Exploring the Doctor Who universe: Torchwood and the legacy of its spin-offs

Allons-y! Over 60 years, Doctor Who has made the impossible seem normal by regenerating over and over again, like a Time Lord who doesn't want the adventure to stop. But, just like the TARDIS is bigger on the inside, the series' impact goes far beyond the Doctor's travels through time and space.

Fans (the so-called Whovians) lovingly refer to this expanded world as "The Whoniverse." And the Whoniverse has been growing through spin-offs that dive headfirst into its mysteries, like an Ood diving into a pool of tentacles!

Torchwood is the spin-off that lies at the heart of this temporal vortex of stories. This series is so bold that it makes even the Daleks seem shy. With its darker, more adult tone, Torchwood proved that sci-fi could be as unpredictable as a sonic screwdriver with low batteries.

And as if that wasn't enough, other series like The Sarah Jane Adventures, Class, and K-9 and Company enriched the Whoniverse with characters who did more than exist in the shadows. They danced through the timelines like Time Lords at a Christmas party!

So, if you are new to this timey-wimey wibbly-wobbly world of Doctor Who, let's dive a bit into the spin-offs that came way before The War Between the Land and the Sea. Well, at least in terms of linear time and space.

Torchwood: The one that made Daleks look like children's toys

Geronimo! In 2006, Russell T. Davies created Torchwood, a spin-off that was to Doctor Who what espresso is to chamomile tea. Yes, this was such a pioneering and kind of bleak and dark spinoff that came in times when this approach to TV series was not that common, and sometimes (or most times) not even welcome.

The series followed the irresistible Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), a man as immortal as the Doctor's bad jokes. Remember Jack? Ah, The Face of Boe. He led the Torchwood Institute, an organization more secret than the Doctor's real name.

Unlike the Doctor, who solves problems with (several variations of) a sonic screwdriver, rock'n'roll, and infinite optimism, Jack navigated waters more turbulent than the Sea of Tranquility on Gallifrey.

Torchwood didn't shy away from heavy themes. Death, power, and that age-old question "What happens when immortals need to pay taxes?" were central to the narrative. The third season of the series, named "Children of Earth", was so intense it made the Cybermen look like cartoon characters.

Jack's connection to Doctor Who was more intertwined than a paradoxical temporal knot. After his first appearance in "The Empty Child" (where he proved that even a time traveler can have perfect timing for flirting), Jack became one of the most important characters in the Whoniverse.

His latest appearance in "Revolution of the Daleks" (2021) was like finding an old friend at an alien convention. Surprising, yet completely natural.

Even the name Torchwood has a history more twisted than an alternative timeline. It started as an anagram of Doctor Who used as a code to protect production materials. It's as if the series were a TARDIS disguised as a police box. It looks like one thing on the outside, but it's so much more inside!

The Sarah Jane Adventures: Where heart meets courage (and some aliens along the way)

If Torchwood was Doctor Who's rebellious sibling, The Sarah Jane Adventures was that favorite cousin everyone loves! Launched in 2007, the series followed Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen). This spin-off came to prove that the Doctor's former companions are like Gallifreyan wine: they get better with age!

With her young allies and a computer more chatty than a Judoon with a megaphone, Sarah Jane continued investigating alien activities on Earth as if she were a private detective of the cosmos. The series maintained Doctor Who's adventurous spirit, but with that special touch that only Sarah Jane could provide. Like adding a touch of class to a Sontaran invasion!

Sarah Jane's return in "School Reunion" alongside the Tenth Doctor was like reuniting the Beatles of space-time. That was pure nostalgia with a touch of modern magic. And when she appeared in "The Stolen Earth" and "Journey's End," it was like seeing your favorite aunt arriving to save Christmas. Except, in this case, she was saving the entire multiverse!

Unfortunately, Elisabeth Sladen passed away in 2011, which led the spin-off to a close, and her last appearance was posthumously broadcast in the episode "The Man Who Never Was."

Class: When Breakfast Club meets Doctor Who

Class arrived in 2016 like that ultra-modern cousin in the family. You know, the one who uses TikTok and gets all the youth slang. Set in Coal Hill Academy (the same school that appeared in the first episode of Doctor Who in 1963—now that's a resume!), the series came with a blend of alien horror and teenage drama. Something along the lines of... a cosmic smoothie, maybe.

Even though it lasted just one season (shorter than a Dalek's patience), Class had its brilliant moments. The Twelfth Doctor's appearance in the first episode was like that substitute teacher everyone loves. He arrived, made an impact, and left everyone wanting more!

K-9 and Company: The first pup of the litter

Before Torchwood made everyone grow up and The Sarah Jane Adventures brought even more families to the tea party, there was K-9 and Company.

This first Doctor Who spin-off was as pioneering as a Cyberman in a magnet shop! Launched in 1981 with a pilot episode called "A Girl's Best Friend," it paired Sarah Jane Smith with K-9, proving that a girl and her robotic dog can be the best duo since fish fingers and custard!

K-9, that robotic pup smarter than an Ood with a PhD, won both mechanical and organic hearts alike. With his laser that would make a Dalek jealous and his "Affirmative!" as iconic as "Exterminate!" and a bow tie, K-9 balanced humor and loyalty like a space-time juggler.

Even though the pilot didn't become a series (another proof that timing is everything, even in space-time), K-9 kept appearing here and there like that friend who always manages to show up at the best parties. His appearance in "School Reunion" was like the greatest hit of the 1970s playing at a modern party. The embodiment of nostalgia, yet perfectly current!

New Horizons: The future's as bright as a TARDIS explosion

The Whoniverse continues expanding faster than a caffeinated inflationary universe! The War Between the Land and the Sea, scheduled for 2025, promises to bring the Sea Devils back in a UNIT story that's set to be more exciting than a Sontaran on a roller coaster. With Jemma Redgrave returning as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, it's like having that favorite general back in command. Only this time with a bigger budget!

And it doesn't stop there! Whispers are being spread all over space and time about "The Time Hotel." Russell T. Davies himself described it as "Mr Benn for a new generation." Whatever that means, we bet it'll be more fun than a Slitheen in a vinegar shop!

A universe without limits (Except the ones we break!)

From Torchwood to The War Between the Land and the Sea, the Whoniverse continues proving it's more infinite than the regenerations of a Time Lord with premium health insurance.

From alien conspiracies to emotional farewells, these spin-offs show that the it's like that party nobody wants to end.

“Well, you’ll remember me a little. I’ll be a story in your head. But that’s okay: we’re all stories in the end. Just make it a good one, eh? Because it was, you know, it was the best," — said the 11th Doctor to Amy Pond.

These were the Doctor's last words to her, while she was sleeping.

There's always room for one more story, one more adventure, one more "Allons-y!" After all, time isn't a straight line. It's more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff... and the spin-offs? Well, they're the delicious pieces of jelly babies scattered throughout all this temporal chaos!