Why should Torchwood fans be watching Doctor Who? Here's a breakdown of episodes of
Doctor Who that relate to Torchwood in some way - Be Warned - Major Spoilers Below:
For those of you who don't know, the two series are even connected by title:
Torchwood is an anagram of Doctor Who. ;-0)
The Doctor himself is referenced in multiple episodes of Torchwood, including: "Everything Changes", "End of Days", "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang", "Reset", "Fragments", "Children of Earth: Day Three" & "Children of Earth: Day Five".
Also, almost all episodes of Doctor Who feature the TARDIS; the Doctor's mode of travel. The TARDIS
has a very particular sound to it, which we hear at the end of "End of Days", as Jack leaves with the Doctor
and Martha Jones at the end of that episode, aboard the TARDIS.
But the connections between the two shows...indeed the very foundation of the Torchwood series are tied into Doctor Who, almost from the very beginning of the New Series in 2005...and even a bit further back. Captain Jack is a former Time Agent. Time Agents were first mentioned in the Doctor Who serial "The Talons of Weng-Chiang", which aired in 1977! But I'm talking about New Who here, so let's get started.
Doctor Who:
01 1x01 Rose
Rose Tyler is introduced in this episode. She's tied to the origins of Torchwood, and will later work for Torchwood in an alternate reality. She will also be the first person to mention Gwen & Ianto on Doctor Who.
The 9th Doctor is introduced here; the 10th Doctor will inspire the creation of the Torchwood Institute.
02 1x02 The End of the World
The Doctor & Rose appear.
The Face of Boe is introduced in this episode, and is tied to Torchwood in some very important
ways that don't become clear until the 3rd Season episode "Last of the Time Lords". In that episode
it is revealed that The Face of Boe (a giant head in a jar) is a future incarnation of Captain Jack
Harkness from Torchwood! This first appearance of the The Face of Boe is set in 5,000,000,000 A.D.
This is also the first mention of "Bad Wolf" a couple of words that haunt the Doctor & Rose which
turn up in the Torchwood episode "Captain Jack Harkness".
03 1x03 The Unquiet Dead
The Doctor & Rose appear.
Cardiff and it's rift in time and space, so central to the Torchwood storyline are introduced in this
episode.
This also marks the appearance of Eve Myles (Gwen from Torchwood) as Gwyneth;
an early relative of Gwen's (as revealed in the Doctor Who episode "Journey's End"). Even
before this revelation there were plenty of theories about this, as they're 'nearly' identical,
both based in Cardiff; both tied to the Rift.
The "Bad Wolf" message seen in "Captain Jack Harkness" is mentioned again here, as is the
first reference to "The Darkness", which will lead to a major crossover between Doctor Who
and Torchwood.
04 1x04 Aliens of London [Part I]
The Doctor & Rose appear.
Toshiko "Tosh" Sato, a main character on Torchwood, first appeared in this episode of Doctor Who.
It's revealed in the Torchwood episode "Exit Wounds" that Toshiko was working undercover in this
episode, covering for Owen Harper. In that conversation they also reference the Space Pig, which
appears in this episode.
The character Harriet Jones is introduced here; she will have ties to Torchwood in a later appearance.
The news reporter Trinity Wells is first seen here; she later appears in "Children of Earth: Day Three".
The "Bad Wolf" message seen in "Captain Jack Harkness" is seen again here.
05 1x05 World War Three [Part II]
The Doctor & Rose appear.
A direct continuation of the previous episode, this installment also features the Bad Wolf message
& Harriet Jones.
Trinity Wells makes her 2nd appearance. She later appears in "Children of Earth: Day Three".
1x06 Dalek
The Doctor & Rose appear.
Bad Wolf appears again: "Bad Wolf One"
The Daleks & Cybermen (seen briefly here) will eventually be faced by the Torchwood team.
1x07 The Long Game
The Doctor & Rose appear.
In the year 200,100 A.D., the Face of Boe appears on the Bad Wolf channel, and
he's pregnant. Captain Jack Harkness mentioned (in the Torchwood episode "Everything
Changes") that he had once been pregnant and that he intended to not be again.
Apparently he doesn't hold to that!
Also in the year 200,100 A.D., the Doctor, Rose & Adam visit a space station, where in a later
episode, Captain Jack Harkness will die and then be resurrected as nearly immortal.
1x08 Father's Day
The Doctor & Rose appear.
Bad Wolf appears again. We're also introduced to Rose's late father Pete Tyler who is tied
to later Torchwood themed stories.
