I'm very cynical. When putting an episode together, choices are made about what's important to show and what's not. It was important to show Gwen/Rhys. It was not important to show Jack/Ianto even though they could have made time for just one small scene of the two of them together (just like Gwen/Rhys). Maybe they could have cut a few seconds of Quilted Cardboard or JM to make room for it. But of course there was another fanbase to serve with that storyline, so no. That tells me something about the priorities of the showrunners and what they think about the relative importance of that relationship in the grand scheme of things.
While they've been clear enough about Ianto's side of things (because this relationship is essential to his character growth), they've not bothered to show very much of Jack's side of things. So I interpret that to mean it's not really important to Jack as a character. Jack's enjoying it, it's a relationship that helps Ianto grow as a person (which adds another layer of enjoyment for Jack the Saviour), and it enhances their professional rapport but that seems to be it. There's no 'there' there for Jack. I think there was more screen time devoted to how Jack feels about Gwen, frankly. It seemed to be the point of two entire episodes even though I can't claim to understand it.
The fact that the BBCA Blog has much more from Jack's perspective than the show provides looks to me like a blatant exercise of 'having cake and eating it too' because they can give a segment of fandom what they want without having to actually include it in the show itself.
The best thing I can say about Jack/Ianto this series is that Ianto seems to have blossomed as a person and that despite his intense feelings for Jack, he is clearly his own person with his own moral center. That's a very good thing. Jack seems to be getting some pleasure out of his life and relationship with Ianto, so that's a good thing, too. I'm sad that this isn't a love story as I would have hoped (I'm not sure why GDL says it is because general usage of that term implies 'in love' and while Jack 'loves' there's really been no 'in love').
Someone (I wish I could remember who it was so I could credit him/her) said that Jack is a point on the journey and not a destination for Ianto. I think that may have been a very wise observation. If it's a choice between Ianto having no relationship and becoming Owen/Tosh or a relationship with a mentor who respects (but isn't in love) with him, then I guess for now I'll choose the latter. I doubt I'll feel that way for another series because part of me is a sappy romantic and I would like these two to actually be in love. Part of me wants Ianto to have it all the way Gwen is trying to have it all with Rhys. If Ianto remains accepting of a relationship with someone who isn't in love with him, I'll start to worry that he's too damaged to actually want a relationship with someone who makes emotional demands and that will make me a little sad for the character (much as I was sad that Tosh was so damned needy).
But in some ways it's fruitless for me to even speculate because I think TW as we know it is over. With a new showrunner, cast changes (both regular and recurring), and possibly other things going on, they could go in any direction at this point for the future.
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While they've been clear enough about Ianto's side of things (because this relationship is essential to his character growth), they've not bothered to show very much of Jack's side of things. So I interpret that to mean it's not really important to Jack as a character. Jack's enjoying it, it's a relationship that helps Ianto grow as a person (which adds another layer of enjoyment for Jack the Saviour), and it enhances their professional rapport but that seems to be it. There's no 'there' there for Jack. I think there was more screen time devoted to how Jack feels about Gwen, frankly. It seemed to be the point of two entire episodes even though I can't claim to understand it.
The fact that the BBCA Blog has much more from Jack's perspective than the show provides looks to me like a blatant exercise of 'having cake and eating it too' because they can give a segment of fandom what they want without having to actually include it in the show itself.
The best thing I can say about Jack/Ianto this series is that Ianto seems to have blossomed as a person and that despite his intense feelings for Jack, he is clearly his own person with his own moral center. That's a very good thing. Jack seems to be getting some pleasure out of his life and relationship with Ianto, so that's a good thing, too. I'm sad that this isn't a love story as I would have hoped (I'm not sure why GDL says it is because general usage of that term implies 'in love' and while Jack 'loves' there's really been no 'in love').
Someone (I wish I could remember who it was so I could credit him/her) said that Jack is a point on the journey and not a destination for Ianto. I think that may have been a very wise observation. If it's a choice between Ianto having no relationship and becoming Owen/Tosh or a relationship with a mentor who respects (but isn't in love) with him, then I guess for now I'll choose the latter. I doubt I'll feel that way for another series because part of me is a sappy romantic and I would like these two to actually be in love. Part of me wants Ianto to have it all the way Gwen is trying to have it all with Rhys. If Ianto remains accepting of a relationship with someone who isn't in love with him, I'll start to worry that he's too damaged to actually want a relationship with someone who makes emotional demands and that will make me a little sad for the character (much as I was sad that Tosh was so damned needy).
But in some ways it's fruitless for me to even speculate because I think TW as we know it is over. With a new showrunner, cast changes (both regular and recurring), and possibly other things going on, they could go in any direction at this point for the future.