Ghost Machine (TV story)


 * For the titular device, see Quantum transducer.

Ghost Machine was the third episode of series one of Torchwood. Although the plot revolved around the titular device, there were several branching story lines.

Synopsis
When Gwen retrieves an alien object from a fleeing hoodie, she's haunted by a vision of a lonely young boy. As the team tracks down the object's owner, the elusive Bernie Harris, Owen experiences an even more terrifying vision and a long-buried crime resurfaces.

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
 * Ed Morgan — Gareth Thomas
 * Bernie Harris — Ben McKay
 * Eleri — Llinos Daniel
 * Tom Flanagan — John Normington
 * Lizzie Lewis — Emily Evans
 * Young Ed Morgan — Christopher Elson
 * Young Tom Flanagan — Christopher Greene
 * Bernie's Mum — Julie Gibbs
 * Snooker Player — Ian Kay
 * Kid in arcade — Ryan Conway
 * Woman in shop — Kathryn Howard

Story notes

 * John Normington (Tom Flanagan) previously played Morgus in DW: The Caves of Androzani and Trevor Sigma in DW: The Happiness Patrol.
 * Gareth Thomas (Ed Morgan) previously played Lord Tamworth in BFA: Storm Warning and Kalendorf in the first two series of the Big Finish Dalek Empire audio series. He would later reprise his role as Kalendorf in BFA: Return of the Daleks.

Ratings

 * 1.8 million viewers

Myths
to be added

Filming locations

 * The Friary, Cardiff (Gwen and Owen chase the signal.)
 * Queen Street, Cardiff (Gwen and Owen chase the signal.)
 * High Street, Cardiff (Bernie is pursued into the arcade.)
 * High Street Arcade, Cardiff (The chase through the arcade)
 * Hayes Island, Cardiff (Gwen and Owen chase the signal.)
 * Cardiff Central Station, Cardiff (Gwen first shifts time.)
 * Adamsdown Place, Cardiff (Bernie's Mum's House.)
 * Barry Shooting Rang, Cardiff (Gwen's shooting lesson.)
 * St. David's Hotel, Cardiff (Owen's Flat.)
 * Adamsdown Squre, Cardiff (Owen Chases Bernie.)
 * Kames Place, Cardiff (Owen Chases Bernie.)
 * Inchmarnock Street, Cardiff (Owen Chases Bernie.)
 * Lady Margret's Place, Cardiff (Owen Chases Bernie.)
 * Gwendoline Place, Cardiff (Owen Chases Bernie.)
 * Taff Meed Embankment, Cardiff(Owen witnesses an old murder.)
 * Royal Close, Cardiff (Bernie's estate.)
 * Cardiff Bay Barrage, Cardiff (Jack and Gwen on the waterfront.)
 * Upper Boat Studios, Cardiff

Production errors

 * Tosh tells Owen that Ed Morgan is claustrophobic, but when she checks his records on the computer, she says he is agoraphobic. (Since one is a fear of enclosed spaces and the other a fear of open spaces, it seems Ed would not be comfortable anywhere!) It is obvious from Ed's comment about not having been outside in a long time that the claustrophobic reference is wrong, possibly Tosh's misrecollction as she mentions it whilst they are at a bar without a computer near by.

Continuity

 * The circled "P" emblem of the Preachers from DW: Rise of the Cybermen can be seen as faded graffiti on rusty bins outside Bernie's flat.
 * The explanation Jack gives for the ghosts matches the one Sarah Jane Smith would later give in SJA: Eye of the Gorgon.

Timeline

 * Ghost Machine occurs after TW: Day One.
 * Ghost Machine occurs before TWN: Another Life.

Home video releases
This episode was first released on DVD, with four other episodes, entitled Torchwood: Series 1, part 1 on 26 December 2006. It was later released in Torchwood: The Complete First Series on 19th November 2007.