This a post entirely about Torchwood
Ok, here we go people, this is my attempt at a cohesive explaination on why, for me, Torchwood was sheer epic failure last night. And why, as a long time fan, I am done.
Obviously, spoilers for series 3, don't enter if you don't want to know.
There is a lot that I want to say, and yet it's still very hard to put it into words. Perhaps my english skills are not what they used to be. And in all honesty my struggles are in vain, when I can merely quote this gentleman from AE.com. This, below, is exactly what I think, and written in the most eloquent fashion. I couldn't put it better, and so I won't try. (I will, however, ramble on after the quote block)
Submitted by Psioncyx @ AE.com
I think that RTD just crossed too far over the line for my taste.
Killing Owen and Tosh was really pushing the outer edge of the envelope. Killing Ianto was just plain brutal. And all the additional death, like Jack's grandson, was simply gratuitous.
This was clearly meant to be a shocker, and it was. But in a very malicious, almost contemptuous way. RTD was asserting his ownership over the playpen by showing that he could wreck the whole thing at will. It makes for a climactic ending for a series.
But the problem is that now I honestly can't say that I would watch a Series Four.
For starters, RTD has demonstrated that there is no point in getting emotionally invested in any of the characters, because he'll kill them off whenever it amuses him to do so. Except, perhaps, for ones he's inordinately proud of such as Gwen.
But by-and-large Torchwood overall is not such an original series what with the Hellmouth....er, I mean...Rift having been such a derivative plot device. Can I also note the similarity to Primeval here as well? Overall, in terms of concept Torchwood has not been all that ground-breaking. It has been the characters and the use of them that created a lot of it's appeal.
Now, however, RTD has demonstrated unequivocally that this most valuable asset is considered expendable. The characters are just there to be killed. Except for Jack and (seemingly) Gwen.
Jack is not the Doctor however, even at the best of times. And Gwen is certainly not Rose, Sarah Jane, Martha or any of the better companions. Keeping just the two is insufficient to maintain the momentum of the show many of us got into.
Years ago, when I was about thirteen or so, my best friend and I took my extensive collection of Star Wars toys out to the woods. There we staged an epic "last battle" using model fuel to burn every last toy (collectors reading this may cringe as they feel the need). It was a kind of rite of passage. Moving from my childhood into adolescence. But once the toys were burned I scarcely gave them another thought and didn't really miss them.
That is how this feels to me. It feels like RTD killed Torchwood. Series Three hasn't even been broadcast in the U.S. and I've only seen segments of episodes 3-5. But I almost can't muster the desire to set the TiVo to record them. After all, if RTD cared so little for these characters then why should I? Maybe better to just move on. And if there's a Series Four I probably won't bother watching unless something I read somewhere convinces me it's worth it. But somehow I doubt it.
It feels like RTD was fishing more for awards and praise for his "daring" than caring the slightest about what fans might think. Again, he was asserting ownership of the playpen. CoE was certainly daring. But as with my long-gone Star Wars toys, it was a final separation. Burn it all down just to achieve a dramatic ending. A severance that broke my emotional tie to Torchwood.
For new fans, tuning in to the series for the first time, it must of been mind-blowing. I can understand that. It was dark, gripping and on a whole new level to the previous series. Episodes one to three are honestly the best episodes of Torchwood I have ever seen, without a doubt. But for us long time fans, who have been with the show since the beginning, spent years investing our time in coming to know and love these characters, shared in their heartache, joy, misery, fear - to name but a few - this ending feels like a kick in the face.
I know as a writer you have to tell the story that you want to tell, I really do understand that. It's his gig, what would even be the point if he didn't? And yet, with a show that has, over time, gained a loyal and devoted fanbase, we at least deserved some consideration. Afterall, that is what television is about, is it not? It's about sharing your story with the world and entertaining people. I sincerely doubt the point is to alienate and enrage the fans who have stood by you and supported you, even when your show was tucked away on BBC3 and the critics were less than flattering. RTD's arrogance is quite frankly astounding in this respect.
Jack, as a character, is destroyed. How could a man ever come back from this level of suffering? If he were ever to return to his happy-go-lucky, flirtaeous self it would be almost laughable. This character is so far beyond the anti-hero it's not even funny.
