apparently i have something to say about torchwood? w/e

[schmerica]

Okay, so, I have only watched 4 out of the 5 episodes so far and I have not read a single episode reaction, but I have to say two things about season three Torchwood, and the first one is that, MAN. I know in my heart that Torchwood is a terrible show and that everyone on it is kind of a faily idiot when push comes to shove. I know this! So why do I keep falling for it when it pretends to be awesome? 40 minutes will go and people are doing cool things and making sense and being competent and then suddenly it's like the show remembers "oh, yeah, this is Torchwood" and it all goes to crap.

I have no one to blame but myself, either, for that disappointment. I know better.

Oh, here's the unpopular opinion now: I love both Ianto and Jack, and I like their relationship and everything, and it was sad when Ianto died, but ... seriously, you guys. Seriously. Are happy_coconut and I the only two people in fandom to notice that Gareth David-Lloyd and John Barrowman have no physical chemistry whatsoever? Because. Um. Seriously. It's not their acting so much, because I believe in them caring and/or pining, but physically it is fucking awkward, jeez.

Oh wait, I lied, I had two other things to say, which is that Gwen has been remarkably likeable all this season! And also I'm getting the vague feeling Rusty got butthurt about race comments and went extra on trying to cast as many black people as he possibly could.

Comments

[iamsupernova.livejournal.com]

Torchwood: Where Doctor Who gives you a little more hope, Torchwood is there to fill in the balance. (I say that with love. But STILL.)

Yes! I am glad I stopped wanting to cover my ears and close my eyes when Gwen did anything.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

The thing is, I can't really get emotionally invested in Torchwood; for some reason (possibly its crappiness) it just never happens for me. Which makes me really lucky, I guess, when things like this happen. (This is one of the reasons I don't plan on talking about the show with anybody whatsoever outside of my journal, because I know so many people are hurting right now from this, and I would not blame them for wanting to shoot me.)

But yeah, Gwen! Not just "not annoying" but actually "pretty damn kick-ass."

[iamsupernova.livejournal.com]

I get your point, and I agree quite a bit. I'm not nearly as emotionally invested in Torchwood as I am in Doctor Who. It was really hard for me not to hate everyone for almost the entire series so far, but the main thing that irritates me is that it has so much POTENTIAL and they just fuck everything up! It's just one WHUMP after another. Jack's past! Gwen's ongoing struggles with Rhys (though mostly resolved now)! Owen being a dick! Tosh being a sissy! (Oh god Tosh could have been AMAZING. We got teasing glimpses!) Ianto being a sad puppy! (though he did get some good bits towards the end)

[laughingacademy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this is definitely a fandom where I’m mostly in it for the fanfic, because the canon drives me batshit.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

I don't get the point of fanfic for Torchwood! Where's the fun if it's any good?

[pocketmouse]

The funny thing is the people who get into the fandom backwards and go watch the show expecting everyone to be competent.

[laughingacademy.livejournal.com]

For me, it’s the joy of seeing the premise and characters rescued from their creators. So, not unlike SGA or Star Wars Prequel Trilogy fanfic.

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

You know what? I kind of agree w/ you on the unpopular opinion there. While I know they are a couple, I can't think of a single time where I felt sparks, let alone hard core yearning or that sort of chemistry. And as pansexual as Jack is... you know?

I guess I'd feel more invested in them if they had half the chemistry that, say, Jack and whatshisface from WW2 had.

[minaloush.livejournal.com]

No, there wasn't much chemistry, but dude, could one queer couple on a not-about-gay-people show not be killed off? Like, that would be a nice change.

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

Don't get me started on the vast, vast problematicness of the one semi-working queer couple on a not about gay people but yet still kinda sorta because of its supposed queer friendlyness getting GUTTED. Last week I went on for about... 4 times 3commentlength bitchings about how that could have been done more effectively. Srsly. Massive fail all around, particularly in a great many implicit messages of CoE.

Still.

Ianto+Jack = way less onscreen chemstry than I'd have liked.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

You know, on the one hand, I agree with you because -- fucking A. But on the other hand, I kind of feel like: it's Torchwood. When you have that level of dedication to destoying that many of your characters, and you have a finite number to work with, it only makes sense you'd hit one of the queer ones eventually, if you know what I mean.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

I felt a tiny bit of sparks in the flashback episode of when they first met, oddly enough. But otherwise, not a fucking thing. And, I mean, dude! It's John Barrowman! Maybe not the best at this "acting" business, but if he's got anything going with him it's chemistry. IDEK.

OMG the real Captain Jack Harkness? That was hot, man.