Torchwood (2006–2011): Season 2, Episode 8 - A Day in the Death - full transcript

Torchwood

Outside the Government,
beyond the police.

Fighting for the future
on behalf of the human race.

The 21st century
is when everything changes...

and Torchwood is ready.

My name is Dr. Owen Harper,

and this is my life.

A life that
is full of action

and violence
and work, and wonder.

And secrets,
and sex, and love,

and heartbreak.



And death...

my death.

The death I survived,

the death I am now
living through.

Except...

this isn't living.

Every day it's the same.

I get up,

get ready for work
the same as everyone else.

The thing is,
I'm not the same.

I get to work and everyone's
doing the same old thing.

Babbling away about aliens
and weddings.

I'm not real.

Three days ago, I died.



And they think I'm fine,
but they're wrong.

So, are you ready to jump?

Would you just piss off.
Get off my roof.

Your roof?

I'm going to jump,
so just leave me alone.

Look, darlin', you know,
I'm not here to stop you.

Seriously.

You think you've got problems?

What, did your man dump you?

Sorry, love,
were you talking to me?

It's just, you know,
I'm a bit busy right now.

I'm not really interested
in listening...

What is that?

I got shot.

Yeah, right.

Oh, my God,
what the hell are you?

I'm dead.

That's not...

look, you can't be dead.

You're standing here.
You're talking. You're moving.

You're not dead.

You're...

you're dead?

Yeah, I was brought back...

like Jesus really, uh,
but without the beard, you know?

Shit, I'm never gonna have a beard.

Not that I wanted one you understand,
but you know, one day I-

Yeah, okay. Okay.
You're dead and that's...

that's clearly a bit shit
and I'm sorry and everything but,

if you are dead,
then why are you here?

You can't be wanting to jump.
You can't die twice.

Sorry, are you an expert?

Sorry, are you an idiot?

Yeah. I'm a dead idiot.

So, come on then,

what's it like?

What?

Well, being dead.

What delights have I got
to look forward to?

Darkness.

Nothing.

Cheery, thanks.

Look,

why are you here?

Dr. Owen Harper,
Torchwood officer 565,

I'm relieving you of your position.

Bollocks. I'm sorry, Jack,
this is bollocks.

Hand in your weapon
and your security pass.

But why? I'm fine.

Three days ago, you died.

We need to examine you.

We need to find out
what you are.

We need to be certain
you're okay.

Yeah, well it almost sounds
as if you care, well done.

Until I'm confident
you're fit for duty,

Martha Jones will replace you as
Torchwood's new medical officer.

She's doing all right
out of this, isn't she?

She's worked out a series
of tests and examinations.

And what if I refuse?

You'll be confined to the cells,

tested and if the results show
that you're a danger to the team,

appropriate steps will be taken.

I'm asking you, Owen.

Please, let us help you.

Let us make sure you're safe.

I'm gonna need your gun.

And your security pass.

Please...

And how long are Dr. Jones'
tests going to take?

As long as they need to.

And what the hell am I supposed
to do in the meantime?

We always need someone
to make coffee.

Oh, no.

Voila.

Fresh and strong.

And, we couldn't just
have a jar of instant, no?

I thought you liked your coffee?

Have you seen what happens
when I drink, these days?

Yeah. Thank you, Owen.
You want to go?

Ooh, please.

What's wrong with this?

You okay?

What do you think?

I bet you're loving this,
aren't you?

It's like you've finally won.

I didn't realise
we were in competition.

Oh, come on!

Even Tosh had more of a life
than you used to.

And now you're always
out on missions,

you're shagging Jack,

and I'm stuck here
making the coffee.

It's not like that, me and Jack.

You and Jack.

Gwen's getting married.

Martha's got her bloke.
God, even Tosh had Tommy.

This is really shit!

We've all gone through shit,

I've seen you
dissect alien corpses,

I've seen you
save so many lives,

are you really going to
let this beat you?

So, you're choosing me
over the boyfriend?

Yeah, that's it.

You really don't need to worry,
you know, I don't want your job.

Yes, I know.

You just find me irresistible.

Oh, yeah, that's it.

Every morning I wake up and think
of ways to get you alone like this.

There is no sign of any muscle decay.
You're in great shape, as ever.

