Well, Torchwood fans, today's the day that the Season 1 comes out on DVD. So should you plunk down $79.98 to watch Captain Jack and the gang run about chasing aliens and snogging each other?

If you're a big fan of the show, I'd have to say you'll probably enjoy the DVD with it's various bonus features including an extra disc, "Torchwood Declassified", as well as extra features on each disc involving discussions of the various episodes. There's a great deal of chat from everyone involved from the show's creator Russell T Davies to John Barrowman discussing the show's genesis, the themes, and the individual episodes.

For gay fans, the DVD is great because it does discuss the show's omnisexual nature which is a breakthrough for science fiction when it comes to television and movies. As Davies says at one point on the DVD:

I think science fiction is very much the reserve of heterosexuality. Shockingly so. And I'm very keen to push that further and knock down those barriers because that's one of my jobs to do here on this earth.

To which I can only say, "Here, here!"

Barrowman fans will also find things to enjoy. There is the "Captain's Log" where John films the last day of shooting, talking about what it was like to do the first season, making the crew dance for his amusement. His famously ribald personality comes out both here and in the outtakes where he gets cheeky with a dismembered hand covered in a very slimy gel. It's also a hoot to hear John talking in his Scottish accent. Naturally, there is a bit of puffery involved with the DVD as the cast and crew talk about what a perfect fit Barrowman is for the role and how no one else could've played the part.

My favorite features, however, were the parts involving Episode 12, "Captain Jack Harkness". The "Captain's Log" contains some extra footage of John dancing with Matt Rippy who plays the real Jack Harkness. It's fun to see John dip Matt, and then Matt show's he's got a good sense of humor when he pretends to get a little extra intimate with John.

That DVD also includes more discussion of the "Captain Jack Harkness" episode in a bonus feature called "Officer and a Gentleman". There is a nice analysis of the scene, pointing out that its the original Captain Jack who instigates the dance as opposed to Barrowman's normally more aggresive Jack. And it's cute watching Matt Rippy talk about their not choreographing the kiss, but just letting it happen naturally. And best of all, at no point did Matt feel the need to make it clear he's straight (which he is).

So if you're a Torchwoodie who plans to watch the episodes again and again and want to know every last detail, there are worse things to with your money. You can get the DVD over at Logoonline.com (AfterElton's parent company).

Great news for American fans of Torchwood: The season one premiere set a record this past Saturday for BBC America! The show delivered almost 500,000 viewers, and 297,000 of those were in the network's coveted 25 to 54 target demographic. I guess this proves there's an audience for sci fi that doesn't shy away from LGBT content. If the audience holds up for the rest of the season it's a pretty safe bet that on down the line BBC America will run the second season of the show.

In case you didn't see this week's, our Torchwood recaps here at AfterElton.com come online Mondays after each new episode airs. (You can find the weekly recaps as well as our other Torchwood coverage here.) Even if you've seen the show already, you're sure to get a kick out of the recaps. Written by contributor bad machine, they are laugh-out-loud funny. Here's an excerpt:

"... the approaching figure does not appear to be having a good hair day. Actually, it's having a no hair day. What it does have is a really bad case of psoriasis, hands like John Merrick and big yellow fangs. Hey everyone, it's Dick Cheney!"

The next new episode of Torchwood airs this Saturday at 9:00pm EST on BBC America.

Torchwood begins its U.S. run on BBC America starting September 8^th and on the main page we've added a sort of "primer" on the show and what it means for gay sci fi fans.

BBC America channel provided us with a clip of the first episode. What’s notable in it is how quickly John Barrowman’s character, Jack Harkness, stakes his claim to bisexuality – by making saucy and suggestive comments to both male and female co-workers. As one male co-worker says: “Careful. That’s harassment, sir.” Honestly, he has a point. I think Barrowman’s Harkness only gets away with it because he’s so handsome. Anyway, the video clip is below the break so you can decide for yourself whether it represents sexual harassment.

And in other news, Barrowman gives an interview to OUT in its upcoming issue, but hey, those guys are late to the party! You can read AfterElton.com’s own recent interview with the dashing star of Torchwood here. In it, Barrowman opens up about a lot of things, but we’re just a little peeved the actor neglected to mention his leather/bondage fantasies—something that is apparently touched on in his OUT interview.

We’re making a note here at AfterElton.com – “Must ask all future interviewees about fetish interests!”

Torchwood Season 1 Episode 1 video clip below break.

The highlight of the first week of the Television Critics Association (TCA) was -- not surprisingly -- getting to meet and talk with John Barrowman. Turns out he's every bit as handsome, dashing, and ribald (to say the least!) as his Torchwood character Captain Jack. Check out this exchange at the BBC America presentation at the TCA:

John Barrowman (in response to a question about a previous answer): You're not going to let it go, are you?

AUDIENCE MEMBER: I'm letting you dig yourself out of the hole --

JB: No. I quite like being in holes. (Laughter.)

JULIE GARDNER: Oh, my God.

JB: There's a little bit of Captain Jack in me.

And that's hardly the most risque comment made by John.

The rest of what follows is from the Torchwood panel, questions asked by myself and other journalists afterward, and then, when I had John to myself for a few minutes of conversation. Alas, this is a PG-13 blog so I can't print all of what John had to say, but enjoy!

ON OUT ACTORS

Don't make a big issue out of it. If somebody does come out and it's really no big deal, and the fact is that I do think America is more uptight in that aspect than Europe and the U.K. For instance, my partner and I have been together for sixteen years and in the U.K. we are recognized as a couple and a partnership and we have equal rights as married couples do. It's difficult for me to comment on because I'm a gay man, I'm proud to be gay and I have no issue with it. And I don't have time for people who do.

ON OUT ACTORS AS ROMANTIC LEADS

Hopefully I'm starting something because I know, and I could name a few, but I'm not going to, but there are quite a few romantic male leads ... But it's not my responsibility to out people. Because people might not want to come out. I hope they don't not to come out because they are discovering things about themselves they need to resolve before they do it, but if it's solely because you're afraid you're going to lose your job or the public aren't going to like you, well, my reaction to that is f*** you, and you're not helping at all.

Now this could be interesting -- Lifetime is looking at adapting British soap Mile High. The original series was known for the luxurious location shoots where we watched the steamy adventures of flight attendants who worked for a budget airline. Among them was Will O'Brien, a witty gay man who didn't sit on the sidelines, but was just as sexually active and scandalous as his co-workers.

It'll be interesting to see how this version goes, since Mile High felt like three different series during its two-season run, with only a handful of actors staying consistent throughout the series (and the dark turn in final few episodes almost felt like a fourth series). Mile High doesn't match my idea of Lifetime programming at all, with all the bad behavior and reckless drug use and its many unlikable female characters. (Now Oxygen, on the other hand...) It'll be interesting if this gets toned down in translation.

I once called Mile High "The worst show I wouldn't miss an episode of." It wasn't a quality series in the slightest, with plot holes and inconsistent characterization, but it was incredibly addictive -- and even not in a "so bad it's good way," it was just fun despite the many problems. Maybe it was the show's stylish visual sense, maybe it was the catchy opening which made effective use of Hooverphonic's "The World is Mine" or maybe it was a constantly likable cast that smoothed-over the show's faults.

Anyway, the challenge of playing casting director is a little too hard to resist in this case. Let's try to cast the major players, shall we?