Ep 12. Captain Jack Harkness

In Torchwood season 1 episode 12, titled "Captain Jack Harkness," viewers are taken on a journey back in time to World War II-era Britain. A bomb hits the city of Cardiff, revealing a spaceship underground. Torchwood is sent to investigate, but as they enter the spaceship, they are sent back in time to 1941.

In this unfamiliar time period, Torchwood encounters a group of soldiers who are strangely fascinated by Captain Jack Harkness, the leader of the Torchwood group. Captain Jack is taken by their interest and becomes romantically involved with one of the soldiers, a man named Algy. At the same time, Jack is working to get Torchwood back to their own time, and as part of this, he contacts an alien race known as the Blaidd Drwg.

The Blaidd Drwg are a race of wolf-like aliens who have been searching for a time-traveling device, which they believe is onboard the spaceship. Jack is more than happy to trade the device for safe passage back to their own time, but when the aliens demand a human sacrifice in exchange, things start to get complicated.

Throughout the episode, viewers see flashbacks to Jack's history as a time agent, revealing his complicated past and giving insight into his character. He is shown to be a man who loves deeply, but who has experienced great loss and pain. Jack's relationship with Algy is one of the first same-sex relationships portrayed on mainstream television in the UK, and the episode handles it sensitively and beautifully.

As the episode draws to a close, Torchwood is able to return to their own time, with Jack and Algy separated by the gulf of time. Jack is left with the knowledge that his time on Earth is not over, and that he will continue to work with Torchwood and help protect the planet from all manner of alien threats.

Overall, "Captain Jack Harkness" is a standout episode of Torchwood. It explores Jack's character in depth and provides a compelling story that combines science fiction, historical drama, and romance. Whether you're a longtime fan of the show or just dipping your toes into the world of Torchwood, this episode is definitely not to be missed.