Torchwood: "Reset" (S2, E6)

"Martha can handle herself--she's been in worse situations than this."

Reset

Season Two, Episode Six ("Captain Jack calls in Martha Jones to investigate mysterious deaths, and one of the team members has a life-changing experience.")

WHAT I LIKED

* Martha and Jack's banter--witty and a good way to show how much they bonded in their short time together over on Doctor Who.

* A solid plot hook--people turning up dead who were too healthy.

* The fact that the evil doctor in charge of the alien parasite project at the Pharm knew all about Torchwood and had connections high up in the government--it's rare to see foes who seem worthy of Captain Jack & crew.

* Ianto's description of Jack in the boudoir: "innovative, bordering on the avante-garde."

* Owen & Tosh finally making a date (completely manipulative by the showrunners, of course, given what happens at the end of the episode).

WHAT I DIDN'T

* That the Pharm was destroyed in a single episode--the show could use some recurring villains other than the relatively boring weevils.

WHAT I'M NOT SURE ABOUT

* Once again, nothing.

DELETED SCENES

* None

TORCHWOOD DECLASSIFIED

* The cast and crew's excitement over having the character of Martha appear, along with a brief discussion of how she would be portrayed as slightly more "grown-up".

* Some talk about making the Mayfly alien and trying to keep it both scary and sympathetic.

* More excitement over getting the actor Alan Dale to appear. He's apparently very famous over the pond for a show called Neighbours, which I must admit never having heard of before. And although he seemed mildly familiar when I watched the episode, I hadn't realized until reading his Wikipedia entry that he played Charles Widmore on Lost.

* A discussion of the decision to kill Owen; I completely agree with Russell T. that sometimes shows have to off major characters in order to keep the show from seeming like a cartoon where everyone is always okay in the end.