Torchwood review: Rhys and Ianto’s Excellent Barbecue is a great odd couple story

Rhys and Ianto’s Excellent Barbecue is a fun Torchwood story that features a rather brilliant odd couple. But, at the same time, it also explores some important themes, too.

Last month’s Torchwood audio saw two very different characters brought together in Rhys and Ianto’s Excellent Barbecue. The story begins with Rhys planning a massive night in with the lads…unfortunately, he hadn’t planned on someone from Gwen’s workplace being there. Someone that really doesn’t fit in with the boys. Someone that he definitely didn’t invite. But honestly, how bad could a night with Ianto Jones be? (It gets exactly as bad as you’d think. Seriously, just ask Tosh.)

As you can probably guess, Tim Foley’s story isn’t just about Ianto trying to help Rhys out at his barbecue. Being Torchwood, there’s also your classic highly dangerous sci-fi scenario, too. Rhys and Ianto have found themselves cut off from the rest of reality. Which, considering that Ianto has actually turned up in a suit at Rhys’s barbecue, is probably more bearable for them both than an awkward night-in with the lads.

Of course, we still get plenty of “odd couple” humor. Moments like Rhys reminding Ianto that he definitely did not invite him, or Ianto’s work-life badly clashing with the ordinary world that Rhys prefers to live in are great examples.

Rhys & Ianto’s Excellent Barbeque is definitely a fun Torchwood story. But it’s also one that explores some very important themes, too. Image courtesy Big Finish Productions

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Mixing humor with drama

But, while Rhys and Ianto’s Excellent Barbecue features your classic combination of sci-fi and humor that made Torchwood so great, you’ve also got one more essential ingredient in this story: drama. And, while the story starts off light enough, there is a lot of character exploration and heart-breaking drama in this episode.

Even in a story with a premise as deceptively light-hearted as Ianto attending Rhys’s barbecue, Tim Foley doesn’t shy away from giving us several tragic moments. Especially when you find out what the barbecue’s actually for.

There’s a nice little reveal that allows this story to explore the idea of mental health and toxic masculinity, without becoming too preachy about it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s hugely important to the story, but it’s also handled in exactly the right way. And honestly, that mix of drama and commentary in a story about weird sci-fi stuff and humor is exactly what you want from a Torchwood episode.

With its extremely unusual pairing, great humor, and strong character exploration, Rhys and Ianto’s Excellent Barbecue is another easy winner in Big Finish’s monthly range of Torchwood audios.

Do you think we should have had an episode with Ianto and Rhys stuck together on television? What “odd couple” do you think would’ve been worth exploring in the series? Let us know in the comments below.