Torchwood: Cyberwoman

[mllelaurel]

57 sec.: Ok, the basketball game is cute. Clearly, the writing staff are Joss fans in more than just a Buffyverse way, cause that reminded me of a similar scene in Firefly. The difference is, unlike with other Joss-verse 'homages', I'm not complaining here.

Also: Pterodactyl!

1 min. 16 sec: For the first time in the series, Jack looks like he's having fun. Ianto, on the other hand, looks to be having a crap day. Smart bets say it'll only get worse from here.

1 min. 58 sec: Ianto speaks Japanese, eh? And his accent doesn't suck, from what I can tell.

10 min. 25 sec: Not sure how I feel about the direction in this episode. It feels like every other shot is choppy or jerky. Can make a girl airsick, at that rate.

14 min. 42 sec: This is what happens when you bottle emotions, the way Ianto does. They all come pouring out, with very little control, the moment something goes wrong.

16 min. 22 sec: Torchwood - sometimes you're saviors of the Earth. And sometimes, you're galactic air control. So goes it.

27 min. 21 sec: The *look* on Jack's face, when Ianto asks him if he's ever loved anyone... It's very subtle, and Jack doesn't back off or back down, but that look says everything. Nicely done, John. Nicely done.

30 min. 3 sec: Owen risking his life for Gwen - that's new~

33 min. 55 sec: Gwen has once again reverted to damsel in distress. A part of me can't blame her, but the rest of me maintains that the *others* are being useful and not falling apart.

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34 min. 42 sec: Gwen/Owen! Who called it? Oh yeah, that'd be me~ *does butt dance*

34 min. 59 sec: Jack/Ianto! Sure, it's mouth to mouth rescucscitation, but it's being parallel filmed to Gwen and Owen smooching, and beats what we've gotten so far for boys kissing. I'll take what I can get. Besides, somewhow, I can't see Jack minding.
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36 min. 36 sec: Yay Gwen showing some spine.

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So I guess everyone knows about Jack's immortality now? Or will they just write it off?
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37 min. 25 sec.: Ok, Jack. That was cruel. You had absolutely no choice, I'll give you that. But cruel.

41 min. 34 sec: And this is where Jack's characterization takes a nosedive. I figured it had to happen sometime. (ETA: Or, you know, I could re-analyze the sequence. See next entry.)

42 min. 59 sec: Wtf just happened? Where's the pizza girl? No, seriously. Wtf is going on? Someone tell me, cause I'm lost.

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Ok, Lisa transfering her mind into the pizza girl's body I didn't see coming. Points for that.

Jack (and co.) shooting her in the end, so that Ianto didn't have to - now *that* I'll buy from Jack. He may yell and order Ianto to do it himself, but I *really* didn't think he was fucked up enough to make him go through with it.
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47 min: Nice little moment of understanding between Jack and Ianto. And then, Gwen has to ruin it by talking.

47 min. 47 sec: Jack. Sweetie. Go see a therapist. Like, yesterday.


So. That was the Hidden Depths of Anguish episode. Not as godawful as "Day One"; not as good as "Ghost Machine" or "Everything Changes".

There were parts of the episode I thought were incredibly exploitative. I'm with RTD - give that poor cyberwoman some shorts. She looks cold. It...really didn't sit well with me that they took a woman, removed her personality and then *put her in a provocative outfit*. The personality removal fit the plot, but the outfit made it all feel dirty.

Otherwise, this was an episode with *potential*. Strong emotions were being explored, but even excellent acting couldn't handle some of the dialogue clunkers.

If you'll notice, I've edited this post about a gajillion times. I've also gotten fic ideas and character analysis out of it. Clearly, this episode made me think. However, this is more due to unfulfilled potential than to overall high quality of any sort.

Unrelated to the above, I want me some Owen/Gwen and Jack/Ianto. Does this make me a predictable shipper?



Queer content: Erm... half a point? The afforementioned mouth-to-mouth.

Jack naked: None