Thursday, February 14, 2008

A Streetlamp Sputters

It’s probably naught but delusion and arrogance on my part but I am convinced that the writers of Torchwood are paying attention to me.

Can it only be last week that I called for a nice, sensitive soul mate for Toshiko – somebody who would revitalize and titillate her feng shui, respond to her dazzling intellect and persuade her to wear lower cut tops and mini skirts?

Ok. So Adam ‘the memory fiend’ was hardly nice or sensitive (though convincing Ianto that he was a serial rapist and murderer possibly makes him a comedian) but he did deliver on the lower cut tops and the shorter skirts. For this alone he has my undying thanks.

The Radio Times blurb for this episode promised that Toshiko would be transformed into a “sexually voracious” vamp.

Oh good-oh!

But what did we get? A tiny bit of spooning on the bed and a bit of moist lipped pouting. Oh and Toshiko’s oft hidden bosom thrust provocatively into Owen’s face. That’s hardly what I call “sexually voracious”.

But I suppose this is the BBC. So what did I expect?

Hence I was a bit disappointed on that score. Sigh... two paces forward and one pace back, etc... but a plunging neckline is still better than a smack in the kisser with a dead alien blowfish.

As for the story. At last! Some decent sci-fi! I was gobsmacked. The script was good, the acting top notch and the plot was actually really well handled and emotive. And they packed an awful lot into one hour.

Most of all though, I felt actual sympathy for all the characters. This is a Torchwood first. A character driven storyline rather than one reliant on BBC standard special effects and second rate Americanisms! Wow! Torchwood in top-notch British drama shock!

Karen and I watched the entire episode in silence and when it was over just turned to each other and said, “That was good.”

Stuff the Baftas, that’s an accolade worth having.

13 comments:

Rol said...

I have to admire your dogged persistence, to keep prospecting in this particular seam after so much fool's gold... you deserve the reward of a half-decent episode for that.

I take it it WASN'T written by RTD.

Old Cheeser said...

No it wasn't. It was Catherine Tregenna again!

It was mildly better than last week's. Interesting concept (alien implants false memories) with an all-too convenient resolution (let's swallow lots of amnesia pills!) And the ginger Adam wasn't much of a looker, he REALLY must have implanted some dirty memories inside that guillible Tosh's head.

At least Martha Bones, I mean Jones is back next week.

That's a point. Who will Martha end up sh&gging in the hub? Or will she rise above it all and manage to preserve her decency for the duration of her three episode contract?

MOTHER OF MANY said...

Casting Owen as a geek was brilliant, he acted the part so well.

Steve said...

Rol, to my shame I didn't take note of the name of episode's writer - thankfully the OC was more on the ball on that one!

Hi OC, you sound pretty cool towards the episode - I take it you still don't approve? I'm not sure I'm entirely pleased to see the return of Martha Jones; I fail to see what she will add to the show. I don't mean to be hard on the girl but she had no real oomph in DW and I don't see that that will have changed in TW...!

Ally, I must admit, the cardy suited Owen to a tee...!

The Poet Laura-eate said...

John Barrowman's in Oxford tonight signing copies of his autobiography in Borders @ 5.30pm Steve, but I guess it's a bit a of a trek from Leamington!

Enjoyed Ashes to Ashes last night, but I haven't really got into Torchwood, seeing it as a bit of a secondrate spin-off from Dr Who. But then I haven't got a lot of spare time either.

Tristan said...

As usual, a mixture of high culture (sneaky TS Eliot reference in title) and brunette obsession! Tosh is clearly a sight for sore eyes!

Steve said...

Hi Laura, thanks for the tip off. Not sure I can be bothered for Mr B - much as he seems a good egg. Now if it was Toshiko... that would be worth the cost of the train journey... and possibly the scolding from Karen for arriving home late.

Tris. My old friend, thst sums me up so well...

Old Cheeser said...

As I was saying over on my blog, I thought it was mildly better than last week's. But only mildly. As you and I have both discussed, T-Wood has the ideas but somehow the overall delivery is just so ... average.

So why am I still watching it? Glutton for punishment I am.

As for Martha, let's wait and see eh? Without that whole wretched "Ooooh Dr I love you!" plotline she might actually come into her own. Of course there is that thing called acting and script as well...

Steve said...

I do know what you mean, OC... there's something "not quite there" about a lot og Torchwood. Karen summed it up best the other night when she turned to me and said that the thing about TW is that it's just an entertaining bit of fluff. And that's true. The conflict arises in the fact it purports itself to be a serious bit of sci-fi...

TimeWarden said...

Best piece of acting, in this episode, was the look of hurt in Rhys's eyes at Gwen's denial of their relationship. I think Kai Owen is one of the unsung actors in "Torchwood" despite my admiration for Burn Gorman!

Steve said...

I'm not entirely sure I like Rhys as a character but I agree you can't fault the acting of the guy who plays him (whose name I'm too lazy to look up). It just felt that they all pulled the stops out a little more in the episode and managed to produce something more than a little decent.

TimeWarden said...

Rhys is played by Kai Owen.

Steve said...

Thanks TimeWarden - knew you'd come through! ;-)