Torchwood: more thoughts about "Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang"

[fajrdrako]

More thoughts on 'Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang' and intersections of reality...

(1) The debt Torchwood owes to Buffy the Vampire Slayer has never been much of a secret, given the parallels. With the coming of Captain Spike, this is all the more pronounced.

But what I noticed even more, because I'm a Firefly fan, is the flashes of Firefly tribute in this episode:

1. The cowboyish approach as Jack and John meet in the bar; the fight; the costuming. Jack has Mal's coat and suspenders; John has his boots and holsters.


2. John says Gwen can call him 'Vera'. And she does.¹


3. John uses Saffron's poisoned-lip-gloss trick.²

(2) So Jack was "Hero of the Year, 5094". Wouldn't you love to know the story behind that? And can't you just see Jack as the Hero of the Year, with his picture on the covers of Time and Life (51st century editions), and half of it a scam anyway?

(3) I love it when Gwen tries to throttle people.

(4) I love it that the bar that Jack and John meet in is called "Bar Reunion".

(5) When Captain Spike John tries to lure Jack to join him "among the stars" and the "worlds sparkling with wonder" - it's reminiscent of the Doctor asking Jack to join him on the TARDIS, but of course the personalities give the question (and Jack's answer) a whole painful contrasting twist. The conversation must have made Jack think of the Doctor, and regret what John has made of himself all the more.

(6) I love it when characters in Doctor Who related stories say, "No, no, no. No, no, no, no, no."

(7) I love it that throughout the whole of "Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang", Jack is wearing a blue shirt and Ianto is wearing a pink one.

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¹ If you aren't familiar with Firefly: the thug-for-hire Jayne had a big gun he was particularly fond of, and named it 'Vera'.

² Firefly episode 6, "Our Mrs. Reynolds".