Torchwood: Fragments
Mar. 23rd, 2008 06:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
andrasteTwo watchable Chris Chibnall episodes in a row? I think it's time to start checking for extra celestial bodies in the sky.
I do have some criticisms of Fragments: as a Classic Who fan I demand an explanation for UNIT turning into Guantanamo Bay. Not saying it couldn't happen - in fact it's all too plausible in the modern world - but I want to know the details. Also, Martha Jones is working for these people, and Sarah Jane is in contact with them. Are these things still going on? Do Martha and Sarah Jane know?
In addition, Owen's tragic backstory is so far over the top it can see the other side. I didn't mind that too much, though, since it lead to the awesome of the graveyard scene. It makes so much sense that Owen would start out his second meeting with Jack by trying to strangle him and end up sobbing all over the guy *g*.
I guess Jack actually was working for Torchwood during the story he tells in From Out of the Rain - maybe he just didn't want to tell the others that he was a field agent for Torchwood during the bad old days? The fact that he did this for a century before reforming the place - well, that's Jack for you. Even post-Doctor, moral ambiguity is his middle name.
UNIT's reputation aside, Toshiko's recruitment story was great. It demonstrated both her awesome and her devotion to the people she cared about. Am fascinated that Jack has basically had her indentured for five years; obviously he's been more relaxed about the rules than he was at first since she was allowed to go to a family function in Captain Jack Harkness.
My favourite part, though, was Ianto's flashbacks - I'm not a big Jack/Ianto 'shipper, but Ianto desperately trying to get into Torchwood Three for the sake of his Cyber-girlfriend was great. Not to mention hilarious. "So, you're not going to help me catch the pterodactyl then?" has to be the best pick-up line ever.
I do wonder why Ianto kept offering coffee and dry-cleaning when blow jobs might have got Jack's attention faster. Maybe he figured Jack can get all the sex he wants, but was obviously in need of someone to do the ironing. Or perhaps at that stage he was making an effort to be faithful to Lisa, although one does wonder what he was doing in a park in the middle of the night wearing jeans, a leather jacket and a studded belt ...
All in all, I really like having origin stories for all the Torchwood crew. Possibly we will even learn Jack's real name next week! (Unless his parents kept calling him 'son' because his name is Sun.)
I do have some criticisms of Fragments: as a Classic Who fan I demand an explanation for UNIT turning into Guantanamo Bay. Not saying it couldn't happen - in fact it's all too plausible in the modern world - but I want to know the details. Also, Martha Jones is working for these people, and Sarah Jane is in contact with them. Are these things still going on? Do Martha and Sarah Jane know?
In addition, Owen's tragic backstory is so far over the top it can see the other side. I didn't mind that too much, though, since it lead to the awesome of the graveyard scene. It makes so much sense that Owen would start out his second meeting with Jack by trying to strangle him and end up sobbing all over the guy *g*.
I guess Jack actually was working for Torchwood during the story he tells in From Out of the Rain - maybe he just didn't want to tell the others that he was a field agent for Torchwood during the bad old days? The fact that he did this for a century before reforming the place - well, that's Jack for you. Even post-Doctor, moral ambiguity is his middle name.
UNIT's reputation aside, Toshiko's recruitment story was great. It demonstrated both her awesome and her devotion to the people she cared about. Am fascinated that Jack has basically had her indentured for five years; obviously he's been more relaxed about the rules than he was at first since she was allowed to go to a family function in Captain Jack Harkness.
My favourite part, though, was Ianto's flashbacks - I'm not a big Jack/Ianto 'shipper, but Ianto desperately trying to get into Torchwood Three for the sake of his Cyber-girlfriend was great. Not to mention hilarious. "So, you're not going to help me catch the pterodactyl then?" has to be the best pick-up line ever.
I do wonder why Ianto kept offering coffee and dry-cleaning when blow jobs might have got Jack's attention faster. Maybe he figured Jack can get all the sex he wants, but was obviously in need of someone to do the ironing. Or perhaps at that stage he was making an effort to be faithful to Lisa, although one does wonder what he was doing in a park in the middle of the night wearing jeans, a leather jacket and a studded belt ...
All in all, I really like having origin stories for all the Torchwood crew. Possibly we will even learn Jack's real name next week! (Unless his parents kept calling him 'son' because his name is Sun.)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-03-30 11:29 am (UTC)I like that idea a lot - it makes a lot of sense for the character in question to want to corrupt UNIT, given the universal shortage of his usual troops ...
Jack in From Out of the Rain: from his relationship with Torchwood as depicted pre-2000, he could have been freelancing for someone else when he didn't have a Torchwood assignment.
Could be. Frustratingly, I doubt we'll ever get an answer, at least not in the TV series. I guess it's the kind of thing spin off media might be interested in picking up on on the future.