Just to get these out of the way first thing, my biases related to Torchwood are:
 

1. I am a Jack/Ianto shipper.  Yes, completely and totally.  I make no apologies for it whatsoever, but that is not the only thing I like about the show.
2. I have some serious issues with Gwen’s character completely separate and apart from bias #1.  I think there is a HUGE disconnect between how TPTB intend Gwen’s character to come across and how she actually does come across to me.
3. Eve Myles is a terrific actress.  I think this is the ONLY reason I don’t completely despise the character (a la my feelings about Duncan Kane/Teddy Dunn).
4. I could really like Gwen if...  She stopped fucking with Rhys like he’s some old toy she’s tired of, but can’t replace because the one she really wants is too expensive for her to buy (because if that’s the case, why the fuck doesn’t she just go toy-less for a while and let Rhys be loved by someone else, as he deserves); her relationship with Jack was shown to be one of friendship and respect, but not romantic (something we don’t get a lot of between male/female characters and it would be a nice change – kind of like Gil and Catherine in CSI, though I know there are G/C shippers and I think that’s totally cool, but the show doesn’t really go there aside from some ambiguous subtext once in awhile); she stopped acting like a know-it-all bitch when she, in fact, doesn’t know anything more than anyone else (unlike Tosh who acts like a know-it-all when she actually DOES know-it-all about whatever particular subject she’s know-it-all-ing about). 
5. Goofy storylines or not, I love this show and I am about as engaged and obsessed with it as I was with Veronica Mars in season 1 and with Supernatural before Dawn O. interfered and Kripke went demon-happy.

Okay so now, the episode… I loved the Blowfish in the Purple Suit.  Just.  Loved.  I loved how he grunted and waved the old lady across the street, I loved his haughty attitude, I loved his exposition spewage to get newbies up to speed, and did I mention?  I LOVED THE SUIT!!! 

Loved Jack’s entrance.  His cocky (but still tinged with a hint of uncertainty) “Did you miss me?” was terrific and cheesy and terrifically cheesy. 

As for whom exactly he came back for?  I do think he came back for all of them.  He said that at the end of his Dr. Who stint, and he said that here a couple of times.  But… I do believe he had been thinking about Ianto specifically in addition to everyone else (as he said later in the office scene), and I do think that pause was meant as a special call out to Ianto before he included everyone else, despite the fact that he used the same line again later on Gwen. 

James Marsters rocked Captain John so hard, and I have no problem at all believing that John and Jack had a Relationship way back when, and that they were partners in every sense of the word, both actors sold it completely.  I also found the glimpse of PastJack, through the mirror of Captain John, to be really enlightening and I thought that was a fantastic way to show us (rather than tell us) what Jack was like before he met the Doctor.  And I think it was clear from their interactions now that even then, there was always a critical difference between their respective ‘moral’ codes. 

Gwen and Jack… **bangs head on keyboard**.  Okay, much has been said about this scene already, though I admit I haven’t really read much of it because the subject just annoys me, but my feelings about it have evolved a bit from the first time I watched it to now (after several viewings of the ep). 

First time through, my reaction was very similar to a lot of other people’s in that I felt that Jack was genuinely coming on to her for no other reason than that he wanted to, backed off when he saw the ring, and then his asking Ianto on a date later was… I don’t know, something to soothe his bruised ego?  Yeah, not really what I was hoping to see.  But now, I have some different feelings about it after having some time to process, and after taking notice of more details in both of those scenes (and also exercising a bit of my fanwanking skills), plus I really don’t think I’ll be able to really process this scene fully until I get some additional context about their (all the relevant ‘their’s’) relationship in future eps. 

Before I get to Jack though, I’ll tackle Gwen because I think this is a good example of why I dislike her character SO MUCH.  “No one else will have me”???? WTF???  If that’s the way she feels then WHY DID SHE AGREE TO MARRY RHYS?????  Seriously!!  How fair is that to HIM??? Could she BE any more of a tool????  I just… GAH!!!  **steam coming out of ears**  Anyway, whatever.  Gwen’s an ass and I don’t fucking care if she has a schoolgirl crush on Jack, but chooses to use Rhys as emotional support while not giving Rhys any in return.  Just… What.  Ever. 

But Jack’s actions I found interesting.  And let me start by saying I do absolutely believe that Jack is physically attracted to Gwen (in much the same way he is to Ianto.  To me, that’s canon.  I may not like it because I don’t like Gwen, but I think that is a given) and that to me, the flirting was indeed genuine, but that wasn’t all there was to it… or to his using the ‘I came back for you’ line on her too. I also think he would shag her in a heartbeat, but her relationship with Rhys (and to a lesser extent, Owen) in S1 stopped him and he does truly believe that she should hold on to what she has because he, at least, is capable of seeing the value of it and knows that Gwen’s LUCKY to have Rhys in her life (IF she actually cared about him), even if Gwen herself has no fucking clue. 

