Torchwood: Aliens Among Us, Part 1

This is the first of a three-volume ‘season' of stories set some time after the events of Miracle Day, once Torchwood has been re-established. It's all a single plot arc, albeit with a number of threads, but each story is distinct, as one might expect from a modern TV series. New characters are replacing those lost in the actual TV season, and, on the whole, they're interesting and well-written. There's also a pretty major plot twist that takes advantage of the audio format; it's done subtly enough that it was a while before I noticed that one major piece of the Torchwood set-up isn't quite what it should be. It's for that, and the fact that I really like Mr Colchester and Orr that I'm going to nudge this one up to the full five stars, even if some of the individual episodes are more in the 4-star range.

• Changes Everything – Our first real look at this new version of Torchwood is seen through the eyes of an investigative journalist and potential recruit. Much of this story is setting up the main plot arc and introducing us to the new characters – Tyler Steele and Mr Colchester, a civil servant briefly seen in previous release The Torchwood Archive and sent to help re-establish the organisation. The latter is the better of the two at this stage, although Steele does have some potential that's perhaps obscured by the need for him to be the fish-out-of-water here. As for the actual plot, it concerns apparent terrorist attacks that may have something to with aliens. It doesn't really go anywhere, and is arguably taking something of a back seat to the characters, but it's clearly only intended to set the scene for later.

• Aliens & Sex & Chips & Gravy – Well, what else would you call a story about an alien hen night? (That's “bachelorette party” for those in America). Gwen and Colchester gate-crash the aforementioned party to see what they can learn about possible new alien arrivals in Cardiff, and naturally it gets out of hand. In many ways, it's a fun story, with some amusing details about the aliens and a particularly spoiled bride-to-be. But there's also a serious edge to it (including a sizable body count), and a rather clearer view of what the plot arc will be about than we got in the first episode. With Jack and Tyler almost entirely off-screen, Colchester also comes further into his own, proving himself to be both practical and capable.

• Orr – What initially appears to be another investigation into the aliens' schemes soon turns into an episode about trying to save a different sort of alien from their clutches. Orr, as it turns out, has been genetically engineered to perform a particular function and one that opens up some new story possibilities – as well as fitting right in with Torchwood's usual themes. It's perhaps the strongest story of the set, it not being clear where it's going to go and prominently featuring a genderqueer character (it actually surprises me that, to my recollection, this is the first time we've seen one on the series). There's also a more sinister subplot burbling away in the background, although it appears that we'll have to wait until at least the next volume for it to bear real fruit.

• Superiority Complex – The Torchwood team investigate a series of murders at a new hotel built for the wealthier alien visitors. Even though they're the victims this time around, the story does portray them in an entirely negative light, perhaps not quite deserving what's happening to them, but with few redeeming features. The mystery element isn't the strongest, and it soon becomes clear who the killer is, but it does build up to a dramatic denouement as things spiral out of control. It ends – perhaps more so than the previous three episodes – on a cliffhanger.