TV: Doctor Who, or: Shut Up, Internet, or: The LJ Cut Is Your Friend

Spoilers under the cut for Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part 2.

It's rare that I get angry about Internet spoilers for the TV shows I watch (and care enough about to steer myself away from spoilers). But there I was doing a search for something in my RSS feed this afternoon and what do I see in the list of results but a TW fic using spoilers from The End of Time part 2. The part about The Doctor giving Jack the note with the guy's name on it in the bar right before the end of the episode. GAH! Less than a few hours until I watched it on BBC America (all legal and everything--that's the last time I do that!) and I get spoiled about a character appearance toward the very end of the episode! Granted, it's all very minor in the scheme of things, but still. I was soooo good at avoiding, as much as I could, anything that was spoiler-ific about the last David Tennant DW episodes, and only to get tripped up right before it aired for me. Wah wah. I know.

AND THEN! To top it off, I was looking up something about Martha Jones while beta reading a fic for someone when what do I see on the DW wiki? Martha and Mickey?! Wuzzah? Not that I was like, invested to a great degree in Martha's relationship-y stuff, but talk about out of nowhere. ALSO: SPOILED AGAIN. Both of these are the most annoying kind of spoilers too, the kind that, when you read them, you know they were meant to be little mini surprises in the episode for first-time viewing and now knowing them negates that tiny little thrill of seeing the characters pop up and you spend the whole time wondering when so-an-so is going to make an appearance and blah blah blah.



Aside from that, I quite enjoyed these final David Tennant episodes. He was fantastic. And good old Wilf!! What's not to love there. I know there will be much kvetching about this and that and RTD "ruining" something or other and all that other fan wankery and BS. But I thought it was great, and I'd put that out into the swirling morass of opinions.




Also on LJ

Warning: Navel Gazing

Bah. This is just me being really obvious and rambly and not at all insightful about anything really. Just spewing out the shit that's sloshing around in my head so that I don't go crazy.

I have a phone interview tomorrow afternoon for a seasonal park job out near San Francisco. It's great because, hey it's a real interview for a job I think I'm qualified for and good at! If I do get it, I'd get to live for awhile in a place I've never been before, which is cool. And also nerve-wracking and scary.

The last time I relocated was for college and I had the safety net of being a teenager and depending on my awesome parents when I felt I needed the help. And it all ended up great because I graduated with honors. And had a job in a related field upon graduation. That counts as pretty successful, right? Then, I moved back home for a awhile to save up and pay off my car and then finally moved out last year and I've been on my own since. It was all sunshine and puppies until I lost my job in April, and things aren't looking too great right now in the cash flow dept. since I'm about out of unemployment benefits and could have to move back in with my parents if things don't turn around, like, soon. So getting this interview couldn't have come at a more perfect time. My apartment lease is up next month and I was already pretty certain I wasn't renewing (see above re: money, I got none).

But if I do get the job and relocate (at least temporarily, but who knows if that could change to permanently), it will be WAY more complicated than when I moved away for college. For one, I have a lot more shit now. And it's three times as far to drive as it was to get up to school. And I'd be driving by myself in December across a lot of areas where there's, you know, known winter weather and shit. And, like, mountains and stuff. Hi, snow! I know a lot of this stuff I'd be able to deal with, because I know I'm a big girl and all that. And I know my parents would help me however they could--they wouldn't just wave goodbye and wish me luck. I know this. I'm just worrying because I feel like I can't do anything else right now and will probably feel that way until I get through the interview tomorrow. Bleh. I hate waiting.

Also at LJ.

"Do you want me to let him collect me?"

Wee-view: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The quote above is from the movie, and only slightly less creepy when heard in context...

I know there was much fan whine-age when it came about that Michael Gambon had never read any of the HP books, but I never cared about that because he did a great job as Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and a spectacular job in this latest movie. Even knowing exactly what was going to happen, I was still a teary mess the whole last act of the movie--from he and Harry setting off for the cave to get the horcrux Voldemort hid there to Harry sitting over his lifeless body after it was all over. Meep.

I don't think that taking Felix Felicis is supposed to make you act borderline comically drunk/high, but watching Daniel Radcliffe miming Aragogg's poisonous pincers was LOLZ to the max. It was nice to see him play something beyond emo/flummoxed.

Jim Broadbent was a great choice as Prof. Slguhorn, even though they forwent to walrus mustache.

And Luna was full of AWESOME as usual.

Many hardcore book fans complain about the massive changes between the source material and final product, but I really don't give a crap anymore. They keep all the important stuff, because lord knows if they kept everything it would be as long as Lawrence of Arabia (which I totes love and own, but it is L-O-N-G.) Treating it as a separate entity greatly increases my enjoyment of the film. And they kept in the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes scene!

PoA is still my fave of the movies so far, though, and not just because of this.



Also at LJ.

Torchwood: Is it a team if there's only one person left?

