV series lineup, including Doctor Who and The Office. It turns out that wasn’t entirely true, and Netflix has confirmed those early reports were partly in error. Let’s all pour ourselves a (sonic) screwdriver in celebration.

Here are the series that will still be around after the renewal update happens at the end of the month.

Netflix additionally confirmed with Variety that the deal excising certain U.K. series doesn’t include the shows Sherlock, The Honorable Woman, Happy Valley and Call the Midwife, so none of these were ever in any danger of getting removed to begin with. That’s good news, but probably means we’ll have to hear about their renewal arguments whenever they come up, though Maggie Gyllenhaal’s recent Golden Globe win for The Honorable Woman should cement that series on the site for a long time.

For everyone wondering about the rest of the earlier report’s entries that aren’t listed in above, there’s only bad news. Sadly, February 1 will bring the departure of MI-5, Red Dwarf, Black Adder and Fawlty Towers (among others). The latter three are among the greatest comedies in TV history, which makes this all the more disappointing. In the meantime, make sure and binge-watch the hell out of them while you still can. Any comedically violent behavior that happens in February as a result of streamer rage is perfectly acceptable.

If this proves anything, it’s that not even Netflix’s future schedule is free from rumor-mongering misinformation, and that people are almost always just two seconds away from flipping out over what they might not be able to watch anymore. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to Netflix to watch a show that I know was there at some other point, only to find I’m always too late. Absence makes the heart grow fonder…for Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant.

Netflix is a cheap TV solution for many families, but one of the downsides to Netflix is its penchant for dropping popular programming. Unfortunately at the end of the month, most of the BBC shows that are currently available are being cut from the subscription streaming service. You may not care as much about the short-lived Hyperdrive, but you may care when the likes of Doctor Who, Torchwood, Red Dwarf and Coupling are pulled from the streaming service at the end of the month.

Four or five BBC shows are quite a few to lose, but it actually gets worse. Beyond, Doctor Who and Coupling, What’s on Netflix Now reports there are actually a slew of programs that will all be leaving the lineup at the end of the day on Saturday, January 31. The critically acclaimed hit Luther starring Idris Elba will be gone. The original version of House of Cards will be gone (we're talking about the original British series, not the Kevin Spacey-led show). Fawlty Towers will be gone. Are you a car aficionado? Top Gear will no longer be a Netflix option. Do you like science fiction programs? Unfortunately, Survivors and several more great programs will be no longer be a couple of clicks away. In fact, the list is so lengthy, you are better off just perusing it, below.

It's a simple fact of life that Netflix can’t afford to keep every program it has ever signed on to the subscription streaming service. A few months ago, Netflix notably kicked Battlestar Galactica out of its lineup, devastating everyone who was trying to power through the melodrama. This time around, with a lot more shows leaving the service, there are bound to be more people affected by the changes. I can’t even begin to imagine being one of the subscribers who are halfway through Doctor Who’s lengthy history of content right now.

There are definitely other ways to nab the programming. If you are fully committed to finishing a series, you can always pick up individual Doctor Who Blu-rays and DVDs, although those will run you a prettier penny than Netflix’s super reasonable $7.99 a month fee. On the bright side, Netflix is always adding to its content. I heard Friends just hit the streaming service this month. (Let’s just hope Friends isn’t the reason we are losing some sci fi favorites.)

It’s that time of year again! TV doesn’t exactly grind to a halt during the holidays, as some networks fill their primetime hours with holiday programming, but most of our favorite TV dramas and comedies will be going on hiatus for the next few weeks, if not longer. Lest you think that means you actually have to step away from the television, rest assured, this is actually a great time of year to watch those shows you’ve been meaning to check out, or lose yourself in a nostalgic binge-watch. Netflix is a perfect resource for such an activity, as the streaming video service has no shortage of great TV shows available streaming, and we’ve scoured the service to find some of the ones that are well worth watching. Here they are (numbered for count, not rank!):

(1) Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad is about a high school science teacher who learns he’s dying of cancer and decides to start cooking meth in an effort to stockpile some cash for his pregnant wife and their son before he goes. The story of Walter White starts out good and only gets better with each season. It is as good as people say it is, so if you’ve been on the fence about watching it, now’s the time. All but the second half of the fifth and final season are available streaming on Netflix. (Watch it.)

(2) Sons of Anarchy - Kurt Sutter’s gritty motorcycle drama is currently wrapping up its sixth season, but you can get caught up on all the dramatic and sometimes really violent dealings of the SAMCRO men and their old ladies through Season 5 on Netflix.

(3) The Walking Dead - AMC just got us to the halfway point of the fourth season of the popular zombie drama. Netflix will get you through the first three seasons, the first of which introduces us to Rick, a sheriff who wakes up after months in a coma from a gunshot wound, to discover the world’s been overrun by a zombie epidemic. Survival becomes the never-ending goal.

Looking for more thrills? Try (4) Longmire, (5) 24, (6) Burn Notice, (7) Revolution and (8) White Collar.

(9) Arrow

Arrow’s on my own personal list of shows to get caught up on over the hiatus. The DC comic adaptation starring Stephen Amell as the titular archer superhero Green Arrow is currently amidst its second season on The CW. If it’s as good as everyone says it is — or gets, as I hear the first season takes a little while to get going — now would be a good time to check out Season 1. (Watch it.)

(10) Supernatural - Got a lot of time on your hands? You’ll need it if you want to get through all eight of the seasons Netflix has for Supernatural. This supernatural thriller centers on two grown brothers who hunt demons and investigate paranormal mysteries.

