Will I like Torchwood if I never saw Doctor Who?

[Guy Gardener]

Ape can say "No" to Man, but Man can NEVER say "NO" to ape.

[Christopher]

DalekJim wrote:

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I'd understand if it was the word slut or whore but there's no way the word bitch is misogynistic.

"No way?" Seriously? A word that for hundreds of years has been used to debase and denigrate women, that literally equates them with dogs? Sure, in recent years the definition has been broadening and becoming more gender-neutral in some uses, but that's a very, very recent change and far from universal. I still see it used misogynistically quite often.

Anyway, since we're both men (I assume from your username), neither of us is really qualified to judge whether it's offensive to women. That's for women themselves to decide, of course.

[Guy Gardener]

On the other side, it positively lifts up Dogs.

"Did you hear that? Did you hear that? They think we're people?! WOOF!"

[Blamo]

Christopher wrote:

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I think that's a very subjective assessment. I liked Gwen and Tosh. Gwen has been a mostly positive character throughout, at least as positive as anyone gets on Torchwood. She has her flaws, but she's the heart and conscience of the team. And Tosh has her insecurities, but is perhaps the nicest character.

Season 2 Tosh and Gwen are completely fine and are infact quite likable, as is shockingly Owen. Then again season 2 felt like a small reboot of the series.

But as I've said, there was more graphic male nudity than female. I'm pretty sure that post-watershed BBC shows are allowed to show bare breasts

Nudity isn't the problem, rather how it's depicted. When you have a woman in dire danger and everyone just pervs over her, that's a problem.

Same goes for Cyberwoman. A half naked cyberwoman isn't the problem, the problem is she's dressed like a sci-fi-themed stripper, high heals included.

[diankra]

As the comment was made at the time of season one (by one of this forum's regulars): "The Sarah Jane Adventures, made by adults for 12 year-olds. Torchwood, made by 12 year-olds who think they're being adult."

[DalekJim]

Christopher wrote:

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Anyway, since we're both men (I assume from your username), neither of us is really qualified to judge whether it's offensive to women.

Yeah, it makes way more sense that one woman should be able to judge what is offensive for all women.

"I've never heard such arrant nonsense!" - The Third Doctor

[Dream]

I just finished Torchwood Series 1

This was definitely a show that was still trying to find its legs. There were plenty of bad episodes mixed with good episodes, but I did notice the writing starting to improve in the later half of the season.

Good episodes:
"Everything Changes" Decent pilot, does a good job introducing the main cast, nice twist at the end when one of the main cast is revealed to be the killer.
"They Keep Killing Suzie" Nice sequel to the pilot, gets into the negatives of being a Torchwood agent, and I did like how it ended.
"Random Shoes" I liked the entire episode and how it was told, the actor for Eugene was likable. The ending with him saving Gwen was pretty silly, but otherwise a different kind of episode.
"Out of Time" Interesting time travel episode, with characters from the past arriving into our present. The three past characters were likable and it was cool seeing them trying to live in the present
"Captain Jack Harkness" Nice time travel story. We did learn more about Jack.

Average episodes:
"Ghost Machine"
"Small Worlds"
"Countrycide"
"Combat"

BAD episodes:
"Day One" Dumb sex monster episode. No more comments.
"Cyberwoman" Terrible gruesome wannabe horror episode. They really should have introduced Ianto's girlfriend earlier so it doesn't feel like she came from nowhere. I have no idea why he is still allowed on the team after all the shit he put everyone through by the end
"Greeks Bearing Gifts" Just a excuse for two actresses to make out and have sex scenes with.
"End of Days" WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST WATCH?! What is with the bad giant CGI monster at the end that kills people with its shadow? The episode is quickly hits the reset button at the end just as badly as any Voyager episode. The entire incident is quickly forgotten by the public in the next episode for some reason. Huh?

The STRANGEST plotline that gets sort of dropped:
I thought the whole Gwen and Owen affair was going somewhere but it died a fast death. Gwen never admits to her boyfriend about what happened, I don't count the whole amnesia pill thing counting, and I guess the whole thing ended when she angrily pushed Owen away after discovering her dead boyfriend's body in the series 1 finale? Lame.

[Mr. Adventure]

If you get through S2, you really should watch Children of Earth, it's quite good.

[Dream]

Mr. Adventure wrote:

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If you get through S2, you really should watch Children of Earth, it's quite good.

Oh, I'm definitely watching that! I've heard many times how awesome Children of Earth was.

