Torchwood/Recap/S2/E06 Reset

While weevil hunting one evening, Tosh and Owen come across the corpse of a man who died under mysterious circumstances. Jack calls in Martha Jones, now a doctor working at UNIT, to help with the investigation.

Martha is welcomed warmly by Torchwood. She catches up with Jack regarding the events of the lost year and tells him that her family is gradually recovering from the trauma. She also befriends Gwen, asks Ianto what Jack is like in bed ("innovative... bordering on the avant-garde"), ignores Tosh, and flirts with Owen. Jack reveals that he's the one who got Martha her new job. Martha just sort of assumed that the Doctor had been the one who'd done her that favor. Jack and Martha once again share a moment about the Doctor apparently being oblivious to them.

Tosh finally -- finally -- asks Owen out on a date. He's fine with it, though not exactly enthusiastic.

It turns out there are a series of deaths which only have one thing in common: death by hypodermic needle in the eye and a connection to a mysterious pharmaceutical company aptly named the Pharm. The patients miraculously recover from terminal illnesses, only to die from some kind of parasite soon after. Martha volunteers to investigate undercover as a test subject.

The team discovers that the Pharm has been using alien mosquitoes as guinea pigs to manufacture miracle cures. Martha is tortured and implanted with an alien chestburster. Owen saves her life just in time, but he gets shot and dies.

Tropes:

• Big Brother Instinct: Jack is very resistant to putting Martha in danger and becomes furious when she gets captured and almost dies at the hands of Dr. Copley.
• Call Back: Martha mentions this isn't the first time she's had to be invisible.
  • There are also a bunch of hints to the Doctor by Martha and Jack.
• Continuity Nod: The contact lenses later play a key role in all of season 3.
• Mood Whiplash: The episode starts out lighthearted and nostalgic, but ends with an actual death of the team.
• What Could Have Been: Originally, Ianto was supposed to have died instead of Owen, which casts a very different light on Jack's actions in the next episode.
• Yaoi Fangirl: Martha seems quite pleased about Jack and Ianto's "dabbling."