You say you want a Captain Jack backstory? Be careful what you wish for.

The Cardiff Rift gets uppity, courtesy of a mysterious cravat-sporting caretaker with a penchant for Polaroids and time-tinkering, taking Jack and Tosh to 1941 and a very awkward military meet-up. We’re all in agreement that this is one of the high points in the first Torchwood season — Jay reserves the right to have a close runner-up — and with the exception of a rather underutilized Gwen Cooper, the episode takes some established storylines that writer Catherine Tregenna deftly links and advances. And you thought you’d heard the last of the Cyberwoman…

NEWS:

• Paul Cornell gives us a fantastic “Space Fam” short story
• “Human Nature” and “The Family of Blood” to be the next ‘lockdown’ tweet-along: #DoctorOfMine
• Big Finish to carefully and respectfully recast Sarah Jane Smith for a 2010 Cyberman story
• Russell T. Davies and a crowd of talent honor Elisabeth Sladen in “Farewell, Sarah Jane”