torchwood

[acchikocchi]

So Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon played This Is A Low at the NME awards tonight/last night. Be still my heart.

--

This was supposed to be that general media post, but, uh, turns out I have enough to say about Torchwood to merit its own post! ._. Spoilers for... let's just say all of season 2, to be on the safe side. Oh, and a bit for Doctor Who 4x02. Having read only a moderate amount of reaction/meta/speculation thus far, if you are a longstanding fan this is probably all old meme to you. Just to warn you. :)



"Sleeper" and "Meat": Hello Ianto Jones where have you been all my life. *_* I was more or less prejudiced to like him thanks to the wide world of fandom but I finally see him come into his own here. :D The snark! The kicking ass and taking names! The waistcoats! *_* the making out with jack yeah yeah shut up. Since everyone else talks about Ianto and his many, many charms at great length (completely understandably), I don't really need to elaborate. Instead...

"Reset": ...speaking of people with the surname Jones, MARTHA. MARTHA JONES. ♥♥♥ Martha SAVED THE WORLD and is not going to listen to Jack tell her where and where not to go just because he's a little overprotective, thank you very much. Augh, she's so hardcore Martha iluuuuuuuu.

Eventually I'll talk about Who S3 and about how much I loved the Doctor-Martha-Jack team overall, which of course made me squeal like a dolphin when I saw the preview for her appearance on Torchwood. But I loved the little references from Martha and Jack to the end of the universe and the year that never was. :) And "everyone else has had a go", ha. And Martha and Ianto's scene in the medical bay ahahahaha and the adorable expression on Martha's face. sjka;ds I want her to join Torchwood, please. (Even though I know Freema Agyeman has another show. With Jamie Bamber, actually! /tangent)

"Dead Man Walking" and "A Day In The Death": I have lots of Owen thoughts -- overall I actually quite like him and always have, which I think puts me in the minority. (Occasional moments where I wanted to reach into the screen and slap him in "Greeks Bearing Gifts" notwithstanding, but I really disliked that episode for reasons touched on below.) But for now -- "I'm a bloody brilliant doctor" that's right, you are. The A-plot -- or is it the B-plot and Owen's inner struggle is the A-plot? I've never figured these things out -- of "Dead Man Walking" reeeally didn't do much for me but Owen the consummate doctor focused on saving leukemia-child's life even when he's about to go literally grapple with Death (like I said, A plot, wtf), and in "A Day In The Death" at the old collector's bedside trying against hope to resuscitate him -- yes, please. Owen. ♥

"To The Last Man" and "Adam": I just really like Tosh, although I think she's criminally underdeveloped/underused -- or maybe I mean wrongly used? It would be great if she could have a plot to herself that didn't involved being love/sex and the alien-or-otherwise-oddly-placed-person of the week. (Or Owen. Much as I might be shipping them just a bit and yes I know exactly how this series ends and I'm NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.) Because honestly, Mary, Tommy, Adam... ^^; Her part in "Captain Jack Harkness" was close but it wasn't a major storyline at all -- I just liked that a. she was totally hardcore with the equations in blood and everything and b. the show actually touched on the implications of a Japanese girl popping into 1941. Of course I imagine it was set early 1941 to avoid having to deal with any kind of serious repercussions of Tosh's appearance, but, you know, better than the handwave it could have been. There's a lot of rather skeevy overtones in the series' treatment of Tosh -- geeky and social awkward Asian girl good at math and science! what is this word stereotype you speak of? NOW LET'S OBJECTIFY HER EVERY TIME SHE GETS A PLOTLINE OF HER OWN -- but, good lord, if you started on the skeevy overtones in Torchwood you'd never get out. XD (Though they are getting better.) I understand "Fragments" has good things, though, so I'm looking forward to that.

