TV episode review
UK airdate 16 January 2008 (BBC2)

Jack’s back and his past is catching up with him…

Torchwood year two hits the ground running. From the opening chase sequence to the closing fight, this is an episode that not only finally sees the series firing on all cylinders but which openly acknowledges the problems of the past and turns them into strengths.

Chris Chiball’s script cleverly uses Jack’s absence, and subsequent return, as the catalyst for the changes. With no leader, the Torchwood team have had to pull together to survive and in doing so have turned into a genuinely effective, believable group of professionals. As a side effect, the stilted bickering of the previous season has been replaced by naturalistic dialogue and a far more relaxed, confident tone. This even extends to jokes about some of last year’s most jarring moments, including Jack’s fondness for rooftops and the endless arguments between team members.

However, while the core cast are uniformly excellent, the episode is made by James Marsters as Captain John. Swaggering out of the rift like an escapee from a Sergeant Pepper’s convention, he’s a genial, charming, sociopathic figure that sits roughly halfway between Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Spike and Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean. The character makes for both a worthy adversary and a fascinating reminder of what Jack used to be and hopes never to be again. Hinting not only about Jack’s past but also his future, he’s a highly entertaining character and one that, hopefully, we’ll be seeing again.

A huge improvement over the previous season, this is arguably the best episode of Torchwood to date. Alasdair Stuart

VERDICT: 9/10

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