(11) Buffy the Vampire Slayer and (12) Angel - Joss Whedon’s beloved vampire-focused series are both available streaming on Netflix in their entirety. Whether you’re due for a rewatch or ready to see what all the fuss is about, these are great options for binge-watching. Start with Buffy, as Angel doesn’t come into play until later. And be sure to give it until the second season of Buffy before deciding whether or not you’re going to stick with it, as it takes a little while for the show to warm up, but when it does, it’s fantastic.

Looking for more fantasy, sci-fi and supernatural? Try (13) Continuum, (14) Fringe, (15) Heroes, (16) Alphas, (17) Farscape, (18) Firefly, (19) Dollhouse, (20) Merlin, (21) Eureka and (22) Being Human.

(23) Scandal

Another show that lives up to the hype, Scandal stars Kerry Washington as a Washington DC “fixer” who uses her legal expertise and her team of “gladiators” to help their high profile clientele deal with their various public image issues. Of course, their clients’ messes tend to pale by comparison to the ones Olivia Pope and her people are dealing with in their own personal lives. Scandal is dramatic, suspenseful and soapy in all of the best so-wrong-it’s-right ways. (Watch it.)

(24) Pretty Little Liars - PLL centers on a group of teen girls whose clique falls apart when their leader mysteriously disappears. The ABC Family teen drama mystery thriller is currently midway through its fourth season. Netflix will let you get caught up through Season 3.

(25) Grey’s Anatomy - Like Scandal, Grey’s comes from Shonda Rhimes, only this series confines its drama to the hospital, centering on the lives and world of a group of surgeons. Netflix has nine seasons available streaming.

Looking for something a bit female skewed? Also consider (26) Gossip Girl, (27) Nikita, (28) The Vampire Diaries, (29) Once Upon a Time, (30) The Secret Life of the American Teenager, (31) Switched at Birth, (32) The Carrie Diaries, (33) Beauty and the Beast, (34) Army Wives, (35) Drop Dead Diva, (36) Revenge and (37) Glee.

(38) American Horror Story

The first two seasons of Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s over-the-top horror drama are available streaming on Netflix. The first season (“Murder House”) tells the story of a modern-day family that moves into a house with a dark and twisted history. American Horror Story: Asylum is set in the past in an institution for the criminally insane. These seasons (as well as the currently-airing third) operate independently in terms of their story, so watch them in order or out, but if you have to pick just one season, go with AHS: Murder House (Season 1), as it’s arguably the better of the two available on Netflixthe. (Watch it.)

(39) Dexter - Netflix only has the first four seasons of Dexter available streaming, with Seasons 5-8 coming in January. But that’s ok, as Seasons 1-4 of the serial killer drama starring Michael C. Hall are the ones most worth watching, particularly Season 4. John Lithgow as “Trinity” is chillingly amazing.

(40) The Following - Get caught up on the first season of Kevin Williamson’s Fox drama before Season 2 premieres next month. The first season centers on Kevin Bacon’s character Ryan Hardy, an FBI agent brought back to work to track down escaped serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy). To complicate matters, Carroll has a cult-like following of people willing to die (and kill) for him if necessary. The show crosses into melodramatic territory at times, but it’s fun, dark and twisted for those not averse to violence.

Looking for more killer dramas? Try (41) Bones, (42) The Killing, (43) CSI: NY and (44) CSI: Miami.

(45) Sherlock

With the third season of this popular UK series headed to PBS Masterpiece in January, getting caught up on this properly hyped mystery drama should be high on your list. The modern-day telling of Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved character and his sleuthing side-kick Watson is a must watch. Or watch because Benedict Cumberbatch is mesmerizing. And each season is only three episodes. (Watch it.)

(46) Doctor Who - Looking for a bit of sci-fi in your drama? Netflix has the first six of the seven recent series of Doctor Who, which centers on the adventures of a space and time traveling doctor and his companion.

(47) The Fall - Set in Belfast, this gritty and captivating murder mystery stars Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan and follows the shady dealings of a serial killing grief counselor and the detective who’s trying to track him down. The first season’s only five episodes, but be prepared to not be able to stop watching (and then start tapping your foot waiting for Season 2 with the rest of us).

(48) Torchwood - What’s that? You’ve already seen all of Doctor Who? Even if you haven’t, Torchwood’s still well worth a look. The spin-off series follows Gwen Cooper, a police detective who stumbles upon and eventually joins a secret organization called Torchwood, led by the adventurous Jack Harkness.

Netflix has some really great UK offerings. Also consider (49) Luther, (50) The IT Crowd, (51) The Inbetweeners, (52) Prime Suspect, (53) Skins, (54) Derek, (55) Shameless (the series on which the Showtime dramedy is based), (56) Being Human (the series on which the Syfy drama is based) and the original (57) The Office.

(58) Orange is the New Black (TV-MA)

One of Netflix’s newest original series, Orange is the New Black is inspired by a true story and follows a Brooklyn woman’s experience entering the correctional system and trying to acclimate herself to prison life. It takes a little while to get going but gets funnier and more dramatic as the first season ensues. (Watch it)

(59) House of Cards. Another Netflix original, House of Cards comes from David Fincher and stars Kevin Spacey as the cunning Congressman Francis Underwood, who plays politics like a game of chess, and he’s looking to win at all costs. Robin Wright’s Claire serves as the Lady Macbeth in this story, which is more of a slow-boil drama that builds on itself and grows more addicting with each new episode. Catch up on Season 1 before Season 2 debuts this February.

