GLAAD to Be Torchwood? Bisexuality and the BBC

Abstract

The article argues that the BBC's Torchwood is not as radical as its numerous accolades imply. By making sexuality incidental to the narrative, the show is important in attracting viewers who would not watch queer television through choice, thereby exposing them to different values and creating a space to promote understanding of difference. Yet from the outset, bisexuality is cast as ‘alien,’ and in the move from the narrowcast channel BBC Three to mainstream BBC One, the scope for characters to explore their bi potential is restricted and sexual normativity progressively reasserts its privileged position.

KEYWORDS:

• BBC
• bisexuality
• broadcasting
• identity
• normativity
• queer
• sexuality
• Torchwood

Notes

1. In this article I am following Porfido (2009) in recognizing that queer can be used as shorthand to signify lesbians and gay men. In this article it is also used to cover the various forms of bisexuality that operate within the diegesis of the show and to encompass the ‘omnisexuality’ of Captain Jack. Although I accept that this may be a controversial use, given the absence of bisexuality from much lesbian, gay and queer theory, I would argue that the inclusiveness of the term queer—which has been viewed as one of its great strengths—makes the use of the term to include bi identities appropriate. One might go further and, drawing on Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's (1994) formulation of queer as being when anyone's sexuality can't be made to signify monolithically (p. 8, emphasis added), suggest that bisexuality is the very epitome of queer identity.

2. Issue 73 (May/June 2005) featured a shot of a bare-chested Captain Jack taken from the Doctor Who episode ‘Bad Wolf.’ Issue 89 (Jan/Feb 2008) used a shot of Captain Jack and fellow former time agent Captain John taken from the episode “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.”

3. The research was carried out over an 8-week period between May and July 2005 and involved a content analysis of programs shown during the peak broadcasting hours of 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. (For full details of the methodology see Cowan and Valentine, 2006, p. 25.)

4. Torchwood has been distributed by BBC Worldwide to territories across the world and is the most popular show to have been broadcast on BBC America.

5. Although Stonewall describes itself as a lesbian, gay and bisexual rights organization, its 2006 report into the BBC made no mention of bisexuality, even though the period analyzed saw the appearance of Captain Jack in five episodes of Doctor Who.