Children of Earth, Day 2

[rm]

Holy Fucking Shit.

And also, We Want A Pony.

Still cracky, but who cares. This is the show I always thought Torchwood could be. This is the type of narrative that I'm craving when I read and write fic -- not fanservice, no, but the examination of real emotion, real fear and real pain. This episode was at times almost unwatchable for me.

HUGE kudos to everyone for not making Jack's imortality cool and sexy. We finally get the horror, right there on screen. Alice trying not to cry (and let's face it, calling Jack's voicemail over and over to listen to her daddy's voice); Jack screaming in pain; Jack terrified, absolutely terrified with the cement thing, because he's been buried alive before, and this time there isn't any acceptance on his part, any misguided trust of people's he's loved, it's just him and that woman.

HOW MUCH DO I LOVE AN ACTION SEQUENCE WITH TWO WOMEN AT THE LEAD ON OPPOSITE SIDES? AND IT WASN'T GRATUITOUS OR FILLED WITH LESBIAN SUBTEXT? Wow wow wow. Gwen and that woman facing off, fucking amazing.

Ianto Jones is the best boyfriend ever. He also just got the greatest bit of backstory writing ever, and fandom, I want you to pause here, and think before you write fic and NOT FUCK IT UP. Because that conversation about "where dad broke my leg" and how he always pushed too hard and how the sister says maybe he should have held on tighter? That's gorgeous subtext about Ianto's family relationships and absolutely confirms in my mind what I thought about yesterday's coming out scenes, which is that the pressure on Ianto to "be a man" in his super ordinary and kinda rough upbringing was massive, subtle and constant. Of course, his father always pushed too hard. Of course he did. And I bet Ianto idolized his dad as much as he ran out the door the second he could and tried to never look back. It speaks to every obsessive, studied gesture Ianto has ever made to do things correctly, and it's heartbreaking. But remember this fandom -- Ianto Jones's father was not an abuser, and if you write that, I will roll my fucking eyes at you. This bit of writing is a testament to life being complex and difficult, fucking cherish that shit, fandom, it's rare stuff.

And seriously? Poor Ianto... what agony for him, but with Lisa, he's been through worse, right? Knew what to do, knew how to use his emotions if he couldn't push them aside. Dear god. Him climbing out of the Hub wreckage, talk about echoes or trauma there from his TW1 days.

I love Gwen in this. Love Gwen. Sweet, competent, gorgeous Gwen, who's instinct to mentor people is really gorgeous (and arguably learned from Jack).

Lois! I love the fuck out of Lois.

PC Andy!


SPECULATION:

Ianto is not going to die. Because in the preview, someone says "Frobisher was a good man" -- the "He Was a Good Man" track on the soundtrack, which has caused people so much consternation with its placement next to "The Ballad of Ianto Jones" IS ABOUT FROBISHER (as some people had already speculated), which I think means we can be a lot less worried about Ianto.


QUESTION:

So, like, does Ianto not have a flat? Did the government raid it and we didn't see it because that would be boring because no one would be there? Or has he chucked it and moved into the hub? Or has it been registered under a fake name since he snuck up to Cardiff with Lisa and he never changed it back and the gov't couldn't find it -- because only seeing the gov go to his sister's place (which was hilarious -- again, I love the look that we're getting at that community -- it feels honest and ugly, that lens, but loving) made that murky. Should have been a line about Ianto's own flat, or else, what the fuck? Not important, but fandom will go crazy over this surely.


TRIVIA:

Anyone remember that interview Barrowman gave ages ago about how he likes roleplay in his sex and mentioned that he was really into builders and construction guys at the time? Anyone else remember that while watching today's episode? Tell me I'm not going to hell alone, people.

Comments

[demotu.livejournal.com]

HOW MUCH DO I LOVE AN ACTION SEQUENCE WITH TWO WOMEN AT THE LEAD ON OPPOSITE SIDES? AND IT WASN'T GRATUITOUS OR FILLED WITH LESBIAN SUBTAXT?

DITTO. Between Gwen and Lois and the Auntie Terrorism gal and the main secretary, this show is shooting the Bechedel test in the face. Woo!

the pressure on Ianto to "be a man" in his super ordinary and kinda rough upbringing was massive, subtle and constant

That's exactly what I got from it, too - that Ianto was expected to be more than his dad ever was able to be, too. I was really worried at the card "where dad broke my leg" that they were going to go abuse (which made NO sense), so I was glad they kept it straightforward but still heartbreaking.

I loved Ianto's brother-in-law so much, ("I'm MARRIED" - i.e. not "straight") especially when he got the gang of kids out - worked well with the feeling of the neighborhood.

[smirnoffmule.livejournal.com]

I was just gonna say how much I loved Ianto's bro-in-law, and God bless them for making him this fierce, loyal, intelligent person on top of the Gay Boy bit - they've so perfectly hit on subtle with this family interaction, when they could have walloped it out with blunt tools ("Ianto's brother-in-law is homophobic!", "Ianto's dad was abusive!")

I loved this episode so much I can't even say. Favourite moments: Gwen telling Rhys "Well, you carried my bag" (and earlier, subverting the pregnant-women-can't-do-anything cliche by having him take her bag so she can better use her gun - Win!). And I have to stand up and salute the moment where Jack is handed a coat to cover his nakedness, and flings it over his shoulder.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

how he always pushed too hard and how the sister says maybe he should have held on tighter.

yes + a billion.

it also spoke volumes to the whole, Ianto as somehow alienated, outside, sociopathic -- while seeming really innocent and childlike on the surface. There are all these gorgeous narrative metaphors at work here -- the children who are possessed, Gwen's baby, Jack's bomb, and then weirdly, along with these, Ianto, the youngest of the team.

