Doctor Who

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The thing that rubs me the wrong way about Torchwood is that it seems to balance on the comedy/scary tightwire and not commit fully to either (or both). Also? Captain Jack is an awesomely sexy actor but, thanks to makeup and hair colour, looks like a Ken doll. Unless maybe it has something to do with his immortality and whatnot.

I guess I was hoping for a more serious approach from the Torchwood team, as was hinted in the Doctor Who episodes in which the group appeared (or was alluded to).

That said, it's engaging and fun and I'll still watch it because it's a live-action Jonny Quest cartoon for adults, where Race Bannon is every bit as gay as I'd fantasized.

[roobarb]

laconicchick said:

I watched Torchwood. Oh, Jack.

Also, I am sick of the three billion helicopter shots each episode, and Gwen seems a bit boring. It's like she has no spark or something. And Owen looks like a lizard. Hm... perhaps he is from a lizard planet.

The many many helicopter shots seems to thankfully have only been a feature of the pilot episode.

However, Owen definitely still looks like a lizard. Or a frog. And is also a date-raping little creepy bastard.

I haven't quite decided on Gwen yet. I liked her more in this week's episode, I think mostly because she wasn't being rammed down my throat quite so much as previous weeks, so I'm optimistic about her.

[laconicchick]

Heeeey. The hand that Jack had in the jar is the Doctor's -- the hand that got cut off by the Sycorax in "The Christmas Invasion." Yes, sadly, I needed the Internet to inform me of this. (In my defence, I saw the Torchwood episode before I saw "The Christmas Invasion.")

I am pleased to report that I have now seen all the episodes. Now I'm trying to find a way to get them onto my iPod, without much luck.

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That's a hilarious observation. I forgot all about that.

Hate to hijack (hi, Jack!) the Doctor Who thread with talk about Torchwood, but I was starting to think the series was getting kind of flaky -- I was actually sitting there fuming, while watching "Cyberwoman", wanting them to just blow up the facility and put an end to the improbability -- but the following two episodes have been really engaging and unpredictable. I really think they need to have regular guest stars, though; the team is too insular.

[laconicchick]

I think I might have to watch the hand scene again with the fact that it's the Doctor's hand in mind. Hee. But how did Jack get it? How did he know it was the Doctor's? Wikipedia cites a source that I can't find (although I searched for about five seconds) that confirms it is his hand... And really, it makes sense. I didn't think he was that attached to the Doctor, so I hope they explore that more and that it wasn't just a one-off. I wonder what the odds of them doing a crossover are. In my mind, Torchwood will reopen the rift between parallel universes and then Rose will fall back into the Doctor's world and then Martha will die and Rose can go with the Doctor again... But stupid Russel T. Davies will never let that happen.

I am still enjoying Torchwood... I have seen up to the one with the fairies. Owen has been growing on me since he made out with Gwen in that drawer. I'm not sure why I am liking him more. Maybe because I couldn't see his lizard face at the time.

You can listen to the "Doctor Who - A Celebration" Children in Need concert here on BBC Wales. I am happy about that, because I like the "Doomsday" music and the "Christmas Invasion" song.

Oh, I should also mention that I bought the BBC Masterpiece Theatre version of Casanova because of David Tennant, and I was not disappointed. He's just so adorable! Christopher Eccleston I can take or leave (mostly leave).

ETA again: Apparently there will be a 31-track soundtrack on Dec. 4 (though I'm guessing just in the UK... but hopefully here too).

And the extra lyrics in "Song for Ten" (the song at the end of "The Christmas Invasion") are especially sad post-"Doomsday." *sniff*

So have a good life
Do it for me
Make me so proud
Like you want me to be

Wherever you are
I'm thinking of you
Oceans apart
I want you to know

lalalala lalalala lalalala

Yes

Well I woke today
And you're on the other side
Our time will never come again

But if you can still dream
Close your eyes and you'll see
That you can see me now and then

I wish today could be like every other day
Cause today has been the best day
Everything I ever dreamed

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the following two episodes have been really engaging and unpredictable.

They've been goddamn freaky as well! They seem to have dropped the attempt to make it as quirky as Doctor Who, and the comedy/scary tightwire you mentioned above has settled on "scary" which I think is a good thing, because the characters just aren't as wonderfully mad as the Doctor. The relationships are getting more interesting and complicated too - in this last one, there was just so much tension even before they started getting chased around. I've enjoyed the show overall anyway, but the past couple of episodes have been great.

Owen has been growing on me since he made out with Gwen in that drawer. I'm not sure why I am liking him more. Maybe because I couldn't see his lizard face at the time.

Wait till you see the next one. He and Gwen have some sizzling chemistry. Scary, but sizzling.

I didn't think he was that attached to the Doctor, so I hope they explore that more and that it wasn't just a one-off.

Didn't you see that snog? IMO, Jack's half in love with him. Half in love with Rose as well, of course, but I wouldn't say there was any lack of attachment to the Doctor.

The episode with the fairies has made me desperate to know what on earth has happened to Jack between being brought back to life on Doctor Who and now. That whole relationship with the old lady did not happen when he was being a conman, and what was up with all those Indian guys? Damn it, Russell, backstory already please!

Torchwood will reopen the rift between parallel universes and then Rose will fall back into the Doctor's world and then Martha will die and Rose can go with the Doctor again...

Ooh, I like it. Billie was on Jonathan Ross the other night and apparently admitted she regretted quitting. Bring her back, I say!

Um, on actual Doctor Who...I got nothing, except I want it back now. Can't wait for the Christmas episode, even if I am scared about this new companion. But then, I was deeply sceptical about Billie as well, so maybe it will be okay.

