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"Torchwood: Children of Earth: Day Four" minicap
‘WOW!” That’s the only word that I can use to evoke the chilling/mind-boggling suspense of Day Four of Torchwood’s Children of Earth. Warning: Spoilers ahead!! After the eventful cliff-hanger of Day Three (where it was revealed that Jack had once sacrificed children to the 456) …we find out the truth behind his actions. It turns out that the aliens were planning on unleashing a flu/virus that would have killed 25 million people, and that they offered Jack the ultimatum of sacrificing 12 children in return for the survival of the human race.
Given that Jack is ‘supposedly’ a heartless ‘realist’, he agreed, believing that the deal was worth it. After this shocking disclosure, we find ourselves in a British government boardroom, where Mr. Frobisher and other leaders are trying to bargain with the 456. Instead of offering 10% of the world’s child population (the amount requested by the alien invaders) – the politicians instead offer up one child for every million people living on earth. Who says politicians don’t know how to bargain? Unsurprisingly, the aliens refuse Mr. Frobisher and his government’s kind gesture. They want ten percent of the world’s children, and they will stop at nothing to get them.
After the negotiations fall through, the children of the world again start chanting, this time ‘356,000’ and other such random numbers. It seems the 456 are using the kids to communicate the exact number of children they want sacrificed from each nation. Sort of like ordering take-out. As all of this occurs, a conflicted Jack and Ianto have a tense argument, leaving viewers wondering if their relationship is on the brink of collapse. Can they survive the insurmountable pressure of this alien invasion? Might therapy help?
Trying to grapple with the aliens’ non-negotiable demands, British authorities discuss ways to ‘deal with’ losing ten percent of the world’s child population. One suggestion is to ‘spin’ it as positive mechanism for population control. Sure it means fewer children, but think of the elbow room! The officials end up debating how they will ‘choose’ the children to be sacrificed. Would they be picked at random? What? And, potentially put the Royals at risk? Never!
Instead, the government decides that they will pick the 10% of the lowest achieving/ranking children in national schools – i.e. the impoverished/the ones set up for failure in the modern world. (And those too lazy to do their homework!) This revelation is unsettling, if only because it acts as an allegorical commentary of ‘real world’ cutthroat government policies. Unbeknownst to Frobisher and his minions, the government’s elitist plans are being recorded by Torchwood via Lois Habiba (remember the contact lenses installed with the micro camera?) Meanwhile, news agencies and members of the public start to question what the government might be up to. Under mounting stress, officials scramble to think of a ‘cover story’ so that they can execute their malicious plot to send the children of the earth to the 456, when suddenly they are threatened with exposure. Lois Habiba reveals that their conversations have been recorded and that Jack Harkness has decided to confront/have a chat with the aliens himself.
At the very same time, Agent Johnson sets out to capture Gwen, only to find that she is conflicted when the administration’s scheming plot has been revealed. It turns out that Johnson’s heart of stone isn’t so impenetrable after all. Later Jack confronts the 456’s spokesperson, declaring war on them, and asserting that the human race will never give up on their children. Will the aliens budge, and disappear off the face of our planet for good (without our kids)? With one more episode to go, that seems unlikely. Instead, they unleash a virus, which results in the heartbreaking death of …wait for it… Our beloved, Ianto Jones….
Once you’re done shrieking, you can let that sink in. Jack, our sexy, strong-willed leader is a broken man. Crushed, he grabs his fallen lover and tells him that he will ‘never forget him’, ‘even in a thousand years time’. It probably goes without saying that I, along with my fellow viewing partners, was reduced to tears. In a tender and beautiful scene, Jack bends down and kisses his dying lover making for a truly ‘historic’ moment in BBC One primetime drama history. What will become of the children of the earth? How will Jack deal with the loss of Ianto? Will we lose out to the 456? All will be revealed in the gut-wrenching finale that is Day 5… Brace yourselves! Editor's note: Please don't give away anything about what happens to Ianto or any other spoilers in your subject line! Submitted by on Fri, 2009-07-10 10:04. |
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NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!!!!!
WTF?!? WTF?!?!
How could they do this? SHIT!!! I'm in tears right now after watching Day Four.
