TV - Torchwood, what were they thinking?
As I keep using Torchwood to measure other shows against, I thought I'd run through the show as briefly as I can. Torchwood is Doctor Who's spin adult spin off show. The name perhaps implies some greater mystery, but really it's just an anagram of Doctor Who.
The central premise is that a rift in space time/hellmouth* has opened up in Cardiff, and things are spewing forth. This may seem like a big deal to some, but the best way to deal with it is to have five people, lurking in a warehouse, ready for the call. And though Torchwood is more secret than MI5, they ride around like extras from the Matrix in their 4x4 with its blue neon piping and Torchwood stencilled on its side.
It wastes the charismatic John Barrowman by turning his character into a haunted Angel* figure leading a gang of people who have escaped from a metrosexual soap opera, including a date rapist with alien rohypnol. In fact, with the HQ, the aliens they deal with and the way the show is written, its a bit obvious the show is trying to be a British Angel*. Into this stolen nonsense concept, some good writers have tried to write good stories, but the show lets them down. If you want to see the worst sub-Garth Marenghi tosh Torchwood has to offer, then watch Cyberwoman.
It has been commissioned (so far) for two series of 13 episodes. That's a lot of money and effort to spend, which could (in theory) have gone instead on something original, a genuinely grown up genre show. While as far as I know, the well received Being Human is unlikely to go beyond a pilot. After one episode of that, not only can I remember the characters names, but I cared what happened to them. But that's not how it works, and ultimately I can't help but think that Torchwood's real purpose is empire building.
It was a show that was mercilessly plugged throughout series 2 of Doctor Who, which kids can't watch (in theory) due to the graphic sex, violence and horror. All things discerning adults could enjoy, if they weren't done in such a teenage fashion. Whoever thought we needed an adult Doctor Who, was clearly very short-sighted. It has blurred the line further by releasing edited episodes earlier in the schedule. Any parents not paying attention, may not appreciate watching it on DVD with their kids. If Primeval is in RTD's words 'hideously white' then Torchwood is 'inappropriately hanging round playgrounds'.
But I'm not starting a petition here, one day Torchwood will be gone and better shows will erase its memory. Lots of talented people are working on the show, it's just the wrong show.
Doctor Who with shagging, what were they thinking?
*Joss Whedon scripted show, concept or writing style. I'm not his biggest fan, but the guy does what he does very well, and so as we have seen, has his imitators.
The central premise is that a rift in space time/hellmouth* has opened up in Cardiff, and things are spewing forth. This may seem like a big deal to some, but the best way to deal with it is to have five people, lurking in a warehouse, ready for the call. And though Torchwood is more secret than MI5, they ride around like extras from the Matrix in their 4x4 with its blue neon piping and Torchwood stencilled on its side.
It wastes the charismatic John Barrowman by turning his character into a haunted Angel* figure leading a gang of people who have escaped from a metrosexual soap opera, including a date rapist with alien rohypnol. In fact, with the HQ, the aliens they deal with and the way the show is written, its a bit obvious the show is trying to be a British Angel*. Into this stolen nonsense concept, some good writers have tried to write good stories, but the show lets them down. If you want to see the worst sub-Garth Marenghi tosh Torchwood has to offer, then watch Cyberwoman.
It has been commissioned (so far) for two series of 13 episodes. That's a lot of money and effort to spend, which could (in theory) have gone instead on something original, a genuinely grown up genre show. While as far as I know, the well received Being Human is unlikely to go beyond a pilot. After one episode of that, not only can I remember the characters names, but I cared what happened to them. But that's not how it works, and ultimately I can't help but think that Torchwood's real purpose is empire building.
It was a show that was mercilessly plugged throughout series 2 of Doctor Who, which kids can't watch (in theory) due to the graphic sex, violence and horror. All things discerning adults could enjoy, if they weren't done in such a teenage fashion. Whoever thought we needed an adult Doctor Who, was clearly very short-sighted. It has blurred the line further by releasing edited episodes earlier in the schedule. Any parents not paying attention, may not appreciate watching it on DVD with their kids. If Primeval is in RTD's words 'hideously white' then Torchwood is 'inappropriately hanging round playgrounds'.
But I'm not starting a petition here, one day Torchwood will be gone and better shows will erase its memory. Lots of talented people are working on the show, it's just the wrong show.
Doctor Who with shagging, what were they thinking?
*Joss Whedon scripted show, concept or writing style. I'm not his biggest fan, but the guy does what he does very well, and so as we have seen, has his imitators.
posted by paulvonscott at 8:22 AM
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