"Something Borrowed": Oh, man, I really thought it was so touching! And, you know, hilarious. XD I mean, it was all about the various relationships of all flavors -- Gwen and Rhys, Gwen and Jack, Jack and Ianto, Owen and Tosh, even Gwen and Tosh and Gwen and Ianto (Ianto the WEDDING FAIRY bwahaha and how sweet was their little kiss at the end? I love them as friends ♥) -- and not simply in service of the alien of the week plot, which is still rare enough on this show to be pleasing. *g*

I'd heard all kinds of less-than-positive things about the episode but I didn't think it was like that at all. There never seemed, to me, to be any serious question of who or what Gwen cared about, or even a feeling that the episode was trying to play Gwen-and-Rhys against Gwen-and-Jack -- more that it was trying to show how she cared very much about them both, and how the relationships were different but not competing. She came right out and said that even though this fascinating, mysterious, drop-dead gorgeous stranger dropped into her life out of nowhere, she still wants to marry Rhys. She is so obviously not just "settling" for him! (I could swear the word "settling" was explicitly brought up somewhere in the series but I can't find it anywhere... And omg, I loved Rhys in this episode. What a good guy. Rhys and his CHAINSAW hee hee.) And of course she's going to have a few moments of UST with the hot boss -- hello, it's Jack Harkness. If I had to guess I would say at the beginning of the series they were planning on having Gwen and Rhys' relationship fall apart and maybe moving in a seriously Jack/Gwen direction, hence Rhys being much less developed and sympathetic and the heavy Jack-and-Gwen moments like the shooting range scene, but as it is now I'm quite fond of Rhys and of Gwen and Rhys together (especially after not only this episode but also "Meat" and "Adam"), and I really appreciate how the show's dealt with her two important relationships. :D

And as for Jack, Stephen James Walker can say that he thinks Jack was pining for Gwen at the end of the episode until he's blue in the face and I still won't agree with him. XD Jack sitting alone in the Hub with his little handful of confetti and his old wedding photo completely highlighted that, omg -- I don't know how much clearer that scene could have said "I AM ALONE AND EVERYONE I LOVE WILL DIE EVENTUALLY AND NO ONE CAN EVER UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ME AND ALL THE THINGS I HAVE SEEN AND EXPERIENCED AND DID I MENTION I WILL ALWAYS EVENTUALLY BE ALONE" without him opening his mouth and speaking in all caps, for crying out loud. (Notice how I am not even going touch the "omg Jack doesn't really care about Ianto!!1!" thing, oh lord, or I will end up banging my head against the keyboard and seriously damaging something. XD)

Maybe I'm giving the show too much credit, but I hope not. This season is soooo much better. :D

Also I've really gotten to like Gwen. And mananeh disagrees but I think Eve Myles is super pretty. ♥

So that's as far as I've seen of S2, and whether or not I finish up in the next couple days or in the next couple weeks depends on the sort of free time my Torchwood-watching companion has before she leaves for vacation. (My Who-watching companion -- pun unintended *snort* -- is currently in a rural Alaskan village as part of her teacher training so I'm already going without for two weeks and considering downloading the next episode on the sly anyway...) But I'm not in a huge hurry: as I said, I know what's coming at the end of the season. It's not going to be pretty.

...so, moving right on from that thought, Children of Earth:


I'd read about the three writers responsible for Children of Earth (RTD, John Fay, James Moran) some time ago, so when I saw Moran credited as the writer for "The Fires of Pompeii", aka The One Where The Doctor and Donna Become Household Gods (insert beaming and giggling here), I took notice and was quite pleased! Obviously that was a great episode as far as the main emotional conflict went -- the scenes of Donna trying to tell everyone to stay away from the beach, omg, and of course the emotional climax re: saving someone when you can't save everyone -- but also the lighter stuff, the running gag with the TARDIS translator and the Spartacus exchange and the household gods, was great. :D Though I lost the plot a bit when they were all running about inside the volcano. So I was already quite pleased and then I saw the much-talked about "Sleeper" and is Moran responsible for the beginning of the Ianto Jones: King of Snark and Stun Guns trend?? The alien-of-the-week plot was shaky, to me, but the character dynamics and dialogue were fantastic. :D And THEN. And then I found out he wrote all the Captain's Blog entries for BBC America. The ones that are frequently likened to officially-sanctioned fanfiction. Cue explosion. I'm v. glad he's going to be involved. :D I've been reading his blog, too, and it's quite entertaining, plus fun background on what it was like pitching, developing, and writing the scripts for Who and Torchwood.

