End of the Road (TV story)

 was the eighth episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day. It introduced Allen Shapiro as the snark-spouting superior to Rex Matheson and Esther Drummond at the CIA. Brian Friedkin also reappeared after a five episode absence to retaliate against Torchwood, more specifically Matheson, for his painful interrogation. This ultimately failed and he attempted suicide, a choice that took down Olivia Colasanto with him.

Among the many secrets about the mysterious group behind the Miracle, more was revealed about the effects it is having on the world. The first true death to happen since the Miracle occurs in this episode. Also, the Torchwood Hub is mentioned to be the place where the piece of alien technology Angelo Colasanto had was found, following its destruction in Children of Earth. Even more surprising, it shows how much more Angelo was infatuated with Jack than the immortal's previous lovers, even taking photos of him thoughout the 20th century.

Synopsis
Jack faces a showdown with a man he thought long dead, but will the outcome be beneficial? Rex takes extreme action, but is it too late to prevent the collapse of society?

Plot
The Torchwood team arrive at the Colasanto residence. The woman who brought Jack is Angelo Colasanto's granddaughter. She explains that since meeting Jack, Angelo has devoted his life to making immortality possible. Angelo himself is now aged and infirm, bedridden and connected to life-support machines.

His granddaughter, Olivia Colasanto, explains the three men who witnessed Jack's resurrection represented three different families who are in some way responsible for the Miracle. When Esther tried to trace them, there was no record of them.

The CIA enter the residence, having tracked Rex through a phone call he made to Vera Juarez's brother. Rex confronts Friedkin, who confesses that he is working for the families, which he transmits through the contact lenses.

Allen Shapiro arrests Friedkin, but he triggers a bomb he is carrying, killing Olivia and him. Rex and Esther are once more allowed to work for the CIA.

While speaking to Angelo, Jack removes his breathing apparatus and kisses him. The life support machines to start beeping frantically and Angelo dies, leaving the CIA attempting to figure out how he died.

Esther notices the flooring under Angelo's bed is higher than the rest of the room. Jack examines it and says it is a null field, cancelling the morphic field causing the Miracle. Jack warns that any state with knowledge of this alien technology could cause a catastrophic disaster, since a null field can conceal mass weapons.

Jack begs Rex and Esther to get him out of there. As they do so, Jack is shot and Esther spotted, leaving Esther driving away with a critically wounded Jack in the back seat.

Cast

 * Captain Jack Harkness - John Barrowman
 * Gwen Cooper - Eve Myles
 * Rex Matheson - Mekhi Phifer
 * Esther Drummond - Alexa Havins
 * Rhys Williams - Kai Owen
 * Oswald Danes - Bill Pullman
 * Olivia Colasanto - Nana Visitor
 * Sarah Drummond - Candace Brown
 * Mary Cooper - Sharon Morgan
 * Charlotte Wills - Marina Benedict
 * Allen Shapiro - John de Lancie
 * Brian Friedkin - Wayne Knight
 * Jilly Kitzinger - Lauren Ambrose
 * Noah Vickers - Paul James
 * Blue-Eyed Man - Teddy Sears
 * Claire - Megan Duffy
 * Shawnie - Constance Wu
 * Agent Baylor - David Desantos
 * Wilson - Nayo K Wallace

Story notes

 * Nana Visitor (Olivia Colasanto) and John de Lancie (Allen Shapiro) are both best known for their roles in the Star Trek franchise. They appeared together in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season One episode "Q-Less", first broadcast in February 1993, in which they played Major Kira Nerys and Q respectively. This means that Visitor and de Lancie have appeared together in spin-offs of both Doctor Who and Star Trek.

Ratings

 * UK: 4.64 million

Filming locations
to be added

Production errors

 * Esther hangs up the phone after Rex gives her the names of the Three Families, but the call somehow stays connected.
 * When Brian Friedkin interrogates Rex, his voice should not be audible on the television set the Eye-5s are projecting their feed on, as the Eye-5s cannot pick up sound. Secondly, Friedkin's voice isn't turned into the generic male voice by the translation systems of the Eye-5 contact lenses.

Continuity

 * Jack mentions Ianto when he is talking to Angelo, asking him whether he saw Ianto while watching Jack. He speculates about whether the two would have liked each other or not.
 * Gwen once again gets irritated when someone calls her English. (TV: Rendition)
 * The Null field generator was said to have been taken from the Torchwood Hub in Cardiff after its destruction. (TV: Children of Earth: Day Two)
 * Friedkin threatens Rex in the same way that Rex threatened him in TV: Dead of Night, using his own words against him.
 * Esther's cheek is still gashed from the violent struggle she had with Colin Maloney. (TV: The Middle Men)

Home video releases
This episode was released worldwide in a box set containing all ten episodes of Torchwood: Miracle Day. In the United Kingdom, it was released on Region 2 DVD and Region Free Blu-ray on 14 November 2011. In Australia, it was released in Region 4 DVD and Region B Blu-Ray on 1 December 2011. In New Zealand, the same sets were released on 7 December 2011. In North America, it was released on Region 1 DVD and Region Free Blu-Ray on 3 April 2012.