Like STAR TREK, STAR WARS, and BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, TORCHWOOD is now joining the hallowed ranks of TV shows and movies with fan conventions.

To test out how well it will be received, it will be held just for one day at the Porchester Hall in London on April 26 with actress Eve Myles among the guest stars taking part in the TORCHWOOD event.

Myles, who plays police woman-turned-alien-hunter Gwen Cooper, will be answering questions, posing for photographs and signing memorabilia. She will be joined by former BUFFY star and TORCHWOOD guest actor James Marsters aka Captain John Hart, Gareth David-Lloyd, who plays Ianto, former Neighbours and Ugly Betty actor Alan Dale and Torchwood producer Richard Stokes.

Even though TORCHWOOD, which stars John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness, is a DOCTOR WHO spin-off, it is regarded as more accessible to non sci-fi fans according to Myles: “We are getting people who never watch sci-fi as there’s also a strong element of domestic drama. People really enjoy it because they like the characters and can identify with them. Kids of seven or eight send me letters as do people in their 70s – there’s no target audience as such.”

Who knows? If the show continues to be such a big hit on both sides of the pond, maybe they’ll have a TORCHWOOD convention someplace in the U.S. (hopefully where I can afford to attend!)

In the meantime, the show’s characters will be coming out in toy form sometime later in the year so we’ll each be able to have our own Captain Jack, Gwen, Ianto, Toshiko and Owen. (A consolation prize for those of us who won’t be able to attend the first ever TORCHWOOD convention? LOL) Maybe, if we’re really lucky, they’ll toss in a Caption John Hart, too!

Technorati Tags: Captain Jack Harkness, Conventions, Eve Myles, Gareth David-Lloyd, James Marsters, John Barrownman, Torchwood

iF MAGAZINE got a chance to chat with Burn Gorman (Doctor Owen Harper) about the new second series of TORCHWOOD, and in the second part of the interview found out about WHO might be guest starring before the season is over, and more about the ever changing relationships of the TORCHWOOD team. They even chatted with him about his obsession with comic books…

Burn Gorman also talks about the directions he’d like to see his character go in, along with some great behind the scenes commentary and parts he’d like to play/movies he’d like to see made.

Check out the interview at iF MAGAZINE

Technorati Tags: Burn Gorman, Sci Fi, Sci Fi Channel, Torchwood, TV

BBC America is now showing TORCHWOOD Season 2 and Jack’s back. Hooray! And the season starts off with a “Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang”!

Oh, man, it’s been so long since he’s had as good a role as Spike that I almost forgot just how much I like James Marsters, but he’s the perfect foil for Captain Jack Harkness. Handsome, funny, sexy, smart, and crazy, he fits right into the show like he’s always been there! And the writers definitely know how to use all those qualities! (And he looks just as good in his natural brunet as he did as “Blondie Bear” Spike on ANGEL and BtVS.)

Make sure you don’t miss the hologram message. I about died laughing. And the meet-up in the bar definitely has its moments, too. Plus Marsters plays “is he really evil or is it a ploy?” perfectly as always.

Thanks so much to BBC America for another season of one of my favorite shows. If I can’t watch Doctor Who Season 4 yet, this will keep me from going (more) stir crazy in the meantime. (Lately, I feel like I have the TV kiss of death. If I like a show, they usually kill it within a couple episodes, right at a big cliffhanger just to add insult to injury… (JOURNEYMAN and BIONIC WOMAN come to mind.) Or they put off the next season for a year or more just to see if anyone, including me, will care when it’s back on. Can you say LOST or BATTLESTAR GALACTICA? <sigh>)

Here’s hoping James Marsters can parlay this guest shot into an expanded role like he did with Spike on BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER. He’s one of the few actors around who can make bad boys cuddly and deadly all at the same time, souled or un-souled…

Technorati Tags: Eve Myles, James Marsters, John Barrowman, Sci Fi, Torchwood, TV