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

[The Signal]

I think it is airing, it starts at 10pm.

Another 15 minutes yet (clocks went back an hour last night, so its 21:45 right now)

[Billz]

I cant believe I missed the 3rd episode. I hate my TV for blowing up.!!!

[Flyboy]

Ergh

Not THAT impressed. It wasn't BAD, just not amazing.

Plus it was hampered by female friends gossiping. GRRRR

[ShadowMaat]

Interesting ep. And hey, no kinky sex! However...

Spoiler:

I'm a bit iffy about this Jack/Gwen dynamic they're trying to work. I like that Gwen has a boyfriend and I'm not really sure what they're trying to accomplish with Jack's cuddling her. It just... reads weird. It's off. I don't like it.

I'm also not sure what to make of Gwen's using the device at home (again with the abusing of "no tech off the base" rule) and seeing snippets of her past with her boyfriend. I mean, I guess there's a strong emotional resonance, but it didn't really seem to fit with the theme of the ep. I suppose that after the intense "workout" with Jack it was meant to remind her why she loves her boyfriend (whose name I can't remember) but it didn't work very well, IMO.

Can't wait until next week.

[Chaka's_Mum]

IIRC, I think she called him 'Rhys' on the phone last night when she was standing him up again.

Poor old Ianto! Is he ever going to do anything more than hover in the background at the Torchwood HQ putting things away and getting the coffees while dressed like a junior Bank Manager? All he had to do this week was disseminate the old 'Splott' joke to a wider audience than South East Wales. Come on - give him something more interesting to do, poor bloke!

Enough of the shippy stuff, already - hints or otherwise. Gwen has a boyfriend with whom she is (supposedly) happy. End of story. Leave it, please. If it gets any worse, that in itself will be enough to put me off watching any more.

Nice to see Gareth 'Blake' Thomas, though.

Definitely another 'don't play with the strange alien devices you don't really understand 'cos it'll only blow up in your face' episode.

I'll give it another go next week. See where it goes. Looked quite interesting from the teaser, anyway. Hope it lives up to that...

[Madeleine]

Last night's ep was fine, but nothing special. The concept, while well executed, wasn't one which grabbed my attention.

I hope Gwen and Rhys(?) stay together, cos their scenes were quite sweet. And I want more of Ianto and Toshiko.

Owen's still slime, just slime with a contempt for those even slimier than himself.

[scarimor]

And just as Gwen began to ground the established members of the team in the last two episodes, now she loses a little of her own. She took home alien tech. The results were benign - beneficial even - but still, she is not immune.

• Separate from the government.
• Outside the police.
• Beyond the United Nations.

Too much of a "good" thing.

(Gwen's new-found excitement with shooting guns was interesting, too.)

The hope must be that Gwen's inherent sense of responsibility will prevent her from sliding too far into that unaccountable place which the others occupied when she first found them. She wasn't responsible for the killer's death, but she still felt it anyway.

[Shep'sSocks]

Since Torchwood isn't even on my local telly's radar atm, can anyone refer me to transcripts?

[scarimor]

Since Torchwood isn't even on my local telly's radar atm, can anyone refer me to transcripts?

Can you get BBC2? It's repeated there later in the week.

[The Signal]

I had a long winded review typed, but it was mostly waffle, so I'll give the bare bones.

Owen, sharp contrast from last week. RTD has something planned for him, I can feel it
Gwen, didnt interest me much, not keen on the story of her home life.
Toshi, not at all interesting, I've yet to see the point to her character.
Jack, nothing new here this week
Ianto, Give him something to do FCOL

The Story was a decent one I have to admit, and the writing wasnt half bad either

Overall, I'd give this an 8.5/10

[SoulSpinder]

I actually thought the ep was pretty good. Unlike the previous weeks, which were meant to ‘jolt’ you as to what the show could be, this was more grounded. It was a decently written, so I was happy with that.

