Torchwood: Having Mercy On My Circles

[ed_rex]

 

That's right folks, it's summer and, this year, that means another series of Torchwood. Ten episodes over ten weeks this year, as compared to five over five days in 2009.

And yes, I'm watching it, hoping that Russell T Davies can return to form and wash the disappointing memories of this year's Doctor Who from my mind.

The first two series of the show ranged from campy delight to nearly pornographic awfulness (sometimes in the same episode) and the third came within a last-minute intellectual cop-out of being a masterpiece of sociological science fiction, so it's anybody's guess how Davies' fourth kick at the Torchwood can will turn out.

One episode in, the results are still up in the air.

My review of the episode is posted here and my overview of the series to date is over here.

Comments

[evilawyer]

I just can't get worked up over this one. The way the original series ended by ripping everything apart beyond repair as a means of making the big emotional play, followed by this resurrection/transplant? I don't know. I'll be interested to see your reviews of all the episodes, so I'll be able to tell whether any will intrigue me enough to make it worth my while to hunt it down.

[jhumor]

I think you're being a little harsh on the release of the Oswald character. (Especially since this is only the first episode.) Perhaps my expectations have been lulled so much that I expect things to be terribly bad, but knowing he's a major character, there's more to his story than we've seen so far. Also? What he cited about his sentence being carried out so he is now a 'free man' is actually true - just the likelihood of it happening is astronomical. And why not do it with a man who will be hated/ostracized everywhere he goes? I think him being released might actually be a worse punishment for him, given the way American society is these days.

Also as to the 'baby in ear muffs.' I saw it as a cute play on wearing ear protection in shooting ranges. It was a bit of a visual joke and I, not really to be the one to like guns, found it funny enough that I actually did laugh at that bit.

All that said. I rather enjoyed it. If only because it's not like CoE at all and feels like it'll be more cohesive than other TW seasons. It's got a 24 feel to it: We have a good chunk of information already, but we won't know everything until the last episode.

At least, I'm hoping that's the case. Even if it's not. There's nothing else new from the Whoniverse to watch right now, so it's entertaining enough for me.