Children of Earth, Day 1

[rm]

It may be high drama and high action, but wow, Torchwood is still REALLY cracky.

Jack and Ianto have no idea what the fuck they are doing, do they? It's sort of great though. You get the sense Jack is seriously out of practice at having a relationship (something it seems he's decided he's doing as you move through the tie-in novels that lead up to this and the radio plays) and Ianto seems to be not just unsure of himself re: Jack and re: his own sexual orientation, but it also clearly struggling against his own biases -- like not wanting his neice to hear about it. It's a great detail, and it hurts to watch. Also, fucking adorable. He's smitten like anything and that whole "It's not men, it's him, only him" thing? delivered so it could have as easily been "it's not people, it's him, just him." Thank you, GDL for making kinda sucky dialogue work and say something meaningful about queer identities.

Also (I know, I know, I can't shut up), Ianto is so clearly proud of being with Jack and proud of Jack, but sort of totally not proud of himself. It's like he's getting to be the young 20-something guy with the world showing him wonders that he didn't get to be when he had to spend all the time being responsible for Lisa, and he's now both too young and too old for his age and has all this shit about himself he never sorted and never knew he needed to sort and now he has no time, and that unevenness of self shines through in pretty much every line and eyeroll. It's really, really nice stuff.

I loved Alice. I love her look, and I bought her instantly as Jack's daughter. Interesting scene, because she really does seem like the one who's the adult there. And that's necessarily the case. There are certain responsbilities Jack will never have to face just one chance to get right, and that means in some ways he will never have the opportunity to grow up. Jack is a case study in why eternal potential is so awful. And what was it like for Alice when she was eight-years-old or fifteen-years-old or twenty-years-old and figured out her father wasn't like other people?

Ianto's sister, also cast awesomely. And where did they find that little girl? -- same damn pout as GDL. Hilarious.

Gwen scritching the little pic of Tosh and Owen!

Gwen! Gwen was hilarious and sweet. And the pregnancy thing was really well done. John Barrowman can act in small quiet scenes when he's directed well (which it seems he often isn't), and there we got a really nice moment. Jack trying to be encouraging, trying to hold back his own reaction, trying to deal with his own regrets there -- nice shit!

Clem. Instant love for Clem, and really, that's hard, as that character could have been a walking, boring cliche.

Rupesh -- what's with these really anglo looking SE Asians who die right at the beginning of things? That said, his death and Jack being shot those two times in a row -- the bruality of that -- it made death feel much realer on than it does 80% of the time on Torchwood, and it really made Jack's existence seem horrifying, and that was great.

That poor temp in the home office. She's quite fetching, isn't she?

I knew about the bomb in Jack's stomach and it still freaked me out.

Jack having to drag Ianto out of the Hub. Loved it. And my, that kiss was quite a bit more hotness than I was expecting there. I'm sorry, this is trivial and lame, but I need to note: tongue. I am full of shame.

Ianto and the car. No matter how many times he says it -- no one cares!

Also, Jack's car -- Does Jack own a car or did he steal it (since it seems like in half the tie-in properties he's always nicking other people's vehicles)?

Finally, one word: TUPPERWARE.

ETA: Yet more of my nattering on Ianto's coming out process: http://rexluscus.livejournal.com/333615.html?thread=3829807#t3829807

Also, Gwen and the racist joke? Appalling, but I'm appalled at Gwen, not the show writers. People say shit like that. Also, there had been a series of news items around when that script was written regarding peopel adoptiong children from abroad and then having them be household slaves -- if the thing had aired then it might have seemed more current events and less racist, but hey, Gwen had a racist moment. She was a cop in Cardiff... do you really think she never, ever would?

SPECULATION:

Clem can smell things like honesty and aliens. He also smells that Gwen is pregnant. First episode of Torchwood, Jack comments on the oestrogen in the rain. Is this a clue?

