Torchwood, the spin-off of BBC’s ever popular Doctor Who recently began it’s second season. In a remarkable development, BBC America is playing the episodes with only a ten day delay from when the fans in the UK are able to watch the show.
Burn Gorman, who plays Dr. Owen Harper on the Torchwood team recently spoke with MediaBlvd Magazine’s “The Two Doctors” radio program about the direction his character will be taking this season. He also gave some hints about how Martha will be integrated into the show for a three episode arc starting with number six.
Jim> You’re character really seems to have changed from season one to season two, can you comment on that?
Burn> Absolutely, Owen, in order to remain a valid member of the Torchwood team has to come to some fairly big decisions about his conduct. At the end of series one, he shot Jack, and was going off into, should we say grey areas of the missions he was asked to do. And I think that in order to become a coherent member of the team, he has to start again. There was a sense of forgiveness from Jack at the end of the series. And I think we’ve really started in season two to set his commitment to being a member of the team, and to see how the team works instead of beating, stabbing, snogging and kicking each other all the time.
Kenn>Do you have a feel for Owen’s backstory, and are we going to get to see some of that this season?
Burn> Well, from day one, I was never told anything about Owen. In fact, the producers very much left us alone. I never got a character breakdown, or what they wanted to have the character do, except for some very prescriptive scripts. But we definitely learn a lot about Owen’s back story in the second series. For me, I sort of ask questions of the writers and came up with my own story as for why he is emotionally and at some points socially stunted. Let’s be honest. And at some points can be arrogant and aloof. And I think the truth about Owen is he has a very hard exterior, and a very soft interior. He wants to do the right thing, and he’s passionate about saving life. There are very strong reasons as to why he became a doctor. But in series two we find out that he’s so brittle and unable to show his emotions. We find out exactly why that is, which is an exciting story line.
Jim>We’ve seen the first episodes in the States, and it looks like you and Tosh seem to be forming a relationship this season. Is that going to go anywhere?
Burn> I think I’m surprised as any one else whose watching it. I would say that Tosh and Owen’s relationship develops in a way that he is very much looking out for Tosh. In fact, all of the other members of the team. I think their love for each other and the kind of unspoken respect and trust is more hopefully more apparent this season. But particularly Tosh, I think that Owen is blind to the way that she feels about him. He’s not very aware really of feelings. And we definitely see much more of those two coming closer together. But in terms of an actual relationship we have to wait and see. I mean, I feel sorry for her, don’t you? I wouldn’t want Owen to be with Tosh.
Kenn> Well, it seems like Owen was one of the few people that had a lot of snogging time; first with Gwen, then with the woman pilot from the past. You actually had a love interest twice. Is that going to continue?
Burn> I was actually as surprised as anyone else. Let’s be honest, with gorgeous looking men in terms of Jack and Ianto, I always felt that maybe they should get some of the action. I don’t see myself as that. I see myself much more as a character actor. So I wasn’t entirely comfortable with it, but I enjoyed it while it happened. I think that some of that was with Captain Jack being such a hero figure, they didn’t want to bog him down with the issue of snogging or sex or whatever. He implies it, and talks about it. But we do see more in season of two of other members of the team getting into relationships and such, but thankfully, Owen gets much less of that. I get to keep my top on!
Kenn> It seems that at least for US audiences, Torchwood’s popularity is perhaps surpassing Doctor Who. Is that similar in the UK, or is Doctor Who still the mother ship?
Burn> The reaction that of I got is that in the States it’s seen very much as a standalone series. In Britian, it’s history really, that comes with Doctor Who. You yourselves are Doctor Who fans, I’m a Doctor Who fan, I’ve got so much kind of history and detail from that world, and I think that Torchwood had to, by it’s very nature of being Earth bound and specifically not going to other planets and dealing with alien life as it comes to Earth had to create it’s own world. We’re a part of the ship Whoniverse, but for example, someone like Owen doesn’t know anything about the Doctor. He doesn’t know that Jack has traveled in time. He’s very much concerned with aliens coming to Earth, and his life with Torchwood in Cardiff. It’s only through the series as his mind gets expanded, he knows about the hand in the jar. He knows that Jack can’t die. But he’s very much concerned with the Earth based thing. But we’re just glad that people are enjoying it, because we’re very passionate about it. But obviously we don’t have anywhere near the budget of Doctor Who, so we’re kind of focusing as much as we can on scripts and team. And we have a blast.
Jim> Have you done Sci Fi outside of Torchwood or is this your first venture into the science fiction genre.
