Torchwood Episode Discussion (Spoilers for all eps aired in the UK)

[huntress]

What I want to know... is why does looking into a Dark Star or seeing the end of the Universe always drive people crazy...

Well not everyone. The Master had already lost his marbles from age eight onward so he doesn't count but you are right it seems a lot of them go a bit crazy when they do -probably because it is simply too much for our little brains to manage. Quite frankly. Can you REALLY imagine how large our universe is? We know that it is incredibly, freaky large but what if we were forced to REALLY get a grip on how large it is. I think it would drive anyone nuts.

[Dusk]

Gah, Fragments...

Truth be told the backstories were rather drab, especially Ianto and Owen. Let's break 'em down:

1. Jack - best of the flashbacks, answered some questions. But then I find it extremely hard to believe that in the 130+ years between him getting dumped in the late 19th century and reconnecting with the Doctor in 2008, that he didn't once run into a previous incarnation of the Doctor amongst the many hundreds of times the TARDIS was on Earth as depicted in the original series.

2. Tosh - a silly choice of backstory for her. And what of her encounter with the Doctor in "Aliens of London"? No mention at all? Also I believe her mother died, but that information was kept from her by her captors and later Jack.

3. Ianto - got the job by nagging the boss? How retarded! And whilst I somewhat enjoyed the Pterodactyl scene, the rest was so domestic I felt like I was watching an episode of Neighbours. Which leads me to...

4. Owen - was this even the same character? Is there even a hint of Owen's crazed, sexed-up, sarcastic, immature attributes in his earlier self? It strikes me odd that he was somehow different then and different now. A little character continuity would have helped.

And so we find ourselves coming to the end of another season. Don't really care either way about the return of Captain John. But I have noticed the similarities between having the Master as the Doctor's nemesis and John as Jack's nemesis when they are essentially one and the same. Hero and Villain. How formulaic and unoriginal.

Still no word yet on a third season?? Odd. I hope the finale is decent. I'm not prepared to be left hanging on a limp cliffhanger.

[Pitry]

Okay, question time. If Chris Chibnall is capable of writing two brilliant episodes in a row, why diod we end up with Countrycide less year?! Seriously. Adrift was brilliant, adn Fragments even more. Loved it to pieces.
Oh, and

Spoiler:

my little cross-over loving heart squeed all through Jack's bit and the numerous Doctor mentions. I want the Doctor in Torchwood. *whines*

[Reefgirl]

What I want to know... is why does looking into a Dark Star or seeing the end of the Universe always drive people crazy...

Isn't that what sent The Master round the twist?

Anyway

Adrift

Spoiler:

I think this has been the best so far for gut wringing emotion, Gwen was excellent in this, I don't usually like Gwen I think she's wet but in this she was brilliant. Poor Andy, you had to feel a bit sorry for him in this, he so wants Gwen back and he's so jealous of her move to Torchwood. I did wonder why Jack was so against Gwen telling Nicky about Torchwood being involved, I thought at first it was because of the secret nature of Torchwood but then I thought everyone in Cardiff knows about Torchwood. Afterwards I realised why. It was very well done

Fragments

Spoiler:

This wasn't so good, yes it was interesting to see how the various member got involved but it was nothing spectacular, I think I enjoyed Tosh's flashback the most. I'd love to know what Alex saw about the 21st Century that made him do what he did but I hope that will be addressed next year. I was only thinking at the beginning of that episode that we hadn't seen Myfanwy this series and there she was being seduced with chocolate. all in all not a great 'filler' ep but it's great to see Capt John back, roll on April 4th

[Flyboy]

Gah, Fragments...

Truth be told the backstories were rather drab, especially Ianto and Owen. Let's break 'em down:

1. Jack - best of the flashbacks, answered some questions. But then I find it extremely hard to believe that in the 130+ years between him getting dumped in the late 19th century and reconnecting with the Doctor in 2008, that he didn't once run into a previous incarnation of the Doctor amongst the many hundreds of times the TARDIS was on Earth as depicted in the original series.

2. Tosh - a silly choice of backstory for her. And what of her encounter with the Doctor in "Aliens of London"? No mention at all? Also I believe her mother died, but that information was kept from her by her captors and later Jack.

3. Ianto - got the job by nagging the boss? How retarded! And whilst I somewhat enjoyed the Pterodactyl scene, the rest was so domestic I felt like I was watching an episode of Neighbours. Which leads me to...

4. Owen - was this even the same character? Is there even a hint of Owen's crazed, sexed-up, sarcastic, immature attributes in his earlier self? It strikes me odd that he was somehow different then and different now. A little character continuity would have helped.

And so we find ourselves coming to the end of another season. Don't really care either way about the return of Captain John. But I have noticed the similarities between having the Master as the Doctor's nemesis and John as Jack's nemesis when they are essentially one and the same. Hero and Villain. How formulaic and unoriginal.

Still no word yet on a third season?? Odd. I hope the finale is decent. I'm not prepared to be left hanging on a limp cliffhanger.

