"Torchwood" gets a fourth season ... but will "Janto" fans tune out?

The big Torchwood news to come out of this weekend didn't come from Comic-Con. Instead, word spread that the hit sci-fi series had been picked up for a fourth season the day before its panel took place in front of cheering fans. So far, however, there's no word on who will be a part of the Torchwood team or how many episodes there will be this season (and there was no additional news at the panel.)

And while Torchwood fans have mixed feelings towards the series after watching Children of Earth, if the Comic-Con panel is any indication fans aren't done with the series yet.

There may have been expectations of Torchwood creator Russell T. Davies being greeted by pitchforks, judging by the accounts I've read, but the worst he faced at the Torchwood panel in San Diego were cries of "We want Ianto!" when Davies entered, as well as boos at the first mention of the late Torchwood teammate.

And even Davies seemed a little more mellow at the panel.

At least, this wasn't the Davies who suggested irate viewers watch Supernatural instead. When an Ianto fan stepped up to the mic to bring up Davies' comments about internet fandom, Davies struck a more conciliatory tone, "I have nothing but respect for internet fandom: I understand that some things I have said have been taken the wrong way - and I understand that, and that's ok because sometimes people will always read things the way that makes sense to them. But I'm just not going to change my mind. I'm not."

Meanwhile, after John Barrowman discussed how he was worried if viewers would still like Captain Jack after Children of Earth, the audience was asked if they still liked the cheeky Time Agent, invoking cheers and a cry of "Still hot!"

Of course, it wouldn't be a Torchwood panel without some misbehavior from Barrowman, who flirted with both Children of Earth director Euros Lyn and the panel's moderator, TV Guide's Rich Sands. Barrowman also gave a shout out to his partner, Scott Gill, seated in the audience when an audience member thanked him for being openly gay.

TV critic Alan Sepinwall twittered that John came in for some ribbing himself.

As for the future developments, there was little revealed (not surprising, considering that the fourth season was only just ordered) save that we shouldn't be expecting a musical episode of Torchwood any time soon.

Barrowman rejected the idea, saying a musical episode wouldn't live up to the series' tone while Davies said they wouldn't be able to top Buffy's musical episode.

If the positive reactions at the panel are any indication, it sounds like a fourth Torchwood season has a chance at finding its audience (although many were still reluctant to accept Ianto's death). How do you feel about the matter, will you tune in or will that depend on who will be on the team?

"Torchwood: Children of Earth: Day Five" minicap

After the explosive action of Day Four, Day Five screeches in, albeit with less of the pulsating chill found in the episode’s predecessor.

Instead, the atmosphere of the final episode seems to hinge on tying up loose ends, and perhaps (fittingly so), lacks the unnerving tension intrinsic to the rest of the miniseries.

Warning: Spoilers ahead…

The episode begins with a recording of Gwen on a mini digital video camera, signing off her last words before the so-called ‘end of the world’. This is intercut with footage of militias capturing the children of the earth.

We then rewind to the aforementioned action of the previous minicap, where the government is setting up their plan to ‘fool’ the public into giving up their kids.

At the same time, the motivations of the 456 are finally revealed. Apparently, and now this is a bit of a stretch, the children of the earth are like ‘drugs’ to the aliens, another delicious treat for them to consume. Think of them as M&Ms with a delicious candy coating shell! And they just can’t get enough!

This leads to a rather odd and unnerving scene, where a pale and depleted child lays hooked up to a breathing device causing him to resemble a dying old man. Ick…

As the plot threads unwind, we find out that government informant Lois Habiba has been charged with espionage. John Frobisher is instructed by the Prime Minister to appear on camera with his kids in tow, pretending to give them ‘fake’ inoculations which will supposedly ‘save’ them.

But when the conflicted Frobisher gets home, he walks into his kid’s room, and closes the door behind him.

A quiet silence is followed by a blast of gun shots. One assumes that Frobisher has offed himself and possibly his kids as well.

As the story moves on, dramatic scenes ensue, but there is a strange lack of tension. The music isn’t as bold as previous days, and one gets the feeling that ‘all will be fine in the end’, even if the characters seem to think they are all hell bent on destruction.

Half way through Day Five, Johnson, whose icy façade has already broken down, decides to turn against the devious administration, and gets Captain Jack to help fight the aliens himself.

As Jack scrambles inside the government building, jabbing at computer buttons at warp speed, we witness military soldiers capturing the earth’s innocent children (in other words, we have caught back up to the beginning of the episode).

Gwen, under orders from Jack, attempts to help Ianto’s family, but her efforts soon prove futile.

Since this is Torchwood and it is Captain Jack’s show after all, the thrilling climax naturally sees Jack destroying the alien spokesperson. How does he achieve this, you might ask?

Turns out he sacrifices his grandchild (surprise!) and somehow summons all of the children of the earth together at once. This causes the aliens to overload on their “drug” (imagine how you’d feel eating a one pound bag M&Ms; now multiply that by a billion) and the 456 pretty much explode and die.

Then Jack’s grandson collapses, and also dies.

This is followed by the obligatory scene of Jack’s daughter crying over her son’s death. But on the bright side, he’ll probably have a national holiday named after him!

Back in the Prime Minister’s office, a senior official divulges that she has used Lois Habiba’s video contact lenses to record their most recent private meetings and is exposing the government’s plot. The Prime Ninister, at a loss for words, is stripped of his power.

Somewhere Tony Blair laughs quietly to himself.

A subtitle appears reading ‘Six Months Later’. A heavily pregnant Gwen (she’s actually preggers in real life by the way) and Rhys walk up a mountain top, where Jack Harkness is standing waiting for them. Of course, he’s donned in his signature retro coat.

Jack reveals he is leaving and won’t be coming back. Indeed, he has hurt far too many people on earth, and it is time he moved on.

Gwen becomes hysterical (and strangely beautiful). Please “come back for me”, she pleads. “You can’t keep running away!”

“I can, just watch me!” shouts Jack, and with that, he’s gone.

Rhys, realizing Gwen still loves Jack, yells “To bloody hell with all of you! I’m going to go hook up with that hot blond number back at the pub!” Okay, I made that up. But it's what he should have said.

Frankly, it’s all a bit anticlimactic. Personally, there were no tears for me. Certainly, after last night’s episode (which was watched by a season high of 6.2 million folks/27% audience share), this was very much a letdown, although I am sure some will disagree.

Still, the show’s creator Russell T. Davies has said in the past that, should Children of Earth perform well, there is another season “ready to go.”

But, after Ianto's demise in episode four, I have to wonder if folks will still be up for the ride.

So is this the end of our journey with Jack Harkness? Or will we get to see him fight another day?

Only time will tell!