BFA Torchwood 17 The Office of Never Was
Jul. 2nd, 2018 06:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beccaelizabethOkaaaay... so...
I remember back in season 1 of Torchwood where I quite happily theorised that Torchwood were, in fact, still the bad guys. Much as we might like them, the whole... everything they ever did, was in fact the problem. They were pretty much evil.
This audio? Very much supporting that.
It's well written, engaging, spooky, dark enough, and basically if the things that happen here are true then Ianto, specifically, is an evil bastard.
Which is interesting, as characterisation goes.
And I'm interested why I feel like this crosses a line. We've seen them use retcon before.
But here Ianto apparently uses it on himself when he feels he has screwed up or done something awful. He specifically uses it to silence his own conscience. This is audio canon now. Ianto Jones drugs himself to forget whenever he's done something appalling.
So.
That's a thing.
... I'm actually evil grinning, but only because of a flexible approach to canon. I mean, this is an entirely consistent angle that changes how everything else reads, but I wouldn't want it to be the only true thing.
This story generates more story. Which is always fun.
But a Ianto that would actually do this, that would kill people and retcon himself so he doesn't know it... oh, that is dark.
... I kind of love it.
Because it's a completely valid, viable, use of retcon. And the guy who has been through so much shit and still thinks he's saving the world? Could absolutely be the guy who does this.
Ianto preserving what is left of his innocence by drugging himself ignorant is... Story.
Killers with a clean conscience is a great angle on Torchwood, or anyone with a steady supply of retcon.
But if this is the only angle on Ianto I would hate it.
Because I like Ianto.
But if he's been doing this not only do I not know him, he doesn't either.
Which could be interesting.
I find GDL a very engaging audio performer, a lively voice that feels like an actual person.
So he can sell all kinds of stuff.
And that makes this fun.
Because a disc of someone trapped in an office shouldn't be particularly exciting compared to the usual Torchwood fare, and quite a lot of the middle turns out to be pretty much misleads, but the spookiness was well sustained and the ending is such a neat twist on everything we've ever seen I'm fine with it.
I'm going to give this 4.5 stars.
Might feel differently on a different day, but, I'm glad I own this one for later relistening.
I remember back in season 1 of Torchwood where I quite happily theorised that Torchwood were, in fact, still the bad guys. Much as we might like them, the whole... everything they ever did, was in fact the problem. They were pretty much evil.
This audio? Very much supporting that.
It's well written, engaging, spooky, dark enough, and basically if the things that happen here are true then Ianto, specifically, is an evil bastard.
Which is interesting, as characterisation goes.
And I'm interested why I feel like this crosses a line. We've seen them use retcon before.
But here Ianto apparently uses it on himself when he feels he has screwed up or done something awful. He specifically uses it to silence his own conscience. This is audio canon now. Ianto Jones drugs himself to forget whenever he's done something appalling.
So.
That's a thing.
... I'm actually evil grinning, but only because of a flexible approach to canon. I mean, this is an entirely consistent angle that changes how everything else reads, but I wouldn't want it to be the only true thing.
This story generates more story. Which is always fun.
But a Ianto that would actually do this, that would kill people and retcon himself so he doesn't know it... oh, that is dark.
... I kind of love it.
Because it's a completely valid, viable, use of retcon. And the guy who has been through so much shit and still thinks he's saving the world? Could absolutely be the guy who does this.
Ianto preserving what is left of his innocence by drugging himself ignorant is... Story.
Killers with a clean conscience is a great angle on Torchwood, or anyone with a steady supply of retcon.
But if this is the only angle on Ianto I would hate it.
Because I like Ianto.
But if he's been doing this not only do I not know him, he doesn't either.
Which could be interesting.
I find GDL a very engaging audio performer, a lively voice that feels like an actual person.
So he can sell all kinds of stuff.
And that makes this fun.
Because a disc of someone trapped in an office shouldn't be particularly exciting compared to the usual Torchwood fare, and quite a lot of the middle turns out to be pretty much misleads, but the spookiness was well sustained and the ending is such a neat twist on everything we've ever seen I'm fine with it.
I'm going to give this 4.5 stars.
Might feel differently on a different day, but, I'm glad I own this one for later relistening.