I'm not faulting the story here, it was riveting and devastating. There were times when I felt physically nauseous because all I could think was yes, this could happen. And although several glaring plotholes, the too-quick destruction of the 456, and the ridiculously stupid time-skip (which could deserve a paragraph of it's own for such epic fail) of the finale were incredibly annoying, as a whole series this was good television. Admittedly if you strip away the aliens it's a lot less original that it first appears. But still, the acting was immense, the political corruption certainly gripping, the "children-as-narcotics" twist sickening and brilliant. The pacing was almost perfect over the five days.
Yet in the end, it felt self-indulgent, selfish and unfair. Despite the fact that it was better, it still wasn't the show I fell in love with.
Ultimately, at the end of the day I felt like screaming "For the love of Ra, Davies, lighten the fuck up!" This was so much darker than I ever anticipated, furiously so. In the conclusion it felt as if there wasn't a glimmer of a hope, not even in Gwen's pregnancy, becuse I mean really, look at the world she is bringing her child into.
I watch telelvision to be entertained. By the time the credits rolled on screen all I could think was "Is this seriously the world we are already, or anticipating, of living in? Why don't I just throw myself out of a window right now?"
So far I haven't addressed Ianto's death head-on, to be honest It's hard to. Yes, I am biased, he was my favourite character afterall, and one half on my favourite on-screen couples of all time. I have a lot of issues with his worthless death, which was utterly in vain and served no purpose but to heighten Jack's downfall and create more tears. I know for a fact that Ianto is often the series most popular character, and the Janto relationship accounts for a serious proportion of the fandom, myself included. This is the utter lack of consideration from Davies I am talking about, he ripped out our hearts for nothing but shock-value and for a catalyst to Jack's destruction. I am truly devastated, and this alone means I certainly will not be tuning in for a fouth series, if there is one.
And wow, I have wrote a lot. I sincerely hope it doesn't sound like I'm taking this all far too seriously, I mean at the end of the day this is fiction, and should be taken as such. I just felt the need to write down my thoughts, and so if in the future anyone asks my opinion on the subject I can point them in this direction, rather than ramble on at them in a non-sensical angry rage, haha.
There are honestly tons of other points that I haven't even covered, such as the plot-holes, Frobisher's devastating death, Clem, Lois, PC Andy and whatever the hell else. But I really think this is covering what I wanted to talk about, I didn't intend for this to be an episode/series review, so I won't go there.
Well, goodbye Torchwood, I'd say it was fun while it lasted but unfortunately as I'm still searching for the shattered remains of my heart I would, of course, by lying.
Obviously, spoilers for series 3, don't enter if you don't want to know.
There is a lot that I want to say, and yet it's still very hard to put it into words. Perhaps my english skills are not what they used to be. And in all honesty my struggles are in vain, when I can merely quote this gentleman from AE.com. This, below, is exactly what I think, and written in the most eloquent fashion. I couldn't put it better, and so I won't try. (I will, however, ramble on after the quote block)
Submitted by Psioncyx @ AE.com
I think that RTD just crossed too far over the line for my taste.
Killing Owen and Tosh was really pushing the outer edge of the envelope. Killing Ianto was just plain brutal. And all the additional death, like Jack's grandson, was simply gratuitous.
This was clearly meant to be a shocker, and it was. But in a very malicious, almost contemptuous way. RTD was asserting his ownership over the playpen by showing that he could wreck the whole thing at will. It makes for a climactic ending for a series.
But the problem is that now I honestly can't say that I would watch a Series Four.
For starters, RTD has demonstrated that there is no point in getting emotionally invested in any of the characters, because he'll kill them off whenever it amuses him to do so. Except, perhaps, for ones he's inordinately proud of such as Gwen.
But by-and-large Torchwood overall is not such an original series what with the Hellmouth....er, I mean...Rift having been such a derivative plot device. Can I also note the similarity to Primeval here as well? Overall, in terms of concept Torchwood has not been all that ground-breaking. It has been the characters and the use of them that created a lot of it's appeal.
Now, however, RTD has demonstrated unequivocally that this most valuable asset is considered expendable. The characters are just there to be killed. Except for Jack and (seemingly) Gwen.
Jack is not the Doctor however, even at the best of times. And Gwen is certainly not Rose, Sarah Jane, Martha or any of the better companions. Keeping just the two is insufficient to maintain the momentum of the show many of us got into.
Years ago, when I was about thirteen or so, my best friend and I took my extensive collection of Star Wars toys out to the woods. There we staged an epic "last battle" using model fuel to burn every last toy (collectors reading this may cringe as they feel the need). It was a kind of rite of passage. Moving from my childhood into adolescence. But once the toys were burned I scarcely gave them another thought and didn't really miss them.
