Torchwood Miracle Day

[bee]

Sooo who's watching?

I just watched this morning. And I had thoughts.

Spoiler:

First off, can I just take a minute to say how adorable Anwen the Baby is? Gwen and Rhys make a WAY cuter baby than Amy and Rory. (Sorry baby plastic Melody.)

Okay. Now that I'm done squealing over cuteness. I'm glad Rhys is back and involved. I love his character. I'm sure there's a technical term (I saw one on Wiki somewhere...) but I feel like Gwen was originally the 'normal' person the audience relates to, but then once she really became involved in Torchwood, she stopped being able to totally fulfill that role and so now that's how I feel about Rhys.

New characters... They seem all right. I don't remember a single name though. I like Strong Adamant Black Agent, although his mood swings are kind of odd. (Maybe I should cut him some slack. He is in a world of new weird experiences.) Agent Blonde I liked less but I figured I'll see how she develops. Right now she just seems like a plot device and not a character. I liked Doctor Brunette Morals better, but I can't tell yet if she'll be a continuing character. I THINK so given the amount of screentime she got in this episode.

Jack is... Jack.

Mortal Jack is interesting. Saw something about how the point of Miracle Day may be entirely to try to make Jack mortal and nobody else dying is just a side effect. Which COULD be an interesting storyline, although I'm confused on how Jack-centric the new show is supposed to be.

Also, this one premise of nobody dying seems okay for a few episodes but a little flimsy for a full set of 9-10 episodes that they have planned.

I'm definitely way more excited for this now that I've seen the episode than I had been beforehand!

Anyone else watch yet?

[AlexSP]

...the f*ck? how have you seen it? air date on starz is tonight!

[jessia]

omigoodness, i'm glad to see all those faces again.

re: mekhi phifer, i'm having trouble with his mood swings too. this CIA agent is no gregory pratt.

more later. shall we make this thread spoilers abound?

[Steffimonster]

so! having seen it i'm really liking what they've offered and cant wait for episode 2

my only problem is it dosnt really feel like torchwood to me
is this just me or is anyone else thinking this?

but to repeat, i loved it anyway, it was a very exciting episode

also, yes, Anwen is super cute ^__^

[Mr Anderson]

The most vivid part being the lady Doctor's legs, which seemed to go on forever.

[Mr Anderson]

It seems not even the might of Jane Esperson can ignite Torchwood for me (though there were a few good lines).

We are simply incompatible. The plot synopsis is inventive, and its repercussions intriguing, yet whenever the 'characters' are 'in action' my toes begin to reflexively curl. The two Americans are simply two Americans, no more, no less. Jack Harkness mixes larger than life with the terminally mundane. Gwen is passable, but I suspect her saving grace is simply being Welsh.

The filming techniques are outdated by B-Movie standards. The action attempts to be overblown, which multiplies the negative impact when it spectacularly fails to be so. The music is lethargic and uninvolved. I would hazard a guess and say I could find similar 'beats' dispensed online at a Royalty Free licenser.

As I said, my only interest is in the plot, the cause, and the effect of which on the world. Whether any of these muppets live or die is beyond my concern.

[bee]

I'm having a similar reaction (except that I love Gwen... always). I feel that I'm just waiting for each episode to get over. I get bored a few minutes in.

I feel like there is so much potential in this storyline but they just aren't quite playing on it. Actually, the ideas are good. The direction in interesting, but only in theory. Somehow it just isn't drawing me in, and I do blame it probably mostly on The Americans. I have finally learned their names in the past episode or so (way to make me like the characters...) so that's a plus.

Esther (Blonde FBI) holds NO interest to me whatsoever. She just seems like a prop. Need a female. Need an agent. Need someone to press buttons and make super awkward translations between British and American English.

Rex (Angry Black FBI) sometimes interests me, but overall, I get annoyed that his only character traits seem to be dead and angry. Like Esther, he has no depth. He seems a little less like a prop than her, but only barely.

Jilly (Redhead) interests me a little and her storyline along with Oswald Danes (I remember a first AND last name!) is probably the most interesting to me. However, it seems a bit too smooth. I'd love to see some more complexity there.

Leggy Doctor (still don't know her name) is probably the most intriguing character to me and the one with the most potential for growth, but again, she often falls flat or into simple one dimensional character lines.

And my final non-character related issue has to do with pacing... This premise would probably make a good 5 episode series like Children of the Earth, but I think being stretched out is making it lag.

I'll still keep watching, but mostly out of habit and maybe a good chunk of optimism.

[jessia]

ditto, basically. eve myles/gwen cooper really saves the day. jack's flaws are usually what make him a compelling character, but i think they're written pretty awkwardly for miracle day.

Somehow it just isn't drawing me in, and I do blame it probably mostly on The Americans. I have finally learned their names in the past episode or so (way to make me like the characters...) so that's a plus.

Esther (Blonde FBI) holds NO interest to me whatsoever. She just seems like a prop. Need a female. Need an agent. Need someone to press buttons and make super awkward translations between British and American English.

i suggested to the friend i've been keeping up with torchwood with that maybe torchwood could be jack, gwen, and lowercase-doctor leggy surgeon juarez(?), and esther could take notes (i guess rex could provide strategic direction from some angle). i thought it was interesting that in casting calls they were originally looking for a white matheson and an "ethnic" esther drummond. while RTD and UK television generally seem to cast a bigger demographic net in their television casting, i wondered if she was supposed to be an visibly-ethnic sidekick, which would explain a lot.