[rm.livejournal.com]

And how sweet he was when he tried to talk to the kids in the playground and the immediate reaction, which I think had to have stung in a way that echoes through all the stuff from yesterday.

[rm.livejournal.com]

And Gwen trying not to look, but totally looking, and Ianto, so clearly looking to make sure all of Jack is there (all while wearing that dopey grin -- OMG, Ianto so adorable!)

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

I know! The writing! It is so... like the visual, and the music, and the writing are all combining to SAY SOMETHING. (like when they play Jack's themesong for Ianto when he drives up in the construction truck!) I just love it -- it's all nuanced and shit.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

The trigger finger moment and the brother in law were two of my fave moments. OMG, as I keep saying, way to make heteronormativity look cool, people!

[rm.livejournal.com]

Also Euros Lyn is a god as a director. This was clearly a nightmare project with at least two actors who need to be directed very carefully (GDL, because he's good, but can too easily exist in his own narrative and JB, who is sometimes too busy being Jack, to, you know, like act.... and yet, suddenly everyone is in the same TV show!)

[smirnoffmule.livejournal.com]

I actually feel bad for not trusting this creative team now (especially re the pregnancy, which I had serious reservations about). I am officially surrendering myself into their hands as of this moment.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

I don't want it to be over!!! I WANT MORE. Only three more days!!

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

It's sort of a new-to-TW team though isn't it? Euros Lyn's mostly a Doctor Who director, and Rusty hadn't been involved in TW since really 1x01...

But omg, am I on board with this team. They are so freaking good. Do with me as you will, TW Gods. I am as putty in your hands.

[rm.livejournal.com]

It's producing a lot of anxiety in me. I couldn't take two weeks of this pace.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Meanwhile: we want a pony!

Shoutout (http://community.livejournal.com/descensus_hp/15352.html?thread=108280#t108280)?

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Also, it's a whole week where we literally can't do anything else.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee. We Want a Pony.

Just pause, for a moment, to consider what Ianto Jones would make of Narcissa Malfoy, age 15.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

*blinks*

I wish there were a way to make it happen. In fic all things are possible, yes?

[rm.livejournal.com]

Right. Because man, he would so not be amused, except he sort of would, except he's like 26 and doesn't need to deal with this insane kid who is acting more like an adult 9although a spoiled one) than he is.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Or he'd be like 20 and working at TW 1 or something, and might want to like, hit that.

I want a pony too, goddammit. Why isn't faux alien posession on my side?

[count-to-seven.livejournal.com]

I have to admit that the Gwen v. Anonymous Government Assassin Chick had me totally grinning.

I make jokes about the interviews I've read/what GDL said at Gallifrey, but I honestly do believe that at some point Ianto just moved into the Hub. He'd have no reason to be anywhere else.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Hahahaha yeah. But also, she is very short.

Ianto: I could put you in my pocket.
Narcissa: It's not polite to exagerate. Or look down your nose at your betters. At least you can dress. For a muggle, but if you can't manage the pony, do you think you could stop gaping like a carp and fetch me a tea?
*flustered Ianto gets tea*
Narcissa: Oh, good boy.
Ianto: I could still put you in my pocket.

[therealycats.livejournal.com]

I'm actually really liking Gwen in this. There's always this glimmer of what could be a bad ass chick with her, but Rusty usually comes along and Mary Sues it up, negating all the awesomeness she (or Rose) had before. I'm really hoping that doesn't happen with this. There hasn't been any fawning over Jack so far, so hopefully that'll keep up.

I like Lois. I'm hoping she survives and sticks around for the next series (which according to someone on my flist with a friend at BCC Wales IS happening, thank god). Because there really needs to be some more estrogen (god I miss Tosh!).

And yes! Yay, PC Andy! It cracks me up that that's STILL how they're crediting that character.

Alice was heartbreaking again. God, I really want that to flesh out more and for them to have a relationship, but I'm sure that won't happen. Also it hit me last night that we still don't know who Jack really is. I suppose 1000 years is enough time to immerse oneself in an identity, but I just want to know who he was, what he did, and why the Time Agency erased his memory still. And the bit where the parts of his body reconnected and regenerated...my god. I can't help but wonder what would have happened if they hadn't placed his parts together. Would his head have just regenerated a complete body eventually? Or better yet, will this sort of thing be how he becomes the Face of Boe?

Damn this show for being so good and so short and having such long breaks!

Re: I want a pony too, goddammit. Why isn't faux alien posession on my side?

[rm.livejournal.com]

If so, he'd have to have his own room though, or else they would not still be having this idiot couple conversation.

Re: I want a pony too, goddammit. Why isn't faux alien posession on my side?

[count-to-seven.livejournal.com]

It's not as though the Hub has any lack of space.

I keep wanting to shout to Jack, "Just give him a Ring Pop and get it over with! He's only going to keep whining!"

Re: I want a pony too, goddammit. Why isn't faux alien posession on my side?

[rm.livejournal.com]

*looks at bag of ring pops on my kitchen counter*

Life is just too weird sometimes.

Re: I want a pony too, goddammit. Why isn't faux alien posession on my side?

[count-to-seven.livejournal.com]

Plz to be bringing some to D*C.

So you don't think the second body bag was Andy?