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neadodsFor T3: < lj user="neadods"> < a href="http://neadods.livejournal.com/854972.html">LINK TEXT HERE [Spoilers, CoE 1]
Just as I've been bitching about the radio plays being too cut off and badly condensed, I'm starting to hope that having the story last over several episodes is going to allow for richer depth in the storytelling.
So far, I'm utterly delighted. It's everything I want out of Torchwood:
- It's scary. Even though I'd seen the bit with the screaming and the unison speaking in the trailer, it gave me chills. So did the apparently psychic paper in the folder. And who knew how terrifying the word "Back!" could be?
- I'm loving the pacing and direction. No scenes are dragging pointlessly, and the point/counterpoint listing of countries meshed together nicely.
- I'm also loving the obvious tourist shots. They're not too long to stop the narrative, and they are exotic to me.
- It's funny, particularly with the one-liners. "He died happy. And I've got tupperware." "They're a pain in the backside, but they can be helpful." "Big science fiction superbase. Honestly!" "I've had my injections." "The technical name is a gizmo."(I shouldn't have laughed about the one about civil service, but I did. Loudly.)
It had shoutouts to Martha, Tosh, and Owen. (Although I note a bit sourly that Gwen only seemed to be greeting her shag on the side.) It doesn't bother me that Martha's only mentioned in passing; Freema wasn't available. That she's mentioned at all shows that the rumors of RTD shredding scripts and acting like he'd lost his prom date when Freema took the other job were baseless. This leaves room for Martha to come back whenever Freema's available.
- I like Gwen, but the canon doesn't often show her off well. The scene in the plaza and her snapping from empathy seamlessly back into operational mode showed her character at her best, as did her interview with the sole adult. And she's the one to figure out the language issue.
- I like Rhys too. This isn't incompetent damsel-in-distress Rhys, or jealous of Gwen's time Rhys, this is a guy who has a good grasp of what's important - and he's providing a clue or two as well, one that would have sailed right by the less in touch with normality members of Torchwood.
- It had UNIT being like UNIT. On the ball, quick to respond, keeping an eye on those idiots in Cardiff that they don't know about. Not being lawless thugs. As opposed to the actual Gov't, apparently...
- It had backstory! Not just Jack's but Ianto's too. It's about time that more than Gwen had something rooting them to the real world, if only to show how far they've drifted from it.
- It had a complete lack of opsec. (That's part of the fun with Torchwood!) Operations security is just a meaningless jumble of syllables to these people, isn't it? Ianto, m'dear, it's no good rolling your eyes on "The whole city talks about you" when you drive around asking little old ladies if they've seen blowfish in sportcars and your supersecret name is WRITTEN ON THE SIDE OF THE DAMN CAR! Seriously, there are advertising agencies with a better grasp of opsec. Especially in light of the line later that people not only know who you are, but have a good idea of *where* you are as well. But then, they've learned lack of security from the best, apparently. I cannot think of a single secure facility, Government or not, where handing your login data over (much less to a person who's been on the job less than a day) isn't a get-immediately-escorted-out-by-the-people-with-guns firing offense.
The way Ianto's going on about the car says they're even taking steps backwards. He used to have a tracker in it. I'm surprised they don't have an ignition override as well.
- Most importantly, it had surprises. That entire last 10 minutes was a shock! (Although... I knew Dr. P was bound to die. I just didn't expect him to die so quickly.)
- I don't give a damn how manipulative that farewell Jack/Ianto kiss was, I adored it.
However, I'm wary about several things. Not the rumored death of Ianto; I never believed that one.
- But my first reaction to: "And none of the them white" was "Oh dear God. You did not go there. You Did NOT go there!" Considering the Whoniverse's track record on racial sensitivity, this cannot end well, even if that part of the story was a fakeout.
- I'm also wondering about Ianto's sudden giddiness about them as a couple. (Maybe I was wrong in saying Ianto would never ask if they were going steady!) But it puts paid to that weird tie-in novel that was where he was all emo and unhappy over being bi. Authorial issues much?
- I was also thinking "For God's sake, Gwen, just pee on a stick," but I suppose they have to introduce the machine to get the bomb back out of Jack.
- A heartbeat at 3 weeks? I'm thinkin' that's a bit early yet. And also far to low in her pelvis.
