I'm sitting in Ballroom 20 here at Comic-Con laughing out loud as Torchwood: Miracle Day stars John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Mekhi Phifer, Bill Pullman, Alexa Havins and writer Jane Espenson talk about the current season, including love scenes, working in Los Angeles, and what's to come for the series, which is currently airing on Starz.
To catch you up on what's taken place so far, John Barrowman admitted to being a geek and purchased a set of super-hero glasses on the floor this week, which he had shipped home. Jane Espenson told us things are going to get much darker on the show (or milk chocolate turning to dark chocolate, as she put it). Episode 5 is apparently a big one there. There are love scenes coming up from Mekhi Phifer's character, and Jack Harkness (separate scenes - not together!). Eve Myles did an impressive and amusing American accent, which I guess we'll be hearing on the show at some point.
Jane Espenson is encouraging the fans to look at the big picture and think hard about the would be like in this situation (a world where no one dies), because that's how the writers approached it.
John Barrowman says there's been no word yet on the series' renewal on Starz. "The more you watch it, the more chance we have of coming back. We all would love to be doing Torchwood for another five or six seasons."
Barrowman says they have fun on set but they do get the work done. Talking about the new cast additions this season and how they want to bring everyone into this show like they're bringing them into a family.
Eve Myles is offering a lot of hilarious silent-commentary through excellent facial expressions.
Phifer says he hasn't felt a family dynamic like this since he was on ER.
Bill Pullman talking about the "thriller mechanism" and how humans betray or are loyal to each other in times of crisis. Says there are a lot of weird parallels to Independence Day. (He got cheers for that reference.)
John Barrowman says he has a closet full of coats. They're all labeled: Hero Coat - used in hero-shots. Looks sharp always. Running coat - flows a little bit better. Then there are other coats that they're allowed to destroy. His favorite detail about the coats are the epaulettes (on the shoulders). He loves the detail of the costume.
John hid in Eve's shower for nearly forty minutes. He planned to "scare the crap out of her" by hiding in her trailer shower. He sat in there, hunched down and waited for forty-five minutes. "I looked like I was pooping!" he said. When she walked in, he threw himself out of the shower and she screamed and called him a name, then said, "I actually peed myself!" Eve denies the peeing and says she had a glass of water in my hand. "Listen," she says to the crowd. "I did not pee myself!"
Alexa talking about the shoes ("stilts") she wears in the show. She says she's a flip-flop girl.
John Barrowman says he never thought that one day he'd be sitting here with us (at Comic-Con). Talking about starting the show with his role on Doctor Who
Someone just asked if Captain Jack is going to sing in the new Torchwood. John says he doesn't think they'll do a musical episode. Mekhi can sing. Eve can sing. Eve can also apparently do the robot. John's going to sing a song for the audience right now, but he can't think of anything. Someone suggested "Springtime for Hitler." He declined to sing that. Now he's singing "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow." He got the audience to join in.
And on that note (literally), the panel is wrapping up. Great panel! Funny, enthusiastic cast, and a few hints that darker things are to come for the show.
Here's a look at the new Torchwood: Miracle Day trailer they showed during the panel:
