Oswald Danes is a fictional character in the BBC television programme Torchwood, a spin-off from the long-running series Doctor Who and is portrayed by American actor Bill Pullman.

Critics commented upon the character's resemblance both to horror film killers such as Freddy Krueger and Hannibal Lecter, as well as to American Evangelists and to the biblical Jesus Christ.

[citation needed] The first scene of Miracle Day depicts Oswald Danes surviving execution by lethal injection due to death spontaneously ceasing.

During Torchwood's investigations into PhiCorp, Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) confronts Danes, who brags about killing his student, calling it "the best moment of my life".

When Pullman asked executive producer Julie Gardner why the production team sought to cast him in role, she replied that it was because he was perceived as "America's sweetheart", which he interpreted to mean they were looking to destabilise viewers.

Pullman observed that Oswald's failure to die "becomes the pivot for a whole world that has changed"; feeling that his character was an intelligent one who knows he can provide a message people want to hear.

"[14] Mikey O'Connell from Zap2it likened Pullman's performance to that of John Lithgow as The Trinity Killer in Dexter, both having the sense of "the familiar, comforting actor you've watched for decades" being "hijacked by someone else.

"[13] In a review of the first episode, Dan Martin from The Guardian opined that Pullman "stole the show as manipulative psychopath Oswald Danes" predicting "his character might give us one of the most compelling narratives.

"[17] Reviewing the fifth episode of the series The Independent's Neela Debnath said of Pullman that "thus far he has given an extraordinary turn as Danes, which at times has veered towards hammy territory but has never entered it."

"[18] The Daily Telegraph's Gavin Fuller praised Pullman's portrayal of Danes, singling it out as the strongest of the series next to lead female actor Eve Myles.

Fuller also felt that giving such an unlikeable character a prominent focus and allowing him a shot at redemption in the final episode "was certainly a brave move from Davies.

"[19] In a post-series review of what worked and what did not during Torchwood's fourth series, Digital Spy's Morgan Jeffrey stated that "Bill Pullman made the most of his tenure as Oswald Danes, being both extremely charismatic and utterly repellent throughout."