(60) Arrested Development - Mitchel Hurwitz’s original comedy about a wealthy family who lost everything (and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together) aired on Fox a decade ago, and Netflix revived the series, green lighting a fourth season that debuted earlier this year. Revisit the previous seasons or get caught up on what’s been going on with this whacky, self-absorbed Bluth family with Season 4.

Looking for more exclusive Netflix content, try (61) Lilyhammer, (62) Hemlock Grove and (63) Aziz Ansari: Buried Alive.

(64) Louie

Comedian Louis CK puts his stand-up act to work, playing himself as the awkward single-dad living in New York, just trying to figure it all out. If you like the comedian, you’re probably already watching this FX comedy, but if you haven’t given it a shot, and you can relate to an average guy’s humorous perspective on life, dating, parenting and everything else life throws in his path. (Watch it.)

(65) It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Eight seasons is a lot of shenanigans to navigate through, but that’s what Netflix is offering here. Catch up with the Paddy’s Irish Pub gang as they scheme to get ahead, stepping all over each other in the process, and often falling flat on their faces.

(66) New Girl - The popular Fox comedy is currently partway through its third season, and you can catch up through the first two seasons via Netfix. The story begins when Zooey Deschanel’s character Jess gets cheated on, leading her to take residence in a loft full of guys. While Jess is at the center of the show, this starting-over comedy eventually morphs into a friends-focused ensemble story about a bunch of roommates dealing with personal and professional issues.

Need to laugh? Also consider (67) Futurama, (68) The Office, (69) Family Guy, (70) How I Met Your Mother, (71) Don’t Trust the B—— in Apartment 23, (72) Archer, (73) Parks and Recreation and (74) Psych. Also (75) Adventure Time. Ok, it’s a kids’ cartoon, but it’s kind of awesome, even if you’re a grown-up.

(76) Weeds

Weeds was easily at its best in its first couple of seasons, when the series centered on a beautiful suburban widow who’s trying to maintain her comfortable lifestyle by secretly peddling marijuana in her posh upper-middle-class community. The show goes a bit off the rails in its later season and never quite gets back on them, but Mary Louise Parker is fantastic as the determined Nancy Botwin, who discovers her own strength and inner bad-ass as she wanders further and further down the dark and sometimes comically twisted road of weed dealing in this series. Watch it.

(77)Greek - College is hard. It’s also funny and full of drama, which makes it the perfect setting for a dramedy. Netflix has all six “chapters” of the ABC Family series available.

(78) Battlestar Galactica - All four seasons of Ronald D. Moore’s sci-fi reboot are available streaming on Netflix. Even if you don’t consider yourself a sci-fi fan, BSG has plenty of character drama to go around as we see what’s left of mankind attempt to escape the clutches of the humanoid “Cylons” who have annihilated most of the human race.

Looking for more gone but not forgotten series? Netflix has no shortage of them:

(79) Alias

(80) Jericho

(81) Desperate Housewives

(82) Damages

(83) Chuck

(84) Prison Break

(85) Lost

(86) Nip/Tuck

(87) The X Files

(88) Frasier

(89) Everybody Loves Raymond

(90) Cheers

(91) Rescue Me

(92) The Wonder Years

(93) Saved by the Bell

(94) The Ghost Whisperer

(95) Medium

(96) Better Off Ted

(97) MacGyver

(98) That 70s Show

(99) Friday Night Lights

(100) Knight Rider

(101) Life

(102) Ally McBeal

(103) Brothers and Sisters

(104) Ugly Betty

(105) Xena Warrior Princess

(106) Terriers

While the fate of Torchwood seems uncertain at this point, we may be seeing John Barrowman back on television soon enough, should things go well for the Shonda Rhimes executive-produced ABC pilot Gilded Lilys.

Written by K.J. Steinberg, Gilded Lilys is set in 1895 and follows the drama taking place as New York’s first luxury hotel is about to open. TV Guide shared the casting news, stating that Barrowman will play Julius Ashford Lily, a member of the central family in the story.

Barrowman is well known to Doctor Who and Torchwood fans for playing the role of Captain Jack Harkness in both series. Given the time-traveling nature of Doctor Who and Jack’s history, Barrowman’s not exactly a stranger to playing a role from a different era. It's also not difficult to picture him playing a man described as "mama's favorite son, who's very charming, lucky and loose."

?While I’m hopeful that we haven’t seen the last of Jack Harkness as a character, and that Torchwood will return in some form or another at some point down the line, the prospect of getting to see the especially talented John Barrowman in a new role is certainly exciting, even if it means seeing him without Harkness’ trademark trench coat. We’ll have to wait and see how things go for Gilded Lilys.

Just last night I was wondering aloud whether we’d see Torchwood back on television at some point this year. Today, an interview with series star Eve Myles made its way online that answers that question. Unfortunately, the news is not good, though Myles sounds hopeful that the series will return in some form or another.

The BBC sci-fi series Torchwood made the jump to the U.S. and premium cable last summer with the fourth installment in the Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood: Miracle Day. While the change in location and general tone of the series took some getting used to, as a fan of the show, I doubt I’m alone in hoping we do see some continuation of it, whether it be on Starz or BBC America. There hasn’t been much news on the status of Torchwood Season 5, however, from what Eve Myles told Cult Box, it sounds like the show is on hold for the time being.

