"Torchwood" Series 3 begins production: Capt. Jack, Ianto and Gwen get new friends

Production on Torchwood Series 3 began this week and some casting information is starting to slip through that darn Cardiff riff.  Now that Russell T. Davies has left the mothership (Doctor Who) to focus on Torchwood, does that mean the show will be gayer and better than ever?  Sadly the casting updates don't scream "left of center" so I guess we'll have to wait for more plot information on Torchwood: Children of Earth to determine its level of homo.

In casting news: Joining the surviving members of Torchwood (Capt. Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones and Gwen Cooper) for the five-part Series 3 (to air in 2009), according to SciFi.com, are Brits Peter Capaldi, Paul Copley and Liz May Brice.

Capaldi, who's appeared in Dangerous Liaisons, Skins and was Caecillius on Doctor Who last season, will play Mr. Frobisher, a civil servant who is hiding a terrible secret.  If he's anything like Ted Danson's Frobisher from FX's Damages, he's one scary dude. Copley (Nathan's Dad on Queer as Folk BBC) will play some sort of "survivor" haunted by his past named Clem.  Liz May Brice is a "cynical covert government agent determined to expose Torchwood" and she can't be trusted because she was one of the scary inmates on Bad Girls.

I can't say that any of these actors have me nearly as excited as last season's guest appearances by Blondie Bear himself, James Marsters (Capt. John Hart), but I love the show so much that it doesn't matter.  Any Torchwood information is good Torchwood information.

The gang at Comic-Con
 

When I attended the Comic-Con panel last month, I was over the moon to hear that Davies was locked in a room somewhere in Wales banging out the first of five episodes.  Sure it would have been nice to see or meet him but I'd rather he was working on the show.  I can make concessions when needed. 

While not much information was divulged it was great to see Barrowman make out with both David-Lloyd and Naoko Mori (RIP - Tosh), amazing to see the hotness that is Ianto Jones in person and banoodles to see a live duet from Miss Saigon.  The characters and the actors have captured my heart, locked it in the vaults and I like to think it's being guarded by their pet pterodactyl. 

Don't forget that you can relive all the Season 2 greatness when the DVD's are released in America on September 16th.  I've already pre-ordered ... have you?