Meat (TV story)

Meat was the fourth episode in the second series of Torchwood. It saw Rhys Williams featured in a more prominent role and established his knowledge of aliens and Torchwood Three.

Synopsis
Gwen's fiancé, Rhys, discovers the truth about Torchwood and helps the team investigate a mysterious alien-meat supply. Will Rhys go too far? Can Torchwood save the alien from being used as cheap meat?

Plot
Rhys Williams is driving when he is phoned by one of his work colleges, informing him that one of their firm's lorries has crashed. Upon arriving at the crash site, he is informed that the driver died in the crash. Rhys gives one of the police office the driver's details and is informed that before he can move the lorry, Torchwood want to look at. When they arrive, Rhys spots Gwen.

The Torchwood team search the lorry to find meat in the back of it and decide to take a sample of it back to the Hub. They confiscate the rest of the meat. Gwen recognises the lorry as one from Rhys' firm. They head back to the Hub and Rhys tries to follow them, but is turned away from the accident by the police.

Back at the Hub, Owen notices that the symbol saying the meat is fir for human consumption is actually fake and Gwen tries to dismiss any thought of Rhys being involved with the meat. Toshiko rings Rhys' office for information, pretending to be the police. Rhys informs then that the meat comes from the company Harris and Harris. Moments later, Owen reveals that the meat is alien and the team realise it must have been in different food products for months. As the team discuss the location of Harris and Harris, Gwen receives a text from Rhys, asking her to come home.

When Gwen arrives at her flat, explains about the accident at work and about the meat in the back on the van in an attempt to try and see is she would break. When it fails, Gwen goes back to work.

Once Gwen leaves, Rhys decides to follow her. He sees Gwen with Jack near the invisible lift in Roald Dahl Plass. He continues to follow her to the factory where he is captured and taken inside. Jack and Gwen witness this mistakenly think that he is somehow involved.

Rhys is taken inside and is questioned about why he is at the warehouse. Rhys explains about Leighton and lies to them about the meat being taken away, claiming it had been incinerated. He asks to pick up from where Leighton left of. Rhys is shown that the have captured a living alien, which is the source of the meat. It grows even although they cut chunks of its living flesh.

Back at their flat, Rhys and Gwen argue over her being at the crash and the factory. Gwen admits to the nature of her work for Torchwood, however Rhys remains incredulous and asks her to prove it.

In the Hub, the team await Gwen and Rhys's arrival. Gwen takes Rhys to the invisible lift and as they go down, Rhys is amazed, but still passes of Myfanwy as being extinct. Rhys is introduced to Jack, Owen, Toshiko and Ianto and is informed about what Torchwood actually does. Rhys tells the team what he saw in the warehouse. Jack and Rhys argue about Rhys messing things up and about being able to get back in, and Rhys says he can them in because he became a delivery boy. Jack calls a team meeting.

Rhys shows them where everything is one the warehouse bluepints. Gwen is adamant that Rhys is not to get involved, but both Jack and Rhys are against the idea, as it is their only option. They plan to go in using stun guns, since they are not organised criminals. Jack gives Gwen the option to stand down from the mission, since Rhys's involvement might make her vulnerable. She declines. Jack then tells the team they will save the alien and send it back through the Rift.

After the makes a model of what he thinks the creature might look like. Toshiko brings him a sandwich and admires it beauty. Toshiko offers to keep Owen company while he works, but he gives her the work instead since he feel knackered. The pair spy on Gwen, and Toshiko musters up the courage to ask Owen out for a game of pool. Owen misreads the signs and thinks she means a Torchwood tournament.

Rhys and Jack go to get the van for they infiltration. One their way to get the rest of the team, Jack explains why Gwen was picked to be a member of the Torchwood team. Upon meeting up with the rest of the team, Jack and the other climb into the back of the van. They drive to the warehouse. Rhys tries to buy some time for the team to get out of the van, but soon realises they have already gone.

Ianto and Owen enter one of the rooms, which is filled with meat. As they spilt up, Jack, Gwen and Toshiko enter the room where the alien is being held. After taking out some of the workers, they discover they are armed, however Rhys's cover is blown and Ianto is captured. They a brought into the main room, where they learn that alien is dubbed, the 'Cash Cow'. Gwen reveals herself in order to save Rhys and soon Jack and Toshiko are spotted. Jack tells Dale and the others that they actually have an alien, which stuns them. Rhys is shot and Ianto manages to untie his hand and grab Dale's gun hand, causing him to fire at the Cash Cow and the ropes tying it down.

As the ropes continue to break and the Cash Cow moves all over the place, Ianto goes after Dale and the others. Storming through the room, Ianto stuns Dale and the other worker. Owen is informed that the sedative won't work, leaving him with the only option but to euthanise it. Owen bandages Rhys's wound as the Cash Cow dies.

Back at the Hub, Owen patches up Rhys' wound and Jack says they gave the worker amnesia pills, so they would forget what they did they past months. Jack tells Gwen to give Rhys a pill too and she asks if she can give it to him. Upon exiting the Hub, Rhys has a changed view of the world. Gwen cannot bring herself to give Rhys the pill. Jack relents, unwilling to fire Gwen and lose her from the team.

Cast

 * Captain Jack Harkness — John Barrowman
 * Gwen Cooper — Eve Myles
 * Owen Harper — Burn Gorman
 * Toshiko Sato — Naoko Mori
 * Ianto Jones — Gareth David-Lloyd
 * Rhys Williams - Kai Owen
 * Policeman - Colin Baxter
 * Ruth - Patti Clare
 * Vic - Garry Lake
 * Greg - Gereld Carey
 * Dave - Andy Watts
 * Dale - Matt Ryan

Story notes

 * The episode aired for the first time in Canada at the same time as a tainted meat outbreak in that country was causing mass recalls and deaths.
 * The theme of humans exploiting alien life forms would be touched on again only two episodes later in Reset, as well as in the Doctor Who episodes Planet of the Ood and The Beast Below.
 * Ianto reacts to the exploitation of the defenceless alien and his endangered teammates, attacking the meat-traffickers, slamming one with a door and stun-gunning another as he says "Pray they survive".
 * This is another episode where Jack and Ianto's relationship is indicated. When Tosh tells Owen to go out with someone he works with, Ianto and Jack share a look that implies that's what they are doing. Also prior to this, Jack is seen staring at Ianto intently.
 * The Harwood's jingle makes its debut. It is also heard in an impromptu performance by Kai Owen and John Barrowman in the Series 2 gag reel, and again in TWA: Ghost Train.

Ratings

 * Unofficial Overnight - 2.9 million viewers

Myths
to be added

Filming locations
to be added

Production errors

 * Although Rhys is wearing handcuffs when shot in the shoulder, he still manages to flail his arms around.
 * When Owen and Ianto are at the slaughter house Ianto talks to Jack over the com, he presses it, and it beeps but the com unit isn't there.

Continuity
to be added

DVD releases

 * This story was released with the rest of the Torchwood Series 2 in a complete series box set in 2008.