According to Myles, “everything’s still very much on hold” for the show. She references circumstances in showrunner’s Russell T. Davies’ personal life, which might be the reason for the delay. It may also be work related. Last year Den of Geek posted a story on the status of Torchwood Season 5, which said Davies was working on a show for Showtime called Cucumber, which may have been keeping him busy. Months earlier, ScreenRant posted comments from Starz CEO Chris Albrecht saying, "Torchwood is not one of the shows we went into thinking about a yearly return. [Davies] has a lot of things on his plate. If Torchwood is at the top of his list, that will affect the future of Torchwood."

So it seems like the ball may be in Davies' court. Either way, from what Myles says, she and fellow star John Barrowman are on call to return to the series if and when the show picks up again.

While it’s good to know the two stars are on board to return, it doesn’t sound like Torchwood will be back at all this year...

The comment about the movie sounds like more of a passing suggestion, and one that seems to indicate that the series might be headed toward wrapping up, if it hasn’t already. Myles spoke more of closure by saying...

Fans are likely to be used to a lengthy gap between seasons with Torchwood, however the wait might be more tolerable if we knew for sure that the show was coming back in some form or another. From Myles’ comments, it sounds like nothing is certain on that front, but she’s up for returning, which is good as it’s very hard to picture the series without her (or Barrowman for that matter).

You can read the full interview at Cult Box here.

The cast of Torchwood and writer Jane Espenson sat down with the press yesterday to talk to us a little bit about Miracle Day. While they avoided giving up any major spoilers, we did learn some interesting things about what’s to come for the characters. Find out what they had to say about Gwen and Jack’s relationship, Rex’s fate, Oswald’s mindset and some upcoming fights involving the characters!

After attending the Torchwood: Miracle Day panel I knew these guys were a pretty animated group. John Barrowman is a true entertainer, who offered up comedy and even a song for the audience, while Eve Myles joked and showed some amusing facial expressions in reaction to John. The cast was still in good spirits when they met with us later at the press room.

Among the writers of the show is Jane Espenson, who’s written for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, and more recently, Game of Thrones. She talked about enjoying “making a meal out of appetizers” as she’s jumping from project to project, contributing her talent to various shows rather than focusing on on big project at a time. This includes Torchwood, the upcoming Once Upon A Time and a webseries about a newlywed male/male couple called Husbands. “I don’t see how a network doesn’t buy it and put it on TV,” Espenson says of the series.

On Torchwood Espenson spoke of the newly developing group dynamic in Miracle Day, saying “This group starts to refer to themselves as Torchwood and I think that’s really significant. If there was another year, I assume some version of this Torchwood is what would continue but that is Russell’s area.” So, we might be seeing the start of a new team, should Starz renew Torchwood for another season.

If you caught last night’s episode, you may have enjoyed the late-night phone conversation Jack had with Gwen, during which (spoiler alert!) they had a heart to heart, but then Gwen got distracted by a web-chat with her baby and left Jack talking to himself. Espenson was proud to have written that bit:

Considering all that’s happened since the start of Miracle Day, I’d say they were all overdue for a breath (and whatever else they decided to get that night).

Espenson spoke about finding the humor in dark moments and understanding the importance of that “glimmer of light” in the darkness. “One chuckle in a dark scene goes a long way,” she said. I think that’s a big part of what makes her writing stand out from other writers. There’s a range of emotions utilized that doesn’t detract from what’s going on or throw off the rhythm of the story.

John Barrowman, who plays Jack in the series, and Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper) talked about Jack and Gwen’s relationship and they seem to universally agree that a romance between them is a bad idea, or at least, wouldn’t be as good as the relationship they have. “Jack and Gwen are not in love. They love each other for very different reasons,” Barrowman said. “It’s not a sexual love. It’s a love of the person he would do anything for as she would do anything for him.” Myles sees the sexiness in the non-sexual nature of Gwen’s relationship with Jack. “What they share is far sexier than sex,” she said. “It’s more psychological than that. It’s a very unique, respectful, loving friendship and they could easily [get together] but it’s because they choose not to, it’s more exciting.”

I’m going to agree with both of them on that. Earlier in the series, I expected Gwen and Jack to get together but I think that ship has sailed. The relationship they have isn’t perfect but the complexity of it stands on its own and really doesn’t need a romantic element to complete (or complicate) it.

Barrowman also talked about how frustrating it is for Jack to need to be taken care of. He’s used to being the one to protect other people, especially Gwen. But now the tables have turned, with everyone else being immortal and him being vulnerable. Gwen’s not only looking out for Jack. She has a daughter to think if. On being a mother, she said, “It’s a lioness with a cub. Everything is more heightened for that woman now. She’s got to save the world because she’s got a little girl in it, and that little girl is everything.”

John got to talking about Jack finding out what he really wants and it was at this point that he started to get nervous about giving too much away. There were references to his role on Doctor Who and that there are parallels to his life prior to what’s going on in Miracle Day, which plays a role in how everything turns out.

When Barrowman’s not playing Jack Harkness, he’s performing on a BBC show called Tonight’s The Night that makes people’s wishes and dreams come true through performance.

Another bit of Torchwood news that’s kind of spoilery: There’s an upcoming episode that’s going to feature an argument between Jack and Gwen. There seemed to be some confusion over whether this happens in Episode 5 or 7. Regardless, the two are going to have it out and from the sound of it, it’s going to be really good.

Eve Myles said the fight was her favorite day of shooting the show, ever, and that we’re going to find out things we didn’t know about Gwen. “It’s such a good episode. It’s so good. You get to the bottom of Gwen Cooper. You get to the bottom of Jack Harkness. You get to the bottom of their relationship, and they have it out, and it’s brutal.”