Much has been made about the soundtrack titles and how this indicates Ianto's possible doom -- something I'm prepared for, but am really hoping isn't going to happen, although I'm in a tizzy about it. My sense? From this first episode and the use of the musical themes? Rhys is a goner. And the infamous "Ballad in Ianto Jones" track is actually going to be some big trauma/reunion with Jack/them getting on the same page moment (before something else terrible happens in the bigger plot arc. Musically and narratively the set up for Rhys to die feels bigger to me right now.

Comments

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

Oh, I am absolutely devastated over Rupesh.

He was handsome, smart, interesting, and clever. I wanted him to be around for a while.

And then the shit hit the fan. I mean, he seemed clever enough. Sigh.

We hardly knew ye, Rupesh.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It's a great detail, and it hurts to watch. Also, fucking adorable. He's smitten like anything.

It's that, and I love the contrast with Jack, who is so self-assured in his sexuality, so indifferent to orientation issues and the reactions of others. Clearly Ianto's feelings matter to him, and he's doing his best to give the relationship the low key in public that Ianto wants, but clearly also Jack is baffled by the whole 21st century attitude. Just doing his best...

That poor temp in the home office. She's quite fetching, isn't she?

I loved her. Gorgeous, charming, just the right touches of smart and innocent.

Clem was beautifully characterized, and kudos both to Davies (for writing him so well) and Copley (for acting him so well).

Does Jack own a car or did he steal it (since it seems like in half the tie-in properties he's always nicking other people's vehicles).

Or borrowed it? My money'd be on "stolen", but then, he might have a whole fleet of cars hidden away.

Is this a clue?

To what, do you think? It might be a connection....

[capulet-rose.livejournal.com]

I loved Alice. I love her look, and I bought her instantly as Jack's daughter.

I'll admit to having a huge crush on her. I am holding back the urge to create some horrible, horrible femslash just so I can have my way with her in fiction. It's too bad Tosh isn't around anymore. Oh well, I could alyays create an AU.

"That poor temp in the home office. She's quite fetching, isn't she?

*plots*

Perhaps the Vogons would be interested in my various fictions...

[capulet-rose.livejournal.com]

err... *always

See? The Vogons would LOVE me!

[laufeyette.livejournal.com]

It was so much better than I had been hoping for. That kiss may have almost made me cry. I don't even know what else to say.

Ianto's family FTW.

[adjovi.livejournal.com]

It's a great detail, and it hurts to watch. Also, fucking adorable. He's smitten like anything that whole "It's not men, it's him, only him" thing? delivered so it could have as easily been "it's not people, it's him, just him." Thank you, GDL for making kinda sucky dialogue work.

oh...so agree with you, there. i felt the same way about ianto's speech in "the dead line", 'cause that could have gone horribly schmoopy and cheesy, and i felt gdl knocked it out of the park and made me sigh with sad/happy fanmix that seems to be their relationship. i dunno...i still have my doubts re: ianto's fate, but they are building up rhys quite as the superman that it might just be him that suffers that fate.

John Barrowman can act in small quiet scenes when he's directed well

oh yes indeedy. this was a lovely moment. contrast that with the yelling into the phone to martha during part one of dw finale "it's not safe!" (i just happened to watch it over the weekend...and wow.) i was totally distracted by the amount of gel in his hair the whole time though--i mean, he's out gelling angel at this point.

i, too, loved alice and clem--both brought to life by fantastic actors.

thanks for your review!

[demotu.livejournal.com]

Jack and Ianto have no idea what the fuck they are doing, do they?

As if you didn't write a bazillion words of that. :D

*goes back to reading*

[demotu.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I love the detail about Ianto not wanting his niece to hear. There's definitely a lot of difficult undertones with Ianto and his family, a lot of which I think I miss because I'm not attuned to class and sexuality issues like that.

JB rocked the scene with his daughter - I was seriously impressed, because I was completely entranced and startled (totally forgot the "daughter" spoiler, and was thinking that was his son!) the first time through, and upon a closer watch even more touched with the delicacy of his choices, there. And I'd usually be hard pressed to say JB has a lot of delicacy! Clearly he's getting some great direction in this series - a lot of his attitude with Ianto is similarly difficult to pull apart in that sort of satisfying way.

