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“THEY KEEP KILLING SUZIE: A GHOST FROM TORCHWOOD'S PAST”

Returning to the themes of life, death, and responsibility, They Keep Killing Suzie resurrects OG Torchwood member Suzie Costello for unfinished business. This episode leans into the show's ongoing exploration of moral consequences, forcing the team to confront the ramifications of their own actions—particularly regarding the Retcon amnesia pill and the Resurrection Gauntlet. While it doesn’t quite capitalise on its full dramatic potential, it remains a solid, introspective entry that reinforces Torchwood’s flawed humanity.

SUZIE RETURNS—BUT AT WHAT COST?

When a series of murders linked to Torchwood draws their attention, the team is forced to use the Resurrection Gauntlet to bring back Suzie Costello—despite her being long dead. It’s an intriguing premise, as Suzie’s resurrection is not just a one-off conversation but an extended revival, causing deep unease within the team. The episode cleverly plays on this discomfort, showing the awkwardness of someone returning to a group that has moved on without them.

Indira Varma delivers a fantastic performance as Suzie, balancing her shock at being revived with a deeply buried resentment towards Torchwood. Her presence stirs the pot, particularly for Gwen, who realises how little the team knew about Suzie’s personal life. This fuels Gwen’s sympathy for her, setting up a tense dynamic as Suzie’s true motives begin to surface.

A STRIPPED-BACK, CHARACTER-FOCUSED INVESTIGATION

Unlike some of Torchwood’s more outlandish outings, this is a more grounded episode, relying less on spectacle and more on character drama. The team dynamics return to a more balanced setup, with Jack leading the charge and Gwen taking the emotional approach, while Owen, Tosh, and Ianto offer support without standing out too much. Owen is notably less abrasive than usual, while Jack remains as guarded as ever, deflecting personal questions even in moments of crisis.

There’s something refreshing about seeing the team working through a mystery in a relatively traditional investigative manner. While the stakes are personal, the episode isn’t trying to be overly grandiose—it’s more about the lingering consequences of Torchwood’s actions and the moral weight they bear.

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES FOR STRONGER DRAMA

For a story about bringing back the dead, They Keep Killing Suzie surprisingly lacks a strong emotional gut punch. The final revelation—that Suzie has been slowly draining Gwen’s life to permanently resurrect herself—should be a harrowing, high-stakes moment, but it doesn’t land with as much weight as it could. Similarly, while there are hints of deeper tensions within the team, the episode never fully explores them, keeping most of the conflict at surface level.

Given the potential of its premise, this could have been an opportunity for bigger emotional confrontations, particularly between Jack and Suzie, or even more insight into Torchwood’s handling of their fallen members. Instead, it remains a solid but somewhat restrained story

📝VERDICT: 7/10

They Keep Killing Suzie is an intriguing, continuity-rich episode that builds on past events to tell a smaller, more introspective tale. While it doesn’t fully lean into its potential for high drama, it succeeds in reinforcing the moral ambiguity of Torchwood’s work and the weight of their decisions. Suzie’s return offers a compelling—if underdeveloped—look at a former team member left behind, while the episode as a whole highlights Torchwood’s ongoing struggle with the consequences of their own actions.

I LOVE DOOMED YURI

They Keep Killing Suzie doesn't take itself too seriously and that works in its favour I think. Very few things can pull off an episode whose central conceit is "woman drugged some guy so that when she died (killed herself) eventually the team would be forced to bring her back to life" but Torchwood managed it, more or less. I had fun at least

The first and last ten minutes of this one are great, but the rest is quite slow. There's some great character moments and brilliant pieces of dialogue, but it doesn't feel like much takes place in the narrative.

This is certainly a Torchwood episode I didn't hate. Though not exceptional, there is some fun to They Keep Killing Suzie and it, I think, plays up the fun a story like this can have. With a bit of a crime caper combined with what really is Torchwood's recurring villain, the appeal of this comes from Indira Varma and she definitely stands out as a performer enough to carry this episode, but Gwen is pretty great here too. It is a shame Suzie couldn't become a recurring threat like the show runners apparently wanted at one time until she was unavailable for series two. While I have a lot of issues with early era Torchwood, I think this is the version of the show that could have worked a lot better - a show that takes itself a little less seriously can get away with more goofy content like this and my thoughts around They Keep Killing Suzie are far more positive because of it.