Completely got to agree with the ship hinty things. I’m really, truly, trying to take it with a grain of salt. But this is a long rant for which we won’t get into.

I wanted Ianto to have more to do, too. But next week ‘seems we’ll get it. And that terrifies me. Heh. As if I weren’t worried enough.

This show is both going to ook me deep and break me heart at the same time x.x

Some of the cinematography/editing made me snicker (the running scenes and the like) but, hey, that’s just a minor thing. I was pleased with how Gwen, and especially Owen, transitioned between the memories-visually and emotionally.

Owen… The guy was a murder, but I thought he was going to give him a heart attack! o.o

[ShadowMaat]

Yeah, gotta say, I may hate Owen, but the actor who plays him did a fabulous job this week.

Spoiler:

Like I said, I actually felt a little sorry for Owen and you could see his terror during that... flashback/echo.

Now, on with the Ianto!

[Willow'sCat]

Can you get BBC2? It's repeated there later in the week.

LOL! Shep'sSocks is in Australia, so that would be a no.

I think there maybe something on OPG, I know one of the Doctor Who sites did transcripts, I guess they would do Torchwood ones.

[ShadowMaat]

Just watched the Torchwood Declassified for Ghost Whatsis and in the preview for next week...

Spoiler:

Was Ianto KISSING the pseudocyberwoman?

Bad Ianto.

Was he also crying?

Dammit, is it Sunday yet?! *growls off to her corner*

Did I mention Ianto is my second fave character on the show? *wistful sigh*

[smurf]

Guess I'm going to go against the grain, but I have to say "meh" to the whole thing.

Nothing special about the episode/show. Nothing really new. Remove the "edgyness" from the previous week's and you get something akin to a mature kids show.

Spoiler:

I'm disappointed that Gwen is starting to come across as fifteen shades of stupid. Last week she accidentally let out a murderous alien - fine... just, after all how was she to know - this week she stood and very deliberately pressed the big button on the alien device. Forget teaching the woman how to fire a gun (I'll get to that), maybe give her a quick 101 on not touching things which are very likely dangerous. Also a police officer who introduces her colleague as a DS and says he's in training? The S stands for Seargant, darling. Lucky she joined Torchwood, cos she wouldn't have got very far in the police force not knowing that. There were others, but those were the most annoying... oh, and the how not to hold a knife thing.

The script was at times fine and at times very irritating. Some nice lines. Good episode for Owen throughout. So far he is the most interesting character in the show. Poor Jack seems to have lost his way in the interest stakes, but he is very, very, pretty.
The irritating bits mostly concern stating the blooming obvious.
Quick example: "You don't want the other half then?" Cut to Jack handing over the other half and stating "This is the other half". Yes I can see that. You handed it to Toshi who is very obviously holding the original in her hand. Who then states that she put it together as if doing so was the hardest thing in the world. (and should she really have put it together in an unsecured environment when they don't know what it might do?)
There's the not listening to a character who is about to give you an important bit of plot information so you can fill out your allotted 40 minutes, the suddenly out of nowhere "the device does this because it's a (whatever it was, I can't remember what Jack said)", which helpfully allowed time for the pointless ship and shooting section - I had to fast forward this which I'm very glad of, because I saw the obligatory pistol in each hand shot go past. I also fast forwarded the comedy chase scene.

Production/style wise it was better this week. Luckily it was light on the big effects work, because last week I was actually embarassed by the CG (an explaination has since been given to me, and well, you get what you pay for). It still looks great at night, but like The Bill/Casualty the rest of the time. Those CSI:Cardiff shots with the speedramps and whoosh sound effect are really annoying, completely incongrious with the unstylised flat lighting.
Oh, and I had to laugh on the final scene when the camera quite obviously missed its frame and had to pan back to get both characters in shot.

All in all, for fans of the show, it's good news. Because since I don't love it, it's sure to run and run.
**Takes leave muttering about Firefly, Huff, Carnivale, Dead Like Me, Arrested Development...**