1x09 The Empty Child [Part I]
The Doctor & Rose appear.
First appearance of omnisexual former Time Agent, con man Captain Jack Harkness; this
episode, set in 1941 takes place shortly after Captain Jack took his name from a deceased
fighter pilot (as seen in "Captain Jack Harkness") and explains how Jack met the Doctor &
Rose, and why the only Captain Jack Harkness on record, disappeared (as mentioned in
"Everything Changes").
1x10 The Doctor Dances [Part II]
The Doctor & Rose appear.
Captain Jack's 2nd appearance in Who. Explains even more about the character.
In one scene Captain Jack sits astride a bomb that's labeled "Schlechter Wolf" which
means "Bad Wolf"
1x11 Boom Town
The Doctor & Rose appear.
Captain Jack, in Cardiff, at the Rift!!! This episode also explains the origin of Torchwood's
Invisible Lift, and why Jack knows how it came to be! The characters also finally start
realizing that Bad Wolf follows them everywhere when they notice a power plant named
"Blaidd Drwg" or Bad Wolf.
Also, in the Torchwood episode "Reset", just before Martha encounters Ianto while
entering the front office of the Hub, you can see a newspaper clipping on the front door;
that newspaper is from this episode, featuring Margaret Blon Fel-Fotch Pasameer-Day Slitheen.
1x12 Bad Wolf [Part I]
The Doctor & Rose appear.
Captain Jack Harkness. Bad Wolf. Naked Captain Jack. First mention of Torchwood, in the year
200,000 A.D.
1x13 The Parting of the Ways [Part II]
The Doctor & Rose appear.
The 9th Doctor regenerates into the 10th, who will encounter Torchwood multiple times.
Jack gets to kiss Rose AND the Doctor :-0)
Captain Jack dies while fighting the Daleks, but he's resurrected by Rose
with the power of the vortex, which makes him immortal! The origin of the
Bad Wolf message is revealed. Captain Jack is left stranded in the future.
The 10th Doctor is introduced; he later inspires Queen Victoria (in 1879) to
create Torchwood.
1x14 Children In Need [Part III] (mini-episode)
The Doctor & Rose appear.
Captain Jack is mentioned by Rose and the Doctor.
1x15 The Christmas Invasion [Part IV] (2005 Christmas Special)
The Doctor & Rose appear.
Harriet Jones (from the first Doctor Who 2-parter), now Prime Minister, asks Major
Blake of UNIT to contact Torchwood for aid in defending the Earth from the Sycorax.
Jones claims she is not supposed to know about them and that not even the United
Nations is aware of their existence, though they have ties to the British military. Jones
takes responsibility for authorizing Torchwood and eventually gives the final command
for them to fire on and destroy the Sycorax ship; they have access to an enormously
powerful energy weapon adapted from alien technology found ten years ago in a
spaceship crash. The nature and normal authority of Torchwood are left vague.
Also, the newly regenerated Doctor's hand is cut off during a sword fight on the Sycorax
ship hovering over the city. The hand falls to Earth and is later retrieved by either Jack or
Torchwood; that's the hand that Jack keeps in the Torchwood Hub, seen in multiple
Torchwood episodes! Though there's more story to tell here, as this story is set on
Christmas 2006, while Torchwood already had the hand (or one just like it) as early
as December 1999.
Also, the music played during the scene where Jack cradles the hand in the Torchwood
episode "Day One" is a piece of Doctor Who music.
Trinity Wells makes her 3rd appearance. She later appears in "Children of Earth: Day Three".
Doctor Who Season 02:
2x01 New Earth
The Doctor & Rose appear.
The Face of Boe (the future incarnation of Captain Jack) returns in this episode,
set in the year 5,000,000,023 A.D.
2x02 Tooth and Claw
The Doctor & Rose appear.
The Origins of Torchwood are revealed in this episode. It takes place in a Scottish house
named "Torchwood House" (in 1879), and at the end of the episode Queen Victoria announces
the foundation of an institution known as the Torchwood Institute to research and fight
threats to Britain beyond imagination as well as to watch for the return of the Doctor! This
is followed up on in the Torchwood episode "Fragments" which shows how Jack was brought
into Torchwood, partially because of his relationship to the Doctor, sometime between 1879 &
1899.
2x03 School Reunion
The Doctor & Rose appear.