Myles doesn’t feel like there’s been a major shift from the transition to Starz. “It’s been so organic. It’s just worked.” It sounds as though the new cast-members are enjoying the experience as well. Mekhi Phifer (ER) talked about getting on board with a show with an established fanbase and wanting to honor the show, “The great thing is, there’s a great following. You have all these people that are going to watch and be tuned in. But at the same time, it’s a little nerve-racking because I’m the new kid on the block. I’m the FNG! I want to maintain the integrity of the show and what they’ve already established, so that is the challenge of that.”

If you’re concerned about Phifer’s character, rest assured that he is actually healing. According to Phifer, Rex is getting better, it’s just a slow process, which probably isn’t helped by all the running around he’s doing. He expressed apprecation for working on a sci-fi show. “When you suspend reality a bit, there’s no limit to where you can go.” “We’re playing it like it’s real, but obviously there’s an element of fantasy to it, which gives the writers, like Jane, free reign to have fun with it and right her heart out. Anything she’s ever dreamed about, she can put on paper and we can portray it.”

Bill Pullman talked a little bit about the mindset of convicted killer Oswald Danes and some of the questions going through his mind. “He’s no longer going to die and they can’t incarcerate him anymore. What is it? What is now? Where do I go? What is power? Why are the things I’m saying of interest to people? Do I have a motive? Would I know myself if I had a motive? Do I know anything about how I work as a human being? It felt like all of that was on the table.”

Pullman wasn’t giving anything away on where the man’s head is really at, but at least we know he’s wondering the same things we are! As for Esther, actress Alexa Havins is grateful for the cast of the show and is hitting it off rather well with Eve Myles. “We just had to found our rhythm and it was quite easy because Eve and I are absolutely in love. We’re out of our minds. We may leave our boys for each other,” she joked.

Esther apparently has a fight coming up and hair-pulling may be involved. “It’s raw,” she said of her upcoming fight-scene. “It’s a little wobbly and a little off. It looks like kind of a bar brawl, mixed with like chick-fight over a dude. There’s hair pulling because it’s with someone who’s not as experienced, so it’s kind of neat. We’re equally matched as far as experience level.” She also joked about the ridiculous high-heeled shoes she’s running around in and how they might come in handy in a fight. “It’s fun, but more than anything but I’m like, ‘can I use the heel as a weapon?’”

All in all, it seems like the cast is really enjoying Miracle Day and from the sound of it, we’re in for more big things. Barrowman put it best when he told us, “You’re in for the fucking ride of your life.”

I'm sitting in Ballroom 20 here at Comic-Con laughing out loud as Torchwood: Miracle Day stars John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Mekhi Phifer, Bill Pullman, Alexa Havins and writer Jane Espenson talk about the current season, including love scenes, working in Los Angeles, and what's to come for the series, which is currently airing on Starz.

To catch you up on what's taken place so far, John Barrowman admitted to being a geek and purchased a set of super-hero glasses on the floor this week, which he had shipped home. Jane Espenson told us things are going to get much darker on the show (or milk chocolate turning to dark chocolate, as she put it). Episode 5 is apparently a big one there. There are love scenes coming up from Mekhi Phifer's character, and Jack Harkness (separate scenes - not together!). Eve Myles did an impressive and amusing American accent, which I guess we'll be hearing on the show at some point.

Jane Espenson is encouraging the fans to look at the big picture and think hard about the would be like in this situation (a world where no one dies), because that's how the writers approached it.

John Barrowman says there's been no word yet on the series' renewal on Starz. "The more you watch it, the more chance we have of coming back. We all would love to be doing Torchwood for another five or six seasons."

Barrowman says they have fun on set but they do get the work done. Talking about the new cast additions this season and how they want to bring everyone into this show like they're bringing them into a family.

Eve Myles is offering a lot of hilarious silent-commentary through excellent facial expressions.

Phifer says he hasn't felt a family dynamic like this since he was on ER.

Bill Pullman talking about the "thriller mechanism" and how humans betray or are loyal to each other in times of crisis. Says there are a lot of weird parallels to Independence Day. (He got cheers for that reference.)

John Barrowman says he has a closet full of coats. They're all labeled: Hero Coat - used in hero-shots. Looks sharp always. Running coat - flows a little bit better. Then there are other coats that they're allowed to destroy. His favorite detail about the coats are the epaulettes (on the shoulders). He loves the detail of the costume.

John hid in Eve's shower for nearly forty minutes. He planned to "scare the crap out of her" by hiding in her trailer shower. He sat in there, hunched down and waited for forty-five minutes. "I looked like I was pooping!" he said. When she walked in, he threw himself out of the shower and she screamed and called him a name, then said, "I actually peed myself!" Eve denies the peeing and says she had a glass of water in my hand. "Listen," she says to the crowd. "I did not pee myself!"

Alexa talking about the shoes ("stilts") she wears in the show. She says she's a flip-flop girl.

John Barrowman says he never thought that one day he'd be sitting here with us (at Comic-Con). Talking about starting the show with his role on Doctor Who

Someone just asked if Captain Jack is going to sing in the new Torchwood. John says he doesn't think they'll do a musical episode. Mekhi can sing. Eve can sing. Eve can also apparently do the robot. John's going to sing a song for the audience right now, but he can't think of anything. Someone suggested "Springtime for Hitler." He declined to sing that. Now he's singing "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow." He got the audience to join in.

And on that note (literally), the panel is wrapping up. Great panel! Funny, enthusiastic cast, and a few hints that darker things are to come for the show.

