In the episode, Central Intelligence Agency agents Rex Matheson (Mekhi Phifer) and Esther Drummond (Alexa Havins) have gone on the run and joined the Torchwood team after being framed as traitors.
The team follow leads and uncover a stockpile of painkillers at the pharmaceutical corporation PhiCorp, indicating they knew the Miracle was going to happen.
At a loose end, Jack (John Barrowman) takes the night off and picks up a man in a bar, and Rex seeks solace in his surgeon, Vera Juarez (Arlene Tur).
Released murderer Oswald Danes (Bill Pullman) struggles to fit into the real world, and after being assaulted by police officers accepts Kitzinger's earlier offer of representation.
[2] Barrowman later told Access Hollywood reporters that the gay sex scene the series would feature would be more explicit than previous shots of its kind in Torchwood, because Starz as a US premium cable network allowed the show to "push the envelope a little bit more".
Like Handlen, she remarked on the believability of the Rex/Vera pairing, saying "It made sense for later in the episode that Rex and Vera had hooked up (since it gave her stronger motivation to work with Torchwood), but in the moment, it seemed ludicrously convenient."
"[7] Assignment X gave the episode a positive review, stating "Although there’s certainly plenty here for new viewers to enjoy, there’s such a richness of character development for old fans to appreciate.
[9] Den of Geek gave the episode a positive review, praising Espenson's script for having "fun with the cultural differences" in the Torchwood team, and for the development of friction around Rex.