MORE THOUGHTS ON THE ULTIMATE MESSAGE OF DAYS ONE THROUGH FOUR

[tencrush]

We knew this was a retooling of sorts for the show, designed to attract a MASSIVE new and shiny audience, and it has. There are literally MILLIONS of people watching series three, who have NOT seen either series one or two of Torchwood.

And what have these shiny new viewers learned from Children of Earth? Well, see there's these three people in Torchwood, one's like from the future or someting, one's the married pregnant chick and let's just hammer the point home really quite bluntly with neon signs and anvils and such, that one over there? In the suit, see him? IANTO?? IANTO'S THE QUEER ONE.

Have you all got that? Yeah? Good. Right... let's kill the queer one.

Seriously. It's very tasteful, that, Russell. Nicely done.

Comments

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

I <3 MY DEAD GAY IANTO

Just to problematise: Barrowman's profile is so high in the UK that I suspect an awful lot of viewers know about Jack's sexual proclivities, even if they haven't seen previous Torchwood. Certainly anyone who's seen Jack in Who will.

Still in denial, btw. Have worked out somewhat plausible means of rescue in final episode. Thank heavens all this trauma will be over in half a day's time. Also thank heavens for understanding husbands.

[tencrush]

I think, in the scheme of "We're making a valid point about same-sex relationships and we think it's important to show that this is just normal and not ramp it up but just have it BE THERE" and all that bullshit that RTD has always come out with about Jack and Ianto, IANTO is in fact, the more important token-gay-character, if you will, because Jack is not an oh-I-identify-with-him type of guy, by virtue of him being omnisexual and from the future and all that shizzle. In terms of who is the Everygay, I think that's Ianto. And they killed him. I don't think that's a very pleasant message.

[forgiveninasong.livejournal.com]

I just cannot STAND how RTD, as a GAY MAN, can do this to a GAY RELATIONSHIP! I'm bisexual, and I'm fucking outraged that he's done this.

RTD has made it clear LOADS of times that he hates the fans, and I hope that people going to ComicCon in San Diego abuse him, haha.

I just... :( I'm still gutted about this :(

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

Again, just to problematise: Ianto's not very identifiable-with either, really. This story is the first time the character's had as much as a foot in the "real" world. In fact, that's one of the things that's nagging me - all this background gets sketched in, all these interesting questions get raised - and then it's all thrown away? It doesn't ring true. Probably just wishful thinking. I was so looking forward to seeing the character blossom at last.

[tencrush]

All that background's just there to add to the DRAMA. We have yet to go tell Rhiannon about Ianto, we need to really make people cry again.

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

That's the other thing that strikes a wrong note with me. Surely teh ghey is one of Torchwood's big selling points? This is the SF show with the two pretty boys getting it on? Why lose that? Ten years ago it'd have been obvious why. But why now?

(Sorry I keep obsessing in your lj, tencrush. It won't quit gnawing at me.)

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

No more five pound notes from Uncle Ianto for you, you little buggers!

[tencrush]

None of it makes any sense, Kate, and I think there's things at play that we aren't aware of. If I were to speculate, I'd say that in spite of the reports, JB was actually not on board with a TW S4, and giving him this and tonight's angst effectively makes Jack incapable of being Torchwood's leader. Leaving us with a possibility of a S4, which would essentially be, yes, Rose Tyler: Earth Defender. But with Gwen.

[tencrush]

What I was really hoping for, apart, obviously from living!Ianto, was that we could keep his family, whom I love, and especially the girl niece with the adorable grumpy face.

[rowanswhimsy.livejournal.com]

This show reminds me an awful lot of BtVS, particularly in terms of how Buffy and Spike's relationship ended. Ianto (Spike) was devoted to Jack (Buffy), Jack's (Buffy's) feelings remained enigmatic, the dying declaration of love fell flat, and ultimately Ianto (Spike) was sacrificed (in a relatively passive rather than actively heroic way) to make some point about how it's lonely at the top for a hero.

I guess RTD at least avoided having Ianto killed like Tara, right after sex. Justifications about Janto sound a lot like what Joss said when Tara was killed to me as well.

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

They are pretty fucking amazing, especially the brother-in-law. Maybe they'll get a show of their own.

[tencrush]

It's very, very reminiscent, I agree. With Gwen being Angel, of course. Here we a have character who becomes a surprising fan favourite, and eventually what seems like the creator's original OTP (Buffy/Angel, Jack/Gwen) is ditched in favour of a kind of fanservicey sexytiems relationship involving the Spike, which ultimately never quite satisfies, because we never really find out how The Hero feels about it, and in the end The Spike dies to prove a point about the hero, leaving the fans feeling like he deserved better somehow (the rape notwithstanding, of course.)

[tencrush]

And, to be fair in terms of This-Season-As-A-First-Introduction for a new audience, Ianto is TOTALLY the identifiable-with Everygay. He's unsure of himself and this relationship, he has a coming out scene, he gets insulted by people, he's a by-the-book gay drama character. Who, of course, dies.

[queencheesecake.livejournal.com]

...does that mean, though, that we'll get a spin-off of a spin-off and Spike!Ianto will come back as a ghost?

[tencrush]

I would totally watch that.

[forgiveninasong.livejournal.com]

JBs comments about this series feeling like a "punishment" somehow make *far* more sense now.

[aresnz.livejournal.com]

I still think John would love a TW series 4; however,he did say Day 5 was written in a way that could also be a finale. Well, with the killing off of Ianto I think RTD has underestimated the reaction. I'm thrilled the ratings have been great; especially for July. The writing and acting has been brilliant.

Now, RTD is being very, very Joss Whedon like. Whenever a relationship seems to be going good..he'll destroy it. Why they did this to Ianto I'll never know.

I'm a huge fan of John and Capt Jack..BUT..I'm not interested in the Jack and Gwen show. Lois will probably come to the revamped TW and be the new PA.

Lori

[tencrush]

Don't they just?

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

V. good points. Which caused me to have a mental picture of Jack waving coffee under Ianto's nose and bringing him back to life.

[bandgeek01.livejournal.com]

I'm still debating if I'm going to his signing, cause I'll tell him off and be like WTF.

First I'd say why are you here if you hate the fans and 2 tell me why would you kill off a major gay relationship when it's moved to the flagship station?


Nicole

[rowanswhimsy.livejournal.com]

You said it much better than I did; thanks.

And yes, we can be thankful that Ianto wasn't turned into a rapist or a serial killer possessed by ultimate evil (oh, wait...but at least that wasn't real).

I think RTD actually wrote the story better than Joss but the story still sucks. Of course, I don't really care very much about Jack's manpain or only did insofar as I wanted Jack to emotionally satisfy Ianto and therefore was willing to be interested in his character while there was a chance he might do that.

[tencrush]

You know how Spike went and got a SOUL for her? Ianto got Jack a NEW FUCKING COAT WHILE THE WORLD WAS ENDING. That's fucking dedication.

[louisema.livejournal.com]

So would we all.

[louisema.livejournal.com]

A large part of me wants the ratings for the last day to fall completely flat.

As in, virtually EVERY SINGLE PERSON watching goes "wut? No more Ianto? F*ck this." and switches off.

It's not going to happen. This makes me sad.

[rowanswhimsy.livejournal.com]

I would watch that show.

However, in my crazy fangirl heart, I keep thinking the next series will re-establish Jack as a hero wandering through the cosmos and he'll eventually encounter a Ianto-like character played by GDL and then we can start the insanity all over again. After all, didn't one of the novels establish that Jack has a type? (the Idris Hopper character one??)