Today not only did I equal my previous workout's record for distance in 55 minutes, but I also upped my push ups from 52 to 56. I am in monster mode! Although, honestly, I have a costume I need to wear for my cabaret in just under two months, and I really need to look my best because it won't do me any favors. So... Beast Mode engage!

Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

(TARDIS Data Core recap)

After taking a full year off from January 1, 2007 to January 16, 2008, Torchwood returns for its second season and the upgrade in quality is immediately apparent. Sure, part of it is that all of the main characters and settings are now established so there doesn't need to be any exposition or setup. But the major part of it is that the show stops trying so hard to be ADULT! and EDGY! and just trusts plots to be post-watershed stories with mature themes without wallowing in it. The show knows what it is and who it is appealing to, and is comfortable in its own storytelling skin.

From a plot standpoint, the story kicks off with the Torchwood Three team pursuing an alien in a stolen sports car -- minus Jack who ran off to Doctor Who for several episodes without telling his team mates where he was going. In his absence they have completely gelled as a functional team, with Gwen having assumed the de-facto role as leader. Which, is fine but... who the heck writes their paychecks? I know Torchwood is "..outside the government and beyond the police...", but presumably when Gwen accepted the position last year it came with some kind of salary and benefits package, right? So are they all four just working for several months in Jack's absence without reporting to any Torchwood Mission Control?

Anyway, the team catches up with the coked-up alien bipedal blowfish, who dashes into a random house to take some hostages before Jack shows up and puts a bullet through its head. While the team welcomes Jack back into the fold (begrudgingly and with a lot of suspicious questions), across town Spike the Vampire Time Agent Captain John Hart shows up and starts throwing people off of buildings and such before sending a message to Jack inviting him out to a bar for drinks. Because, sure.

Turns out the two go way back, blah blah, Hart is chasing some stolen radioactive weapons, and needs Jack's help. After lots of double crosses, because of course Hart is really a bad guy, the whole thing comes to a head with Hart about to be blown up while handcuffed to Gwen. The team saves everyone and sends Hart back into the Rift, but not before he drops a huge Foreshadowing Bomb telling Jack, "By the way, I found Gray..." and then disappearing.

This, of course, will be the overarching plot thread for the season.

James Marsters is fantastic in this episode, propelling the story along with a manic and chaotic energy that keeps the whole thing buzzing from start to finish. I liked it a lot. If the whole season operates at this level, it is going to be a fun couple of weeks on the treadmill.

Fun bit of trivia:  during the bar scene when Jack introduces the Torchwood team, Hart hates the name and suggests several alternatives including Excalibur. That was actually the original name for the show when Russell T Davies first pitched the show before it was turned into a Doctor Who spinoff. It thought that was a nice touch.

So that's it for today. Next time: an episode about which I have absolutely no memory whatsoever.

STATS:

Featuring: Captain Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper, Toshiko Sato, Owen Harper, Ianto Jones
Episode(s): Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang
Steps Walked: 7,718 today, 3,812,703 total
Distance Walked: 4.21 miles today, 1,994.31 miles total
Push-ups Completed: 52 today, 7,271 total
Sit-ups Completed: 0 today, 1,029 total
Weight: 257.68 lbs (five day moving average), net change -49.62 lbs