"Cheats. He always cheats."
I had hoped from the teaser that Tosh would, y'know, get to be Gwen's partner on this one - how cool would that have been? - but I'm not going to complain too much. She and Ianto were both amazingly wonderful for their brief amount of screen time, and I love them to bits. Owen was hardly there, but he deserves a rest after the middle of the series, and he still got one of the best lines. I really, really do like this bloodlessness thing on him. Really.
A large part of me hates Nicki for reacting the way she did. I've been thinking about situations similar to this for years***, though, and I've long since reached the conclusion that there is no good reaction, and there's no way to make it all better. She seemed like such a strong, neat woman, so I like to think that this is just a temporary thing and, given a little more time, she'll come around and start visiting.
And then, of course, there's the 42-ton gorilla in the room****... I must confess, I had to stop the episode for a minute to just laugh, because it was so ridiculous and unexpected. It wouldn't have worked in almost any other episode, but the tone here was just the right balance of tension that needed broken and not too emotionally involving to the point of sudden and unexpected comedic moments causing whiplash. The creepy little shadow that darted across the top of the screen would have, in many other episodes, led us to believe that there was something sinister going on, but this wasn't that sort of episode, and that scene would not have been at all appropriate if it had been (not that it would ever be "appropriate" :^P). The shadow didn't heighten anxiety so much as confusion, which worked perfectly. And the whole thing worked perfectly as a nice little break in the middle of a heavy episode, AND as an added hint of realism. This is Torchwood, and that's the kind of thing that actually _would_ happen if someone other than Jack and Ianto were to barge into the office in the middle of the night. Just going on the law of averages and the fact that Ianto seemed fairly composed instead of mortified, I'm fairly certain that both Owen and Tosh have made this mistake at least once each already. They're at the Hub after hours far more than Gwen, after all...
Here's what I don’t like about this scene, though: it is going to be the defining moment of the episode. Okay, yes, this is, for all Jack's smarm and innuendo, the first time we have seen him actually doing anything more passionate than that first kiss with John before they started tenderizing each other with bits of the pub. And, yes, this is the first time we've seen Ianto wearing fewer than two layers. But, you know what? That's NOT what the episode was about. If it hadn't been for that bit, everyone would be moaning about how boring it was and how much they dislike Gwen and how they can't wait until John is back and all the usual garbage that gets tossed around any time there isn't enough (gods, I hate this word) Janto. But no, it's going to become one of the most popular episodes not because of the extremely good writing and the superb characterization, but because we saw Jack and Ianto doin' it. And that's just not right.
Also, as much as I've always known the day would come, I kinda liked having Jack - and, by extension (_thanks_, Nick Lowe...), Ianto - as the only character(s) that we had never seen in flagrante delicto. It's the irony that did it for me, along with the sense that, while he's (OBVIOUSLY) not "above" that behaviour, he's above us seeing him actually doing anything. And now that's gone, and I'm kind of sad.
But still, the looks on their faces...! ::snerk::
* We all knew full well Jack was doing the Right Thing, but it's so easy - much easier than with the Doctor - to believe that he isn't.
** Yeah, yeah, I'm a geek. And I'm in a class where part of my homework over the weekend was to play Doom. The other part was to read the chapter on interactivity in Marie-Laure Ryan's Avatars of Story.
*** It's a hopefully-maybe-someday-fantasy-scifi-writer thing. Best not to ask, really.
**** It is draped in flashing Christmas lights, waving a giant flag, sounding an air horn, and wearing Six's coat.
And the other bits:
~ Who exactly was it who decided 212 needed to be aired tonight? I'm not watching it until Wednesday. [crosses arms resolutely]
~ I think I actually had Dr. Rumford from "Stones of Blood" for one of my honours classes.
~ I was featured on DeviantArt! Also, I finished a Martha!
~ I have no self-control at all and have started watching All Creatures Great and Small.
There is nothing more adorable* than Peter Davison with a bunny.
