Torchwood - Day Four

[somedaybitch]

actions with no consequences are pointless, and emotionally manipulative in the worst way because they are cheating. it's what i absolutely hated about ST:Voyager. i stopped watching after The Year Of Hell ep.

don't get me wrong; i'll cheer just as loudly as the next fan should Ianto prove alive by the end of tomorrow's episode, but i will also be a bit disappointed in Rusty. he should have the courage to see it through or not go that way in the first place. as someone pointed out at starsgoblue's place, it's not unlike Wash's death, though they point it out as another "wrong" example where i would point to it as a "right" example, as it were. Wash dying made the stakes real, made the risk tangible and the actions have consequences. Wash died and suddenly everyone was genuinely in actual jeopardy; their decision to follow Mal, to follow their own conscience, to protect River and stand up for what they believed was right had consequences and they knew that going into the choice.

choices cost.

while i get how Jack could have made the decision he made in 1965 - and it's quite possible i would have made the exact same one - it's right that those actions now cost him, and cost him dearly. i don't want Ianto gone; i love what he brings to the team, what he brings to Jack, what he allows Jack to bring to himself...but i don't want a cop out just to make it angsty for a bit.

it's not about being edgy or dramatic or whatever....it's about being honest.

to that end, i'm very proud of the writers for the Blond Politician because she was brilliant. i mean, i hate her, but she was honest. the conversation was honest. she was drawing a line in the sand and forcing everyone else to be honest about the horrible thing they were about to do. that's good writing, good storytelling.

other things i loved:

Lois. bloody brilliant.

the American general. not the least of which because finally a Brit show stopped making us the bad guys, but more because he was soooooooo fantastically performed. [the police chief from Batman Begins, btw, for anyone that thought he looked familiar.]

Gwen. Rhys. Gwen and Rhys together. Gwen and Rhys together as Torchwood.

Jack when he "wakes" up in the make-shift morgue. Barrowman's performance was so subtle and awesome.

Ianto. oh Ianto. his sweetness, his fear of being left behind and forgotten, his courage, his love. his calling to warn his sister, but also the guys on the other side of the intercept.

the MI-5 guy. loved him through the whole thing, but really loved him in tonight's ep when Jack's throws him orders and off he goes.

the PM. i like the honesty of him as well - in the character way, not the truth-telling way.

Clem. also simply brilliant. fantastically performed. :::hugs Clem tight:::


dear Rusty...go for the hat trick, buddy. i think you can.

Comments

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

I'm half with you and half not on the Ianto front. OR rather, I'm w/ you on the ambivalence.

One thing I was thinking about Ianto is that they could bring him back but somehow fundamentally change him. Bring back the body of Ianto but kill the character... or something along those lines... Not sure what would work, but it could be doubly hurty/awesome if Ianto was sort of gone, but sort of there every day to remind Jack and everyone of what they lost.

Just a thought...

[somedaybitch.livejournal.com]

hmmmm....yeahhhhh...but i still think that would be pretty much a cop out. not that, if done right, it wouldn't be interesting, but it would feel pretty gimmicky to me.

it's a weird position for me to be in right now...i'd *really* like Ianto to not stay dead, but i LOVE that they killed him...that he's the one that was disappointed in Jack for not taking a stand - as is Jack himself - and that it's Ianto who then goes with Jack to Thames House, backing Jack's play, and it costs Ianto his life...because that's what taking a stand does; it puts you at risk. it's not easy and it's rarely free.

amusingly, i'm mad at Rusty but not for the obvious reason. ::::half-heartedly shakes fist at RTD::::

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

Anything short of full death would feel cop-outish, I think, but if they do bring him back, I want *some* sort of permanent damage/change/consequences instead of ye olde reset button fairy dust.

[somedaybitch.livejournal.com]

i think i'd have to agree....not sure what would do it for me, but i think i have to agree that something would have to be different.

[spiderbaggins.livejournal.com]

Amen Sister.