Torchwood (TV Series) Miracle Day: Immortal Sins (2011) User Reviews

A flashback to the twenties

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 16 September 2011]

This series goes from strength to strength as Gwen is forced to kidnap Jack and deliver him to the people who are threatening her family. As they drive to their destination we see flashbacks to the time that Jack came to America in 1927. On his arrival at Ellis Island he befriends an Italian immigrant called Angelo; Jack being Jack they end up sharing a bed. Soon they are partners in petty crime, selling communion wine! The mob aren't too pleased about other people selling illegal booze but just as it looks as if Jack's new partnership is over he talks the mobsters into employing him and Angelo. It soon becomes apparent that this was Jack's intention all along as the job the mob wants them to do involves the smuggling of an alien parasite that could change world history. Jack destroys the creature but as they try to escape he is shot in the head and Angelo is arrested. Jack meets Angelo at the prison gates but rather than being happy to see him Angelo believes Jack's survival is the work of the Devil and later that night stabs him in the heart; he is captured by the local community who take turns 'killing' him to witness the miracle.

This was an interesting episode as it told us more about Jack's past as well as taking us closer to learning what caused Miracle Day. One would think that the fact that the main events of the episode took place in flashback would make it less tense; this wasn't the case however... the scenes were Jack was repeatedly 'killed' were quite gruelling. The conclusion where Jack and Gwen arrive at their destination was exciting and provided a good hook for the next instalment. Once again the regular cast do a good job; they are joined by Daniele Favilli who was convincing as Jack's friend Angelo.

Best episode of Torchwood

[notar0b0t · 10/10 · 27 February 2022]

If you ignore everything but the flashback scenes in Italy, it's a very engaging, beautiful and entertaining story.

Daniele Favilli, who plays Angelo, and John Barrowman, who plays Jack, have very intense chemistry. That alone makes it worth a watch: you see them and you can believe they're really falling in love; they make you forget they're actors.

Now the story itself, while I loved this episode, didn't matter much in the larger picture as it seemingly was a way to introduce the idea that three Italian families are behind the Blessing. Half an episode dedicated only to this reveal wasn't warranted. It felt a little bit like it was a way to throw some gratuitous sex and violence scenes in there. (Although the sex scenes were shot and directed beautifully).

We see Angelo once more in 4x8 (spoilers) as an old man, bedridden. He was inspired by Jack to find a way to live forever, evidently so he can be with him. That's quite romantic, isn't it? But no. Boom, he dies. Jack mourns him briefly, which is more than can be said about Ianto (or Tosh, or Owen, or his grandchild whom he killed himself).

So we see Angelo die, then never he is never mentioned again. Not by Jack, not by anyone, even in passing. I don't get how you spend an entire episode building a character only to throw him out after barely using him. Admittedly that's one of the writers' biggest fault (as seen with Tosh, Owen, Ianto, etc: they die and everyone moves on quickly) but I digress.

I based my 10/10 rating solely on the Angelo part of the story, which frankly was the best part of the entire Torchwood run, albeit dedicating half an episode to him was a weird decision (as I said earlier).