Torchwood and TV

[vaznetti]

It is quite nice to be watching a fannish TV show in real time again, since the closest I've come to that for the past year has probably been Primeval, and I only know a couple people who watch that. Whereas lots of people watch Torchwood! And I can read their posts! Yay! (My other appointment TV shows are things like Timmy Time and In the Night Garden. OMG, you guys, CBeebies is TOTAL CRACK! I think I enjoy these much more than Spartacus does.)

And not only that, but this Torchwood miniseries is really good. I haven't seen much of the show itself, because I didn't like the first few episodes, but I am definitely enjoying this season. I mean, some of what I found irritating is still present -- like the random and often inappropriately-timed sex-talk, and yes, I know that's what everyone else watches for, but I just think it's silly -- and the issues about security and secrecy, but other things are much improved -- I now think that Gwen is awesome beyond words, whereas I did not like her much at first. And Ianto's lack of a personality is not an oversight, but part of his character (and I guess he must have acquired some kind of personality over the past two seasons anyway.)

And there is a plot! A scary plot! With twists! Some of which (like Jack's complicity) were kind of obvious (and a nice reminder that Torchwood were not always the good guys), and others which completely surprised me (like the doctor's betrayal and death). And I want to know more about Jack's daughter, and Ianto's sister and her husband -- I really like the way this series is handling people who are not part of The Team -- taking them seriously and letting them contribute to the story, and not just hang around to be rescued. Even the villains are well rounded, aside from the PM.

And the five-night miniseries format is working very well, too -- lots of tension and the promise of a relatively quick payoff. All in all, two thumbs up!

Actually, my icon reminds me that Being Human was also watched by other people -- and it has been funny watching Merlin eat through fandom. But watching TV in more-or-less real time with other people is still one of the things I like best about fandom, and a lot of my disengagement and frustration over the past year have come from not being able to participate in that -- and only being able to read meta, not fic (because of spoilers), is a pretty horrible way to experience fandom. Not that I'll be requesting Timmy Time fic at Yuletide or anything, because I know where that would lead...

Comments

[irishkate.livejournal.com]

I like Charlie and Lola....

Gave up on Primeval after they killed Stephen and didn't bring him back -- then they killed Nick and I lost it completely.

Loved Being Human.

Totally enjoying Torchwood now..

[vaznetti]

Somehow we're never watching when Charlie and Lola is on -- I've never seen it!

Yes, Primeval went off the rails a bit at the end, didn't it? But OMG Torchwood! I am FLAILING!

[muridae-x.livejournal.com]

I like the five-night miniseries format very much, not least for the fact that the story appears to be playing out over the course of five days. It's a small detail, but I think episode=day adds to the internal tension, without having to compress journeys and handwave away traffic jams in the way 24 sometimes had to.

I have watched Torchwood all the way through, but have always viewed it as the sometimes embarrassing adolescent in the corner, who's leafing through a well thumbed book looking for all the smutty bits so it can read them out loud and snigger a lot. It's heartening to see it put plot in the foreground and at the heart of the episodes and simply let the characterisation and one-liners and smutty bits arise more naturally out of that. I think it actually may be growing up.

[vaznetti]

I like your description of Torchwood -- I know exactly what you mean about the adolescent thing.

But I've just seen episode 4 and now I am flailing. A lot. And possibly wibbling. And cursing. Wow!

[muridae-x.livejournal.com]

I'm just sitting here in shock, browsing the Digital Spy thread because LJ hasn't posted much yet and I need to read somebody else's thoughts on it to kick-start my brain.

Oh, I got chills halfway through, during the conference at Number 10. Just so stark, and brutal, and terrifying. And the end... I wasn't expecting that any more than I did Rupesh in episode one.

Why isn't it tomorrow yet? Please, please, please don't let the final episode be a letdown after all of this.

I may yet need Torchwood icons.

[octavia-b.livejournal.com]

I stopped watching Primeval after Nick died and I LOVED Being Human and Merlin. I haven't watched Torchwood since Season 1, but I've seen lots of flailing on my f'list over the last few days so I may have to give it a go again.

[vaznetti]

The miniseries was very good, I thought -- although there were some giant plot-holes -- but it was nothing like the first two seasons of Torchwood. It was very dark.