Torchwood 2x07: Dead Man Walking
Feb. 21st, 2008 06:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jadesfireI thought to myself "I don't really have anything to say about this episode, so I'll just comment on other people's reactions." Then I started writing a mini-essay in a comment to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
fan_eunice and thought I'd better come back here before I reached the word limit. *ahem* Sorry about that...
Incidentally, my conclusion on the episode was "enjoyed it!" so the below is mostly positive. It's also more about the characters than the episode, because that's the kind of mood I'm in.
This isn't really a full episode reaction, because my brain isn't in that kind of state. I enjoyed it well enough. Not as much as the previous two, but more than I'd expected to.
What's really making S2 for me is the focus on character over plot, which makes all the difference. Of course these are fast-paced, plotty stories, using a trope from sci-fi and shoving the TW characters into it. That's what sci-fi does. That's what fiction does, and damn I need to get hold of this book so I can actually sound like I know what I'm talking about. But I do hold to the basic premise that there are only about 10 stories in the world, and that everything else is a variation on them. I don't care about that, as long as the story isn't a pure cliche, which this wasn't. I'm in it for the people.
I spent most of Torchwood S1 being immensely frustrated with Owen. I wanted to like the character, I really did. He clearly felt things so deeply it was killing him, and he didn't seem to be able to come to terms with himself, so I've just loved what S2 has been doing. The catharsis and forgiveness in 'End of Days' seems to have freed him, making him not into a lovely guy, but into someone I can understand liking. Because I do, lots and lots. Of course, it helps that Burn Gorman is probably the best actor in the cast, but Owen is turning into such an interesting guy. Compassionate, caustic, courageous and probably many other things beginning with c...
He was brilliant in this, just pitch perfect for the titular dead man walking. Although I really, really wish they'd cut the Tosh/Owen subplot, I thought the way he handled it was very Owen. And the kiss was just right, although I think he's been taking tips from Jack (and Gambit) on that one. I could really learn to love Owen through this.
But it will hardly surprise regularvictims readers of this journal to know that I was mostly interested in what they did with Jack. Because a subtitle for this episode could have been Jack screws up. Big time. Knowing what the glove did to Suzie, he should never have even tried. The others should have stopped him. It was a monumentally bad idea.
But here's the thing, he does it because he can't not. It says so much about him, that he's prepared to risk everything to say goodbye to Owen. Jack cares, passionately, about his team, even more so now than he used to. They're a family now, and if it's within his power to save them or help them, he will. He'll destroy the world to get them back.
High up on the 'things that made me squee out loud' list was the moment when he walks back in from the Weevil den, grimly determined and covered in blood. How many times did he die to get that box? And when he goes after Owen, the confrontation in the club, then the quiet conversation in the cell were just perfect. I love seeing Jack's immortality addressed, the implications of it for how he views the world. Because despite what he says, he always seems desperate to touch the floor or the bricks (can't remember the exact dialogue). He's going to live forever but he lives each moment wholly for itself, because what else can he do? Combined with his fierce loyalty and love, that leads him to do really stupid things, like revive a member of his team with an unknown alien artefact. Like I say, really stupid, but so very, very Jack.
Also, surely no-one's forgotten 'Adam'. Apart from the Torchwood team, I mean. They may have forgotten the scene themselves, but those were things that were true about them, as people. Owen asks, 'who will save me?', and Jack says, 'I will'. Just like that. No hesitation, no doubts. He'll save his team no matter what. And he tries to.
There were some odd holes in this episode, like what happened between the autopsy room black-out and Jack waking up in the SUV. I'm assuming he was dead so they buckled him in and set off anyway, but it would have been nice to have more of that. On the other hand, it was quite a nice touch to have his team treat Jack's death in a matter of fact manner. He's dead, he'll get better, so we might as well get on with things. Similarly, there seemed to be some missing minutes inside the hospital, but the scene with Martha was lovely. It also struck me that if Death (and YES! I did want him to talk in SMALL CAPITALS as a couple of people have suggested) killed Jack, as was implied, he's already taken on life, so should only have needed 12 at the hospital. Maybe it doesn't count if the person doesn't stay dead...