Since I'm re-watching Children of Earth on BBC America--because there's something to be said for watching TV the old fashioned way, on the TV--I figured I'd post my original thoughts along with a few new ones.

Here's the original post.

And under the cut are my final thoughts, which I will get to after I join PC Andy in a police meelee...

Addendum for Torchwood: Children of Earth episode 5:

"I just stood back, a strategy that's worked all my life." God, Dekker, could you be any more callous?

I remember watching this the first time and being thrown when they revealed the 4-5-6 wanted to get high off of the children. Of all the reasons, I never would have come up with that one.

John Barrowman kills me this whole episode. It's sort of amazing/harrowing/depressing to see the journey they've put this character on since introducing him as a time-traveling conman way back when on DW.

Giving over Frobisher's kids as a PR gesture? Not only do I want to punch Green in the face, I want to whack him a few times with a lead pipe, maybe hit him with my car, and then feed him to Janet the Weevil...if she's still around. If not, Myfanwy will do. Or a Hoix.

Gwen breaks me heart when she's talking to Andy on the way to Rhiannon's. It's the speech she gave in "End of Days" but about 100 time worse, punching-me-in-the-gut-wise.

Of course this being THIS show, we can't have a proper untarnished happy moment, and Rhiannon has to throw it in Gwen's face that if she bought Ianto's stories about his dad then she didn't really know him at all. Torchwood: We're "up" people!

Re: Steven "He'll be fine; the nice kids are safe." Big flashing neon "DED" sign? Just ignore that...

Ianto's superpowers were making a damn fine cup of coffee and knowing everything. Rhiannon's are just being generally awesome and rolling with it. Johnny's is being able to start a riot with no notice. What a wonderfully diverse family.

I can't figure a way to summarize my thoughts better than plagiarizing myself, so this is from my initial thoughts, in case you don't want to bother clicking the link, plus a couple of extra things at the end:

I don't begrudge Gwen getting off with relatively little damage--that's apparent anyways, who knows what kind of PTSD she's gone through between the end of the 456 threat and the "six months later" post script. I have no idea how she got through it, but I know like all the others she would have the strength to pick up and start again, Rhys and the coming baby there to give her love and meaning. I want to hate Jack even more for leaving her there--alone as the last of Torchwood Three--but I do understand some of his reasons. Everyone he has known, knows, and will know in the future will die--either because of him, knowing him, or simply the steady march of time--and he will always be left to keep going. I don't blame him for wanting to leave a planet where love and loss are so intertwined that it feels like he is suffocated by every memory he's ever had of the place. Of course, running away won't magically solve all his problems; it just means he'll have to deal with them on Omicron Persei 8 or wherever the hell instead of Earth. I hate him for being a cowardly bastard, but he was a cowardly bastard before he met the Doctor, and some part of him will always be a cowardly bastard. It's just one part of who he is--nonetheless, it's a shitty part. I hate him for leaving Gwen behind. But I don't hate him as a person. He's done monstrous things and said it was for "the greater good", for "Queen and country", for any number of reasons. Yet, I can't hate him because no matter what he does it is his fate to keep on living no matter what happens, what he does or does not do, whether he chooses to love or not, whether he does good or not. Someone who will live that long, I can't even begin to fathom, to contemplate, what it will do to him. And because of that, I can't help but sympathize, but mourn a bit that every connection he makes, every person he meets, every place he goes, he will outlast them all. The only solace I find is that he will be able to keep connecting in spite of this, that he will keep his humanity, that he will keep fighting for it.



Also at LJ

Torchwood: Our sexy strutting is all the identification we need!

Since I'm re-watching Children of Earth on BBC America--because there's something to be said for watching TV the old fashioned way, on the TV--I figured I'd post my original thoughts along with a few new ones.

Here's the original post.

And my new thoughts come under the cut after I check all my weapons with security.

Addendum for Torchwood: Children of Earth episode 4:

Totally rehashing what I said last night, but the whole 1965 sequence is so disturbing, and not just for the way Jack acts. You can tell he's not all eager to do this but has rationalized to himself the value of it and how that allows him to do what he sees needs to be done. Major props to everyone involved with that sequence--the filming of it, the acting, the music. All perfect and perfectly creepy. And then to top it off, Jack's obvious deep remorse in the present for what he did back then about kills me. He knows "for the greater good" won't placate his people, but it's all he has. And Clem...god, Clem. And Ianto's reaction--*wibble*. I always felt the show worked best when it operated at the individual human level and addressed questions that had no easy answers and didn't pander to the audience by giving one, with episodes like "Adrift" and "Out of Time", and this sequence revealing what Jack did is another example of that.

God, that poor cameraman sent into the chamber. You know he's going to be effed up for life after that, if he survived the gassing/stampede--I don't know if he did or not.

The 4-5-6 are like a more disgusting version of the Slitheen family from DW, if getting more disgusting than that is possible.

