TVSquad

Torchwood creator and executive producer Russell T. Davies told the British press Friday that the fourth season of the sci-fi show is ready and waiting, depending on how the show's third mini-season ("Children of Earth") performs.

During a screening of the third series' premiere episode ("Day One"), Davies said he knows where he wants to go in Torchwood's next run. That's good news for fans, as there's every reason to expect that "Children of Earth" will do well both in the U.K. and in the U.S. -- where it out-rates the show that inspired it (Doctor Who) on BBC America.

Davies, the former executive producer of Who, also gave Torchwood fans reason to rejoice when he said he'd be willing to keep knocking the show out for 10 years if the viewers stay tuned. No word if show stars like John Barrowman and Eve Myles would be willing to stay on board into their middle age.

(S01E5) It's difficult not to find yourself comparing Torchwood with the X-Files, since both shows investigate paranormal happenings, alien sightings and other 'unexplained' activity.

And while I could never put my hand on my heart and say Captain Jack and Gwen Cooper come anywhere near the quality of Mulder and Scully, I'm starting to feel that Torchwood is capable of hitting much higher notes when it comes to the fear and terror factor, bringing slightly more of an edge to its so-called adult theme.

"Small Worlds" was one of those episodes where the comparisons to the X-Files couldn't have been more obvious -- the 1996 X-Files episode "Paper Hearts," with Tom Noonan and 'Invocation' from 2000 both immediately came to mind.