Torchwood: Why I love Mr Colchester

Torchwood has had many team members over the years, including the most recent series, Aliens Among Us. But is the best new member the civil servant Mr Colchester?

I must admit: before the first volume of Aliens Among Us was released, I was very skeptical of Mr Colchester working as a Torchwood character. The civil servant seemed to be very by-the-book and old fashioned, and almost seemed like a bizarre choice as a member of the Torchwood team. In some ways, he initially comes across as the exact opposite of Captain Jack.

And then a key scene happened in the first episode. A scene that made me love the character almost instantly.

Tyler Steele, another major character introduced in Aliens Among Us, believes that Colchester doesn’t like him because he’s gay. Tyler gives a long speech about how prejudiced people like Colchester are against homosexuals and refugees (naturally missing the irony of his speech, of course).

Colchester’s response to this is nothing short of perfect. Not only does he make it very clear that, while he doesn’t like Tyler, it’s only because of Tyler as a person, and not remotely due to his sexuality. Colchester also tops it off by saying he’s heading home to his Muslim husband.

That was when I knew that this character was going to work, especially as a part of Torchwood. From the very start, ever since they killed off team member Suzie Costello in the first episode, Torchwood has always been about subverting expectations.

And Mr Colchester is a perfect example of that. He subverts expectations in many ways. Yes, he’s old fashioned, to some extent. But he’s also presented as someone who’s deeply devoted to his husband, Colin.  It’s actually genuinely refreshing to see two gay men as part of an old married couple in a series like this, and frankly, a really adorable one, too.

The opposite of Jack

It’s perhaps unsurprising that Mr Colchester was actually suggested to Big Finish by Russell T Davies. Davies also created Captain Jack Harkness but, as I mentioned earlier, Mr Colchester almost feels like the opposite of Jack. Just not in the way that you might expect.

Whereas Jack is a constant flirt at the very least, and pretty much likes everyone, regardless of gender or species, Colchester only has eyes for his husband. While Jack might enjoy the life that Torchwood brings, to Colchester, it’s essentially just a job. And while Jack keeps secrets from the team, Colchester is a pretty open guy.

What really makes Mr Colchester so brilliant, though? Paul Clayton. The actor’s an absolutely perfect fit for this role. Not only does he have the perfect voice and look for an old-fashioned civil servant, but he’s also a great actor. He delivers the sarcasm and dry wit of Colchester perfectly, but he also brings the heart to the character, too.

Overall, while I enjoy many of the new characters from the fifth season of Torchwood, Mr Colchester is definitely my favorite of the lot. He’s dry, witty, funny, and an incredibly lovable character who’s in some ways a true romantic. The man that I was most worried about not fitting into the team, of course, turns out to be one of the members who fits it best.

Have you heard of the brilliance of Mr Colchester? Is he your favorite character from Torchwood: Aliens Among Us? If not, who is? Let us know in the comments below.