The Categories of Life ( TV story ) The Categories of Life was the fifth episode of . It saw the creation of the Categories of Life to work around the loss of death . However , a dark truth awaited Torchwood when they learned the true fate prepared for those who were billed Category 1 . The episode also saw the introduction of Colin Maloney , who would quickly turn venomous toward Vera Juarez as she backed him into a corner , eventually growing so paranoid about incarceration that he would instigate her tragic demise . Elsewhere , Gwen Cooper would attempt to liberate her father Geraint from the overflow camp in Wales after being removed from the hospital , only to compound his condition and set off another heart attack . PhiCorp would also rise to the forefront using Oswald Danes as their mouthpiece before a massive audience , with Jack Harkness desperate to derail their plans . Lastly , Jilly Kitzinger would encounter the a member of the shadow organisation that took down Ellis Hartley Monroe , which was watching with approval . Synopsis . " to be added " Plot . In City Hall , Washington D . C . , Vera Juarez is told the medical panels are over and a report was submitted by the Health and Human Services Secretary directly to Congress . The categories of life have been unanimously approved for enactment . There are three categories for the living , since no one dies . Horrified at what the legislation may mandate , Vera calls Rex Matheson to join the covert investigation Torchwood and he are making . Gwen Cooper returns to the United Kingdom under her alias of Yvonne Pallister . She finds her father has been taken to an overflow camp . Rhys Williams meets her , disguised as her driver . Her mother has prepared for Gwen ' s arrival and found her father at the Cowbridge Camp , a formerly derelict army barracks closed down in 1996 — now an overflow camp for patients in South Wales . The next day Gwen travels with Andy Davidson to Cowbridge . Andy remarks that though the system is " bloody chaos , at least it works " , relieving the pressure on geriatrics and other hospital departments . Gwen asks , " Who ' s paying for all this ? PhiCorp . You got health care being run by private business and believe me , that ' s just the start of your problems . " Gwen heads to admin , demanding the release of her father . A military officer suggests she fill in a claims form . Andy supports her by fabricating a story about her father being removed under police authority . Told the camp is not under the Welsh police , she is handed a package titled " Overflow Camp Health Care Provider Framework " . Gwen turns this over to see PhiCorp ' s logo . Under threat of arrest , Gwen , Andy , and Rhys leave Cowbridge . Gwen , infuriated at the red tape stopping her after everything she ' s done with Torchwood Three , tells Rhys , " We ' re gonna break in here , we ' re gonna find my father and we ' re gonna get him out — tonight . " In Venice Beach , California , Esther Drummond confides in Jack Harkness about her insecurities at being " useless " to the team . She mentions the death of her mom in 2003 and asks Jack about his mom . He replies vaguely . As Esther asks Jack where he ' s from , they receive text messages from Rex . They meet Rex and are introduced to Vera . Vera mentions she was lucky to catch a flight because most of them were full . There ' s a Miracle Rally later that night . Back at the makeshift Torchwood " hub " , Vera tells off Rex and explains she flew across the country to support her patients who are now being held against their will in the overflow camps . They smile and kiss . Reconvening with Jack and Esther , Vera asks , " Am I Torchwood now ? " . Jack replies , " Welcome aboard " . The group , including Gwen via video conference , clarify how the categories of life work . " Category one " is anyone without brain function or who would have ordinarily died ; " category three " is people with no injuries ; " category two " is everyone in between — people alive and functioning with an illness / injury that will persist , but won ' t die . Rex notes the categories are arbitrary — he himself was a category " one " , but has become a " two " . They discuss who is behind PhiCorp . Rex thinks there is more going on behind the pharmaceutical company . Esther points out the consistent presence of modules at every overflow camp based on building specs she collected from Jilly Kitzinger ' s desktop . These modules are buildings seen in all the camp plans , but they are sealed off and hidden from view — only revealed in undoctored satellite photographs . Esther lets Gwen know that these modules also exist overseas in the overflow camp in Wales . Gwen and Vera wonder if these modules are for vivisection . Esther thinks this would explain the rush to strip category ones of their rights . Jack and the team agree they need to infiltrate the camps and find out . Gwen will go on a night shift at Cowbridge as " Nurse Pallister " . Esther will join the clerical staff and do paperwork on the module at San Pedro . Vera will join Esther at San Pedro as a medical inspector . Rex argues he will get to the heart of the module due to his sustained injury from a pole running through his chest , which allows him to be taken to San Pedro posing as a patient . Jack ( a fragile mortal man according to Esther ) is left behind . Jack decides to go to the Miracle Rally in Los Angeles . Nurse Pallister and Rhys enter Cowbridge . Gwen finds her father , Geraint . She explains it ' s not safe for him to stay . He needs to get out as quickly as possible . Just as they reach Rhys ' truck , he collapses from what appears to be another heart attack . Gwen calls for help . She is horrified to find out that he is now being labelled a category one because he went unconscious . In San Pedro , Esther recategorises Rex as a category one in the computer system . She gives Rex a video camera to record footage of what he sees while he is moved to the module where category one patients are kept . Vera is taken to camp supervisor Colin Maloney . Vera insists she be taken to the module . Maloney decides to bring her to see patients first . At first , Vera is impressed by category twos being seen every hour . Rex is taken to the module . Inside , he gets up in the dark . Patients sit on racks like objects . Rex feels the walls and thinks they may be ceramic . He finds it strange , cold , and similar to a refrigeration unit . He steps outside . Vera gets off Maloney ' s golf cart tour to check out a building . Maloney tries to stop her . She sees patients without insurance left unattended , in filth , some labelled category one when they are still perfectly conscious . Vera , in a rage , says the system will never work because of men like Maloney who see healthcare as a business and she will prosecute him . The situation escalates and in a panic Maloney disarms a military officer and shoots Vera twice . Maloney drives Vera to the module and puts her in one of the cold units where Rex was previously dropped off . At the same time Rex notices that the module is small — only three units . There is no way all category one patients could be accommodated . As Vera begins crying over her injuries , left in the dark , Maloney is shown switching " on " the module she is in — releasing gas and flames inside . He trembles and sobs with remorse . In Cowbridge , Rhys finishes his undercover " job " driving " burn victims " to the module . It registers with Gwen that the module houses ovens to burn category ones . She sees smoke piping up from one of the units . In San Pedro , Rex catches sight of Vera inside one of the modules as the interior is engulfed by flames and he desperately shouts her name , trying to open the door . Rex cries as he films the fire , while Esther ' s call to Vera fails as her phone is destroyed in the oven . Gwen notices the modules in the Wales camp with terror , now aware that the black smoke billowing out of its smokestacks is being cast off from the murdered . And Oswald Danes is being hailed with rapturous cheers . Story notes . Filming locations . " to be added " Home video releases . This episode was released worldwide in a box set containing all ten episodes of " Torchwood : Miracle Day " . In the United Kingdom , it was released on Region 2 DVD and Region Free Blu - ray on 14 November 2011 . In Australia , it was released in Region 4 DVD and Region B Blu - Ray on 1 December 2011 . In New Zealand , the same sets were released on 7 December 2011 . In North America , it was released on Region 1 DVD and Region Free Blu - Ray on 3 April 2012 .