In short - perfect cliffhanger, and suddenly I'm very glad that I don't have to wait an entire week, even though I know there's going to be a bigger cliffhanger tomorrow.
tl;dr: With one major and some minor reservations, the preliminary reaction is "Squeeeee!"
Hands up, everyone disappointed that Mr. Frobisher isn't a penguin.
Just as I've been bitching about the radio plays being too cut off and badly condensed, I'm starting to hope that having the story last over several episodes is going to allow for richer depth in the storytelling.
So far, I'm utterly delighted. It's everything I want out of Torchwood:
- It's scary. Even though I'd seen the bit with the screaming and the unison speaking in the trailer, it gave me chills. So did the apparently psychic paper in the folder. And who knew how terrifying the word "Back!" could be?
- I'm loving the pacing and direction. No scenes are dragging pointlessly, and the point/counterpoint listing of countries meshed together nicely.
- I'm also loving the obvious tourist shots. They're not too long to stop the narrative, and they are exotic to me.
- It's funny, particularly with the one-liners. "He died happy. And I've got tupperware." "They're a pain in the backside, but they can be helpful." "Big science fiction superbase. Honestly!" "I've had my injections." "The technical name is a gizmo."(I shouldn't have laughed about the one about civil service, but I did. Loudly.)
It had shoutouts to Martha, Tosh, and Owen. (Although I note a bit sourly that Gwen only seemed to be greeting her shag on the side.) It doesn't bother me that Martha's only mentioned in passing; Freema wasn't available. That she's mentioned at all shows that the rumors of RTD shredding scripts and acting like he'd lost his prom date when Freema took the other job were baseless. This leaves room for Martha to come back whenever Freema's available.
- I like Gwen, but the canon doesn't often show her off well. The scene in the plaza and her snapping from empathy seamlessly back into operational mode showed her character at her best, as did her interview with the sole adult. And she's the one to figure out the language issue.
- I like Rhys too. This isn't incompetent damsel-in-distress Rhys, or jealous of Gwen's time Rhys, this is a guy who has a good grasp of what's important - and he's providing a clue or two as well, one that would have sailed right by the less in touch with normality members of Torchwood.
- It had UNIT being like UNIT. On the ball, quick to respond, keeping an eye on those idiots in Cardiff that they don't know about. Not being lawless thugs. As opposed to the actual Gov't, apparently...
- It had backstory! Not just Jack's but Ianto's too. It's about time that more than Gwen had something rooting them to the real world, if only to show how far they've drifted from it.
- It had a complete lack of opsec. (That's part of the fun with Torchwood!) Operations security is just a meaningless jumble of syllables to these people, isn't it? Ianto, m'dear, it's no good rolling your eyes on "The whole city talks about you" when you drive around asking little old ladies if they've seen blowfish in sportcars and your supersecret name is WRITTEN ON THE SIDE OF THE DAMN CAR! Seriously, there are advertising agencies with a better grasp of opsec. Especially in light of the line later that people not only know who you are, but have a good idea of *where* you are as well. But then, they've learned lack of security from the best, apparently. I cannot think of a single secure facility, Government or not, where handing your login data over (much less to a person who's been on the job less than a day) isn't a get-immediately-escorted-out-by-the-people-with-guns firing offense.
The way Ianto's going on about the car says they're even taking steps backwards. He used to have a tracker in it. I'm surprised they don't have an ignition override as well.
- Most importantly, it had surprises. That entire last 10 minutes was a shock! (Although... I knew Dr. P was bound to die. I just didn't expect him to die so quickly.)
- I don't give a damn how manipulative that farewell Jack/Ianto kiss was, I adored it.
However, I'm wary about several things. Not the rumored death of Ianto; I never believed that one.
- But my first reaction to: "And none of the them white" was "Oh dear God. You did not go there. You Did NOT go there!" Considering the Whoniverse's track record on racial sensitivity, this cannot end well, even if that part of the story was a fakeout.
- I'm also wondering about Ianto's sudden giddiness about them as a couple. (Maybe I was wrong in saying Ianto would never ask if they were going steady!) But it puts paid to that weird tie-in novel that was where he was all emo and unhappy over being bi. Authorial issues much?
