Torchwood review: Dinner and a Show is a fun story for Ianto and Toshiko

Toshiko and Ianto have a nice non-romantic night out at the opera. Of course, being Torchwood, they also have to deal with plenty of aliens, too…

There are many Torchwood stories out there – both on-screen and on audio – that explore the dark sides of our favorite characters. That put them through hell. That makes not just them but the audience suffer, as they face the worst of humanity and explore uncomfortable sides of their own nature.

Refreshingly, Dinner and a Show isn’t like that.

Featuring Ianto and Toshiko on a very non-romantic Valentine’s Night at the opera, this month’s Torchwood audio is definitely one of the lighter stories of the series. Writer and actor Gareth David-Lloyd said he wrote this specifically with this aim in mind, as stories featuring Tosh have often put the character through hell.

It has to be said that he has a point – while both brilliant, both The Vigil and Instant Karma are prime examples of Tosh having to deal with some truly awful people. So it’s actually nice that – while Dinner and a Show features plenty of Torchwood‘s trademark violence and monsters – she is given a lighter story for once.

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Toshiko and Ianto

It’s also nice to see her paired with Ianto, too. Gareth David-Lloyd’s stories have often focused on Ianto and another key character, which is usually one that he’s not often paired with. What David-Lloyd is extremely good at is how much he gives to his other major cast member. His Torchwood stories aren’t just about how awesome Ianto is, but they also carefully explore the other characters, too. We learn plenty about Tosh and Ianto in this episode, not just about their past but also about where they are right now.

Which brings me to when Dinner and a Show takes place. Gareth David-Lloyd has firmly set this story in a crucial gap in the TV series, and he explores it very well. The regulars are having to compensate for the absence of a key member, and how they’re coping gets explored during this audio’s quieter moments. It slots into the gap very nicely as a result.

But it’s not just character exploration that David-Lloyd focuses on. Another trademark of his stories is humor, and Dinner and a Show has it in spades. The fact that it begins with Toshiko being very drunk lets you know exactly what to expect with this one.

Dinner and a Show is a fun and enjoyable story in the Torchwood range. After having stories as dark as Iceberg or Tropical Beach Sounds and Other Relaxing Seascapes #4 (seriously, that one’s a lot more disturbing than the title suggests), it’s nice to hear something a little funnier and lighter for our characters. At the same time, Gareth David-Lloyd (unsurprisingly) handles his characters well and gives them the exploration that they deserve. Another decent Torchwood story.

Do you think Ianto and Toshiko should have been paired more often together on television? Do you enjoy the lighter episodes, or do you prefer it when Torchwood goes into extremely dark and disturbing territory? Let us know in the comments below.