Torchwood

I've been watching this new show from Russll T. Davies, the writer of the new Dr.Who, and thought I'd see if anyone else here has caught it.

It's a more 'adult' show than Dr.Who and covers some harder subjects. Unlike most of the American-made shows in a few episodes of Torchwood there's been no 'happy ending', which is something I find refreshing. Morel dilemmas are a part of life and Russell T. Davies, with help from John Barrowman playing the leader of the Torchwood group, does his best to convey that. An example was last week when Jack (John Barrowman's character) had to decide whether to let a young girl go off with some horrible fairie-type creatures or fight for her and risk the creatures destroying the world. In the end he let her go, but didn't have an easy time deciding to do so.

Ok, some of the acting is ropey at times but the actors are just finding their feet with the show. It's getting better as it goes along though.

Last Sunday's show (which UK viewers can catch on BBC2 at 9.00pm on Wednesday night) had a nice twist. I'll not spoil it by saying what though!

Just my thoughts.

I've watched all the new Doctor Whos, the first 5 Torchwoods, and many of the old series. Torchwood is definitely different, that's for sure. There's a couple of things that bug me about the show, but overall I enjoy it, and will continue to watch it.

For example, I really didn't need to see those two guys kissing in the first episode; I nearly hurled. (I hope I wasn't offensive by stating that, but it is true) In terms of plot, I think that Captain Jack's seeming inability to die is rather unrealistic. I also noted a story goof; at one point Jack says that he doesn't need to sleep, and in another episode they show him waking up from a dream when he was in the military, implying rather strongly that he does sleep, after all. (unless he was just lying about not needing to sleep, or exaggerating, but he seemed serious to me)

Yeah we didn't need that, though Gwen kissing that other chick was pretty hot you gotta admit.

And yeah, the bit about him not dying isn't realistic, but since when has the Who universe been realistic? He did get resurrected by Rose at the end of the 27th Season remember? I wonder how many others like him are roaming around the Universe now?

[edit on 21-11-2006 by sardion2000]

[edit on 21-11-2006 by sardion2000]

Well, perhaps 'unrealistic', while true, is not what I really meant to say. It just seems that it will be difficult to work the stories around. For example, if Jack can't die, it will be hard to build up any kind of suspense when he is in 'mortal' combat with some ten foot tall, lightsaber-wielding maniac.

On the women thing, I wouldn't mind at all if Sato got some action at some point...

On the women thing, I wouldn't mind at all if Sato got some action at some point...

That's next episode.

Well, perhaps 'unrealistic', while true, is not what I really meant to say. It just seems that it will be difficult to work the stories around. For example, if Jack can't die, it will be hard to build up any kind of suspense when he is in 'mortal' combat with some ten foot tall, lightsaber-wielding maniac.

Enter the Doctor. It would be neat if they brought him in an earlier incarnation(like McGann, his portrayal of The Doctor in the Big Finish Audio Plays is much darker and more mature then the standard Who) so it would force them to get to know each other all over again. We've all been witness to just how much upheaval a regeneration can cause, so maybe they could fill that potential plot hole so that he loses some memories. It would be really neat if they show us more of the time war cuz Capn Jack still has 2 years missing memory and that could be due to a tour of duty in the Time War as a Temporal Agent.

at one point Jack says that he doesn't need to sleep, and in another episode they show him waking up from a dream when he was in the military, implying rather strongly that he does sleep, after all.

I don't remember that. Perhaps he was just being snarky.

[edit on 22-11-2006 by sardion2000]

Originally posted by DragonsDemesne

On the women thing, I wouldn't mind at all if Sato got some action at some point...

Watch this Sunday's episode....

Glad I'm not the only Torchwood fan on ATS.

I agree with Dragon about the 'unrealistic' aspects. I know Jack was resurrected by Rose, but that shouldn't mean he can't die again.

Another thing, just how long has Jack been around on earth? Last week he told a story about being in the early 1900s in India or somewhere. I do know he met Rose and the Doctor during WW2, but I seem to have missed how he got back from the 29th century. Also, what happened to his time-ship? Maybe I just fell asleep during that episode of Dr.Who!!

The homosexual bits are most likely because Russell T. Davies is gay, plus he was out to make an impact in the first episode. Years ago there was a media outcry about a lesbian kiss on Brookside. This kiss didn't even get a mention though. How times change.

BTW, John Barrowman has let it slip in an interview that there's some nudity later in the series. What's the bet it isn't one of the girls?

[edit on 22/11/06 by jimboman]

[edit on 22/11/06 by jimboman]

IIRC Jack was drawing the doctor into a trap to pull a con job on him, and that they were travelling through time & space while chasing him. So, presumably, the landing in WWII London was more chance than design? I'm pretty sure the Dr landed there around a month after the escape pod crashed, giving time for the nano whatsits to cause trouble. Jack's time ship blew up after he transported the bomb aboard and the doctor rescued him JIT with the tardis.

