Here's The Thing About Torchwood
Over the weekend I was watching Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, because hey that's what I do on the weekends. After the show was over I couldn't find the remote control and so therefore was forced to watch the next show on which was Graham Norton. Funny as hell. Jon Bon Jovi looked stiff, but it was good. Still unable to get up, Torchwood came on and I started watching it. I only watched the first 15 minutes or so because my fat ass found the remote control for me and the tv turned off. I didn't have the energy to stand up and dig it out of wherever my obesity had pushed it, so there it lay.
I had never seen the show and I have to tell you I am not a sci-fi guy. I watched all of the X-Files episodes, but not until after the film came out. And I didn't watch any of the Robert Patrick ones because it just felt like cheating. So this Torchwood show was about some 1918 time rift that was allowing people to enter the present and I watched up to the point where some 1918 dude was about to get it on with a woman from the present. What is with the BBC and these time traveler shows? Isn't there one where the guy is a cop in the 1970's and is actually from the present? Anyway, later in the weekend when my ass hit the on switch again, (Thanks to Depends and a mini-fridge/microwave combo I don't get up much.) I decided to TiVo the episodes of Torchwood. Later however, I saw an ad for it and the stars appeared to be having some time of gun battle with aliens which I would not be interested in seeing. Is Torchwood X-Files like or is going to be gun battles with creatures? I need to know before my ass sits down in the chair this weekend.
Oh, by the way that new show BBC is going to run called Last Kitchen Standing looks kick ass and can't wait to see it and for the sanitized for your protection American Version with Rachael Ray as host. Actually, if she was hosting it, it would suck, but I know there will be an American version because it looks really good and if there is one thing Americans are good at it, it is stealing British reality television. Oh, and we also make good recliners.
Torchwood is a mix of X-Files type mysteries and Doctor Who type alien adventures with a lot of omnisexual smut thrown in for good measure.
ReplyDeleteStill tryin' to get us to believe you're a big fat guy, eh?
ReplyDeleteI've been watching Torchwood (since I'm stuck in the country but still on city hours. Late night TV is my club scene right now.) It isn't half bad. In this season's first episode, James Marsters, Buffy's Spike, had a full on man kiss with the main hero...damn hot! A problem - the acting is horrible. It wouldn't be a problem, if the show would stay straight up sci-fi, but they have to try for embarrassing dramatic moments.
ReplyDeleteLiving on Mars is better, I think. That's the show about the modern cop stuck in the '70s. Better sci-fi premise where you are never sure what is going on and much better acting.
In my next life I wanna be British.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry Ent, the god-awful American remakes of Life on Mars and Torchwood are in the pipeline. With all the sex and fun deleted and added violence.
ReplyDeleteTorchwood is a spin-off from Dr Who, who is a time traveller. Torchwood has added sex, courtesy of John Barrowman, the lead, who is just too darn gay for his native US. Still, it's nice to see him snogging the face off every passing alien and human. It's basically sci-fi.
Glad you liked Graham Norton.
Ent, Torchwood is the closest you'll come to X-Files these days. I liked duncanpowers' comment, pretty much captures it.
ReplyDeleteI'm a fan.
Thanks, dnfrommn.
ReplyDeleteAnd ms_wonderland, I am so cringing at the idea of US remakes for Torchwood. It's just going to ruin the atmosphere, and the smut is the best part. That's why I stalk YouTube relentlessly on Thursdays waiting for someone in the UK to post it.
What's the premise of Last Kitchen Standing?
ReplyDeleteThere's no need to wait for YouTube if you get BBCAmerica - all the smut and none of the hypocritical American editing.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, unfortunately Barrowman is just a wee bit too fey for America - but God bless the British...they at least know how to treat a Queen.
I started watching Torchwood when I realize I had the BBCAmerica channel hehehe. At first thought I wasn't going to like it but I have stuck to it. Sometimes its enjoyable other times its like blah.
ReplyDeleteAnyway the Hero (Capt. Jack) I was very surprise with the kissing scene. I was wondering if he was gay or not since he never made a play to the women in the organization. So that made me wonder about him LOL. Now he seems more gay than when I first saw the first season.
For those of you that are X-file fans their is another movie coming out in 2009 or 2010 can't remember which year.