Here's a look at the new Torchwood: Miracle Day trailer they showed during the panel:

The numbers certainly looked good after the first episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day premiered last week to 1.51 million, the strongest premiere yet for a Starz series and pulled in another half million by the end of the weekend. After all repeat airing, DVR and On Demand viewings were calculated in, the premiere episode has brought the numbers up to a strong 2.7 million. But according to EW.com the second episode didn’t quite live up to the premiere’s numbers, with about 1.4 million viewers tuning in over the weekend. Of course there is still time to add in DVR and On Demand numbers, but the drop in the ratings has the C-word being whispered. Is Torchwood in danger of cancellation?

There is certainly a precedent; in April Starz premiered Camelot to ratings that were on much the same level. The ratings declined over the span of the fantasy series’ first season and it was cancelled. Although production difficulties were the official reason for the decision not to go forward with a second season, there’s no ignoring the ratings. Production difficulties can usually be overcome when the ratings are strong enough, but for weak numbers why bother?

Still, there’s no reason to think Torchwood is on the chopping block just yet. A second episode dip in the ratings is not an unusual occurrence, and the series is creating some buzz. Even if the series can continue to hold steady in the ratings, it will be doing better than Camelot Miracle Day isn’t quite in need of a miracle itself just yet.

Torchwood: Miracle Day airs Fridays at 10pm ET/PT on Starz.

Torchwood: Miracle Day is not an American reboot of the BBC Series, which takes a more adult approach to the Doctor Who universe. It’s as much a continuation of the story as Children of Earth was, only done with American production values. The biggest problem BBC has with getting their shows to hit big outside of the UK is that there just isn’t the money available to compete with the conglomerate network system of the US. Now that creator Russel T Davies (Queer as Folk, Doctor Who) has returned to cable channel Stars for the 10 episode fourth season of Torchwood things are going to change. Mostly for the better, and some themes and characters in Miracle Day are bordering on brilliant.

Established fans and newcomers will be able to jump right in with Miracle Day. In fact, aside from enjoying the backstory that happens in the first few seasons with the Torchwood initiative and its members, this could be the true starting point for the series. You certainly do not need to have watched any of the previous episodes to understand what's going on, and who's who. Davies has taken the usual whipsmart ideas and rich characters he’s laid the foundation for and is now ready to embark on a unique and compelling story. One that is as much about a heartwrenchingly sinister idea as it is the people affected by the event.

One day, no one on Earth dies. Every person, at the exact same instant, becomes immortal. An event that is dubbed “Miracle Day” soon turns out to be a horrific joke on mankind. While no one can die, neither do they become Superman. Everyone ages, and they can still get hurt, sick, beheaded, impaled, run over by a car, and so on. At one point in the series a man lies on a table in the hospital, burnt from a bomb blast far beyond what would have killed anyone before “Miracle Day.” This is the life mankind has to look forward to. One of agony and pain. It would seem immortality comes with a price far too hefty. Even worse planetary resources will be depleted in a matter of months, and now you have the apparent makings of an attack on mankind.

Enter the Torchwood inititiave, a now defunct group of specialized individuals who were brought together by the British government to defend Earth from aliens and invasions from alternate dimensions. The only two surviving members are Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles), now a mother living remotely with her family, and Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman). Captain Jack is an immortal, thus giving him quite the advantage in altercations with pesky invading armies, but “Miracle Day” has changed things. Jack returns to try and protect Gwen from being caught back up in the Torchwood madness. His only goal is to keep Torchwood a secret, but the global immortality event messes up that plan.

CIA agent Rex Matheson (Mekhi Phifer) is impaled while driving, but the wound never heals. He just lives in agony as he goes on living. Eventually Rex and CIA analyst Esther Drummond (Alexa Havins) realize that the name “Torchwood” is popping up too much to be a coincidence and decide to pursue the lead. They eventually team up with Jack and Gwen and the new Torchwood team is born.

The biggest surprise coming out of Torchwood: Miracle Day is the brilliant performance by Bill Pullman as pedophile and murderer Oswald Danes. The season opens with Danes’ execution, but he is the first person we learn of to gain immortality. There’s a quiet force to what Pullman imbues Danes with that is eery and unsettling. You’re not quite sure what this man understands about his situation, I mean how does he expect to get along with the rest of the world? But somehow he does make it through a day without being dismembered, and then another and another. While he’s disconnected from the main story in the early part of the season it’s clear Danes is integral to whatever may be going on.

Torchwood: Miracle Day may enjoy a far larger budget than the previous seasons, but the show retains the camp and creep factor. Sometimes, like when Gwen holds her child in one arm and blasts away with a gun with the other, you can’t help but roll your eyes at the melodrama. it’s something out of a straight to DVD action flick. Cheesy effects still pop up from time to time, but they’re offset by genuine moments between the people. In the third episode, penned by Jane Espenson (Game of Thrones, Battlestar Galactica, Buffy), there is a brilliant post coital phone conversation that remains one of my favorite moments on TV this year.

That’s what draws you in each week. Despite their flaws, the fuckups they make, the horrible decisions that can occur, the people of Torchwood are compelling and charming. Captain Jack isn’t just written as the leader of Torchwood, he’s a man you’d want to follow. If I can’t have Captain Malcom Reynolds back on my television, I’ll gladly take Jack.

Torchwood: Miracle Day premieres Friday, July 8 at 10:00 PM ET on Starz.

If you’re planning on attending Comic-Con in San Diego this July and you’re a fan of Torchwood and/or Spartacus, there’s good news. Starz made the official announcement today that both series will have panels at the convention and there’s an excellent list of talent lined up to appear.