Also interested, naturally, in seeing what RTD's episodes are like, given that he hasn't actually written for Torchwood before.

Have seen the official trailer, various filming footage posted on YouTube (all plastered with massive spoiler warnings, all more or less spoiler free XD), and the behind the scenes footage/interviews aired at NYCC. How pleased am I at the cheers for Kai Owen and the further cheers when he says Rhys will play a significant part? So pleased, hee! ♥

Oh god, this post is long and full of parentheses. Must wrap it up. The sad thing is this is only a fraction of my thoughts. Goodness.


crossover of doom is now "torchwood three visit camelot" orz

(honestly, it's because i'm too lazy to properly deal with arthur and merlin adjusting to modern technology without their heads exploding)

Comments

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Yays to all of this! I am the one lone TW fan who loved Owen best even in season 1 (well, Jack's Jack, but really I much prefer flirt-astic Who!Jack to angstastic TW!Jack) - but Owen is my sort of misanthropic asshole, plus his actor knocks it out of the ballpark without fail. So very much enjoyed how s2 redeemed his character. (Even though I was sorta hardcore shipping Owen/Tosh by the end, and, yes, it hurts...still, they are as helplessly cute and tragic as a box of drowning kittens.)

And Gwen/Rhys makes me happy. I will be very mopey if that doesn't work out.

(Yes, I actually 'ship the het more than the slash in TW. OMG END OF THE WORLD!)

Who I will forbear comment because all you'll get out of me is DONNA!!!! <333333 !!11!!!<3!

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

sdjaksl;djs;ld YES EXCELLENT. Oh man, I feel the same about Jack -- I adored him immediately on Who so I was super excited about Torchwood, and then somewhere among the rooftop standing and coat swirling and sadfacing I kind of forgot about it -- and then along came Utopia and it was like all my love came RUSHING MADLY BACK. And -- yes, I'm going to repeat this when I get around to talking about Who S3 but oh god I loved those last three episodes something fierce. Which I gather is not necessarily common? I don't know, I wanted to put my arms around them and squeeze. My only complaint is that I wanted more of Martha the Resistance Hero across the world. :D (Let's not kid, I would have gone for a whole episode of nothing but. Ooh, and more of Tom the hot pediatrician. Yeah. *_*)

...what was I talking about? Right. Owen! Oh, Owen. Yes, yes, Burn Gorman is SO GOOD. (Although I always kind of go o_O at his name.) But, yes, asshole Owen may be but he's no worse than, say, that other misanthropic doctor, House. I'd say considerably milder, actually. Even in Greeks Bearing Gifts though he goes on and on in his head he doesn't say a lot of it, which really speaks more for him than against. XD (I only get mad when he gets in Tosh's face because her TOTALLY JUSTIFIABLE computer worry breaks up his flirting with Gwen. -___-) I don't know, he's kind of a jerk but he obviously cares for his team and that's guaranteed to endear him to me. He was ill-treated as a child! his reaction when Jack came back alive at the end of S1! and the bonding in the cell! *flaily hands* I love Owen!

And, and, I feel like maybe I shouldn't ship Owen and Tosh but I dooo. Owen trying to be all supportive during/post-Tommy, and the adorable scene at the end of Day in the Death, and the dance, and, and... and the picture Tosh has is cute. ♥

...amazing how many of my flail paragraphs end in incoherent lists. *g*

I forgot to mention this in the post but I'm kind of worried that Rhys is marked for cannon fodder. D: Now that he's a sympathetic character and has a real (and adorable) relationship with Gwen. *clings* I don't want them to kill him! He already died once! (amazing how that doesn't tend to stick in this series...)

asdjksl;ds I haven't seen more than two episodes of S4 but DONNA DONNA DONNA. Redheads always rule. *beams*

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

YES! Rooftop TW!Jack is sexy and all (and oddly my first exposure - I saw s1 TW before I saw Who. It's actually why I took a while getting into Who, because TW didn't do much for me - I enjoyed s2 quite a bit, though nothing like my love for Who) - but Who!Jack is just adoration in an awesome coat.