The whole cabinet room sequence turns my stomach. Calling children "units". RTD making this such an integral part of the plot is great because it shows the state and it's actions and complicity are just as horrific as the 4-5-6. I think that it's grounded in a reality that's all too possible, the way they treat it matter-of-fact-ly and clinical as a way of distancing themselves from the barbarity of it, is what makes it especially upsetting to watch. Not having any "good" choice but merely bad and slightly less bad choices. Humanity is it's own worst enemy.

Knowing what I know is about to happen to Ianto and Jack makes me appreciate all the more the greatcoat glamour shots waistcoat/sartorial porny goodness.

Haven't said it for awhile: Gwen is AWESOME.

Guh. Ianto's and Jack's last wrods to each other. Ianto's "I love you" and Jack's answering "Don't" choke me up every time. And the ways you could interpret that "Don't"--don't say that, don't love me, don't give up--I can't not love a show that can make you examine the nuances of a contraction.

I didn't actually cry the first I watched this episode--too shocked I guess--but seeing Eve Myles cry like that broke me this time.

I've had time to digest what happened, hear what RTD and the actors had to say about Ianto dying, work through my feelings about it, read countless opinions through the fandom, and I've come to accept what happened for what it is. The very nature of Torchwood, the world in which they operate, means no one is safe for long. Ianto had been living on borrowed time for years and his death at the hands of the 4-5-6 was the bullet with his name finally catching up to him. Of course I hate that he died, and in my fantasies he and Jack get to be together forever and have lots of wonderful adventures. In reality, Ianto was always going to die; we just didn't know when or how. I don't hate RTD or James Moran or any of TPTB for deciding to kill Ianto, unlike some of the more hysterical people in the fandom, I'm just sad that Ianto died. I loved that character. I'll always feel like we never got enough of his story--just because I could never not know enough of his backstory/inner workings, so whether he died at this point or it had been later I'd still feel the same.



Also at LJ

Torchwood: Using advanced alien tech for sexy shananigans!

Since I'm re-watching Children of Earth on BBC America--because there's something to be said for watching TV the old fashioned way, on the TV--I figured I'd post my original thoughts along with a few new ones.

Here's the original post.

New thoughts after under the cut after I do a quick wardrobe change, because track pants really don't do anyone any favors.

Addendum for Torchwood: Children of Earth episode 3:

I imagine Jack got a kick out of Gwen suggesting they run cons...and dabbling in his conman past just a little bit for the forces of good. And stealing a flash car doesn't hurt.

"Bloody beans" indeed, Ianto. A fandom collectively cursed Rhys forever for that.

Guh, I can feel Lois' squicky-ness at what she did to get herself into Thames House.

I know there have been lots of complaints in the past about how RTD and co. shoved it down our throats that Gwen was the humanitarian of the crew, and I did feel that was true to a certain extent in the first season; however, during this whole arc, I feel like they've finally struck the perfect balance between her humanity and steeliness.

Ianto + pinstripe = OTP

I know I sort of ragged a bit on the way they showed (or not) the 4-5-6, but watching this a second time all I can think is how fucking creepy and disgusting they are.

I want to punch PM Green in the face. Repeatedly. Until he has no face left.

Of course Ianto knows shorthand, because he does know everything. Even when it doesn't say so at the bottom of the screen.

It's one thing to hear about Jack's less than upstanding past--vague and circumspect those details may be--but it's so much worse to see it play out. To see him so calmly give those children over "for the greater good" and he just gets on with it. As disturbing as it is to see though, I'm glad they didn't shy away from these aspects of Jack's past. Someone whose been around as long as he has, seen what he's seen, done what he's done--you can't just gloss over that.



Also at LJ

Torchwood: Yes, we can operate heavy machinery!

Since I'm re-watching Children of Earth on BBC America--because there's something to be said for watching TV the old fashioned way, on the TV--I figured I'd post my original thoughts along with a few new ones.

The original post is here.

And my extra thoughts are under the cut after I bum a tenner to get some dinner.

Addendum for Torchwood: Children of Earth episode 2

I get that BBC America is ad-supported, but having a commercial break every 5-7 minutes is ABC-level annoying.

Knowing what we know about Jack, the government's theory that the Hub is the source of All Power is laughable. And I would like to know what started this whole "kill Torchwood/Jack" thing in the first place--they never did get really clear about that.

I LOVE Ianto's sister, still don't understand why Ianto's not closer with her.

You know, they never did say what happened to Myfanwy. What happened!? These are the enduring questions.

Seeing Jack literally regrow in the body bag: morbid and creepifying.

Knowing what I know Lois does later in the series, I must say I am a much bigger fan of her than when I first watched this.

Decker, the guy in charge of building the 4-5-6 room, is just CREEPY. No other word.

I know it's such a big plot hole you could drive one of Rhys' lorries through it, but how awesome is it to have Ianto literally breaking Jack out of prison like that?!



Also at LJ

Torchwood: Just look for us by the Bay!

