All of them really played it fantastically this ep (and the other ones) clearly having one director/Euros Lyn for an entire set of episodes really works. He's got performances out of JB that really surprised me in their subtlety and mutedness. (Of course, it had to go that way, this series is all about, for Jack, who he really is, whether he can remake himself, whether he is all surface or more than that, and so the difference between the pretense, the big, brash persona and this one had to be evident). Gwen's reaction-- pulling up Jack's sheet first and smiling sort-of-fondly before quite visibly steeling herself and hesitantly pulling back Ianto's covering-- just such a great, subtle, heartbreaking moment. And I'm with you on Jack's reaction too--a very deliberate choice to have Jack come back much more softly, mutedly than he has done in the past. And we see the remembrance come back to him-- the pain of memory, the pain of coming back rather than the pain of dying has never been so evident. Some gorgeous camera choices and acting work, really.
Yeah. Some rather cynical marketing. But again, I don't know why I'm surprised, cynicism is the very nature of the marketing beast.
Yes normally when I re-watch I watch Ianto's face because GDL does that amazing subtle facial acting, but Jack was fantastic with the subtleties and the subtext and everything. Also the fact that he died twice, and the first time he came back clinging to Ianto and then the second time.... not so much.
Oh, man, yeah, I forgot about that. (But I remember thinking at the time, WHOA FORESHADOWING). Even though we didn't see any sexual intimacy/kissing (besides that last, terrible, sad kiss) those little moments really worked for me in terms of their relationship. Ianto is, at that point, still horrified with what Jack's done, and processing it-- but he still goes to his side, holds him, glares bloody daggers at Clem, and holds on to him as he comes back. But really, it's Jack that's clinging on to him. JB's projecting mad vulnerability-- he's clearly the one who needs reassurance at this point. Ianto goes to him as (largely, I think) the loyal soldier, but Jack holds on to him as a lover.
(And yeah, see. This is why it would have been so wonderful to see more of this rare, complex, interesting, fucked up relationship on our screens, paid for by Aunty Beeb.)
That's actually a good showing of a mature, secure relationship too, because even when he's mad at Jack, he'll still be right by his side when he's needed, and that probably goes both ways. They "know" that they'll sort things out between them later but that right now is not the time for it. And personally I love that it's subtle. If they declared undying love for each other all time I'd hate it. They're men, they act like men, and it works, so so well.
Oh, and, despite me talking lots about soldier/lover, I do want to clarify. I think their relationship amalgamates the two. Ianto, when Jack is about to swan off again says, (with a not-genuine smile and mildness) "you're the boss"-- it's a clear dig, a subtle reprimand, and from JB's face you see that Jack takes it as such. So clearly Ianto follows Jack because he chooses to, because he respects/loves him, not just because "he's the boss"-- he's telling Jack, essentially, 'you're being a tosser, you're treating me like a subordinate, and I'm clearly more than that', Or rather, signalling his awareness that Jack is trying to box their personal discussion into a 'work' box, where he can be the boss and Ianto is his employee and he's in his mysterious, disappearing comfort-zone, but that ain't gonna cut it. This goes some way into explaining how they manage to deal with their work/life balance, to keep it all separate-- have a domestic but still go on a mission an hour later, you know?
Clearly it's 2am and I'm overthinking. I think bed is the only useful response! :D
Hell, even at work Ianto sometimes shows up Jack - in KKBB he orders him around, in Meat Jack defers to him in front of Rhys ("Do I show off?" "Just a bit.") Ianto has never been a weepy sub. Never. Ianto follows Jack utterly and completely out of choice and he has gone against his orders/wishes in the past when he thought it was the right thing to do (end of days).
Yeah. Some rather cynical marketing. But again, I don't know why I'm surprised, cynicism is the very nature of the marketing beast.
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(And yeah, see. This is why it would have been so wonderful to see more of this rare, complex, interesting, fucked up relationship on our screens, paid for by Aunty Beeb.)
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Oh, and, despite me talking lots about soldier/lover, I do want to clarify. I think their relationship amalgamates the two. Ianto, when Jack is about to swan off again says, (with a not-genuine smile and mildness) "you're the boss"-- it's a clear dig, a subtle reprimand, and from JB's face you see that Jack takes it as such. So clearly Ianto follows Jack because he chooses to, because he respects/loves him, not just because "he's the boss"-- he's telling Jack, essentially, 'you're being a tosser, you're treating me like a subordinate, and I'm clearly more than that', Or rather, signalling his awareness that Jack is trying to box their personal discussion into a 'work' box, where he can be the boss and Ianto is his employee and he's in his mysterious, disappearing comfort-zone, but that ain't gonna cut it. This goes some way into explaining how they manage to deal with their work/life balance, to keep it all separate-- have a domestic but still go on a mission an hour later, you know?
Clearly it's 2am and I'm overthinking. I think bed is the only useful response! :D
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NIGHT.
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Jack: ...I like the philosophy.
Ianto: I gathered.
:DDD
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