Torchwood: Children of Earth (1)

[daibhidc]

Pretty good. I'm probably going to do a proper thing once it's all over, but here's my thoughts so far.



Well, the basic concept is appropriately creepy (although given that, on Friday, Rhys compared Jack to Captain Scarlet, I couldn't help thinking "and now he's got Mysterons"). Given that it's supposed to be the post-Watershed show that kids aren't meant to watch, it'd be interesting to know how many playgrounds duplicate that scene tomorrow.

Clement is brilliant; not scary-mad-guy, but clearly someone who's been institutionalised his entire life, and just as disturbing when he suddenly feels he can relax with Gwen as when he's jumpy and nervous.

It's good they're not trying to create suspense over the question of whether Frobisher is a baddie. He's played by Peter Capaldi; of course he is. On the other hand, I was still trying decide whether Rupesh was destined to be Owen's Jonas Quinn, or to die in episode three, when...

(My current candidate for new recruit is Lois Habiba.)

So yeah, a pretty solid drama and some good comedy moments (Rhys's car being nicked, and Gwen discussing her exile to a foreign land). Roll on part two.

Comments

[scarfman]

Owen's Jonas Quinn

That implies you think Owen's going to be back?

[daibhid-c.livejournal.com]

No, it implies that TV Tropes Has Ruined My Volcabulary 8-).

Jonas Quinn, now I actually think about it, isn't a perfect example of "replacement main character", for the reason you state, but it's the one they use. Normally when I unthinkingly use TV Tropes terms I link them, but the site's down.

[scarfman]

I'd've thought of Sherman Potter or B.J. Hunnicutt.

[shriker-tam.livejournal.com]

Back now: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/JonasQuinn

[daibhid-c.livejournal.com]

And I think I got it wrong, although the page lists exceptions, the key point of a Jonas Quinn is that they're almost exactly like their predecessor (which is probably why the M*A*S*H examples aren't the Trope Namer).

[shriker-tam.livejournal.com]

So, these Radio things - how relevant are they to Children of Earth? Should I try to hunt them down?

[daibhid-c.livejournal.com]

They're not essential; they're basically standalone stories set prior, but they're pretty good.

You can listen to them here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00lskw2). (Quickly, because they start disappearing tomorrow to make room for this week's Afternoon Plays.) You can't download them from outside the UK, but Listen Again should work, I think. (It works for me, anyway, and the BBC website thinks I'm in a different country even though I'm not.)

[shriker-tam.livejournal.com]

Seems the first was already gone - but yeah, the others were pretty good :o)