torchwood night!
Dec. 17th, 2006 06:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
karenorhmm. i just don't know how i feel about tonight's episode. i'm just a bit torn...
spoilers for ep 10 and just a bit on the preview for next week below, obviously.
i think...i think i've stopped fighting agains this new Jack. because finally, finally new Jack is getting interesting. back in the day he would have never let someone just off themself. He would have dragged that guy away kicking and screaming. But this Jack understands that kind of pain. And they finally sort of let us see that. I expected Jack would give up and let him die. Walk away and then maybe have to face the others with his actions. I didn't expect that he would get in the car with him, though. And hold his hand. omg the emo. And how Jack took his hand again, even after he dies. Simple gestures that really tell us how utterly alone he is.
it did happen a bit too fast, though. And i think that is my major complaint about this episode. Each individual storyline was good. Maybe even great. But none were developed enough to warrant their conclusions. The closeness Jack, Owen and Gwen each felt to their out-of-time-er, it felt more than a little rushed. There wasn't even really adequate marking of the passing of time. it felt like two maybe three nights when Owen said it had been a week. And with the clips they stuck in at the end? Did this ep run really long? Cuz i would have liked to see those moments, i think.
Anyway, back to what we DID see...
Gwen and whatsherface. Emma? I found her character both the most and the least interesting. Does that make any sense? She seemed like the kind of character i'd like to have around longer. I was hoping she would stick around. Maybe even become part of the time or something, since she didn't really fit in in the "real" world. having her around would be an interesting counterpoint to Jack's own out-of-time-ness. However, her, sort of discovering the real world wasn't all that interesting to me. Gwen's sex talk was pretty great. As was her tossing that guy off her at the club. Also, i rather like a sort of mundane aspect of her work being the thing that sort of is the catalyst for the whole Rhys Issue. I'm looking forward to that blowing up next week.
Owen and whatsherface2. I loved that we got to see a new side to Owen. I really really did. And i could buy his falling in love, if we got to see more of it. I think the rush hurt this storyline the most. Cuz what they go romantic dancing and that's it, he's head over heals? he isn't that type of guy. and not just from what we've seen, but from what he says about himself. I can buy one special girl making him turn a new leaf and become something he didn't think he was capable of, a man in love, IF said girl was actually, you know, something special.
I mean, think the Doctor and Rose. Why is their love--their LOVE love, so believable? Shippers are sure it's damn near canon, and if it isn't, the fic is damn easy to make convinceable, because SHE was Special to him and it took almost 2 whole seasons to build up the relationship enough to the point that it would be in character for it to progress to actual LOVE love, with the physical and all, even tho that character, The Doctor, didn't do that sort of love.
I'm not saying we needed a season or two of Owen and Whatsherface2 to justify his feelings for her, i'm just saying we needed a little bit more there. Something to make Dr. Owen I'm All About the Dirty Sex Harper all emotional and holding on to the woman he loves. Not just on his part, but on hers. Why was she so great? Was it the lipstick? Cuz that was pretty great. Other than that, i didn't find her particularly interesting.
So maybe my other big issue with this episode...the three out-of-timers really weren't very compelling. Whathisface wasn't very likeable, and i found it hard to sympathize with him even when he was crying over his old senile son. The girls i've already mentioned weren't particularly riveting.
However, i really loved how each character reacted. And i think we did learn a lot about each of them.
I really wish we had more Tosh and Ianto. Ianto, and the bannanas are more interesting? Only time i laughed out loud. He really is a scene stealer, that one. More Ianto centered eps, please! And poor Tosh. Is the actress on vacay or something? Wtf. She's practically Alex in season 2 of Roswell since the her-centered ep. Ok, well at least she seems to make an appearance in every episode, but hardly more than that.