[laconicchick]

Didn't you see that snog? IMO, Jack's half in love with him. Half in love with Rose as well, of course, but I wouldn't say there was any lack of attachment to the Doctor.

Yeah, I know... I was thinking about it when I was writing that (and I watched the Doctor Who Confidential where he talks about it, too). I would like to believe the three of them are all in love and got it on frequently. Take that, stupid Mickey! But he didn't spend very long with them.

Ooh, I like it. Billie was on Jonathan Ross the other night and apparently admitted she regretted quitting. Bring her back, I say!

I might have borrowed that idea from fanfiction. But still, it's a good idea! Are you listening, writers?

Did she quit or did they get rid of her? I know Russell T. Davies said on either a Doctor Who Confidential or one of the episode commentaries that they had to get rid of Rose because she would have stayed with the Doctor forever otherwise. Frankly I don't see anything wrong with that... If she quit, that is just silly! I heard a rumour that David Tennant is quitting after series 3, so if that is true (I have no idea if it is), I think she should have stuck it out until then at least. Boo.

So is Jack immortal because Rose brought him back to life, or is there another reason? Seriously, I don't see how they could NOT have a crossover, but I am suspicious of Davies. It would be just like him to not do it, I think.

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Did she quit or did they get rid of her?

She quit. Silly, but there you go. She should've stayed another season at least. And David Tennant should give it at least one more season, IMO. AT LEAST. Preferrably two. Or three. Come on, David, it's only thirteen episodes, can't take more than half your year! I think (hope) it's just a rumour at that stage. My fiance pointed out that the Doctor only has one (or maybe two, but I think one) more regeneration if Tennant quits. So he can't. But I want Rose back. That would be a fabulous reunion.

I totally think that there was Rose/Jack/Doctor lovin' going on behind the scenes. Even if they weren't in love, there was no way Jack wasn't going to get some of that action. I was so sad they left him. Would've liked to have seen him with Tennant. Mmm, Barrowman/Tennant.

As far as I'm aware, Jack is immortal because the TARDIS, through Rose, brought him back. But I suppose there could be another reason. I just assumed it was that - being resurrected by the TARDIS would be a reasonable reason, as far as immortality goes. I'd love a crossover, but I doubt it'll happen (not least because I'm not sure they could get Chris Eccleston on board); but they're going to have to explain at some point. Last we saw him, he was a hundred thousand years in the future, on a satellite. So what's he been doing? How'd he get back here? How'd he find out he was immortal? And how long has it actually been since he died? Because if he's immortal, it could be hundreds of years. My fiance floated the idea that it might have been thousands of years, since he was going on about the fairies being around since the dawn of time. That might explain why he's a lot crankier than he was on Doctor Who.

[laconicchick]

Well, if she quit but is on good terms with them (though I have no idea whether she is or not), that probably means there is a better chance (though I still fear it is slim to none) of her reappearing at some point, especially if she regrets quitting. Whereas if she was written out but didn't have any intention of quitting, I think there would be no chance of her reappearing. Well, we can hope. That would be a fabulous reunion.

I was thinking that too, about the regenerations. I hope Tennant stays on for a long time, because I definitely prefer him to Eccleston. Barrowman/Tennant would be FANTASTIC. Stupid Torchwood and Rose ruined everything! Now that can never happen. *sniff* Maybe Torchwood could get cancelled and then Jack could go back to Doctor Who. But I like Torchwood, so I don't really wish that. And even if Jack and Rose did go back to the Doctor, we would never get Rose/Jack/Doctor loving anyway, so I will just pretend it already happened.

I wonder how long it will be before they explain how Jack got back. He can't have hitched a ride from the Doctor. But how did he travel back through time? And I would be cranky too if the Doctor left me for dead on a satellite after his spaceship resurrected me.

[Deleted]

Well, to be fair, Rose and the Doctor didn't know he'd resurrected - I think they just thought he was dead. But yeah, I think that whole experience must have really shaken him up. It's clear that he's been alive quite a long time, because we had the flashback in the fairy episode about 1908, and on Doctor Who he'd only been around in World War II. My suspicion is he's been back on earth at this approximate era for a long time, so he's cranky because he's old and lonely and can't bloody die, and abandoned by the people who changed his life. Poor Jack.

Well, if she quit but is on good terms with them (though I have no idea whether she is or not), that probably means there is a better chance (though I still fear it is slim to none) of her reappearing at some point, especially if she regrets quitting.

I'm pretty sure it was on good terms. She just wanted a break/change/something or other. But we can hope. It would be wonderful to see them together again.

I was thinking that too, about the regenerations. I hope Tennant stays on for a long time, because I definitely prefer him to Eccleston.

I loved Eccleston, but I think I prefer Tennant too. I can't put my finger on what it is, but I loff him.

Barrowman/Tennant would be FANTASTIC.

Wouldn't it? We'd want them making out all episode, every episode.

Maybe Torchwood could get cancelled and then Jack could go back to Doctor Who. But I like Torchwood, so I don't really wish that.

In my ideal world, partly inspired by you, there's a massive crossover in which Rose comes through the rift, big reunion with Jack, then she can call the Doctor on her phone (because don't tell me she'd ever throw that out) and he can come back and deal with some crazy enemy that Torchwood are trying to cope with and they'll all be together and come to some kind of peace, and then Jack can decide to stay with Torchwood, and the Doctor and Rose can head off into space again.

Hah, the John Pertwee Doctor is on the TV at the moment, and the boy is all happy about it. I'm like, dude, that guy is not sexy at all. Gimme back Tennant.