The good and the bad of Torchwood...

[fajrdrako]

On Stage today has some interesting comments on Torchwood - interesting and critical of it. And even though I love the show with a passion, I think some of this bad review is right. It says:

Torchwood is a show that displayed great promise from the off, but, in all honesty, that early promise has not been built on. There have been some flashes of brilliance, but coupled with some highly inept scripting, direction and acting in places, the product has been very uneven.

As far as that goes, I would generally agree, though I have no problem with the acting. The main flaw, in my opinion, is that the writing is variable, the scripts sometimes sloppy, sometimes brilliant - and they seldom reach the level that Doctor Who seems to display so effortlessly.

I'd even go as far as to say that the episode Cyberwoman ranks highly amongst the worst 50 minutes of drama I've ever seen.

While I loved it - it probably still stands as my favourite episode. I loved its emotionalism, which is probably what others dislike. Loved its special effects. Its peripheral characters, like the Japanese scientist and the pizza girl.

At the moment, the ensemble is, to a man and woman, cynical, nasty, cruel and self-serving (the characters, that is!) There is no heart, and that's crucial. The series generally amounts to a group of unpleasant characters investigating the activities of even more unpleasant characters, and that's quiet wearing.

This I don't see at all. I love all the characters except Owen, and even he has his moments - I enjoy him even when he annoys me. I see the characters as being warm, caring, and troubled. I see plenty of heart. In fact, I see Captain Jack as being a wonderful combination of "loving" and "alienated".

And this is supposed to be spin-off from one the most joyous, life-affirming series on British television...

And so it is. It's looking through a different lens, wherein aliens are a source of threat, not protection. But I don't see it as having a different philosophy or a different world-myth to play with. There's plenty of darkness in Doctor Who too, or its life-affirmation would be meaningless. And there's plenty of heart in Torchwood, whose underlying message is about hope.

My basic criticism of Torchwood is that the scripts are uneven. Sometimes brilliant, sometimes clunky, sometimes just puzzling. Sometimes they back off on situations or feelings they should be exploring. Too many of the plots only happen because of reckless, unwise things the protagonists do - it's a theme, but it's not a theme I like. I hope to see the Torchwood team, as we approach season 2, learn more about teamwork, competence, responsibility, and honesty. I wish the controversial philosophies it is dealing with were more focussed.

Most of all, I wish it were wittier.

But otherwise? I'm loving every moment.

Comments

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

You will love the new edition of Starburst! (Can you get it in Canada?). Ten is on the cover, and there's a lot on Doctor Who and Torchwood inside.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

You will love the new edition of Starburst! (Can you get it in Canada?).

Well. I asked them to keep a copy for me each month at "Mags and Fags", a magazine store on Elgin Street, which is by far the best magazine store in town and which (sometimes) carries "Starburst!" - I don't know any other place that does. And they'll hold copies for me, like with a subscription. Sounds perfect, right? But it doesn't always work so well. I missed the last issue because they lost my name in the computer. I didn't exactly burst into tears right there in the middle of the store but I was disappointed. I never saw a copy.

I don't know if they'll get it the next issue for me or not. I'm hoping.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Fingers crossed!
Has the copy of SFX that I posted arrived yet?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

No SFX in the mail, no. (Hmmph.) And the Christmas present I ordered for lmondegreen hasn't arrived, either, and I'm seeing her tomorrow, and wanted to give it to her then. I want to tug on the back of the mailman's jacket and say, "Where's my stuff?"

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

As said, I got the lovely graphic novel from you today (for which many thanks!), but am waiting to get a couple of amazon orders...

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Well, you're very welcome, and I hope you enjoy it.

I have some amazon orders to come in, but it's all stuff that will come in January.

[kikibug13.livejournal.com]

Hm. I also found Cyberwoman sort of shallow as is. Of course, my imagination is good enough to make up for what I was seeing and hearing, but except for the end, when Ianto is facing Lisa-as-Annie (I think that's the name of the pizza girl), and possibly Gwen and Jack talking, it was just special effects and gore to me. Oh, and Ianto being stubborn, not budging an inch in his persuasion.

Of course, there is the double kiss in that ep...

I wouldn't say it's the very worst 50 mins of on-screen drama. But it isn't quite the best by my book.

And I'm quite with you on uneven scripts. I know there are always gapholes (well, almost...), but the ones in TW have varied from a little tiny tear to ones that could swallow the SUV... :) I mean, if they all were bad, I could accept that. But they aren't, and the good ones just... make the bad ones contrast more!

And yes, different people see different things in the show. (that's re LMB list...) For example, the last ep - a lot of people were going on how boring it was, and how they disliked it...
But I actually liked it. It did hit a string for me, with the father - that might account for it - but by the time Eugene found he'd been cheated, I was totally in the show, never mind that there just _wasn't_ enough Jack in the episode... :)
I cried, too. I found a couple of things strange and puzzling (probably need to think some more...), and at some point I was bored, but just the moment of Eugene running down that field made up for it, for me.
Carpe Diem.

