Torchwood Review: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

[1flying_wonder]

Sorry I'm late to the party.  It took me 5 hour to download this thing last night so it was about 1am before I got to see it and then I had to go to sleep.  I have read no other reviews, just quick reactions.  I'm off to read as soon as this is posted.

I really prefer to be a positive person rather than a negative person, so let me go ahead and get

Comments

[etharei]

I think a lot of people have been put off by the Jack/Gwen scene. Personally I really didn't like Gwen by the end of the last season, but I want to be charitable and say that maybe she wasn't being 100% literal about the "no one will have me" line. Maybe she's actually saying "you won't have me". Doesn't quite improve things but at least it takes out the self-deprecation. I don't think it's her saying she's marrying Rhys just so she won't be single, I think it's more a jibe directed at Jack. Since she later decides to try flirting with John to get more information, I don't think she really believes she's of little worth.

But I totally agree that Rhys deserves better :P I mean, John did the 'sex sounds' thing into the phone and Rhys just nodded and accepted Gwen's explanation, even though she said it was going to be an all-night job. Too trusting by a mile, that man.

Gareth David-Lloyd said in an interview that during the office scene, there's an entire second conversation going on between him and Jack in subtext. I didn't really get it on first viewing, but Libby over at the DWF summarized it as thus:
Jack tells Ianto that offices excite him, office romance, etc. Ianto quickly cuts him off. Ianto's way of saying that he's not interested in office romance. Jack picks up on it, makes a point of asking Ianto how he is doing..personally, not as his coworker..but as a person. Ianto dodges the question by keeping it on a professional level. Jack asks him out and Ianto accepts as long as it isn't in an office...his way of saying "sure....as long as it's NOT just an office relationship", one of jack's fetishes. He wants it to be real.

Or, with the actual transcript... (by Libby again)
JACK: Oh yeah, I love that office-y feel. I always get excited in these places. To me they're exotic. Office romances... photocopying your butt, well maybe not your butt although whilst we're here why don't we photo... Office romance is fun, sexy. UP for some fun while were here?

IANTO: The rift was active these coordinates approximately 200 feet above ground that means this floor or the roof. No, let's keep this professional and serious. I'm not just here for fun and makes

JACK: How are you Ianto? He's not happy with me.

IANTO: All the better for having you back sir. I'm being the good, little office boy that you expect.

JACK: Can we maybe drop the sir now, I mean while I was away I was thinking you know maybe once this is all done, dinner... movie? Maybe I can make this better, fix it.

IANTO: Are you asking me out on a date? What are you up to?

JACK: Interested? ?

IANTO: Well... as long as it's not in an office. some fetishes should be kept to yourself. Only if you are serious. I don't want an office romance, It hurt too much last time when you left. If that's all you wanted, best you kept it to yourself.

JACK: Looks like we'll have to check every drawer, bin and plant pot. We can do all the dating stuff properly, go through the list kind of thing [this one's mine]

IANTO: Right, OK, I'll do this floor, don't want you getting overexcited. All right, but don't get your hopes up. [mine]
Why don't you check the roof. you're good on roofs. Go away before you leave this place a mess, I'm better at going through offices anyway, and incidentally let's have some space between us for now, OK? [mine]
Jack? why are we helping him? Do you want him?

JACK: He's a reminder of my past. I want him gone. By the way? was that a yes? No. I need to move on

IANTO: Yes... yeah.

It's actually a lot of fun trying to work out what they may be saying :) Hope that adds a new meaning to that scene!

[1flying_wonder]

Jack tells Ianto that offices excite him, office romance, etc. Ianto quickly cuts him off. Ianto's way of saying that he's not interested in office romance. Jack picks up on it, makes a point of asking Ianto how he is doing..personally, not as his coworker..but as a person. Ianto dodges the question by keeping it on a professional level. Jack asks him out and Ianto accepts as long as it isn't in an office...his way of saying "sure....as long as it's NOT just an office relationship", one of jack's fetishes. He wants it to be real.

Ooo...nice insight!

That makes total sense. I felt there was so much more going on in that scene, but my brain on only 4 hours of sleep refused to let it all click. And good on Ianto for laying down the law with Jack. He deserves to be so much more than an office shag. I'm so pleased to see him stand up for himself.