- I was also thinking "For God's sake, Gwen, just pee on a stick," but I suppose they have to introduce the machine to get the bomb back out of Jack.
- A heartbeat at 3 weeks? I'm thinkin' that's a bit early yet. And also far to low in her pelvis.
In short - perfect cliffhanger, and suddenly I'm very glad that I don't have to wait an entire week, even though I know there's going to be a bigger cliffhanger tomorrow.
tl;dr: With one major and some minor reservations, the preliminary reaction is "Squeeeee!"
Hands up, everyone disappointed that Mr. Frobisher isn't a penguin.
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no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 01:20 am (UTC)Also, Jack trying to use his grandson for testing under the guise of having a relationship with the kid? Jack, you are such an utter bastard.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 01:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 01:28 am (UTC)Sarah has a kid. I hope they remember that at some point.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 01:28 am (UTC)Mr Davies seems on best form, but my only worry is that he's been great with the setup before, then disappointing in at the finish.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 01:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 01:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 01:38 am (UTC)I know, and we've got Dodgy Racial Subtext dancing around to boot. But I'm going to hope that he's saving all the OTT for the regeneration special and keeping this one on an even keel. I shall be a Pollyana about that all the way to Friday, when I will hopefully not be disappointed.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 01:48 am (UTC)But not, apparently by his choice. There's a slight but IMO important difference between "I've never had time until I need an experimental subject" and "I've been told not to come, but this is Really Important."
no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 01:49 am (UTC)I'd be satisfied if SJA mentioned this incident in an episode, because it's not as though Sarah wouldn't have noticed.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 02:04 am (UTC)Don't get me wrong, I love Jack. But he's a bit self-centered at times. And is apparently rubbing off on Ianto. *g* No pun intended.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 02:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 02:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 02:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 02:13 am (UTC)I like the family backstories we're now getting for all of them, and I like even more that they're not using Rhys as a figure of fun any more. The nods to Owen and Martha were nice, but I missed the Tosh reference: what was that?
Very promising so far; I hope the other four episodes live up to this one!
ETA: I did mean to say that I found all Ianto's 'are we a couple?' stuff a bit unconvincing (yes, he says he hates the 'couple' word too, but that was protesting too much after he'd been practically gleeful about them being referenced as a couple). Is he supposed to come across as a starry-eyed teenager here?
no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 10:11 am (UTC)because I'd still love to see a torrid Jack/Sarah Jane affair, and I wouldn't mind if Ianto was part of itno subject
Date: 2009-07-07 10:14 am (UTC)That's Jack all over - the less savory Jack of Torchwood. (I've just read a tie-in where he retconned someone who specifically asked not to be retconned, on a very flimsy pretext.) Jack may be the leader, but that doesn't mean he's a *good* one. He isn't. He's at his best when he's a second in command, as in Who.
I think because of his longevity, he's losing touch with his humanity. This is something of a case in point.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 10:18 am (UTC)Isn't it? I could tell the quality difference from just the first few opening shots; a quantum leap upwards.
Torchwood was one of many shows - X-Files comes to mind - which had what we used to snarkily call "night for night" shooting, when it was all so dark it was practically an audio play.
I missed the Tosh reference: what was that?
I'm counting the fact that she was in the picture with Owen, although I'm deducting points for Gwen only greeting Owen.
Is he supposed to come across as a starry-eyed teenager here?
Whether he's meant to or not, he is, and I'm finding it very out of character, especially if he's going to get all uncomfortable later in the episode discussing it with other people. It's like the eyeroll when he hears that people talk about Torchwood, and then later says "ask anyone and they point to the Bay." Certain things are binary; they can't be split.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 11:20 am (UTC)Alas, this is true, though. We shall see.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 06:11 pm (UTC)A heartbeat at 3 weeks? I'm thinkin' that's a bit early yet.
Only by a little bit, apparently you can start hearing a heartbeat on ultrasound from about 4 weeks.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-07 10:53 pm (UTC)Once again, Torchwood displays no grasp of basic security. I'm somehow completely unsurprised...
apparently you can start hearing a heartbeat on ultrasound from about 4 weeks.
Huh! I did not know that.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-10 04:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-10 04:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-11 03:29 am (UTC)