That was absolutely heartbreaking. But what great television drama. The Children Of Earth storyline just officially became the single best Torchwood ever. As shocked and horrified as I feel about Ianto, the writers deserve enormous credit for creating a fantastic story that deals with serious issues. And deadly consequences no matter which way the characters turn.
The discussion with the Cabinet was bone-chilling, but disturbingly realistic. As repellent as the woman minister's points were to hear, you can absolutely believe that, were a government facing the loss of millions versus billions, this is probably the decision they would make. And you can damn well believe they would protect their own in the process.
All I can say is wow. Just wow.
I have to finish crying now.
I am so pissed off and gutted about this.
I am so pissed off and gutted about this. Janto was the best thing in the damn show and it made having to have Gwen shoved down our throats barable but this is just wrong. I feel cheated, RTD promised us Janto moments, seeing them becoming a couple and Jack becoming a one person man, but there was nothing of that. We didn't see any of that at all. He said us janto fans would be happy with what happens with Janto in season 3, really, this is meant to make us happy?!
I really thought that RTD understood us as fans and knew just how much we love Janto and how much we were waiting for all the moments that were coming but obviously not. He has his head stuck up Gwen Cooper ass and is turning it into the Gwen Cooper show. I know there are fans who are hoping that RTD has something up his sleeve and he will fix this but i don't know. I mean, he had a great chance to bring a gay couple front and centre in a scifi show, but does he? No.
I do know that if he is really dead, as far as i am concerned, Torchwood is done for me. I will never buy another DVD, Magazine, Book or calender again nor will i watch any other season. I feel so cheated, gutted, heartbroken and pissed off. I hate RTD, i really do. He has ruined Torchwood and Janto and for that, i will never forgive him for it. He better fix this.
But i must admit, John Barrowman's and Gareth David-Llyod's acting last night, the previous nights and the last two season was absolutely amazing. They deserved far more than they got and i feel really cheated that we won't get to see them do things that a normal couple would do. That is the biggest shame, they made it so believable and they worked so well together with amazing chemistry and now, RTD has gone and ruined it. Thanks a lot!
What Is Wrong With Them?!
I am so pissed off and gutted about this. Janto was the best thing in the damn show and it made having to have Gwen shoved down our throats barable but this is just wrong. I feel cheated,........
I agree with everything you just said. Absolutely everything. I feel completely jaded. Like the perfect opportunity for a gay couple to be seen as somewhat serious in sci-fi has been ripped away. And their chemistry and acting would have made it possible... Now, no more.
I am also done with Torchwood. I will not purchase any more DVDs or merchandise. I am completely finished.
As far as I'm concerned, if there is a S4 - which is highly doubtful considering that many fans watched it only for Jack/Ianto as the acting was generally sub-part, the plotlines very holey, and the computer animation not all that great (All of this, I think, was prevalent until CoE where they seemed to make a huge turnaround and actually had quality writing, acting, and plot...) - I am not going to support or watch it.
And I hope others follow suit as well, because, you know what? As heart-breaking and tragic as the scene was, we were cheated out of a potentially meaningful relationship. Forget that it was gay, it meant more than that.
Ianto brought the good out in Jack. And due to Jack's attention, Ianto grew to be more than just a mousy tea-boy. He became a brave and strong person in his own right.
And then they went and destroyed all of the progress they had made. And so soon after the death of Tosh and Owen. And I believe their deaths were emotional enough to last quite a while... We didn't need another 'Oh, look out! See... Being a member of Torchwood really is dangerous!'
This is simply so disappointing. I'm inconsolable right now.. just.. Good god, what were they thinking?!
No one wants "The Adventures of Jack and Gwen."
To quote SNL, FIX IT!
One person wants it
I was spoiled for this on
I was spoiled for this on another site, and I can honestly only thank whoever spoiled me, because I'm not even bothering to watch episode 4.
I'll read spoilers for the fifth episode, and if there's a reset I'll go back and watch 4 and 5, but if there isn't, I'm DONE with Torchwood.