Hmm, no use coming onto me, Jones.

I'm a changed man.

And, erm, no stiffening anywhere?

Well...

Just answer the question.

No, no signs of rigor mortis.

So, if I keep up the exercise,
I won't atrophy?

Yep. And a bonus, definitely looks
like you're not going to age either.

There's no further sign
of cell mutation.

You're 100% human.

100% Owen.

Hi, Martha. Meeting in the boardroom.
Can you come down?

You'd better go, doctor.

What about you?

Cappuccino with chocolate sprinkles.

What?

That's what you drink, isn't it?

Henry John Parker,
he used to be a looker,

now he's 80-odd
and even I have my limits.

Your basic millionaire
collector of alien hoo-hah.

And we fall in with
the "mostly harmless" category?

So, what's the problem?

I detected this
at 0517 this morning.

Parker's house. There's an
energy spike coming from it.

I've never seen
anything like it before.

Okay, so, the big question is,

what's our Mr. Parker
gone and found this time?

Why? Do you think he's a threat?

Well, he hasn't been up until now.
He's a bit Howard Hughes.

We know he's there,
we know he's not a threat.

But as the story goes,

he hasn't left the house
since his wife died.

Nobody's seen him since 1986.

We've been monitoring
Parker for ages.

There's nothing to be
scared of is there?

Unlike, say, Tintin?

Okay. I never liked Tintin.

What, he's weird.
He's got a funny face

and his hair is just, is horrible.

- I always loved Tintin.
- Yeah, well you would.

And he never had a girlfriend
did he, just the dog,

so I reckon he was actually
shagging the dog.

Okay, meanwhile, back at Torchwood.

Alien energy pulse.

We've got to check this
Parker out, okay?

Tosh, can you get me a complete
schematic of the house.

lanto, find out exactly what he's got.

Get me an inventory of everything
that he's bought for the last 10 years.

Martha, can you get a hold
of his medical history?

- Sure.
- Okay, let's get to it, guys.

Hey, Gwen,
any news on Banana Boat?

Can you believe it?

Best Man,
arrested in Lanzarote.

- What for?
- Ah, dodgy CDs.

Worldwide, nearly a million
people kill themselves each year.

That's almost three times
the population of Cardiff.

- Makes you think.
- What are you?

- Some sort of suicide geek?
- No, just a doctor.

Infact, I'm not just a doctor.

I'm a bloody brilliant doctor.

I know you are.

So why are you doing my job?

- Because Gwen asked me to.
- That's not what I mean.

Because you died,
and because you need help.

That's not a bad thing.

It is a bad thing
that you died obviously,

but it's not bad that you need help,
if you know what I mean?

You're kinda cute when you babble.

And you're kinda cute when
you're not chucking a scalpel about.

But I'm making the sodding coffee!

I mean, come on, won't
your bloke be missing you?

Has he seen Jack? They always
get jealous when they meet Jack.

Owen, I don't want your job.
I just want to do mine.

Okay, I'm dead,
but I am 100% human.

I'm fine.

You've sliced your hand open.

The wound's not going to heal,

so, you're going to have to
re-stitch it every week or so.

At least you
don't need anaesthetic.

Yeah... can't feel anything.

Can't feel the needle or thread,

can't feel your hands on mine.

Yet, I can touch things,

I can hold 'em,

I know they're there.

But I just can't feel anything.

I'm numb.

Do you see why Jack's worried?

Bruises won't heal.

Bones won't mend.
You're... fragile.

Yeah, well, I'd better get
used to doing things myself.

So she offers to help you
and you push her away?

Charming.

Yeah, hole in the chest.

Sorry if I don't follow
social niceties any more.

You mean you did before?

God, you're a pain
in the arse, aren't you?

Is that why
your man dumped you?

Oh, I hit a nerve?

What, did you get
your heart broken?

No, actually. He died.

I'm sorry.

No you're not.

You couldn't care less about me
and I don't care about you.

Just because we're both
planning on jumping,

it doesn't mean we have some
sort of special connection.

You don't know the half of it.

Give me something to do.

You know I can't.
Rules and regulations.

Fine.

I might as well go home then.

Okay.

What exactly do I do
when I get there?

Watch TV...

chill.

Jack, I'm dead.

I'm permanently chilled.