So all in all? This ep was pretty equal on the pros and cons. I loved that we got a little more insight into Jack. But just a little. I hate that the Gwen/Owen thing didn't even exist in this episode. Well, there was a wee bit of subtext, but not between them at all. I wish the guest stars were more compelling and that the episode was less rushed. But everything that was supposed to be good, was good. Again, i think this episode may have been better suited to earlier in the season. Episode TEN people. TEN. now's about the time you're supposed to be knocking my socks off. any day now. really.
next week looks to be good. i'm hoping it's They Keep Killing Suzie good. I really am.
spoilers for ep 10 and just a bit on the preview for next week below, obviously.
i think...i think i've stopped fighting agains this new Jack. because finally, finally new Jack is getting interesting. back in the day he would have never let someone just off themself. He would have dragged that guy away kicking and screaming. But this Jack understands that kind of pain. And they finally sort of let us see that. I expected Jack would give up and let him die. Walk away and then maybe have to face the others with his actions. I didn't expect that he would get in the car with him, though. And hold his hand. omg the emo. And how Jack took his hand again, even after he dies. Simple gestures that really tell us how utterly alone he is.
it did happen a bit too fast, though. And i think that is my major complaint about this episode. Each individual storyline was good. Maybe even great. But none were developed enough to warrant their conclusions. The closeness Jack, Owen and Gwen each felt to their out-of-time-er, it felt more than a little rushed. There wasn't even really adequate marking of the passing of time. it felt like two maybe three nights when Owen said it had been a week. And with the clips they stuck in at the end? Did this ep run really long? Cuz i would have liked to see those moments, i think.
Anyway, back to what we DID see...
Gwen and whatsherface. Emma? I found her character both the most and the least interesting. Does that make any sense? She seemed like the kind of character i'd like to have around longer. I was hoping she would stick around. Maybe even become part of the time or something, since she didn't really fit in in the "real" world. having her around would be an interesting counterpoint to Jack's own out-of-time-ness. However, her, sort of discovering the real world wasn't all that interesting to me. Gwen's sex talk was pretty great. As was her tossing that guy off her at the club. Also, i rather like a sort of mundane aspect of her work being the thing that sort of is the catalyst for the whole Rhys Issue. I'm looking forward to that blowing up next week.
Owen and whatsherface2. I loved that we got to see a new side to Owen. I really really did. And i could buy his falling in love, if we got to see more of it. I think the rush hurt this storyline the most. Cuz what they go romantic dancing and that's it, he's head over heals? he isn't that type of guy. and not just from what we've seen, but from what he says about himself. I can buy one special girl making him turn a new leaf and become something he didn't think he was capable of, a man in love, IF said girl was actually, you know, something special.
I mean, think the Doctor and Rose. Why is their love--their LOVE love, so believable? Shippers are sure it's damn near canon, and if it isn't, the fic is damn easy to make convinceable, because SHE was Special to him and it took almost 2 whole seasons to build up the relationship enough to the point that it would be in character for it to progress to actual LOVE love, with the physical and all, even tho that character, The Doctor, didn't do that sort of love.
I'm not saying we needed a season or two of Owen and Whatsherface2 to justify his feelings for her, i'm just saying we needed a little bit more there. Something to make Dr. Owen I'm All About the Dirty Sex Harper all emotional and holding on to the woman he loves. Not just on his part, but on hers. Why was she so great? Was it the lipstick? Cuz that was pretty great. Other than that, i didn't find her particularly interesting.
So maybe my other big issue with this episode...the three out-of-timers really weren't very compelling. Whathisface wasn't very likeable, and i found it hard to sympathize with him even when he was crying over his old senile son. The girls i've already mentioned weren't particularly riveting.
However, i really loved how each character reacted. And i think we did learn a lot about each of them.
I really wish we had more Tosh and Ianto. Ianto, and the bannanas are more interesting? Only time i laughed out loud. He really is a scene stealer, that one. More Ianto centered eps, please! And poor Tosh. Is the actress on vacay or something? Wtf. She's practically Alex in season 2 of Roswell since the her-centered ep. Ok, well at least she seems to make an appearance in every episode, but hardly more than that.
So all in all? This ep was pretty equal on the pros and cons. I loved that we got a little more insight into Jack. But just a little. I hate that the Gwen/Owen thing didn't even exist in this episode. Well, there was a wee bit of subtext, but not between them at all. I wish the guest stars were more compelling and that the episode was less rushed. But everything that was supposed to be good, was good. Again, i think this episode may have been better suited to earlier in the season. Episode TEN people. TEN. now's about the time you're supposed to be knocking my socks off. any day now. really.
next week looks to be good. i'm hoping it's They Keep Killing Suzie good. I really am.
