Rhys Williams (Torchwood)
Encyclopedia
Rhys Alun Williams, portrayed by Kai Owen
, is a fictional character
in the BBC
television program
me Torchwood
, a spin-off
from the long-running series Doctor Who
. The character is introduced in the premiere episode
as the co-habiting boyfriend of principal character Gwen Cooper
. While Gwen is initially introduced to the series as an audience surrogate
character, Rhys is also used by the production team as an "everyman
" character that provides a quintessential link between the show's fantasy setting and the real world; producer Richard Stokes
states that "Without him, it simply becomes a sci-fi show about sci-fi people, running around and hunting aliens." The original intention of the writers had been to kill off Rhys at the end of the first series, but series creator Russell T Davies found it necessary to keep the show grounded through Rhys as Gwen evolved as a character; this necessitated his survival within the show and Kai Owen's elevation to star billing cast status in the third series.
Throughout the first series (2006), Rhys is initially unaware of Gwen's vocation as a Torchwood
agent, believing her to work in generic special forces
. Gwen's relationship with Rhys languishes while she is unable to communicate fully with him, but in early part of series two (2008) he discovers the truth, and from thereon in their relationship is revitalised; the two enter a marriage based on honesty later in the series. In the third series (2009) Rhys becomes directly involved in assisting the team, in lieu of a fourth team member. Rhys' popularity amongst reviewers has generally grown alongside his role in the series becoming more involved.
of the series (2006) as the unspectacular boyfriend of Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles
). When Gwen takes a new job with the Torchwood Institute
's Cardiff
branch as an alien hunter, she is forced to keep it a secret. Over the course of the first series Rhys shows increasing irritation with Gwen's evasiveness and long hours, and her ease and readiness to lie to him. Unknown to Rhys, Gwen establishes a sexual relationship with Owen Harper
(Burn Gorman
) to help herself deal with her secret double-life. She confesses the affair after it ends in "Combat
" but drugs Rhys with an amnesia pill so he will not remember her confession. Rhys is murdered by Bilis Manger (Murray Melvin
) in "End of Days
", but this event is erased from history after the Torchwood Team open the rift. The series two premiere
(2008) establishes that Rhys becomes engaged to Gwen between the first and second series. After Rhys becomes suspicious of her behaviour and her friendship with her boss Captain Jack
(John Barrowman
) in "Meat
", Gwen reveals to him the truth about her responsibilities with Torchwood. Rhys then becomes involved in a mission to uncover and destroy an alien meat-trading racket, and ends up taking a bullet to protect Gwen's life. Because she enjoys finally being able to be honest with Rhys, Gwen cannot bring herself to drug him for a second time, and so demands that Jack allow Rhys keep his memories of Torchwood. Rhys and Gwen marry in the episode "Something Borrowed
". Following the wedding, in the episode "Adrift
", Rhys brings up the issue of starting a family with Gwen, though she dismisses the idea, arguing that it would be impossible to have children with her job. During the events of "Fragments
" and series finale "Exit Wounds
", Rhys plays a particular role in the team's campaign against the returned Captain John Hart (James Marsters
) and the insane Gray (Lachlan Nieboer), helping Gwen rescue the others after they are caught in an exploding building and subsequently working with Gwen's former coworker Andy Davidson
(Tom Price
) to help keep the attacking alien Weevils
out of the police station.
Rhys is referenced, but does not appear onscreen, in the Doctor Who crossover episode "The Stolen Earth
" (2008); Gwen speaks to him over the phone during a global emergency. Rhys becomes a main character in the third series of Torchwood, a five-part miniseries Children of Earth airing in 2009. When aliens called the 456 announce their plans to visit to Earth, the government attempts to assassinate Torchwood to cover up a conspiracy. Rhys becomes a fugitive from the government because of his marriage to Gwen. The pair flee to London via cargo lorry and Rhys is delighted to discover Gwen is pregnant. He is with the Torchwood team when they relocate to a London warehouse and takes a role in their mission, hiding with the recordings showing corruption within Downing Street
. In the last episode of the series he returns to Cardiff with Gwen, and helps Gwen do one last favour for her deceased coworker Ianto
(Gareth David-Lloyd
) by helping his niece and nephew evade capture, and with them many other neighbourhood kids. The series' dénouement, set six months later, shows Rhys still at Gwen's side, awaiting the arrival of their child.
Series four, Miracle Day begins by showing Rhys living in seclusion alongside Gwen and their daughter, Anwen. Rhys is shown to be extremely reluctant for his wife to investigate the Miracle, worried that it will bring unwanted attention to his door again. Rhys' rural idyll is shattered when CIA agent Rex Matheson
(Mekhi Phifer
)extradites Jack and Gwen to America whilst he is forced to stay in Wales. Gwen later speaks to Rhys in "Dead of Night
", masking the signal with the aid of computer expert Esther Drummond
. Whilst Gwen investigates the mysterious Phicorp in "Escape to L.A.
