Gabrielle Ketley reviews the latest Torchwood release
One for the Tyler lovers.
Torchwood: The Boy Who Never Laughed (Joseph Lidster) dives deep into the mind of Tyler Steele (Jonny Green), exploring his past, his fears, the choices he made, and the choices made for him.
When Tyler wakes up, hungover, to discover his own double (Jonny Green…again) stepping out of the shower, he, ever the professional Torchwood agent, immediately asks the important question.
“Did I have sex with myself last night?”
Tyler keeps it cool. If his double wanted to kill him, he’d have done it while Tyler was sleeping. He establishes himself as the real Tyler from the start, just to ensure there’s no room for doubt. He’s done his research, he’s watched Star Trek (now confirmed to be a standard Torchwood training procedure).
His double makes no resistance, no threats. He will tell Tyler who he is and what he’s up to when the time is right. Promise. For now, let’s call him Wizard (in memory of Tyler’s beloved pet cat.)
Of course, the sensible thing for Tyler to do now would be to inform Torchwood. But if Tyler was sensible, he wouldn’t be part of Torchwood. A lack of sense and an overactive sex drive is practically a recruitment requirement.
The downsides of Torchwood life, such as the near certainty of early death followed by everlasting irrelevance, is a subject Wizard dwells on quite pointedly, amidst the banter and flirting and the odd bit of clone snogging. Wouldn’t Tyler like to go back and change things? To travel back in time to make a single decision, that would make him a happier man? A better man?
Tyler, knowing how this goes, is quick to suspect a “stop Tyler joining Torchwood and saving the world” scheme at hand, but Wizard has to disappoint him. Sorry Tyler, you just don’t matter that much. The world will get on fine without you. No evil plot, no cunning plan. Wizard just wants to do Tyler a favour.
Nah, Tyler’s good, actually. If he was going to go back in time, what he’d want to do is kill baby Hitler. Hitler was a twat, seems the obvious thing is to go back to “punch a baby, save millions”. His second option is to go and meet Henry VIII, who, while also a twat, Tyler figures must have been charismatic as hell*, a man who chose to change the entire world just to suit himself. That power, that ability to choose, Tyler admires that.
*(Not actually that charismatic, according to Wizard. A bit annoying actually, and loves the sound of his own voice.)
The power to choose, to change things, the cost of the choices we make for ourselves and for others, is the heart of The Boy Who Never Laughed.
Wizard takes Tyler back through his life, to his birth, his birthdays; your addict mum (Rebecca Crankshaw) kicking you out the house because the childcare payments have stopped is one hell of a sweet sixteen birthday gift, seeking out the moment when a single choice will change everything for the better.
The Boy Who Never Laughed lacks chills, thrills and adventure. It is mellow and contemplative, albeit with a slightly on the nose moral. The high point is the banter between Tyler and Wizard, delivered by an ever entertaining Jonny Green, which keeps the story fun and engaging, despite the minimal plot and low stakes.
Torchwood: The Boy Who Never Laughed is available on CD or as a download from
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