"Jack does not have to declare undying love for Ianto (and I would be disappointed if he did), but he doesn't have to be that dismissive." I think that's a nice sum-up of the situation.
You're right in saying that this was good fun! It captured everything that an episode of the show should - good one liners, a plot that tied well with where the characters were at and of course, some classic Torchwood poignancy/thoughtful moments. I wouldn't argue if there were to be more :D
Yeah, I really would have loved to have seen their facial expressions! But, given that radio lets them produce more on a much lower budget-- I say bring it on, if they want to do more. :)
It's interesting because while I'm not a rabid J/I shipper either, I interpreted the sigh differently. To me it sounded like his voice softened when he said Ianto's name, and I can imagine him having that same smile he had in FOotR when they were talking in the conference room. :D
The part I thought Jack cared more about Gwen thing, was in the tunnel. I couldn't tell if Jack was using the plural you, or the singular you when talking to Gwen while she's dragging Ianto out. I'm assuming it's the plural you, because Jack should know Gwen's not going to leave Ianto so soon after Tosh and Owen, but it really felt... like he wasn't even thinking about Ianto. And considering that Ianto had cut off communication to Jack, I would've expected more basic worry/relief about his situation. (Though to me the Jack/Gwen elements seemed very one-sided Jack->Gwen, while Gwen's the biggest Jack/Ianto fangirl out there in this play)
Yeah, I thought about mentioning the scene in the tunnel too, but, as you say, the term "you" is ambiguous (and the writers do love to play with us on that front!), and he may have simply sounded like he was talking to Gwen specifically because she was the only one fully conscious at that point. Still, a "you both" would have cleared things up nicely.
I think the reason that Jack wasn't particularly worried about Ianto getting touched by the alien was, however, because he'd fought them before, and he knew exactly how to stop them-- he knew that, so long as Gwen actually got them out of the LHC (lol, as if you can go inside it :P) he'd be safe.
(where he says that Jack's feelings for Ianto are more lustful than anything else)
Yeah, see, this I find bizarre. Though to be fair I have long since learned to treat the various actors' opinions on their characters as just opinions - I think DT is the only person who's regularly said things that make sense to me. Anyway. I think it's one thing for the writers to say that Jack and Ianto's relationship isn't particularly serious, even though that's not my reading of the canon, but hey, I'm just an invested shipper, what do I know? :P
But the idea that Jack Harkness, of all people, has someone who is a) on his team and b) someone he's been involved with for an extended period of time, and he doesn't care about them truly, madly and deeply? That is not the character I've been watching! There'd be no question of how much Jack cares about Ianto if they weren't sleeping together, and it really is a shame the writing's so inconsistent for them, in a way that it wasn't for Gwen & Rhys and Owen & Tosh over S2, where the issues involved
( ... )
Oh, I agree that actors' interviews can't be taken as the definitive interpretation of a character-- and I think that this is doubly true for John Barrowman, simply because I really don't think that he thinks about his character all that deeply. But there's also no denying that an actor's interpretation influences his character to a great degree, and I have to wonder if the DWM interview, and this play were recorded at roughly the same time-- and I'd just REALLY love to know if the hesitation before adding Ianto's name was the responsibility of the writer, the director, or JB himself
( ... )
Listening back to it, I don't think it really sounds like an afterthought, more of a heaviness at saying both their names, I don't know. And I could certainly buy that Jack feels more responsibility to look after Gwen, who he so desperately wants to keep normal and happy, whereas he pretty much knows it's too late already for Ianto.
What would a 'proper' relationship even entail? I wonder about this. They're already so wrapped up in each other's lives, and for Jack it's very much a case of 'til death do us part for both Gwen and Ianto. I'm not sure what else he's got left to give, save some sort of veneer of conventionality which neither of them seem to have any interest. I guess I differ a bit in that I think Jack is crippled by the fact he can't stop himself falling in love with people, in various different ways, although I don't think he'd be himself any more without it.
But yes, I've got high hopes for RTD and James Moran's episodes in particular I must say! They bring all that is good.
About that line... He says "...take care of Gwen," *sigh* "....and Ianto."
If you're a J/G shipper you can hold on to the way Jack says Gwen's name first and if you're a J/I shipper you can hold on to the sigh. It can be interpreted both ways.
I don't really see this as Jack caring less about Ianto.
I must say I really like the close knitted group they are becoming, and the radio show was much fun (crappy science aside.)
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You're right in saying that this was good fun! It captured everything that an episode of the show should - good one liners, a plot that tied well with where the characters were at and of course, some classic Torchwood poignancy/thoughtful moments. I wouldn't argue if there were to be more :D
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The part I thought Jack cared more about Gwen thing, was in the tunnel. I couldn't tell if Jack was using the plural you, or the singular you when talking to Gwen while she's dragging Ianto out. I'm assuming it's the plural you, because Jack should know Gwen's not going to leave Ianto so soon after Tosh and Owen, but it really felt... like he wasn't even thinking about Ianto. And considering that Ianto had cut off communication to Jack, I would've expected more basic worry/relief about his situation.
(Though to me the Jack/Gwen elements seemed very one-sided Jack->Gwen, while Gwen's the biggest Jack/Ianto fangirl out there in this play)
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I think the reason that Jack wasn't particularly worried about Ianto getting touched by the alien was, however, because he'd fought them before, and he knew exactly how to stop them-- he knew that, so long as Gwen actually got them out of the LHC (lol, as if you can go inside it :P) he'd be safe.
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Yeah, see, this I find bizarre. Though to be fair I have long since learned to treat the various actors' opinions on their characters as just opinions - I think DT is the only person who's regularly said things that make sense to me. Anyway. I think it's one thing for the writers to say that Jack and Ianto's relationship isn't particularly serious, even though that's not my reading of the canon, but hey, I'm just an invested shipper, what do I know? :P
But the idea that Jack Harkness, of all people, has someone who is a) on his team and b) someone he's been involved with for an extended period of time, and he doesn't care about them truly, madly and deeply? That is not the character I've been watching! There'd be no question of how much Jack cares about Ianto if they weren't sleeping together, and it really is a shame the writing's so inconsistent for them, in a way that it wasn't for Gwen & Rhys and Owen & Tosh over S2, where the issues involved ( ... )
Reply
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What would a 'proper' relationship even entail? I wonder about this. They're already so wrapped up in each other's lives, and for Jack it's very much a case of 'til death do us part for both Gwen and Ianto. I'm not sure what else he's got left to give, save some sort of veneer of conventionality which neither of them seem to have any interest. I guess I differ a bit in that I think Jack is crippled by the fact he can't stop himself falling in love with people, in various different ways, although I don't think he'd be himself any more without it.
But yes, I've got high hopes for RTD and James Moran's episodes in particular I must say! They bring all that is good.
Reply
If you're a J/G shipper you can hold on to the way Jack says Gwen's name first and if you're a J/I shipper you can hold on to the sigh. It can be interpreted both ways.
I don't really see this as Jack caring less about Ianto.
I must say I really like the close knitted group they are becoming, and the radio show was much fun (crappy science aside.)
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