Doctor Who (Tuesday noon-4 p.m., Sci Fi) introduced the character back in 2005, during the first season that ace writer Russell T. Davies reimagined the 1960s family fantasy fave by employing the adult wit of actor Christopher Eccleston (otherwise known on these shores as Claude, the invisible Heroes villain; or is he?).

Captain Jack arrived in a multi-episode arc to tantalize the Doctor's human companion, Rose (Billie Piper, otherwise known on these shores for Showtime's The Secret Diary of a Call Girl or PBS' Masterpiece outing Mansfield Park) -- and to exhibit the hots for the Doctor himself. Also to try to help save the galaxy, of course, again, one more time.

But the thrill of Torchwood really comes in Barrowman's steamy, sassy, sorrowful performance as the undying 51st century loner who wishes he could just find the right girl, or guy, or other sentient being, to help him recover from all that weekly alien-battling action.

His beginnings are a bit less noble, as revealed in Tuesday's four Doctor Who repeats, which take place during World War II's Nazi bombings of Britain, then fast-forward to yet another futuristic adventure with the dastardly robot Daleks. It's juicy, breezy fun -- yet carries more bite than you'd expect. Davies' work is delicious that way.