", she asks Rhys to remove her father Geraint from hospital because she believes the hospitals are not safe. Rhys subsequently has Geraint sent to an "overflow camp", unaware of the implications of such a move. In "The Categories of Life
" and "The Middle Men
", Rhys goes undercover at an overflow camp in Wales, where he is able to drive himself and Geraint away. Rhys' later storylines see him held hostage on the orders of Olivia Colasanto in a bid to get Gwen to hand in Jack Harkness, and later figure out the antopoedal connection between Buenos Aires and Shanghai. It is the fear that his reaction to Oswald Danes (Bill Pullman
) might lead him to become a murderer that prompts Gwen to take the latter to Shanghai. In the series conclusion, Rhys gains entry to the Cowbridge overflow camp where Geraint has been taken too again, and sits with him whilst the phenomenon known as "Miracle Day" ends. After Esther's funeral he seems hopeful that Jack does not return to reform Torchwood.
in January 2007, set between episodes of Torchwood series one. These novels expand on the difficult period in Gwen and Rhys' relationship - whilst his appearances in Another Life
, and Border Princes
, are relatively minor, he has a more significant role in Slow Decay
, where he unwittingly brings himself into danger by taking an alien diet pill. Reviewer Patrick Holm feels that the success of these novels lies in the fact that they help us to empathise with characters such as Rhys. Rhys makes a cameo appearance in Something in the Water
(set between Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Meat) and Trace Memory
, and also has a significant role in The Twilight Streets
, (Released March 2008) which depicts an alternate future where Gwen and Rhys start a new Torchwood to make a safe world for their son after the Torchwood Team fall are destroyed fighting sentient particles known as the dark. Three more Torchwood books were released in October 2008 in which Rhys has an involved role. In Pack Animals
Rhys assists Gwen in her investigation and becomes part of a car chase, SkyPoint
sees them inadvertantely discover an alien presence whilst flathunting and Almost Perfect
, the first novel set after "Exit Wounds", depicts Rhys speed dating undercover. Rhys makes further appearances in later Torchwood novels Bay of the Dead
, The House that Jack Built
, and Consequences
, all set between "Exit Wounds" and Children of Earth.
Rhys also makes occasional appearances in the Torchwood Magazine's comic strip. In Rift War he aids Gwen in her Torchwood duties by helping here to care for a stranded alien Zanti, left stranded in Cardiff. A scene in Gareth David-Lloyd's comic "Shrouded", published in May 2010, includes a scene set after Children in Earth which shows Gwen cradling her young child; as Gwen is busy, Rhys is required to team up with Captain John Hart to save the timeline. With all spin-off media, the canonicity of these events is unclear.
Non-fiction tie-in The Torchwood Archives gives an "insider's look" into the Torchwood world and gives more information about Gwen's home life with Rhys, and shows unpublished photographs used as set dressing in the TV series. We are also shown documents such as the wedding invite list of Gwen and Rhys, Rhys' initial address to his Harwood's colleagues and further information about the dissipations of Rhys' best man, 'Banana Boat'. In a similar vein to The Torchwood Archives but from a real-world perspective, Gary Russell's The Torchwood Encyclopedia (2009) also provides miscellaneous material relating to the character of Rhys.
", (2009) where he assists Gwen with her investigations into the phone-line induced comas. He also has a central role investigating a mystery in the audio book "Ghost Train
" (2011), read by Kai Owen. With Gwen dead, and Jack missing Rhys is left alone to figure out the strange goings on involving cargo trains. Rhys also appears in "The Devil and Miss Carew", (2011) an additional radio play, set between Exit Wounds and Children of Earth, which features Rhys' reaction to the passing of his elderly Uncle Bryn. In this play Rhys rescues Gwen from a woman under the influence of a malevolent devil like entity.
explains that it was overruled by Russell T Davies, who felt that without Rhys, the show's main link to the real world would be lost. Julie Gardner
expands on this by stating that "It’s a show where you’ve got to contrast the ordinary everyday with the extraordinary and (with) Gwen going home to Rhys and then going to work in an underground secret base... it's right to have that balance." Davies maintains the importance of Rhys' role in the series by stating that he can't imagine Gwen without him. Owen attributes part of his character's success to his on screen rapport with actress Eve Myles
.
After reprisal from death Russell T Davies comments that further development was seen by the production team as necessary for Rhys to continue as part of the drama; "one of the first decisions we made was we can't make this guy look like a sap any longer. He's got to be made aware of what's going on". The events of the episode Meat - in which Rhys becomes enlightened to the real nature of Gwen's job are seen by Russell T Davies as a "rite of passage" for the couple, with director Colin Teague
highlighting Rhys' steadfastness and patience in relation to Gwen; "he puts up with an awful lot from his wife to be". The second series also explores Rhys's insecurities and jealousies towards series protagonist
Captain Jack Harkness, who was seen to share romantic tension with Gwen as she struggled to juggle Torchwood and her home life. Both Stephen James Walker and Catherine Tregenna
feel "the triangle of relationships between Rhys, Gwen and Jack" comprise "the most interesting narrative territory explored in Meat
," giving the story it's emotional impact. Although actor Kai Owen feels that "Rhys will always have a little bit of a gripe about Jack", he concedes that "he respects him and he'll like him for looking after Gwen". Walker comments favourably on the interaction between Jack and Rhys in Meat in both its antagonistic and comedic forms, citing the scene in the truck as particularly effective. The two make unusual literary foils
for one another, insofar as their relationships with Gwen are concerned. According to Eve Myles, Rhys "highlights how extraordinary Jack is, and Jack highlights how ordinary Rhys is"; however, it precisely Rhys's ordinariness which makes him a benefit to Gwen's strength of character. By the end of the second series he becomes a “confidant, someone to share the burden with."
Whilst Gwen has become a more militant character shaped by her job, Rhys retains his "everyman
" status and takes on the role of audience surrogate: "Rhys is the ordinary guy in the street. He's the normal person's eyes and ears, and says what he thinks about the situations Torchwood find themselves in, bringing the reality back to them. It makes Torchwood real". Paul Collins comments of the significance of Rhys having the first dialogue in the serial; remarking that this is part of Torchwood's "determination to establish its domestic credentials before subverting them". Rhys becomes a "reluctant hero
", Kai Owen states that he "would rather not get involved if he had the choice", when faced with the life-or-death situations in the serial, but "he doesn't run away from it" because the character has "seen so many things". This, in Owen's eyes, makes the Rhys seen in Children of Earth a "very brave hero who has grown in stature".
