Torchwood (Spoilers ahoy)

Back on 1 November 2006 I did a very brief blog about Torchwood. Two eps in, and I kinda liked it but recognised it had faults. I commented about how Captain Jack had become the man of mystery now.

This is the Sunday after a week's TV that did something rather odd. It made Torchwood into a phenomenon. It was bloody brilliant, although it does still have its faults.

I've read some pretty decent professional reviews in the British press of Torchwood: Children of Earth (or series 3). They point out some pretty cool things, like how silly the show is but yet... series 3 did stuff that was brave. Pushed boundaries. Wasn't afraid to go where a lot of shows like that wouldn't dare. I'm aware of some interesting things behind the scenes that I can't go into here, but let's just say my admiration of the production crew remains undiminished.

I've read some pretty silly stuff about it, too.

And I've read reviews of it from people who didn't like it for various reasons. I respect their views because it was all about how it made them feel, and I can't dictate to them how they must feel.

Right.

In general, I thought it kicked off well. Day 1 was fun, active, funny, surprisingly a bit scary, and surprising. I wanted more. But, Lois Habibi was annoying. Not the actor playing her, not even the character's wide-eyed naivete, but the set up. Sorry, but a temp? In that role? And that amount of sloppy security. Er. No.

Day 2 was a bit slow for my liking, and while it had some splendid moments I think it was set up, set up, set up. And a few sloppy bits, but in general the building tension of who those aliens were going to be was good. And I liked Clem.

Day 3 I ended up having to watch at 8 pm on Thursday, which probably does affect how I viewed it. While a lot of it was still patently set up, it seemed to be focussed a bit more. Plus, of course, we finally meet the 456 and they're icky. What is is with the snot? In a moment of inspiration, I re-wrote the back story for Lois: rather than be a temp, she's a new starter. Fully security cleared, trained, etc, but it's her first day. She's shocked by what she sees and hears. She hasn't yet been inculcated with the mentality of her new employers. She's shy, anxious to do a good job, but eventually her morality shines through.

Yes, I dove straight into Day 4 on the back of Day 3... and, oh. It remains coloured by the end. Now, probably because I'm a dyke I never really got Ianto Jones. He was too background in Series 1, then in Series 2 did emerge from the background but because the massive rehabilitation of Owen Harper (Burn Gorman) and the events leading up to his deaths and Tosh's death I didn't really see what others were seeing. Now, though, because he was one of the remaining 3 (plus 1 if you include Rhys, which by now one should), I think he started to develop a character not overshadowed by the others. So, yes, that whole thing got me. It was jaw-droppingly brave stuff to do, and I don't think it was the cheap option, or the easy option. And I don't think it was the anti-gay thing some people no doubt will think it is. It made logical and emotional sense... and I was astounded that he wasn't brought back.

Funny thing. I did see some posts around the interweb that was decrying Russell T. Davies' gay agenda; enough already. While I think some of those posts were being ironic, I was bemused by the lack of similar posts about Gwen and Rhys and the pushing of a heterosexual agenda; enough already :-)

Day 5 dawned. I was eagerly looking forward to it, but with trepidation. I am awed by the scenes with Frobisher (first the being told his kids were politically expedient, then the murder-suicide); by the revelation the aliens were junkies (okay, there are a few problems with it when you delve deeper, but I still love the idea!); and by the whole sequence with Captain Jack's daughter and grandson. My favourite scene, though, in terms of the emotional truth behind it, was the small one when Jack's daughter walks in on where Jack is sitting. That awful, awkward moment, and they both know words would never cut it, so she turns and goes. I might have been so easy to insert a speech there, but it would have been so hard to get the words right. Silence. Extraordinary. And perfectly acted by both actors. It redeemed her in my eyes because up to that point her mono-expression was bugging me.

I'm not going to comment too much about where this leaves Torchwood. In a way, I hope it is the end... except for odd mentions in Doctor Who, or possibly specials like this. I want it to be remembered for being extraordinary.

I do want to say quite quickly that I don't think Children of Earth could have happened without the slight reboot that occurred in Series 2. While there are a large number of people to thank for that, I want to single out Gary Russell who as script editor for a few of those pivotal stories took it to places where it could go; and Joe Lidster and Matt Jones for those amazing scripts in the middle of series 2 that made me like Owen as a character. Thanks, guys.

And Gwen Cooper was bloody brilliant all the way through.