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I has now seen Torchwood episode two!
...Or rather, I saw it several ours ago, but then wandered up to the cafe to have lunch. And read newspapers.
Anyhoo, my thoughts under the cut. Mostly character rather than plot related.
Overall thoughts on the episode:
It wasn't as cracktastic or fanficcy - or for that matter fun - as last weeks. Which isn't to say it was bad - the plot held together quite well (with a few gaping exceptions, Y HALO THAR HACKING WHEN THE PHONES ARE ALL DOWN), and generally speaking it was better than the majority of last season's episodes. I just didn't enjoy it as much as last weeks.
I think the key fact in the series differences is that the Team... actually feels like a team. They might snark but they still work together, and there seems to be a genuine fondness between all of them. See Gwen and Ianto walking arm in arm and comparing it to the Jack/Gwen vs Jack/Ianto ship wars, and see who looks more mature.
Everyone had their jobs to do, everyone had lines and a role to play. Even Ianto's relative uselessness was made up for by the fact he got all the best lines. In any case, it appears that Jack leaving (and thus forcing the rest to work together) seems to have done them a world of good. They actually feel competent now.
Some individual character thoughts:
Beth: I think the guest actress did a great job here as playing someone genuinely confused and shit-scared. The penny dropped for me pretty early in her last conversation with Gwen about what she was about to do - I remembered Gwen telling her about Torchwood's kill or be killed policy, and it was only a short step from there to Suicide by Torchwood, especially given how she must have felt about killing hubby. Poor girl.
I am starting to wonder about Rusty's inter-racial relationship fetish, though.
Tosh: Not a huge role, but being clever and calm and competent. And possibly mentally writing RPS between Jack and that cop at the burglary scene.
Owen: I am thinking that S2 Owen is how the production team had hoped Owen would be all along - an arse, but an entertaining and likable arse. Pity the whole Date Rape "joke" had to go and taint things in the first series.
Gwen: My opinion of Gwen has changed more than any other characters, I think. I started off liking her, got annoyed with her in the middle of S1, and being the contrary type I am, started to like her again when all the Gwen hate was everywhere. Am currently at a state of like again, mainly because Gwen as good cop to Jack's bad works well given you know she means it.
Ianto: Completely stole every scene he was in. Also, had all the best lines. Oh, Ianto, you crack me up. And I like you so much more when you are being snarky than when you are emo.
Jack: As much as the idea of Jack being the most brutal one of the gang seems to make sense, given what he's seen and done and lived through, it doesn't change the fact that, sorry to say, John Barrowman can't play "Intimidating tough guy" to save his life. IMO, of course. He does good quiet angst or snarky, is brilliant at humorous and flirty and all, but the tough guy schtick just made me mildly embarrassed. Liked the plan with the truck and all, mind.
Next week looks good, though. And Tosh-centric, which will be nice
In other fandom news, Doctor Who is on Fandom Wank again. However, in a shocking twist, this has absolutely nothing to do with Rose. Wonders never cease.
...Or rather, I saw it several ours ago, but then wandered up to the cafe to have lunch. And read newspapers.
Anyhoo, my thoughts under the cut. Mostly character rather than plot related.
Overall thoughts on the episode:
It wasn't as cracktastic or fanficcy - or for that matter fun - as last weeks. Which isn't to say it was bad - the plot held together quite well (with a few gaping exceptions, Y HALO THAR HACKING WHEN THE PHONES ARE ALL DOWN), and generally speaking it was better than the majority of last season's episodes. I just didn't enjoy it as much as last weeks.
I think the key fact in the series differences is that the Team... actually feels like a team. They might snark but they still work together, and there seems to be a genuine fondness between all of them. See Gwen and Ianto walking arm in arm and comparing it to the Jack/Gwen vs Jack/Ianto ship wars, and see who looks more mature.
Everyone had their jobs to do, everyone had lines and a role to play. Even Ianto's relative uselessness was made up for by the fact he got all the best lines. In any case, it appears that Jack leaving (and thus forcing the rest to work together) seems to have done them a world of good. They actually feel competent now.
Some individual character thoughts:
Beth: I think the guest actress did a great job here as playing someone genuinely confused and shit-scared. The penny dropped for me pretty early in her last conversation with Gwen about what she was about to do - I remembered Gwen telling her about Torchwood's kill or be killed policy, and it was only a short step from there to Suicide by Torchwood, especially given how she must have felt about killing hubby. Poor girl.
I am starting to wonder about Rusty's inter-racial relationship fetish, though.
Tosh: Not a huge role, but being clever and calm and competent. And possibly mentally writing RPS between Jack and that cop at the burglary scene.
Owen: I am thinking that S2 Owen is how the production team had hoped Owen would be all along - an arse, but an entertaining and likable arse. Pity the whole Date Rape "joke" had to go and taint things in the first series.
Gwen: My opinion of Gwen has changed more than any other characters, I think. I started off liking her, got annoyed with her in the middle of S1, and being the contrary type I am, started to like her again when all the Gwen hate was everywhere. Am currently at a state of like again, mainly because Gwen as good cop to Jack's bad works well given you know she means it.
Ianto: Completely stole every scene he was in. Also, had all the best lines. Oh, Ianto, you crack me up. And I like you so much more when you are being snarky than when you are emo.
Jack: As much as the idea of Jack being the most brutal one of the gang seems to make sense, given what he's seen and done and lived through, it doesn't change the fact that, sorry to say, John Barrowman can't play "Intimidating tough guy" to save his life. IMO, of course. He does good quiet angst or snarky, is brilliant at humorous and flirty and all, but the tough guy schtick just made me mildly embarrassed. Liked the plan with the truck and all, mind.
Next week looks good, though. And Tosh-centric, which will be nice
In other fandom news, Doctor Who is on Fandom Wank again. However, in a shocking twist, this has absolutely nothing to do with Rose. Wonders never cease.
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And we thought that day would never come...
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Eh, I figure they've got a fiber connection or something, the phones being down wouldn't actually bring down their network connection unless it was a DSL line or something, and I can believe that Torchwood would have something way bigger than that.
I am starting to wonder about Rusty's inter-racial relationship fetish, though.
Me, too. I used to get all excited when I saw interracial relationships in Who, because I was like "FINALLY! w0Ot!" but now I can't help but wonder if Rusty can do anything else. Even a relationship where they're two different minorities, just something where it doesn't have to involve someone white, throw me a bone here! And I liked Beth a lot, and her actress was wonderful, but I'd really like it if a secondary character of color could live through an entire episode someday.
Mostly, it was pretty good, though. You could see a lot of it coming from a mile off (like running the guy over with the car, which I loved) but that didn't stop it from being pretty good. And I really love the new Ianto, King of Snark. He is beautiful. And a lovely foil for Owen. And he even snarked on Jack, which was love.
He does good quiet angst or snarky, is brilliant at humorous and flirty and all, but the tough guy schtick just made me mildly embarrassed.
S'truth, yo.
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The inter-racial thing gives me uncomfortable feelings about Rusty, and just how revolutionary he thinks he is being.
But I think I agree on your last points: It was fairly good, if predictable. And snarky Ianto is win.
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*adds it to the list*
*uses interracial OTP icon anyway* (I can't help shipping them, they're just so cute.)
*needs Ianto icons*
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I need new Torchwood icons, the ones I currently have are all old. Or Marthacentric.
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All my Torchwood icons seem to be making fun of it. Or Marthacentric. That either says a lot about me or a lot about Torchwood, or possibly both.
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I have Jack, Ianto and Martha icons. Most of which are a bit crappy, actually. I need more animated ones.
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