Torchwood review: The Vigil explores the death and life of a rather unlikable Torchwood member

Toshiko Sato is bringing home the body of her colleague from Torchwood, Sebastian Vaughan. But what kind of man was he? That’s what The Vigil explores.

Some Torchwood members were born for the job. Some slowly grow into it. And others…well, others clearly pulled some strings. As is likely the case with Sebastian Vaughan. Or it was, before his sudden death.

Set sometime before the first series, The Vigil explores Tosh’s earlier days with Torchwood, as well as her relationship with her colleague Sebastian. Who’s Sebastian? Well, that’s something you gradually discover over the course of the story.

Lou Morgan (who previously wrote Flight 405 from God Among Us 2) handles this story in a very clever way. The story not only focuses on Sebastian’s body being brought home, but also the events that lead to his death in a series of flashbacks. We also find out not just what he was like as a person, but also how well he got on with Toshiko, too. And the more we hear, the more unlikable he becomes…

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Strong performances

We get some extremely strong performances in The Vigil. As always, Naoko Mori is fantastic. Tosh has always been a great character – one who’s exceptionally intelligent, but also has some deep insecurities and lacks confidence. Particularly at this point, before the series has even begun. In the show, we saw her confidence and her self-esteem grow over time. But at this point, she’s constantly doubting herself.

What doesn’t help is Sebastian’s influence. Hugh Skinner is perfect in this role. He gives the character exactly the right level of arrogance and entitlement as the role requires, and he does it brilliantly. The more you hear of him, the more you dislike him, and that comes down to Skinner’s performance as much as Morgan’s excellent script.

A mother’s grief

Lastly, Lucy Robinson also does a fantastic job as Sebastian’s mother Madeline. While she’s easy to sympathize with at first, through her, we get a sense of what both she and Sebastian’s whole family was like. It doesn’t excuse his own behavior, but it does make it more understandable as the story goes on.

Robinson does a great job with this character. Lucy’s not as unlikable as Sebastian – she is a grieving mother, after all, and that’s depicted in such an honest and believable way that it’s hard not to find her sympathetic. But at the same time, she makes it extremely clear where Sebastian got some – if not many – of his more unlikable qualities and beliefs from.

The Vigil is a different kind of Torchwood story. It’s an interesting exploration of both Toshiko herself and a rather unlikable character, in both life and death. Another satisfying listen in the Torchwood range.

Are you a fan of Toshiko Sato? Which character came across as the most unlikable from the series? Let us know in the comments below, and if you want to listen to The Vigil, you can purchase it on CD or download now from Big Finish’s website.