When it started on Monday I was reading some comments by RTD and John Barrowman about how heart-rending it was bla bla bla and I remember thinking:
"Oh you FUCKER (RTD) if you've killed Ianto I will, well nothing really, but I won't even bother to pirate the rest let alone pay for an episode." And now he's done it (where's that "Lafayette taking off his earrings" gif when you need it?) and I am truly done with the series.
I feel I have really put up with enough bullshit from RTD, even in this season. I truly rolled my eyes when Ianto says that no, he's not gay (or even bisexual), it's only Jack. I thought that tired trope died out with bad 90s fanfic (I love fanfic, but I hate that trope). How difficult would it have been for Ianto to say "Apparently, I'm bisexual. Who knew?"
And as stated above, where was the great relationship stuff we were promised? Again, all we had were discussions and that one kiss before Jack got blowed up real good.
I am starting to supsect that RTD only put in the 'I'm not gay' bit so that he can't be accused of doing the 'another dead gay guy' cliche.
You know what? Fuck him. I don't need Jack Harkness (he's OMNIsexual, doncha know) - I have a better alien now, a Glittery Alien from Planet Fierce, who at the moment is using the most anodyne musical show ever to sing Whole Lotta Love all over the country, while alternately humping/masturbating the mic stand while licking his lips or swivelling his hips. And I haven't even got to the Bowie medley yet.
So yeah. Fix it, RTD. Or don't.
This finally tipped me over the egde...
...and after a year, and I finally got an account.
HOW THE BLOODY HELL CAN THEY DO THIS?!?!?
I swear, unless they can find a way to bring Ianto back next episode, I am done with the show. He was my favourite character!
If only Gwen had dies in his place...
Come on Jack! Give his some of that life-giving breath of yours!
RTD has a lot to answer for!
Torchwood
...and after a year, and I finally got an account.
Same here.
After I shed alot of tears, I have to agree with Smartypants that episode four [Day Four] was absolutely heartbreaking and it made for great television. The writer of this episode is John Fay and he definitely deserves praise for writing such a gut wrenching episode. The acting in this episode was truly amazing. The scene in the Cabinet room showed an intense and emotional discussion that got me at thr edge of my seat. I would hate to ever be in a situation like that. I also loved the way Lois Habiba stood up in the room and told them Torchwood was watching. That was a lot of courage on her side. I also loved how Agent Johnson was kind of humanized in this episode.
Like I said in the spoiler section I was one of the lucky folks whose DVD's arrived early and the final episode is also action packed and Janto fans hoping for so resolution will be ******. As for the future of Torchwood I think RTD has just alienated and angered alot of folks. Alot of fangirls and Janto lovers are beyond gutted. RTD will have alot of explaining to do when he stated the Janto was going to be "explored" in Children of Earth. Me thinks series 4 [if there's ever one] will lose a lot of viewers if it turns into the Gwen Cooper show
Honestly
I went into full grieving mode. I'm American, watched the episode around 3 pm my time online of a streaming site, because I'm a very bad person. Anyway, I cried so hard during the episode. Then just felt, sick and sad and numb. Then I got up, had a slice of cheese cake and tea dispite the fact that I'm dieting, and then went to sleep until 9 pm at night. Litterally, that's what I do when seriously upset, like actually grieving over somehing. Just being so drained emotionally that you just pass out. I know it's just a TV show, but I was so upset, and still am.
I must say, the fact that it was so tradgic and moving, so resonant, probably means it was really great television.
That aside, I'm done with Torchwood. I'll watch the finale, but after that I'm done.
I honestly thinks it's all a bit too dark.
Twitter
Oh. My. God
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”~ J.F.Kennedy
Tomorrow is another day
I am, of course, stunned. I downloaded the fourth episode but haven't watched it yet. I don't know if I can. But does this really have to be the end? In an earlier episode, someone tries to account for the fact that Jack can't die; someone else speculates it may have something to do with the hub. Who is more closely connected to the hub than Ianto? Think about all the coffee he's poured! Maybe, if they can get Ianto back to the hub, he can be revived. I hate to think of him spending eternity in one of those coffin-things they put Suzie in. Jack, however, is bound to have read his Edgar Allan Poe. He probably even slept with him.
"The mountain has wings."
Um, you haven't watched Dr.
