UK viewers were treated to a ‘This Season’ trail at the end of tonight’s first episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day (the international version featured merely a brief ‘Next Time’ teaser for Episode 2). So what does this preview tell us about what’s in store for Captain Jack & Co.?

Watch the video…

WARNING: Spoilers and speculation to follow…

The preview kicks off with some footage from Episode 2 where Dr. Juarez (Arlene Tur), realises the nature of what death now means: that patients don’t have to treated immediately, time can be taken (insert your own NHS gag here). We’re also presented with some more clips from the hospital in Episode 4 where the very nature of murder is questioned by the police – how can you arrest for attempted murder when nobody can die? (Fair point, but I would imagine they can be arrested for other offences.)

Sticking with the scenes with the Doctor, the words “drug resistant organisms” are mentioned as a grizzly-looking, torn-apart arm is presented to us. In next week’s instalment we learn more about what this means for the human race and how this dilemma needs to be addressed.

More footage from Episode 2 reveals Jack and Gwen have been arrested and find themselves contemplating their situation on a plane taking them to the US of A along with a sultry female CIA agent (played by Dollhouse star Dichen Lachman) and cheeky boy Rex Matheson (Mekhi Phifer), who seems to be in much better shape after his pole-related accident in the first episode!

One of the new themes hinted at in the trailer is the conspiracy behind the “miracle” – step up Seinfeld‘s Newman himself, Wayne Knight, who plays CIA top dog Friedkin. Rex finds himself being at the end of a set up (along with blonde buddy Esther) and confronts Smith in Episode 3, learning more about the behind-the-scenes shenanigans.

“They’ve been there for decades,” he tells Matheson. Who, exactly? Well it’s either some nasty Men In Black-esque higher-than-the-CIA types or, as we all hope, aliens! We get a glimpse of his phone with the eerie green triangle which pops up in Episode 2, instructing Friedkin on how to handle the threat they face (Torchwood and Rex).

Further adding to the conspiracy, another shot (from the third episode) sees Jack, Gwen and Rex gazing upon something (we won’t spoil that for you) which leads the CIA agent to say, “They’re waiting for the miracle, like they knew it was coming.” Did the government know it was coming? Or did they even instigate it? It should be noted that Torchwood creator and current showrunner Russell T Davies did state that there was “some alien fun to come” at the recent press launch.

Interspliced are some scenes of Bill Pullman’s Oswald Danes engaging in television interviews as he becomes quite the personality over the next few episodes and hooks up with delightful PR guru Jilly Kitzinger (portrayed by the amazing and beautiful Lauren Ambrose of Six Feet Under fame), who urges him to “stride across the skin of the world.” Her role may seem slight at first, but by Episode 3 we begin to understand her full power.

More quick glimpses show: Jack “dying” (from next week’s episode); the “overflow camps” where, presumably, the sick are shipped out to with a hint that Gwen’s ailing father is also on his way to one; a reunion with Gwen, Rhys (also trucking it up) and Sgt Andy; and a look at “The Soulless” (from Episode 3) – groups of people who’ve formed a cult and managed to produce themselves some neat-looking masks.

Throw in some gun action and more explosions and you’ve got yourself a proper amount of excitement rallied for the rest of Torchwood: Miracle Day. We’ve seen the next two episodes and can tell you there’s more brilliance to come.

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Torchwood: Miracle Day continues with Episode 2 at 9pm on Thursday 21st July on BBC One.

Watch the BBC One trailer for Miracle Day…

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