I managed to get hold of both this episode and the following and watched them both last night. Wow, what a punch in the stomach!
I hadn't read any spoilers, yet I suddenly had this distinct feeling Ianto was going to die during his conversation with his sister. The conversation felt like one of those "Farewell, take care of the children, I love you" conversations. Fuck. I hate being right. Way back in season 1, I would have never thought I would care this much about these characters, but after Owen and Tosh died, I didn't want to lose anymore of them. And now Ianto is gone, too.
The discussion about how to select the children was creepy, especially when Denise Riley suggested "the best ones." Maybe this was just me and I overreacted, but I felt like her suggestions felt like Nazism. *shudder*
That being said, I found the fact that the 456 used children as a
drug to be even far more creepy. Of all of the revolting things I've seen in literature and film, this one ranks pretty fucking high. With this,
Torchwood finally earned the right to be called a serious adult show (as oppose a lot of the stupid sex junk of season 1).
Finally we saw how the 456 has power over the planet and how they have forced people's hands (like Jack's in 1965). Between their power over the children and their
need for the children, the 456 have become an interesting adversary.
Overall, I was blown away by this episode. Which left me thinking, "What the hell will happen in the final episode?" Fuck, fuck, fuck...