Torchwood: 4 Things Miracle Day Got Wrong (And 4 Things It Got Right)

6. Rex Matheson

After killing off the rest of its principal cast members, Torchwood was well and truly in need of some new members. In an attempt to largely appeal to its new American fan base, the latest incarnation of the team was headed by high flying CIA agent Rex Matheson, played by Mekhi Phifer, who was pretty much unlikeable from the moment he first appeared on our screens. Sorry Mekhi, but it's true. At first, though, the character's persevering nature and dry wit was a deliberate attempt to separate him from the viewers who were immediately positioned to dislike him as a result of his no nonsense attitude and the fact he separated our beloved Gwen from her baby. Cruel, cruel man. Nobody puts (Gwen's) baby in the corner. In retrospect, though, the initial intention was that the audience would learn to warm to Rex as Jack and Gwen did, but this was ultimately an arc which failed to materialise. Over the preceding episodes Rex became even more frustrating to watch and his constantly shifting motives made viewers question why Jack and Gwen had even formed an allegiance with him in the first place. He was nothing like their previous teammates who would've no doubt been much more useful in their exploration of the Miracle had they still been around to bring a bit of much needed decorum to the chaotic proceedings. Tosh, Ianto, Owen... Torchwood needs you! Instead, viewers had to contend with Rex who seemingly only knew how to go in to any situation "all guns blazing" and his lack of levelheadedness, which was initially dramatic but quickly became just plain irritating, even hindered the investigation on multiple occasions. And then they went and spoiled it all by doing something stupid like making him immortal. And fans were supposed to be happy about that? He definitely wasn't the character who most deserved to be given the ability to live forever, but maybe that was the point. Maybe the joke has been on us the whole time and the writers set out to annoy us. If only the Miracle had arrived a few hours later and Rex would've been killed by that metal pole for good. Shoulda woulda coulda.