When Mickey Smith is telling Rose Tyler on the telephone how he keeps being blocked while
doing research on military websites, the viewer sees the words "Torchwood Access Denied"
flashing across his computer screen.
This episode is also noteworthy for it's reintroduction of Sarah Jane Smith and K9, former
companions to the 3rd & 4th Doctors - they were later spun off into their own series, which
also features references (though more subtle) to Torchwood. Sarah Jane will later encounter
Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones of Torchwood!
2x04 The Girl in the Fireplace
The Doctor & Rose appear.
This story is mostly set in the 51st Century, which is the time frame that Jack is from.
2x05 Rise of the Cybermen [Part I]
2x06 The Age of Steel [Part II]
Rose, Mickey & the Doctor are stranded on a parallel Earth where a news broadcast on
Rose's mobile phone refers to a survey carried out by the Torchwood Institute, and Pete
Tyler (who's still alive in this world) asks his friend Stevie about his work at Torchwood
(implying that in this parallel and Republican Britain, Torchwood is not as much of a secret
as in ours). This episode also introduces the new series Cybermen, who's story will serve
as important background info to Ianto Jones on Torchwood - and eventually lead to the
"Cyberwoman" episode.
2x07 Attack of the Graske
The Doctor appears in this episode.
2x08 The Idiot's Lantern
The Doctor & Rose appear.
The possibility of Torchwood getting involved is mentioned by police officers while discussing
the people affected by this episode's menace.
2x09 The Impossible Planet [Part I]
2x10 The Satan Pit [Part II]
The Doctor & Rose appear.
At one point toward the end of the episode, the recently possessed Ood, begin
to list names that have been used to label "The Beast". One of them happens to be
Abaddon, an ancient demon, who features as a major element in the Torchwood
episode "End of Days" - in fact in that Torchwood episode, the similarly trapped
Abaddon is described as the son of the great beast, implying that it is the offspring
of the monster seen in these episodes! It's also revealed that the crew from these
episodes are representing "The Torchwood Archive".
2x11 Love & Monsters
The Doctor & Rose appear.
Victor Kennedy (aka the Absorbaloff), has access to and mentions the Torchwood files.
However, evidence of Rose has been corrupted by a "Bad Wolf" virus. Also, the copy
of The Daily Telegraph that the Abzorbaloff reads has the headline: "Saxon leads polls
with 64 per cent". Mr. Saxon is a mystery figure throughout the end of Season 2 & on
into Season 3. His rise to power is directly tied to Harriet Jones's use of Torchwood in
"The Christmas Invasion", and the character of Mr. Saxon will eventually cross paths
with Captain Jack. Also, Vote Saxon posters appear in the Torchwood episode
"Captain Jack Harkness".
The unnamed creature that the Doctor & Rose are pursuing at the start of this episode,
later appears in the Torchwood episode "Exit Wounds", and is referred to as "The Hoix".
2x12 Fear Her
The Doctor & Rose appear.
In the year 2012, commentator Huw Edward can just be heard mentioning Torchwood
after the Olympic crowd disappears just before Chloe tears down her posters.
2x13 Army of Ghosts [Part I]
The Doctor & Rose appear.
Torchwood 1 is center stage in this episode. This is where Ianto Jones and his girlfriend
Lisa worked.
Torchwood employee Adeola Oshodi (played by Freema Agyeman) is introduced
and killed (by the Cybermen) in this episode. Freema Agyeman goes on to play
Martha Jones (no relation to Ianto), the cousin of Adeola and companion to
the Doctor - who appears in 3 episodes of Torchwood Season 2!!!!
2x14 Doomsday [Part II]
The destruction of Torchwood 1 by the Cybermen / Dalek war (aka The Battle of
Canary Wharf), as mentioned in "Everything Changes" is seen here!
The Torchwood episode "Cyberwoman" is a sequel to this story.
Rose meets the Doctor at "Bad Wolf Bay" and ends up working at Torchwood in
an alternate reality. ;-0)
The events of this episode will have a huge impact on Jack Harkness, and will
eventually lead to a HUGE crossover.
Donna Noble is introduced.
15 The Runaway Bride [Part III]
Set on Christmas 2007, this episode takes place between Torchwood episodes:
"Out of Time" & "Combat".
More Torchwood business revealed.
The tank commander opens fire on the Empress of the Racnoss' ship under order from
"Mr. Saxon".