Since I'm re-watching Children of Earth on BBC America--because there's something to be said for watching TV the old fashioned way, on the TV--I figured I'd post my original thoughts along with a few new ones.

Here's the original post.

And after the cut I'll have a few more once I get a full body scan to see if I've picked up an alien hitchhiker of my own.

Addendum for Torchwood: Children of Earth episode 1:

The fact that they don't even really bother to cover their tracks anymore, so you know more people than Kathy Swanson and little grannies on the street are muttering "bloody Torchwood" in their wake. I suppose Ianto is too busy being awesome in other arenas to keep up with the Retcon/Tourist Info subterfuge.

From the brief glimpse of Rupesh before we found out he was a mole and subsequently a dead mole I liked him. Still bummed that was a dead end. Why yes, I did walk right into that.

Okay, dude. Jack's action!man running is freaking hilarious. Like he was part Auton, but only from the waist up.

I love Ianto's family--Ria is AWESOME and warm and why doesn't Ianto spend more time with her, Johnny starts in with the gay jokes but not in a mean way, Mica and David are all "money, kthanxbye".

As I said earlier, I love the strangeness between Jack and Alice. And that to her he is Daniel(?) and it's all awkward silences and putting your foot in it.

As I watch this for the second time, I'm still unclear why the assassin squad wants to demolish all of Torchwood Cardiff if what they really want is just Jack. I mean, maybe it's to make sure they leave no trace, but it's still not really clear at first. And what were they doing trying to infiltrate Torchwood for all those months prior to the 4-5-6--was it just to study Jack? Why is another government agency trying to take down Torchwood if Torchwood was set up to be "outside the government, beyond the police"? WTF. NOT CLEAR!

The super-advanced body scanner is clearly a disassembled photocopier. I mean, seriously props people. Can't you put a little more effort into it?



Also at LJ

"I began to like it, and look what I became...and still, I have lived so many lives."

SPOILERS for Torchwood: Children of Earth episode 5 after I gorge myself on mint chocolate ice cream:

So I gave myself a day to process how Torchwood finished, and I still can't come up with something even sort of coherent, some elegant or erudite summary of my feelings about it. I guess what I feel most is...CONFLICTED. I hated how it ended, for the most part, but I didn't hate it. The writing was bleak and dark and realistic; the acting was top-notch all around. It was horrible and devastating and even though Jack saved the children of the world, he sacrificed his own grandson to do it--which is abhorent. I've never thought Jack more a bastard and never felt more sorry for him than I did at the moment he made that decision. I hate that Ianto died, and that his death wasn't a moment of glorious go-for-broke heroism but simply an attempt to help Jack make his point to the 456. Yet, that grandiosity isn't always how heroes die, and Ianto sealed his fate long ago when he joined up with Torchwood Three. He was lucky to made it as far as he had, and his and Jack's last moments together were heartrendingly beautiful. There was an ugly sort of beauty to those last few seconds. I don't begrudge Gwen getting off with relatively little damage--that's apparent anyways, who knows what kind of PTSD she's gone through between the end of the 456 threat and the "six months later" post script. I have no idea how she got through it, but I know like all the others she would have the strength to pick up and start again, Rhys and the coming baby there to give her love and meaning. I want to hate Jack even more for leaving her there--alone as the last of Torchwood Three--but I do understand some of his reasons. Everyone he has known, knows, and will know in the future will die--either because of him, knowing him, or simply the steady march of time--and he will always be left to keep going. I don't blame him for wanting to leave a planet where love and loss are so intertwined that it feels like he is suffocated by every memory he's ever had of the place. Of course, running away won't magically solve all his problems; it just means he'll have to deal with them on Omicron Persei 8 or wherever the hell instead of Earth. I hate him for being a cowardly bastard, but he was a cowardly bastard before he met the Doctor, and some part of him will always be a cowardly bastard. It's just one part of who he is--nonetheless, it's a shitty part. I hate him for leaving Gwen behind.

I guess that's all I have. I highly recommend this and this--both are reactions to the finale and the second includes a beautiful ficlet starring Ianto. They summed up many of the things I was thinking/feeling.

I still have lots of mixed feelings about it, but this won't sour me on Torchwood forever if they do decide to give it a fourth season--based on the ratings, it's a strong possibility. I'd like to see where they take the story, if there is more to tell.

Just going to be sad for awhile.




Also at LJ.

"Why didn't you tell me; I could have helped...I tell you everything."

Below the cut are my initial initial thoughts on the episode followed by a few less hysterical observations. I've since had a bit of time to digest, read some other people's reactions, and I have a few more thoughts. But I wanted to preserve what I first typed.

And so, SPOILERS AFOOT for Torchwood: Children of Earth episode 4 as soon as I perfect my sexy packin' heat strut.

Don't know if this counts as spoilers for Torchwood: Children of Earth episode 4, don't care--right now, I'm whack-a-mole with my emotions.

I can't even......just......I don't even know where to.......GOD!

Why?!