Rhys retains core character status for the fourth series, Torchwood: Miracle Day. Speaking of Rhys' role in the series, Russell T Davies states that "Rhys is now ahead of the game" and has a large role to play both as part of the Torchwood team and in the unfolding of events. Kai Owen explains how Rhys is at the forefront of events because of Gwen, "He’ll always be involved in the stories and involved in Gwen’s troubles or fights or adventures" because of his concern for her. Regardless of this, he isn't afraid to tell her when she has become too consumed by the pressures of her job. Davies links having Gwen and Rhys at the forefront of events into the shows continued exploration of human sexuality, stating that "open sexuality has to include everything" including "a husband/wife great big crime-fighting team [...] happily in love". Rhys' inconscpicuous character becomes an asset for the Torchwood team, as he takes on the role of the team's driver, Owen states that "he doesn’t look like an undercover CIA agent or anything extra-terrestrial." Despite the extraordinary sights he has seen through his exposure to Torchwood, Rhys remains "a run-of-the-mill guy who loves his food and loves his beer and his family".
s 2006 one-off Torchwood parody
Under Torch Wood (in the style of Dylan Thomas
' Under Milk Wood
), in which he is described as "Barry Backstory, who is dreaming of future episodes where he gets a bigger part." However, as the character has been developed on screen and given a bigger role, he has attracted more positive commentary from reviewers. Ben Rawson Jones of Digital Spy describes his role in the episode Meat as "forming a clever contrast with the activities of Torchwood", also observing that the effect of seeing the Torchwood Hub from Rhys' point of view enables viewers to "share his wonder in much the same way as we did with Gwen in the first episode". Rawson Jones also praises the verisimilitude of the coupling, describing their domestic argument as "a unique spin on the kitchen sink melodrama usually seen in EastEnders
" which delivers "a real impact and emotional honesty due to the wonderfully earnest performances from Kai Owen and Eve Myles". Jack Kibble-White of Den of Geek states that "in the main having Rhys run alongside Captain Jack and the rest worked well" and he cites the character's wedding to Gwen Cooper as a series highlight. Rawson Jones of also speaks favourably on the relationship, stating that it creates "a nice contrast with the fantastical elements of the show"". Jason Hughes feels that their marriage is "handled in a painfully honest way" and serves as "A true definition of "love" written with subtlety and perfection". Whilst commenting on the second series finalé Exit Wounds, Alan Stanley Blair remarks that it "was a welcome change to have Rhys supporting her (Gwen) on her Torchwood life". Blair particularly enjoyed the rapport between Owen and Price (PC Andy) stating that it "was also an interesting dynamic" and that the two "could potentially carry their own sitcom", a view corroborated by AfterElton's Steven Frank.
Dan Martin of The Guardian
singles out the stowaway scene in Children of Earth as just lovely, stating that it is "a credit to both actors, particularly Kai Owen, who has finally made Rhys likable", whilst IGN
writer Asham Haque also feels that Rhys' "meatier role" provides "some great sequences" for the couple. Rawson Jones speaks favourably on Owen's role in the overall ensemble stating that he, along with Barrowman, Myles and David Lloyd, "guided us through the adventure with panache and verve". The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan feels that the initiated Rhys is key to the show, and a "very enjoyable character" being intelligent enough to help the Torchwood team. Ryan also comments on the success of his grounding humour, describing his appeal to Government PA Lois Habiba to provide food as "priceless". Speaking of the shows forth series première, Simon Brew highlights the central returning trio of Barrowman, Myles and Owen as the most engaging actors, describing Owen's performance as mixing "humour with an earnest, and a real sense of drive". Torchwood Writer John Fay
states that Rhys is his favourite character.
Kai Owen
Kai Owen is a Welsh actor of stage and screen, known to Welsh audiences for his numerous roles on Welsh-language television and to worldwide audiences for his portrayal of Rhys Williams in Torchwood....
, is a fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
me Torchwood
Torchwood
Torchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...
, a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
from the long-running series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
. The character is introduced in the premiere episode
Everything Changes (Torchwood)
"Everything Changes" is the first episode of the British science fiction television programme Torchwood, which was first broadcast on 22 October 2006.-Synopsis:Police constable Gwen Cooper comes across the mysterious organisation known as Torchwood...
as the co-habiting boyfriend of principal character Gwen Cooper
Gwen Cooper
Gwen Cooper is a fictional character in the BBC television programme Torchwood, a spin-off to the long-running show Doctor Who, portrayed by Welsh actress Eve Myles. The series' lead female character, Gwen has featured in every episode of the sci-fi programme to date as well as two crossover...
. While Gwen is initially introduced to the series as an audience surrogate
Audience surrogate
In the study of literature, an audience surrogate is a fictional character with whom the audience can identify, or who expresses the questions and confusion of the audience...
character, Rhys is also used by the production team as an "everyman
Everyman
In literature and drama, the term everyman has come to mean an ordinary individual, with whom the audience or reader is supposed to be able to identify easily, and who is often placed in extraordinary circumstances...
" character that provides a quintessential link between the show's fantasy setting and the real world; producer Richard Stokes
Richard Stokes
Major Sir Richard Rapier Stokes MC was a British Labour politician who served briefly as Lord Privy Seal in 1951....
states that "Without him, it simply becomes a sci-fi show about sci-fi people, running around and hunting aliens." The original intention of the writers had been to kill off Rhys at the end of the first series, but series creator Russell T Davies found it necessary to keep the show grounded through Rhys as Gwen evolved as a character; this necessitated his survival within the show and Kai Owen's elevation to star billing cast status in the third series.
