GleeClub Morning After for TW:MD 'The Categories of Life'
TW-GLEECLUB REACTION ROUND-UP
Episode #5: The Categories of Life
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Love,
your mods ♥
Now, I made the banner I'm using on Wednesday... I was tossing up between Esther and Vera, and, well, Vera won out.
In light of this episode, I think it's fitting.
Tonight's episode - once again, written by Jane Espenson - was called Categories of Life. A title like that can only mean one thing - especially with last week's episode and the whole 'Dead is Dead'/Plague Ships/Segregation of the Sick story line.
Last week I said that that particular storyline - and the subsequent discussion between Vera and the hospital Admin lady, about how people hide away the elderly or the sick and have done so for years and years - made me uncomfortable. Tonight, that discomfort was ratcheted up about twenty notches due to one teensy, tiny little information: The overflow camps have been U.N approved. Not only have they been approved on a local/federal government level, but on a World Wide level.
THEN, we get to see that Gwen has made it back to the UK, back to Wales and back to Rhys. I love Gwen and Rhys here.
I love that she is obviously happy to see Rhys, and already my Head Canon has a PWP in play for just how they liberated that chauffeur's cap and jacket. LoL.
And then.. ANWEN!
I have to agree with Gwen - so much pink! o_o !! Poor little frilly poppet! And Gwen's face as she is glaring at the gaudy headband before taking it off and flinging it behind her shoulder.
AND, while we're on the subject of Gwen's mum. At first, I thought, you know... standard, overbearing mum. Knows everything, nothing is ever good enough... and then BAM! Okay, she might be all those things, but looks like the entire Cooper family is ready for a Torchwood life.
I love the scene at the Wales "Overflow camp" - not only are we dealing with issues regarding Ethics, but there are now issues regarding the power of consent.
The fact that the hospitals removed a seven year old from the premises, without the consent of his parents, really struck something in me as to just how bad the power dynamics have shifted.
Woohooo! ANDY! Also, I dislike the Army Guys - Why is it, that it is always the Defence Force that ends up being the creepy "We Will ENFORCE THE RULES" guys? Not every soldier is a mindless automaton, who can't think for himself - I say this as a person with family in the Army.
And we're back in the US.
OMG JACK AND ESTHER ARE ADORABLE.
I like the team work here as they attempt to bring Vera up to speed. I could have totally done without the "Torchwood doesn't exist," crap from Rex.
The fist-bump between Vera and Jack made me giggle. It just seems so... odd for Jack to be doing that sort of thing.
"They've activated the categories over here. It's officialdom gone mad."
I love that line.
I love how everyone here is pulling together to work together to get to the bottom of things. From Rhys to Esther. However, I was really, super annoyed that Rex waited to say anything and volunteer himself until Vera opted to go in as an inspector.
This was only rectified when Jack managed to get one more dig in at Rex. "I love him. That crazy old boyfriend of mine!" My sister and I were in stitches. Hehee. Go Jack!
Oh GOD. MORE Esther/Jack adorableness!
"You're too fragile, Mortal Man."
I love this exchange between them, I love that Esther does something so completely off the cuff as to kiss his cheek before she leaves.
I love that both Vera and Esther are all "Screw Rex. We're going in anyway."
I adore Jilly's look of disgust at Oswald's sycophantic behaviour. Bill Pullman is continuing to do a bang-up job at making my skin crawl.
Woohooo! GoCheeksGo!
And now we're coming to the meat of the episode.
I hated that guy when he played Ecklie on CSI, and I still don't like him now. He is way too creepy for his own good, and I'm pretty sure he could give Danes a run for his money. The way he was oogling Vera made my stomach churn.
I loved Gwen and Rhys in the truck, and I was very struck - on second watch-thru - at how reminiscent of CoE it was.
"Just like the old days." says Rhys, and I'm sure Gwen had to keep from smacking him. But I agree with her. "No it's not, it just gets worse and worse."
I love Esther, and I love that she tells Rex that Vera is keeping the Head Douche Bag distracted so they can do their snooping. I love that she told him to hold onto the blue peg, just in case.
Ahhh, Jack. Even though Esther told you to keep out of trouble, you just couldn't help yourself.
I like that he is... haunting (for lack of a better term)... Oswald. And if it comes down to it, and it's Oswald vs Jack, my money is always, always going to be on Jack.
I like that Vera's own treatment plan - spur of the moment treatment plan - is coming back to bite her in the arse.
My heart just about broke for Gwen and her dad.
"These people are still alive, I'm starting to think I'm in a refrigeration unit."
Right here, is where me and my sister were exchanging weird looks across the living room. Putting the Category One people in a bunker to what? Keep them frozen until the Miracle is over? Like a cryo-chamber of some kind?
"These are the ones without insurance."
Without a doubt, the most chilling line in the whole of the episode.
If PhiCorp are footing the bill, then how do people without insurance get the short end of the stick?
And this right here, is where my opinion of Vera has done a turn-around. I love that she is fighting for equal treatment of all the people in these camps. I love that she calls this Douche Bag on actually spending the money. Coming in under budget doesn't mean dick if people arenot being treated well. Like she said to him, their priority is care, not efficiency, not being under budget.
*Sigh* I'm just not going to like anyone from now on. :( Seriously. I liked Ianto, you killed him. I liked Tosh, you killed her, I liked Vera...
The one thing that came to mind during the whole of that scene, was that the inmates were now running the asylum. No way is that Maloney guy working with a full deck.
And then, even worse, the soldier guy is helping him.
And right here. Right at this moment, when they put Vera in one of the "Modules"-cum-"Refrigeration Units", is where my sister and I were all "Where the hell is Rex!?"
Dear Jilly: Don't fall for Tall, Blonde and Blue Eyed. That way lies danger, and selling your soul to the devil.
I'm kinda annoyed at all the nurses and other staff at these overflow camps that KNOW NOTHING. Am I over thinking this?
I loved Jack trying to stir the pot with Oswald, and I thought for sure, Oswald was going to take the carrot offered to him by Jack.
Oswald's speech, kinda made me feel ill. Though, at least he didn't say that we'd gone from animals to humans to Gods.
And then we flick back to Ecklie-Maloney, and it hits me.
Rex said the brick walls in the Modules felt like ceramic. Rhys is mentioning burn units. Gwen is watching a building with smoke billowing out of it, and OH MY GOD.
KILNS. The Modules are KILNS and now that Ecklie-Maloney guy muttering in German to Vera is even MORE disturbing.
And then Rex - and of all the characters I thought I would be sorry for, he is NOT one of them - has to watch on helplessly, and video tapes it.
I enjoyed this episode, but now I have so many questions, the least of which is: Why are PhiCorp emulating the Nazis of World War II?
As per usual, my full and unabridged reaction post can be found Here