Torchwood: Children of Earth
The Torchwood: Children of Earth miniseries was what the BBC put up in place of a full season 3 - all five episodes airing daily (M-F) of this past week. Although this format was a pain in the ass as far as my schedule was concerned (meaning I had to hole myself up to watch TV when I'd normally be enjoying the summertime), I must admit that for the story told it was appropriate -each installment corresponds to one 24 hour period of the plot.
Initially I wasn't sure how well Torchwood would perform forced into a miniseries format - I envisioned something that probably would be pretty good, but would lose some of its "chemistry" in the process of trying to spin a longer epic, sort of the way The X-files movie turned out. Instead, I (and as far as I can tell, every other fan or critic) got blown away by one of the best sci-fi productions put out in recent years.
The most remarkable thing about the miniseries was its pace and intensity. By the end of each installment a little bit more of the mystery had been revealed to the audience, while simultaneously we are set with up new mysteriess. This formula ensured that the pressure was "on" nearly the entire time. By the end of #1, the Torchwood hub had blown up from a bomb planted in Jack's stomach. In #2 the team is running from assassains from their own government. By the end of 4, we discover the horrible deal the British government is willing to make to bargain for the human race's survival, and we witness the loss of yet another Torchwood member.
If the pace slows anywhere, it's in episode 5, where all plot threads must be resolved. Always a tricky business, closing the deal. But Davies et al still did better than BSG in that regard - the inconsistencies and open questions are relatively minor, and is easily ignored because our attention is diverted to Jack's terrible choice in saving humanity by destroying his own grandson.
The mood in this miniseries is dark and unflinching. There is a running theme of the burdens of command, in both Jack and Frobisher, and our unnamed military commando (the mid-forties woman in heavy makeup). Peter Capaldi does a brilliant portrayal of the tortured (and utimately tragic) John Frobisher. Jack is similarly tortured, but in a slightly otherworldly way - after all, he's not really on the same plane as everyone else. I also enjoyed the more subtle story of Bridget Spears, and also the complicated relationship between Jack and his daughter. The role of Clement McDonald could've easily slipped into the realm of "stereotypical mental patient", but the actor (Paul Copley) managed to create an original (and charming) character.
A few characters were less well developed. The Prime Minister, for one - he was mostly portrayed as the out-for-himself politician, which wasn't quite as interesting. Lois Habiba, while I rooted for her, she didn't venture much outside of being "plucky" or "scared" (and what the heck happened to her in the end? Did they never let her out of jail?). I also never really figured out Mr. Dekker (the guy who looked like Robert Culp). Sometimes he seemed like a man with a secret, sometimes he seemed like a bit player.
There was also quite a bit of backstory on Ianto - not surprising given that Children of Earth was his swansong. More focus is given to his relationship with Jack, and in particular its asymmetrical nature. Also in the miniseries, Ianto's sister and brother-in-law figure prominently in the action, not merely functioning as "texture". Probably the funniest part of the whole miniseries was when Ianto's car is stolen and his brother-in-law runs outside to pelt the thieves with bricks on their "lap of honor". Humour is not absent from CoE, but it does not distract from the serious aspects - it's more like a welcome relief, a "laugh so you don't cry" moment. For example, not too long afterwards, same brother-in-law is warning the neighborhood about the military coming to take the children, and going head-to-head with them to give the children a few more minutes to flee.
In short, the miniseries is dark, intense, and not something where ethical dilemnas are neatly wrapped up at the end of the day. But it's a heck of a ride.
So the question that everyone surely is asking is: Where can this series possibly go next? The hub is destroyed, Jack beamed off to space, Ianto's dead (preceded by Tosh & Owen at the end of S2), and Gwen is preggers. Were they really planning on reconstituting things, or was this "season 4" talk just a ruse by RTD to throw us off the trail of the developments in Children of Earth?
I can't see how, honestly. But then again, I didn't think RTD had in him the stamina and caliber of writing for something like Children of Earth. If they do try, I wish them well and hope for more good things.
Initially I wasn't sure how well Torchwood would perform forced into a miniseries format - I envisioned something that probably would be pretty good, but would lose some of its "chemistry" in the process of trying to spin a longer epic, sort of the way The X-files movie turned out. Instead, I (and as far as I can tell, every other fan or critic) got blown away by one of the best sci-fi productions put out in recent years.
The most remarkable thing about the miniseries was its pace and intensity. By the end of each installment a little bit more of the mystery had been revealed to the audience, while simultaneously we are set with up new mysteriess. This formula ensured that the pressure was "on" nearly the entire time. By the end of #1, the Torchwood hub had blown up from a bomb planted in Jack's stomach. In #2 the team is running from assassains from their own government. By the end of 4, we discover the horrible deal the British government is willing to make to bargain for the human race's survival, and we witness the loss of yet another Torchwood member.
If the pace slows anywhere, it's in episode 5, where all plot threads must be resolved. Always a tricky business, closing the deal. But Davies et al still did better than BSG in that regard - the inconsistencies and open questions are relatively minor, and is easily ignored because our attention is diverted to Jack's terrible choice in saving humanity by destroying his own grandson.
The mood in this miniseries is dark and unflinching. There is a running theme of the burdens of command, in both Jack and Frobisher, and our unnamed military commando (the mid-forties woman in heavy makeup). Peter Capaldi does a brilliant portrayal of the tortured (and utimately tragic) John Frobisher. Jack is similarly tortured, but in a slightly otherworldly way - after all, he's not really on the same plane as everyone else. I also enjoyed the more subtle story of Bridget Spears, and also the complicated relationship between Jack and his daughter. The role of Clement McDonald could've easily slipped into the realm of "stereotypical mental patient", but the actor (Paul Copley) managed to create an original (and charming) character.
A few characters were less well developed. The Prime Minister, for one - he was mostly portrayed as the out-for-himself politician, which wasn't quite as interesting. Lois Habiba, while I rooted for her, she didn't venture much outside of being "plucky" or "scared" (and what the heck happened to her in the end? Did they never let her out of jail?). I also never really figured out Mr. Dekker (the guy who looked like Robert Culp). Sometimes he seemed like a man with a secret, sometimes he seemed like a bit player.
There was also quite a bit of backstory on Ianto - not surprising given that Children of Earth was his swansong. More focus is given to his relationship with Jack, and in particular its asymmetrical nature. Also in the miniseries, Ianto's sister and brother-in-law figure prominently in the action, not merely functioning as "texture". Probably the funniest part of the whole miniseries was when Ianto's car is stolen and his brother-in-law runs outside to pelt the thieves with bricks on their "lap of honor". Humour is not absent from CoE, but it does not distract from the serious aspects - it's more like a welcome relief, a "laugh so you don't cry" moment. For example, not too long afterwards, same brother-in-law is warning the neighborhood about the military coming to take the children, and going head-to-head with them to give the children a few more minutes to flee.
In short, the miniseries is dark, intense, and not something where ethical dilemnas are neatly wrapped up at the end of the day. But it's a heck of a ride.
So the question that everyone surely is asking is: Where can this series possibly go next? The hub is destroyed, Jack beamed off to space, Ianto's dead (preceded by Tosh & Owen at the end of S2), and Gwen is preggers. Were they really planning on reconstituting things, or was this "season 4" talk just a ruse by RTD to throw us off the trail of the developments in Children of Earth?
I can't see how, honestly. But then again, I didn't think RTD had in him the stamina and caliber of writing for something like Children of Earth. If they do try, I wish them well and hope for more good things.
Tags: doctor who
Mood: 
satisfied
Labels: torchwood
posted by Skunque at
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