Rex (Angry Black FBI) sometimes interests me, but overall, I get annoyed that his only character traits seem to be dead and angry. Like Esther, he has no depth. He seems a little less like a prop than her, but only barely.

i'm still waiting for the depth and backstory to come in. at leas they tried with esther. also, his relationship with the lowercase doctor surgeon legs is really boring. i usually quite like mekhi pfifer *sp but i've having such issues with the CIA agent rex matheson. my friend suggested that he was supposed to be the stereotypical does-what-he-wants american agent, but really it's a bit much.

Jilly (Redhead) interests me a little and her storyline along with Oswald Danes (I remember a first AND last name!) is probably the most interesting to me. However, it seems a bit too smooth. I'd love to see some more complexity there.

i'm really waiting for her to turn. she's probably my favourite american in the story. i really like the contradictions between her apparent love of her job (i loved when the surgeon remarked something along the lines of "isn't it disgusting?" re: paedo bill pullman, and she pretty much squeed with delight... reminded me of buffyverse anya) and the fact that she is appropriately disgusted with oswald danes (who is pretty interesting too), although i feel like it could be done better (like anya, i guess).

Leggy Doctor (still don't know her name) is probably the most intriguing character to me and the one with the most potential for growth, but again, she often falls flat or into simple one dimensional character lines.

i'm really waiting for her to join torchwood and take a more active role in the mission. i'd love to see how she works with gwen and jack, or even how she meshes with esther. she clearly is written as a very intelligent character and active participant in the whole scheme of things, but the only time we see her interacting with a principal character, she's flirting with rex or supplying/denying him drugs.

And my final non-character related issue has to do with pacing... This premise would probably make a good 5 episode series like Children of the Earth, but I think being stretched out is making it lag.

I'll still keep watching, but mostly out of habit and maybe a good chunk of optimism.

indeed. it's just not nearly as tightly written as children of earth. i really hope it's surmountable though, because i think the premise of big pharma hacking humanity is pretty compelling, and we're pretty much halfway through the series. i never quit shows as a rule (except for smallville, because it got really awful) and i really do love to see jack (o my he looks good in uniform) and gwen and rhys, but children of earth really set a high standard...

It seems not even the might of Jane Esperson can ignite Torchwood for me (though there were a few good lines).

should be noted that she didn't do escape to LA. she writes the next episode categories of life, so i'm hoping it will be better. the promos excited me anyways.

[Mr Anderson]

should be noted that she didn't do escape to LA. she writes the next episode categories of life, so i'm hoping it will be better. the promos excited me anyways.

She did however write Dead of Night, which was the last I watched.

[jessia]

aah, week-elapsed broadcasting times are confusing (watch out for spoilers, i guess).

[AlexSP]

I watched eps 3-6 a few days ago, I was behind cos the first few eps weren't really doing much for me. But it got a lot better once the main plot actually kicked in, somewhere around e4. It's raw and brutal! I like it, back on board. I like Gwen's quips on USA-things

[Nora]

The whole show just seems a little bit off. It's probably the pace, as Bee pointed out..

Part of the problem I also think is that they made it far too predictable from the start. They shouldn't have made it so easy to guess that everything centered on Jack. If there was more leading up to that, possibly by having more episodes before Jack returned or more episodes where Jack was working in secret and we didn't really know he lost his immortality or was even on Earth.. They could've just used the fact that he left after Children of the Earth more to their advantage.

Regardless, I am really interested to see where they take this plot with Angelo Colasanto. I thought the whole story there, and Jack trying to have a companion like The Doctor was really cute, but stupid on his part (obviously it would go wrong without a TARDIS).

And that scene with Jack hanging in the butcher shop.. It was probably one of the most gruesome this season has offered. Considering how much disturbing imagery there has been already to compete with.. I think that's saying something.

[AlexSP]

And that scene with Jack hanging in the butcher shop.. It was probably one of the most gruesome this season has offered. Considering how much disturbing imagery there has been already to compete with.. I think that's saying something.

That, plus Jack's car ride with Gwen. That was pretty intense...

I don't see how Oswald Danes fits into all of this yet?

PS. Major Kira from DS9 as the lady at the end! Woo woo

[Nora]

I don't see how Oswald Danes fits into all of this yet?

I don't think he has any major role, he just happened to fall into things to try and get you thinking in the wrong direction.

Also, has anyone decided whether the people who died (Like Rex and Oswald) will really die when the miracle is over? Or, if they have recovered, will they survive? I'm guessing they'll live, but it'd be a much more dramatic end if hundreds of thousands of people died, especially one of our main characters. And in some ways, I can kind of see how that would sort of be keeping with Torchwood style.

And, will Jack become immortal again? I think he has to.. For a show like this to keep going, you need a star with some unique ability/skill/talent to lead them. Can't just be a bunch of ordinary people. Could be wrong.

[AlexSP]

Dunno if anyone else noticed, but Angelo's daughter = Major Kira from DS9. And the top CIA guy who was in the latest ep = Q from the Trekverse, including DS9. Had a nice geek-out moment when they were onscreen together.

What else. Um. I'd like a redhead hooker.

[jessia]

This was really frustrating. <sighs>

[Mr Anderson]

Has anything interesting happened yet?

[darren]

well, after weeks and weeks and weeks of not much happening at all, last week's episode barely stopped to catch its breath.

when we were taken to see the blessing, i was sort of disappointed to find out it resembles... well, an arse, basically. kinda sums this series up.

oh, well. only one more episode to go...

-- darren

[Mr Anderson]

Anyone else perplexed with the complete lack of continuity with Dr Who?

[jessia]

io9.com/5837452/is-there-any-way-that-torchwood-and-doctor-who-can-still-be-in-the-same-universe