I have you so much right now, RTD. So effing much.

Can't even form a coherent thought.

I NEED to know how this all turns out...

...dammit!!!!!!

Okay, now for some more coherent thoughts:

One of the first things that stuck in my mind were the many shots of Ianto in his waistcoat. Mmmmmm... Is there a such thing as sartorial porn, with a subcategory of waistcoat fetishes? Because, dude....WIN.

I loved Ianto's convo with his sister and how he said he even kinda like Johnny now. Heh.

I kinda dig Lois now, because while she did do what needed to be done, at least her reaction and pants-pissing angst while screwing up the nerve to step up were well played and not all gung ho and annoyingly Mary Sue-ish like I was afraid of.

The whole sequence of the bigwigs discussing how many and which children to sacrifice was disturbing and disgusting.

It was sad to see Clem die, but in the wake of Ianto, I can't really care too much.

The ending scene of the episode was sad and tragic and beautifully played by Eve and John.

There's this part of me that insists that Ianto can be saved somehow--it's stupid, but I refuse to give up all hope until I see the final episode tomorrow. I think part of my distress comes from the fact that his death came so soon episode-wise after Tosh and Owen, even if in the timeline of the show much more time has passed. It still feels like piling shit on top of more shit. And of course there the Jack/Ianto shipper-ness in there too, but it's more than that. I just love the character of Ianto to pieces, and to have him gone form the show would be a real shame.




Also at LJ.

"Just buying essentials...let's not forget the creature comforts. Coffee, obviously..."

TENSE music is tense!

SPOILERS AHEAD for Torchwood: Children of Earth episode 3 just as soon as I get a cup of Ianto's coffee--because it is THAT essential:

A litany of the AWESOME and possibly questionable:

Torchwood: guns, pen knife, laptop (dead), credit cards and phone (traceable), stamps, pair of contact lenses, fifteen quid, plus twenty-five pence

Heh, Rhys getting pissed that Jack knew first--so obvz and telegraphed, but still so funny.

"So one day you'll see me die of old age, and you'll just keep going." Oh Ianto, I want to pet you right now... (and I love his thoughtful/speculative face)

"It should take about twenty minutes--" "Thirty minutes." "--Thirty." And then foiled by Rhys and his beans!

I realize it's pretty preposterous--but in the realm of preposterous things, this is one of the lesser offenses--that Ianto would be able to get, like, an identical greatcoat for Jack, but so NOT CARING about that! Or about Ianto's new pinstripe three-piece. Because the power of the PRITTY and God compels me!

"I mean what's it gonna be, like a spaceship?" "What are you doing in Camden" Oh, Andy. *hug*

I applaud Ianto's brother-in-law's entrepreneurial spirit, but dude...I bet you could have charged 20 quid a kid!

"and who's the queer?" "OI! It's not 1965 anymore." "Queer, I can smell it."

Only on Torchwood: sexy time shenanigans with top-secret contact lenses.

The whole not really seeing the 456 is getting very M. Night Shamylan--not exactly a compliment.

A question for the modern age: smileys, Y/N?

"No. I gave 'em the kids...1965, I gave them twelve children...as a gift." WTF?!?!?!?!?!




Also at LJ.

"Have you got the penknife?" "Rhys, you are not eating uncooked potatoes!" "We need it to get out!"

Just a few brain dribbles before I go to bed.

SPOILERS ARE COMING! For Torchwood: Children of Earth episode 2:

Badassery, thy face is Gwen.

I'd like to order a Rhys of my very own, kthnx!

Even all artfully dusted up, no one works a three-piece like Ianto Jones.

Gwen telling Rhys about the baby while in a lorry full of potatoes was just the thing to about break me--and his reaction and all of that was a big mushy ball of why I love this show so much.

I hope they tread carefully with the Lois character (Plucky New Assistant) because I want to like her but not if they make her l33t hax0rz skllz and shove it down our throats.

I repeat, Gwen is AWESOME.

For someone who was buried alive in concrete, Jack emerged looking quite alright. Mmmmm, ass shot....

...and that he takes the coat Gwen give him and just slings it over his shoulder and she's all "not looking there now". Bah!




Also at LJ.

Apparently South Dakots is a massive dead zone with cow poo in it.

A couple thought on the new Sci Fi--I'm sorry, Syfy, because then maybe they'll fool people who aren't nerds into watching their network--series Warehouse 13:

CCH Punder is made of awesome. She can deliver lines like "How'd you get in here?" "Through the door." with such stone-cold bad-assery that it makes anything sound good.

Why is it that of the intrepid artifact-finding duo, it's always the girl who is the humourless pusbag? In this case, it's lady Secret Service Agent Mika. Partnered with just-quirky-enough Pete. I kind of had higher expectations since I saw this was co-created by Jane Espenson. Here's hoping this situation improves in future episodes.

More Saul Rubinek!

