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“BEST FRIENDS – JACK AND THE BOY WHO KNEW TOO MUCH”

Best Friends is a rare treat—a solo adventure for Captain Jack Harkness, stepping into the spotlight without the Doctor or Torchwood for company. Set in the late 1800s, the story sees Jack tracking down a mysterious boy who’s become a sideshow act, able to answer any question correctly. The twist? An alien entity has attached itself to the child and is feasting on his thoughts.

There’s a rich, eerie atmosphere here, with the dusty showgrounds and gaslit stages evoking a world of exploitation and hidden horrors. It’s a setting that suits Jack perfectly—a little seedy, a little mysterious, and full of moral grey areas. But Jack, ever the rogue with a heart, brings his trademark mix of charm and conviction to the tale.

ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTION

The moment that cements this story is Jack’s standoff with the boy. While the audience are stunned by the boy’s all-knowing answers, Jack finally asks the one question the creature can’t answer: How will I die? It’s a powerful beat—only Jack, who has lived (and died) more than most, would think to ask such a personal and paradoxical question. It also underlines the tragedy of his condition: he can’t die, and thus no answer can exist.

A HERO'S INSTINCT, A RATHER EASY SOLUTION

Jack’s rescue mission is admirable. He sees the boy as a victim, both of the exploitative man who parades him around for money and of the alien feeding off his mind. He does what Jack does best—swoop in, do the right thing, and flash a grin while doing it. That said, the actual solution—turning a dial on his vortex manipulator—feels disappointingly easy. For a story built on emotional weight and moral dilemmas, the climax resolves itself with a touch too much simplicity.

A BITTERSWEET FAREWELL... OR IS IT?

Where the story really lingers, though, is in the coda. Years later, Jack visits the boy again—now an old man on his deathbed. It’s a hauntingly sad moment, as Jack reflects on his curse: he never dies, but everyone else does. The man's final words to his nurse are quietly chilling—he’s been talking to his "best friend," suggesting that the alien entity may never have left him after all.

This final twist is subtle but sinister, casting doubt over everything Jack did and giving the story a lingering sense of melancholy and dread. It’s a ghost story after all—just not the kind you expect.

📝THE BOTTOM LINE: 8/10

BEST FRIENDS is a quiet, haunting little character piece that uses Jack Harkness to full effect. The Victorian setting, the sinister premise of a mind-feeding alien, and Jack’s moral dilemma all make for a compelling listen. Jack’s heroism is front and centre, but so is his loneliness—and the final scene adds a wonderfully ambiguous, creepy sting. While the resolution is a little too easy and tidy, the emotional beats and character work more than make up for it. A thoughtful, melancholy solo outing for Jack that’s as much about what we carry with us as who.

Another fun little character short. I like that this is clearly mid-torchwood Jack, but they don't mention that explicitly because it's a kid's story. Another magic show where they tell you how it's done, less clever here than Disappearing Act, but I think the rest of the story makes up for that.

It following a kid with these powers who's clearly not had a great life and then Jack comes and rescues him, then seeing that he's had a nice long life in the end while reinforcing Jack's Immortality (but without killing him because again, kid's book), I just think it's done well for what it is.