Torchwood: Miracle Day episode, what, seven? The one with the guy who did the thing, y'know....
Because 51stcenturyfox suggested it and because it was a good idea, herewith is my reaction post to Torchwood: Miracle Day episode 7.
This is of course rife with spoilers to here is a spoiler cut just for you.
Parts of this were originally (and still are, actually) in a comment to Foxy's great reaction post to this episode.
I have previously stated that I am giving up on Torchwood and Russell T Davies because of his lack of imagination. He thinks the only way to make his audience feel things is to kill someone they love. I still feel that way. Russell T Davies had better not meet anyone I care about. Not even, or especially, my dog! But Jane Espenson keeps renewing my faith in the series. The episode was awesome.
I don't care about which coat Jack wore when. For all we know, he has them stashed all over the planet. I was annoyed by the reference to a fixed point in time because either he shouldn't know this already or we're now in an alternate reality. Since the rest of the episode was so rest of the episode was so amazing, I'm going to handwave it away and say that Jack's noticed this about himself, which is why he doesn't look horrified when the Doctor reveals it in "The Sound of Drums."
I am starting to dislike Hollywood (and everyone who does films where religion needs to be mentioned) always letting Catholicism stand in for all Christianity. Now, I'm not Christian. I have no ball in this game. But I dislike it nonetheless.
Now, then...seeing Jack with Angelo made me realize how much more his relationship with Ianto meant. Because he not only let Ianto in, he let him in after Ianto had proved himself untrustworthy ("Cyberwoman" and "End of Days") and despite the fact that Jack had been betrayed by lovers who knew his secret. Ianto either had a special place in Jack's heart or some damn fine blackmail material. And I can't imagine what anyone could blackmail Jack with other than his immortality.
Jack's comment, that people like Angelo kept killing him caught me in a weird way. Jack is in the habit of taking the bullet to protect the people whom he loves. I don't think it was that Angelo killed him he was referring to. It was that Jack does stupid things that expose his immortality in order to protect people who love him. This endangers him, and in the long run puts those he loves in jeopardy, as well. Letting someone love him that much, that's a danger to everyone from Jack on down to the onlookers.
That said, he still let Ianto be part of a domestic seeming relationship with him. Ianto knew about Jack's immortality, and accepted (based on the novels and the radio plays) that he was going to die, sooner rather than later, and that Jack would go on to love others. All he asked was to be remembered. And Jack, when he came back from resetting the world with the Doctor, accepted Ianto's love and returned it. (I still maintain that "House of the Dead" is mostly just 45 minutes of my life I'll never get back but at least it put an end to the argument about that...plus Rhiannon's comment in CoE about how no one was going to get between Jack and Ianto in that restaurant...) Given the way he talks with Angelo about his relationships, this was a major departure for Jack.
Then again, what do we know about Jack's relationship with Lucia Moretti (Alice's mother?) He apparently let her in, too. So I may be seeing things entirely through Ianto-colored glasses.
Were there ever any rumors of GDL seen near the set when this was filming in LA? Because that would be really awkward and yet not entirely unexpected, for Jack to have a flashback or even for Ianto to have been dragged back from the dead by the Evil Whoever that's running the "Miracle." And GDL was around somewhere in that time frame, doing his episode of "Warehouse 13," although maybe that is filmed in Canada; I can't remember... If it happens, remember YOU SAW IT HERE FIRST. If it doesn't, just forget I mentioned it...
There's something I really need to get off my chest. I have NO NEED WHATSOEVER for Rex. Enough with him already. He's proven himself as egotistical as Jack but not nearly as interesting and while he is heroic, he's apparently not very smart. Time he took a back seat and let Esther be the Big Damn Hero.
There, I've said it. My opinion only.
Jack's relationship with Gwen amazed me in this episode. That's a hell of a friendship where that kind of honesty can be blurted out and the two of them completely understand and accept one another. It was beautiful.
Someday I want someone to ask Rhys if he's jealous of Gwen's relationship with Jack and have Rhys say, "God, no, I'd never want that kind of relationship with Gwen! I'd rather be her husband than whatever Jack is to her."
OH, ANDY!!!!! I wanted to hug him. I frequently have that reaction to Andy.