[kalliopeia.livejournal.com]

Rhys, really? What, in particular, makes you think so?

[rm.livejournal.com]

The music around him is deeply wistful (I've also long thought Rhys was a gonner based on Kai Owen's awkwardness about some questions at a con I saw him at, but that's neither here nor there, because I don't like to be one of those people that speculate on those grounds, since it's not like I actually know the guy), and the Ianto musical themes aren't nearly so much as all the heart-attack inducing titles are leading many folks to believe.

[count-to-seven.livejournal.com]

I was sick to my stomach when Rupesh began to be awesome because I knew it was going to end in betrayal. Le sigh.

Did you think Ianto's manic grin at the mention of a baby was ... not Gwen-related? I am not of the opinion that a questioning young man in a barely defined relationship would be interested in such things, but I immediately choked on my glass of water and wondered if he honestly hoped that was a Jack-wants-to-commit-to-the-fullest moment.

I don't have much more to add to this, considering I just ran around the house shouting TUPPERWARE, so you beat me there.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I think Ianto is having a very dizzy-making day. Jack's being weird, he doesn't know if he's proud or ashamed to be with him (probably both), e's just visited his sister, Gwen's preggers, Ianto is wondering if being gay amd/or being with jack means he's like everyone else or not and then Jack's all sweet and domestic and encouraging with Gwen, and I think that as much as some part of Ianto is cranky and is still trying to cinvince himself that Jack views him as just a shag, I think some part of him is also having a bit of hearts and flowers fantasy, even as he knows that's somewhat irrational (hi, Torchwood!) and not something he'd be comfortable with anyway (hi, issues).

[tommx.livejournal.com]

Is it that Jack is out of practice with relationships or that he just has trouble with them because the good ones, the lasting ones, always end the same way? His daughter, her mother, his grandson, he's going to outlive them all. That and the fact that Jack probably is not really wired for monogamy either, being a 51st century man.

The scene with his daughter was brilliant.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I think it's both -- I think it's obvious that at some point he had at least figured out how to go through the motions of actions that are interpretted in the 20th century as matching his feelings for people or he wouldn't have the various back catalogues we're aware of (Alice's mother, with whom he had something more than a one-night stand, the chick from the wedding pic, estelle, etc.). But I think it's been a while since he's played that game (I'm guessing that when Alex shot himself, Jack was done with getting close to people as friends or lovers for a while, and that probably went on until the team we meet at the beginning of TW was recruited, and even then he was careful and distant with the or tried to me_. So I think he's forgotten how to translate whatever goes on in his head into stuff that makes sense for the here and now -- add that to his issues and it's BAD.

also -- wow, the thing with his daughter, it really makes the whole very paternal thing he had with Owen seem even more tragic now.

[amand-r.livejournal.com]

1. I agree with you assessment of BJ's acting. I really was surprised with the whole Alice scene. I think my little woob heart kind of broke when he said that he would come every day, if she wanted to, because I don't think he was just saying that. I think I actually frowned at the screen and sighed, "we'll get you a family, Jack!" but I don't know what the hell I was thinking.

2. I wanted to love Rupesh forever. And then. AND THEN.

3. SHITBEARS.

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

I loved Alice. I love her look, and I bought her instantly as Jack's daughter.

I did too... that was excellent casting and she was FANtastic. Ditto Clem.

Though it's true that it's just Jack... I mean, it's JACK! Big damn hero! I did think it great that Ianto's family was fully accepting even though they threw in some teasing along with it.

Good catch on the oestrogen; didn't notice that but that would be brilliant if it's not a red herring. A show bible? Whut?

I'm still not at all sure about Rhys. Am really thinking no one is going to die (including Ianto). Hmmm. I'll owe you a drink if wrong about Mr Williams.