Throughout the first series (2006), Rhys is initially unaware of Gwen's vocation as a Torchwood
Torchwood Institute
The Torchwood Institute is a fictional secret organization from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its spin-off series Torchwood. It was established in 1879 by Queen Victoria after the events of "Tooth and Claw". Its prime directive, is to defend the earth against...
agent, believing her to work in generic special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
. Gwen's relationship with Rhys languishes while she is unable to communicate fully with him, but in early part of series two (2008) he discovers the truth, and from thereon in their relationship is revitalised; the two enter a marriage based on honesty later in the series. In the third series (2009) Rhys becomes directly involved in assisting the team, in lieu of a fourth team member. Rhys' popularity amongst reviewers has generally grown alongside his role in the series becoming more involved.
Television
Rhys is introduced in the first episodeEverything Changes (Torchwood)
"Everything Changes" is the first episode of the British science fiction television programme Torchwood, which was first broadcast on 22 October 2006.-Synopsis:Police constable Gwen Cooper comes across the mysterious organisation known as Torchwood...
of the series (2006) as the unspectacular boyfriend of Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles
Eve Myles
Eve Myles is an award winning Welsh actress of stage and screen. She is best known to Welsh audiences for her portrayal of Ceri Owen in the BBC Wales drama Belonging, and to audiences worldwide for her role as Gwen Cooper in the science fiction show Torchwood, a spin-off from Doctor Who.-Personal...
). When Gwen takes a new job with the Torchwood Institute
Torchwood Institute
The Torchwood Institute is a fictional secret organization from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its spin-off series Torchwood. It was established in 1879 by Queen Victoria after the events of "Tooth and Claw". Its prime directive, is to defend the earth against...
's Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
branch as an alien hunter, she is forced to keep it a secret. Over the course of the first series Rhys shows increasing irritation with Gwen's evasiveness and long hours, and her ease and readiness to lie to him. Unknown to Rhys, Gwen establishes a sexual relationship with Owen Harper
Owen Harper
Owen Harper is a fictional character played by Burn Gorman, and a regular in the BBC television series Torchwood, a spin-off from the long-running series Doctor Who. The character last appeared onscreen in the Series 2 finale, "Exit Wounds"....
(Burn Gorman
Burn Gorman
Burn Hugh Gorman is an American-born English actor and musician. Burn is best known for his roles as Owen Harper in Torchwood and as William Guppy in Bleak House.-Personal life:...
) to help herself deal with her secret double-life. She confesses the affair after it ends in "Combat
Combat (Torchwood)
"Combat" is an episode in the British science fiction television series Torchwood, which was broadcast on 24 December 2006. It is the eleventh episode of the first series. Weevils are being abducted by humans. As Owen goes undercover to find out who is committing these crimes, he meets Mark Lynch...
" but drugs Rhys with an amnesia pill so he will not remember her confession. Rhys is murdered by Bilis Manger (Murray Melvin
Murray Melvin
Murray Melvin is an English stage and film actor.The son of Hugh Victor Melvin and Maisie Winifred Driscoll, he is best known for having created the role of Geoffrey in the Shelagh Delaney play, A Taste of Honey, a role which he recreated opposite Rita Tushingham in the 1961 film of the same name...
) in "End of Days
End of Days (Torchwood)
"End of Days" is the thirteenth episode and the first series finale of the British science fiction television series Torchwood. It originally aired on BBC Three on 1 January 2007, alongside the previous episode, "Captain Jack Harkness". The episode was written by Chris Chibnall and directed by...
", but this event is erased from history after the Torchwood Team open the rift. The series two premiere
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (Torchwood)
"Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" is the first episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood, which was broadcast by BBC Two on 16 January 2008....
(2008) establishes that Rhys becomes engaged to Gwen between the first and second series. After Rhys becomes suspicious of her behaviour and her friendship with her boss Captain Jack
Jack Harkness
Captain Jack Harkness is a fictional character played by John Barrowman in Doctor Who and its spin-off series, Torchwood. He first appeared in the 2005 Doctor Who episode "The Empty Child" and reappeared in the remaining episodes of the 2005 series as a companion of the ninth incarnation of the...
(John Barrowman
John Barrowman
John Scot Barrowman is a Scottish-American singer, actor, dancer, musical theatre performer and media personality. Born in Glasgow yet growing up in Illinois after his family emigrated to the United States when he was eight years old, Barrowman was encouraged to further his love for music and...
) in "Meat
Meat (Torchwood)
"Meat" is the fourth episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood, which was broadcast by BBC Two on 6 February 2008.-Synopsis:...
", Gwen reveals to him the truth about her responsibilities with Torchwood. Rhys then becomes involved in a mission to uncover and destroy an alien meat-trading racket, and ends up taking a bullet to protect Gwen's life. Because she enjoys finally being able to be honest with Rhys, Gwen cannot bring herself to drug him for a second time, and so demands that Jack allow Rhys keep his memories of Torchwood. Rhys and Gwen marry in the episode "Something Borrowed
Something Borrowed (Torchwood)
"Something Borrowed" is the ninth episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood. It was broadcast by BBC Three on 5 March 2008 and repeated on BBC Two one week later.-Synopsis:...
". Following the wedding, in the episode "Adrift
Adrift
Adrift may refer to:* ADRIFT, a graphical user interface used to create and play text adventures* Adrift: 76 Days Lost At Sea, a 1986 book by Steven Callahan* Adrift, a 1980 book by Tristan Jones...
