| Dr Vera Juarez | |
|---|---|
| Torchwood character | |
 | |
| First appearance | "The New World" |
| Last appearance | "The Categories of Life" |
| Portrayed by | Arlene Tur |
| In-universe information | |
| Affiliation | US Government Torchwood Institute |
| Home era | Early 21st century |
Dr Vera Juarez is a fictional character in the BBC television programme Torchwood, a spin-off from the long-running series Doctor Who, portrayed by Cuban American actress Arlene Tur. The character was promoted as one of five new main characters to join Torchwood in its fourth series, Torchwood: Miracle Day (2011), as part of a new co-production between Torchwood's British network, BBC One, and its American financiers on US premium television network Starz. Tur appears in the first five of the overall ten episodes, and is credited as a 'special guest star'.
The narrative of Miracle Day depicts the effects of an event which halts the process of death worldwide meaning the gravely-wounded continue to remain alive. As an attending surgeon, Vera is amongst the first to realise the significance of events and the associated repercussions. Her morals and professionalism pit her at odds with the increasingly inept medical system and shifting government legislation. After establishing a sexual relationship with Rex Matheson she allies herself with his Torchwood team. However, her first undercover investigation for the group is her last; she is burned alive after dissenting against one of the middle-men in charge of a government run concentration camp.
In early episodes, the character provides a reference point for viewers in regards to the effects of people who should be dead not dying. To prepare for the role, Tur spent time in a hospital emergency department and shadowed a professional medical doctor. Some critics felt that the character's hands on role enabled the audience to relate more to the crisis; others maintained that she wasn't given enough time to develop. Response to the character's violent death was mixed; some praised the increasingly dark shift whilst others felt it was too evocative of the Holocaust for a TV drama. The writers intent in scripting her demise had been to remind audiences that intense human cruelty is possible in human society.