Torchwood Rewatch: 1x01 Everything Changes

[lefaym]

Episode: 1x01 Everything Changes
Writer: Russell T. Davies
Director: Brian Kelly

This review contains spoilers for everything aired, up to and including Children of Earth.OMG, I ENJOYED THAT SO FUCKING MUCH. SERIOUSLY. GWEN LOOKED SO CUTE AND INNOCENT IN HER POLICE OUTFIT. JACK’S COAT WAS SWISHY. RHYS WAS LOVELY. JACK HAS A SHINY SMILE. AND

Comments

[phaetonschariot]

I also noticed that, at the end, Gwen says to Jack, “Owen and Toshiko-you didn’t tell them that you were shot in the head, and survived.” She doesn’t mention Ianto. Does this mean that she’s simply forgotten about Ianto? It’s certainly plausible, given that the “nobody notices Ianto” thing is due to become very prominent in Cyberwoman, but it leaves it just open enough to suggest that perhaps he DID tell Ianto, and that Gwen knew that he did. And I love that. That is the sort of thing that inspires fic, after all.I remember noting when I last rewatched this that when she's writing on her computer she also neglects to mention Ianto

[lefaym]

I haven't actually read the three S1 tie-in novels. But I'm thinking I should just for the sake of complete-ness (though at the moment I don't feel like giving money to the BBC, especially for TW-related things -- they might take it as approval of CoE).

And I do think that you're right that it's probably supposed to be a case of Gwen not noticing Ianto, but there's enough of a gap in there to play around a bit. :)

[phaetonschariot]

Yeah I have all the books except for Another Life, and I'd heard the audio version of that, and I was really not sure whether to buy Slow Decay to finish the set after CoE. I'm totally a season three denialist though so I'm just not going to buy anything that acknowledges it. (Or the archives or yearbook or anything because they're disgustingly expensive.) I kind of wish I'd had the DVDs preordered solely so I could cancel the order.

I do like playing with gaps. :P And in End of Days it DOES seem that Ianto doesn't know he comes back to life, but logistically I think it makes more sense if he's noticed something, because he's the one that cleans up the messes. And the whole gap with Jack dying in his car in Out of Time is a fun one too. Mostly I just find it hilarious that just going by the introductions you'd think Ianto was the most important person on the team, but everyone always forgets him.

[lefaym]

I think End of Days is ambiguous with regard to what Ianto knows. One thing I find interesting is that Ianto immediately goes to crouch at Jack's head -- and the only time we see him do something like that again is after Clem shoots him in Day Four.

I kind of wish I'd had the DVDs preordered solely so I could cancel the order.

YES.

[phaetonschariot]

Yeah, it's all down to GDL's facial expressions really. He could have just been startled - I jump when people knock on my bedroom door, and granted I'm sensitive to sudden and loud noises, but still, it's possible, especially in a tense situation.

[lefaym]

Well, I will pay special attention to it when I get up to EoD in my rewatch!

[used_songs]

I always interpreted this as Ianto already knew about Jack, but he was horrified at Owen turning on him like that, aghast at that disloyalty.

[lefaym]

But at the same time, Ianto had just turned on Jack himself... so perhaps he felt partially responsible too. Certainly he seems very uncertain as to how Jack will react to him at the end of the episode (but of course Jack forgives him with HUGS AND KISSES).

[used_songs]

This is true. Ah, betrayal! A wonderful prelude to full-on snogging. :)