Torchwood: Cyberwoman...

[fajrdrako]

Is it just me, or did the stakes just go up? Emotionally, philosophically, psychologically? Seems to me there was much more substance here, much more of a complex story than we've seen yet. Real conflict. Jack vs. Ianto for the future of humanity. Jack able to do the right difficult thing, but pushing Ianto beyond his limits. Making him pick sides. Trying to make him see how far this goes beyond the personal? But for Ianto - for most people, including many heroes - there is nothing beyond the personal.

Woo. I think I'll be digesting this one for a while.

I'm too tired to say the things I'd like to, but a few brief comments:

1. The pterodactyl - we got to see him! and in fine form. Since we heard his noises later, I believe and hope Lisa did not manage to hurt him.

2. Loved the banter between Owen and Gwen. I still don't like Owen much... don't find him as amusing as he ought to be... but I am warming to him a little.

3. I want more about Tosh. Okay, okay, I shouldn't be impatient - I'd been wanting more about Ianto and I got it in spades.

4. Seems to me Ianto has hit a low point and has nowhere to go but up from here. I suppose suicide is an option, but not one Ianto will take. I wonder how he feels about himself now. Judging by the final scenes, I think he'll pick himself up and think things through, and will decide that Torchwood is the way to go. After all, they're there to prevent things like what happened to Lisa from happening ever again. I hope we get follow-up, not just things being all right with him later, or the situation between him and Jack ignored.

5. Loved it that I was browsing the website that gave the background to the episode right before seeing it. Inadvertent good timing. It added a little to the episode.

6. The suspense - will Gwen get home in time to record Rhys's TV show for him? Will their relationship hang in the balance?

7. Gwen still seems oddly naive to me. This was much less about her (and her viewpoint) than the previous episodes. That was a nice change. More spotlight on Jack, too. Good.

8. Loved the scene where Jack kissed Ianto. That wasn't artificial respiration by any stretch of the imagination, but it also wasn't what the Doctor did to Rose in "The Parting of the Ways" and it certainly wasn't what Jack did to Carys at the end of "Day One". It was... it was more like Prince Charming kissing Sleeping Beauty to bring her out of a coma.

9. Loved the basketball game.

10. I love it that Jack trusted Ianto and all the time he was betraying Jack's trust in a major way - using Torchwood for his own purposes. (For how long?) And Lisa's purposes too, hence he was a tool of the Cyberman agenda. Jack neither killed him nor fired him. What next?

Keeping Ianto at Torchwood seems to me very like keeping Suzie on would have been, if she hadn't killed herself. Does this imply that Jack has more of a heart than he pretends? That he doesn't give up on anyone? After all, he never actually shot Ianto, though he had numerous chances. I see the influence of the Doctor here.

11. The pizza girl... How will they explain her disappearance? And the Japanese cyber-doctor?

12. Loved it when Ianto and then Gwen asked Jack if he'd ever loved anyone, and Jack's refusal to answer. I felt like a kid not called on in class - "I know the answer, I know! Yes, he loved someone, and I know who, but he's not going to say anything to you lot!"

13. Also loved Jack's last line, about feeling alive because he'd thought he might die.

Comments

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

I saw parts of a Dr Who tonight with Tennant where there are robots (?) in the 18th century...

I wish I could figure out which episode was the FIRST and start watching it from the beginning.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I saw parts of a Dr Who tonight with Tennant where there are robots (?) in the 18th century...

The episode is called The Girl in the Fireplace. It's a fascinating one.

Do you want me to send you copies of the episodes? I am not entirely sure but I think I have the technology to do that. Or put another way... when my DVD burner is repaired and returned to me, I think I will be able to do that.

The one you saw (partly) tonight is the fourth episode of second season of the New Doctor Who. It is also the 177th episode since the series began, and actually fourth or fifth episode of the 28th season, depending on whether you count "The Christmas Invasion" as part of the season or not. Now, isn't that a nice, unconfusing answer?

Anyway, I'm not sure how much it matters where you start. I sort of started with "New Earth", which is the first episode of season 2. But I wasn't really doing it in order, and I was alternately watching 1st and 2nd season. There is continuity and in some cases it's important, so that isn't the best way to do it, but it isn't the worst way either.

I'd love to tell you all about it at length but I'm afraid of boring you or scaring you off.

"The Girl in the Fireplace" is a strange and unusual episode for many reasons. I think it's brilliant and I love it more every time I see it. Tonight it had me almost in tears. I'm still analyzing it in my head and I find it defies analysis, at least in some ways. I'm still working on my feelings and thoughts about it. A lot of fans consider it a 'love it or hate it' episode.

[devohoneybee.livejournal.com]

You know, Ianto STILL hasn't fessed up to the Japanese doctor's death. I also hope this doesn't just go away. I love the territory that got opened up in this, and I hope now that it's open, they explore it.

Also? I want to see Jack/Ianto dom/sub make-up sex. *s*

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

You know, Ianto STILL hasn't fessed up to the Japanese doctor's death.