You know, you get to
live forever.

I get to die forever.

It's funny that.

Oh, hello! And welcome to
"To Buy or Not to Buy",

the property show
that lets you...

Do you mind if I eat,
I'm starving?

No, help yourself.

So, Jack asked you
to come round did he?

"Talk to Owen. Get him
to open up, godammit!"

You haven't changed,
have you?

It's all about Owen.

I've actually had a hell
of a morning, you know?

- Do you have a..?
- Top drawer.

So, Jack calls me in
at 5.00 this morning.

He could have waited
until I got in, but no,

strange energy spike
and it's "Let's get Tosh in. "

Oh, and when Gwen got in,
first thing she did?

Say sorry for not asking me
to be bridesmaid.

I mean, me, a bridesmaid?

You sound like
an old married couple.

Brian used to say
I talked too much.

Tell me about him.

Today's my wedding anniversary.

My perfect day...

It was an accident.

We'd been married
less than an hour.

I was picking confetti out
of my hair when it happend.

- Shit. I'm-
- Sorry, yeah.

I know.

You waited until your wedding
anniversary to kill yourself?

- Why?
- Does it matter?

- Why have you waited?
- Because I believe people.

I believe them when they
said it would get better.

So, what do you think, doctor?

Do you really think
it's going to get any better?

I ran it through
the language translator

- and it's flipping Croatian-
- Why are you here, Tosh?

I want to help you.

And how are you going to do that?

How are you going to help me?

I mean, am I going to be
a new special project?

Come on, Owen, I just...

That's not why you're here is it?

For some reason you want me,
you know I don't know why,

but you always have,

you're always looking at me,
watching me screw other women,

your heart breaking
and now it's different,

because I'm safe now, aren't I?

And it's all cosy and it's romantic
and isn't it beautiful, you know?

You can say what you like.
I'm not leaving you.

Well, of course you're not.
Because this is it, isn't it?

This is the date
that we were talking about.

You've got your beer,
you've got pizza, you and me,

it's just how you wanted it.

All we need now
is a sodding pool table.

- Stop it! What's wrong with you?
- I'm broken, Tosh!

I don't work, I've got no heartbeat,
no feelings, no tears,

I have got nothing to give you!

- I-
- Do you understand that?

Maybe that's what you want,

maybe you want somebody
who's as screwed up as you!

Who's twisted and screwed up like
you are. You want to see broken,

do you want to see broken, Tosh?

Owen! Stop it!
What are you doing?!

36 minutes. Not bad.

You were watching?

Skinny guy in tight jeans
runs into water?

I was taking pictures!

How long's this going
to go on for, Owen?

lanto, what have you
found out about Parker?

I've identified some of the things
he's purchased over the past year.

We've got a Dogon eye.

A pair of Myakian wings, meteorites.

An Arcateenian translation
of James Herbert's "The Fog".

But there are a few things
we've never seen before.

So one of these is causing
the energy spikes?

Looks like it. And they're getting
bigger, dangerously bigger.

Right, okay, we need to get in there.

Parker employs a mr. Philip Farrington
to run security.

There's at least six guards,
CCTV everywhere,

all of which we can bring down
by taking out the generator,

but then there's these...

Heat sensors.

- As in body heat?
- Yep.

Solar-powered.

There's one on every doorway,
every window.

So, how do we get past them?

Sounds like you need
a dead man.

Someone with no body heat.

What have you got to lose?

Tosh?

I turned your telly off.

You screamed at her, you said
all those things, and that's it?

That's Tosh.
Always the professional.

I don't care!

I'm not interested in you,
in old men or alien meteors.

I came here because
my husband died.

I just want to jump.

- Let's get on with it.
- Get off me!

You, you're too scared.

Aren't you?

How did... how did you
get from that to here?

What happened?

If you hurt yourself,
you will not recover.

Like I said, any bruises you get,
they're not gonna heal.

Do not engage in physical combat.
One punch you're gone.

Be careful.

I understand,
I'm made of glass.

Owen?

Just take care.

Oh, and you'll need this.

Owen?

Yeah... hi, Tosh.

Okay, the power in the house

is supplied from one
private electrical generator.

There's a backup unit
but take the main one down

and you've got 1 minute, 20
of blackout time.