Burn Gorman is fantastic, and yeah, it's the way Owen cares even though he doesn't want to, and he's a great big jerk to protect his fragile woobie heart. And also Jack hugs him very nicely! And I choose to believe he's mean/oblivious to Tosh because he cares about her too much to want to hurt her, and being who he is he thinks the best way is to keep her away, because he's an idiot like that...

I tend to stay away from Who-fandom proper because of my abiding love of the series which I don't want harshed - but no you're not alone, I LOOOOOOOOOVE the final 3 eps of s3, with Martha in all her glorious glory and the Master and Jack and the Doctor and so on and so on...(also Murray Gold's music might peak there. Though I have to rewatch s4 to be sure...)(Also, the s4 finale is UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE.)

Mmmm, Who is my happy place. Even when it's bad it's so good it hurts!

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

Who is definitely in a class of its own, eee. ♥ I have heard quite a bit about the S4 finale -- like, EVERYONE IN THE WORLD IS THERE sjkad;s ♥ -- because back when it was airing I never thought I'd end up watching and, uh, may have clicked on every spoiler cut I saw. >_> So I know sad things happen but I'm reeeeally hazy on the details now and I'm trying hard not to remember. (Something about Donna, I know. And the whole thing with Rose getting to keep one. *tries not to spoil anyone reading comments XD* And... yeah, okay, that's about all I remember.)

Hee, before I saw your edit I was like "...doesn't want squee? wh-why? T_T" But yes, that makes sense, and is what I probably should do since just about every time I think "eee, I particularly loved this episode/plot point/character!" I want to go look for similar reactions and inevitably find the opposite. XD Scary shipping wars aside, maybe SF fans come at it a bit differently than... animanga/lj/slash/media/I-don't-know-how-to-classify-them fans? I imagine it wouldn't be the first time. Whatever the reason, I resolve to revel in my own happiness and not go looking for people who hate Martha HOW CAN THEY harshers, as you say. :D

[petronia.livejournal.com]

The execution of this reunion is freaking flawless - every time fannish attention starts flagging for lack of news they employ the full blitzkrieg. XD

(Not reading the Torchwood writeup, at the going rate it'll be a year before I get that far ahaha...)

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

It IS, honestly. The song choice and the focus on Epic Pairing Reunion so we can eat that up all on its own merits before the full band reunion later... Yeah, well calculated. XD So I gather in a couple of months we're going to get the first of those warm-up shows, then, and the forums will probably spontaneously implode.

Re: Torchwood: If it hadn't been for a Real Live Person to sit me down and make sure I got through season one I imagine I would have petered out long before this and settled for one of those primers that explain everything you need to know to read the fic. XD; Fortunately most of season two is actually enjoyable on its own merits. Most. XD

[petronia.livejournal.com]

I've got Graham on Twitter and it seems transparent because he tweets about their rehearsals,** but he's very good at keeping mum about the shockers. Either that or it's Damon planning it all. XD

Ha, I'm still toward the end of the 2005 season of Doctor Who! XD;; In fact I'd managed to forget that John Barrowman was in this show at all, it was a pleasant surprise...


** And the gigs he plays with Peter Doherty. And his solo show plans. And his clothes. And his shoes. Vaguely expecting dude to start outfitblogging via Twitpic like an indie Sophie Kinsella heroine.

[gingifere.livejournal.com]

I keep meaning to watch Torchwood. But kajdk so lazy and I have been hooked on Being Human atm, so that has been dominating my TV watching. Interestingly enough, one of the main characters of Being Human is the new Doctor, and boy, if he's going to act in Doctor Who like he is in Being Human, I am very excited to see him start the new series!

