Day One (Torchwood) - Broadcast and Reception

Broadcast and Reception

"Day One" was broadcast on Sunday, 22 October 2006 on BBC Three, just after the first episode, "Everything Changes". The second episode received overnight viewing figures of 2.3 million with a 13.8% audience share, holding the majority of the audience from the first episode. Together both episodes received the largest multichannel audience for a UK-originated non-sports programme and the at the time largest audience for BBC Three. The finale figure for the episode was 2.498 million viewers. The record would be held until the broadcast of EastEnders Live: The Aftermath on 19 February 2010. The repeat of "Day One" on analogue channel BBC Two on 25 October was seen by 2.8 million with a 13% audience share. "Day One" was given an Appreciation Index of 83.

Daniel Montesinos-Donaghy of Den of Geek stated "After the excellent pilot episode, 'Day One' is both a step forward and a step backward. As silly as the idea of a nymphomaniac extra-terrestrial gas is, the cast throw themselves into it with aplomb, quipping their way to the relatively gripping conclusion." Patrick Holm of Total Sci-Fi felt that the second episode "equates the word 'adult' with sex and swearing – more of a playground definition than a serious drama. In the conclusion of his review, Jonathan Capps of Noise to Signal felt that the episode was "certainly nothing to get excited about, but I think it won't be too indicative of later episodes, as we're still getting to know these characters, and that has to take the fore in the first few episodes. However, Chris' painfully simplistic, heavy handed and often clichéd interpretation of sci-fi (some of Jack's techno-babble is frankly embarrassing) could prove to be a worrying factor later in the series." A reviewer of TV Fodder felt "Day One" was a "great second episode", adding "there doesn't seem to be anything I don't like about this show".