Torchwood - Exit Wounds

[tencrush]

I think this episode's been discussed to death, so I just have some random observations. I'll be looking at Jack/Ianto seperately, I think.

• Why did the Weevils target the four most senior officers? Was that ever explained?


• Ah, the Hoix. Shame Owen didn't know the trick with the bucket, eh?


• Captain John. The fact that he wasn't working of his own volition was painfully obvious from the start, even if I hadn't been spoiled for the episode. I can't help thinking Marsters was, from a plot point of view, completely unnecessary. If it had simply been Gray doing all the dirty work, we'd have had more time to explore why the hell Gray was doing this in the first place. Because it's just a bit excessive, isn't it? I mean, yeah, he's pissed off, obviously, but why all the complicatedness?


• Speaking of Captain John and Gray though, maybe it's a blessing they stuck Marsters in, he was far shinier in the acting department than I feared he would be. Gray, on the other hand, was ABOMINABLE. Dear sweet Lord, that boy was bad. Maybe he was trying to exude some family resemblance or something? And, scriptwise, who uses words like "absolve" in regular conversation?


• I jokingly said Gray was upholstered, but seriously, what was going on there? (If I'm fanwanking, it looks like an attack dog training suit, so maybe he was spending some time training up the Weevils? Maybe they cut a scene about to which extent Gray was controlling them? it would also explain why the Weevils targeted the senior police officers, yes? OK, let's just go with that, then.)


• "King of the Weevils", gosh. That's fucking handy, innit? *Ianto-style eyeroll*


• Oh, man, if only Jack had said "One from the vaults." That would have been Rocky-tastic.


• Owen and Tosh. Yeah. I thought their deaths were both hugely dignified in the end, and perhaps I may have done a wee cry. I'll leave you to speculate on that one.


• If ANYTHING ever happens involving the unfreezing of Gray, I shall slash my wrists. I do not want to see the unshiny sleeping bag dude again. DO YOU HEAR ME, RUSTY???


• YES, THAT WAS TOTALLY AN EYEROLL. THAT IS ALL. Ianto logging them out, though, again with the face, Gareth, just... ow. How does Gareth do that? I'd like to see an episode next season in which Gareth has NO LINES AT ALL and just does subtle face acting. It would rule.


• Jack/Ianto? Seperate post. Coming right up, peeps.

Comments

[off_coloratura]

I may have been blind, but I completely did not see that John was not working under his own volition. However, I think that says more about my expectations for character subtlety in this show than it does for my powers of observation. It was more obvious on second viewing.

I think the point in using John was to pull a big shocking switcheroo in the reveal of Grey. A good old-fashioned red herring. But you're right, it really does take time away from developing Grey's story.

I assumed the targeting of the four senior officers was a morale thing, and also a way to disrupt their ability to react in a huge crisis. Also, all the various rift activities were pinpointed and designed to lure the team members away from each other, but at the same time to be easily overcome. C.f. the easily-killed reapers and the easily-subdued Hoix. If the Weevils had just killed police randomly it might not have as urgently demanded a visit from a Torchwood agent, as the higher-ups would have taken the situation in hand. By making it look planned Torchwood was more likely to come. A weak explanation but the best one I can muster.

I still disagree about the eyeroll, and contend it's Ianto reacting to Jack's movement. Jack's right behind Ianto, he turns to his right to put an arm around Gwen, thus pushing his left shoulder against Ianto a bit, and Ianto lifts his eyes a little to the right, towards Jack. There's a little blinking going on during this. Then a sad swallow. That's all I see.

I'd like to see an episode next season in which Gareth has NO LINES AT ALL and just does subtle face acting. It would rule.

They should do a "Hush" episode. They've ripped off all the other Buffy tropes.

[tencrush]

They could have just NOT revealed who was behind it for a good long while and then jumped Grey on us. Could have been just as shocking, potentially.

The Weevil thing, I understand all that, I mean how do Weevils actually know who's in charge?

[off_coloratura]

Weevil-control technology? Like with the recall signal?