Torchwood: Meta-Ish Stuff

[fangrrl_squees]

So, Owen Harper: adrenaline-addicted hedonist, or what? 'Ware, spoilers for eps 1 - 4 lurk below!

I think it was my pal bovil who tagged Owen as a hedonist, which I think is a brilliant little bit of insight. "Addicted to his own pleasure" I think was how he phrased it.

Owen shows every sign of being a lad who doesn't quite think things through all the way - the potential downside of the alien pheremone spray¹, going after the ex-Ted who's name I forget (In Ghost Machine), planting one on Gwen in the morgue. He seems to be batting about .250 so far, which might be better than he deserves. He's certainly act now, think later - maybe in the sex-and-romance dept.

Whether he knows it or not, I think the lad's addicted to risk. Such an attitude could be perceived as an asset when joining an outfit like Torchwood, or it could be an extreme liability. In his case, I think it's both.

This is just my supposition and I hope time will prove me right but I believe that Owen wasn't only aroused by Gwen's proximity during that scene in the morgue - it was also the danger of the situation that had him simmering away. Indeed, the dangerous situation in which he and the team were embroiled during Cyberwoman may well have (for want of a less cheezy term) rather fueled the notion of an ill-advised snog².

And, by the way, could someone take a look at that scene (I'm at work *ahem*) and tell me if Owen scolds Gwen for not exactly struggling or not exactly complaining? I think there's a key difference in between those two words. Struggling suggests a more captive/no-choice situation than complaining, don't you think?

Owen's definitely grown on me. As I've always said, no-one can be set up as that big of an idiot and stay that way - just like we all knew Ianto wasn't just a bland little PA who could make a mean cup of coffee.

Incidentally, I totally want a "Will reveal hidden depths of darkness and anguish for coffee" shirt or whatever it was that has been kicked around over on torch_wood or torchwoodcoffee or wherever it was.

Hedonists are, go figure, self centered folks, concerned with what they want and how they're going to get it. Danger junkies live on the very outside edge of their skin and god knows what impact that sort of overstimulus - mental and/or physical - has on a hedonistic type of person. I wouldn't be surprised if we see Owen engaging in much riskier behavior, for apparently the stupidest of reasons (Ie, "Because it'll feel good/I want to do it and that's the only justification I need.") and that'll put the entire team in danger - and probably Gwen/Rhys in particular *ahem*.

Anyways. I'm curious to see if my theory is proven - or blown to flinders - over the next few eps. What do y'all think?

¹ - I really don't want to get into a drawn out discussion about how Owen is a horrible would-be rapist for using the pheremone spray. Yes, what he was trying to do was rape. A sophisticated, somewhat nicer version of rape than what we see in real life, but removing a person's ability to say no is nasty and wrong. However, I think that Owen's such a self-involved short-sighted fellah that he didn't see it as rape, even when he could get as outraged as the next person re: such things - viz his reactions in Ghost Machine, psychometric enhancement or no.

² - a word I haven't regularly used since my childhood, and now it's getting increasingly in vogue with my Yank pals. It's rather odd to hear it coming from them.

Comments

[ladykoori.livejournal.com]

Lovely thoughts, I quite agree. He is definately an adrenaline junkie and I think his not thinking attitude probably covers more than just sex dept.

Also, I just checked, he does say Gwen wasn't struggling.

[ladykoori.livejournal.com]

Oh, and when whoever it was posted the pic of JB in the Nazi uniform from the Producers I totally thought about your uniform fetish. I had never thought I'd find a Nazi attractive before that movie.

[fangrrl-squees.livejournal.com]

he does say Gwen wasn't struggling.

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

I'll add "has issues" to the list too, methinks, which is my polite way of saying "potentially as crazed as the proverbial March hare..."

[fangrrl-squees.livejournal.com]

The forces of evil always have the best tailors, dammit. Why is that?

The first time I saw that pic of JB with the bleach blond hair and the cartoon-Nazi uniform, I just about fell off my chair. Disturbingly hot, forsooth.

[ladykoori.livejournal.com]

I wish I could remember where I read it, might have been on torch_wood, but someone made a comment that they thought Owen was raised by a single-mother. Now, as the daughter of a single-mother the comment did bug me when I first read it, but I've thought it over and it could explain some of Owen's issues.

[ladykoori.livejournal.com]

It's an SS uniform, isn't it? Which makes the disturbing part of the disturbingly hot that much more so.

[fangrrl-squees.livejournal.com]

I'd have to look at the pic again (at work at the moment) but yes, I think it was an SS uniform.

Like I said, evil has the best tailors. That uniform really did what it was supposed to do - look sharp and scare the shit out of anyone who saw it. I doubt the designers expected anyone to be covertly (or not so covertly) titallated by the dam' things sixty years on... :)

[fififolle]

I enjoyed reading your thoughts on this matter. Cards on table, I should start by saying I think he's the best character in the programme, because his *character* is so interesting. It is true though, that Owen does indeed come across as both reckless with actions, feelings and consequences. He lives on adrenaline and instant pleasure. It will be fascinating to see if we ever get a hint of why he is like this.
I came across a wonderful snippet of conversation at the end of a Fifth Gear test drive of the Honda NSX, the blue car Owen drives in Ghost Machine. It goes like this...

'Everytime you see a guy driving an NSX, no matter how old, what do you think?'
'He knows *exactly* what he's up to.'

I think the writers chose exactly the right car for the character they are portraying. Owen knows who is is. That, too, is interesting.