Can only get rid of one
of the blokes, yet?

Might look suspicious
with those two phone calls.

Try and make it
the big one, okay?

Arse!

- Hello?
- Mr. Taylor?

Yeah, that's right, who's this?

I'm calling from
St. Helen's Hospital.

Mrs. Christine Taylor
was brought in an hour ago.

She's been involved
in a car accident.

Is she hurt?

She's going to be fine
but she's asking to see you.

- Of course. I'm on my way.
- You all right?

It's Chrissie, she's been in
an accident. Look, I've got to go.

Yeah, of course.

Mr. Farrington?

Ben's had to go.
His wife's been in an accident.

Okay, guys, I'm here.

Move away from there. I said-

Yeah, okay, guys. Very funny.

No, no, no.

- Do you want to see what I can do?
- What?

I'm dead already, mate.

Webb to Dave, are you there?

1 minute, 20 until the backup
generator comes online.

This is Farrington to all units.

The backup generator
will be running in 45 seconds.

Stay at your posts, please.

Mr. Parker's personal generator
is unaffected.

Sorry, Owen, they've obviously
had some work done.

Heat sensors.

I am literally
too cool for school.

Right, I'm in.

Okay, the energy reading seems
to be coming from the first floor.

A room at the back of the house.

Can you give me anything else?

No, the energy source is playing
havoc with the system, sorry.

No worries. I'm getting
used to being in the dark.

Hold it there.

Evenin'.

Nice place you've got here.

Love what you've done
with the pictures.

Who are you?

Why aren't the sensors
picking you up?

Okay, stop.

Stop or I'll shoot.

No, you won't.

You're a security guard.

Come on. That gun's
just for show, innit?

Do you know what a bullet
does to a living person?

It's not like a knife
through butter, no, no, no, no.

It rotates, tears into the flesh
and the gooey stuff behind.

Rips into the organs,
and, ooh, it's not nice.

But anyway,
I haven't got any body heat,

you must know
what that means?

You can't kill a dead man.

What are you?

- I'm wrong.
- What are you?!

I'm broken.

I'm Dr. Owen Harper.

And I'm having
one hell of a day.

Yes?

It's okay, mate. I'm not going
to hurt you. I'm a doctor.

You're a very violent doctor.

I've been watching you.

- Henry Parker, yeah?
- You're Torchwood, yes?

- Did the American send you?
- Yeah, he sent me.

How do you know
so much about us?

They could've sent that
Japanese girl, I liked her.

Yeah, well, I'm sorry
you got me.

Is she on your phone thing?

- The earpiece?
- Yeah.

Hello! Just to say you've
got very lovely legs.

You should show them off more.

What's wrong with you?

Three heart attacks
and a failed bypass.

But I'm fine,
because I have this.

It's called the Pulse.

- You know what it is?
- I named it.

It's keeping me alive.
No! You're not taking it.

It could be dangerous.

We've been detecting
massive energy readings.

I don't care.

All I know is, it works.

Well, I'm sorry, it doesn't.

What?

The energy
isn't going into you.

The power'sjust building up
inside that thing,

that's what we've
been detecting, but...

it isn't actually
doing anything for you.

You're wrong. I can feel it.

- No, no. I'm not going to die.
- Please, listen to me.

There are loads of peoples' lives
at risk. If that thing explodes

then we don't know
what the fall-out will be.

You're young, you don't understand
what dying feels like.

Believe me, I do. I really do.

- There's nothing there.
- Where?

On the other side,
nothing, I'm dying.

Take away my Pulse
and I'm gone.

My body decomposing.

You can't stop it, Mr. Parker.

I'm sorry, but it's going
to happen one day.

It'll be dark and I'll be alone.

Where are you now?

It's dark and you're all alone,

so what's the difference?

I don't understand
what's keeping me here.

It's hope.

That thing, it's just hope.

Do you really think all this
is better than death?

It's got to be. It is better.

You're just scared
of the darkness.

Join the club.

Trust me, I know how shit
everything can be.

Don't you sit there
pontificating, you're just a boy,

what do you know
about anything?

I've travelled the world.
I fought in the war.

Started my own business.
I made a fortune.

Married... widowed.

My collection, all of it.

I've done so much
and this is where I ended up.

