Subtext in Torchwood S1 vs S2

[ubiquirk]

I haven't watched the first ep of DW S4 yet, but I did finish TW S2 and wanted to discuss how much I think the subtext of the show has improved since S1 in two ways:  its outlook on female sexuality and how it views groups who are othered as represented by aliens.

For a show that touts itself as being about pansexuality, female sexuality in S1 was

Comments

Alyson Hannigan called. She wants her contact lenses back.

[electricalgwen]

Lots to think about here - I really like how you've articulated it. I much prefer s2, at least partly because the plots improved (s1 frustrated us a bit when something like 5 of the first 7 episodes had basically the same plot: young pretty [sexy] innocent possessed by evil alien force) and I agree the shift to more team-centred plots helped.

The aliens thing is reminiscent of the Jossverse vampire/demon issues - first they're all unreservedly evil (except Angel who is a mega-special-unique case), then gradually we start seeing demons who are just getting on with their lives and we get the distinction between good and evil demon races, and finally Spike, who does some identifiably good things even before the soul. Things start out simple in black and white and then get more complicated, not least because a world/show gets boring without some moral grey areas and growth.

(My husband started rattling on the other night about various other ways in which Torchwood = Buffy. It's a discussion I'd love to expand on but I'm feeling a bit out of it right now.)

P.S. Being Welsh, I imagine he spells it Rhys.

Re: Alyson Hannigan called. She wants her contact lenses back.

[ubiquirk]

Ooo - thanks for the Rhys.

The team-centered eps have helped a lot. Action is all well and good, but it's character development that really makes shows work. And that's something I can always say about Buffy - even the worst ep ('Bad Eggs' for example) still had character development we wouldn't want to miss (even if we don't rewatch as often as other eps).

Yes, it's lots like Buffy, and I think they've admitted the show is a big influence But as you say, Buffy did have Angel - from the first few eps we saw at least one demon who wasn't evil. It took a lot longer on TW (and they killed them anyway).