When a serial killer begins writing the word “Torchwood” in his victims' blood, Jack reluctantly agrees to let Gwen use the resurrection glove which had been the undoing of Suzie Costello. Soon, the words of the dead lead Torchwood to believe that the slayings are connected to Suzie herself. Jack is faced with the grim prospect of allowing the glove to be used one more time -- to revive his former friend and betrayer.

Executive producer Russell T Davies had always intended to leave the door open for Indira Varma to return to Torchwood and reprise the role of Suzie Costello, which she had originated in the series premiere, Everything Changes. The vehicle for Varma's second appearance on the programme was They Keep Killing Suzie -- initially referred to in press items as simply “They Keep Killing” in order to preserve the dual surprises of Suzie's death at the end of Everything Changes and her resurrection in this episode.

They Keep Killing Suzie was scripted by the neophyte writing team of Paul Tomalin and Daniel McCulloch. Tomalin and McCulloch were recommended to Davies by Shameless creator Paul Abbott (who had briefly been one of the scheduled contributors to the first season of the new Doctor Who series). Originally, They Keep Killing Suzie was intended to be an “overcommission” episode -- meaning that it would be used only in case of emergency, and otherwise would be held back until a hypothetical second season or abandoned altogether -- but Tomalin and McCulloch so impressed Davies that he decided to send it into production. The reference to the existence of a second resurrection glove, however, was Davies' own addition to the script.

The director of They Keep Killing Suzie was James Strong. It was made as part of the same recording block -- the third of the Torchwood season -- as Cyberwoman. They Keep Killing Suzie had to be quickly inserted into the production order in order to ensure Varma's availability, as the actress was shortly due to leave for the United States where she had accepted a starring role on the medical drama 3 lbs.

• Forthcoming.