Aliens Among Us: Superiority Complex

"An alien hotel? That's one hell of a story."

Writer: AK Benedict
Format: Audio
Released: 10th August 2017
Series: Torchwood 5.04

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Tyler, Mr Colchester

Synopsis

Poverty and homelessness are on the rise in Cardiff. The streets are full of the desperate and the dispossessed. So, of course, it's the right time to open a 7-star luxury, all-inclusive hotel. And, naturally, the hotel is for aliens only.

As the humans stand outside the gates and look hungrily in, there's one thing that makes them smile. Someone is murdering the guests.

Verdict

Superiority Complex concluded the first third of Aliens Among Us in a very solid way with another good episode to continue along this fantastic fifth series of Torchwood. The transition of the series officially continuing on audio rather than television has been fully complete now and I am more than used to listening to Torchwood now rather than watching it. I think I definitely would prefer to be watching it with any audios that we get being a bonus but having the story continued on audio is better than nothing at all and with this first boxset, things are only just getting started. This episode still had the feel of things just testing the waters and I think the more the series rolls on, the more impact will be felt and the episodes will have more of a bigger feel. I'm all for things being set up for the future though and this did that in a good way whilst telling a very intriguing adventure. I thought the idea of an intelligent hotel that was for Sorvix only was very interesting and I liked how humanity was protesting something that they could not have or were not allowed entry into. That's so typical of the modern human. That reminds me that I should say how impressed I have been with this series of Torchwood so far in how it has captured the feel of the modern world. It's been unlike anything else in the Doctor Who universe and I really have enjoyed that aspect of the series so far and I just expect it to continue with the theme of aliens living amongst humanity in Cardiff. The fact there was already a Humans Against Sorvix protest group was humorous but if these events did actually occur in the real world then I would expect nothing less. The hotel being exclusive for Sorvix was good and I thought it was good that their attitudes towards human life were dismissive. They did not care for them and the overall aim seems to be eradicating them. But it is a patient process which makes me think that Ro-Jedda has more planned that we don't yet know about. Gwen, or rather the imposter replacing her, started to show cracks in hiding the truth about her but the brief moments we heard Eve Myles and the real Gwen were terrific and I liked how she was saying that her life was not all well and good as a part of Torchwood. That was evident in this story as human and Sorvix life really was put to the test in the intelligent hotel. The hotel though was more than just intelligent, it was sentient. The way we discovered that through Orr developing an elevator as part of something's sexual desire was a little silly I felt but it didn't really hurt things so there was no real issue there. Tyler had a really interesting episode and whilst being a regular character it's clear that he's still quite separate from the Torchwood team. His position as secretary to the Mayor of Cardiff and apparent sacrifice of him to Ro-Jedda was a big shock and a great way to keep things interesting in the wait before the next volume. Mr Colchester was excellent once again and his reaction to Jack resurrecting was great even if he has seen it many times before. Jack dying to resolve the issues raised by the intelligent hotel was admirable. The title of the audio was definitely apt as there certainly was a feeling of a superiority complex and I look forward to the battle for supremacy between humanity and the Sorvix in Cardiff playing out. Overall though, a good episode to continue things along and set things up for the next volume!

Rating: 8/10