I wasn't even sure if that really was Gareth Thomas for a while! I had to double check the end credits but I was right, that was the old child molester, Roj Blake. Either that was good padding or he's really porked out! Seriously, though, a great performance from Gareth Thomas, I thought.
People have said that they found the first story, Everything Changes (if I remember correctly), a little slow. I can't say I thought that. Sadly I did think that for this story. I don't know why but it just felt a bit languid. It wasn't bad and I'm certainly glad they've got past the blood, sex and language approach to proving they are an adult show. As is often the case the trailer gave me an impression of the story that wasn't true. I expected a spooky ghost story (perhaps even tying in with Jack's past in 1941 - but that wasn't based on anything seen in the trailer). Maybe that was a unique expectation on my part because it wasn't in the least bit spooky! I probably need to give it another watch without those expectations to give it a fairer judgement.
We are finally getting to know the characters, you can tick them off one by one. Jack we already knew, though we've found out some more already (much more to come it would seem). Half a tick for him but we knew, as the central character and mystery, that his character will be a long haul one. Gwen we can give a full tick to (on the proviso that there is always more to learn). Now Owen gets his tick. Next week is, apparently, Ianto. That leaves Toshiko for the week after?
It's still early days for Torchwood. It isn't all I'd hope yet but it could have been an awful lot worse. It looks like the pace will pick up over the season, once we've had a chance to get to know the characters and premise - that's when it will all be ripped apart!