But the Torchwood teasers about him have certainly given more questions than answers thus far. I just hope the producers dont cock up the continuity when they reveal the truth behind him.

I want to hear more about the time war too. Maybe thats going to be the premise for the big screen version of the Dr?

Another thing, just how long has Jack been around on earth? Last week he told a story about being in the early 1900s in India or somewhere. I do know he met Rose and the Doctor during WW2, but I seem to have missed how he got back from the 29th century. Also, what happened to his time-ship? Maybe I just fell asleep during that episode of Dr.Who!!

There are two possibilities in my mind.

Possibility A: That memory was from before he met the Doctor and Rose Tyler and he still had his Tula Timeship and he was there conducting operations as a Temporal Agent and this is one of the Hidden memories.

Possibility B: His attempt to locate the Doctor and Rose stranded him in the early 20th Century.

I'm leaning towards Possibility B.

As for his time ship, it blew up because he had to tractor a bomb that was heading for the hospital ship that would have completed the con. The con was to get payment for a Tula Warship only it wasn't, it was a hospital ship and the idea was to time it so that he got the payment just before it got blown up by a nazi bomb. Jack couldn't defuse the bomb and was rescued when the Doctor materialized on his ship just in time to save him.

I know Jack was resurrected by Rose, but that shouldn't mean he can't die again.

Why not? Not even the Doctor knew for sure the amount of power the Vortex could give a person. Rose didn't exactly have complete control over the power either so maybe she overcompensated?

BTW, John Barrowman has let it slip in an interview that there's some nudity later in the series. What's the bet it isn't one of the girls?

Great... I'm no Homophobe, but I just don't need to see that...

[edit on 22-11-2006 by sardion2000]

[edit on 22-11-2006 by sardion2000]

Thanks guys, I now remember the episode with the timeship blowing up. I missed the ending of that episode unfortunately. That and I tended to watch Billie Piper a lot and not really concentrate on the story!!!!

I fully intend to get the series on DVD eventually, so I'll catch it then.

As for Jack in the early 20th century. Yea, I hope it was when he was a temporal agent and that it doesn't mess up the continuity.

Originally posted by DragonsDemesne
For example, I really didn't need to see those two guys kissing in the first episode; I nearly hurled. (I hope I wasn't offensive by stating that, but it is true)

Yeah we didn't need that, though Gwen kissing that other chick was pretty hot you gotta admit

That's why RTD did it. One of the aims of his show is to try and break down any type of definitions of sexuality. And the fact that you wrote that is a clear example.
You find the suggested lesbianism hot. So maybe women find the homosexuality hot.
Plus, you have to remember that Jack is not actually gay. He comes from a time where everybody is Pansexual.

And not needing to sleep, isn't the same as not wanting to sleep. I don't need to eat mint choc chip ice cream but I still do

I think the gay parts of Torchwood are amazing. Being heterosexual (although I hate the term), I think its refreshing to see the barriers and expectations we all have of people being smashed. We always think "he kissed that guy so he's gay." But now we are seeing someone who kissed that guy then that girl, now he's hinting at sex with that guy, but at the same time she's sleeping with her.
Maybe Torchwood will spearhead a new age of sexuality, in which we all become like Jack.

Originally posted by jimboman

As for Jack in the early 20th century. Yea, I hope it was when he was a temporal agent and that it doesn't mess up the continuity.

I've been on the Torchwood website - www.torchwood.org.uk...

and there's an article on there made up like a letter (you'll have to check out the Jack Harkness section - best using the HTML version cause the flash version is hard to navigate) where Jack mentions the India thing and says something about 'being on a job'. So it seems it was when he was a time-travelling con-artist. Glad to see they're keeping the background story.

A direct link to the document: downloads.bbc.co.uk...

By the way, that hand in the glass-jar, apparently it's the Doctor's, the one he lost in the sword-fight with the Sycorax leader last Christmas on top of the alien ship.

' * A severed hand can be seen pickled in a jar at the Torchwood Hub. The 21st October issue of Radio Times confirms the fact: "That's the Doctor's hand that the Sycorax leader cut off in the Christmas episode of Doctor Who last year."[35]In Day One, Captain Jack is very protective of the hand; as he cradles it after its casing is smashed, "Flavia's Theme" from Doctor Who can be heard.'

Above taken from: en.wikipedia.org...

Don't know if anyone has seen the last episode in this series of Torchwood, but there's a familiar sound at the end....

[edit on 4/1/07 by jimboman]

[edit on 4/1/07 by jimboman]

[edit on 4/1/07 by jimboman]