Oh and my other main squee out loud moment was the hockey stick, because GDL and JB really can hold a whole conversation with their eyes, and the look on Ianto's face was absolutely priceless. For me, they've been getting the Jack/Ianto just right this season. It's there, but it doesn't have to be a big deal, because they're both more content with it. I like that.
My fingers are twitching to add the missing scenes, so we'll see what happens, but someone PLEASE write something about the little girl in the club. PLEASE. I'm not proud. I'll beg if I have to. *gets on knees* Because that was just perfect. (although if someone wants to write a "Hockey stick? Seriously?" story, I will also be immensely grateful) They're adding texture to the world they're building and to Jack and I'm with them all the way.
fan_eunice and thought I'd better come back here before I reached the word limit. *ahem* Sorry about that...Incidentally, my conclusion on the episode was "enjoyed it!" so the below is mostly positive. It's also more about the characters than the episode, because that's the kind of mood I'm in.
This isn't really a full episode reaction, because my brain isn't in that kind of state. I enjoyed it well enough. Not as much as the previous two, but more than I'd expected to.
What's really making S2 for me is the focus on character over plot, which makes all the difference. Of course these are fast-paced, plotty stories, using a trope from sci-fi and shoving the TW characters into it. That's what sci-fi does. That's what fiction does, and damn I need to get hold of this book so I can actually sound like I know what I'm talking about. But I do hold to the basic premise that there are only about 10 stories in the world, and that everything else is a variation on them. I don't care about that, as long as the story isn't a pure cliche, which this wasn't. I'm in it for the people.
I spent most of Torchwood S1 being immensely frustrated with Owen. I wanted to like the character, I really did. He clearly felt things so deeply it was killing him, and he didn't seem to be able to come to terms with himself, so I've just loved what S2 has been doing. The catharsis and forgiveness in 'End of Days' seems to have freed him, making him not into a lovely guy, but into someone I can understand liking. Because I do, lots and lots. Of course, it helps that Burn Gorman is probably the best actor in the cast, but Owen is turning into such an interesting guy. Compassionate, caustic, courageous and probably many other things beginning with c...
He was brilliant in this, just pitch perfect for the titular dead man walking. Although I really, really wish they'd cut the Tosh/Owen subplot, I thought the way he handled it was very Owen. And the kiss was just right, although I think he's been taking tips from Jack (and Gambit) on that one. I could really learn to love Owen through this.
But it will hardly surprise regular
But here's the thing, he does it because he can't not. It says so much about him, that he's prepared to risk everything to say goodbye to Owen. Jack cares, passionately, about his team, even more so now than he used to. They're a family now, and if it's within his power to save them or help them, he will. He'll destroy the world to get them back.
High up on the 'things that made me squee out loud' list was the moment when he walks back in from the Weevil den, grimly determined and covered in blood. How many times did he die to get that box? And when he goes after Owen, the confrontation in the club, then the quiet conversation in the cell were just perfect. I love seeing Jack's immortality addressed, the implications of it for how he views the world. Because despite what he says, he always seems desperate to touch the floor or the bricks (can't remember the exact dialogue). He's going to live forever but he lives each moment wholly for itself, because what else can he do? Combined with his fierce loyalty and love, that leads him to do really stupid things, like revive a member of his team with an unknown alien artefact. Like I say, really stupid, but so very, very Jack.
Also, surely no-one's forgotten 'Adam'. Apart from the Torchwood team, I mean. They may have forgotten the scene themselves, but those were things that were true about them, as people. Owen asks, 'who will save me?', and Jack says, 'I will'. Just like that. No hesitation, no doubts. He'll save his team no matter what. And he tries to.
