Torchwood (audio drama series)

The original television programme Torchwood (2006–11), an adult-oriented spin-off of the long-running British science fiction drama Doctor Who, ran for four series before entering an indefinite hiatus due to the other commitments of creator and executive producer Russell T Davies.

In January 2015, John Barrowman, who plays series lead Captain Jack Harkness, stated that there were plans for Torchwood to return as several audio plays that could potentially lead into a fifth television series, with Davies and co-executive producer Julie Gardner in discussion of the project.[1] Torchwood previously featured in the form of radio plays that aired on BBC Radio 4 between 2008 and 2011.

In May 2015, Big Finish Productions announced plans to produce Torchwood audio plays[2][3] after receiving the license to use characters and concepts from the revived series of Doctor Who and its associated spin-offs in future audio productions.[4] The company was previously only permitted elements from the show's classic run and TV film. The project received the blessing of Davies,[4] who had been working with Gardner and former Big Finish producer Gary Russell to bring Torchwood to the company since 2013.[5]

The series premiered on 15 September 2015. Plays making up the first two series were released monthly up until August 2016, with succeeding series following similar suite; Series 3 between March–August 2017, Series 4 in March–August 2018 and Series 5 in March 2019–February 2020. A sixth series premiered in April 2020 and is due to conclude in March 2021,[6] ahead of a seventh set to run between April 2021–March 2022. Story-wise, each play centres on one or more members of Torchwood and their associates.

In addition to the monthly range, specials featuring ensemble casts have also been released. The first, The Torchwood Archive, was released in October 2016 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Torchwood's TV debut.[7] This was followed by the boxsets Outbreak and Believe in November 2016 and April 2018, respectively, while another, Torchwood One, spun out into its own series, with three sets released thus far. The three-part series Aliens Among Us (2017–18) and its follow-up God Among Us (2018–19) were published as successors to the TV programme, while the boxsets The Sins of Captain John and Torchwood Soho - Parasite were released in 2020.

Torchwood follows the exploits of the agents who work for the fictional institute of the same name: a covert British organisation that defends Earth against supernatural and extraterrestrial threats and salvages alien technology for their own use. Like the television series, the audio dramas primarily focus on a team of operatives based at the organisation's Cardiff division, Torchwood Three, while occasionally fixating on their associates, as well as agents from other branches of the institute.

A story arc central to the series revolves around a group of aliens called the Committee, who appear to have been secretly manipulating humanity since the turn of the 20th century. Despite their existence being perceived as a conspiracy, Torchwood have made efforts to foil their schemes, only to discover that the Committee have larger plans in force.

Time period-wise, each play is set at a different point in Torchwood's history, ranging from its founding in the Victorian Era to the early 21st century and beyond. Certain plays also take place during events from the TV series.

The series is produced by James Goss, with Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs serving as executive producers. Scott Handcock and Blair Mowat respectively direct and compose the score on a regular basis, while others contribute infrequently. Scripts were initially edited by Steve Tribe before the duty was passed to David Llewellyn and Handcock. All cover art is designed by Lee Binding.

Plays have been recorded in studios across the UK and the U.S., including Rancho Mirage Music, Bang Post Production, The Moat Studios, The Roundhouse Studios and Ladbroke Audio. During the COVID-19 pandemic, production was carried out remotely from cast and crew's homes. Typically, one play is recorded in 1–2 days and released within six months, with post production taking place in the time between. They debut through Big Finish's website for digital download and physical purchase before becoming commercially available three months later, as usual with other Big Finish releases.