Torchwood/Recap/S1/E02 Day One

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Having covered Darker and Edgier and Bloodier and Gorier with the first episode, Torchwood completes the trifecta, putting Hotter and Sexier in their second episode.

Or to put it simply, Alien Sex Gas!

Gwen's date with her boyfriend Rhys is interrupted by a fiery meteor falling to Earth. She joins her new team as they begin their routine investigation into the weird glowing rock. She tries to get into the swing of the routine and the team's casual attitude, but mistakenly tosses a tool, which embeds itself in the meteor, releasing a pink gas that floats away on the wind.

We now join a young lady named Carys outside of a club, leaving an angry voicemail at her boyfriend. She finds herself at the mercy of the pink gas as it enters her and makes her suddenly seems much more confident. After kissing her way back into the club, she picks the nearest unlucky berk and drags him to the women's toilet. Skipping the formalities, they get right to it and have sex on camera in the public ladies' room, firmly establishing that this is not Doctor Who. He turns into a small pile of dust when he orgasms, leaving her quite satisfied.

Torchwood is called in on the unusual death and they discover CCTV footage of the event as well as Carys being possessed. Cross-referencing faces, they identify Carys and find the girl at her house, fortunately, before she's able to make it with the postman.

They bring her in to the Hub and discover through testing that she's being possessed by an alien Sex Gas, which can entice just about anyone. Also, the alien isn't interested in any kind of conquest. It just wants to live off the energy produced by orgasm. Gwen finds the "enticing" part out a bit too late, but is saved mid-makeout-session by the fact that the alien realizes she can only use male orgasms. This leads to SexGas!Carys enticing Owen, stripping him, and running off with his swipe card.

A further check into Carys' background finds that she worked at a fertility clinic. They eventually find her there (along with several small piles of dust). With Carys about to die from having the Sex Gas in her for too long, Gwen offers herself as a host, taking responsibility for setting this whole chain of sex dusting into events. Before the Sex Gas can reach her, though, Jack temporarily sedates the alien by kissing it and traps the gas in a portable cell, where it dies. Gwen kisses Jack for good measure in front of everyone to thank him.

Tropes

• A Date with Rosie Palms: How did anyone know that the first victim was murdered, or even dead at all? The young couple was being "watched" on camera by a security guard. We even get a nice cutaway to the event.
• Alien Possession: Combined with a bit of Fighting From the Inside, although Carys isn't very successful at it.
• Containment Field: Owen carries one around in this episode. It's used to trap Carys and later the Sex Gas on its own.
• Continuity Nod: Gwen gets a good scare down in the holding chambers when she obliviously leans against the cell of the Weevil from "Everything Changes".
• Girl-On-Girl Is Hot: Owen just happens to notice Gwen and SexGas!Carys making out.

Owen: Happy birthday me.

• • The rest of the crew joins in on the show soon before realizing, hey, maybe Gwen's in some kind of danger?
• Head-Tiltingly Kinky: Tosh as she observes Gwen and SexGas!Carys snogging.
• Hotter and Sexier: Onscreen knobbing, anyone?
• The Immodest Orgasm: Carys and her first victim don't really bother with discretion.
• Kiss of Life: Jack uses this on SexGas!Carys to give her a bit longer to live being hosted by the gas.
• Sex Gas Needs Men: The "orgasmic energy" keeps the Sex Gas alive.
• Musical Spoiler: The Doctor's Leitmotif from his native series plays as Jack holds the Doctor's severed hand after Carys breaks the jar.
• Next Thing They Knew: Owen left alone with Carys. Didn't lead to sex, just him naked, and Carys escaped.
• Out with a Bang: Into a rather neat pile of dust.

Gwen: He just... Jack: Came and went.

• Really Gets Around: Jack, self implied.

Jack: Lucky she's young; work your way through my back catalogue, we'll be here 'til the Sun explodes.

• Reckless Gun Usage: Owen points a gun at the Sex Gas, with Gwen standing on the other side. Anyone see an issue?
• Sorry, I'm Gay: SexGas!Carys' first attempt in the fertility clinic turns out to be this.
• Techno Babble: Jack insists that it is good for the soul.
• Woman Scorned: SexGas!Carys' first target once she escapes the Hub is the man who recently stood her up. Tosh points this out when they try to figure where she'll go.
• Your Head Asplode: What happens if the Sex Gas stays in your for too long. Owen demonstrates on a lab rat.

Owen: Rat jam.