Torchwood: Children of Earth: Day Four

[beccaelizabeth]

Ow.

ow.
ow.
ow.

that's about all I've got really.

And some angry.

It's just... look, it's not difficult to write characters dead, there's a million things that can make people dead, the inevitability of death is just one of those stupid fucking things. It's actually trickier to make people care, feel the stakes, feel the suspense, and yet not get rid of the reasons we're bothering to watch in the first place, the characters we care about.

We don't watch it to see how they die. We like them and don't want them to die. We watch to see how they can win against the odds.

I've about had it with stories that just have them die anyway.

We've run out of characters! What the hell? There's Jack and Gwen left, and if it was in fact a virus, Gwen should be infected from all those dead dudes! Not that she will be. That would make sense in logic world.

... If there's not another season of Torchwood I can see why.

So, okay, miserable now. That's... stupid.

I mean, brave last stand, great words, bitter tragedy, one last kiss... but why do that story?

The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.
I didn't want to see how it hurts to lose someone. We know. It happens. A lot.
I wanted to see how they could live, how they could juggle a relationship and all their responsibilities. That's the hard part. That's the rare part. That's the story they could tell here but nowhere else on television right now.

So miserable and with a sense of waste that's not limited to in-world.



Ianto looked pretty dead.
... I mean they did the makeup to make him look dead-dead. The fact he still looked pretty wasn't ... urgh.


You know in fanfic we focus on that kiss in Cyberwoman and Jack pushing back death?
That's because that's the important part. The idea that love can beat death. Just sometimes.


Why don't we get that?




I could look at the rest of the episode. Very stirring, great setup, played exactly the way I thought it would with the politics but even more so, and a big confrontation scene. Okay.


They've set up all the reasons why they cannot win. Invisible enemy, fast death from bioweapons, everyone screwed.

The 'how do they get out of that' quotient is high. In fact right at the moment I can't see a thread. This could be a problem. Whatever they pull has to follow logically from what has happened before, and I can't see it.



Unless the 456 end up saying 'psych!' and it's all an april fool.


So I want to see what happens next, so the writers can pull out of this.



I also want Ianto back. Right now.

Comments

[aeron-lanart.livejournal.com]

Me Not Happy. This is worse than Tosh and Owen because they were already cut to the bone by loss. It's even worse than Richie.

But...

I have a happy place, and Richie and all the others are already there.

[beccaelizabeth]

Richie was worse because Richie's death and the PTB's expectation that we'd just swallow it and still perceive his killer as a hero wrecked the setup of the show. Ianto's death doesn't wreck the setup. Torchwood fuck up a lot and die. We knew this. We were just hoping.

And yeah, there's always de nile.
But... why?


ETA: sorry. bit bitter. miserable.

[aeron-lanart.livejournal.com]

Don't worry. I miserable too. And thinking about it in the cold light of day, Richie was much worse - I was just pretty upset last night. Still am this morning, but have taken 2 steps away from it. At least Ianto got to die in Jack's arms, knowing Jack cared for him.

[beccaelizabeth]

die in Jack's arms, yes
knowing? that would be part of the tragic...

[ryttu3k.livejournal.com]

It's sci fi. They'll bring him back. ...Right?

Please?

[beccaelizabeth]

I suspect it's not that kind of sci fi.
I think I miss that kind of sci fi.

[ryttu3k.livejournal.com]

I just rewatched it with my Mum. ...And bawled my eyes out again.

[beathen.livejournal.com]

The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.

OMG, so much love for Buffy. That season finale made me cry.

[beccaelizabeth]

*nods* still does

[lefaym.livejournal.com]

I also want Ianto back. Right now.

Me too. I don't care how brilliant and tragic it was, I just want him back.

[beccaelizabeth]

*nods a lot*

[lefaym.livejournal.com]

*clings*

[alizarin-nyc.livejournal.com]

This is a great paragraph and is exactly how I feel:

It's just... look, it's not difficult to write characters dead, there's a million things that can make people dead, the inevitability of death is just one of those stupid fucking things. It's actually trickier to make people care, feel the stakes, feel the suspense, and yet not get rid of the reasons we're bothering to watch in the first place, the characters we care about.

We don't watch it to see how they die. We like them and don't want them to die. We watch to see how they can win against the odds.

I've about had it with stories that just have them die anyway.

That's why I hate promos that herald, "One of your beloved characters will DIE!" Like that's a reason to get me to tune in. Grr.

[beccaelizabeth]

*nods*