Also, yay about Blur! I'm so pleased they're putting their differences aside to make music again :)

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

Aha! That's excellent to hear as I have heard very little about New Doctor (cracks me up that his last name is actually Smith) other than fanwank -- "he's too pretty!" "no he's not!" "he's too young!" "no he's not!" and other mature debates. XD Torchwood is... well! You should watch it with someone else so that you have an incentive to get through the bumpier spots, ahem. And mocking is more fun in pairs. XD

[winterspel.livejournal.com]

*BEAMS AT THIS ENTIRE POST* :D (if this is what happens when I'm too busy for LJ, PLEASE, I hope I'm busy all the time!)

I'm so glad you think Eve is pretty - she/her character gets some crazy abuse in some quarters...(as does Martha, and I adore Martha, too). And Donna, too! :D:D And you like Rhys! YAY! I loved Rhys SO MUCH MORE once they realized he could actually contribute to the plot in a decent manner.

I have a lot of misgivings about how Tosh was written - your criticisms are all things that have bothered me, and it's disappointing to see how they've used her when she's such a great character.

Btw, have you ever had a chance to watch BBC's Bleak House - Besides the fact that it's among my most favorite tv dramas ever, Burn Gorman has a fabulous bizarre role in that which I saw before he was in TW.

I'd have more to say but this is all I have time for atm (work, you know).

*BEAMS SOME MORE*

(I have virtually no DW/TW icons left, so sorry about Rose...)

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

I swear, I opened the post window and my thoughts just kind of... exploded. If I'd started an email first, that would have taken the brunt of it -- that's why I have no Who S3 post yet, you and wintersjuly got most of my reactions. XD

omg, her gap teeth are so charming! I love her. ♥ I didn't find Gwen particularly compelling at first -- she seemed a little too obvious as the audience POV surrogate and the Voice of Compassion and Humanity, and then at first I was so mad about the whole thing with Owen because cheating is one of my big Not Alloweds... but somewhere in there, I think around the time she was making friends with Emma-from-1953, she really started to grow on me and now I'm really quite fond of Gwen as unofficial vice-team-leader and awesome secret agent. :D I'm guessing her detractors are mainly a. people who fix on one perception of a character and have trouble seeing character development and/or b. shippers. Which... well. I have absolutely zero use for b. None at all. XD; (I have nothing to say to people who heap abuse on Martha, especially if it's for similar reasons, and the obvious, tragic disease from which they suffer. blind so blind augh. Besides, honestly, it's kind of obvious that in that case the shippers have nothing to worry about! XD SHE LEFT FOR A REASON, GUYS.)

Ooh, I have not seen Bleak House -- actually, it's time to admit to one of my cultural gaps, which is that I've read and seen very little Dickens. I know many of the stories, of course, especially from reading child-friendly adaptations as a kid (and seeing "Oliver!" XD), but actual Dickens experience is sorely lacking. And Bleak House is actually one of the few about which I know absolutely nothing! But Burn Gorman, you say, and one of your favorites ever... Intriguing... :D

No, no, no apologies necessary -- we like Rose a whole lot! Hello there, Rose, it's been a while. ♥ (The ending of recent episodes notwithstanding.) We understand we'll be seeing you again soon! *g*

[winterspel.livejournal.com]

omg, her gap teeth are so charming!

You read my mind! :) One of the things I love about many British actors & actresses is that they often don't look like fashion plates - there are all these charming imperfections that make them look like normal human beings instead of Hollywood clones. Because Eve isn't a fashionable toothpick, has a delightful spray of freckles over her face, and has gap teeth make me like her more. :)

Ooh, I have not seen Bleak House -- actually, it's time to admit to one of my cultural gaps, which is that I've read and seen very little Dickens. I know many of the stories, of course, especially from reading child-friendly adaptations as a kid (and seeing "Oliver!" XD), but actual Dickens experience is sorely lacking. And Bleak House is actually one of the few about which I know absolutely nothing! But Burn Gorman, you say, and one of your favorites ever... Intriguing... :D

It's no terrible admission as far I'm concerned! I haven't read much Dickens, and I'd certainly never read Bleak House - still haven't, either. At the risk of praising it too much, I think the BBC series is AMAZING. When it was airing, alexandral said something like "it's the 'Battlestar Galactica' of costume dramas" (paraphrased), and that description has always stuck. Mind you, she was referring to S1 of BSG, back when it was still really excellent. Hmmm, I think I'll have to do something about this...