[cupati.livejournal.com]

The plot holes are all due to the rift ;)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Oh good heavens yes. Why didn't I see it? Bits of plot just fall in, and turn up in other TV shows where they make no sense.

That explains so much.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I also found Cyberwoman sort of shallow as is.

I know you are not the only one. I suspect I'm in a minority in loving it as much as I did. It seemed very real to me.

Ianto being stubborn, not budging an inch in his persuasion.

Do you mean that was a good thing, or a bad thing? or a shallow thing?

Yes, double kiss.

Things I liked about "Cyberwoman":

- the nature of the Cyberwoman herself - Ianto's sweet girlfriend, transformed into this soulless creature of power whom he still loves. That has psychological resonance for me.

- Ianto's character - it was the first time I had any sense of knowing him. He seemed so nurturing and caring of Lisa, and so stubborn and true to himself, so willing to dismiss the terrible reality because of the overwhelming emotional reality in which he was living. He was so totally committed to his feelings.

- Jack's character - he goes from puzzled by the mysteries, to anger at the intrusion, to fear/anger/determination when he realizest he extent of the threat and of Ianto's deception.

- the pterodactyl got a role

- it was genuinely scary

- I liked the peripheral characters, the Japanese scientist and the pizza girl, who seemed very real to me. In fact I thought the Torchwood characters all had psychologically convincing reactions to what was happening.

- I loved Jack's determination that whatever happened, the Cyberwoman must not be allowed to escape from Torchwood live

For me, the big problem with the occasionally-awkward writing in Torchwood is that by its nature, it begs comparison to Doctor Who, and it suffers in comparison.

I liked "Random Shoes" too. I didn't think it was the strongest episode and I wish Jack had been in it more - but that's okay, unless Jack is present every minute of every show, I'm going to be thinking that! But I found it charming and fun and I certainly wasn't bored at all. I also thought it had a more positive take on the world than most Torchwood episodes.

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

wittier yes. And if you ask me, I would like it more puzzling. It should raise more sense of wonder. (or am I blassee?).
It begin with Gwen drawn into a unkown world, with us as the viewers drawn along. I am not saying I want it all from Gwen's point of view, but it is soo matter of factly. Rose expressed more wonder after traveling with the Doctor for 2 seasons (and the Doctor bot incarnation 9 and 10) positively brimmed with wonder at times.
There is a bit of wonder over Jack's background, but hardly enough to call it a significant recurrent theme. It is that fandom is given to speculation that his timeline raises that feeling mystery. The show itself doesn't built it up enough, at least, it is a missed opportunity for some overreaching arc.

Saying this doesn't in the least mean I'll stop watching though...

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I would like it more puzzling.

Hmm. Yes. Good point. I think I was sort of classing that with 'the way it's written' but yes, that's a good part of it.

It should raise more sense of wonder.

Considering that Doctor Who has probably the best sense of wonder I've ever seen on TV, you'd think they could spare a little of it for Torchwood too.

it is a missed opportunity for some overreaching arc.

I agree! With a character as interesting as Captain Jack, it's a way to play him up more. And I think they should.

[firko.livejournal.com]

I think I'm going to have to do bullet points otherwise my comment will go on and on!

- Agree that Torchwood has been patchy. I also blame the writing more than anything else
- Cyberwoman is my least favourite episode of the season so far. I didn't like the sudden revelations about Ianto, his stubbornness, and the blubbing.
- I don't blame the acting. If the acting is dodgy in parts, it's more to do with the lines they are trying to deliver.
- It has suffered (like many new shows do) from too many ideas and subplots not being resolved.
- The characters aren't all nasty and heartless - has this reviewer watched the show? However, even though all the characters have had a least one episode focus on them, I think Tosh and Ianto have been underdeveloped. Tell us a little about all of the characters each episode rather than give us lots of information then nothing for weeks.
- I'm concerned about the 'shoot first, don't try and understand the aliens' policy that Torchwood has adopted. After all, the Doctor is an alien...
- It could be wittier and should embrace the slight ridiculousness of it all - you can play it straight but still give the audience a wink!

I think loving something while appreciating it's imperfections is a very healthy thing!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I think I'm going to have to do bullet points otherwise my comment will go on and on!

Cool. I like extensive comments.

I also blame the writing more than anything else

I think there's a lot of agreement on that.

The characters aren't all nasty and heartless - has this reviewer watched the show?

Possibly not. Possibly he/she got the wrong impression from some random line and jumped to conclusions which coloured the picture.

I think Tosh and Ianto have been underdeveloped.

Yes, I agree there.

Tell us a little about all of the characters each episode rather than give us lots of information then nothing for weeks.

How I wish they would!

you can play it straight but still give the audience a wink! ...I think loving something while appreciating it's imperfections is a very healthy thing!

So very true, both points!

Wonder what the episode next week will be like...?