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

[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.

[kurthummel.livejournal.com]

You're not alone - I'm so utterly confused with myself, I look like such a fickle little fuck. And I still don't understand how Ianto, being the kinda guy he is, can accept it, but then, the season isn't over yet. Technically. Maybe. And then of course there's series three... some day. A long time from now. Tear.

[tencrush]

I'm kind of secretly hoping Ianto's been using Jack as a sex toy ALL ALONG. I'm putting money on Friday's episode showing us they've been at it like bunnies since the day they met. AND THEN I WILL DREDGE UP MY POLL IN TORCHWOODCOFFEE WHERE I SAID THEY WERE FUCKING ALL ALONG AND NOBODY BELIEVED ME. AND I WILL POINT. AND LAUGH. LOUDLY!!!

Went a bit capslocked there, but you get the gist.

[kurthummel.livejournal.com]

That would be fantastic. And caps lock all the way. I'm so glad we don't have to wait another damn week for a new episode, but then that means that after this, it's the finale.

[tencrush]

Yeah, the finale... IN TWO AND A HALF WEEKS.

WTF, BBC??? WTF???

[rowanswhimsy.livejournal.com]

Well, I think the trailer scene is more complicated that it appears. However, whatever the setup turns out to be, obviously the writers are establishing that there was an instant attraction. Two men can't lie on each other panting without us knowing the truth of it. :-) Which really works because it helps explain Jack's anger in CW by making it really, really personal. And it gives Ianto some depth because he was probably all tortured by his love for Lisa, his need to hide her from Jack so that he could 'heal her', his guilt over his burgeoning attraction to Jack, his need to flirt or sex Jack to keep Jack clueless, and his manwhorespyishness.

Right now I'm leaning more towards some type of sexual activity having happened prior to the stopwatch scene but we'll see how the episode plays out.

[rowanswhimsy.livejournal.com]

And I know you're basking in your rightness over manwhorespy. Enjoy it for ONE DAY. After that, it becomes unseemly. I wasn't in the fandom until series 2 so I have plausible deniability re: wrongness.

[tencrush]

In fact, I'm going to do it RIGHT NOW.

[rowanswhimsy.livejournal.com]

I had a bad feeling when I found out Ianto was some carbon copy of some prior lover of Jack's at TW through one of the novelizations.

The easiest explanation (for me) is that Ianto experienced so much heartache and grief at such a young age with Lisa that now he just wants to have something fun with no attachment for a while so he's chosen Jack as his transitional relationship. The fact that he's chosen to do this for 1 1/2 years is a bit problematic for me as it's had to reconcile with someone of Ianto's serious nature. But if I don't interpret things this way, then I end up imagining Ianto has all sorts of emotional damage with which he's not dealing (like Owen and Tosh). I may end up thinking that anyway if this relationship continues through series 3.

This series pretty much has the same dynamic as last series -- Ianto has deep feelings for Jack that don't appear to be reciprocated in quite the same way but they are having a sexual relationship. The only difference is that we're seeing it this year on screen (somewhat) and the team knows about it.

I mourn for my ship because I really was hoping for some emotional attachment between the two. Since I basically watch the show for Ianto, I'm doubtful I'll make it through series 3 with this status quo but that's a long way off so who knows?

[erinnthered.livejournal.com]

I'd forgotten about the carbon copy bit. That is troublesome. Ianto has some Doctorish qualities too. Maybe Jack just has a type.

For some reason I'm still feeling better about the relationship. Not just because Ianto is fine with it. I think it was the weevil hunting scene. Jack really likes spending time with Ianto. And the fact the has already shown a willingness to open up to him more than any other member of the team says a lot to me. And he wore new pants!

[rowanswhimsy.livejournal.com]

Please keep talking I am willing to be convinced. I think I have an inherent dislike of the 'type' thing which is coloring my judgment.

The weevil hunting scene was cute, I admit. However...Jack has ulterior motivation to seem eager to get away because he's trying to throw Gwen off the scent.

I have included a pre-pie avi for your viewing enjoyment.

[off_coloratura]

JACK: Weevil hunting with Ianto.

MY HUSBAND: Is that what they're calling it these days.

[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.

[tencrush]

Yeah, I meant the actual sex scene itself was played for luls and not played for looking actually sexy. I also, strangely and I don't know where from, suddenly got the impression that the relationship is serious. This despite the completely non-serious nature of the encounter.

[off_coloratura]

I got it from the Ianto having a quiet word with Jack, from the easygoing way they treated it when they were caught, and from the way they were right back at it when Gwen left.

[rowanswhimsy.livejournal.com]

Hm. Jack had an ulterior motive for resuming teh sexy in order to shut Gwen up. He also seemed to need to work out his anger issues. :-(

Jack is a big diva. Ianto seems to understand that. It was probably Jack yelling for Ianto & more sex while Ianto served him coffee that turned me off plus Jack referring to the sex as 'returning to work'. Let Jack serve Ianto for once, damn it!

I understand that the Hub is Jack's home. So having sex in the greenhouse didn't bother me because it's sort of like christening all the rooms. But using the language and visuals of work during sexual encounters really bothers me because it reinforces the inequality of the relationship.

[meleth.livejournal.com]

I read "back to work" as less of a directive to Ianto, and more "let's both of us get back to work, where work equals sexing each other up lots." The joy of unexpressed subjects.

[(Anonymous)]

Still not convinced of seriousness.

As for sex scene. Don't know that it was just played for laughs I would say a sex scene doesn't necessarily have to be 'sexy' however you play it.

[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.

[tencrush]

He seemed to play it as love so heavily at the beginning of the series, especially Adam kind of cemented that for me. I find it intriguing that he seems satisfied with the current state of affairs and I maintain that that must mean there is more to the relationship from Jack's side than we are being shown. Or Ianto has suddenly developed a new Agenda. I think we may find out more about where they currently stand on Friday.

Though I am saddened to see that in THAT trailer cap Ianto is wearing a suit, and it is therefore obviously now, and not a flashback. Maybe I did my preemptive dance too soon. :(

[rowanswhimsy.livejournal.com]

Well, I noticed the suit too. Do you think that definitely means it is the present? From what I understand, manwhorespy is STALKING Jack. So I figured there might be more than one scene. Potentially one scene where the manwhorespy uses his Weevil killing prowess and tight jeans to first introduce himself to Jack, then a followup meeting where he comes up with the plan to capture Myfanwy where manwhorespy wears a suit & brings coffee because he considers it a job interview for a position at TW Cardiff.

[tencrush]

God, I hope so. I'd like there to have been that much panting going on that early on in their relationship.

[rowanswhimsy.livejournal.com]

Seriously. It would be SO Ianto to show up in a suit with coffee if he were trying to get Jack to give him a job. If it doesn't play that way, I'm rewriting it in fanfic and forgetting what the damn episode shows me.

Panting. Panting while lying full on top of Jack. Now that's sexy. No pie or manboobs in sight.