Torchwood Children of Earth: Day Three...

[fajrdrako]

I hate to think that Torchwood series 3 is half over now. I suppose that is much less painful than the thought that there may never be any more Torchwood aired after this week even though I don't, intellectually, believe that. I really don't.

The action continues. The action escalates. And as it does, Jack seems to slip further and further away from us.

There is a writing technique heavily used by Dorothy Dunnett, especially used for her hero, Francis Crawford of Lymond. As the going gets tense (and intense) we see Lymond from many viewpoints, as he does terrible things - breaks laws, breaks hearts, abandons friends, frightens children, degrades himself - different events and different acts in different books, but each time the effect is to make the other characters in the books, however much they love him, turn away from him in horror. As do some readers. Lymond never explains, never makes excuses. We seldom see the action from his point of view.

But then it turns out that his crimes were not crimes, that he did them to prevent worse horrors, or to save lives, or to protect those he loves, or for various other noble reasons which he would never admit. He becomes a scapegoat for the sins of others, shouldering the burdens and the blame alone, though sometimes the pressures and challenges almost destroy them.

I think this is what they are doing with Captain Jack in series 3. Ianto, though loving, is puzzled and alienated. I love the look on his face when Jack said he gave the children 'as a gift' to the 456. The loyalty of Jack's team is being tested. Can they forgive him the unforgivable? And Jack, under manifold pressures (including guilt) won't explain.

Woo. I love it. I like it when Jack's past comes back to bite him. Clearly he's still angry and guilty about what happened with the twelve children; why was he involved? Whatever the story is, I'm sure it was nasty.

Items:

1. Torchwood takes up a life of crime. Wonderful! I also liked it that we got to see PC Andy again, and Gwen was able to get him to help. I can't help loving Andy.
   
   
2. The aliens are nicely creepy. I love it that we don't see them clearly, just as glimpses of shapes. It sidesteps the whole problem of plastic or CGI monsters, while presenting us with a real alien quality.
   
   
3. I love Alice, I passionately love Alice, a daughter worthy of Jack. Enjoyed getting more about her backstory, too - more intrigue than I expected. I wish we'd seen more of her. Loved the way she figured out what was going on, and took action, and was ready to shoot if she had to. "Put down the gun. ...And the knife." Beautiful.
   
   
4. The British TV announcer is Lesley Sharp, who played Sky Sylvestry in Doctor Who's "Midnight". I kind of love it when the same actor turns up in different roles in the same universe. But then, I like Lesley Sharp.
   
   
5. Love it that Jack lets out that he knew about Gwen's pregnancy before Rhys did. Tactless, Jack. Also loved Rhys's anger. Did Jack say it on purpose?
   
   
6. Loved Jack's fussing over his boring clothes, and his delight when Ianto got another greatcoat for him. That's gotta be true love on Ianto's part, to make the effort. "I'm back." Clothes make the man. This is particularly true for Jack, building and rebuilding his identity. I think I love that coat almost as much as Ianto does, but no one loves it as much as Jack.
   
   
7. Loved Clem's comment that Ianto was "queer". Continuation of a theme. And Gwen's discomfort, Rhys's amusement. Ianto's reply was good: "It's not 1965 anymore."
   
   
8. Jack makes Rhys an "official member of the team" - and Rhys promptly starts cooking for them all. Love it. Put the man anywhere, and he'll make a room into a kitchen. He doesn't take a hint about leaving when Jack and Ianto want him to - revenge for the pregnancy conversation? No, Rhys isn't that subtle. I get the feeling Jack wasn't trying very hard to be left alone with Ianto, not this time. What, Captain Jack not in the mood for sex? Amazing.
   
   
9. Oh how happy I was when Ianto called Jack "sir" again. I loved that in first series. I still love it. I miss it.
   
   
10. The contact lenses from "Reset"! Technological continuity! And again, this reinforces the thematic connection between Martha and Lois. Lois was not, on the whole, as much here fun as on Day Two - more of a plot necessity than a three-dimensional character. Even her fear and hesitation seemed more plot-driven (for the sake of suspense) than a matter of her personality.
    
    
11. They go to a BBC news website. How... cute.
    
    
12. Ianto articulates his fears about aging and dying and Jack's immortality. What can Jack do but acknowledge that he won't age or die? It's the truth. And clearly Jack has lived through this conversation before. There's no way to make it easy. I love Ianto's conclusion, that they should make the most of the time they have. I hope Jack loves that, too. I think he does. I love the flirtatious look he gave Ianto then. And their conversation - "The world could be ending." "The world's always ending. And I have missed the coat."
    
    
13. When we got around to Frobisher and the world leaders confronting the aliens, I got a bit impatient: less interested in all that than in what was happening with Jack, the Torchwood Team, Clem, and Alice. I did like the subterfuge by which Lois got into Thames House, pretending to be with Frobisher in a 'personal' capacity, earning the scorn of Bridget Spears.
    
    
14. Speaking of Bridget Spears, I think she's going to do something. She knows as much about what Frobisher and Green are doing as Lois does. And I don't think she likes it.
    
    
15. Love the contrast between Frobisher's diplomacy-talk and the alien's squeaks and growls. Why do they keep saying 'yes'? Doesn't matter what they say, does it? They can do anything they like. They remind me of the Sycorax; the difference being that they stop and control children, rather than adults with a certain blood type. The translation services, the UNIT presence, the approach by a Prime Minister and civil servants, the lack of cultural communication despite linguistic parity - is this story going to end with Captain Jack with a sword, fighting a duel with the 456 champion?
    
    I think I'd like that.
    
    
16. Loved Jack's casual theft of Mrs. Frobisher's phone. Loved it that Frobisher, on the phone with Jack, threatened Alice and Stephen. I loved it that Jack in return threatened Frobisher's family, and Frobisher felt safe because Jack was a "better man than me". Better with clever strategies, I hope.
    
    
17. I still think Green is in league with the aliens.
    
    
18. I understand why Frobisher doesn't want Jack to publicize Green's (and the government's) crimes. I don't understand why he doesn't want to let him into Thames House.
    
    
19. Loved Gwen's exclamation: "Bloody Jack!" Yeah. Bloody Jack.