*uses Bleak House icon*

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

"it's the 'Battlestar Galactica' of costume dramas"

Aaaaaand... sold!

(That was easy. *giggles*)

[winterspel.livejournal.com]

From here, I wrote the following:

"BBC got it right when they produced Bleak House - it was a terrific idea to serialize the drama into short half hour segments that were originally broadcast on consecutive nights twice a week for about six or seven weeks in the fall of 2005. Brilliantly conceived, brilliant executed, I can never say enough good things about the series. It was a stroke of genius to take Dickens' sprawling novel and transform it into a wholly modern creation with stellar acting and beautifully-realized characters, but what truly set it apart for me was its visual conception: modern film techniques make it feel so fresh and dynamic. No long, loving slow steady-cam pans over scenic vistas - rather the direction gives us fast jump shots and hand-held camera action that provide a wonderful sense of momentum and immediacy - a very welcome breath of fresh air in the costume-drama genre."

I even have a tag for it in which you will find picspam/summaries through episode 9 - sadly, I never finished the project, since it's 15 or 16 eps long. Spoilers, of course, so I wouldn't suggest going there, however!

I'm so sorry for hijacking your TW/DW post with all my BH blather... ;)

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

*_* It sounds wonderful!I see the BSG connection with the camera work, too. And don't apologize at all, this is all very relevant to my interests! :D

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

TURCHWAD! I loved Owen so much, especially in S1. I can actually pinpoint the moment he set up camp my heart -- when Gwen got shot and he IMMEDIATELY flew into action. Competence is a kink of mine. *__* And I loved the team most when they were defying Jack -- that's when I fell in love with Ianto too, during Cyberwoman -- so Owen's behavior during the finale got lots of inappropriate YESSSSSSSSes from me.

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes! I loved Owen at that moment, too! Pretty much any time he's being all competent and doctor-y. ♥ Out of curiosity, is it Jack in particular that's the problem or do you just like defiance in general? XD (I feel the same way any time they talk back to people giving them orders. Because if I had to live in that show I would be running off at the mouth, too. XD)

And hey, NICE ICON. :D

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

I have a thing for dysfunctional teams/fucked-up psuedo-families. I get tired of those typical, "I WILL DO ANYTHING FOR MY FRIENDS!" nakamaships, so mouthy, disobedient subordinates shooting at each other was right up my alley. XD I freaking loved Ianto snarling at Jack about Lisa -- I believe it was something like "when there comes a time to save you, I won't"? How many times do you hear that from TV teams??

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

That's true! Although, er, he's had a bit of trouble actually following through on that promise. Nice way to stay the course there, Ianto. XD

Speaking of mouthy subordinates, continued the NCIS bonding with parental figure a couple nights ago. Gibbs and DiNozzo go on vacation (well... case vacation, whatever) to Arizona and go horseback riding. Swear to god.

[uminohikari.livejournal.com]

Tooooorchwood. *.*

asdfjkl; Torchwood/Merlin xover would be the greatest thing ever. I think I've read a Jack-goes-to-Camelot before..

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

I find the idea strangely compelling! Jack hits on Arthur and unnerves him beyond words, Arthur tries to co-opt Ianto as the perfect manservant, Merlin hears stories about the modern-day legends and is properly horrified. XD "Arthur and Gwen? Arthur and Morgana??" And of course everyone thinks Gwen is the evil character Eve Myles played in the first episode. HIJINKS ENSUE.