Au contraire
I've been watching Doctor Who for forty years; admittedly, I have never been able to make much sense out of it. If the TARDIS (which is an anagram for ASTRID) can exist, Ianto may still be alive. If the Doctor can shapeshift periodically into another character, Ianto may still be alive. If Jack Harkness can live for a thousand years, Ianto can survive to live another day. That is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.
By the way, I broke down and watched Day 4. Then I broke down.
"The mountain has wings."
No, no he's right, watch a
No, no he's right, watch a bit more carefully. Someone did at some point say in Torchwood that if they blow up the hub that's good cus they think it might be the key to Jack's immortality. They're wrong of course, it IS to do with Rose like you said, but that wasn't what he was talking about. The real reason is irrelevant.
________________________________
"there's always time for a burrow..."
"We're getting fired, fired, fired, firedddd"
*** meep meep! ***
Maybe it's stupid to say it,
That said, I'm going to watch tomorrow's episode in the vain hope that they bring Ianto back somehow. Honestly, I thought they would during episode 4. Maybe that's just my own wishful thinking. If they don't, however, I'm officially done with this show. And if the spoiler I heard about one of the upcoming DW specials is true, I might be done with that, too. It really depends, because I know DW is finally getting a new showrunner, who I don't think will make these same mistakes. But if Ianto's not back by the end of COE, I'm done. I've been put through the ringer by RTD enough and it would be stupid and emotionally masochistic to keep throwing myself at the mercy of his whims.
Maybe it's stupid to say it,
Maybe it's stupid to say it, but at a time when Jack and Ianto were one of the only prominent (maybe even the only) GLBT couples on sci-fi (which has traditionally been the straight fanboy's playground), why would an out gay man (RTD) kill Ianto off?
It's not stupid to say it - however, if you watch all of the new Who or Torchwood, there is not one GLBT couple or even character. Maybe I've missed one? For example, there was the alien who seduced Tosh, but she's evil and dead. Tosh is dead. James Marsters character is duplicitous, murderous and gone.
So Ianto is just one of a long line of gay/bi characters in SF who bite it. And while I understand your frustration with Joss Whedon (whose killing of Larry in Season 3 I will never forgive), at least Willow survived till the end, and got another girlfriend who also survived till the end.
Why would RTD do that? Who knows? He's never been heavily invested in the Ianto character, preferring his HOLY QUEEN GWEN BLOODY COOPER, whom he fondly seems to think is the equivalent to Buffy. Oh RTD. Gwen is not fit to kiss Buffy's stylish yet affordable boots.
spoilers
I know O_____o;
Willow and Tara were one of my favest couples ever, Willow is my fave character everso yes at least she survived and had the 2nd most lines in the show. and had a gf (who was annoying but had a nice sex scene) I <3 Ianto/Janto soo much! It was cool that
SpikeJohn H was in Torchwood but yeah I agree. Also Mary the girl who got with Tosh was SOOO hot!! and I am so not someone who crushes on blondes like her usually. The actress is actually really smart compared to her character Janey on 'My Family' and v.. seductive as Mary so perhaps that's why.Why Ianto? >___< whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
however.. the episode was AWESOME!! Okay I found the green sliming of the alien a little ridiculous, it seemedso civilised when talking and then spoloosh!! crazed alien, and didn't think it looked too awesome. maybe woulda been better had we not seen it. Also draggd out the talking with alien = meh, but everything else!! How they were gonna select children at random and then in a kinda Animal Farm type fashion moved from 'all equal' to 'some less equal than others' bit by bit and nobody put a stop to it. The most harrowing bit was the chanting of numbers. As soon as the news woman said that all the countries were chanting different numbers I realised what was going on. When she read out the US numbers it started with a 2 so sounded like it would be a third lower than the UK numbers, I was just thinking, 'god she's gonna add another 0', must be, US is so big and then she did, and it was soo harrowing!!
Found out about Ianto poss death 5 mins b4 watching ep, didn't quite believe, not sure if its a good thing I found out before.
Yeah saw that it had trended on a website after, wish I'd seen it trend for my own eyes almost, lol.. want it to trend again.