I’ll admit that if this news came around this time last year, I wouldn’t have been nearly as excited. It was actually last year’s Comic-Con that inspired me to give Spartacus: Blood and Sand a second chance. Prior to attending the convention, I’d only seen the first episode of Blood and Sand and had no interest in watching more. After hearing good things about the show at SDCC, I decided to give it another chance and sure enough, once the show got going and the characters’ stories began to develop, I was hooked. The prequel series Gods of the Arena was also excellent and I can’t wait to see how things resume when Vengeance premieres next year.

I expected Comic-Con to be a place to celebrate some of the shows I love, but it also turned out to be an opportunity to expand my geekiness. Needless to say, I was very excited to read Starz’ announcement that Spartacus: Vengeance will have a panel at the con this year. The panel is scheduled for Friday, July 22nd at 5:45 p.m. in Room 6BCF.

Torchwood is another show I’ve only recently come to appreciate. The series is a spin-off of the popular British sci-fi series Doctor Who and will air for the first time on Starz for it’s fourth season. (More on that here). Fans attending Comic Con this year are in for a treat as there will be a panel featuring the stars and writer Jane Espenson, as well an early screening of an episode of Miracle Day.

The Torchwood: Miracle Day panel will take place on Friday, July 22nd at 10am PT/Room 20:

To say that I’m a fan of Jane Espenson’s work would be something of an understatement. I’m of the opinion that she’s one of the best TV writers out there. She’s written for some of my favorite shows (Firefly, Buffy, Battlestar Galactica and more recently, Game of Thrones). I could go on and on about Espenson and how some of the episodes she’s written are absolutely brilliant (Buffy examples of brilliance include “Band Candy,” “Pangs,” “Conversations With Dead People,” and “Life Serial.”) but if you know who she is, odds are, you’re already aware of her skills. From the sounds of it, she’s been keeping busy lately, with numerous upcoming projects.

The Huffington Post spoke with Espenson about her recent work, including Game of Thrones, the upcoming Torchwood: Miracle Day and her latest job on the writing team for ABC’s upcoming drama Once Upon A Time. The whole interview is worth reading, whether you’re a fan of hers or have an interest in TV writing in general. I also recommend following her on twitter @JaneEspenson.

On the subject of writing for Game of Thrones, Espenson expressed enthusiasm toward the writing team for the show and of course, the excellent source material. She was also very pleased about the portion of the story she got to write about, especially the horse heart.

As Arya’s tied with Daenerys as my favorite character in GoT, I loved that she managed to squeeze in some screen time for the adorable, sword-fighting girl.

Espenson didn’t have much to say in terms of specifics for ABC’s upcoming drama series Once Upon A Time, which will bring certain classic fairytale stories to modern day in a mix of fantasy and reality. The series seems to be in the early phases of development beyond the pilot, however she does seem enthusiastic about the story.

Espenson is apparently in the process of adapting U.K. series Randall and Hopkirk, Deceased for Syfy, as another British-to-American remake (much like Being Human except this BBC series aired back in 2000 and only for 13 epiosdes). Here’s what she had to say on that project.

For those of you who are interested in the upcoming Starz series Torchwood: Miracle Day, Espenson didn’t give a lot away in terms of the plot, however she does remind people that it’s not a reboot and that this is still the same show fans have been loving and supporting for years.

I’ve already established myself as a huge fan of Espenson’s so this could just be fan-loyalty here, but I believe Espenson’s the kind of writer who writes for what she likes and would want to stay loyal to the original work and try to enhance what’s already good about a show and the characters as opposed to changing them or turning them into something else. So, I do believe Torchwood is in good hands with her and I’m more excited than ever to see Miracle Day.

Finally, she also talked a bit about writing women and the difference between male and female characters. Her perspective on the subject is really interesting and may clue us into how she manages to bring the best out of the characters.

Read the full interview at HuffingtonPost.com.

Welcome back to FlixWorthy, your weekly guide to Netflix streaming. Yet again we're bringing you a handful of new or notable selections from Netflix's streaming catalogue. Some will be classics, some will be little-seen gems, some will be shows you might have missed, and some...some will be crap so awful they simply has to be seen to be believed. Here's what's FlixWorthy this week, kids.

Family Guy

(1999 - 2009, TV-PG, eight seasons available)

Ah, Family Guy. The show that wouldn't die. Bane of the Parents Television Council. The template for pretty much everything Seth MacFarlane has created since. You either love it or hate it, but there's no question that Family Guy has become a genuine phenomenon. South Park quite accurately mocked its short-attention-span style of cutaway humor (going so far as to suggest the show was written by manatees), and it's a style that can be annoying as hell if that's not your thing. Fortunately I fall more into the "I just snorted milk out my nose" camp than the "I want to kill Seth MacFarlane with a shovel" camp, so I'm happy to see that Netflix has added eight seasons of Family Guy to its streaming catalogue. It may be uneven and formulaic, but the adventures of the family Griffin have brought me to tears many a time over the years, and now they're on call on my 360 whenever I want to revisit them.

Double-Feature It With:

American Dad

(2005 - 2008, Not Rated, five seasons available)

And in good news for my wife, Netflix has also added five seasons of American Dad, which my wife still insists is the superior series. I hated the show for the first few episodes, but it's definitely grown on me and found its own identity over the years. Hell, it's worth it just for the Rapture episode.

V: The Original Miniseries

(1983, Not Rated, 197 min.)

