Torchwood 2.1: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

[selenay]

Hee, now this was a fun episode. Not perfect by any stretch - the actual radioactive bomb plot wasn't the strongest that I've seen - but it was tremendous fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Big pluses included:

- The team acting like a team, co-ordinating what they did and generally being fabulous.
- Owen wasn't actually as repulsively toad-like as in S1 making him watchable but still an ass.
- Ianto had a lot of the best lines.
- Great chemistry between Jack and John.
- The team isn't immediately letting Jack off the hook for disappearing, but they're still welcoming him back.
- The Rhys-ness of Rhys's proposal :-)
- Captain John Hart. Brilliantly evil and having great fun being evil.
- Hint of a mystery that will hopefully be played out over the course of the series - who is Grey?
- Lovely moment between Jack and Ianto in the office building

Most of my minor quibbles are around the lack of an actual strong plot beyond "Captain John tries to drive Captain Jack insane", but then Torchwood often has that kind of problem. Not in every episode, because there were a few corkers, but Doctor Who still probably has the strongest core plot-lines.

I'm choosing to ignore those quibbles (yes, I am shallow) because the episode was so much fun. They'd promise a more humour and more team-ness and that's exactly what we got. I have the suspicion that a couple of episodes last year might have been a bit more enjoyable when levened with a little bit of humour, but that's total aside.

The engagement talk between Gwen and Jack was a little odd but also quite nice. I am handwaving the hint of Gwen/Jack because I really do like Gwen and Rhys. I like the idea that one of the team, at least, is trying to maintain a life outside Torchwood I don't want to lose that.

Captain John was evil and made of fabulous. He did evil with style. I'm not sure that I'll ever believe James Masters playing a good guy because he does bad so well! The interact between him and Captain Jack was perfect - I loved the banter, the complete distrust (yes, Jack did have a good reason for advising Gwen not to let John kiss her beyond not sharing) and the sense of history between them. I'm actually hoping to see Captain John again this season if only because he made me not care about the thinness of the basic plot. His interaction with the entire team was fab, but it was the stuff with Captain Jack that really worked. Did anyone else get the feeling that he was internally screaming "but that's not fair!" when he realised that Captain Jack is immortal? :-)

The Jack/Ianto moment was lovely. I liked Jack's hesitancy, as though he realises that Ianto might actually have good reason to tell him to get stuffed and is really hoping that eventually he might be forgiven. It felt like they're trying to start again, a little cautiously, and hopefully we'll get to see motivation for why Ianto is getting involved with Jack. I liked that little bit a lot and I look forward to seeing how their relationship grows.

The one thing I really want is for Tosh to finally get over Owen (he's less objectionable than last year, but still a complete jerk) and not mope for him. There is a lot more to her than just moping over Owen and I want to see that. I love her relationship with Jack - it feels very much like a brother and sister relationship to me, which is perfect - and I know that she can have some interesting plots and growth. Hell, it would be interesting just to see how her background affects her work with Torchwood.

I am now impatient to know who "Grey" is. I have a few ideas, but I'm sure none of them are right! It should be an interesting season if they handle it right :-)

Comments

[ximeria.livejournal.com]

Did anyone else get the feeling that he was internally screaming "but that's not fair!" when he realised that Captain Jack is immortal?

No, you weren't the only one -- I think I hurt myself laughing as this episode went on and on with complete crack humour.

Agreed on the Jack/Ianto thing -- I was shaking my head and rolling my eyes the moment Jack started talking about inter-office romances XD -- God, he's so transparant!!

[selenay]

I think I hurt myself laughing as this episode went on and on with complete crack humour.

I was right there with you on that :-) There were so many moments when I cracked up that I lost count. I'm probably going to have to watch again just to appreciate some of the bits that I missed from laughing. Or just to remind myself of what was so funny. It was the combination of the lines and facial expressions that really got me a lot of the time. Even background things like the "Ianto eye-roll" minutes contributed to the overall sense of fun and humour.

I was shaking my head and rolling my eyes the moment Jack started talking about inter-office romances XD -- God, he's so transparant!!

Subtle our Jack is not. But that's why we love him!

[wadjet-theperv.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty confident. I can't see it being a stellar series in terms of all the *serious* stuff, in that I can imagine plot holes big enough to drive a Sherman tank through, but all it all I don't think it will matter a bit. I watch for the characters and I think they're going to have a really good time this season :o)

I just adore JM full stop. I've been lucky enough to meet him a few times and he's just made of snuggles. Just watching him makes me grin and the way he reads The Dresden Files is scrumptious. His natural accent makes his voice a lot deeper and very sexy.

And I'm just going to go and listen to some now...

[selenay]

in that I can imagine plot holes big enough to drive a Sherman tank through

Obviously. This isn't a show were every plot gets honed to a fine edge before being released into the wild. The occasional script will emerge with a tight plot, but like you said: I'm not really watching for the characters :-)

and I think they're going to have a really good time this season :o)

*g* I have to agree with you on that one!

And I'm just going to go and listen to some now...

I suppose instructing you to enjoy yourself is rather redundant? ;-)

[wadjet-theperv.livejournal.com]

I suppose instructing you to enjoy yourself is rather redundant?***

Heh. Just a tad ;o)