Alone. Lying in my own piss!
And do you know what I want?

- Clean sheets?
- I want a steak.

Medium rare.
Black pepper sauce.

Look at me. Fed through a tube.
I might as well be dead already.

I might as well be dead.

Why don't you take it?

Well?

Oh, Christ, it's dark,
I'm alone, I'm so alone.

It's all right,
I'm here with you.

I'm still stuck here, though.
In this bed, in the dark.

You know what?

I'm going to come back.

You and me.

We're going to face
all of this together,

I'm going to help you.

Torchwood, if you come back,

you can tell me all about it.
Tell me what it's like.

I want to hear about
the aliens and everything!

I need to know that
there's more out there.

That this isn't all there is.

Oh, come on, I'm dying,

who am I going to tell,
the Angel Gabriel?

If you come back,

I won't tell the Japanese girl
that you're still holding my hand.

Well, maybe.

Mr. Parker?

Henry?

Henry?

I'm so sorry.

I couldn't save him.

He needed me to give him air,
but I couldn't.

I've got no breath.

Everything I've seen,

everything that's out there

and it was an old man
dying of a heart attack.

It was just another person
dying because of me.

Everything that's happened
and that was the final straw.

Because at that moment
I just wanted it all to end.

Owen.

Owen, can you hear me?

Owen, come in!

Yeah, yeah, I'm here.

The device,
is it doing anything?

Because the energy levels
coming from it are...

Owen?

It's going off the screen.

It's going to explode!

Tosh? What can we do?

Nothing! There's nothing!

It's okay.

I'm going to hold it.

Owen, what are you doing?

See if I can absorb it.

Owen, the energy reading's off
the scale. You won't survive.

Yeah, well, that's okay.
These things happen.

There must be something we can do.

- Martha, Martha...
- Owen?

If it destroys me, they're going
to need a new doctor.

You've got all the credentials.
Medical skills, and a cracking arse.

Jack?

If you even attempt
to bring me back again.

Gwen, lanto, it was fun,
mostly... thank you.

Tosh?

Tosh? Come on, answer me.

Owen.

I'm sorry.

I love you.

What happened?

We all assume life's going
to be shit, don't we?

That it's all just darkness.

But you know what?

Sometimes, it's not.

What is it?

Do you remember in the '70s,

NASA sent messages into space?

A map of our solar system,
pictures of what we look like.

It had images, voices, music.
Even a bit of Chuck Berry.

Well this is a reply,
not that we know who from.

Well, what does it do?

It sang to me.

It's a glimmer of light
in the darkness.

See?

Sometimes it does get better.

Well, I'm sorry, Dr. Jones.

- No vacancies in Cardiff just yet.
- That's okay.

I reckon you're...
I was going to say fine,

but you're a hell of a lot
more than that.

Thank you.

For everything.

It's what I'm here for.

You take care.

Well, it's been...

interesting.

Oh, it's been fun.
You know it has.

Well, everyone else
has had a go.

You can so come back any time!

Well, maybe I will. One day.

Promise me something.

- What's that?
- No more locking it all away.

You tell me when it's bad.
Share it with me.

Okay?

Tosh, I'm scared.

I'm scared that if I close
my eyes I'll get trapped,

in the darkness.

I'm here.

That's when I saw you.

I thought you
came here to jump?

No...

I came here to help.

- What do I do now?
- You've got a choice.

If you think that the darkness
is too much then go for it.

But if there is a chance,
just some hope.

It could be having a cigarette,

or that first sip of hot tea
on a cold morning,

or it could be your mates.

But if there's even
a tiny glimmer of light

then don't you think
that's worth taking a chance?

What's your name?

Maggie.

Maggie Hopley.

Well, Maggie, it's up to you.

Your choice.

Do you still want to jump?

My name is Owen Harper,
and this is my life.

Careful, Gwen.
This thing eats people.

- And what is that exactly?
- It's a shapeshifter.

With a taste for
human flesh.

You're going to have to
postpone the wedding.

You're pregnant!

An alien egg in your belly

and it's mother coming
to rip you open.

That is all we need.

In five hours,
I'm walking down the aisle.

You are not thinking straight!

All I want to do today
is marry you.

That's the problem
with shapeshifters.

I'm not an alien!

You never know
what you're looking at.