SPOILER______________ Ianto is apparently in the credits for episode 5. I assume this isn't just for the 'previously on TW' parts? So he is in it somehow? However, that could easily be his dead body or a memory or something.... I think. If RTD brings him back later ala Rose's comeback after she's trapped in a parallel universe it would be kinda stupid, but if he brings him back next episode that could work. (tho anything can happen in sci-fi unlike in soaps when it really is very stupid when characters return from the dead but kinda hilarious when you hear about it). I kinda don't believe he's gone, just don't. That new receptionist Lois will NOT replace him!!! Grrrrr
________________________________
"there's always time for a burrow..."
"We're getting fired, fired, fired, firedddd"
*** meep meep! ***
WELL SAID
Particularly this bit
BRILLIANT!
"That's our job today: to control the extent to which people can publicly manifest antigay sentiment." (Bayard Rustin) ** "Heterosexuality is not normal, it's just common" (Dorothy Parker)
There have a little bit GLBT elements appears in Dr. Who
It's not stupid to say it - however, if you watch all of the new Who or Torchwood, there is not one GLBT couple or even character. Maybe I've missed one? For example, there was the alien who seduced Tosh, but she's evil and dead. Tosh is dead. James Marsters character is duplicitous, murderous and gone.
Actually, there are a little bit GLBT elements mentioned inside Dr. Who.
In season three, the episode which Face of Bao (Future Jack) dies, there are a lesbian elder couple in one of the flying trucks. In season four, Donna talks to her grandfather about a childhood boyfriend, which lives with another man when he grown up.
Great television?
A lot of people have been saying that at least it was good writing and I'm sort of baffled by this statement. I agree that many things in the episode were brilliant, but the actions leading up to Iantos death were NOT well written. Think about it; Jack has lived for a thousand years, he's dealt with millions of aliens and in this episode he thinks that making a little threat will make the aliens go away. I mean c'mon, he's smarter than that. Torchwood are smarter than that. They didn't even bring any weapons except guns. And why the hell would he take Ianto with him when he should have known how dangerous the aliens were? He could have made that cheap threat on his own. I absolutely hated it. It doesn't feel realistic, it just feels like RTD wanted to make a point that everyone could die except Jack and he did it in a cheap way. If he really wanted to kill Ianto (which is a bad decision in it self), he could have at least waited 'til the final episode and made it a hell of a lot more convincing.
Bury your gays. Gee,
Bury your gays.
Gee, never saw that coming. /sarcasm
I feel betrayed by one of our own.
WTF Torchwood
I'm sorry if this sounds oversensitive but to me this was SO FUCKING PREDICTABLE and makes be a more annoyed at the writers than heartbroken. Yes the episode was beautiful written and devastatingly realistic but that's all beside the point at this moment because the fact that they killed off the cute, lovable same sex love interest of the show was so typical. I thought this would happen because let's face it, that's what mainstream media is known for doing. Wouldn't want to pleasantly surprise us or something. Gosh, its like the equivalent to the whole 'black person dies first thing' - if a character's same sex relationship is starting to work out then they will meet an untimely demise.
>:(
Now that I'm done ranting, it was a beautiful, horrible scene. I wonder if this was intended to be the breaking point for Jack, after he lost two other friends not to long ago, and recently found out this brother was insane (and probably died when the hub exploded). Now Ianto is dead, who died telling him he loved him of all things, and I feel like this will be enough to turn him into genocide Jack for the final episode. RTD likes genocide plots, after all, doesn't he? I imagine he'll ve Jack lose it and find way to take out all the aliens ruthlessly.
"To make a bad day worse, spend it wishing for the impossible." - Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes
Geez, what is it with
Geez, what is it with Torchwood? After years of watching Star Trek and Stargate, where everybody was always back for the next episode, then Buffy and Angel, where nobody ever really died - this series just keeps on killing its characters. Ianto, I mean seriously? How could you kill him?
Pure logic is the ruin of the spirit.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
I thought it was
A great scene, I did not see it coming and I for one am glad of this twist.
Why not kill off Ianto? He is, like everyone else that joins torchwood destined for a short life. Thats the nature of the job.
You cannot just keep him around just because he is gay and somehow you think that because RTD is gay that he owes "us" this.
