Torchwood, season 2

[rm]

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

The hottest thing about the kiss/barfight is that they were laughing the entire time. I felt like I really got that. And that's what I loved about this episode, there was some very sincere affection/love between Jack and John, but life moves on.

Poor Ianto. He almost choked to death over the date thing. He looked so cute though. I was charmed.

Jack/Gwen. Buh? Gwen has this weird sexual daddy thing going on with Jack, and, you know, that's cool. And I think Jack has a fantasy of a normal life with her (and Ianto) like he didn't let himself have with Estelle. And I think he's really confused and unclear about that or the realities of being tied to another life regardles of polyamory and time travel. He so does not have the skill set here. I'm not sure how clearly any of this read in the episode. I know the Jack/Gwen thing feels very wtf to a lot of people, and I may be working to hard to make some sense out of it.

Ianto, Blowfish, Jack, Gun -- have I mentioned that the pacing of this episode was high art? Because it was. Also, I need to write a Jack/Ianto firing range fic now. Also, I haven't shot a gun in about 18 years, but I'm sort of like "oh yeah, that was cool." Odd thing to miss I suppose.

Comments

[britgeekgrrl.livejournal.com]

I agree, the pacing of the eps is *spot on*

Overall, I've found S2 to be much, much better than S1 - not that I didn't enjoy S1, but it, erm, did have its flaws. :)

[melebeth]

S1 was fun, but S2 is substantially better in just about every way - better acting, better scripts, better direction, it's like they figured out what the show was in S1 and started DOING IT in season 2.

And, oh god did I love that bar fight/kiss. They were having so much fun. It was so hot.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Seriously. Normally I point out the bad actor days when I'm watching TV, but they were so totally having a blast. I miss doing really physical, kinda scary work with people.

[airspaniel.livejournal.com]

The hottest thing about the kiss/barfight is that they were laughing the entire time.
Yes, absolutely! Their whole relationship dynamic is really fascinating, and very well fleshed out by the actors.

There's a lot of Jack/Gwen this season, and I'm still not sure what to make of it. Conflict for conflict's sake was the theory I had come up with, and to keep the people who demand conventional heterosexual UST happy, but I like your spin on it. In any case, your way is more dramatically satisfying, though I'm 99% sure the writers didn't realize what they were doing at the time.

Although... Chris Chibnall did write this one, and he's far and away my favorite Torchwood writer. When I see his name in the opening credits, I always flail a little. His eps are always the best ones.

[heron61.livejournal.com]

I was impressed and surprised that Chris Chibnall wrote this ep. Between Cyberwoman & the even more dreadful season finale, I thought he was the worst writer for season 1, but he proved to be perhaps the best writer for season 2 - very odd.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I think Chinball is the guy who is really invested in teh characters and I think his writing falls down when he forgets we can;t see what the hell he's thinking.

[airspaniel.livejournal.com]

Agreed. At least he has an idea of what motivates these characters, even if he does sometimes forget to share with the rest of the class.

[airspaniel.livejournal.com]

Also, that's a hilarious typo.

[britgeekgrrl.livejournal.com]

think his writing falls down when he forgets we can't see what the hell he's thinking.

I think that's a very good point, and one I'll keep in mind next time he's got me frothing at the mouth about something.

(So very, very hoping he'll make Gallifrey One in '09...)

[heron61.livejournal.com]

Poor Ianto. He almost choked to death over the date thing. He looked so cute though. I was charmed.

Yes!

I also loved how Ianto immediately ran off to get a taxi while everyone else was wondering if Jack was really going to drive off and leave them - Ianto clearly knew he was going to the instant Jack started getting in the van.

Jack/Gwen. Buh?

poisontaster has (IMHO at least) an excellent analysis of this ep and of the overall Jack/Gwen dynamics in it, that I think is spot on. I thought this season was exceeding well done, but after KKBB, too many of the episodes were excessively grim for my taste, but I also have a very low grimness tolerance.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I only skimmed that for now (I'm being called to bed), but OMGYAY someone who gets power dynamics and the very serious complex nature of that.

[heron61.livejournal.com]

*nods* In any case, it's definitely cool to actually share a fandom with you.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Okay, that was awesome and will totally be my launching off point for two little rants I've been working on: one about why I think Jack and Ianto are a lot alike (and Jack knows it), and one about why I identify with Jack, a fact which probably confuses the fuck out of everyone who knows me from HP fandom.

[ldybastet.livejournal.com]

There are a lot of things I think is better in season 2, but I miss some of season 1 anyway...

But the Jack/Gwen thing is one I've had to rant a little about myself. ;-) I've seen so many strong reactions either for or against that onscreen "shipping", and frankly, sometimes I thought that people over-reacted. There are scenes later in the season that I viewed as completely different from what many others did. I'm looking forward to seeing your reactions to them. *g*

Personally, I think there's a definite streak of daddy-issues going on, or perhaps better labeled hero-worship? I thnk they want very different things, and that the tension and also the nature of their work with all the dangers and necessity to reveal one's inner core at moments makes the dynamics difficult for them to deal with. Or, I'm over-thining this and should just sit back and enjoy. ;-)