Well, I though it showed great promise. Fun, fast (though the pilot was a little slow... guess they have to cater for non-who fans and the like). Captain Jack great as ever... good to have him back. Love the imortality revelation and his obsessing over the severed Hand (presmably the Doctors from Christmas Invasion),
Loads of city view shots... real US style (this really is Who's Angel in that respect). What's the deal with all the standing on the top of buildings though?
Eve Myles is a real find and, I think, destined to become a big star. I thought the supporting actors were fine too. The doctor is obviosuly destined to provide much mirth with his dubious morals.
Shame about Suzie Costello - a real Spooks number done on us there.
All in all, I can't wait for next week.., In the meantime it's on again tonight and repeated about 4 times across the week on Three, as well as the BBC 2 wednesday night also. Need to stay up late for the Confidental style Torchwood: Declassified though!
So Torchwood then... (Spoilers)
Moderators: Adam J Purcell, Crew
So Torchwood then... (Spoilers)
Ian D. McArdell says...
"You have often said... pass"
"You have often said... pass"
-
macfadyan
- Posts: 525
- Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2002 12:19 am
- Location: Watching lozanges of vortisticial light form beautiful butterfly patterns..I'M FREE!!
- Contact:
yup, loved it, agree about the first episode but the second was just fine, though the sex obsessed alien was a lil corny.
and yeah, that IS the Doctor's hand - any doubts either read the radio times or, and yes I'm a sad git, listen to the piano music just as the caris throws the hand behond the desk and jack picks it up - its the Bad Wolf theme.
Im rather looking forward to the rest of it and I have to admit, Im wondering how the two series may dovetail in series 'three' of Dr Who.
and yeah, that IS the Doctor's hand - any doubts either read the radio times or, and yes I'm a sad git, listen to the piano music just as the caris throws the hand behond the desk and jack picks it up - its the Bad Wolf theme.
Im rather looking forward to the rest of it and I have to admit, Im wondering how the two series may dovetail in series 'three' of Dr Who.
YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING.....
Mac (the Menlove Stokes of Dr Who music, apparently...)
"You can hear the whole of Human history in the sound of a cello"
Mac (the Menlove Stokes of Dr Who music, apparently...)
"You can hear the whole of Human history in the sound of a cello"
Sure was... Flavia's lament (sounded like the Millingdales Ice Cream version to me).macfadyan wrote:and yes I'm a sad git, listen to the piano music just as the caris throws the hand behond the desk and jack picks it up - its the Bad Wolf theme.
I'm supriesed they messed with the working titles, unless it was just Cardiff slight of hand... Flotsam and Jetsam was a dialogue line... whereas Everything Changes is a Take That song title! Also, New Girl seemed so much more appropiate than the dull Day One - at least they resisted an orgasm or climax pun in the title. Mind you, he came and went was a cracking pun from Capt. Jack!
Have you seen the Owen Harper date rape discussion going on over at Outpost Gallifrey? I kid you not.
Ian D. McArdell says...
"You have often said... pass"
"You have often said... pass"
-
Adam J Purcell
- Posts: 1125
- Joined: Sun Dec 29, 2002 11:52 pm
- Location: Sotus
- Contact:
I don't know about all this music stuff but I thought Torchwood was pretty good. Certainly not excellent, at least not yet, but pretty good.
Of the first two I find I preferred the opening episode. It may have been slower than 'Day One' but it just worked better, for me. Again they did the Rose trick of showing the first episode through the eyes of the outsider. That worked well in Rose and here. It wasn't nearly as cheesy as I feared, even the Monty Python blood from the hospital porter wasn't nearly so bad in the episode as it looked in the promos!
Not sure about the killing off of Costello. I suppose it had the desired effect, it took me a couple of seconds after she shot herself to realise that they wouldn't be bringing her back from the dead (for the series, not just two minutes). Second in command gone, leaving room for Gwen to come into Torchwood. It was neat from that point of view, almost a little too neat. It may be a bit early in the run but it doesn't feel like she's left a gap in the team. If you spend basically your entire time with a group of only five people you'd expect the loss of one of them to have an impact on the group. Haven't seen that so far. Anyway, it was amusing to have a guest star on all the promo publicity along with the regulars! Who knows, maybe we will see her again. I think it would have been more effective if they did a proper Spooks on her, though, and kill her off in a later episode. End of just the first episode cheapened it a bit, I think.
Torchwood certainly has a style of its own, very different to Doctor Who. It might be a bit strange to see Captain Jack back in the safe, family friendly, TARDIS after 13 episodes of Torchwood. That will probably limit what they can do with the character a little - he can't become a swearing ultra-violent moron and return to Doctor Who like that. Maybe that's why he seems a bit constrained compared to the Jack we met in 1941. Still, some interesting things to find out about him yet. Just who are the Time Agents, anyway? Why isn't the Doctor running into them all the time now? Will the Doctor's severed hand turn evil?
The Angel parallels are quite noticeable. As Tallorder mentioned, the nightime city shots could almost have been lifted directly from Angel. The whole concept of a small gang of demon/alien hunters protecting the city from an influx of unpleasant creatures that the general population know nothing about is also just about identical. Heck, even the central character is 'undead' and effectively immortal. All we need are occasional references to Rose the Dalek Slayer and we are there! This isn't necessarily a bad thing and doesn't mean Angel and Torchwood will be that similar in practice (just look at how different Babylon 5 and Deep Space Nine turned out, despite the basics starting out almost the same).
