The gang’s all here!
Torchwood is back and finding more danger than ever. Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles), Owen Harper (Burn Gorman), Toshiko Sato (Naoko Mori), and Ianto Jones (Gareth David-Lloyd) are battling invading aliens, the living embodiment of Death, and covert government sponsored medical research…leading Jack to even call in some favors from his U.N.I.T. ally Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman). When a danger from Jack’s past resurfaces, not all of Torchwood will make it out alive!
Torchwood—Season 2 aired from January 16, 2008 to April 4, 2008 on the BBC Two. The Doctor Who spin-off continued to get mostly favorable reviews but still did not have the popularity of the Doctor Who relaunch. The season picks up after Doctor Who—Season 3’s finale “Last of the Time Lords”.
Welcome to Torchwood, Martha Jones…time to die!
I actually really enjoyed Torchwood. It is a rather generic sci-fi fantasy show in the vein of The X-Files and Fringe, but the characters and storylines were compelling. It had some of the same goofiness of Doctor Who but for adults…which is why the show probably didn’t quite work for everyone.
Part of Torchwood’s problem is that it is very episodic. The best seasons of Doctor Who have an undercurrent and running theme. This season just doesn’t have that. I would have liked to have seen more lead-up to the return of Jack’s brother and more surrounding this since it was such a monumental moment in the life of a man who has lived for centuries. It should have been two or three episodes devoted to this alone…not a final episode that feels rather rushed for time.
I do like that Torchwood pulls no punches. You would gather with a team of five that maybe one character would die…instead they kill multiple characters (and more than once). With these somewhat surprising deaths, the show continues the very aethist approach to life with nothing coming after death…it is pretty morbid and dark which could also be offputting to some.
Hey…I can’t be charming every day of my eternal life!
The show has that video quality of the Doctor Who series. This isn’t a good thing, but Doctor Who has improved over the years. The show now is around the level of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel. It could look better, but I don’t have many expectations for Doctor Who.
Torchwood—Season 2 has its pluses and minuses, but I still find it enjoyable. I wish the series had more of a chance to expand and possibly crossed over more with Doctor Who just so it would be more mainstream…of course it is also the reason the series doesn’t quite work since it is targeting a different audience. Regardless, Torchwood will endure (at least another season).
Torchwood—Season 2 Complete Episode Guide:
“Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang”
2.1 Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang Airdate: 01/16/08
Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) has returned after his disappearance and finds that Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles), Owen Harper (Burn Gorman), Ianto Jones (Gareth David-Lloyd), and Toshiko Sato (Naoko Mori) have been carrying on with Torchwood without him. The agents of Torchwood are about to learn more about Jack then Jack has ever allowed when a former Time Agent (and partner) comes to Cardiff in search of three dangerous explosives. Captain John Hart (James Marsters) is dangerous, and Jack doesn’t trust him. With Torchwood being forced to work with him, Captain Hart could destroy the team and Cardiff.
“Sleeper”
2.2 Sleeper Airdate: 01/23/08
A couple of burglars are attacked by something within the home of Beth Halloran (Nikki Amuka-Bird) and her husband. Torchwood uncovers a dangerous alien sleeper cell operating in Cardiff. In a race to save Beth from the danger growing inside of her, Torchwood might accidentally set off a war when the sleeper agents activate.
“To the Last Man”
2.3 To the Last Man Airdate: 01/30/08
Tommy Brockless (Anthony Lewis) is a man out of time. Suffering from shellshock in a hospital in Cardiff, he is frozen by Torchwood only to be revived each year so he can close a rift in time when it occurs. Now, the rift at the hospital is active again and Tommy must be sent back. Unfortunately, Toshiko has fallen in love with Tommy and doesn’t know if she can send him to his death.
“Meat”
2.4 Meat Airdate: 02/06/08
Rhys (Kai Owen) has uncovered Gwen’s secret when a delivery truck he owns has an accident carrying unidentifiable meat. Jack is forced to use Reece as an in to help free a giant alien being gutted for food…but if Rhys survives the mission, can Gwen make him forget?
“Adam”
2.5 Adam Airdate: 02/13/08
Torchwood is changing. Owen has become a mousy scientist, Gwen can’t remember Reece, I thinks he’s a murderer, and Tosh is in love with Adam Smith (Bryan Dick)…who doesn’t exist. As Jack faces memories of his past he believed to be gone, the mystery of Adam will be revealed.
“Reset”
2.6 Reset Airdate: 02/13/08
When assassinations begin popping up around Cardiff, Jack calls in his old friend Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) to help him investigate. Torchwood finds ties to a drug called Reset and a place called the Pharm which has government clearance even higher than they do. Sending Martha in as an undercover test subject leads to danger…Torchwood must get Martha out of the Pharm, but not everyone will make it back to base.
“Dead Man Walking”
2.7 Dead Man Walking Airdate: 02/20/08
Owen is dead…but Jack refuses to take that as an answer. Seeking out the second Resurrection Gauntlet, Jack brings Owen back for one last goodbye, but something is keeping Owen alive. Now, Death could be walking the Earth and it is up to Torchwood to stop it before it escapes…and Martha’s life hangs in the balance.
“A Day in the Death”
2.8 A Day in the Death Airdate: 02/27/08
Owen finds himself no longer living but also not dead. Sidelined from Torchwood missions, Owen finds a girl (Christine Bottomley) also contemplating death and tells her of a mission to stop the explosion of an extraterrestrial object in the possession of an eccentric old man.
“Something Borrowed”
2.9 Something Borrowed Airdate: 03/05/08
It is Rhys and Gwen’s wedding day, but unfortunately, Gwen’s having a bad day after being impregnated by an alien the night before. With Gwen and Rhys having to explain her pregnancy to family and friends, Torchwood finds more problems when they learn that the Nostrovite has a mate who will stop at nothing to get its baby.
“From Out of the Rain”
2.10 From Out of the Rain Airdate: 03/12/08
Ianto takes Gwen and Owen to a movie theater from his youth only to see a movie that no one has seen for years. A film of an old circus where Jack performed releases the spirits of two “Night Travellers” who seek the lives of those they encounter. The Night Travellers must be stopped and the members of Torchwood are the only ones who can do it!
“Adrift”
2.11 Adrift Airdate: 03/19/08
A mother (Ruth Jones) missing her son Jonah (Oliver Ferriman) leads Gwen and her former partner PC Andy Davidson (Tom Price) to research whether the Rift not only gives but takes from Cardiff. Despite warnings from Jack to cease her investigation, Gwen makes a startling discovery on a small island about the truth about the Rift.
“Fragments”
2.12 Fragments Airdate: 03/21/08
Torchwood is led into a mysterious trap and as they fight to escape death, Jack, Owen, Ianto, and Toshiko remember how they all came to be Torchwood team members.
“Exit Wounds”
2.13 Exit Wounds Airdate: 04/04/08
Captain Hart is back and Cardiff is under attack…but looks might be deceiving as Jack searches for his believed-to-be-dead brother Gray (Lachlan Nieboer). With the city threatened to be destroyed by a nuclear meltdown, Torchwood must regain control…and the team will never be the same again!
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