Anyway, thanks, sorry I rambled :D

[ladykoori.livejournal.com]

'Everytime you see a guy driving an NSX, no matter how old, what do you think?'
'He knows *exactly* what he's up to.'

See, I'd be more inclined to think he was compensating for something. It is a sweet ride though.

[fangrrl-squees.livejournal.com]

Man oh man, I don't know squat about cars. I'll take y'all's word for it. ;)

As for Owen's potential for 'niftiest character on the show', that's an idea not entirely without merit, especially if Jack stays stuck in Broody McBroodypants mode for much longer...

[ladykoori.livejournal.com]

Owen is definately the most three deminsional character on the show at the moment. Though, brooding is a sexy look on Jack.

[fififolle]

Oh, definitely. It's not an excuse, but he's clearly got traumatic history, I hope we get to see what, and can't help the way he is, but I think he's well aware of it. Actually, do we want to know what? It's a bit sad, really. *hugs Owen*.

[firiel44.livejournal.com]

I'm curious to see if my theory is proven - or blown to flinders
Now there is a great word you just don't see anymore. "Blown to flinders" - puts me in mind of Horatio Hornblower.

Anyway, I don't know that he's a total hedonist so much as he has impulse control issues. Whatever he's thinking pops out of his mouth. Is it a good idea to randomly snog* a co-worker? It probably didn't cross his mind until she called him on it. I don't know that it's so much a personal philosophy as just something he does and always has.

Knowing nothing about child psych, I can't comment on the single mom thing, but I'm willing to entertain it as an influencing factor.

** Yes, your silly making-out word has snuck into my vocabulary. Darn Brits ;) Though I think it sounds quite descriptive.

[ladykoori.livejournal.com]

Yes, I definately think that qualified as a snog.

[killerspork33.livejournal.com]

As for the alien spray, I didn't view it as any different than a man putting on a cologne in hopes that it would easily get him laid. I mean, look at the Axe Body Spray commercils. Basically the girl's reaction to those are identical to the reaction Owen got from the spray. Only it was real and not just a way to sell the product.

Then again, I viewed the spray as something that made the other person intensely attracted to the other person and not necessarily mind control. Seeing how there were a number of other people in the bar who didn't immediate jump Owen (and they were as likely to smell it as the girl was).

Still kinda sleazy.

And I defintiely agree that Owen likes taking risks but I think alot of his personality is a way to keep people from getting close to him. He avoids all relationships that last longer than a night.

I think that is falling for Gwen and that's why he's so insulting to her. It's a way to keep her distant. Because whenever her life is in danger he reacts rather protectively and violently (his comments when he flipped out at the rapist when it looked like he was going for her and the way she was the one who brought him back to reality. And his whole 'don't you touch her' at the cyberwoman).

I think he finally caved and kissed her because it was a situation were he was pretty sure they were going to die and it didn't matter anymore. As soon as it was over he tried to play it off in his usual asshole way, putting distance between them again. Except Gwen called him on his 'hard on' and his 'i didn't see you struggling' seemed to me that he was stating that she was as into it as he was (aka, she's at least attracted to him).

Owen is definitely my favorite because he's so incredibly complex and they could go so many ways with his story.

[moviegrrl.livejournal.com]

Well I think we all know how I feel about Owen....
Hedonist - yes, absolutely
Control issues - Ho yeah baybe
Most complex character - certainly looking that way at the moment, but then sorry, character development hasn't been great so far (Sorry but Ianto's "you don't understand I LURVE her, waaah waaah waaah" doesn't count.)
Adrenaline junkie - guessing so, hence the snog

I think we have also to recognise that love or hate him, the way Burn Gorman portrays him is sterling and he is acting his way off the screen in every ep.

[fangrrl-squees.livejournal.com]

puts me in mind of Horatio Hornblower.

Well, I read an awful lot of him, too. I'm not surprised some phrases have crept in.

I don't know that it's so much a personal philosophy as just something he does and always has.

I can agree with that, particularly as that matches the act-now-think-way-later sort of behavior that he's displayed.

[atheneunknown.livejournal.com]

You just said everything I was about to say, thanks lol. Didn't have the energy to type it all anyway.

The whole Owen-rape issue didn't even occur to me while watching it. I thought it was actually rather amusing. When I came online afterward and saw someone say it I was literally astonished. Does it make him a horny perv, yes, a rapist? Not in my eyes.

The dynamic between him and Gwen seems to be the whole schoolboy crush thing. I like you, so I'll make fun of you. Maybe he's secretly hoping if he points out her flaws, and teases she'll go away and things will get less complicated. Who knows.

There went that whole, I don't feel like typing thing...lol.

[fangrrl-squees.livejournal.com]

~waves cheerfully~

I'm looking forward to seeing how Owen's character evolves over the season as I agree with the notion that, at this moment, he's the most complex one of the lot.

We'll see what my opinion is after I get my hands on today's episode! ;)

[kest]

(having finally watched torchwood, I'm running back through old entries to see what other people thought of it.)

I understood Owen to be saying that his hardon was caused because she *was* struggling. But the line is kinda hard to understand.

[fangrrl-squees.livejournal.com]

(Hello! Welcome to the land of endless squee!)

*nod* Oh yeah, I got that impression too, after a re-viewing. I think I discussed in a later entry my thoughts about Owen seems to really want to be the knight in shining armor but is, alas, far too phuqed in the head to pull it off...