10 TV Spin-Offs Better Than The Original

5. Torchwood: Children Of Earth

Ianto Death Torchwood Children Of Earth
BBC

Original Show: Doctor Who

When Doctor Who was revived back in 2005, it introduced us not just to a new Time Lord and his new companion, but also another time-traveller: Captain Jack Harkness. Instantly a fan-favourite, and played with bags of charisma by John Barrowman, the spin-off Torchwood was launched just a few years later.

It's quite debatable which is the better of the two series, since both have been inconsistent over the years: Torchwood dipped in Season 2, and Miracle Day didn't start off too strong; Who can live or die depending on the Doctor, the showrunner, or just what exactly Steven Moffat is going for. So, ok, it's a bit of a cheat, but if the playing field is relatively level, then there's one run that stands above them all.

Torchwood's third season, titled Children of Earth, was a five-episode event series that aired over the course of the week. Tackling an alien invasion, with them demanding Earth's children, it becomes a dark, tangled conspiracy that left audiences glued to screens for five nights running. It manages to keep the action grounded while still offering up sci-fi thrills, and mixes that with real suspense, human drama and some gut-wrenching emotion. Post-2005, The 'Whoniverse' has never been better.

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.