Doctor Who Season 03:
01 Smith and Jones
Introduces Martha Jones, who will witness the final death of Captain Jack, before
befriending him, and working alongside him in Torchwood Season 2. This episode
also explains her resemblance to former Torchwood employee Adeola Oshodi; they
were cousins. Quite a few references to The Battle of Canary Wharf at Torchwood
1. There are also Vote Saxon posters seen in this episode, just as we'll see them
in the Torchwood episode "Captain Jack Harkness". Also, the piece of music known
as "Martha's Theme" which is introduced in this episode, is used during her appearances
on Torchwood.
02 The Shakespeare Code
More Martha Jones.
Sycorax, one of Shakespeare's fictional witches, gets her name from the alien race that
invaded Earth and were destroyed by Torchwood in "The Christmas Invasion".
03 Gridlock
The Face of Boe returns, revealing the fate of Captain Jack!!! There's also a Bad Wolf
reference when the Japanese word Akuro is labeled on a poster in a car. Akuro = Evil Wolf.
This is the true death of Captain Jack Harkness, set in 5,000,000,053.
04 The Infinite Quest
05 Daleks In Manhattan [Part I]
06 Evolution of the Daleks [Part II]
More Martha Jones. Plus the Daleks return; Daleks were responsible for Jack's first death,
before he was made immortal. The Torchwood team later encounter the Daleks in later
Doctor Who episodes.
07 The Lazarus Experiment
08 42
Martha Jones. Harold Saxon.
09 Human Nature [Part I]
10 The Family of Blood [Part II]
11 Blink
Martha Jones.
12 Utopia [Part III]
This episode of Who picks up where the Season 1 cliffhanger of Torchwood ended;
with Jack rejoining the Doctor. Martha Jones meets Captain Jack. The origin of the
severed hand seen throughout Torchwood is revealed. Captain Jack learns the truth
of how he became immortal. We find out how Captain Jack escaped the future of
"The Parting of the Ways" and some of what he's been up to on Earth. We learn
why the Doctor left Jack behind. And Jack gets to flirt with Martha, a hot guy &
a cute Bug Girl! This episode is essential!!! This sets up Jack's appearance in the
Torchwood episode "Fragments".
Jack later references his conversation with the Doctor from this episode in "Children of Earth: Day Three".
13 The Sound of Drums [Part IV]
Captain Jack reveals to the Doctor and Martha that he's part of Torchwood. More
Torchwood revealed. The team from the series is referenced. Mr. Saxon is revealed.
Captain Jack reveals to Martha Jones that he loves the Doctor too.
Trinity Wells makes her 4th appearance. She later appears in "Children of Earth: Day Three".
14 Last of the Time Lords [Part V]
Thomas Milligan is introduced in this episode. Martha Jones is later involved with him during
Torchwood Series 2, engaged to him in Doctor Who Series 4, and on honeymoon with him in
Torchwood Series 3.
Jack helps to save the world.
Captain Jack reveals he's the Face of Boe, amidst other historical info! Captain Jack
heads back to Torchwood for Season 2. Martha Jones leaves the Doctor, explaining
her appearances in Season 4 of Doctor Who, and Season 2 of Torchwood. These last
3 episodes are referenced in the Torchwood Season 2 episodes: "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang"
& "Reset".
Doctor Who Season 04:
01 Partners in Crime
Rose Tyler (who works at Torchwood in an alternate universe, and is responsible for
Captain Jack being made immortal) appears in this episode. Rose is also referenced
by the Doctor & his new companion Donna (who also returns in this episode after being
introduced in "The Runaway Bride"). Martha Jones, is also referenced here; she mentioned
Torchwood in "Last of the Time Lords", and she worked for Torchwood in 3 Torchwood
episodes: "Reset", "Dead Man Walking" & "A Day in the Death". Donna used to work for a
company fronted by Torchwood, and has been inside some of their facilities ("The Runaway Bride").
02 The Fires of Pompeii
Donna Noble appears; she used to work for a company fronted by Torchwood, and has been
inside some of their facilities ("The Runaway Bride").
03 Planet of the Ood
The Doctor sets things right with the Ood from "The Impossible Planet" / "The Satan Pit", with
references to the Devil father of Torchwood's "End of Days" villain. The Doctor couldn't save
the Ood during their last encounter as he was trying to save Rose (who would become a
Torchwood employee) and a group of humans, who were said to represent the Torchwood Archives.
Donna Noble appears; she used to work for a company fronted by Torchwood, and has been
inside some of their facilities ("The Runaway Bride").
