Torchwood 2x01 - Initial Thoughts
Jan. 28th, 2008 05:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fangrrl_squeesOkay, I've stopped giggling and caught my breath, now. On to initial thoughts.
15 minutes of plot wrapped up in 30 minutes of fan service. Now, I don't mind the fan service at all, but I hope things get a bit meatier after this.
I didn't realize that Chris Chibnall's the lead writer for this season. I really liked Countrycide, and hated Cyberwoman almost completely, so I'm a wee bit nervous about him being let loose on the season at large. Then again, my most significant complaint about S1 was a lack of an overall theme or, indeed, any sense of ongoing continuity, so maybe I should just shut my mouth and give the fella a chance. Yeah, that sounds good.
The eps struck me as a bit formulaic in the construction, but a lot needed to be done in a short time - season openers are like that: the regular viewers want their entertainment, the newcomers need their context and the eps had better bloody well be jam-packed with interesting plot-thingies, to ensure that we all tune in again, next week. Overall, I think it all got crammed in with maximum efficiency and I can accept that with the first eps of the season. Fingers are crossed for a little more elegance, further down the line.
For what feels like the first time in far too bloody long, the characters were playing up to their strengths and, y'know, being vaguely team-like. Hooray! Keep it up! And other such encouraging noises! Contraiwise, five bucks says that super science-o gizmo of Tosh's falls under the wheels of a truck within three episodes. Please, oh please, don't let it turn into the latter daytricorder sonic screwdriver.
My opinion on Jack's behavior... still sorting 'em out. I have to untangle them from all the stuff I've got stored up from my!Jack but, overall, 'twas nice to see him a bit more like the character that charmed everyone's pants off (if not quite literally) a couple of years ago.
I see that no time was wasted in establishing potential emotional quagmires all over the landscape. How very sweet to see Jack trying to 'fess up to Gwen, and how very Jack that he wasted no time rebounding towards Ianto. Ianto's going to be pissed if he ever finds out, of course - and never mind what'll happen when Gwen (inevitably) compares her fiancé and her boss... Owen and Tosh potentiality? No surprise there, given the tidbits scattered in S1, but lets start the pool as to how quickly Owen's going to fuck that up, shall we?
Angry exes who can't keep their hands off each other warms my fangrrly heart. Especially when accompanied by an excellent bit of combat choreography. Forsooth, the stunt crew earned their pay on this one, between the bar fight and a couple of hair-raising falls. In fact, the whole venture seemed v. well put together. Yay for healthy production budgets!
Overall, I think it was a fun start to the season, and a reasonably strong episode, to boot. I'm keen to see if they can keep it up.
Postscript: I have one tiny, niggling question. What the hell's going on with Gareth David-Lloyd's accent? The lad's unequivocally Welsh, but he's sounding a hell of a lot different than he did during S1. Dialing back his natural accent, hanging around with too many Londoners, what? It's not like Eve Myles has suddenly changed her delivery... Inquiring minds want to know. Meanwhile, I'm just happy that James Marsters' accent didn't drive me up the wall. Remember the his season with Buffy? Cripes. Inconsistent doesn't even begin to describe it.
15 minutes of plot wrapped up in 30 minutes of fan service. Now, I don't mind the fan service at all, but I hope things get a bit meatier after this.
I didn't realize that Chris Chibnall's the lead writer for this season. I really liked Countrycide, and hated Cyberwoman almost completely, so I'm a wee bit nervous about him being let loose on the season at large. Then again, my most significant complaint about S1 was a lack of an overall theme or, indeed, any sense of ongoing continuity, so maybe I should just shut my mouth and give the fella a chance. Yeah, that sounds good.
The eps struck me as a bit formulaic in the construction, but a lot needed to be done in a short time - season openers are like that: the regular viewers want their entertainment, the newcomers need their context and the eps had better bloody well be jam-packed with interesting plot-thingies, to ensure that we all tune in again, next week. Overall, I think it all got crammed in with maximum efficiency and I can accept that with the first eps of the season. Fingers are crossed for a little more elegance, further down the line.
For what feels like the first time in far too bloody long, the characters were playing up to their strengths and, y'know, being vaguely team-like. Hooray! Keep it up! And other such encouraging noises! Contraiwise, five bucks says that super science-o gizmo of Tosh's falls under the wheels of a truck within three episodes. Please, oh please, don't let it turn into the latter day
My opinion on Jack's behavior... still sorting 'em out. I have to untangle them from all the stuff I've got stored up from my!Jack but, overall, 'twas nice to see him a bit more like the character that charmed everyone's pants off (if not quite literally) a couple of years ago.
I see that no time was wasted in establishing potential emotional quagmires all over the landscape. How very sweet to see Jack trying to 'fess up to Gwen, and how very Jack that he wasted no time rebounding towards Ianto. Ianto's going to be pissed if he ever finds out, of course - and never mind what'll happen when Gwen (inevitably) compares her fiancé and her boss... Owen and Tosh potentiality? No surprise there, given the tidbits scattered in S1, but lets start the pool as to how quickly Owen's going to fuck that up, shall we?
Angry exes who can't keep their hands off each other warms my fangrrly heart. Especially when accompanied by an excellent bit of combat choreography. Forsooth, the stunt crew earned their pay on this one, between the bar fight and a couple of hair-raising falls. In fact, the whole venture seemed v. well put together. Yay for healthy production budgets!
Overall, I think it was a fun start to the season, and a reasonably strong episode, to boot. I'm keen to see if they can keep it up.
Postscript: I have one tiny, niggling question. What the hell's going on with Gareth David-Lloyd's accent? The lad's unequivocally Welsh, but he's sounding a hell of a lot different than he did during S1. Dialing back his natural accent, hanging around with too many Londoners, what? It's not like Eve Myles has suddenly changed her delivery... Inquiring minds want to know. Meanwhile, I'm just happy that James Marsters' accent didn't drive me up the wall. Remember the his season with Buffy? Cripes. Inconsistent doesn't even begin to describe it.
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no subject
Date: 2008-02-09 06:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-13 03:33 pm (UTC)BTW, not blowing you off, but I was *very* AFK (like, 6,000 miles) until last night, and now I've got to run around getting ready for Gally, but I should be able to get around to approving you for cardiffxtime, today.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-13 04:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-13 04:07 pm (UTC)But there will be pix, yes. :)