[explodeyy.livejournal.com]

LOVE Clem!
Rupesh was adorable when he saw the hitchhiker thing. I loved his face!
Yep, the kiss was amazing. Broke my heart. And when they were still looking at each other! Though, this (http://i31.tinypic.com/20jofw7.jpg) is my favorite part for some reason.


NO.RHYS.NO.CAN'T.DIE.
NOO.

I... am going to watch it again...

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

It's like he's getting to be the young 20-something guy with the world showing him wonders that he didn't get to be when he had to spend all the time being responsible for Lisa, and he's now both too young and too old for his age and has all this shit about himself he never sorted and never knew he needed to sort and now he has no time, and that unevenness of self shines through in pretty much every line and eyeroll. It's really, really nice stuff.

just this
yes yes

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

The whole "are we a couple?" thing between Jack and Ianto is fascinating. Note that when Ianto visits his sister, Jack comes up right away; when Jack visits his daughter, Ianto doesn't come up at all - although of course there was a lot more going on there.

I loved Ianto's awkwardness with the kids (handing them a few bucks!), his sister, and his brother-in-law ("Hullo gay boy!") who keeps bricks in the front yard to throw at car thieves.

Ianto remarked that he could find Jack a weevil, or an alien, or all kinds of things but not a child.

This is awful, but I wonder if Gwen will have a chance to tell Rhys about her pregnancy before anything happens to him... Jack's "We're having a baby!" was great.

Didn't John Barrowman talk about the car being his own car? Which of course doesn't tell us where Jack got it...

The bomb thing FREAKED ME OUT. Especially after the scenes where Jack gets shot really give us the feeling that yes, he comes back, but it's still awful. The trailer for the next episode was upsetting as well...

I'm... very antsy about it all. I want the next episode NOW. FIVE like that in one week - how are we gonna survive it all?

[rm.livejournal.com]

Ianto remarked that he could find Jack a weevil, or an alien, or all kinds of things but not a child.

It's a funyn line, but one that could also be extended to Ianto's issues about his sexuality and the very fact that Ianto can't give Jack a normal life (and I think that one some level Ianto probably does want to make Jack's crazy existence more normal -- but I think in fandom, we think a lot about how Ianto's life is abnormal and how jack feels about that and not the other way around).

[therealycats.livejournal.com]

I've done really well at avoiding spoilers for this and I heard about the track title fiasco on Amazon but didn't look at them, so I think I'm still in the clear. I didn't know about the bomb, and this:
it made death feel much realer on than it does 80% of the time on Torchwood, and it really made Jack's existence seem horrifying, and that was great.
So much yes.

Judging from the preview I'm guessing we won't get much of Jack tomorrow. On the one hand it's good to know a character isn't going to die because he's already been revealed to be another character far into the future; on the other, who's to say they won't backpedal on that and kill Jack anyway (although since John Barrowman seems to be holding out hope for another series, I'm guessing he's not done for yet)?

Clem/Timothy broke my heart. So did Jack's family--and I wonder how many other families he's had over that 100 or so years.

Also:
You get the sense Jack is seriously out of practice at having a relationship
Well, he was buried for 1000 years, and I'm guessing conscious for most of it until whichever early 20th century Torchwood found him in the ground. God, Grey is such a dick. I find that to be true of most people with that name. But I digress.

OMG SO GOOD. Jack/Ianto makes me ridiculously happy; I don't know why. I think it's because the actors both seem to be comfortable with one another. I know there are some instances where straight actors (or actresses) play characters in gay homosexual relationships and they sometimes seem to go out of their way to remind the media that they're straight. Like way out of the way. Like, "Oh, donate to St. Jude; btw I'm straight." I don't get the sense that Gareth does that, but then I think that might also have to do with what I perceive is a more open mindset in the UK than what I see here.

Also they're just both ridiculously hot.