The steampunkiness of the secret warehouse office is pretty awesome, as are the gadgets they use to retrieve the weekly Maguffins. The pilot featured what was billed as a Tesla-designed stun gun and 2-way video communicators that looked like they dated back to the '40s. All glass and brass and wood and awesome looking.

Overall, I enjoyed the pilot enough for me to want to give it a chance. I like the interplay between the three main characters. My only concern is that they might get too dependent on the artifact/Maguffin-of-the-week formula at the expense of continuing story arcs, but I think with Jane Espenson involved there will be enough interesting character developments and snappy dialogue to keep my attention for awhile yet.




Also at LJ

"Heh, 'you two'...it's all a bit new to me, that's all--laser saw?"

SPOILERS AHOY!! for Torchwood: Children of Earth episode 1

Like I said on Facebook, this was a concentrated dose of all the AWESOME that Torchwood creates when they're not doing episodes that are Weevil Fight Club episodes.

Forthwith, a partial list of AWESOME:

1. Jack and Ianto being all cute and "Now who's calling us a couple?" "You are." "No, you are."

2. Gwen, like the whole episode. Awesome all around, but especially when she's driving across the Severn Bridge and talking to Rhys and when she finds out she's preggers.

3. Rhys! Because he's awesome just by being there.

4. The picture of Tosh and Owen at Gwen's work station, because it was a lovely moment when Gwen said "Good morning" to it and to know that she was slowly getting past that horrific time.

5. Ianto, when he wasn't getting the car stolen. I want to know how those people were able to steal it, since Ianto isn't stupid like Owen and leaves the keys in the ignition. Anyways, Ianto! Being all awkward with his sister and her prying it out of him that he's with Jack.

6. Not necessarily AWESOME, but interesting, that Jack has an adult child, who's not all warm Hallmark greetings toward dear old Dad. Yeah, more like AWKWARD. But that's something I'd love to know more about.

7. Teh hot kissing action before EXPLOSIONZZZZZZ TEIM!!!

Finally, the one thing that was NOT AWESOME:

When Plucky New Assistant wants to know what Torchwood is, she gets an info page that looks like something out of Wikipedia, but not so close as to infringe copyright:



Like, how original, British Government. Why is it on TV and in movies they always insist on dummin' it down by making these computer screen shots RLY OBVS with headings like "Super Sekrit Government Sekrits" or hopelessly lame like "Government Information Network". Yes, yes, I realize this is a nitpick on the level with Comic Book Guy insults but it still stuck out at me to a ridiculous degree.

Okay, that's all for tonight. Only.....22 hours until the next fix!!




Also at LJ.

Spoiler alert.

This post contains spoilers for the most recent episodes of BSG and Lost, so click through at your own risk.

TV Thoughts: BSG "Someone to Watch Over Me"

I would have more to say, but when I watched the episode, I was nearly falling asleep and knew I had to be up about an hour before the asscrack of dawn the next day. So just a few thoughts this time, though I really did enjoy the episode. It was certainly one of the best Chief showcases of the series, and I loves me some Chief. I really felt for him when he found out he'd been played by Boomer. And man, is Boomer a manipulative bitch. I don't think I've ever truly hated her, but this episode really made me hate her--emotionally screwing with Chief like that, taking advantage of Helo's susceptibility to the Eights like that, and making Athena watch! Bitch! As far as the Starbuck stuff goes, that was also good. I felt pretty confident by the end of the second act that the mystery piano player was ghost!Dad or whatevs, but I enjoyed their chemistry anyways because at this point, I don't care much about the plot as much as spending time with these characters before it's all over. I love that they are really incorporating the musical score into that character's lives. The Gershwin-influenced score this week was really an auditory treat; plus, I felt a cut above average for being able to identify that even before I read Bear McCreary's blog post on the episode.

TV Thoughts: Lost "LeFleur"

I'm loving Lost these days--LOVING! IT! This Sawyer-centric episode was by far one of my favorites of the season, and possibly the series. Last week's Locke-centric mission to reunite the Oceanic 6 band was great, as many Locke episodes are, but this was had that extra something that kept me glued to my sofa. Sawyer screen time has been in short supply recently, so maybe that's why I loved it so much--Sawyer clearly gets the best dialogue, and as a bonus we got to see him with clean hair--something we haven't seen since sometime in season 3. This episode really felt like a breather--there really wasn't a whole lot of plot momentum, other than getting an extended look at life in the Dharma Initiative during their heyday in 1974, until the end, and the rest of the hour was filling in blanks and spending time with the no longer time-traveling-sickened left-behinders. There wasn't a lot of Daniel, but what there was packed a wallop; Jeremy Davies really knows how to sell distraught and quasi-catatonic. Miles got to be a smart-ass and just generally be Sawyer 2.0. Jin's English improved! As did his hair. But the heart of the episode belonged to Sawyer and Juliette. They are teh cute! I really like them together. Of course, as soon as he gave that spiel to Horace about how three years is enough time to get over someone, it was obvious that the next development was going to be Kate & Co. getting zapped back to the island. All of that being said, the gaspiest part for me was getting that frustratingly brief glimpse of the Four-toed Statue (I'm just guessing but come on, that's pretty much a gimmie) back when it was A Whole Statue. Cuselof, you bastards!!




