“Torchwood: Miracle Day,” Episode 4

• Courtesy of Starz
• ONE MOTHER OF A BOARD: Eve Myles

The latest episode, “Escape to L.A.” begins with Esther visiting her sister, whom she mentioned last week “can’t cope” with the Miracle Day goings-on. The sister’s house has particleboard nailed to the windows and spray-painted “Keep Out” messages, which seem reminiscent of abandoned homes following Hurricane Katrina, but that may have been a coincidence. The sister has become a total shut-in and seems to be keeping her children as prisoners, and there’s a neat shot of her sitting in the corner of the screen, the round door locks lined up over her head. Sis seems pretty darn unstable, but I’m not sure Esther’s decision to call Social Services was justified, especially given that the kids can’t actually die these days. But she calls Social Services anyway, and we see that a mystery man, who turns out to be C. Thomas Howell, has blown her cover.

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A TV montage catches us up with some of the latest Miracle Day twists, including a guy suing to get a job back after a health scare: “I’m not going to die, am I?” Plus there’s a rising political figure named Candace Holly Monroe (Mare Winningham) advocating a “Dead is Dead” approach to those whose lives have been extended via the miracle. Monroe suggests the government should cut off their medical care and treat them as legally dead. We’re told she’s “a small town mayor trying to make a name for herself” and “the darling of the Tea Party,” which sounds a little familiar. I have trouble seeing how “Dead is Dead” would appeal to the Tea Party, though. Maybe the Tea Party so opposes government spending that they hate handouts to people who should have died? But that seems kind of pro-Death Panel.