Countrycide (TV story)

Countrycide is the sixth episode in the first series of Torchwood.

The episode is interesting for its almost complete abandonment of science fictional elements. It has no aliens, no display of Jack's superhuman abilities, no technology beyond what was reasonably available in the year the episode was broadcast.

However, it doesn't entirely turn its back on its sci-fi roots, since the characters initially fear that the strange goings on in rural Wales are the result of the Cardiff Rift. Thus the story is approximately as science fictional as, say, The Romans, which mentions, but doesn't show the interior of, the TARDIS.

Synopsis
Concerned that the space-time rift is spreading, Torchwood investigates a series of gruesome deaths in the Brecon Beacons village of Brynblaidd. What sort of creature could cause such shocking injuries? Stranded without communications or equipment and isolated from one another, the team confronts a terrifying enemy.

Plot
to be added

Cast

 * Captain Jack Harkness - John Barrowman
 * Gwen Cooper - Eve Myles
 * Owen Harper - Burn Gorman
 * Toshiko Sato - Naoko Mori
 * Ianto Jones - Gareth David-Lloyd
 * Rhys Williams - Kai Owen
 * Evan Sherman - Owen Teale
 * Helen Sherman - Maxine Evans
 * Kieran - Callum Gallaghan
 * Huw - Rhys Op Trefor
 * Ellie Johnson - Emily Bowker
 * Martin - Robert Barton

Space-time anomalies

 * Jack says that the Cardiff Rift is increasing in activity.

Species

 * Weevils don't strip their victims down to a carcass.
 * Jack says that no species in the universe goes camping, other than humans.

Story notes

 * This episode contains no obvious CGI elements, though there was at least one shot where the production team needed to black out the Cardiff cityscape in the background.
 * This is the first episode in which no scenes are set in the Torchwood Hub. This would not happen again until after the Hub's destruction in TW: Children of Earth: Day One.
 * This episode contains several references to.
 * The town in which the story is set, Brynblaidd, is not actually named in the narrative. However, it was named in the BBC's original description of the episode, and therefore has appeared in virtually all subsequent TV listings, worldwide. , the name continues to be used on the official BBC Torchwood website.

Ratings

 * 1.2 million viewers

Myths
to be added

Filming locations

 * South Wales Caving Club

Production errors

 * When Ellie Johnson is attacked the tyres on her car are punctured but at the end of the scene the tyres are perfectly normal.

Continuity

 * Gwen and Owen snogged in Cyberwoman.
 * The SUV would be stolen again in Children of Earth: Day One.
 * Tosh was locked in a UNIT cell. (TW: Fragments)

Timeline

 * Countrycide occurs after TW: Small Worlds.
 * Countrycide occurs before TW: Greeks Bearing Gifts.

Home video releases
This episode was first released on DVD, with three other episodes entitled Torchwood: Series 1, part 2 on 26 February 2007. It was later released in Torchwood: The Complete First Series on 19th November 2007.