The reimagined V series lost my interest about halfway through its freshman season, but every nostalgic bone in my body is itching to revisit the original. The original miniseries is still remembered as one of the most iconic TV moments of the '80s, launching the story of the too-good-to-be-true alien Visitors and the humans determined to reveal their sinister true motives to the gullible human populace. By most accounts, the full series and the Final Battle miniseries that followed lacked the impact of that original installment, but my memories of them are so vague that I'm curious to see how everything holds up. Honestly, after all these years the most vivid memory I retain about the show is the moment where the homeless guy watches one of the Visitors swallow a rat. "Here, mousey mousey..."

Double-Feature It With...

Stargate SG-1

(1997 - 2006, Not Rated, 10 seasons available)

Last week I mentioned that Netflix had added every Stargate series but the original. Clearly, I spoke too soon. All 10 seasons of SG-1 are now available, so you've got the makings of an ass-crippling Stargate marathon if you're up for it. Just remember to stock up on food and water, and move around now and then so you don't get bed sores.

The Kingdom

(1995 - 1997, Not Rated, two seasons available)

Some of you might remember an oddball, short-lived ABC series called Kingdom Hospital. Set in and around a Maine hospital with a history of tragedy and an infestation of the paranormal, the show was mainly notable for having Stephen King's name attached to it and for featuring a rather intimidating talking anteater. What you might not know is that Kingdom Hospital was actually based on this Danish drama created by auteur director Lars von Trier. Like its American remake, The Kingdom examines themes of science vs. supernatural as the doctors and staff of the hospital are confronted by inexplicable phenomena. While Kingdom Hospital was often more odd than affecting, it had its charms and I was sorry to see it go and leave behind lots of unanswered questions. Maybe I'll finally find some answers by checking out the original. If the first series floats your boat, the second is available as well.

Double-Feature It With:

Torchwood

(2006 - 2008, Not Rated, two seasons available, HD)

Slightly less ominous, considerably more dashing, Torchwood examines a different group of folks who confront the paranormal head on -- namely the super-secret Torchwood organization, under the leadership of the unflappable, sexually omnivorous Captain Jack Harkness. Both seasons of this Doctor Who spin-off are available streaming, as well as the Children of Earth miniseries. Catch up before the show makes its move to Starz for the new season.

Wallace & Gromit in Three Amazing Adventures

(2001, Not Rated, 84 min., HD)

For those of you who have never gained the acquaintance of inventor and cheese aficionado Wallace and his loyal, long-suffering dog Gromit, you're in for a treat. Created by animator Nick Park, the various adventures of Wallace & Gromit are unabashedly charming and fun, bringing out all the character their squishy, claymation origins can provide. This set includes three of the duo's short adventures: A Grand Day Out, The Wrong Trousers, and A Close Shave, and finds W & G traveling to the moon, battling evil penguins, and dealing with a robotic sheep dog. Wrong Trousers and Close Shave both won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, and A Grand Day Out was nominated for the same award but lost out to Creature Comforts...also, coincidentally, the creation of Nick Park.

Double-Feature It With:

Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death

(2008, Not Rated, 30 min., HD)

This recent Wallace & Gromit outing has the pair opening a windmill-powered bakery, but then having to put on their crime-solving caps when other local bakers begin disappearing.

La Femme Nikita

(1990, Rated R, 117 min., HD)

As part of Hollywood's continued ransacking of not-too-distant film and television history, Luc Besson's 1990 action thriller La Femme Nikita is being repurposed into a CW action series starring the delightfully multicultural Maggie Q (not to be mistaken for Jackie Q). The original film casts Anne Parillaud as Nikita, a junkie who is transformed into a killer by a secret government organization. How much resemblance the new series (now dubbed merely Nikita) will bear to the original source material remains to be seen, although both have already shown a fondness for leggy shots of the lead in their promotional materials. For historicity's sake, it should also be noted that the movie has already been adapted for the small screen once before, as the mid-'90s USA Network series adapted by 24 co-creator Joel Surnow and starring Peta Wilson as Nikita. Regardless of how well the new series turns out, the original film is an action classic for a reason.

Double-Feature It With...

Subway

(1985, Rated R, 102 min.)

If you're wanting to dig into the Besson deep cuts, you can follow Nikita up with this 1985 cult classic starring erstwhile Highlander (and unconvincing Scot) Christopher Lambert as a safecracker named Fred who moves into the Paris Metro tunnels while blackmailing his former boss' wife with some incriminating documents.

To read the FlixWorthy archives, click here!

Bad news for fellow fans of Torchwood here in the United States. We won’t be able to see the new season. Well, almost none us will. In a press release issued this morning the Starz Network announced that they’ve acquired the distribution rights to the new season of the BBC’s science fiction series.

This is a problem because the previous three seasons aired on BBC America, a channel which most cable subscribers have. Since this is a BBC program you’d think it’d be on their channel by, you know, default. But nope, it’s shifting from a channel almost everyone with cable has to an expensive, special, premium, pay channel which in spite of noteworthy programming like Party Down, almost no one has and no one is likely to get even if they have Torchwood. So if you’ve been tuning in faithfully to the previous three seasons expecting BBC America to follow through and deliver the rest of them, you’ve just been kicked in the nuts.

Torchwood started as a Doctor Who spinoff and while it is at times ridiculous more often than not it’s good. Really good. Like Doctor Who it works because it cuts right to the emotional core of any given situation. The weird, sci-fi premises are driven by characters and that makes it work. Stars of the previous seasons will return, in particular John Barrowman (Capt Jack Harkness) and Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper) are confirmed. The new series, which now most fans will now never see, will move the story out of Cardiff, Wales and take on a more “explosive” and “global” story. For those of us without Starz, Captain Jack Harkness will always be in Cardiff. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing.