Torchwood - Children of Earth

[colaboy29]

I just finished watching part 3! It keeps getting better every episode. I will be staying up tonight to see part 4!

 

[colaboy29]

OMG! Don't tell me they killed off *****! [Not wanting to post any spoilers but if you saw part 4 you know who it is!]

I had heard part 4 was the slowest of the episodes. Huh? Unless part 5 is a total let down then each one gets better and better!

 

[xjrmssddeg]

Yea i found out before this episode (facebook searches not a good idea if you don't want to see spoilers). but seriously why? I cant stand the other one

 

[rpmdfw]

Noooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MemoToMe]

I...am...so...ANGRY!!!!! My one reason for caring about this show is no more.

(at this point, I would be using some very colorful language that would not only be NSFW, but NSFAWTBR-Not Safe For Anyone Within The Blast Radius).

 

[xjrmssddeg]

If you have Facebook and have seen day 4 of torchwood COE join this group if not do NOT click the link until you have http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119739541833&ref=ts why do they think killing off the characters people love is a good idea?

 

[rpmdfw]

 

[rpmdfw]

 

[rpmdfw]

Okay, now that I've slept on it, I can actually comment.

I have to give Russell T. Davies for excellent storytelling. First off, he's created characters in whom I've become emotionally invested. Secondly, in an epic storyline like this one, the hero (Jack Harkness) has to suffer for the sins of his past. It was a pretty big sin. So Jack has to lose what's most important to him. It's the nature of this kind of story. I was kind of expecting a death of a major character during the mini-series event, I was just thinking it'd be in the fifth installment, so I was caught off guard last night.

I'm never happy when a favorite character dies (I cried and had to put the book down for a moment when Dumbledore died in the sixth HP book). But I do realize that it is sometimes neccessary for good storytelling.

So far this has been a great ride, and I'm intrigued to see what affect this will have on Jack and the other surviving characters.

I'm looking forward to seeing the last installment tonight! (after I go see Scott perform in The Mikado first, so I'll be watching it very late).

 

[rpmdfw]

Okay, it's very late here. I went to see Scott's performance in The Mikado (he was brilliant) and then watched Children of Earth Day Five on the DVR.

Wow. This mini-series was so spectacularly well written. It was heartbreaking ot see Jack get completely stripped of everything and everyone that he cared about (well except for Gwen) leaving him with no reason to stick around.

But even so. Brilliant storytelling. Just brilliant.

Loved it.

REALLY hoping they bring it back for a fourth season.

 

[STOCKYJIM]

Oh thank god youve all finally seen it....its been very hard not posting spoilers!!! Ive been watching it all again and you are right Russell T reallly knows how to tell a story.

The fear here in the UK is that Russell has done a QAF on Torchwood - bowing out something successful on a mini series. Gwen gets her baby and her life back (realistically would she want to continue with her job in TW with a baby?). Jack gets to go find "his" Doctor with no Ianto to leave behind. (with all new actors Doctor Who may need a bit of familiarity to make the regeneration believable??)

The only thing I think may happen is that one of the other Torchwoods becomes the focus of the series (i think there was still one in Scotland referenced in Series 1) which may involve all new characters.

It would be a real shame to see such an innovative idea consigned to the whoniverse but i feel that the lack of funding (BBC is a public organisation in the UK) may have influenced how this series was made, and why its been signed off for now!

Fingers crossed we see more of Jack, although still upset about losing one of Sci-Fi' sexiest men - Ianto Jones - WOOF!!!

 

[colaboy29]

But what about the rift? Did the bomb inside the Hub close it? I doubt it. This means it's still there and things will continue to come through.

 

[rpmdfw]

But what about the rift? Did the bomb inside the Hub close it? I doubt it. This means it's still there and things will continue to come through.

That was my thought too. Someone still has to deal with rift activity.

Honestly, I'd like to see a Torchwood Season Four where Gwen assumes command, and rebuilds Torchwood with Lois Habiba, Agent Johnson (the kick-butt agent chick) with Mr. Dekker as an advisor type person (and didn't we see him DIE at the end of Day Four along with everyone else?). Have Rhys around to man a new hub and take care of the baby. It could be kind of awesome. Throw in a couple new characters (pity that Rupesh Patanjali was killed off, he'd be great eye-candy and they do still need an M.D.) Maybe even Jack's daughter or Constable Andy could have a role to play.

Heck, they could even have Tosh, Owen, and Ianto come back occasionally as "rift echos" or something. They were exposed to a rift in time and space for a long time, afterall. Who knows what that could cause.

I think it could be brilliant.

Plus, not having the immortal character around takes a lot of the deux ex machina possibilities out of the equation and makes it much more interesting.

 

[agnes!]

I hated Day 5 and in my opinion with Day 5 Russell T Davies made the whole mini-series into a cheat. But he doesn't care, because he apparently thinks that the fans who are upset should just go watch "Supernatural". I think that sometimes writers get mad at their creations, they almost get jealous or something and they start thinking of ways to torture them in the name of "Art", like what happened to the character of Andy Sipowicz on "NYPD Blue". yeah, yeah, I know all about drama being conflict, blah blah, but the level of destruction here isn't just dramatic it's almost torture.

I liked Days 1/2/3/4 - it was exciting, lots of interesting plot-twists, the scenes between Jack & Ianto were great, thought all the actors did a good job (can't remember the actors' names but "Frobisher, "Lois Abiba", Jack's daughter, Ianto's sister & her husband, the creepy Mr. Decker...) but it just seems to me that the writers betrayed the fans.

Jack & his daughter just started getting back together, the boy went with Unit willingly AND the ABSOLUTE AWFULNESS was JACK DIDN'T ASK THE BOY IF HE WAS WILLING TO SACRIFICE HIMSELF, THEY took that CHOICE away. They discarded other alternatives so very quickly and Jack's schizophrenic about-face regarding using his grandson as the megaphone to the "456" rang hollow to me.

Davies always does this, he builds up characters as "good" and then seems to enjoy tearing them down. He seems to enjoy giving the viewing public something to watch and then enjoys it just a little too much with taking it away. Jack spent the entire time previous to that scene ignoring almost everything that creeper Decker was saying. Then he finally listens to him and now he has to kill his grandson? He came up with all these alternatives to Decker's objections and then he CAVES on certain death for this boy? Writers can leave their audience in a state of shock, they *shouldn't* leave us in a state of confusion. Frankly, Jack as a character is no longer a sexy swashbuckler to me, he's just disgusting. Oh and he's also a coward now to boot...couldn't stand to be on Planet Earth facing he consequences so he ran away.

And I'm actually mad now that I pre-bought the DVDs, I might see if I can cancel the order.

agnes!

 

[markndean]

We both love Torchwood for two reasons:

1. The fantastic storylines.
2. As two Welsh guys living in 'The Big smoke', it reminds us of home.

RTD is a great writer and there is a brilliant line in COE; Gwen is driving to London and talking to Rhys on the phone and suddenly stops: "Oh my God I'm on the Severn Bridge, I'm going into England. I've had my injections though".

There as always been a bit of animosity between the Welsh and English going back to the 1400's (approx).

 

[rpmdfw]

Interesting news:

http://www.comicmix.com/news/2009/07/25/exclusive-torchwood-picked-up-for-another-season-by-bbc/

EXCLUSIVE: Torchwood picked up for another season by BBC
This just in: a rep from BBCAmerica has let it out to our man on the scene that Torchwood has been picked up for another season by the BBC. Details to come...

UPDATE: BBC America told ComicMix's Mike Raub that Torchwood has been picked up for a fourth season. No word on when it will air or the number of episodes. This follows the highly succesful UK broadcast of Children Of Earth.

So, what do you all think? Good idea? Or not?

Personally, I'm in. I'll give it a shot.

 

[xjrmssddeg]

Day 5 was pretty bad. If I was in Jack's postion and i just lost someone i loved i would never willingly give up my family as well. Russell T Davies says that he thinks that if Jack and Ianto were a happy couple no one would like them as much. Just because people do not like Gwen and Rhys and they are the happy couple. I personly don't like Gwen because she does so much crap to Rhys that he never finds out about.She sleeps with owen keeps hitting on Jack etc.and she thinks it's fine and he doesn't have to know because it is Torchwood. Also the deaths are to predictable in Torchwood First susie dies she was there the longest then owen but he gets brought back then tosh and owen then Ianto just because Gwen is the newest shouldn't mean she wont get killed off untill the others have. Tosh's and Owen's deaths made sense as did susie's.But Ianto's didn't really yea Jack needed something to push him over the edge but that same thing could have happened if Gwen died. Also RTD says that if Ianto was brought back it would cheapen the mini series but he said the same thing about Rose years ago and *gasp* they found a way to bring her back. He dosnt like to admit when he made something bad or not as good as the rest of the series. Most of C.O.E wasn't even focoused on Torchwood it was mostly focoused on the government.

 

[xjrmssddeg]

Interesting news:

http://www.comicmix.com/news/2009/07/25/exclusive-torchwood-picked-up-for-another-season-by-bbc/



So, what do you all think? Good idea? Or not?

Personally, I'm in. I'll give it a shot.

Depending on who writes it could be great or horrible. I might watch it i might not. If it is another mini-series and it's all one story line probably not. I like having a different story every week and seeing more of Torchwood.

 

[rpmdfw]

So word on a lot of the fan sites is that Jack will be re-joining the Doctor for the final two "Specials" before David Tennant leaves the show and the Doctor regnerates into the newest incarnation.

Then speculation is that Jack will be back fo Torchwood series four and rebuilds the team from scratch. (lots of debate as to whether or not Gwen is part of that or not. Eve Myles has apparently been cast in another show plus she's pregnant in real life as well and wants to take some time off after she has the baby.)

So who knows what the next series will bring. Hopefully it'll be good.

Speaking of the Doctor Who specials, did anyone else see "Planet of the Dead" last night? I thought it was okay, but was just an average Doctor Who episode. If they're only going to do four "specials" this year, at least they could have created really great stories for them. All this one really had going for it was Michelle Ryan playing Lady Cristina de Souza. She has all the makings of a great companion, and yet the Doctor refuses to let her come with him.

 

[colaboy29]

So word on a lot of the fan sites is that Jack will be re-joining the Doctor for the final two "Specials" before David Tennant leaves the show and the Doctor regnerates into the newest incarnation.

Then speculation is that Jack will be back fo Torchwood series four and rebuilds the team from scratch. (lots of debate as to whether or not Gwen is part of that or not. Eve Myles has apparently been cast in another show plus she's pregnant in real life as well and wants to take some time off after she has the baby.)

So who knows what the next series will bring. Hopefully it'll be good.

Speaking of the Doctor Who specials, did anyone else see "Planet of the Dead" last night? I thought it was okay, but was just an average Doctor Who episode. If they're only going to do four "specials" this year, at least they could have created really great stories for them. All this one really had going for it was Michelle Ryan playing Lady Cristina de Souza. She has all the makings of a great companion, and yet the Doctor refuses to let her come with him.

With how TW Season 3 ended RTD could start with almost any scenario. A new Hub, rebuilt old hub, new team, surviving members with new members. We've all watched the three seasons and in 2 and 3 big events happened (ie-death of characters). Too bad the Doctor's cut off hand didn't make it through the blast...or did it? <VBEG>

As for RTD not respecting his viewers and killing characters off, I don't think of it that way. If you didn't care for "Janto" you wouldn't be so angry over the storyline. RTD took the show to a level not seen in many tv shows. I got chills during 5 when the soldiers are dragging kids out of homes and away from screaming parents. And who wasn't totally freaked out by Gwen's video? Disgusted by Jack's decision to defeat the 456 by sacrificing his grandson? He made it to save the human race - what would you have done? What would you have done if you were any of those characters faced with those decisions? The story may not have been perfect, but aside from some of the better cable series (Dexter comes to mind) rarely has something so powerful come about.