He owes us a good/great TV show, and last night that is what we got, No time for long goodbyes or plans for the future, just a untimely death.
Now I am partly in two minds wether he should bring Ianto back, one hand it would be nice as he was by far the best thing on that show, but on the other hand bringing him back to life is too soap operay and predictable.
Great?
I'm not sure it can be called great. In fact, it was pretty contrived.
The Torchwood team go to all these lengths to get the goods on the politicians so that they can force them to let Jack confront the alien. All the while, Gwen who has been using all the guns in the show is left at home with the computer (which is usually Ianto's job) so that Jack and Ianto can confront the baddies with nothing more than two guns and a pretty speech? They had plans for everything else, but no plans for what to do when they actually get face time with the bad guys?
Nope, this wasn't great. The purpose of the episode was to kill Ianto. And to do so, the writers had to make the characters act illogically. The whole purpose of this arc is make Jack alone and ruthless. But that's a storyline that's already been done to death on Doctor Who. Except in Doctor Who the companions have been treated far better than Jack's team on Torchwood.
As to RTD's 'betrayal' of his audience, there's an element of truth in this.
Irrespective of gay or straight, the Jack/Ianto coupling was exceedingly popular with the audience. To break up that coupling, the characters had to act in an illogical manner. The reason why everyone is saying 'I never saw that coming' is because logically it shouldn't have been coming. The writers were using the last two episodes to set up the death of Ianto for the sensationalism of the event, rather than a confrontation with the alien. And when you're aiming for sensationalism rather than plot development, that is a major betrayal of your audience.
And the gay audience is entirely legitimate to feel that betrayal more keenly than anyone else because Jack and Ianto were the first gay couple in mainstream sci-fi. To see a popular character so callously disposed of is reminiscent of all those Hollywood films and dramas in which the gay is the most disposable character. It's a cliche. It's boring and it's lazy writing.
I doubt there's going to be any opportunity for a ressurected Ianto. If there's going to be the same Doctor Who kind of storyline, tonight we'll see one more act of ruthlesness, the aliens will be killed and then Jack will disappear off into space or down the nearest timewarp. Meanwhile, Gwen will live happily ever after with Rhys.
And that'll be the end of Torchwood.
By great
I did mean the death scene its self, the whole Ianto standing shoulder to shoulder with his Jack.
I personally think people are over reacting to the whole "omg he killed our gay representation in sci-fi how dare he!" He owes us the viewers gay or straight nothing but his take on what he thinks makes for good TV and I personally did not see it coming.
Indeed if he was to kill of Rhys and pair up Jack and Gwen I would still watch it... even though I do not think all in all TW is that well written it still holds my interest.
Or they could kill off both Rhys and Gwen and leave Jack "holding the baby" that too would be a interesting twist.
I am going to give RTD and TW the benefit of the doubt here and just go along with what ever ride they choose.
Agreed
The death scene itself was very well done. And the acting was superb, especially Gareth David-Lloyd who's been a revelation to me in this series.
Any actor who can well up his eyes without actually crying is amazingly skilled. If GD-L wants to line up some more work now that he's out of a job, this is one hell of a showreel for him.
But it was actually the acting that was covering the flaws in the writing. I watched it twice last night. The first time it was an amazing punch to the guts. But the second time I watched it, I began to feel very manipulated and could see how they were doing it. The way they arrived at that death was a cheap parlour trick. There's lots of whistles and smoke-bombs and glitter, but behind the haze it's all very mechanical.
On an entirely different tack, can I just say thanks to Momo for his recaps. They're great.
I think
You are right about acting, specially Gareth David-Lloyd's making it up for the writing problems.
Bury your gays, it's all that matter. He had to be killed, and RTD, didn't even the chance of an heroic death, just a pointless one. Because what was the point of going in there without a plan? Jack thought he would shout down the alien? I think I'm still too heartbroken to watch again and try to make sense, but I suspect there isn't much to this than to kill the gay and leave the heroics for Super Girl aided by her husband.
I do feel the death scene itself was beautiful, but that's it.
Personally, I think Gareth David-Lloyd has been amazing since season 1, he had very little to do in most of those episodes, but he managed to make his character memorable and a fans favorite.