[Guy Gardener]

Now, after all that, do you want to wade into season two Torchwood, or kick off Doctor Who?

There was a tenuous Doctor Who crossover in episode 12.

Besides there's a familiar looking actor from the wheedonverse stealing the entire fricking show early on in season two.

[Dream]

Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang
Usually I HATE episodes like this. New villain is introduced and gets the drop on all the main characters only because they turn so DUMB in the episode. First John gets the drop on Gwen by kissing her with paralyzing kiss, then the drop on Owen and Tosh in dark room full of boxes, and finally Ianto in the middle of a deserted office? Come on! At least making it look like it was difficult to do for the new villain by very special guest star James Marsters.

This episode had way too many twists for its own good. I can't say it was any better than average. The only thing that saves it is James Marsters' acting. Good to see "Spike" again.

"Sleeper"
WOW! This was a great episode. I actually cared about one of Torchwood's guest characters. When this episode started I thought it was going to be another lame filler of the week, but was pleasantly surprised with what we DID get.

I thought the actress that played Beth was great and made me FEEL how awful her life was being a sleeper agent for some kind of advance alien race. You just know she was really an alien, but a part of you wished that she wasn't. The whole interrogation was creepy.

All the alien sleeper agents activating and blowing shit up was exciting. I was surprised that they they only concentrated on one city thought instead of being worldwide. I couldn't help but laugh at that part when the alien women let the baby stroller go and it rolled onto the busy road. I hope that wasn't the kind of reaction the writers were hoping to get from the audience with that scene. The alien weapon being a huge long blade felt a little too much like the T1000 but it was threatening enough with the probably low budget they had.

Beth's fate ending on a sad note was what made the episode. I also loved the ending which hinted at the invasion force still being out there and the fact that there might be further attacks. They really should have used THIS episode for the season/series 1 finale instead of that stupidly bad CGI monster thing that we did get in "End of Days".

[Dream]

Guy Gardener wrote:

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Now, after all that, do you want to wade into season two Torchwood, or kick off Doctor Who?

Maybe I'll see Doctor Who someday, but I REALLY don't want to get into another 100 episode series right now. I'm watching Torchwood because it was only 26 episodes and two miniseries long.

[Guy Gardener]

You're acting like you're not going to live forever.

[Dream]

To the Last Man
Great episode. This was one of the few times a romance on this show felt believable, and Tosh finally gets a decent episode after being in the background for so much in the previous series. It started with a cool teaser and went on from there. The actor that played Tommy really made me feel like he was from another time. I liked the ending too since there were no easy happy ending saves.

Meat
Have you ever wonder where all the mystery meat from hamburgers come from? This episode gives a possible answer.

One of the weirdest episodes of the show so far! But it was one of my favorites since we finally find out way more about one of the minor reoccurring characters on this show. I've always wondered who the hell this Rhys guy was, besides being Gwen's boyfriend and that background character who gets all the comedy scenes whenever he appears. I think they made him a little too stupid early on, and was glad that he learns about the fact that aliens exist. The fact that he gets to keep the knowledge at the end of the episode was great.

The whole using a huge alien for meat thing was REALLY out there. The CGI for it was quite bad, but the writers did make me feel sad for the creature. I had a hard time believing it would survive at the end since it was so ridiculously huge so they went with the only ending that they could do.

Gwen asking "What is this, Scooby-Doo?' during the talk about the sting operation was cute.


Adam
One of the best episodes so far. Damn, that actor that played Adam was so creepy. When the episode started I was reminded of all the bad fan fictions out there when an author inserts himself into a show/movie and makes himself the best character ever. Thankfully, the episode went a more dramatic route with the mind rape and danger. I feel so uncomfortable watching the scenes with Adam and the messed up Tosh, and the mental assault by Adam on Ianto.

I was actually quite worried that Gwen would kill Rhys when she first saw him and didn't know who he was. This episode gave lots of background on their relationship and by the end it became more believable for me. I liked Rhys trying to get her to "remember".

There were some huge flashbacks to Jack's past. We learn way more about him in this episode in fact. He is from the future and he had a lost brother named Gray.

Also what the hell is Adam? The episode doesn't go too much into that.

[ATimson]

Dream wrote:

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There were some huge flashbacks to Jack's past. We learn way more about him in this episode in fact. He is from the future and he had a lost brother named Gray.

Those who watched Doctor Who already knew he was from the future.