So Jack… one thing I really do hope we get to see this series is some exploration of how Jack really views relationships.  I feel like I don’t really have a handle on that yet.  We’ve seen some examples – Rose/Nine, Ten, Estelle, John… Gwen and Ianto… and it seems like once he gives his heart he gives it completely, and while I do believe he loved both Rose and Nine at the same time, they were basically a unit themselves emotionally (even if just a platonic one) and so that was pretty easy to fathom.  But this thing with Gwen and Ianto… I’m just not sure exactly what shape it’s taking yet, or just how they plan to portray Jack’s 51^st century relationship code of conduct.

He said he and Estelle were inseparable which to me implied (though yeah, obviously not stated) emotional monogamy at least, if not physical monogamy.  And the same seemed to be implied with John.  So what does that mean for this scene, and for the one later with Ianto… ?    This is my take on it right now, but I reserve the right to, erm… evolve it further if the whim (or someone else’s idea that I like better) comes along. 

Gwen was asking uncomfortable questions, things he really didn’t want to talk about or reveal – even to her – just yet.  But being Gwen, she kept pressing.  So what does Jack do?  He flirts.  He flirts to distract and manipulate and also, yes, because he enjoys it.  And I think he would have totally given her a go if she had been agreeable and yeah, not just to distract her from asking pointed questions either. 

But then he found the ring and he backed off immediately.  But the question is why if monogamy doesn’t have any meaning for him (which I don’t think is true at all).  And he was surprised (disappointed?) as well.  Partly I think because he knew of her fling with Owen and I think he was a little taken aback that she and Rhys hadn’t self-destructed while he was gone.  But looking at his body language, he closed up immediately even more so than when she was asking questions.  So again, why?  I really just don’t know, but this scene really doesn’t bother me as much now because I do believe the flirting was as much because he just wanted her to stop asking questions as it was to actually flirt and possibly get something going with her outside of work. 

And I really don’t have any problem with the idea that he would interact with both Gwen and Ianto in a romantic/sexual way at this point, because I think he does see both of them as people he cares about and would just really like to shag with no emotional strings attached.  And if he could have both of them together at the same time, I think Jack would think he’d died and gone to heaven.  ;-D

Now the Office Scene… **GLEE**  Sooooo adorable.  Both of them, just so freakin’ adorable.  Much has already been stated about the subtext in that scene and I’ve seen a few posts detailing the possible conversations going on underneath the words that were actually spoken and I just love all of them.  I also thought that was a really nifty bit of acting on both actors’ parts and I loved how this sets up their future interaction. 

I really do think Jack had been thinking about Ianto, and maybe even fantasizing a bit about the possibility of developing a real relationship with him, while he was ‘gone’, but I also think he is unsure and maybe even a little scared - both about how Ianto will react to him now and also if it really is a good idea for either of them.  But I think he really does want to try and put himself out there and be vulnerable in a way that he wasn’t willing to do before he left.  I think he’s well aware that it may yet blow up in his face, but he’s decided not to pass up the opportunity to find out either way andI think that’s true bravery.

And Ianto… **hugs him** He has such a crush on Jack that just his proximity is enough to fluster Ianto’s usually unflappable self to the point where he’s looking for a canister inside a file folder.  But he still held it together and made his point – he’s not willing to accept just a casual fuck in the conference room anymore.  That was fine before, but not anymore.  But I also loved that he was being honest about how he felt and as much as he was trying not to be a pushover for Jack, as well as not have any expectations for anything beyond what was being offered, he also wasn’t trying to hide the fact that he still very definitely feels an attraction to Jack. 

So some other tidbits… I loved Owen.  Just loved him.  I had kind of a hate/like/annoyed relationship with him in S1, but if he continues like this I think he and I are going to be much happier together this season.  LOVED the blowing on the gun after he shot out the car’s tires. 

I already adored Tosh so not much changed here.  I’m… curious to see where they will go with her and Owen.  I wasn’t totally put off by the implication of their scene in the warehouse, but I’ll have to wait and see how they play that.  I do find both Tosh and Owen’s relationships with other people interesting so… we’ll see. 

And the mystery… who is Gray/Grey?  Hmmm… something to ponder while I wait to see the follow up to Jack and Ianto’s date.  **GLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE**