Wednesday, March 12, 2008
It's a nice day for a Welsh wedding
NUPTIALS! Torchwood, BBC Two, 9.00pm
We've got to hand it to Torchwood - they've set the bar sky-high this series in terms of the guest stars they can attract. We had James Marsters in the series opener, stealing the episode right out from underneath the main cast, Alan Dale a few weeks back, Richard Briers last week, but this week we think they've hit the jackpot - Nerys Hughes as Rhys's mum. Nerys Hughes! Awesome.
Also awesome: this week's episode. It's Gwen and Rhys's wedding, and it should come as no surprise to anyone who's been following their somewhat bumpy relationship that it doesn't exactly go smoothly. In any normal TV show this might mean someone marching in to stop the wedding, or the revelation of a massive ungodly secret in the middle of the ceremony, and...well, we do get both of those, pretty much, but since this is Torchwood, there's also the small matter of Gwen being inseminated with alien spawn. Cue a very knowing scene in which Gwen protests that the alien only bit her, and Owen and Jack exchange disbelieving looks, since they know only too well Gwen's habit of banging anything with a pulse, alien or otherwise. Possibly.
In a pleasant change of pace from the dark, brooding, hanging-around-on-rooftops tone of the past couple of episodes, this one's played for laughs for the most part, and it gives Eve Myles a chance to display some impressive comic chops (her reaction when Rhys reveals that Owen's been showing him how to use Torchwood's alien artifacts is priceless), as well as Nerys Hughes referring to Jack as "an American with no sense of timing or fashion" (she's clearly been following the show very closely), Tosh being cocooned with a horny best man, and Rhys punching Jack in the face. It reminds us of Buffy's better comedy episodes (interestingly, the one it reminded us of the most was season four's 'Something Blue', and this episode is called 'Something Borrowed'. Coincidence?) - for our money, it's the most entertaining episode they've done since 'They Keep Killing Suzie', and given how much we loved that episode, that's a very hearty recommendation indeed.
By Steve :: Post link
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Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Doctorin' the Hub
MARTH! Torchwood, BBC Two, 9.00pm
MIRTH? Freezing, BBC Two, 10.00pm
Exciting times for viewers in the 'worthless' demographic tonight, as iPlayerphobes and those outside the 25- to 34-year-old age bracket (now banned from watching future modern modern! BBC Three) finally get a look at [officially a] Doctor Martha Jones' first crossover appearance in this week's Torchwood - a typically snappy tale of pharmaceutical research, eyeball injections, alien surgical implements, shocks, surprises, sexual tension, low-wattage light bulbs and, as ever, the Welsh.
And what a crossover appearance! Martha's beatific presence shines light into every corner and crevice of the dingy Torchwood Hub: Owen 'warms up' towards Tosh, Ianto lets slip a few details about his off-duty moments with Jack (incidentally, initial concerns about having two unrelated characters in the same programme with the same surname proved unfounded, as Martha and Ianto are easily distinguishable from one another when sharing screen time), and even Gwen cracks a smile once or twice.
Such is the extent of Martha's divine ethereality, in fact, that her super-refined immune system turns out to be just the incubator Jim Robinson needs to boost his sinister experiments into the development of an all-purpose remedy for human illness, and, yes, that may sound rather a lot like a straightforward lift from a couple of old Neighbours episodes, but it's actually very different. There's also another joyful reunion as Jim catches up with his always-amazing former neighbour Dorothy Burke, now working as a parasitic alien mayfly in deepest Cardiff. Reuniorrific! 
BBC Two follows an established series about a bunch of people who are supposed to be doing secret stuff without anybody really noticing despite everyone apparently knowing all about them with a new series about a couple of people who really want people to notice them but in whom nobody seems very interested any more. (Seamless!) 'Urban comedy' Freezing (they're not 'hot' any more, do you see?) follows the disappointments and frustrations of a decreasingly successful fortysomething publisher (Hugh 'Bumbles' Bonneville) and his decreasingly successful fortysomething American actress wife (Elizabeth McGovern) as they attempt to cling to celebrity and garner recognition at an age where new opportunities, credibility and glamour elude them and watching BBC Three carries a mandatory prison sentence.
With a supporting cast of people who seem to be doing rather well for themselves despite being on the verge of, around, or beyond that very age, including Tom 'Bumbles' Hollander, Tim 'Bumbles' McInnerny, Anthony 'Bumbles' Head, Ben 'Trainee Bumbles' Miles, Joely Richardson, Fenella Woolgar, James Woods and Alex 'Bumbles' Kingston, Freezing certainly sounds as if it should be alright, but you might want to ask yourself why it's being rushed out on three consecutive evenings if it's actually that special. There could be a very good reason. We don't know. And THAT'S the magic and mystery of television, RIGHT THERE.