As for work, I'm sure he wants more, but the fact is, crisis + being Welsh + who knows what, isn't helping him at all. He's got nothing but Cons and a run of Panto signed. It's a shame because I think he's a truly talented actor and I want to see more of his work on my TV.
OK, time to cry again!
Darrien...
You positively nailed everything that was wrong with this episode.
It did, however, make more sense for Gwen to be with the computer, since she was preggers.
"To make a bad day worse, spend it wishing for the impossible." - Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes
I guess I'm in a minority
I must be totally out of touch. I thought Day 4 was fantastic. Including Iantos heart-breaking death scene. I've got to admit that I didn't expect to see all this RTD hate when I read the responses to the mini-cap. For me, Torchwood continues in the tradition of BBC series like Spooks where you just don't know if your favourite character will make it to the next episode. That's what makes it properly suspenseful; not having the security blanket that means you know that at the end of the episode a reset button will be pressed and everything will be back to normal.
Yes, I am very sad that it looks like Janto may be over but all this 'Well I'm NEVER watching Torchwood ever, ever again!' stuff seems a bit like throwing your toys out of the pram. Why not have a bit of faith and wait and see what new characters are brought in if they get another series? You may learn to love again? Surely it's not going to just be Jack and Gwen, that would be ridiculous.
Anyway, I thought all the actors have really stepped up to the mark in this series and I knew it was a stroke of genius to cast Peter Capaldi although it would have been a very different series if he'd played Mr Frobisher like he plays Malcolm Tucker in The Thick of It!
I now sit back and wait for the waves of hate to wash over me for defending Iantos death.
What would be the point?
no more Whedon please
NOOOOOOOO!!!!
I cried so much when he died. I was like 'NO! YOU ARE NOT KILLING IANTO, I REFUSE TO BELIEVE IT!'. How could they kill him off, why do they just kill off every character apart from gwen (cos she bascially was the start of the programme in a way) and jack (cos he's jack), every main character gets killed off before the others who died are even given a chance to be replaced?
I will miss you Ianto and Gareth David Lloyd!
My tonuge would catch your tongue...were the world mine :-)
Best Episode Ever
First off, I hope they bring Lois back as a regular next season. She was great standing up to those government officials and telling them that Torchwood was recording everything.
As far as Ianto dying, I disagree with some of you who think that RTD betrayed us by killing him off. I do completely agree that this is good television. It's not about keeping the gay character alive because he's gay, it's about keeping us on the edge of our seats and giving us a rivetting episode. I admit I'm sad and I wish they'd come up with a way to bring him back, but that was great television. It's going to be interesting to see how Jack responds after losing someone he loved so much. Day 5 should be great!
Torchwood
As far as Ianto dying, I disagree with some of you who think that RTD betrayed us by killing him off. I do completely agree that this is good television. It's not about keeping the gay character alive because he's gay, it's about keeping us on the edge of our seats and giving us a rivetting episode.
Beautifully put! I agree - as much as I cried when Ianto died, I also recognised it as a great piece of dramatic storytelling, and an excellent way of pulling the rug out from under our collective feet and ensuring we would tune in for . And as far as some people's suggestions that RTD 'betrayed the gays' by killing off Ianto - his loyalty is first and foremost to telling a convincing, clever and dramatic story - and with Children of Earth, he certainly achieved that!
MIni Series Rocks!!!
Like many of you up there, I cried too when Ianto died, after that heart-wrenching confession. How could this have happened?
I am sure Ianto will be brought back in the last part. Otherwise, it'd be really pointless for all of us. POINTLESS.
wow...
First owen and tosh...now ianto....someone on the writing team is obsessed with constant killing of main characters
the show seemed to understand the popularity of ianto and his pairing with Jack....so i'm trying to figure out "why mess with that?"
did they really think the majority of the fans would be happy with that?
then again, from day 1, it seems they have had a love affair with Gwen's character....so maybe this is another step so gwen and jack can fall in love or something....or gwen runs torchwood alone? her own show? WTF i have no idea.
a lot of fans are pissed and i dont know if the show can recover from this
because
the fans are not the big mainstream audience they're aiming for. What's a few thousands compared to the over 6 million ratings they're getting with this washed up version of Torchwood?