No, he's not strangling the poor thing. Yes, that is Cornelius Fudge playing his older brother. Yes, they do look a lot a like, now you mention it.
* That was a lie.
...And it seems like there was something else, but I'm actually finally tired, so I'll leave it for later.
A large part of me hates Nicki for reacting the way she did. I've been thinking about situations similar to this for years***, though, and I've long since reached the conclusion that there is no good reaction, and there's no way to make it all better. She seemed like such a strong, neat woman, so I like to think that this is just a temporary thing and, given a little more time, she'll come around and start visiting.
And then, of course, there's the 42-ton gorilla in the room****... I must confess, I had to stop the episode for a minute to just laugh, because it was so ridiculous and unexpected. It wouldn't have worked in almost any other episode, but the tone here was just the right balance of tension that needed broken and not too emotionally involving to the point of sudden and unexpected comedic moments causing whiplash. The creepy little shadow that darted across the top of the screen would have, in many other episodes, led us to believe that there was something sinister going on, but this wasn't that sort of episode, and that scene would not have been at all appropriate if it had been (not that it would ever be "appropriate" :^P). The shadow didn't heighten anxiety so much as confusion, which worked perfectly. And the whole thing worked perfectly as a nice little break in the middle of a heavy episode, AND as an added hint of realism. This is Torchwood, and that's the kind of thing that actually _would_ happen if someone other than Jack and Ianto were to barge into the office in the middle of the night. Just going on the law of averages and the fact that Ianto seemed fairly composed instead of mortified, I'm fairly certain that both Owen and Tosh have made this mistake at least once each already. They're at the Hub after hours far more than Gwen, after all...
Here's what I don’t like about this scene, though: it is going to be the defining moment of the episode. Okay, yes, this is, for all Jack's smarm and innuendo, the first time we have seen him actually doing anything more passionate than that first kiss with John before they started tenderizing each other with bits of the pub. And, yes, this is the first time we've seen Ianto wearing fewer than two layers. But, you know what? That's NOT what the episode was about. If it hadn't been for that bit, everyone would be moaning about how boring it was and how much they dislike Gwen and how they can't wait until John is back and all the usual garbage that gets tossed around any time there isn't enough (gods, I hate this word) Janto. But no, it's going to become one of the most popular episodes not because of the extremely good writing and the superb characterization, but because we saw Jack and Ianto doin' it. And that's just not right.
Also, as much as I've always known the day would come, I kinda liked having Jack - and, by extension (_thanks_, Nick Lowe...), Ianto - as the only character(s) that we had never seen in flagrante delicto. It's the irony that did it for me, along with the sense that, while he's (OBVIOUSLY) not "above" that behaviour, he's above us seeing him actually doing anything. And now that's gone, and I'm kind of sad.
But still, the looks on their faces...! ::snerk::
* We all knew full well Jack was doing the Right Thing, but it's so easy - much easier than with the Doctor - to believe that he isn't.
** Yeah, yeah, I'm a geek. And I'm in a class where part of my homework over the weekend was to play Doom. The other part was to read the chapter on interactivity in Marie-Laure Ryan's Avatars of Story.
*** It's a hopefully-maybe-someday-fantasy-scifi-writer thing. Best not to ask, really.
**** It is draped in flashing Christmas lights, waving a giant flag, sounding an air horn, and wearing Six's coat.
And the other bits:
~ Who exactly was it who decided 212 needed to be aired tonight? I'm not watching it until Wednesday. [crosses arms resolutely]
~ I think I actually had Dr. Rumford from "Stones of Blood" for one of my honours classes.
~ I was featured on DeviantArt! Also, I finished a Martha!
~ I have no self-control at all and have started watching All Creatures Great and Small.
There is nothing more adorable* than Peter Davison with a bunny.
No, he's not strangling the poor thing. Yes, that is Cornelius Fudge playing his older brother. Yes, they do look a lot a like, now you mention it.
* That was a lie.
...And it seems like there was something else, but I'm actually finally tired, so I'll leave it for later.