AirLockAlpha.com

The following contains MAJOR SPOILERS for "From Out Of The Rain," the tenth episode of the second season of BBC?s "Torchwood."

"Ladies and gentlemen, have we got a show for you," the opening shots claim boldly. And once the bodies come pouring in, the episode does begin to deliver another good old-fashioned ghost story.

?From Out Of The Rain? has the same sinister presence of the first season's ?Small Worlds,? taking a fun and innocent concept from the life of a child and then totally transforming and disfiguring it into something else entirely. Something that will send chills down your spine and pull the covers over your head.

These are the kind of episodes ?Torchwood? thrives on. The alien antics and time-rifts are always fun and have made the series what it is, but it is these kind of stories that leave you with goose bumps that are among the most memorable. And after this episode in particular, you?ll never look at the circus in the same way again.

There?s one thing you can say about ?Torchwood:? It knows how to give a good scare.

What Worked

The Ghost Maker (Julian Bleach) was just plain creepy and one of the most fantastically conceived baddies ?Torchwood? has yet to offer. With his pale, almost undead complexion and sinister moustache and demeanor, he carries a sense of dead and fear. And that?s before the soul is sucked from his first victim -- once he starts tracking down his audience it only gets darker and more chilling. His accomplice, Pearl (Camilla Power), also carries with her the same malevolent aura, particularly when she wants to drink the tears of the second victim.

There was also some fantastic discussions on Jack?s (John Barrowman) place in life and his eyes older than his face. Coming from a deranged old age pensioner, those comments would normally be quickly cast aside but when they are directed to a time agent who has fallen through time and can?t die they do tend to carry a larger significance. Hints of Jack?s enigmatic life are continuing to push the series arc along nicely, but sooner or later some answers need to be provided.

Ianto (Gareth David-Lloyd) grabbing the bottle and bolting was a tad amusing, which is probably why the scenes to follow were so gripping: The Night Travelers being exposed to sunlight, the saving of only one soul and promises of more adventures from the troupe bring the episode to a dramatic conclusion.

And of course, Ben Foster?s score carried the entire episode along wonderfully with touches of childhood innocence, fairground jukeboxes and the heavier presence of unnatural spirits.

What Didn?t Work

Jack?s prior adventures with the traveling circus were completely underplayed -- what was his purpose in the traveling act? It certainly wasn?t for the time agency as the man that can?t die would come long after his exploits as one of their agents had ended. More back-story would not have been totally out of place.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

"Torchwood" stars John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Burn Gorman, Gareth David-Lloyd and Naoko Mori and airs Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. GMT on BBC 2 with next episode showings on BBC 3, and then on at Saturday nights at 9 p.m. ET on BBC America. "From Out Of The Rain" was written by P.J. Hammond and was directed by Jonathon Fox Bassett.

Alan Stanley Blair is the assistant news editor for Airlock Alpha and its sister site Rabid Doll. Contributing from his home country of Scotland, he is currently studying for a diploma in freelance journalism and can be reached at anytime at ablair@airlockalpha.com.