This week’s crush is one of my top five of all time. His character had me from the first episode of Torchwood I watched. This first episode led me to watch Doctor Who just to see more of him. Not one, but two fandoms were born from my love of this character. I give the irrepressible, unnaturally handsome, Captain Jack Harkness.
Stats:
Full Name: Captain Jack Harkness (alias)
Age: Well… your guess is as good as mine. He was born in 2054.
Job: Time Agent, Torchwood leader, Doctor’s Companion
Who is He?
He is the suave, handsome, and free loving hero and companion of two television series: Torchwood and Doctor Who. He is portrayed by the Scot with the best American accent, John Barrowman. He made his first appearance on Doctor Who in the episode “The Empty Child”. He was companion of both Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant for his stints on Doctor Who. After parting ways with Eccleston’s Doctor, he became leader of the Cardiff branch of Torchwood.
Fun Facts:
- The number of times Jack has died and come back cannot be counted. The documented cases are around 2,000.
- Jack is omnisexual… which means most sentient beings are likely to be the objects of his affection.
- Jack has one living descendant named Alice Carter. The death of his grandson proved his immortality cannot be passed on.
- Jack keeps a compact laser deluxe weapon… somewhere.
- Apparently, being born in the 51st century gives you special hormones that make you more attractive.
Why So Popular?
I think it would take a long time to list every single reason Jack is popular. At least it would for me. The “The Empty Child”/”The Doctor Dances” story arc, to me, was one of the scariest on Doctor Who. Captain Jack lit up the episode with his debonair ways and humor. Jack is just downright lovable and not just because of his 51st century pheromones. Jack will probably love you no matter what species you are. You can always count on him not to discriminate. Jack literally is the good time in any situation. His sense of style also makes him stand out. His trademark jacket makes him look like a Hollywood star from the forties and fifties. If you don’t fall for his looks you fall for his personality. Jack’s swag aside, his character’s story is also fascinating. His is a fixed point in time. He cannot die. He and the Doctor share the same sadness of seeing those they love age and die. Jack’s life is an endless loop. He values humanity strongly and will do anything to protect it. It is a contrast to his usual happy go lucky face he shows to the world. What you see is not just what you get with Jack. It is what makes his character so fascinating. Jack was also a groundbreaking character for the LGBTQIA+ community. He was the first character to be confirmed as non-heterosexual in the Doctor Who universe. Jack was able to draw in fans from all corners of the science fiction world.
Why Do I Love Him?
(Spoiler alert!)
My love for Captain Jack and John Barrowman are interchangeable. Alas, I must focus on Jack. I have a soft spot for cocky males in all sorts of fiction. Jack fit the bill impeccably. I also love how under the swagger is a human. I admit, I threw something with rage when Ianto died. I felt it was unfair to Jack. He finally found someone and he was taken. I shook with the rage that an overly invested fan has. Watching Children of Earth once was enough for me. I could never get bored of Jack’s character. I had always wanted to see him interact with the 11th Doctor. It’s not to be but I will always hope that he will return to Doctor Who sometime. Captain Jack is just one of the best characters I have ever watched on television.