", Rhys brings up the issue of starting a family with Gwen, though she dismisses the idea, arguing that it would be impossible to have children with her job. During the events of "Fragments
Fragments (Torchwood)
"Fragments" is the twelfth and penultimate episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood, which was broadcast by BBC Three on 21 March 2008.-Synopsis:...
" and series finale "Exit Wounds
Exit Wounds (Torchwood)
"Exit Wounds" is the thirteenth and final episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood, and was broadcast on BBC Two on 4 April 2008.-Synopsis:...
", Rhys plays a particular role in the team's campaign against the returned Captain John Hart (James Marsters
James Marsters
James Wesley Marsters is an American actor and musician. Marsters first came to the attention of the general public playing the popular character Spike, a platinum-blond yobbish English vampire in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series, Angel from 1997 to 2004...
) and the insane Gray (Lachlan Nieboer), helping Gwen rescue the others after they are caught in an exploding building and subsequently working with Gwen's former coworker Andy Davidson
Andy Davidson (Torchwood)
Andy Davidson is a fictional character in the BBC television programme Torchwood, portrayed by Tom Price. Andy, an officer with the South Wales Police, is a supporting character who first appears in Torchwoods premiere episode "Everything Changes" and recurs regularly from thereon...
(Tom Price
Tom Price (actor)
Tom Price is a British actor, voice over artist and stand up comedian. He is married to TV producer Beth Morrey, who is most noted for being the creator of hit Channel 4 quiz format Wogan's Perfect Recall.-TV and Film Career:...
) to help keep the attacking alien Weevils
Weevil (Torchwood)
Weevils are a fictional extraterrestrial species from the British science fiction television series Torchwood, first appearing in the episode "Everything Changes". As Jack Harkness explains in that episode, the name "Weevil" is applied to them by Torchwood, but as communication with them is...
out of the police station.
Rhys is referenced, but does not appear onscreen, in the Doctor Who crossover episode "The Stolen Earth
The Stolen Earth
"The Stolen Earth" is the twelfth episode of the fourth series and the 750th overall episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The episode was written by show runner and head writer Russell T Davies and is the first of a two-part crossover story; the concluding episode is...
" (2008); Gwen speaks to him over the phone during a global emergency. Rhys becomes a main character in the third series of Torchwood, a five-part miniseries Children of Earth airing in 2009. When aliens called the 456 announce their plans to visit to Earth, the government attempts to assassinate Torchwood to cover up a conspiracy. Rhys becomes a fugitive from the government because of his marriage to Gwen. The pair flee to London via cargo lorry and Rhys is delighted to discover Gwen is pregnant. He is with the Torchwood team when they relocate to a London warehouse and takes a role in their mission, hiding with the recordings showing corruption within Downing Street
Downing Street
Downing Street in London, England has for over two hundred years housed the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers: the First Lord of the Treasury, an office now synonymous with that of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the Second Lord of the Treasury, an...
. In the last episode of the series he returns to Cardiff with Gwen, and helps Gwen do one last favour for her deceased coworker Ianto
Ianto Jones
Ianto Jones is a fictional character in the BBC television series Torchwood, played by Welsh actor Gareth David-Lloyd. A series regular, Ianto appears in every episode of the programme's first three series, as well as two crossover episodes of Torchwoods parent show, Doctor Who...
(Gareth David-Lloyd
Gareth David-Lloyd
Gareth David-Lloyd is a Welsh actor best known for his role as Ianto Jones in the British science fiction television programme Torchwood.- Early life :...
) by helping his niece and nephew evade capture, and with them many other neighbourhood kids. The series' dénouement, set six months later, shows Rhys still at Gwen's side, awaiting the arrival of their child.
Series four, Miracle Day begins by showing Rhys living in seclusion alongside Gwen and their daughter, Anwen. Rhys is shown to be extremely reluctant for his wife to investigate the Miracle, worried that it will bring unwanted attention to his door again. Rhys' rural idyll is shattered when CIA agent Rex Matheson
Rex Matheson
Rex Matheson is a fictional character in the science fiction series Torchwood, portrayed by American actor Mekhi Phifer. Phifer is one of three American actors to join Torchwood in its fourth series, Torchwood: Miracle Day , as part of a new co-production between Torchwoods British network, BBC...
(Mekhi Phifer
Mekhi Phifer
Mekhi Thira Phifer is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his multi-year role as Dr. Greg Pratt on NBC's long-running medical drama ER and his co-starring role opposite Eminem in the feature film 8 Mile...
)extradites Jack and Gwen to America whilst he is forced to stay in Wales. Gwen later speaks to Rhys in "Dead of Night
Dead of Night
Dead of Night is a British portmanteau horror film made by Ealing Studios, its various episodes directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden and Robert Hamer. The film stars Mervyn Johns, Googie Withers and Michael Redgrave...
", masking the signal with the aid of computer expert Esther Drummond
Esther Drummond
Esther Drummond is a fictional character in the science fiction series Torchwood, portrayed by American actress Alexa Havins. Havins is one of several American actors to join Torchwood in its fourth series, Torchwood: Miracle Day , as part of a new co-production between Torchwoods original British...
. Whilst Gwen investigates the mysterious Phicorp in "Escape to L.A.
Escape to L.A.
"Escape to L.A." is the fourth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Torchwood, and was broadcast in the United States on Starz on 29 July 2011, in Australia on UKTV on 30 July 2011, in Canada on Space on 30 July 2011, and in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 4...