I don't mind the Angel parallels (and they can easily be overstated) but I was a little disappointed that the 'Day One' premise was so hackneyed. I've seen the same story at least once before, in the Outer Limits (which went further to have the infected woman actually go topless in a couple of scenes!) I doubt it was a deliberate lifting but I hope this isn't a sign of things to come. Nonetheless it was quite a decent episode. I think they were trying a bit hard to stamp the series 'adultness' (more so than even the aforementioned Outer Limits episode, I thought). I think it will calm down now though, they've made their point - this isn't Doctor Who.
A good few unanswered questions, including (possibly) why does Jack stand on the edge of high rise buildings? Style or substance? Time will tell!
Naturally I will be tuning in next week (and, I'm sure, getting the DVDs!) A good start, much promise, hopefully it will strengthen over the run rather than weaken.
Of the first two I find I preferred the opening episode. It may have been slower than 'Day One' but it just worked better, for me. Again they did the Rose trick of showing the first episode through the eyes of the outsider. That worked well in Rose and here. It wasn't nearly as cheesy as I feared, even the Monty Python blood from the hospital porter wasn't nearly so bad in the episode as it looked in the promos!
Not sure about the killing off of Costello. I suppose it had the desired effect, it took me a couple of seconds after she shot herself to realise that they wouldn't be bringing her back from the dead (for the series, not just two minutes). Second in command gone, leaving room for Gwen to come into Torchwood. It was neat from that point of view, almost a little too neat. It may be a bit early in the run but it doesn't feel like she's left a gap in the team. If you spend basically your entire time with a group of only five people you'd expect the loss of one of them to have an impact on the group. Haven't seen that so far. Anyway, it was amusing to have a guest star on all the promo publicity along with the regulars! Who knows, maybe we will see her again. I think it would have been more effective if they did a proper Spooks on her, though, and kill her off in a later episode. End of just the first episode cheapened it a bit, I think.
Torchwood certainly has a style of its own, very different to Doctor Who. It might be a bit strange to see Captain Jack back in the safe, family friendly, TARDIS after 13 episodes of Torchwood. That will probably limit what they can do with the character a little - he can't become a swearing ultra-violent moron and return to Doctor Who like that. Maybe that's why he seems a bit constrained compared to the Jack we met in 1941. Still, some interesting things to find out about him yet. Just who are the Time Agents, anyway? Why isn't the Doctor running into them all the time now? Will the Doctor's severed hand turn evil?
The Angel parallels are quite noticeable. As Tallorder mentioned, the nightime city shots could almost have been lifted directly from Angel. The whole concept of a small gang of demon/alien hunters protecting the city from an influx of unpleasant creatures that the general population know nothing about is also just about identical. Heck, even the central character is 'undead' and effectively immortal. All we need are occasional references to Rose the Dalek Slayer and we are there! This isn't necessarily a bad thing and doesn't mean Angel and Torchwood will be that similar in practice (just look at how different Babylon 5 and Deep Space Nine turned out, despite the basics starting out almost the same).
I don't mind the Angel parallels (and they can easily be overstated) but I was a little disappointed that the 'Day One' premise was so hackneyed. I've seen the same story at least once before, in the Outer Limits (which went further to have the infected woman actually go topless in a couple of scenes!) I doubt it was a deliberate lifting but I hope this isn't a sign of things to come. Nonetheless it was quite a decent episode. I think they were trying a bit hard to stamp the series 'adultness' (more so than even the aforementioned Outer Limits episode, I thought). I think it will calm down now though, they've made their point - this isn't Doctor Who.
A good few unanswered questions, including (possibly) why does Jack stand on the edge of high rise buildings? Style or substance? Time will tell!
Naturally I will be tuning in next week (and, I'm sure, getting the DVDs!) A good start, much promise, hopefully it will strengthen over the run rather than weaken.
-
lordsummerisle
- Posts: 290
- Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2003 7:10 pm
- Location: lying on the grass on Sunday morning of last week, indulging in my self-defeat
I'm not massively impressed so far. I preferred the first episode to the second but frankly the whole thing is trying MUCH too hard to be 'grown up'. It's had its moments though and has at times been fairly stylish ... but the jury is still out on Summerisle island.
"It is the business of the future to be dangerous." - Alfred North Whitehead, philosopher.
-
Adam J Purcell
- Posts: 1125
- Joined: Sun Dec 29, 2002 11:52 pm
- Location: Sotus
- Contact:
Haven't we already done this joke?!macfadyan wrote:shouldn;t it now be 'lady Summerisle'???????
don;t cha just love Nick Cage?
Anyway... It will be interesting to see how episode three turns out. One thing about the new Who is that they try to give each story its own identity. It looks like this next Torchwood might be a ghost story (is this general PJ Hammond's episode?) so I'd imagine they're trying the same here. I do think they'll have to try harder to get that distinctive feel for each story in Torchwood than Doctor Who as, presumably, they won't be zipping around in Time and Space too much.
-
lordsummerisle
- Posts: 290
- Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2003 7:10 pm
- Location: lying on the grass on Sunday morning of last week, indulging in my self-defeat
It's never stopped MacFadyan beforeAdam J Purcell wrote: Haven't we already done this joke?!
I'm hoping episode three will settle down. It's proved it's not Doctor Who so perhaps we can leave the gratuitous tits, arses, shags and gay and straight snogs for when the plot actually requires them.
Oh yes, a plot. That'd be nice too. Ep 1 was very much 'introduce the characters' and Ep 2's as a bit thin, but it sounds like Ep 3 might have a cracker of a storyline if the previews I've been reading are accurate.
"It is the business of the future to be dangerous." - Alfred North Whitehead, philosopher.