Torchwood last episode
Jan. 2nd, 2007 01:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beccaelizabethHave been reading reviews, and have found some dissatisfaction. Have a thought as to why. See: reason they had to change the ending of Blade.
First Blade film they originally had him turning into a huge great monster. But that didn't work for the audience. Because up until then it had been a tight personal duel, one on one, all the issues from the heart, blood vengeance and blood connections. You know, the good stuff.
Having it turn into a big whirly monster didn't actually pay any of that off at all.
So they reverted to a traditional martial arts duel. Which works for a reason.
You have to pay off what you set up.
And much as I adore most of the episode, I don't think they really did that.
The foreshadowing about the beast was there, but not very there. Something moving in the darkness, and we've heard that before. So it was all set up, but somewhere in the background.
But then there were the visions. The very, very, personal reasons for the team to do what they did. That makes it a personal scale fight.
But there was no personal scale payoff. Personal reward, hell yes, but it was like... Here's this little chess match with your heart's desires and your worst fears, and then we have a break for REALLY BIG MONSTER which you let out by ignoring the needs of the many and ripping open the rift (the void, hell) for personal reasons. Which entirely works on the myth level, but where's the personal nature of that fight?
And the team steps back while Saint Jack, the only one of them incorrupt, fights the beast from the Darkness by filling it with his light, and nobly giving his life.
Which, again, works on the myth level, *but not as a story payoff*.
Because the beast came out of nowhere, and Team Torchwood didn't really win.
It stepped sideways into another story and then back again.
If, and only if, you have a problem with how it did the story.
I loved it first viewing.
Second viewing now started. Going :-)
First Blade film they originally had him turning into a huge great monster. But that didn't work for the audience. Because up until then it had been a tight personal duel, one on one, all the issues from the heart, blood vengeance and blood connections. You know, the good stuff.
Having it turn into a big whirly monster didn't actually pay any of that off at all.
So they reverted to a traditional martial arts duel. Which works for a reason.
You have to pay off what you set up.
And much as I adore most of the episode, I don't think they really did that.
The foreshadowing about the beast was there, but not very there. Something moving in the darkness, and we've heard that before. So it was all set up, but somewhere in the background.
But then there were the visions. The very, very, personal reasons for the team to do what they did. That makes it a personal scale fight.
But there was no personal scale payoff. Personal reward, hell yes, but it was like... Here's this little chess match with your heart's desires and your worst fears, and then we have a break for REALLY BIG MONSTER which you let out by ignoring the needs of the many and ripping open the rift (the void, hell) for personal reasons. Which entirely works on the myth level, but where's the personal nature of that fight?
And the team steps back while Saint Jack, the only one of them incorrupt, fights the beast from the Darkness by filling it with his light, and nobly giving his life.
Which, again, works on the myth level, *but not as a story payoff*.
Because the beast came out of nowhere, and Team Torchwood didn't really win.
It stepped sideways into another story and then back again.
If, and only if, you have a problem with how it did the story.
I loved it first viewing.
Second viewing now started. Going :-)