RTD doesn't care about the fans, and TPTB don't care about a leading man in a non straighth relationship. They also make sure, to push Ianto back so far into the background that I doubt many of the new, mainstream viewers cared much about Ianto's death at all. Even those don't bothered by the "gayness", because they weren't even really shown as a proper couple, until this episode.
RTD adores Gwen, he's vocal about it. It's her show, now more than ever. Maybe the emotional fangirls saying RTD punished us for loving Ianto, instead of his beloved Gwen.
Yes, I'm upset, angry and still crying for Ianto, and the wasted opportunity.
It was so well acted
I've got to say, I wasn't happy about this. People (other than here) always say Gwen is the heart of the show. No, she's not. Gwen has her place, but the heart of the show was Ianto. And killing him felt gratuitous.
That said, Jack & Ianto played it out really, really well. It's television that made me cry. That's unusual. If great art is about emotion, then they achieved the Sistine Chapel.
Are they turning Jack into a character like The Doctor, who made the skies burn? Did they need that break for him? Maybe. But is there a need to have the leads in both shows be scorched earth, ruthless warriors? I miss the Captain Jack from Dr. Who with the DeFabricator Ray. RTD may have just killed his soul.
I'm trying to keep in mind that this is a show where dead doesn't necessarily mean dead, even with a body. And that time travel isn't just accepted as possible, but is a bedrock principle of the show. So if there is a Series 4, that doesn't mean Ianto stays dead, and that Jack stays as broken as he is.
And if none of that's true, somebody put GDL on a new show because I want him back on my TV, even if he's not Ianto
I totally agree with you.
I totally agree with you. Gwen had a big part when the show started, but Ianto has just always been the heart and soul of it all.
I loved Jack's reaction and I really think the scene was absolutly amazing, but letting Ianto just die that way ... it's not right.
I just wish Jack loved him enough to try to make him come back somehow.
I doubt there are
any chances of Ianto coming back. I think he's dead for good.
I honestly don't understand RTD's obsessions as a writer but they're there and it gets repetititve and weird.
I completely agree that Ianto was the heart of the show. And the specific death scene was beautiful and I haven't cried so much over the death of a fictional character in ages, if at all!I still think Ianto's death is unforgivable for many reasons, "bury your gays" to begin with, and because it was pointless and gratuitous, like you said.
somebody put GDL on a new show because I want him back on my TV, even if he's not Ianto
Yes, please! Soon.
Ok first up:
Unclench. Deep breath. Let it out.
Have any of you considered it was the actor's decision to leave the show at the heart of this? He's got a great career ahead of him and maybe he's decided he wants to move on before everyone identifies him so strongly with the role that it becomes difficult for him to work? And the show gave him a defining moment in which he'd go?
He's done an incredible job with this character. Ianto was very minor at the start, but the way he played the role guaranteed they began to build and strengthen the character, partly on the grounds that he made him so watchable. And he's continued to do that - it's to his credit all of you are so lost to the moment. But I have to say - they've been building to this. Through the radio plays and these four episodes, this has been coming.
I know its been really obvious...
"To make a bad day worse, spend it wishing for the impossible." - Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes
You don't know that
Surprise
Yeah, I'm shocked.
That wasn't a predictable fate that could have been figured called from the second episode of season 1.
"To make a bad day worse, spend it wishing for the impossible." - Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes
Spoilers
No
I agree he's done a wonderful job with his character, but he doesn't have any other job lined up.
There's absolutely no chance he asked to be added again to the crowds of unemployed actors.
If anything of all the cast, work-wise, he's the one in the most fragile situation. Torchwood has been his biggest show. Now he's got nothing but Cons and Panto :(
I SO just want him back!
I so don't care if the story is more realistic this way.
I want Ianto back!
I agree that it was an awesome piece of Television (and I guess ratings of 6.2 agree with us) but still ... who is going to watch it if they don't bring Ianto back one way or another?
Because I seriously won't!
EVERYONE wants ...
He's the perfect boyfriend.
And I have no doubt he WILL be back. After all Captain Jack is immortal is he not? He knows how to handle these things.