I completely agree about both counts. The Golden Age had too much shit crammed in it to make much sense and the actress/character of the Duchess was more annoying than anything. She started off ok, then spiraled into batshit crazy ex that everyone hates.

It might've been good as an episode, b/c more time would have been given to the plot instead of describing the scene.

The comparison to R&J, at first, made me cringe, but... she's completely right. Like Juliet, Ianto walks into this relationship knowing that it will cost him dearly, but it's a price he is willing to pay. Every day. So much less the woobie and so much more the emotionally strong man I like to see him be.