"Torchwood" is good meat and potatoes sci-fi, nothing groundbreaking but very entertaining. The quality from week to week varies dramatically, but it's good fun and although it veers into melodrama, it doesn't take itself seriously at all. I'm quite hooked on it. American TV doesn't come close to the balls of "Torchwood" except for "Battlestar: Galactica," which is far more self-important (and even then they don't have to guts to have a gay character, much less have a same-sex kiss for no reason except to do it.)
ReplyDeletep.s. Those "fey" comments about John Barrowman have to be meant ironically, because there's nothing swishy about him. He's a full-on action hero, throwing punches and firing guns and kissing everyone, male and female and alien, he can find. Not a hint of Quentin Crisp...
Captain Jack is 'omnisexual' as in he will fuck anything. He did some stuff with women, aand there's great sexual tension with Gwen.
ReplyDeleteJohn Barrowman is v v gay. Married his LT boyfriend last year, has been the star of several West End musicals (yes he sings showtunes) and has the dirtiest laugh you ever heard. Flamboyant, but not fey.
I became seiously obsessed with BBC America about three months ago, I prefer it to most American TV. I also suggest watching the BBC America news if you do not because they cover all the things that our media doesn't care to address (as a media professional I feel comfortable saying that!)
ReplyDeleteOh, and "How Clean is Your House?" and "You Are What You Eat" are amazing shows too. I <3 Kim and Aggie.
aS a Brit it makes me chuckle listening to your reviews of it, Barrowman is even a little twee for us i heard a tale about how during filming one of the props a large brown eye he decided to stow away in his arse for the day for the sake of humour. however for light hearted ramble this is a decent enough television although not quite as faux funny as Dr Who
ReplyDeleteCaptain Jack is not the only "ominsexual" member of the Torchwood team. The women have all had their share of lesbian love scenes, as have some of the other men. The sci-fi is sometimes interesting. Love it when they delve into the "human" character "issues." Plus, I love it that Captain Jack can't die, and that he's over 100 years old. Stay tuned...
ReplyDeleteBBC America is where it's at right now..."Torchwood" and "Doctor Who" (David Tenant has really grown on me), "Hotel Babylon" is light soapy fun, "Robin Hood" has a sexy lead and it's absorbing.
ReplyDeleteI'm getting into "Top Gear" and dread the American remake. The version of Gordon Ramsay on "Kitchen Nightmares" is more entertaining and relatable than the version we get here on "Hell's Kitchen."
I want to do dirty things to that time traveler in Torchwood.
ReplyDeleteHere's a tip, Torchwood is a spinoff of Doctor Who. It's also an anagram of Doctor Who. Apparently the Dr W series was such a buzz overseas that the writers said they worked on 'torchwood' so as not to be mobbed by insane 'what would mulder do?' fans of the show. Thus when time for a spinoff arrived, why not? Great name, still an anagram.
Also, I want to just abduct Mr.Barrowman for my own good. Unfortunately I think it would result in nothing more than a knitting session.
He tried out for Will in Will and Grace. Turned down because he was 'too straight'.
Yep
Whoops, here's the link about him being too 'straight' sorry for not including it above
ReplyDeletehttp://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/gay%20doctor%20who%20star%20too%20straight%20for%20will%20+%20grace
Also, as a Buffy fan (and a huge Spike fan) I do hope they taught him how to correctly mimic the british accent.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI can't watch Torchwood unless James Marsters is there being sexy. I don't care about the aliens, I don't really care about the time travel. I tried to watch from season one knowing James would be in season two. I didn't like it at all. And I watched The X-files from season one. So unless one of the players on the show makes you feel twitching in your depends Ent it is a skip it. I am just going to wear out my Buffy dvds till Joss Whedon's new show starts. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI really do have to admit that I'm kind of addicted to Torchwood. I know, I know.. it's very camp, but I can't help it! So far the first season is much better than the second.. you could try watching the first 2 episodes and then decide if you really like it or not Ent :)
ReplyDeleteEnt,
ReplyDeleteas far as aliens go, the Torchwood gang are more likely to fuck 'em than fight 'em. Or, perhaps, fuck 'em THEN fight 'em. Whatever, it's all fun to watch! It's occasionally cheesy, and sometimes badly acted, but they have some really good moments too.
Benjamin,
quite right - as Al Murray said when interviewing John Barrowman, 'There's no mince on the menu!'
I think he's fabulously entertaining and Captain Jack is very watchable.