I'm starting to meander now. But this episode made me so, so happy. Bless you, Jane Espenson.
This is of course rife with spoilers to here is a spoiler cut just for you.
Parts of this were originally (and still are, actually) in a comment to Foxy's great reaction post to this episode.
I have previously stated that I am giving up on Torchwood and Russell T Davies because of his lack of imagination. He thinks the only way to make his audience feel things is to kill someone they love. I still feel that way. Russell T Davies had better not meet anyone I care about. Not even, or especially, my dog! But Jane Espenson keeps renewing my faith in the series. The episode was awesome.
I don't care about which coat Jack wore when. For all we know, he has them stashed all over the planet. I was annoyed by the reference to a fixed point in time because either he shouldn't know this already or we're now in an alternate reality. Since the rest of the episode was so rest of the episode was so amazing, I'm going to handwave it away and say that Jack's noticed this about himself, which is why he doesn't look horrified when the Doctor reveals it in "The Sound of Drums."
I am starting to dislike Hollywood (and everyone who does films where religion needs to be mentioned) always letting Catholicism stand in for all Christianity. Now, I'm not Christian. I have no ball in this game. But I dislike it nonetheless.
Now, then...seeing Jack with Angelo made me realize how much more his relationship with Ianto meant. Because he not only let Ianto in, he let him in after Ianto had proved himself untrustworthy ("Cyberwoman" and "End of Days") and despite the fact that Jack had been betrayed by lovers who knew his secret. Ianto either had a special place in Jack's heart or some damn fine blackmail material. And I can't imagine what anyone could blackmail Jack with other than his immortality.
Jack's comment, that people like Angelo kept killing him caught me in a weird way. Jack is in the habit of taking the bullet to protect the people whom he loves. I don't think it was that Angelo killed him he was referring to. It was that Jack does stupid things that expose his immortality in order to protect people who love him. This endangers him, and in the long run puts those he loves in jeopardy, as well. Letting someone love him that much, that's a danger to everyone from Jack on down to the onlookers.
That said, he still let Ianto be part of a domestic seeming relationship with him. Ianto knew about Jack's immortality, and accepted (based on the novels and the radio plays) that he was going to die, sooner rather than later, and that Jack would go on to love others. All he asked was to be remembered. And Jack, when he came back from resetting the world with the Doctor, accepted Ianto's love and returned it. (I still maintain that "House of the Dead" is mostly just 45 minutes of my life I'll never get back but at least it put an end to the argument about that...plus Rhiannon's comment in CoE about how no one was going to get between Jack and Ianto in that restaurant...) Given the way he talks with Angelo about his relationships, this was a major departure for Jack.
Then again, what do we know about Jack's relationship with Lucia Moretti (Alice's mother?) He apparently let her in, too. So I may be seeing things entirely through Ianto-colored glasses.
Were there ever any rumors of GDL seen near the set when this was filming in LA? Because that would be really awkward and yet not entirely unexpected, for Jack to have a flashback or even for Ianto to have been dragged back from the dead by the Evil Whoever that's running the "Miracle." And GDL was around somewhere in that time frame, doing his episode of "Warehouse 13," although maybe that is filmed in Canada; I can't remember... If it happens, remember YOU SAW IT HERE FIRST. If it doesn't, just forget I mentioned it...
There's something I really need to get off my chest. I have NO NEED WHATSOEVER for Rex. Enough with him already. He's proven himself as egotistical as Jack but not nearly as interesting and while he is heroic, he's apparently not very smart. Time he took a back seat and let Esther be the Big Damn Hero.
There, I've said it. My opinion only.
Jack's relationship with Gwen amazed me in this episode. That's a hell of a friendship where that kind of honesty can be blurted out and the two of them completely understand and accept one another. It was beautiful.
Someday I want someone to ask Rhys if he's jealous of Gwen's relationship with Jack and have Rhys say, "God, no, I'd never want that kind of relationship with Gwen! I'd rather be her husband than whatever Jack is to her."
OH, ANDY!!!!! I wanted to hug him. I frequently have that reaction to Andy.
I'm starting to meander now. But this episode made me so, so happy. Bless you, Jane Espenson.