", she asks Rhys to remove her father Geraint from hospital because she believes the hospitals are not safe. Rhys subsequently has Geraint sent to an "overflow camp", unaware of the implications of such a move. In "The Categories of Life
The Categories of Life
"The Categories of Life" is the fifth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Torchwood, and was first broadcast in the United States on Starz on 5 August 2011 and in the UK on 11 August.-Plot summary:...
" and "The Middle Men
The Middle Men
"The Middle Men" is the sixth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Torchwood, and was broadcast in the United States on Starz on 12 August 2011.-Plot summary:...
", Rhys goes undercover at an overflow camp in Wales, where he is able to drive himself and Geraint away. Rhys' later storylines see him held hostage on the orders of Olivia Colasanto in a bid to get Gwen to hand in Jack Harkness, and later figure out the antopoedal connection between Buenos Aires and Shanghai. It is the fear that his reaction to Oswald Danes (Bill Pullman
Bill Pullman
William James "Bill" Pullman is an American film, television, and stage actor. Pullman made his film debut in the supporting role of Earl Mott in the 1986 film Ruthless People. He has since gone on to star in other films, including Spaceballs, Independence Day, Lost Highway, Casper and Scary Movie 4...
) might lead him to become a murderer that prompts Gwen to take the latter to Shanghai. In the series conclusion, Rhys gains entry to the Cowbridge overflow camp where Geraint has been taken too again, and sits with him whilst the phenomenon known as "Miracle Day" ends. After Esther's funeral he seems hopeful that Jack does not return to reform Torchwood.
Literature
Rhys appears in all three Torchwood novels in the first wave published by BBC BooksBBC Books
BBC Books is an imprint majority owned and managed by Random House. The minority shareholder is BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation...
in January 2007, set between episodes of Torchwood series one. These novels expand on the difficult period in Gwen and Rhys' relationship - whilst his appearances in Another Life
Another Life (Torchwood)
Another Life is a BBC Books original novel written by Peter Anghelides and based on the British science fiction television, Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood. It features all the regular cast of the show.-Plot summary:...
, and Border Princes
Border Princes
Border Princes is a BBC Books original novel written by Dan Abnett and based on the British science fiction television, Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood. It features all the regular cast of the show.-Plot summary:October, 8:00 pm...
, are relatively minor, he has a more significant role in Slow Decay
Slow Decay
Slow Decay is a BBC Books original novel written by Andy Lane and based on the British science fiction television, Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood...
, where he unwittingly brings himself into danger by taking an alien diet pill. Reviewer Patrick Holm feels that the success of these novels lies in the fact that they help us to empathise with characters such as Rhys. Rhys makes a cameo appearance in Something in the Water
Something in the Water
Something in the Water is a BBC Books original novel written by Trevor Baxendale and based on the British science fiction television, Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood. It features all the regular cast of the show. It was published on 6 March 2008...
(set between Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Meat) and Trace Memory
Trace Memory (Torchwood)
Trace Memory is a BBC Books original novel written by David Llewellyn and based on the British science fiction television, Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood. It features all the regular cast of the show...
, and also has a significant role in The Twilight Streets
The Twilight Streets
The Twilight Streets is a BBC Books original novel written by Gary Russell and based on the British science fiction television, Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood. It features all the regular cast of the show. It was published on 6 March 2008....
, (Released March 2008) which depicts an alternate future where Gwen and Rhys start a new Torchwood to make a safe world for their son after the Torchwood Team fall are destroyed fighting sentient particles known as the dark. Three more Torchwood books were released in October 2008 in which Rhys has an involved role. In Pack Animals
Pack Animals
Pack Animals is a BBC Books original novel written by Peter Anghelides and based on the British science fiction television, Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood...
Rhys assists Gwen in her investigation and becomes part of a car chase, SkyPoint
SkyPoint (Torchwood)
SkyPoint is a BBC Books original novel written by Phil Ford and based on the British science fiction television, Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood. It features all the regular cast of the show and is set during the second series.-Plot summary:...
sees them inadvertantely discover an alien presence whilst flathunting and Almost Perfect
Almost Perfect (Torchwood)
Almost Perfect is a BBC Books original novel written by James Goss and based on the British science fiction television, Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood. It is set after the conclusion of the second series. It only features the characters of Captain Jack, Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones.-Plot...
, the first novel set after "Exit Wounds", depicts Rhys speed dating undercover. Rhys makes further appearances in later Torchwood novels Bay of the Dead
Bay of the Dead
Bay of the Dead is a BBC Books original novel written by Mark Morris and based on the British science fiction television, Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood. It is set after the conclusion of the second series...
, The House that Jack Built
The House that Jack Built (Torchwood)
The House that Jack Built is a BBC Books original novel written by Guy Adams and based on the British science fiction television, Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood. It is set after the conclusion of the second series...
, and Consequences
Consequences (Torchwood)
Consequences is an anthology set after the conclusion of the second series. It features the characters of Captain Jack, Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones on the cover, but the stories within include several former Torchwood members.-Stories:...
, all set between "Exit Wounds" and Children of Earth.
Rhys also makes occasional appearances in the Torchwood Magazine's comic strip. In Rift War he aids Gwen in her Torchwood duties by helping here to care for a stranded alien Zanti, left stranded in Cardiff. A scene in Gareth David-Lloyd's comic "Shrouded", published in May 2010, includes a scene set after Children in Earth which shows Gwen cradling her young child; as Gwen is busy, Rhys is required to team up with Captain John Hart to save the timeline. With all spin-off media, the canonicity of these events is unclear.
Non-fiction tie-in The Torchwood Archives gives an "insider's look" into the Torchwood world and gives more information about Gwen's home life with Rhys, and shows unpublished photographs used as set dressing in the TV series. We are also shown documents such as the wedding invite list of Gwen and Rhys, Rhys' initial address to his Harwood's colleagues and further information about the dissipations of Rhys' best man, 'Banana Boat'. In a similar vein to The Torchwood Archives but from a real-world perspective, Gary Russell's The Torchwood Encyclopedia (2009) also provides miscellaneous material relating to the character of Rhys.
Audio drama
Rhys makes an appearance in the Torchwood Radio Play "The Dead LineThe Dead Line
"The Dead Line" is the last of four radio dramas released prior to the third series of Torchwood, a British science fiction television series which airs on the BBC...
", (2009) where he assists Gwen with her investigations into the phone-line induced comas. He also has a central role investigating a mystery in the audio book "Ghost Train
Ghost Train (Torchwood)
Ghost Train is a BBC Audiobooks original audiobook written by James Goss and based on the British science fiction television, Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood. The story is set during and after the second series of the show and was released in March 2011...
" (2011), read by Kai Owen. With Gwen dead, and Jack missing Rhys is left alone to figure out the strange goings on involving cargo trains. Rhys also appears in "The Devil and Miss Carew", (2011) an additional radio play, set between Exit Wounds and Children of Earth, which features Rhys' reaction to the passing of his elderly Uncle Bryn. In this play Rhys rescues Gwen from a woman under the influence of a malevolent devil like entity.
Concept and early development
Rhys' vocation as a transport manager is established in the second episode and according to the Toronto Star his job in the trucking industry makes Rhys "down to earth", whilst Eve Myles elaborates, stating that Rhys fulfills an important function as Gwen's normality base. At the start of the series he believes supposed alien interference is a result of mass hallucinations induced by terrorists putting psychotropic drugs in the water supply. In the same vein he believes Gwen's position to be nothing more exciting than generic "special ops". Writer Stephen James Walker feels that Rhys "originally didn't look to have much to him initially but really came into his own as Series One progressed" attributing this to the "spot-on performance of the perfectly cast Kai Owen. The original intention had been for Rhys to die at the end of season one but Richard StokesRichard Stokes
Major Sir Richard Rapier Stokes MC was a British Labour politician who served briefly as Lord Privy Seal in 1951....
explains that it was overruled by Russell T Davies, who felt that without Rhys, the show's main link to the real world would be lost. Julie Gardner
Julie Gardner
Julie Gardner is a Welsh television producer. Her most prominent work has been serving as executive producer on the 2005 revival of Doctor Who and its spin-off shows Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures...
expands on this by stating that "It’s a show where you’ve got to contrast the ordinary everyday with the extraordinary and (with) Gwen going home to Rhys and then going to work in an underground secret base... it's right to have that balance." Davies maintains the importance of Rhys' role in the series by stating that he can't imagine Gwen without him. Owen attributes part of his character's success to his on screen rapport with actress Eve Myles
Eve Myles
Eve Myles is an award winning Welsh actress of stage and screen. She is best known to Welsh audiences for her portrayal of Ceri Owen in the BBC Wales drama Belonging, and to audiences worldwide for her role as Gwen Cooper in the science fiction show Torchwood, a spin-off from Doctor Who.-Personal...
.
After reprisal from death Russell T Davies comments that further development was seen by the production team as necessary for Rhys to continue as part of the drama; "one of the first decisions we made was we can't make this guy look like a sap any longer. He's got to be made aware of what's going on". The events of the episode Meat - in which Rhys becomes enlightened to the real nature of Gwen's job are seen by Russell T Davies as a "rite of passage" for the couple, with director Colin Teague
Colin Teague
Colin Teague is a British television director, who trained at Redroofs Theatre School in Maidenhead. He is most associated with Doctor Who, being the first person to have directed for the main show and both of its spin-offs, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures...
highlighting Rhys' steadfastness and patience in relation to Gwen; "he puts up with an awful lot from his wife to be". The second series also explores Rhys's insecurities and jealousies towards series protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
Captain Jack Harkness, who was seen to share romantic tension with Gwen as she struggled to juggle Torchwood and her home life. Both Stephen James Walker and Catherine Tregenna
Catherine Tregenna
Catherine Tregenna is a Welsh playwright, television scriptwriter and actress.She wrote the play Art and Guff, co-wrote the series Cowbois ac Injans and four episodes of the BBC's science fiction drama Torchwood: "Out of Time", "Captain Jack Harkness", "Meat" and "Adam"...
feel "the triangle of relationships between Rhys, Gwen and Jack" comprise "the most interesting narrative territory explored in Meat
Meat
Meat is animal flesh that is used as food. Most often, this means the skeletal muscle and associated fat and other tissues, but it may also describe other edible tissues such as organs and offal...
," giving the story it's emotional impact. Although actor Kai Owen feels that "Rhys will always have a little bit of a gripe about Jack", he concedes that "he respects him and he'll like him for looking after Gwen". Walker comments favourably on the interaction between Jack and Rhys in Meat in both its antagonistic and comedic forms, citing the scene in the truck as particularly effective. The two make unusual literary foils
Foil (literature)
In fiction, a foil is a character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight particular qualities of another character....
for one another, insofar as their relationships with Gwen are concerned. According to Eve Myles, Rhys "highlights how extraordinary Jack is, and Jack highlights how ordinary Rhys is"; however, it precisely Rhys's ordinariness which makes him a benefit to Gwen's strength of character. By the end of the second series he becomes a “confidant, someone to share the burden with."
Direct involvement with Torchwood
The plot of Children of Earth results in Rhys becoming more directly involved with the Torchwood Team's activities, and as a reflection Kai Owen receives star billing for the first time.Whilst Gwen has become a more militant character shaped by her job, Rhys retains his "everyman
Everyman
In literature and drama, the term everyman has come to mean an ordinary individual, with whom the audience or reader is supposed to be able to identify easily, and who is often placed in extraordinary circumstances...
" status and takes on the role of audience surrogate: "Rhys is the ordinary guy in the street. He's the normal person's eyes and ears, and says what he thinks about the situations Torchwood find themselves in, bringing the reality back to them. It makes Torchwood real". Paul Collins comments of the significance of Rhys having the first dialogue in the serial; remarking that this is part of Torchwood's "determination to establish its domestic credentials before subverting them". Rhys becomes a "reluctant hero
Reluctant hero
The reluctant hero is a heroic archetype described by Joseph Campbell in The Hero With a Thousand Faces:The reluctant hero is typically portrayed either as an ordinary person thrust into extraordinary circumstances which require him to rise to heroism, or as a person with extraordinary abilities...
", Kai Owen states that he "would rather not get involved if he had the choice", when faced with the life-or-death situations in the serial, but "he doesn't run away from it" because the character has "seen so many things". This, in Owen's eyes, makes the Rhys seen in Children of Earth a "very brave hero who has grown in stature".
Rhys retains core character status for the fourth series, Torchwood: Miracle Day. Speaking of Rhys' role in the series, Russell T Davies states that "Rhys is now ahead of the game" and has a large role to play both as part of the Torchwood team and in the unfolding of events. Kai Owen explains how Rhys is at the forefront of events because of Gwen, "He’ll always be involved in the stories and involved in Gwen’s troubles or fights or adventures" because of his concern for her. Regardless of this, he isn't afraid to tell her when she has become too consumed by the pressures of her job. Davies links having Gwen and Rhys at the forefront of events into the shows continued exploration of human sexuality, stating that "open sexuality has to include everything" including "a husband/wife great big crime-fighting team [...] happily in love". Rhys' inconscpicuous character becomes an asset for the Torchwood team, as he takes on the role of the team's driver, Owen states that "he doesn’t look like an undercover CIA agent or anything extra-terrestrial." Despite the extraordinary sights he has seen through his exposure to Torchwood, Rhys remains "a run-of-the-mill guy who loves his food and loves his beer and his family".
Reception
Rhys' incidental role in the series was initially mocked in The RegisterThe Register
The Register is a British technology news and opinion website. It was founded by John Lettice, Mike Magee and Ross Alderson in 1994 as a newsletter called "Chip Connection", initially as an email service...
s 2006 one-off Torchwood parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
Under Torch Wood (in the style of Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas
Dylan Marlais Thomas was a Welsh poet and writer, Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 11 January 2008. who wrote exclusively in English. In addition to poetry, he wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often performed himself...
' Under Milk Wood
Under Milk Wood
Under Milk Wood is a 1954 radio drama by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, adapted later as a stage play. A movie version, Under Milk Wood directed by Andrew Sinclair, was released during 1972....
), in which he is described as "Barry Backstory, who is dreaming of future episodes where he gets a bigger part." However, as the character has been developed on screen and given a bigger role, he has attracted more positive commentary from reviewers. Ben Rawson Jones of Digital Spy describes his role in the episode Meat as "forming a clever contrast with the activities of Torchwood", also observing that the effect of seeing the Torchwood Hub from Rhys' point of view enables viewers to "share his wonder in much the same way as we did with Gwen in the first episode". Rawson Jones also praises the verisimilitude of the coupling, describing their domestic argument as "a unique spin on the kitchen sink melodrama usually seen in EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
" which delivers "a real impact and emotional honesty due to the wonderfully earnest performances from Kai Owen and Eve Myles". Jack Kibble-White of Den of Geek states that "in the main having Rhys run alongside Captain Jack and the rest worked well" and he cites the character's wedding to Gwen Cooper as a series highlight. Rawson Jones of also speaks favourably on the relationship, stating that it creates "a nice contrast with the fantastical elements of the show"". Jason Hughes feels that their marriage is "handled in a painfully honest way" and serves as "A true definition of "love" written with subtlety and perfection". Whilst commenting on the second series finalé Exit Wounds, Alan Stanley Blair remarks that it "was a welcome change to have Rhys supporting her (Gwen) on her Torchwood life". Blair particularly enjoyed the rapport between Owen and Price (PC Andy) stating that it "was also an interesting dynamic" and that the two "could potentially carry their own sitcom", a view corroborated by AfterElton's Steven Frank.
Dan Martin of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
singles out the stowaway scene in Children of Earth as just lovely, stating that it is "a credit to both actors, particularly Kai Owen, who has finally made Rhys likable", whilst IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
writer Asham Haque also feels that Rhys' "meatier role" provides "some great sequences" for the couple. Rawson Jones speaks favourably on Owen's role in the overall ensemble stating that he, along with Barrowman, Myles and David Lloyd, "guided us through the adventure with panache and verve". The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan feels that the initiated Rhys is key to the show, and a "very enjoyable character" being intelligent enough to help the Torchwood team. Ryan also comments on the success of his grounding humour, describing his appeal to Government PA Lois Habiba to provide food as "priceless". Speaking of the shows forth series première, Simon Brew highlights the central returning trio of Barrowman, Myles and Owen as the most engaging actors, describing Owen's performance as mixing "humour with an earnest, and a real sense of drive". Torchwood Writer John Fay
John Fay (writer)
John Fay is an award-winning British television writer, and playwright from Merseyside. He is known for his work on television soap operas Brookside and Coronation Street as well as his later work on original dramatic production.-Television career:...
states that Rhys is his favourite character.