Jack said at some point in the Utopia trilogy that he had to wait for the right incarnation of the Doctor to visit earth...


And yes... I was disappointed with the lack of Aliens Of London mention for Toshiko...

[Allestian]

We have had word on a third season - John Barrowman lists it in his autobiography.

*Encourages people to the back of the brilliant book for confirmation*

[Willow'sCat]

2. Tosh - a silly choice of backstory for her. And what of her encounter with the Doctor in "Aliens of London"? No mention at all? Also I believe her mother died, but that information was kept from her by her captors and later Jack.

Dude having just watch that episode Tosh is not the same character as the Doctor the actress played in Aliens of London. Where did you get that idea from? Tosh has never met The Doctor, at least that is how it appeared to me. Have they made that canon?

3. Ianto - got the job by nagging the boss? How retarded! And whilst I somewhat enjoyed the Pterodactyl scene, the rest was so domestic I felt like I was watching an episode of Neighbours. Which leads me to...

Ianto needed to 'nag' Jack as he needed to desperatley get close to Torchwood and the tech they had so he could save Lisa... makes sense to me.

[BruTak]

Dude having just watch that episode Tosh is not the same character as the Doctor the actress played in Aliens of London. Where did you get that idea from? She played Dr Sato in Aliens of London. Tosh has never met The Doctor.

Yes, she has. Check her Wikipedia entry, and her profile at the BBC's Torchwood website.

[Mr Prophet]

Yes, she has. Check her Wikipedia entry, and her profile at the BBC's Torchwood website.

Neither of which is canon, mind. I think she was originally pencilled in as the same Dr Sato, but having switched disciplines completely from forensic pathologist to a doctorate in technical jiggery-pokery I think they're quietly assuming that the two characters are cousins or something.

Spoiler:

What I wondered was how she managed to be so calm about Martha showing up from UNIT when her last experience of UNIT was being locked in a box for several months.

[BruTak]

Neither of which is canon, mind. I think she was originally pencilled in as the same Dr Sato, but having switched disciplines completely from forensic pathologist to a doctorate in technical jiggery-pokery I think they're quietly assuming that the two characters are cousins or something.

Spoiler:

What I wondered was how she managed to be so calm about Martha showing up from UNIT when her last experience of UNIT was being locked in a box for several months.

Granted you have to take Wikipedia with a pinch of salt, but the official Torchwood website is part of the BBC website, ergo any information presented upon it is canon.

So to your way of thinking, the "Doctor Sato" we saw in Aliens of London was Toshiko's previously unmentioned identical twin sister?

[Mr Prophet]

Granted you have to take Wikipedia with a pinch of salt, but the official Torchwood website is part of the BBC website, ergo any information presented upon it is canon.

It's highly debatable, but certainly the series writers never treat website information as such. For example, there was a whole lot of stuff on there about Owen being struck off for getting involved with his patients, which would seem to have been dropped.

So to your way of thinking, the "Doctor Sato" we saw in Aliens of London was Toshiko's previously unmentioned identical twin sister?

In as much as she impinges on Torchwood's continuity at all, probably a cousin, much like Martha's cousin. Either that or Torchwood is entirely staffed by clones of everyone who's ever met the Doctor.

[Flyboy]

It's highly debatable, but certainly the series writers never treat website information as such. For example, there was a whole lot of stuff on there about Owen being struck off for getting involved with his patients, which would seem to have been dropped.



In as much as she impinges on Torchwood's continuity at all, probably a cousin, much like Martha's cousin. Either that or Torchwood is entirely staffed by clones of everyone who's ever met the Doctor.

Or... she was assigned by Jack to check things out when the space ship crashed.

[Madeleine]

One of the best things about Fragments is that they revisited

Spoiler:

the weird little girl from Dead Man Walking. I was irritated by the lose ends in DMW, but if the writers are going to make something of any of the lose ends eventually I'm happy.

The Jack background story was the best. He was very much more the Jack of Empty Child / Doctor Dances than of TW.

The other stories were more pedestrian, but short enough to hold the attention. Owen's s2 new leaf makes more sense now that s1 Owen can be said to be the OOC Owen. Tosh... no wonder she's prickly at times; no wonder the whole gang were so dysfunctional in s1, what with Susie's betrayal, Owen reacting badly to bereavement, Ianto betraying them and reacting badly to bereavement, and Tosh only being there because it's better than a concrete cupboard.

[Dusk]

my little cross-over loving heart squeed all through Jack's bit and the numerous Doctor mentions. I want the Doctor in Torchwood. *whines*

Or alternatively, can you imagine the Torchwood team aboard the TARDIS for an episode? Haha, that would be worth seeing!

[BruTak]

Or alternatively, can you imagine the Torchwood team aboard the TARDIS for an episode? Haha, that would be worth seeing!

Ianto would want to tidy everything up.

Tosh would want to know how it works, but not understand a word of what the Doctor says.

Owen would try and chat up Donna (without much success).

Gwen's jaw would be on the floor with the whole "Bigger on the inside that it is on the outside" bit.

And Jack would just be grinning that grin of his.