Also at LJ

TV Thoughts: BSG "Deadlock"

Previously on BSG: Downloading makes Ellen tens times more awesome than she ever was.

Hi, Hoshi! I still want to give you a hug.

Now that Ellen is back, I think things might get a bit uncomfortable in the Tigh household.

I love that Ellen uses alcohol as a way make the others feel comfortable with her. Hee.

The president's face says it all: must get out of here!

Eww, did not need to see the eye socket.

Look who comes skulking back, good old Gaius. And at least one of the harem is skeptical of him. Good.

Abandoned--who,wha? I'd never say anything like that...pshaw!

Mental porn! Awesome.

"Just don't anybody unplug anything." Doc Cottle, I think I will miss you most of all.

Aww, poor Ellen. No baby mama-ing for you.

It is reassuring that those two are just as snipe-y now as they've always been.

Hot and vulnerable lady, sing! Regularity, Gaius, regularity.

Good thing Laura didn't want to be a PI because subtle she ain't.

I just love how ridiculously human the cylons are.

It's getting all Oedipal up in this bitch, what with the robot ladies and creator/created relationship.

They may be taking away the food but at least he managed to snag a couple beforehand, Gaius that bastard.

Tigh times two with Bill and Saul now. Jeeze, I think between the two of them they'll deplete the alcohol reserves fleetwide.

Saul's drunk laugh is all kinds of hilarious.

Good thing the resource shortage doesn't extend to votive candles and decorative tapestries.

"And guns! Bigger guns!" Best line of the so.

I guess the baby will keep Saul from answering to Ellen's accusations that he had a bigger (metaphorically speaking) boner for Bill and the ship than either of his ladies or baby. How convieeeeenient.

Not show related: I think the Snuggie had gone from bad to awesomely bad to ironically awesomely bad and is now just plain annoying and hideous.

Quit fighting, Daddy and not!Mommy !

Oh Saul. Wibble.

You do good deeds and you are rewarded--with guns!

It is criminal that Michael Hogan hasn't at least been nominated for an Emmy. And he likely never will. Which just sucks.

And today's lesson is skinjobs are people too. Warm fuzzies.



Also at LJ

TV Thoughts: BSG "No Exit"

Previously on BSG: no more possibility of Geata and Hoshi saving the world with math. Woe.

Ellen's transition from losing her shit to calmly getting out of the goo tub--I think I have a bit of whiplash.

"Its a bit cold in here." "I'll get you some clothes; I've seen it all before." Mwah!

There's brain surgery all over the damn place this week on TV--Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, and now BSG.

Just thinking of all the layers: Ellen made Cavil to look like her father and then she was screwing him on NC even though she had no idea what she really was and...gah! That gray matter is my 'sploded brain.

"What about the swirl? Had he taught you that?" Ellen, you still a saucy bitch!

Oh Lee, the lady doth protest a bit too much.

Eww, was it too much to ask a cleaning crew to clean up the arterial blood spatters?

So is Kara the heretofore nonexistent 13th cylon?

My brain hurts!

Man. Cavil's hatred of humanity is so thick and viscous you could drizzle it over pancakes and eat it up.

Boomer: who would I want to love?
Slambang to the chief. Mmmm. Anvillicious.

Eeeee! John Hodgeman awesomeness! He totally had the aura of a fanboy having his dreams come true and it was a kick to see.

Who was Daniel?! Gah!

Obvious: Cavil is a cold bastard.

Poor Galactica, old girl.

I don't know but I have this bad feeling about Anders' surgery--maybe it's because he hadn't had this much screen time since last year.

Yay, Boomer got a backbone!

Nurse needs to learn some bedside manner.

I would say Adama needs to ease up on the liver abuse, but there's only a handful of eps. left, so who cares!



Also at LJ

TV Thoughts: BSG "Blood on the Scales"

Previously on BSG: Aaaaargh! There be mutiny!

"Blood on the Scales"

(This ep. was written by Michael Angeli, so there's a 50/50 chance it could psychoanalyze itself into suckitude, but I have hope since the previews looked nice and action-y.)

Hey, it's Kelly, who was last seen getting all on sabatoge-y on Galactica's ass!

Dude, Adama could pwn your ass six ways to Sunday, Felix.

And Romo Lampkin makes an appearance--wouldn't be an Angeli episode without him, and looking about 25% less crazy than the last time we saw him.

Awesome line: Adama to Felix: "Shove it up your ass." If only all arguments could be solved that way...

Looks like foppish Sagitaron rep. grew a backbone too late. Nasty business, this civil war.

Hi, Feelix's latent idealism! Long time since we've seen you.

