Torchwood review: The Hope is a dark and challenging horror
By James Aggas
When Owen and Andy investigate a woman accused of a horrific crime, they have to ask themselves: did she do it? Or is something more alien going on in this month’s Torchwood episode, The Hope?
Back in 2017, Big Finish gave us Corpse Day, a story by James Goss that featured the interesting team-up of Andy Davidson and Owen Harper – one of the most optimistic characters in the Torchwood universe paired with one of the most cynical. It was also one of the darkest and seriously messed up stories that we’ve ever had of the Doctor Who spin-off, in any medium. It was a great story, but not exactly the easiest to revisit.
Once again, James Goss has written another story for Owen and Andy. And, once again, it is extremely dark and disturbing. It’s a story of dark secrets, death, and how the past can’t stay buried. Oh, and the story involves dead children, too.
The Hope focuses on Megwyn Jones, a woman accused of committing terrible crimes. She has kept quiet for so long, and she hasn’t even confessed that she’s guilty. But everyone in the country knows that she’s done these terrible things. Hasn’t she?
The first half introduces us to Megwyn. Despite what she’s been accused of, she comes across as extremely likable. She seems honest and sincere enough. Enough that Owen wants to believe that there’s a chance she’s innocent.
Complex characters
The second half is more openly horrific. There are some really dark and creepy scenes in this half, and the drama becomes more of a traditional horror. However, we’re also introduced to a few new characters. None of them are entirely sympathetic, but they’re certainly interesting.
Megwyn is nicely brought to life by Siân Phillips. She brings out all the key sides to the character, and we’re left wondering whether or not she’s actually committed these crimes. It’s a challenging character, but Phillips plays her brilliantly.
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We also get a lot of great scenes with Owen and Andy, especially during the first half. They each take a different side in this one. Once again, as with Corpse Day, Andy is written to be the cynical, believing that Megwyn is guilty, while Owen becomes the more optimistic of the two. That can be a challenging thing to do, to play against the character’s usual traits, but James Goss knows how to handle these two very different characters. He gets us to see different sides to them while still remaining true to who they are.
The Hope is a challenging and dark listen, and definitely not recommended if you’re looking for something fun. (That would be last month’s Serenity, which featured a lot of comedy for Jack and Ianto.) But it is another fantastic Torchwood episode. Not pleasant, but a brilliantly dark episode.
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Did you listen to the last time Owen and Andy worked together in Corpse Day? Are you a fan of the more horrific or disturbing episodes of Torchwood, or do you prefer the lighter ones? Let us know in the comments below.