Torchwood - Adrift

[tencrush]

THOUGHTS ABOUT ADRIFT...

• Ummm... Andy was in it! LOTS! And he called Rhys fat!! Go Andy. After this episode I can quite truthfully say I'd be MORE THAN HAPPY with Andy as a part of Torchwood. It's just Gwen who looks down on him and thinks he's shit. Boo, Gwen, boo.


• Ah, but there's the rub: ANDY'S IN LOVE WITH GWEN. Why is EVERYONE always in love with Gwen? What on earth does the woman possess??? Please explain it to me. I can't IMAGINE Andy being in love with Gwen. In my ideal world Andy would get it on with Tosh and they would BOTH be TOTALLY HAPPY. Forever. Poor Tosh.


• Rhys was in it! And being manly! I was indifferent towards Rhys when this season started and now I love him to bits.


• I actually quite liked this one. The moral being that sometimes Jack does spooky mysterious things which are FOR THE BEST, and sometimes it's perhaps better to just leave him to it.


• I'm intrigued by Ianto. Again. He obviously knows that Jack does spooky mysterious things, and he knows where he does them. The question is, did Ianto know what they were? In which case, did Ianto and Jack elaborately set Gwen up? Or did Ianto just see in Gwen a handy opportunity to investigate said things behind Jack's back? Either there is more to the relationship than meets the eye, or there is far more to the manwhorespy aspect of Ianto's character than has been revealed. Either way, I'm intrigued.


• And then there was THAT SCENE. Really, in my mind, two scenes. Scene One involving Gwen walking in on what is quite possibly the most unambiguous sex act I have ever seen on television. Which was, let's face it, played FOR LAUGHS. And it was quite amusing and made me giggle profusely. Handjobs in the Hub, yes, anyone who tries to tell me there's significanty more to this relationship that LULS, weevils and handjobs in the Hub, is WRONG. Having said that, I believe Jack may be more in love with Ianto than I have been giving him credit for. The whole thing reeked of giddy teenage lust, and despite the fact that it didn't, on paper, actually disprove my doubts about there not being any depth to the relationship, the giddy young love aspect actually surprised me. There may yet be more to this kinkfest than meets my jaded eye.


• How good was that second bit though? I'm talking purely visually here, there was something really horny about Ianto actually PUTTING HIS CLOTHES ON. I couldn't help but think as he slowly hid his manflesh from my probing eyes that he was WANTONLY TEASING US. With smirks and everything. Take that, fangirls! I mock you with my buttons!! Bless.


• And then Gwen intrudes on the action and immediately Jack goes a bit weird. Again. The threesome joke I could understand, he wasn't offering her a threesome, he knew she wouldn't take him up on it, it was A JOKE, and I didn't find it offensive to her, or to Ianto, or anything like that. (It's the sort of remark I'd normally pounce on as PROOF JACK DOESN'T LOVE HIM, but I'm not so sure anymore) But, having said that, his cocky attitude towards her and the fact that he didn't even bother doing his trousers up? Either he's flaunting what she's missing at her, or he's just being INCREDIBLY RUDE. Either way, way to look like a bit of a dick again, Jack. What was up with that?


• The one week later bit? The woman whose life was effectively RUINED by Gwen? That really upset me and I kept hoping Ianto would ring her doorbell with a big, frothy retcon milkshake. And that didn't happen, which made me sad. I was actually genuinely sad for her. Downer.


• Pie status: undecided, perhaps a slight pie resurgence here and there.

All in all, a solid episode and one of my favourites so far.

ETA: JUST REALISED THOUGH: WTF??? Jack wears PANTS??? That just seems so... unlikely to me.

Comments

[kurthummel.livejournal.com]

I thought it was a brilliant episode, and not just for gratuitous handjobs. Then again, any episode that came after FOotR (which looks a lot like FotR now that I look at it) is bound to look brilliant.

[tencrush]

I thought it was of the good, yes. I don't really have much to say about it. "He always cheats" FTW! The SCENE at least showed me that Ianto knows exactly where he stands with Jack, even if WE don't. And as annoying as I find that, as long Ianto knows where he stands and is happy to deal with that as is, then I suppose that's fine. I still find it odd that it's been played as LOVE on Ianto's part, but if he's settling for this relationship, then I have to assume there's more on offer from Jack than we're being shown, so I'm content. I think.

[kurthummel.livejournal.com]

More than ever, I got the impression that Ianto is really just a sex toy, which is... surprisingly fine, because like you said, I think Ianto knows his position and that's what makes it okay. See, unless they do something utterly squee, I think I'm done drawing hearts around them and and and turning them into that kind of thing. Am I making any sense? Probably not.

[tencrush]

I don't understand what's wrong with me, I was ranting and raving about EXACTLY THAT two weeks ago, and now I'm fine with it. Because HE'S fine with it. As long as they show me HE'S fine with it, it's okay. I don't quite understand WHY he's fine with it, but I give him credit for not being a total dunce, so I'm sure there's a reason. Either there's more to it, or some things have been ironed out and a path has been chosen, or whatever. But he's obviously happy to go in this direction, so, you know. Meh. Cool. Whatever. I gave up on their hearts and flowers ages ago.

[erinnthered.livejournal.com]

Did you catch Jack getting ready for his date...I mean, weevil hunting...with Ianto? He was pretty excited. I thought the sex was at the culmination of the "date."

I don't know. I really got the opposite impression here. I got that they really are in a relationship. The very early, still fucking like bunnies, stage but definitely a relationship. I also didn't see the scene as played for LULZ. The situation was funny, but not the sex. Ianto settled that when he walked out and, instead of apologizing, said it didn't matter that she'd walked in. No silly apologies for teh ghey sexin. The apologies are for interrupting it. Jack did use the sex to make a point with Gwen. To put her in her place, even. I still don't think he was acting disrespectfully to Ianto. In fact, exactly the opposite. Ianto, on the other hand...

I didn't get the impression that Jack was in on Ianto's deception. I got the impression that Ianto knew this was the best way to help both Jack and Gwen achieve their goals with the least amount of trouble. Tough love, if you will.

I loved that they finally gave us a hint as to where Ianto stands in this. I think that's part of why I get a more serious impression. I got that while Ianto believes it is serious, he separates the sex from the emotions. The overall, season-long impression that I get is that emotionally they are very close, but that Ianto is just as open as Jack to allowing in other partners and experimenting.

This episode really solidified a lot of things in my head. I just hope they stick with this characterization after Chibnall leaves, because this is what makes the most sense to me. I CANNOT WAIT for Friday. Then how long until a new episode? Bastards.

[rowanswhimsy.livejournal.com]

Unless of course Ianto is too damaged to want love from someone again. Or Ianto feels that he's not worthy of love from Jack. Or...this is the problem with Ianto being in love with Jack while Jack has been silent on the subject. It's too easy (given how Ianto's character has been portrayed as someone with an essentially serious nature) to start psychoanalyzing him. If Ianto is fine with this and things are truly fine, the writers perhaps need to make a more explicit caes for that.

I for one am starting to hope that series 3 features some nice young girl or boy who falls hard for Ianto. PC Andy anyone?

ETA: Edited to fix my atrocious spelling.

[fahrbotdrusilla]

The one week later bit? The woman whose life was effectively RUINED by Gwen? That really upset me and I kept hoping Ianto would ring her doorbell with a big, frothy retcon milkshake. And that didn't happen, which made me sad. I was actually genuinely sad for her. Downer.

Yeah, I was thinking retcon too :( would have been for the best.

[tencrush]

Yeah, man. Way to depress me. I'd have liked a little sekrit l33t moment of Iantoness, to see him sneaking in there and fixing it behind Jack and Gwen's backs. That would have made me very happy.

[rowanswhimsy.livejournal.com]

Get ready for the Captain's blog to tell us that Ianto went ahead and retconned her. Whoever writes that is the best fanfic author we have in the fandom.