By Nick :: Post link
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Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Rhys Lightning
MEATY! Torchwood, BBC2, 9pm
Three episodes down and, thankfully, the rumours have been true so far: Torchwood keeps getting better. One thing it hasn't yet addressed, however, is Gwen's persistent wanderlust. She clearly isn't all that bothered about being with Rhys, other than that the relationship with him brings some stability to her life. And possibly helps her smug it over the others a bit. Last series we at least got to see him sometimes, though. This year he's been just featured in tiny glimpses, presumably as a metaphor for him moving to the periphery of Gwen's life, even if they are 'engaged'.
This is all a shame. We like Rhys. We think it would improve Gwen's character, too, if she was clearly in love with him, didn't keep flirting (and sometimes sleeping) with other men (and women) and if she was happy to maintain a life outside of Torchwood as well as her work life. It would add a little depth to the emotional side of the show and perhaps also challenge the others and their 'ZOMG! TORCHWOOD IS MAI TOTAL LYFE' attitudes, too.
We like Rhys. We also like Policeman Andy, Gwen's former colleague. A show like this needs its anchors to the rest of the world. Whilst Andy often represents the somewhat cynical voice of the viewer, Rhys fulfils the vital function (according to one of our most sci-fi geeky friends) of being the show's 'jock' character - and we mean jock in the butch blokey kind of way, not the slightly offensive term for Scottish way, because we must not forget that this is a WELSH show set in CARDIFF after all.
So how do we greet the news that tonight's episode is quite Rhys-centric? Well, with trepidation, if we're honest, even though we are pleased the character is finally getting some attention. Apparently tonight's episode sees Rhys find out about Torchwood. But he's done that before and had it all drugged out of him afterwards, so who's to say that won't happen again? We also wonder if someone might die this series, because someone always dies in long-running series eventually. We can't help but think that if Rhys finds out about Torchwood it might signal the beginning of the end for him. And if that happens, we will not be happy at all.
By Rad :: Post link
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Wednesday, January 16, 2008
An important announcement from the Cardiff tourist board
NEW! IMPROVED? Torchwood, BBC2, 9pm
Yes, that's right, our favourite Cardiff-based alien-hunting bisexuals are back! Now, we are actually quite excted about the return of Torchwood. Contrary to popular opinion, we didn't think series 1 was all that bad. Well, it was in parts, but some parts of it were really good. What it suffered from was complete inconsistency. And a not-altogether-likeable bunch of main characters (except Suzie. We loved Suzie). And the fact that it wasn't a patch on Doctor Who. Then The Sarah Jane Adventures came along and blew it out of the water.
However, the portents for series two of this Cardiff-set drama are pretty good. Apparently the team behind it decided to pull their socks up and rectify all the things that were so wrong first time around. So we've been promised less angst, more likeable characters, more engaging storylines, more Cardiff and even some humour. The post watershed edited repeat (startng next week) means that the violence, sex and swearing will be minimised and so it will hopefully feel a little bit less like late-night Hollyoaks (ZOMG! WE IZ CAN DO SWEARING AN STUFF. IN CARDIFF) and more like a proper good sci-fi drama romp. In Cardiff. We are also ultra, ultra excited by the prospect of Dame Martha Jones turning up halfway and being fierce.
Episode one sees the arrival in Cardiff of another time-travelling sexual terrorist time agent in the form of Captain John, who is played, excitingly, by James Marsters. Whilst he may seem a bit exciting to be visiting Cardiff, apparently Torchwood went down well in the USA, so we get some proper exciting guest stars this series, in the form of Marsters, Jim Robinson (sorry Alan Dale, but that's all you'll ever be in this country) and, bizarrely enough, Richard Briers. And we're sure the Cardiff skyline will play an important role, too. And though we haven't heard any rumours to support our theory, don't be surprised if Myleene Klass turns up. Just so that Barrowman doesn't get all the limelight.
Anyway. Things we would like to see in this series include Martha being uber-fierce, Captain Jack actually shagging an alien (all the pre-show publicity was like 'oh Captain Jack, he'll shag anyone or anything, but all we have seen so far is him snogging men and women! How vanilla!), the return of Suzie, some properly scary enemies, Rhys growing some balls, Owen facing up to being a Weevil-baiting 'good' rapist (TM Hollyoaks) who almost ended the world by chasing after a woman WHO DUMPED HIM, a kick-ass finale, preferably featuring Suzie, and some more of Tosh and Ianto. And Cardiff, of course.
Things we would like not to see include Owen (or anyone) shagging Martha, Owen shagging Gwen, Owen shagging Jack, Owen shagging Ianto, Owen shagging Toshiko, Owen shagging Suzie's corpse, Owen shagging Captain John, Owen shagging Jim Robinson, Owen shagging alien/guest character of the week, the return of that rubbish demon baddie thing that ruined the finale, a return to Countrycide village, Owen shagging Richard Briers.
Every source we have read or heard (including our own beloved leader Paul) says episode one of this new series of the Cardiff-based show is a triumph. So let's just hope the rest of it carries on in that vein, eh?
By Rad :: Post link
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