John Barrowman interview

Torchwood

By Nick Griffiths, Radio Times

Who better to give the lowdown on what to expect from the second series of Torchwood than Captain Jack himself, John Barrowman?

What’s new for series two?

Last series we were walking; this series we’re running. The audience wants to know more about the characters, their pasts, where they’ve come from, how they ended up in Torchwood. And you’re gonna find all that out. We’ve found our feet: last series we were doing scripts that were individual storylines; this time we have a bit of a through-line.

Has Captain Jack changed?

You’ll get a lot more humour from Jack, like you got in series one of Doctor Who. Jack has resolved his issues with the Doctor, so he comes back to Torchwood a different man. He’s more light-hearted, but he’s still determined to keep the planet safe from alien evil.

Is James Marsters, who was Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and is Captain John in episode one, the antithesis of Jack?

They’re very much alike as they used to be partners, in more ways than one. John is like Jack when he first came into Doctor Who: self-oriented, out to get what he needs to survive. Eventually, he turns a corner. Jack needs a nemesis, really.

So he’s the Master to your Doctor?

Well, he’s not as prominent as the Master.

Tell us a bit about your fellow team members this series.

Gwen is more confident and in control of who she is. Owen is reliable but confused. Toshiko is focused but full of unrequited love. And Ianto is a slave to routine, but his role is much bigger.

Do the relationships between the main characters change?

They develop even more. You see more into their relationships and how they deal with one another. The episodes are actually quite touching.

And Freema Agyeman joins Torchwood as Martha Jones . . .

In episode five or six, she comes in as a member of UNIT [United Nations Intelligence Taskforce from Doctor Who]. Obviously Jack has a past . . . sorry, a future with her, where he and the Doctor had both put all their trust in her, and became prisoners in order for her to go out and save the planet. So she comes in and plays a very big role.

Is she the same Martha we saw in Doctor Who?

Oh, she’s grown up. After that whole incident with the Master, she’s much more mature. Much more confident.

As Jack and Martha have both been the Doctor’s companions, is there any rivalry?

No, not at all. We don’t look at it that way – we’re there to assist each other. The thing is, Jack always goes back to Doctor Who when the Doctor can’t handle it [laughs]. Tell David Tennant that, because it’ll really wind him up!