Sgt Andy Davidson wakes up in the 1950s. He’s chained to a bed, his clothes are missing and the building’s on fire. Norton Folgate needs his help.
The streets of Soho are swarming with gangsters, rumours and betrayals. Somewhere out there is a mysterious alien artefact, and Andy and Norton have to get to it first. Because tonight they’re going to save Torchwood.
TORCHWOOD: GOODBYE PICCADILLY
Now this is fun. A quasi-sequel to “Ghost Mission,” James Goss’s “Goodbye Piccadilly” is a campy romp through the streets of 1950s Soho that reunites Andy Davidson and Norton Folgate. In “Ghost Mission,” Norton came forward in time to act as Andy’s Torchwood assessor; here, Norton brings Andy back in time to act as his own. Everything here is pitched comedically: every character is over the top, every accent is wildly exaggerated, every interaction is penned to draw maximum wit from the actors. Norton and Andy are a great pairing: Norton is wildly flamboyant yet possesses dark secrets and hidden strategies, while Andy is both conservative and honest to a fault. They should hate each other, and while they annoy one another there’s a surprising degree of respect underneath it all. Still, if you’re looking for deeper meanings or significant character interactions, this is not the story for you. It’s superficial and proud of it, happily going for the laugh in every single scene. That’s not a complaint, either: Torchwood does very well as a dark, gritty sci-fi series, but it can also be surprisingly funny. It’s nice to have stories like “Goodbye Piccadilly” that are thoroughly unafraid to laugh at themselves. Tom Price and Samuel Barnett are a great double act, the supporting cast is a delight, Scott Handcock directs well, and the sound design from Thea Cochrane captures both the era and the attitude. I wouldn’t want one of these stories every month, but every once in a while is just what the range needs.
7/10