No. Nor has he acknowledged that what he did was wrong - not just on a legal and professional level, but on a moral level, endangering the world for the sake of his lover. One can understand his reasons, of course, my heart bleeds for him, but it seemed to me that the show cut him a lot of slack for the sake of his love and he actually might have doomed everyone - and was in fact directly responsible for the deaths of the pizza girl and the Japanese doctor. As far as I could see he is still too wrapped up in his grief to deal with this yet.

I love the territory that got opened up in this, and I hope now that it's open, they explore it.

I agree absolutely!

Also? I want to see Jack/Ianto dom/sub make-up sex. *s*

Very definitely - at length and in detail.

And then there can be more comfort-sex after that.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

Well I just loved the masks. But whatever.

I do better to get a bunch of episodes on tape/dvd and take time to watch them, rather than keeping up with the tv show. Then if I really like it, I will have a reason to keep up with the tv show. Hard for me to do until I've really seen whether I like it or not.

So yeah, if you are willing to send episodes, please do! Thank you. :)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'll send you DVDs (or tapes, let me sort out my technological capabilities!) and probably some of my own written commentary to go with them. But however good my intentions I see that I *still* haven't mailed the Eroicas to you so it'll be a few weeks before I can send you Doctor Who. Don't worry, it's worth it.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

Don't worry about Eroica. I just went ahead and bought them. If you can still send Rose, thanks. :)

I can wait! I have a lot on my plate right now anyway.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

just went ahead and bought them.

I can understand that!

Yes, I'll send Rose.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Brilliant episode.
Just brilliant.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, I thought so. I'm going to be watching it again tonight (with commodorified and I am thoroughly looking forward to it. It put me through the wringer....

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

I loved Ptery! A very useful office pet! Did you read the info on the Torchwood website about it?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

No, I haven't found that yet. Must look... I don't suppose you have the URL? Does it say how they came to adopt Ptery?

My budgies think he's the best character - clearly they don't appreciate Captain Jack as much as I do.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

These are the official Torchwood sites.
At BBC
Torchwood (Flash) (http://www.torchwood.org.uk/)
HTML version (http://www.torchwood.org.uk/html/index.shtml).

The Pterodactyl is explained in the 'Welcome to Torchwood' section:

Came through the rift and immediately started eating sheep.

We managed to bring it in without too much trouble (though ask Ianto and he’ll go on about how hard it is to find decent netting).

Suzie did most of the work taming it – not that the rest of us were afraid. Just – you know, it’s a pterodactyl.

Turned out to be fairly easy – crapped on Owen’s head once, but, the main problem turned out to be when it started eating things off desks – pizza, experimental rats, alien forearm. Suzie’s devised a special protein sauce that tells it what stuff is fine to eat.

It’s nocturnal, so happy enough to come and go at night, when no-one really notices it (no one notices anything down in the Bay). It’s made a few cameo appearances in photos, but nothing troubling.

Some sheep have gone missing down near Barry, but Wales Today did a lovely report about black panthers on the loose.

I can understand the budgies loving him. He's one of their family, after all! (http://www.bbc.co.uk/torchwood/)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

These are the official Torchwood sites.

Have to stop myself from browsing all morning....

We managed to bring it in without too much trouble

This report is by Captain Jack, right? It sounds like him.

Suzie is more interesting than she ought to be.

crapped on Owen’s head once

I'd like to have seen that. (Was it aiming deliberately? Had Owen insulted it?)

the main problem turned out to be when it started eating things off desks – pizza, experimental rats, alien forearm.

Does that mean it went for the hand on Jack's desk? That's - that's - downright disrespectful! No wonder he keeps it safe in a jar now.

Suzie’s devised a special protein sauce that tells it what stuff is fine to eat.

As seen. The pterodactyl actually sounds quite intelligent.

I can understand the budgies loving him. He's one of their family, after all!

He flies and he makes a lot of noise. That makes him a soulmate as far as they're concerned. Actually, I think the little guys fancy themselves as fearsome and awe-inspiring predators. This probably because when people meet them they often say "Awww."

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

I think it's a Jack report.
Must say, the idea of a pizza-eating pterodactyl is rather cute!
If he went for the Hand - yes, I can see Jack being very upset! But the article says "forearm", so I'm guessing it was a more substantial bit of another alien.

He flies and he makes a lot of noise. That makes him a soulmate as far as they're concerned. Actually, I think the little guys fancy themselves as fearsome and awe-inspiring predators. This probably because when people meet them they often say "Awww."

Very true! And of course, birds are evolved small dinosaurs!

Re: the late Suzie: I wonder if more back-story about her will emerge...?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Must say, the idea of a pizza-eating pterodactyl is rather cute!

It may help to explain why they order pizza so often. It's their secret weakness!

the article says "forearm", so I'm guessing it was a more substantial bit of another alien.

Whew, that's a relief. I can't imagine Jack leaving the hand out anyway - he probably put it safely in its container as soon as he got it. He wouldn't be careless with it.

birds are evolved small dinosaurs!

Yes. Highly evolved, say my little guys.

Re: the late Suzie: I wonder if more back-story about her will emerge...?

I wouldn't expect it, but I'd like it. Tho' maybe it would just make me wish they hadn't disposed of her so quickly.