Burn> It is definitely my first venture into a science fiction series. I’ve always been a huge sci fi fan, but this is the first continuing character that I’ve played. I noticed very early on unless you totally commit to it, and take it very seriously, it becomes even more unbelievable. But I love to be taken outside the norm into realms of fantasy and wonder. We’re able to go places that normal people can’t.
Kenn> It seems that Owen and the rest of the team found out they could function without Jack when he was away doing his part for the Who finale. Is that level of confidence that they found going to continue?
Burn> I think the team without Jack is like somebody missing a shoe. It’s still familiar. The aliens and the rift don’t stop happening. There are still incidents. There are still things coming through the rift which they are duty bound to deal with. But without Jack, we’re kind of like a ship without a rudder. Gwen had kind of taken charge as it were, but I think that we’re all just a bit lost. I think Owen is somebody who needs a leader as well. He needs to be told what to do so he can make his own decision about whether to follow that or not. But I’d say he would kind of suck as a leader.
Jim>This may not be a fair question, but how long do you see your character going on Torchwood? Would you want to be doing this for 3 to 5 years yourself?
Burn> I’m the type of actor who gets bored pretty easily. The scripts and the people I’m involved with are so passionate, that it has a certain amount of momentum. I really like the actors I work with, but the very nature of Torchwood, I would say, is one where people die young. I’d never say never, but there is only so many times a person can be shot, stabbed, poisoned or whatever before it just isn’t believable anymore. But I’ve had a really good time doing it and I hope the Torchwood world continues, definitely.
Kenn> Can you tell us if there is going to be more of a connection with Doctor Who with Martha coming over and such, or is the show going to remain very much independent.
Burn> I’d be lying if I said I knew anything at all. They started off saying there would be absolutely no links between the two, and now Martha is here in episodes 6, 7 and 8. I just don’t know if those two worlds can collide apart from Jack. But I think it would be interesting to see what would happen. I don’t know what the Who fans would think about it, but me as a Who fan, I say bring it on. It would be great. And also to work with David Tennant, we’d often see each other when we were filming. We’d be at lunch and see some Dalek’s go by or whatever. We’d see him around, so it was kind of a bit of a family affair really. I think it would be very exciting, and I hope that Jack will come back and forth between the series. I don’t know these things, but I’d hope that he can continue in both worlds.
Jim>I thought at first, I’m not sure about a spin-off Doctor Who show. How can it reach that caliber, but it’s just amazing how people have gravitated toward your show. It’s acted well, shot beautifully. You mentioned that the budget isn’t as high, but it looks just as beautiful as Doctor Who.
Burn> Well, thanks. I think that’s a testament to all the BBC Wales team. It’s a little bit like having your own world. Nobody bothers us, we’re just in our studios in the middle of the Welsh hills, and you’re kind of left alone. I think that it’s very important for drama’s as a whole to keep evolving, and I’m just glad to be associated with the Doctor Who world and franchise, but I’m really glad of your support for Torchwood. I think that Torchwood has tried to take risks, and has definitely failed in some parts, but unless you fail, you don’t how to get better, so long may it continue.
Kenn> Do you know anything about what went into BBC’s decision to air the show on BBC America with only a 10 day delay?
Burn> I really don’t. If I knew I’d say. I thought maybe it was something to do with the writers strike, but I guess that wouldn’t affect BBC America. I’m just glad really. I think it’s great that it’s going out only 10 days later.
Burn> Are you guys getting the full version? Over here, they’re editing it for the pre-watershed, the pre 9PM version the day after it airs.
Jim> I think we’re getting the pre-9PM version. What they’ve done though is a beautiful job of editing. We get the more sanitized version I think.
Kenn> It didn’t seem like a lot got cut out in series one, compared to the UK version.
Burn> I’m glad, I think the thing should be left alone as much as possible. It’s definitely less F-bombs and swearing in series two I’d say. Even the tone is much more about aliens and about what’s going on rather than the team itself. Which I prefer as a viewer, I want to see the strange things coming in. I just can’t wait for you guys to see the rest of the series. I really do think it’s really exciting.
Kenn> As a final question, without going into spoilers, can you tell us where Owen’s going to be going the rest of season two?
Burn> Owen’s character, I’m pretty certain it’s episode 5, we are introduced to a completely different side of Owen, completely different. It’s one that nobody will have seen before. I also think that episode 6 when Martha comes in, starts a trio of episodes. She comes in and Owen is kind of worried that she is going to tread on his toes, but in the end, they form a real attachment. Not so much a romantic attachment, but they have very deep respect for each other, and she’s very much involved in Owen’s story.
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