04 The Sontaran Stratagem [Part I]
05 The Poison Sky [Part II]
06 The Doctor's Daughter [Part III]
Colonel Mace from "The Sontaran Stratagem" & "The Poison Sky" is referenced in the Torchwood episode "Children of Earth: Day One".
Martha Jones, after having worked with the Torchwood team in "Reset", "Dead Man Walking"
& "A Day in the Death", returns to the Whoniverse in these 3 episodes. The Doctor's Hand as seen
in multiple episodes of Torchwood, returns in "The Poison Sky" & "The Doctor's Daughter". Captain
Jack Harkness is referenced by the Doctor in "The Poison Sky". Rose Tyler, alternate timeline
Torchwood employee, appears very briefly in "The Poison Sky". The first 2 episodes also heavily
feature UNIT which is referenced many times throughout Torchwood ("Greeks Bearing Gifts",
"End of Days", "Reset", "Dead Man Walking", "Fragments", "Children of Earth") - UNIT also worked with Torchwood in the Doctor Who episode "The Christmas Invasion".
Martha is revealed in "The Sontaran Stratagem" to be engaged to Doctor Who character Thomas Milligan (seen in "Last of the Time Lords"); in "Children of Earth: Day One" Martha's absence is explained by her being on her honeymoon (though, as it turns out, not with Thomas Milligan; she married someone else!).
Donna Noble appears; she used to work for a company fronted by Torchwood, and has been
inside some of their facilities ("The Runaway Bride").
Trinity Wells makes her 6th appearance (after a guest appearance on The Sarah Jane Adventures). She later appears in "Children of Earth: Day Three".
07 The Unicorn and the Wasp
Donna Noble appears; she used to work for a company fronted by Torchwood, and has been
inside some of their facilities ("The Runaway Bride").
08 Silence in the Library [Part I]
09 Forest of the Dead [Part II]
Donna Noble appears; she used to work for a company fronted by Torchwood, and has been
inside some of their facilities ("The Runaway Bride").
River Song uses a 'Squarness Gun'; this gun once belonged to Captain Jack Harkness from Torchwood, though this is never said on screen.
10 Midnight
Rose Tyler, who now works at Torchwood in another reality, appears briefly in this episode, and
she's also mentioned by the Doctor...as is Martha Jones.
Donna Noble appears; she used to work for a company fronted by Torchwood, and has been
inside some of their facilities ("The Runaway Bride").
11 Turn Left [Part I]
Rose Tyler, who now works at Torchwood in another reality, appears in this episode.
Donna Noble appears; she used to work for a company fronted by Torchwood, and has been
inside some of their facilities ("The Runaway Bride").
Captain Jack & Torchwood are mentioned.
Torchwood members Gwen Cooper & Ianto Jones are mentioned for the first time in Doctor Who!
Trinity Wells makes her 7th Whoniverse appearance. She later appears in "Children of Earth: Day Three".
12 The Stolen Earth [Part II]
Captain Jack, Gwen Cooper, Ianto Jones, Cardiff & The Hub
all appear in this episode. As do Martha Jones, Rose Tyler, Harriet Jones, & The
Daleks, the latter were responsible for Captain's Jack's first death.
Gwen's mother Mary, and husband Rhys Williams are referenced, as are Toshiko
Sato & Owen Harper.
Donna Noble appears; she used to work for a company fronted by Torchwood, and has been
inside some of their facilities ("The Runaway Bride").
Trinity Wells makes her 8th Whoniverse appearance. She later appears in "Children of Earth: Day Three".
13 Journey's End [Part III]
Captain Jack appears in this episode, as does Martha Jones & Rose Tyler (who
now works at Torchwood in another reality - and who made Jack immortal). Martha Jones
is next referenced in the Torchwood episode "Children of Earth: Day One". The
Daleks, who were responsible for Captain's Jack's first death, also return here. Torchwood
team members Ianto & Gwen appear as well.
Toshiko Sato is referenced.
Donna Noble appears; she used to work for a company fronted by Torchwood, and has been
inside some of their facilities ("The Runaway Bride").
Trinity Wells makes her 9th Whoniverse appearance. She later appears in "Children of Earth: Day Three".
14 The Next Doctor
The Cybermen (encountered last by the Torchwood team in "Cyberwoman") return. The Battle
of Canary Wharf (in which Torchwood and Ianto in particular fought) is referenced, as is the
destruction of the Void by the Darkness - which was part of what brought Torchwood and the
Doctor into working together in the previous 2 installments.