Dead man's hand in popular culture a game of poker by dealing aces and eights to Sam's love interest. It is referred to as a "dead man's hand" by Al. In an episode of "The Untouchables" syndicated TV series (1993-1994), members of an Irish gang are playing poker when they are gunned down by members of an Italian mob. A short time later, other members of the Irish gang come to investigate the scene of the demise of their unfortunate colleagues. At one point, the leader of the investigating team examines the poker hand held by one of the deceased and comments matter-of-factly, "Aces and eights".
Dead Man Walking (Torchwood) on the other hand, praised the episode as "full of thrills and witty writing that is underpinned by a sublime, multi-layered performance from Burn Gorman." Dead Man Walking (Torchwood) "Dead Man Walking" is the seventh episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood. It was broadcast by BBC Three and BBC HD on 20 February 2008; it made its terrestrial debut on BBC Two on 27 February. In the episode, Death uses the recently undead alien hunter Owen Harper (Burn Gorman) as a bridgehead to come through to Earth. Death seeks to take thirteen lives to