With its dark and foreboding take on the Torchwood captured the interests of many viewers upon the series' debut in 2006. One of the adult sci-fi drama's most famous episodes is undoubtedly "Sleeper," which aired as part of the show's thrilling second series.
This mind-blowing episode celebrates its 14th anniversary this year, prompting fans to celebrate its incredible achievements. Despite its popularity, however, there are still some facts about the story which some viewers may not know. "Sleeper"s off-screen story is arguably as interesting as its twisted narrative, as the Torchwood episode has become the source for some truly fascinating behind-the-scenes gossip.
Cross My Palm With Silver
Torchwood is responsible for some of the Whoniverse's greatest episodes, but some of these stories have failed to make it to the small screen. James Moran's initial concept for "Sleeper," entitled "Cross My Palm With Silver," is one such casualty, with the narrative presenting a completely different slant on Mike Lyndon's wife Beth Halloran.
According to Torchwood Magazine #24, Moran's original idea involved Beth working as a fortune teller, whose surprisingly accurate predictions lead to the reveal that she possesses telekinetic abilities. This more mystical approach failed to impress the series' production team, however, who believed the episode required a greater focus on Beth and asked James Moran to drop Beth's tarot cards from the story completely. This scrapped storyline possesses a great sense of adventure, suggesting a potentially playful installment.
Luke Rutherford
Superhero franchises are among some of the Media Industry's most iconic properties, with audiences often addicted to these epic tales of good versus evil. "Sleeper" contains a somewhat surprising connection to one of the world's biggest comic-book series, with actor Luke Rutherford - who plays one of the episode's burglars - having also featured in a Batman movie.
The British actor can be seen in the Christopher Nolan film some of the best Dark Knight quotes. In this grand conclusion to Nolan's Batman trilogy, Luke Rutherford portrays a similarly shady figure to his Torchwood counterpart, appearing as part of Bane's army of mercenaries. Rutherford strikes an intimidating presence in both roles, as he convincingly embodies these characters' more hardened personalities.
Doug Sinclair
The science-fiction genre requires behind-the-scenes talent who can create an unearthly soundscape, and "Sleeper"'s supervising sound editor Doug Sinclair gives some especially unique tones. Doug's expert sound design can also be heard in another popular fantasy series, however, with the supervising sound editor having also provided his talents to Good Omens.
Doug Sinclair gifts the Neil Gaiman-penned series with a whimsical vibe, as he brings creatures such as Hellhounds and Satan to life with his truly distinct sounds. As with his work on Torchwood, Sinclair imbues the show's heightened concepts with character, offering some real charm to these delightful fictional worlds.
The Mortuary Cabinet
Beth proves a dangerous foe throughout "Sleeper," with the Torchwood team taking the unfortunate decision to cryogenically freeze the unsuspecting sleeper agent before she can unknowingly kill anyone else. Beth is frozen inside the mortuary cabinet, which contains a fun reference to another iconic British franchise, James Bond.
As Beth is placed into cryogenic sleep, eagle-eyed viewers may notice that the mortuary cabinet is labeled "OO7." This random assortment of numbers also happens to be the code name for James Bond, which has been used prominently throughout the spy's cinematic adventures. It's an amusing nod to the famous action series by James Moran, who is also a fan of the iconic movie saga, having eagerly discussed the franchise numerous times on Twitter.
Claire Rees
Production secretary work can often provide a great entry point for individuals looking for work within the Media Industry, and this has proven to be the case for Claire Rees. Rees worked as the production secretary for "Sleeper," and has since gone on to greater things, as part of His Dark Materials' visual effects team.
Claire Rees' VFX work for His Dark Materials - which contains some of the most shocking moments within its second season - is truly spectacular. The show's special effects convincingly portray a magical and wondrous environment that feels true to Philip Pullman's iconic book series. Claire Rees' CGI work demonstrates the strong creative talents she has built since "Sleeper," showcasing her exemplary skills as a visual effects artist.
Derek Lea
Cell114's sleeper agents are a key focus of "Sleeper," with their stealthy infiltration of Earth posing a significant challenge for Torchwood. One of these extra-terrestrial invaders takes on the form of a paramedic and is played by Derek Lea, who has worked as a stunt performer on various Doctor Who episodes.
Derek Lea has offered his stunt work on some of Doctor Who's greatest stories, including "Dalek" and "Bad Wolf/The Parting Of The Ways", which many consider to be one of the best two-part Doctor Who episodes. The bold and daring performer has brought an exciting style to the hit sci-fi series, choreographing some of the show's most tense action sequences. Derek Lea's stunts have seen him become one of Doctor Who's biggest unsung heroes, acting as a major influence behind the new series' relentless pace.
St. Cadoc’s Hospital
One of the key moments within "Sleeper"'s narrative takes place within the confines of a hospital, with Beth murdering her hospital-bound husband Mike after her hidden Cell114 consciousness breaks through. What some fans may not realize, however, is that the same hospital building has also appeared in Doctor Who.
St. Cadoc's Hospital features within the narrative of “The Power Of Three,” as Rory Williams’ workplace. Meanwhile, the building was also used as the location for the Eleventh Doctor's final confrontation with Prisoner Zero in "The Eleventh Hour," which IMDb s consider to be one of this incarnation's best episodes. St. Cadoc's Hospital's history within the Whoniverse is fascinating to witness, with many viewers unaware of its prominence within the British sci-fi franchise (Via Doctor Who Locations).
Alex Harries
Torchwood has featured many unexpected faces, including Ruth Jones and Ernie Hudson, but one of the most surprising is Alex Harries. The British actor is best known for playing Faith's shady friend Arthur Davies in the BBC thriller series Keeping Faith, but "Sleeper" sees Harries appear before he was famous, as one of the burglars who break into Beth and Mike's home.
Alex Harries brings a menacing presence to the burglar, who is left severely injured by Beth. While the actor's face may be obscured by a balaclava, he still manages to emote a sense of terror through his disguised appearance. Alex Harries is thoroughly convincing as one of the episode's burglars, as he fully conveys the cold demeanor of a thief.
The Telecommunications Centre Explosion
One of "Sleeper's" biggest set-pieces regards the destruction of a telecommunications station, which is blown up by one of the activated sleeper agents. According to the behind-the-scenes series Torchwood Declassified, this explosive sequence was nearly cut from the episode, however, following the 2007 terrorist attack on Gatwick airport.
The scene was originally scheduled to be shot in Cardiff on July 1st, 2007, however, the planned filming was scrapped amid worries from the Torchwood production team that the explosion would be mistaken for a terror attack. After much deliberating, the behind-the-scenes crew decided the shoot would go ahead, at a later date. To alleviate concern, the crew released details of the shoot to the press, reassuring the public that the building's demolition was very much a controlled explosion (Via BBC News).
Serenity
"Sleeper's" dramatic conclusion neatly sets up the tantalizing prospect of a sequel, with the episode ending as Jack and Gwen discuss the possibility that there are more sleeper agents out there. While the TV Series failed to follow through on this exciting tease, a sequel to the episode was released in 2019, in the form of the audio drama "Serenity."
This gripping story from Big Finish Productions features an original screenplay by "Sleeper's" television writer James Moran and sees Jack and Ianto discover a new army of Cell114 sleeper agents lurking within the confines of Serenity Plaza. The epic tale expertly combines the dark undertones of the sinister extra-terrestrials with the hilarious comedy antics of Jack and Ianto posing as a married couple, delivering a story that provides much entertainment for its avid listeners.