First - an American version of Torchwood wouldn't work because the very PREMISE of the show is based on the history of the 'Torchwood Institute' from Doctor Who lore: started by Queen Victoria to investigate supernatural and alien situations all the while preparing the UK for another visit from "The Doctor". The Doctor is Torchwoods enemy, in a sense. (RTD loves Anagrams, and this is no exception - he liked the fake DW name so much he made it a part of Canon.)
ReplyDeleteIts set in Cardiff (Wales) because that's where a rift in Time and Space exists. They get the most activity (supernatural, etc) and therefore it makes sense for them to be centrally located there.
To make it a show in the US, you'd have to strip it to its most basic concept: a 'government' or higher agency that investigates aliens and supernatural stuff.
And that was X-Files and it as on for 7 seasons, so blah.
They do **not** need to remake this show. Ever. God. They should just air it on American TV.
(Just like they should with Life on Mars, but heavens no, TV Producers think the American public is a bunch of xenophobic morons. BBC America goes into over 91 Million homes - I think the US can handle an accent or two. BLAH.)
***A little additional Torchwood info for you ENT:***
In Series 2 (or season 2) of Doctor Who, we learn that Torchwood was essentially destroyed at the battle of Canary Wharf. (sorry for spoilers but its on season 4 now, so i don't feel too bad)
Captain Jack, a human side character from Doctor Who, is from the future (the 51st century) and was a Time Agent (thus no stranger to time-travelling) - long story short, thanks to some Doctor Who season 1 shennanigans, he cannot die. He got stuck in the past after a faulty Temperal Shift (time jump) and has been living on the Earth watching it change and grow, etc. while waiting for an incarnation of The Doctor that he knows to appear (he has tons of questions he needs answers to). He's smart, tough, wickedly charming, and omnisexual. (He even states a few times that our limited sexuality is "quaint" to him.) He now runs a small team trying to rebuild Torchwood. He wants to shift the focus from "how do we get The Doctor" to "Humanity needs to be ready for the future".
(Captain Jack is the leader on Torchwood and a 'sidekick' on Doctor Who.)
(To Wrap all this up: I'm a lifelong Doctor Who fan, and Torchwood is right up my alley. Plus Barrowman is easy on the eyes and fun to watch.)
Awwww, Ent, I'm sad that Torchwood didn't do it for you - it's my favorite show. I've been an avid Torchwood fan since it premiered in the UK last fall, and if you watch the new Doctor Who to get the set-up for it, it's even better. I actually find Torchwood one of the best "not too sci-fi" sci-fi shows, since I, too, am not the biggest sci-fi fan. Torchwood is all about the characters and their drama, augmented by all the alien and time travel stuff.
ReplyDeleteTo The Last Man (the episode you started watching) really isn't the best episode to get started on, since it's one of the more melodramatic ones, and Toshiko-centric... starting from series 1, episode 1/2 really is the best way to give Torchwood a go, and see if it's for you. The show can be really camp and a bit OTT at times (it's Russell T. Davies - Queer as Folk creator + sci-fi drama = gay and OTT but oh-so-good tv, lol), but it is far edgier than Doctor Who, and darker, which is why I like it. In series one, you get orgasm-monsters (no, really), evil fairies, cannibals and an alien fight club, just to name a few things - if you like dark, human psychology, there's plenty of it. Several season one eps are total throw-aways, however, which is unfortunate in terms of bringing in new viewers. The end of the series really has a great payoff, however, and series two is even better, so far.
Plus, if you like lesbians (or pretty boys kissing, for the rest of us :D), every single character on Torchwood is either bi-sexual or has had a same-sex kiss. You can enjoy both Gwen and Toshiko making out with women in series one, if that's your thing (worth mentioning! The show is SO GAY :D). And as other people mentioned, Jack will hook up with anyone :D
Anyone who is vaguely interested, season one is available on DVD in the US!
Just a few thoughts...John Barrowman is actually a Scot, not American, although he does well on the accent. James Marsters on the other hand is very American, and does not do so well with the accent.
ReplyDeletepsst: John Barrowman is HALF-Scot. He was born in Scotland, but RAISED in the US (Michigan, I believe, lived in the US through college) by his American father and Scottish mother - he's a dual citizen, to be exact. So the American accent is genuine and not put on. When you hear him do Scottish, however, it is PUT on, though it's absolutely adorable and spot on, as he's mimicking his mother's brogue. I know too much, clearly :D
ReplyDelete