I miss Tosh and Owen, but I'm glad they were included a little bit. If they get a full order for next year, though, I think I'm going to feel it more than I did tonight. A cast that small is a risk, I think, because that can get monotonous really quickly; I don't care how many aliens you're battling. Also Tosh and Owen just makes me cry because of what could have been :(

[oncomingscone.livejournal.com]

It's very refreshing to have GDL so completely comfortable with the whole thing. UK does have a more open mindset. Less space, can't keep that divided for too long. I recently moved from there to LA and I feel like I've gone back 40 years at times. *sigh*

The hot thing also helps. A lot.

[rexluscus.livejournal.com]

I think it's also possible that the "he was a good man" of the soundtrack could refer to Frobisher. Because clearly they're setting him up to be a decent, not particularly evil sort who ends up doing horrible things.

As much as I loved all the Jack/Ianto stuff, it was Jack's scene with Alice that moved me the most. For the first time, I was like, "damn, it must SUCK to be Jack." I'd thought it before, but never really felt it. Oh JB, you're not all that crappy after all. :)

[oncomingscone.livejournal.com]

1) Tongue isn't trivial. I just want that on record.
2) Fetching temp: absolutely
3) I have to say something not related to lust... um... very impressed by the acting, especially JB, though my reaction was less a JB appreciation and more of a 'oh WOW Euros you've done an amazing job getting that out of him' moment.
4) What happens to pregnant women when they get flung by the force of a large explosion?

[demotu.livejournal.com]

4) At that point in the pregnancy, probably not much. Most women have no idea they're pregnant at 3 weeks, and do all sorts of physically intensive things without issue. It's just a tiny little blob right now, really!

[lefaym.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your take on the J/I -- to me it seems like Ianto is bothered by the "couple" label, but he wants it at the same time -- he just doesn't want anyone to impose it on them from the outside. Meanwhile Jack doesn't seem to care about the label too much, but it bothers him that Ianto is letting himself be bothered by it -- but beyond that I've been having trouble contextualising that in what we already know about their relationship, and you do that beautifully. I like how you draw the parallels between Jack and Ianto, insofar as both of them are older and younger than they should be.

Also, Lois should become a regular cast memeber. WANT.

...like not wanting his niece to hear about it.

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

It is really fucking awesome to around when this is on TV. Anywhere.

It's really, really nice stuff.

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

ibidem

Is this a clue?

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

It is so specifically peculiar, twice, that I assume the gun on the wall is going to be taken down and fired.

[astuta.livejournal.com]

I think that the poor temp and Ianto are going to hook up. Or something.

[verasteine.livejournal.com]

Also (I know, I know, I can't shut up), Ianto is so clearly proud of being with Jack and proud of Jack, but sort of totally not proud of himself.

This. That's what I couldn't put my finger on last night and again(!) this morning, and you said it. That. So true. And there's like a half dozen fics in that.

Everything else, also yes. That. You sum it up so neatly. Now on to the next one :).

[timelady.livejournal.com]

Wow... just wow...

Rhys being a goner... I can see it. As in they're building up too happy of a situation for Gwen... beautiful new home, married, baby on the way... But they have killed him off before, would seem a bit anti-climactic to kill him off again.

And really sad to say it but Ianto seems like he's on borrowed time, too. I mean, Jack and Ianto were actually talking about him being dead as they first walked into the office.

But those kids were just plain creepy. And loved the temp. I totally felt sorry for her.

[lilacsigil.livejournal.com]

I don't like this Rhys speculation! Noooo!

Jack's daughter (and Ianto's sister) were both great, and I loved that they were perfectly willing to sit down and have a cuppa, but there was no way they were letting them sneak off and do experiments on the kids!

[st-aurafina.livejournal.com]

No! Not Rhys! Don't worry, he'll outclever anything the bad guys send in his direction.

I really loved this first episode - maybe the longer story frame gives us more of a chance to see character development, or maybe they're cramming a season's worth of revelations into five episodes, but either way, it's working so far.

Love, love, love Clem and the smelling, and the weird cultishness of the 456. So looking forward to more!