day eight of favorite female characters
Last night I didn't have any plans--it was an exhausting week and I was happy to stay at home and fiddle around on the computer or read a book. I started looking for pictures of Martha Jones for my next favorite female character post. One screencap reminded me that I'd intended to check if Netflix had Torchwood: Children of Earth available to watch. It did, including via livestreaming.
Five hours later I finally shut off my computer. *smacks forehead* It was after 1 a.m. by then. I couldn't stop watching, though. So instead of Martha Jones next, I bring you a different pick for day eight of my favorite fictional females: the women of Torchwood: Children of Earth.
First, Lois Habiba. She gives us one 'ordinary person' perspective--her first day on the job and suddenly there's an alien threat and she ends up stuck in a moral quandry that would twist anyone into knots. She's scared and brave, and her 'ordinary' actions contributed in a big way to saving humanity's children.
Agent Johnson. Efficient, ruthless, pragmatic... but willing to step outside of the normal paremeters of her job when she sees that the potential end result is truly unacceptable. She's not a 'good guy' by any stretch, but she's a compelling character.
Alice Carter. Oh, Alice. She's made up of broken pieces, but she doesn't accept any crap from anyone. She's smart and quick. Her last, wordless scene with Jack was perfect. I would watch more Torchwood if I could see more of her.
Denise Riley. "I'm just saying what we're all thinking." Ouch. No one is going to say how much they love Ms. Riley, but she's not a one-note villain. And whatever else could be said of her, no one can claim that she's incompetent.
Rhiannon Davies had perfect pitch as the older sister--both annoying and loving. Her reaction to the events was also just right: she can't do the big picture, but nothing will stop her from trying to do something good in the arena where she does have an influence.
Bridget Spears, yet another woman of great competence. She seems impersonal and severe, but has hidden depths. I wanted to cheer when she had her moment near the end with the Prime Minister.
Lastly, Gwen Cooper, the heart of this mini-series. Her training as a police officer gets used extensively, in ways that are creative and actually funny at moments. Some of the few comical scenes in this come from Gwen's plans.
I loved the balance of her early scenes with Clement MacDonald--she was tender and gentle, in a way that clearly demonstrated that she cared but that she also really needed what information she could get from him. That comes to the crux of it--even when she gives up hope on being able to save the world, she still works to do something. Oh, and she's very, very good at getting other people to do what she wants them to do.
I really want to have the Gwen Cooper show. With lots of Rhys (her husband) as well. Yup.
I've never watched Torchwood before and I don't have any plans to watch more. What I liked about this mini-series seems to be exactly what some regular TW fans hated.
If this sounds like it could be interesting and you have any experience with Doctor Who (and handwaving silly alien technology), I'd say it's worth a watch. Especially if you like smart horror movies in which the most terrifying monsters are us. And, of course, shows in which the female characters of all ages are vital, interesting and nuanced.
Posted at Dreamwidth: http://rose-griffes.dreamwidth.org/185761.html. Comment where you wish.
Five hours later I finally shut off my computer. *smacks forehead* It was after 1 a.m. by then. I couldn't stop watching, though. So instead of Martha Jones next, I bring you a different pick for day eight of my favorite fictional females: the women of Torchwood: Children of Earth.
First, Lois Habiba. She gives us one 'ordinary person' perspective--her first day on the job and suddenly there's an alien threat and she ends up stuck in a moral quandry that would twist anyone into knots. She's scared and brave, and her 'ordinary' actions contributed in a big way to saving humanity's children.
Agent Johnson. Efficient, ruthless, pragmatic... but willing to step outside of the normal paremeters of her job when she sees that the potential end result is truly unacceptable. She's not a 'good guy' by any stretch, but she's a compelling character.
Alice Carter. Oh, Alice. She's made up of broken pieces, but she doesn't accept any crap from anyone. She's smart and quick. Her last, wordless scene with Jack was perfect. I would watch more Torchwood if I could see more of her.
Denise Riley. "I'm just saying what we're all thinking." Ouch. No one is going to say how much they love Ms. Riley, but she's not a one-note villain. And whatever else could be said of her, no one can claim that she's incompetent.
Rhiannon Davies had perfect pitch as the older sister--both annoying and loving. Her reaction to the events was also just right: she can't do the big picture, but nothing will stop her from trying to do something good in the arena where she does have an influence.
Bridget Spears, yet another woman of great competence. She seems impersonal and severe, but has hidden depths. I wanted to cheer when she had her moment near the end with the Prime Minister.
Lastly, Gwen Cooper, the heart of this mini-series. Her training as a police officer gets used extensively, in ways that are creative and actually funny at moments. Some of the few comical scenes in this come from Gwen's plans.
I loved the balance of her early scenes with Clement MacDonald--she was tender and gentle, in a way that clearly demonstrated that she cared but that she also really needed what information she could get from him. That comes to the crux of it--even when she gives up hope on being able to save the world, she still works to do something. Oh, and she's very, very good at getting other people to do what she wants them to do.
I really want to have the Gwen Cooper show. With lots of Rhys (her husband) as well. Yup.
I've never watched Torchwood before and I don't have any plans to watch more. What I liked about this mini-series seems to be exactly what some regular TW fans hated.
If this sounds like it could be interesting and you have any experience with Doctor Who (and handwaving silly alien technology), I'd say it's worth a watch. Especially if you like smart horror movies in which the most terrifying monsters are us. And, of course, shows in which the female characters of all ages are vital, interesting and nuanced.
Posted at Dreamwidth: http://rose-griffes.dreamwidth.org/185761.html. Comment where you wish.