[lefaym.livejournal.com]

See, I don't think her life was ruined by Gwen. I think that what Gwen did meant that she had an outpouring of grief-- pain that had been on slow burn suddenly became acute: but I felt that the scene where she was packing up Jonah's room showed that she had, in a way, achieved closure: painful closure, but ultimately it was probably better that she was able to move on, than wasting her life away on a hopeless cause. I'm glad they didn't retcon her.

[aquirkofmatter.livejournal.com]

I was yelling "RETCON!" at the telly for that poor woman. It would've been the best way to finish it - she's seen her son, now she can have all them old memories back that she lost.

And I think Andy would be amazing in Torchwood. Stupid Gwen with your stupidness. Andy would bring comedy and be PERFECT for Tosh. Plus, they need more alive people now Owen's dead. I don't know why Andy loves Gwen, but Rhys was very good - manly and angry when Gwen deserved it, and all lovely and cuddly when she was sad.

All I established this episode was that Gwen's a silly cow. But I agree - great episode, much better than last week's, but it just made me like Gwen less, and I did quite like her before!

[tencrush]

I think she kind of redeemed herself at the end when it came to Rhys, but she did do something phenomonally stupid and fuck some poor woman's life up FOR REALS. Stupid Gwen. I reckon the web content will hint that she was retconned later, just to make us feel better.

[th-esaurus.livejournal.com]

LOL PIE STATUS.

I didn't watch the freakshow one, because most people said it was rubbish. So I am glad that this one is getting better reviews!

[rowanswhimsy.livejournal.com]

PIE STATUS:

Jawline: blurrier than last week
Back: Pudgy if not flabby

Put down the pies and pick up some free weights, Ianto. You would think all that sex would burn some calories.

[tencrush]

OM NOM NOM... mmmm... PIE.

Fix it, Gareth, NOW!!!

[erinnthered.livejournal.com]

I'm sad to say I think I saw the hint of manboobs in that side shot. i am very afraid.

And I love both of your avis.

[tencrush]

*cries real tears over the moobs*

[rowanswhimsy.livejournal.com]

I realize this is a very controversial and possibly unpopular view but right now I prefer Ianto to stay at least partially clothed during sex scenes. Flabby white flesh is a bit turnoff.

I'm hoping that since GDL seems to have a crush on James Marsters that JM will give him some tips for how to achieve the type of bod needed when you're sleeping with the lead character.

Thank you for the avi love but I can't take any credit. All of my avis are courtesy of others (they are credited in my User Info if you want to see where I got them). I stalk the TW communities looking for great icons. :-)

[off_coloratura]

I LOVE ANDY SO MUCH.

Seriously, he is so completely awesome. And his idiotic crush on Gwen just makes him all the more lovable. Everyone needs a flaw.

Oh his face when Gwen told him she'd recommend him for Torchwood. And then when she said she wouldn't really! HIS LITTLE FACE!

[rowanswhimsy.livejournal.com]

Why can't Ianto have Andy as his little love slave? Or Tosh for that matter? Why must the cuteness that is Andy be wasted on Gwen? Let's move him on to someone who can appreciate him.

My love for Rhys increased exponentially this episode. It's almost the Rhys/Ianto episode for me.

I also felt inexplicably fond of Owen this episode. I liked him for siding with Jack. Go figure.

[erinnthered.livejournal.com]

Seriously. Andy has such bad luck with the ladies he needs to switch teams. ;-)

Rhys is really challenging Ianto for the best character on the show. He is the heart of the show.

Owen and the serenity prayer? I love that he's 12 stepping his death. I wish we'd get to see the asking forgiveness part. He'd be writing letters for months.

[off_coloratura]

Tighty whities with a black stripe. Interesting.

[tencrush]

*repeats self*
JACK wears PANTS?

[off_coloratura]

My thinking:

1) It's a habit Jack picked up in Victorian times and just got used to.

2) They couldn't actually show his cock hanging out on TV, but wanted to give that impression.

[supermolo.livejournal.com]

It's just Gwen who looks down on him and thinks he's shit. Boo, Gwen, boo.

yesh. hands up people who would pick Andy over Rhys a million times if they found out he had a crush on them? *waves both*

not that i don't like Rhys :3