There were some odd holes in this episode, like what happened between the autopsy room black-out and Jack waking up in the SUV. I'm assuming he was dead so they buckled him in and set off anyway, but it would have been nice to have more of that. On the other hand, it was quite a nice touch to have his team treat Jack's death in a matter of fact manner. He's dead, he'll get better, so we might as well get on with things. Similarly, there seemed to be some missing minutes inside the hospital, but the scene with Martha was lovely. It also struck me that if Death (and YES! I did want him to talk in SMALL CAPITALS as a couple of people have suggested) killed Jack, as was implied, he's already taken on life, so should only have needed 12 at the hospital. Maybe it doesn't count if the person doesn't stay dead...
Oh and my other main squee out loud moment was the hockey stick, because GDL and JB really can hold a whole conversation with their eyes, and the look on Ianto's face was absolutely priceless. For me, they've been getting the Jack/Ianto just right this season. It's there, but it doesn't have to be a big deal, because they're both more content with it. I like that.
My fingers are twitching to add the missing scenes, so we'll see what happens, but someone PLEASE write something about the little girl in the club. PLEASE. I'm not proud. I'll beg if I have to. *gets on knees* Because that was just perfect. (although if someone wants to write a "Hockey stick? Seriously?" story, I will also be immensely grateful) They're adding texture to the world they're building and to Jack and I'm with them all the way.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-21 07:18 pm (UTC)But here's the thing, he does it because he can't not. It says so much about him, that he's prepared to risk everything to say goodbye to Owen.
I've stumbled across some reactions to Jack being willing to risk that much for OWEN shocking the hell out of them, along with the idea that Jack is 'smarter' than that. I kept coming back to "but Jack thinks with his heart." Because he does.
It's not pretty or perfect and it doesn't make him the perfect leader who always does the right thing. It just makes him JACK. I like Jack. Even when he's a dumb-ass.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-21 07:22 pm (UTC)Yeah, I loved that. And not only did they just drag his dead body along, they put him in the front seat and buckled him in. With his coat. Perfect, perfect, perfect.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-21 07:27 pm (UTC)It's amazing how much meta about him comes down to that. I'm falling back on my archetype research here, but there's just something about him - the name and character combination, the fact he can't die, his passion and his humanity that make him a real fixed point, like an inevitability.
...and I'm starting to get poetic which is never good...I'm going to need a lie down at this rate...
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-21 07:28 pm (UTC)I haven't seen the episode yet...
Date: 2008-02-21 08:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-21 08:51 pm (UTC)oh yes, I forgot to comment on that, but I loved the subtleties of that.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-21 09:37 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-21 10:21 pm (UTC)XWA
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-21 10:25 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-21 10:29 pm (UTC)Go ahead, it's yours if you want it. :-)
XWA
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-21 10:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-22 01:08 am (UTC)Nods to the Jack and Owen stuff, as well.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-22 01:10 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-22 08:53 am (UTC)Having said which, I adored the Jack/Owen moments, and you're right about GDL and JB being able to hold a conversation without saying a word.
Creepy little girls always scare me in stories, so I'll leave that one alone...
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-22 11:05 am (UTC)The creepy little girl was seriously creepy, so I might leave that one to someone else as well...
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-22 11:05 am (UTC)This could take a while...
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-22 11:08 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-22 05:26 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-23 05:51 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-23 10:24 am (UTC)Um, hello. I came to your journal via the
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-23 10:49 am (UTC)I love the idea of the little girl being Faith. It's a fantastic idea and one that needs writing. Please friend away! I love your icons :)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-23 10:52 am (UTC)At least you had the characterisation, even if the plot wasn't to your liking. I guess we can't have everything!
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-23 12:59 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-23 10:21 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 04:12 pm (UTC)My thoughts exactly. The books full of conversation that these two have with one look is something I love this season... but seriously, a hockey stick!