Awesome lines 2 ans 3: "I'm too frakkin' tired to get up, so why don't you just shoot me." and "I'm just a machine? What does that make you, dumbass?" Both by Chief, because he's starting to be awesome again.

Yay, Helo's conscious!

Oh noes, Anders!

More magical cylon transdpondster tech--what will they reveal next.

Lampkin decides to help Kara and not-dead-yet Anders--like you couldn't see that coming from across the fleet. Thanks for not letting me down, Angeli.

No one writes anvillicious self-awareness like Angeli. At least he shifts characters each time, with Gaius being this week's verbal victim.

Tricia Helfer looks pretty bangin'--as Jonathan Antin would say--with the Hollywood hippy hair.

Chief in the bowels of the ship--I know there's some kind of deep metaphor or something but my brain is too mushy to come up with one.

When are you going to learn Tom, not to piss off Laura to the point where she gets trigger happy? Honestly, have you not seen this show?

The ad for the Cylon detector iPhone app: I may have to download that.

Felix has done so much mental waffling that you could drizzle sweet grade A maple syrup all over it. mmmmm.

Awesome line: "I just hope that one day people will know what I was." Oh Felix, has there ever been a more meta line on this show?!

Felix finally lets go of his anger and his stump stops hurting--oh the levels you bring to the drama, Angeli.

Of course Zarek and Felix had to get ded, there would be no end if they didn't. I'm just sad to see them die because while what they did ended up being all kinds of bad for the survival of the fleet, they actually were grounded--at least Felix was, maybe Zarek not so much--in correct principles. It's too bad things had to end the way they did, but it wouldn't be BSG if at least one known and semi-beloved character didn't get deep sixed every so often.

As far as Angeli episodes go, this was one of the better ones. This is mostly because the plot dictated lots of ass-kicking action, leaving precious little time for dithering and obvious introspection, something Angeli seems to have a huge boner for but for which he lacks the necessary nuance to carry off much of the time. Of course, this is just my opinion as one of a million BSG fans who are also internet jackasses.


Also at LJ

TV Thoughts: BSG

Previously on BSG: The Feel Bad Gang got depressed because Earth was an irradiated shitball. O yeah, and Ellen is totally the Fifth. Like, duh!

"The Disquiet That Follow My Soul"

--News flash: Zarek still doesn't want the cylons in the fleet. In related news, the cat's breath smells like cat food.

--Man the ship looks exponentially shittier than usual.

--More Felix=yea! Oh, to remember the halcyon days of the first exodus when all he did was spout technobabble on his two good legs.

--On one hand, Zarek does make valid points about the flip-floppiness of the human/cylon relationship. On the other hand, he's using the current situation to his political advantage. On another hand--yes a third hand--maybe it's just the hair and ill-fitting suits, but he always comes across as at least 45% skeazy d-bag.

--Two teeth brushings in one ep.! RDM, is this epi underwritten by Crest or what?

--It's comforting to know that as the remnants of the human race drift toward destruction, Baltar won't let his megalomania go with it. And he knows when to get a haircut.

--Dayum, Hotdog. Dayum, Chief. I feel bad for both of you.

--"There are days I really hate this job." William Adama: king of the understatement.

--"It sucks, except for the parts that don't." Galen Tyrol, father of the year.

--Ooh, Zarek is a lefty, so you know he's evil! Go antiquated stereotypes!

--Adama, they should just call you The Gambler since you know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em!

--No Felix, I don't want more screen time to = you going to the dark side! Nooooooooo!

--Bill and Laura deserve so much more than what little time they've had together. Weep. But they are teh cute.

Next on BSG: More bad shit goes down. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Also on LiveJouranl

TV Thoughts: BSG

I have some ramblings about the newest--and last *sob*--BSG premier under the cut.

So Roslin basically goes back to Galactica and goes catatonic and I was like "holy shit".

We find out that the unsecret-special-cylons all lived on Earth before, you know, shit went down, and I was like "Holy shit."

Then, Dualla kills herself and I was like "Holy Shit!"

And Starbuck discovers that she's dead in her viper on nuked!Earth, a development even Leoben finds unsettling, and I was like "Holy SHIT!"

And then we find out that Ellen is the fifth cylon and I was like "Holy! Shit!!!!!" *falls over*

This show is an impossible blend of Debbie Downer (re: Dualla), and "oh no, they did not just do that?! I mean, they did, but still. WTF?!?!" (re: Ellen). I was never a huge Dualla fan--I liked her enough in the first season, but they never really got me to care a lot about her later on to justify the amount of screen time she got--but her suicide was a figurative gut punch to be sure. I think most of that is because of Lee's reaction to it--his absolute confusion and despair of it and not ever being able to understand. Lee's always been a not-and-cold character for me, but I really felt for him here. The whole Ellen being a cylon is perfect because they introduced her under a cloud of suspicion anyways and then they killed her off so I was all "that's that then". And then they do this? WTF in the best way.

x-posted at LiveJournal