Chris Chibnall Criticises Torchwood: Miracle Day

Former Torchwood writer Chris Chibnall has criticised the fourth series of the Doctor Who spin-off Miracle Day.

The writer was critical of Miracle Day in an interview with Starburst. The fourth season of Torchwood was a co-production between the BBC and the American broadcaster Starz . It was partly set in Wales but primarily set in America and starred John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Kai Owen, Mekhi Phifer and Alexa Havins.

“Whether you like or dislike Torchwood, it has an essence – of madness and cheekiness and sexiness, and fun and darkness, those sort of polar facets of what it’s about, of putting those things together – and somehow it lost a bit of that somewhere in the process,When we were first talking about it, it was something a bit bolder, a bit cheekier. It may just come back to the fact that one of the great essences of Torchwood was taking those American tropes and doing them in Wales. In a way, that’s what made Torchwood so brilliantly odd. Once you put it in California, it becomes more like other shows.” – Chris Chibnall in Starburst

The ten-part Torchwood: Miracle Day met with a mixed critical reaction and was not the ratings hit the third series, Children of Earth, was. The Americanised Torchwood divided opinion amongst fans of the spin-off and television critics as well. Torchwood is currently described as being in “limbo” though neither creator Russell T Davies or the BBC/Starz have completely ruled out further instalments.

Chris Chibnall was the lead writer on the first two seasons of Torchwood penning a total of eight episodes. Amongst his episodes were the poorly received Cyberwoman and Countrycide both within Torchwood‘s first season. Following his departure from Torchwood he worked on Law & Order UK and the short-lived Camelot as well. Chibnall also co-created the popular BBC period drama Born and Bred which starred Michael French and James Bolam. His forthcoming ITV drama Broadchurch will star David Tennant and Olivia Colman.