Torchwood Revisited

[poliphilo]

I liked the first couple of episodes, but now I'm having doubts. The  truth is we're four episodes in and I don't care tuppence for any of the characters. They don't interest me. There doesn't seem to be any chemistry between them.

And there's a great big black hole at the centre in the shape of John Barrowman. He's pretty and the 1940s greatcoat is enviable, but that's it.  He smirks, he quips, he flaunts, but he doesn't have soul.  He's a throwback to those cocky, American TV heroes of the 60sand 70s- like Napoleon Solo or James T. Kirk or the Tony Curtis character in the Persuaders- whom we tolerated for the sake of their much groovier sidekicks. 

Torchwood is being sold as an adult show, but adult ought to mean something more than the odd lesbian snog or particularly bloody death.  The latest episode- with our heroes running all over the shop to escape the stompy cyberwoman- was base-line Who and could easily have gone out at tea-time. Dr Who at its best- The Girl In The Fireplace for example- is much more grown up than anything we've seen from Torchwood thus far.

Teething troubles or  fatal flaw? I wonder how the viewing figures are holding up?

Comments

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

Off the subject: When will you be showing us your transformed house?

My sister Cindy called me last night and said she wanted to put up some Christmas decorations, and she would if I would.

Are you going to put up your decorations early?

Anyway, I do want to see your house!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It's still in the process of transformation. Carl pops round when he has the time and does a little bit more. Being decorated has become a way of life- a state of being.

[seaslug-of-doom.livejournal.com]

Yes, I hope Torchwood is just getting its sea legs. I want to like it but I'm having difficulty suspending disbelief. They have an interesting way of conducting top secret operations over there in Cardiff. I've never seen a set of looser cannons with issues. Someone needs to have a word with Human Resources.

[jfs.livejournal.com]

The only thing which justifies it to my mind (which would be so much easier without Captain Jack) is that while each of the Torchwood personnel are experts in their fields, they're not actually trained 'alien investigators', and that's largely because they're breaking new ground every time they go out.

As a theory it falls completely flat with Captain Jack there because he's continually being painted as the know-it-all.

I think the series would work much better if all the Torchwood personnel were encountering this in the same way Gwen is. Though I guess it could get a little too X-files if that became a big theme.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I want to like it too, but right now I'm wavering. I think there's just so much wrong with it.

[seaslug-of-doom.livejournal.com]

I was just watching the latest episode of Torchwood and, though I ought to ask on one of the Torchwood communities, I figured you'd have the better answer.

What are those sluggy things on BBC Three?