TW, season 2 & some other observations

[rm]

Fragments.

The flashback episode is usually a fail for most shows, and it comes pretty late in terms of filling in gaps we had gotten used to living with. It also makes sorting out some things earlier in the timeline even more difficult, which is at least moderately annoying (I will omit a discussion of Jack's WWII timeline and why it makes no sense until I get to my re-watch of Season 1).

So, first up is Jack. I can't decide if Victorian clothing doesn't suit him or if the writing/direction/acting here is just poor. Regardless, he doesn't feel grounded in the time to me, but maybe it's just Jack being in the wrong coat. I dunno.

That said, Torchwood lesbians! And the execution of the blowfish is pretty tantalizing in terms of the way Torchwood behaves (I've seen some nice stuff in fics lately on the historical brutality of the org). Certainly, Jack's segment picks up as time starts moving forward.

Alex. Alex fascinates me. I know I just used him in A Holiday of Bright Mornings. For a guy who is on screen for a minute and a half, I thought he had really interesting (and not particularly sexual) chemistry with Jack. I feel like from what we see, up until Alex's murder suicide, Jack was still trying to be a kid in a lot of ways -- no responsibility, living as if he were the age he looks (or younger) etc. And after Alex, who just reads for as something as a mentor to him in terms of how to make do (or not) when you are inadequate to a situation, I think Jack knows he has to grow up and step up and stop being a bit of the lovesick puppy over the Doctor (and Rose). This was great.

So what's in the pocket watch that isn't a watch?

Tosh. I wasn't overwhelmed with this sequence when I watched it, but in light of the season finale, I felt like it provided a really great grounding for Jack and Tosh's relationship and made his reaction to events there a lot more poignant for me. And all the prison stuff was terrifying.

Ianto. Well, that was a surprise for a lot of us. Certainly, I think it removes any plausibility to the idea that Jack and Ianto weren't fucking before Lisa's death. I think the chemistry is huge and instant, I think the fondness on Jack's part is there from the pterodactyl moment, and I think Ianto knows what he has to do. I also think the human contact was probably a real salvation to him in the last weeks/months of Lisa's life, as guilty and tortured as he probably felt. Again (really, in each of these segments), we see a character having had to grow up. And with Ianto we see it with the whole dislocated shoulder thing. Yup. Good. Onwards. Loved it.

Owen. I had trouble with this the first time. Owen is such an asshole and so reptilian looking and it was hard for me to believe in the relationship. But on a re-watch after seeing Exit Wounds, I did feel like I totally believed it and was glad to have it. I also finally understand the chemistry people claim they see between Jack and Owen. Just like Ianto is a lot like Jack but still learning to use his personal power, Owen is a lot like Jack, but still learning how not to be a shithead in his utter defensiveness. I get them as a colleagues and friends (and with some possible past dalliance that's been neatly compartmentalized) now. With the events of Exit Wounds, we really needed this to work, and thankfully, it does, although maybe only the second time through, I'm not sure.

So did Jack purposefully recruit Tosh and Owen because their lives were already forfeit and he'd have less guilt when they went the way of all Torchwood employees? Or was he trying to save them? And is that why he's so attached (I really think he is, I just think it's complicated) to Ianto? Because he's the guy he saved by accident? And his thing for Gwen is about thinking he doesn't have to save her (at least in terms of her being engaged in living)?




Meanwhile....

This discussion of 51st century values is also interesting, somewhat irritating meanderings into the subject of whether Jack is polyamorous aside.

Also?

Dear Torchwood Fandom,

Punctuation.

With fond hopes,

rm

Comments

Re: Is there coffee yet?

[rm.livejournal.com]

Amusingly (such as it is), I'm allergic to coffee. Well, not allergic, but it is Bad for Me Medically and I'm not supposed to have it, and having had it and seen why I shouldn't, I don't.

Re: Is there coffee yet?

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

Tea,too?

Re: Is there coffee yet?

[rm.livejournal.com]

Black tea, yeah.

I can have chocolate. So I'm not sure what the culprit is (I say it's caffeine, but I'm not sure that that's it), but a few sips and among other things I start shaking and can't stop for hours.

Re: Is there coffee yet?

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

The caffeine in chocolate is chemically different from the caffeine in coffee and in tea,which are chemically different from each other,so it might just be the caffeine. Or not.;(