Torchwood S2 ep 1

[caddyman]

A series review based upon one episode. Views may change.

Lighter than season one, it seems. Toned down in some ways, unchanged in others. More humour. Still too much gratuitous snogging and far too much Gay Lib: come on, Rusty, we get it. Now get on with telling a story instead of preaching. Or go the other way and hire Julian Clary. Just decide what the show is going to be.

Better structured than season one; worth watching if you’re in, not worth worrying if you miss it. The ultimate disposable telly programme. On the other hand, a blowfish driving a sports car.

Comments

[fencingsculptor.livejournal.com]

worth watching if you’re in, not worth worrying if you miss it.

That about sums it up for me too, I really wasn't that impressed.

The actors' make-up and costume styling seems a little more polished than in S1, but the story just didn't grab me. Probably not helped by the fact that I missed the first 10 minutes.

...and the silly pryamid thingy.

Why do US Sci fi series come out looking like Stargate, Smallville, X Files, Baylon Five and Star Trek, while UK shows come out looking like The Tripods, Chocky, Chimera, and Torchwood. (I've still not seen Ultraviolet)

...the Roll on Ashes to Ashes, because IMHO Life on Mars was the one show that broke the trend for blugh British Sci Fi.

Is Russel T Davis a Gay then ?

Did laugh like a drain at James Masters' comment about the poodle though.

[ed-fortune.livejournal.com]

It's odd you should mention Life on Mars, because Chibnall wrote that as well (I've only seen Season One and half of season two of LoM, I need to finish it.)

With any luck, the 'mysterious foreshadowing' will be a plot with a structure rather than them just saying 'gray is coming' every episode.

The sexuality stuff in the last series wasn't big or clever. It's worth noting the only vaguely mature relationship was the heterosexual one.

And also, Blowfish in a sports car.

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

Well, if you miss a full quarter of a programme, you are likely to miss out somnewhat aren't you?

I thought the production values were fine. The Yanks do glitz and flash that doesn't really work with UK-based drama of any sort; it just looks false. Dr Who gets away with it by being 'other worldly'.

I wouldn't hold my breath re Ashes to Ashes, if I were you. The Times reviewer, who was a big fan of Life on Mars didn't like it at the Press screening. The hook on LoM was that Sam didn't know whether he was dead, insane or lost in time and was trying to find out. The woman in AtA was the therapist he spoke to when he briefly returned to the real world. She knows precisely what's up with her and who Gene is.

LoM was a successful parody of The Sweeny. Parodies of parodies are almost impossible to pull off.

Apparently the actors do well with what they have, though.

[binidj.livejournal.com]

"Still too much gratuitous snogging and far too much Gay Lib: come on, Rusty, we get it. Now get on with telling a story instead of preaching."

So now you know what most film and television feels like for me then? How would the story have been better had Captain John been Captain Jane?

For me the love triangle between Ianto, Jack and John was great. I'm very much looking forward to how that turns out.

"Or go the other way and hire Julian Clary. Just decide what the show is going to be."

Why the hell would you equate homosexuality with effeminacy given your circle of friends? I know it's your journal and you can write what you like in it but that sort of thing is pretty damn annoying to hear, especially from a friend.

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

So now you know what most film and television feels like for me then? How would the story have been better had Captain John been Captain Jane?

Maybe I made that point poorly.

I don't object that there are gay characters in the series. In the terms of the show, their sexuality should be as irrelevant as anyone else’s. The odd kiss, or holding of the hands etc, straight or gay is fine; it’s the constant harping on of “ooh, we are an adult show, so let’s have everyone constantly grope one another, like they don’t in real life” that gets my goat. It’s not the relationships that are the problem; it’s the constant hands down pants and tongues down throats in any gender combination.

As to the Julian Clary reference well, OK, sorry. The point I was trying to make is that you either blend the relationships in and try to make it reflect reality, or you go out and out camp (not necessarily effeminate), which makes the show something else entirely.

At the moment, it’s neither fish nor fowl. People don’t act like that as far as I am aware. Rusty and co have managed to mix up “adult” with “grown-up.”

[binidj.livejournal.com]

Had you been talking about Season 1 then I could have quite seen where you were coming from (pardon the pun) but last night's episode really didn't seem to have that much going on in it. In terms of man-to-man kissing I only remember the two Jack/John clinches. Were there more? Perhaps I should look again. For most of the episode it was interesting to note the lack of snogging, Gwen being faithful to her fiancee (for once), Owen suggesting that he was bored with the whole thing (though I suspect that was just a ploy to get Toshiko in the sack later on in the series), and Jack and Ianto being 'awkward' in a rather charming way around each other. In many ways I think that John represented the 'Old' Torchwood attitude and appeared quite juvenile among the suddenly almost adult others. I say "almost" because I honestly don't think that Jack will ever be accused of being an adult ... well, not until he loses the body anyway.

Apology accepted about the Julain Clary thing ... don't do it again =p