That is how this feels to me. It feels like RTD killed Torchwood. Series Three hasn't even been broadcast in the U.S. and I've only seen segments of episodes 3-5. But I almost can't muster the desire to set the TiVo to record them. After all, if RTD cared so little for these characters then why should I? Maybe better to just move on. And if there's a Series Four I probably won't bother watching unless something I read somewhere convinces me it's worth it. But somehow I doubt it.
It feels like RTD was fishing more for awards and praise for his "daring" than caring the slightest about what fans might think. Again, he was asserting ownership of the playpen. CoE was certainly daring. But as with my long-gone Star Wars toys, it was a final separation. Burn it all down just to achieve a dramatic ending. A severance that broke my emotional tie to Torchwood.
For new fans, tuning in to the series for the first time, it must of been mind-blowing. I can understand that. It was dark, gripping and on a whole new level to the previous series. Episodes one to three are honestly the best episodes of Torchwood I have ever seen, without a doubt. But for us long time fans, who have been with the show since the beginning, spent years investing our time in coming to know and love these characters, shared in their heartache, joy, misery, fear - to name but a few - this ending feels like a kick in the face.
I know as a writer you have to tell the story that you want to tell, I really do understand that. It's his gig, what would even be the point if he didn't? And yet, with a show that has, over time, gained a loyal and devoted fanbase, we at least deserved some consideration. Afterall, that is what television is about, is it not? It's about sharing your story with the world and entertaining people. I sincerely doubt the point is to alienate and enrage the fans who have stood by you and supported you, even when your show was tucked away on BBC3 and the critics were less than flattering. RTD's arrogance is quite frankly astounding in this respect.
Jack, as a character, is destroyed. How could a man ever come back from this level of suffering? If he were ever to return to his happy-go-lucky, flirtaeous self it would be almost laughable. This character is so far beyond the anti-hero it's not even funny.
I'm not faulting the story here, it was riveting and devastating. There were times when I felt physically nauseous because all I could think was yes, this could happen. And although several glaring plotholes, the too-quick destruction of the 456, and the ridiculously stupid time-skip (which could deserve a paragraph of it's own for such epic fail) of the finale were incredibly annoying, as a whole series this was good television. Admittedly if you strip away the aliens it's a lot less original that it first appears. But still, the acting was immense, the political corruption certainly gripping, the "children-as-narcotics" twist sickening and brilliant. The pacing was almost perfect over the five days.
Yet in the end, it felt self-indulgent, selfish and unfair. Despite the fact that it was better, it still wasn't the show I fell in love with.
Ultimately, at the end of the day I felt like screaming "For the love of Ra, Davies, lighten the fuck up!" This was so much darker than I ever anticipated, furiously so. In the conclusion it felt as if there wasn't a glimmer of a hope, not even in Gwen's pregnancy, becuse I mean really, look at the world she is bringing her child into.
I watch telelvision to be entertained. By the time the credits rolled on screen all I could think was "Is this seriously the world we are already, or anticipating, of living in? Why don't I just throw myself out of a window right now?"
So far I haven't addressed Ianto's death head-on, to be honest It's hard to. Yes, I am biased, he was my favourite character afterall, and one half on my favourite on-screen couples of all time. I have a lot of issues with his worthless death, which was utterly in vain and served no purpose but to heighten Jack's downfall and create more tears. I know for a fact that Ianto is often the series most popular character, and the Janto relationship accounts for a serious proportion of the fandom, myself included. This is the utter lack of consideration from Davies I am talking about, he ripped out our hearts for nothing but shock-value and for a catalyst to Jack's destruction. I am truly devastated, and this alone means I certainly will not be tuning in for a fouth series, if there is one.
And wow, I have wrote a lot. I sincerely hope it doesn't sound like I'm taking this all far too seriously, I mean at the end of the day this is fiction, and should be taken as such. I just felt the need to write down my thoughts, and so if in the future anyone asks my opinion on the subject I can point them in this direction, rather than ramble on at them in a non-sensical angry rage, haha.
There are honestly tons of other points that I haven't even covered, such as the plot-holes, Frobisher's devastating death, Clem, Lois, PC Andy and whatever the hell else. But I really think this is covering what I wanted to talk about, I didn't intend for this to be an episode/series review, so I won't go there.
Well, goodbye Torchwood, I'd say it was fun while it lasted but unfortunately as I'm still searching for the shattered remains of my heart I would, of course, by lying.