# Torchwood series 2 - episode 6 (spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 13, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/torchwood-series-2-episode-6-spoilers/437516 "2008-02-13T22:52:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/torchwood-series-2-episode-6-spoilers/437516/1 "2008-02-13T22:52:42Z")
Well thanks to BB3 I got two Torchwood fixes in one night, suddenly having cable seems worth it. It was great to see Martha again and her trusty dark maroon leather coat, although the usage of the phrase “end of the world” got very tired during the course of the episode (sorry writers but if you were going for enigmatic you missed fairly badly). Overall a very good episode, and nice to see Jim Robinson from Neighbours eeking out a living after his departure from Ugly Betty. Not liking the character very much I was actually quite pleased to see Owen get killed, although knowing the series it’s not likely to be permanent (it’s too much to hope that he’ll be replaced by Martha, isn’t it?). Well I think we can safely say that Torchwood has got into its stride now, after a couple of duds earlier on in the series. May it maintain this tempo throughout. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2008, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/torchwood-series-2-episode-6-spoilers/437516/2 "2008-02-16T02:16:43Z")
I agree on all points. Except I think Alan Dale has been in way too many shows. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2008, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/torchwood-series-2-episode-6-spoilers/437516/3 "2008-02-16T11:41:47Z")
[QUOTE=Illuminatiprimus] Not liking the character very much I was actually quite pleased to see Owen get killed, although knowing the series it’s not likely to be permanent (it’s too much to hope that he’ll be replaced by Martha, isn’t it?). [/QUOTE] Who knows what’ll happen, with the next episode supposed to be called “Dead Man Walking”? Owen rises from the autopsy table, maybe? I didn’t mind Owen, but I think Martha would be a real advantage to the show. ETA: They showed two episodes because the next one isn’t going to be until 27 February? What’s up with that? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2008, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/torchwood-series-2-episode-6-spoilers/437516/4 "2008-02-16T19:09:36Z")
Owen always irritated me but he was an interesting departure from your grocery store version of team doctor who is always “do no harm” and stuff. He definitely wasn’t the moral conscience of the team. I’m okay to see Martha back in action. I wonder which member(s) of the team she’ll have sex with first? ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/torchwood-series-2-episode-6-spoilers/437516/5 "2008-02-16T22:03:06Z")
Knowing the creators either Gwen or Tosh. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/torchwood-series-2-episode-6-spoilers/437516/6 "2008-03-03T13:05:48Z")
I just saw this episode this weekend on BBC America. Can I get a little background info, please? What is this organization (organisation?) that hired Martha, The Unit? Have we seen them in either _Torchwood_ or in _Doctor Who_? How many spin-offs from _DW_ are there? I know that there is/was a show featuring Sarah Jane, but haven’t seen it over here. Is this something from that? And how could The Doctor recommend Martha to The Unit? Or is this something we’re just supposed to press the “I Believe” button for? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/torchwood-series-2-episode-6-spoilers/437516/7 "2008-03-03T13:17:45Z")
UNIT is the [United Nations Intelligence Taskforce](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Intelligence_Taskforce), and were a regular part of the original run of Doctor Who. Headed by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, it was a military organisation that assisted the Doctor from time to time. They’ve been mentioned in the new series a couple of times (I think they even appeared, but they weren’t named as UNIT at those times). Spin-offs from Doctor Who include: K9 and Company (never actually got off the ground) Torchwood The Sarah Jane Adventures ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/torchwood-series-2-episode-6-spoilers/437516/8 "2008-03-03T18:20:14Z")
Thank you, **GuanoLad**. Is _The Sarah Jane Adventures_ available on my side of the pond? ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/torchwood-series-2-episode-6-spoilers/437516/9 "2008-03-03T18:31:32Z")
## Hey! The boards are back up! UNIT was the military organization that the 3rd (and once or twice the 4th) doctor worked for. UNIT was more recently seen when the 9th Doctor was summoned to Downing Street, and they operated the flying Aircraft Carrier that The Master commandeered at the end of last season’s Doctor Who. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/torchwood-series-2-episode-6-spoilers/437516/10 "2008-03-03T18:32:15Z")
I’d rather see Owen gone for good. He’s always been a huge whiner and bugs the hell out of me. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/torchwood-series-2-episode-6-spoilers/437516/11 "2008-03-03T18:37:09Z")
I don’t know… it looks like they were starting to soften him up a bit. First with him agreeing to go out with Tosh (and not just everyone from the shop going out together for darts or whatever), and then obviously having a soft spot for Martha. Any idea if this is something that’s been planned for awhile, or did the actor get a better offer for another job and the death was written in because of it? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/torchwood-series-2-episode-6-spoilers/437516/12 "2008-03-03T18:38:36Z")
[QUOTE=Sean Factotum] Thank you, **GuanoLad**. Is _The Sarah Jane Adventures_ available on my side of the pond? [/QUOTE] Sci-fi picked it up - it’s going to run on a Friday along with Doctor Who and BSG. It’s aimed at younger kids but it’s actually really pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/torchwood-series-2-episode-6-spoilers/437516/13 "2008-03-03T19:14:06Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] They’ve been mentioned in the new series a couple of times (I think they even appeared, but they weren’t named as UNIT at those times). [/QUOTE] I’m pretty sure they were mentioned by name in part 1 of the first Slitheen story, called in as alien experts to Downing Street. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/torchwood-series-2-episode-6-spoilers/437516/14 "2008-03-03T20:09:35Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] I’m pretty sure they were mentioned by name in part 1 of the first Slitheen story, called in as alien experts to Downing Street. [/QUOTE] There’s supposed to be a UNIT story in the 4th season of the new Doctor Who.