AfterElton.com Interview with RTD

[outwhere.livejournal.com]

Major spoilers for TW:CoE.

http://www.afterelton.com/blog/michaeljensen/russell-t-davies-answers-the-question

This interview mainly covers the question of why they wrote Ianto out, but does also cover why Gwen got a happy ending and Janto did not. All I can say is that RTD comes across as very arrogant and doesn't entirely seem to be on the same planet as the rest of the world whatever their views on the series.

Comments

[phantomreviewer.livejournal.com]

So it's our fault for liking Ianto more than Gwen, that Gwen got a happy ending?

And Ianto's fault that he was gay and the gay character doesn't *have* to have a happy ending...

I don't think that interview made *any sense*.

[caz251.livejournal.com]

I don't think RTD realises that the whole not liking Gwen & Rhys being happy isn't that we don't like the happiness aspect, I personally want nothing more than Rhys to be happy...

... with someone other than Gwen.

In my opinion, RTD doesn't want to consider the reality that is the section of his viewing population that don't fall at the feet of his amazing mary-sue gwen.

[emzbuckley.livejournal.com]

So, because we don't like Gwen and prefer people who can act, we got punished for it? WTF?

[suzywok.livejournal.com]

I am an horrible person but I have to say this: I do hope he fails at Hollywood.

[onlyoneargess.livejournal.com]

No, he won't pass muster here in the States. We like our shows to make sense, without a rising count in the butchers bill.

[jennelldhalrbj.livejournal.com]

Just let him come to Hamburg---just let him---

[techmuse.livejournal.com]

He is such a soap opera writer. Ianto had to die so Jack could have real grief. That is a copout, a way to remove himself from a bad decision by using the drama card.
A poster pointed out the real drama would have been to kill a pregnant Gwen, that would have been more of a dramatic moment.
Bringing back Ianto would cheapen the moment, again another post pointed out he has done this numerous times before. I agree he has been cheap and easy before but again it was Rose. so if he had killed off Gwen you can be damn sure he would cheapen that moment and bring her back. He is such a clueless bastard.

I do commend the interviewer for commenting on how we wanted the emotional relationship that we seem to get in CoE with G/R but did not get with I/J...he seemed to feel the same way about wanting the more coupley Janto scenes that we were told would be in Season 3

All in all the interviewer seemed to get how disconcertingly obtuse RTD is about what the fans wanted from Torchwood and how the heteronormative won out for a happy ending.

[emzbuckley.livejournal.com]

Lets not forget he has also brought both Jack back and he is also bringing the master back for one of the specials as well. So this whole, it cheapens it thing is a load of crap. If he can bring Rose, Jack and the Master back, then he can bring Ianto back.

[suzywok.livejournal.com]

Is he still in charge of TW 4 ?

[emzbuckley.livejournal.com]

I don't know. I mean, he has left the BBC and has no contract with them so technically he shouldn't be incharge of season 4 because he has no contract.

[suzywok.livejournal.com]

So there's still hope. Though I wouldn't want to be the new guy in charge: what RTD did is hard to mend

[ceindreadh.livejournal.com]

I can think of almost a dozen canon ways to 'fix' Torchwood. All of course involve having Ianto back, and about half of them would also get back the Hub.

Personally I like the idea that COE was all in Jack's mind after some nasty aliens gave him hallucinations to torture him. (Bonus points if Ianto or Gwen make a comment along the lines of "What twisted sicko would come up with that horrible scenario!")

[suzywok.livejournal.com]

Yeah which pompous arrogant fangirl would write a fanfic like that ?

[ceindreadh.livejournal.com]

Yeah which pompous arrogant fangirl would write a fanfic like that ?

Information please. Were you intending to be snarky or sarcastic with that?

[suzywok.livejournal.com]

My bad, I was sarcastic (the fangirl being RTD)

[ceindreadh.livejournal.com]

Sorry, my sense of humour has been a little bent out of shape the last few weeks.
((hugs))

[kimbobbee.livejournal.com]

It’s a much more real world in Torchwood.

Lol. that's all i can say.

[legal-padawan.livejournal.com]

It’s funny because I know a lot of those people complain in the same breath that you get to see Gwen and Rhys being happy. But equally in the same breath, those same people say they don’t like Gwen and Rhys. So clearly they don’t like the happy characters. So why do they even want the gay people to be the happy characters? I don’t know because the happy characters aren’t the ones they are latching on to.

So because I think Gwen is a cow and Rhys could do better, I don't like happy characters?

Is this man bloody insane?

I love happy characters.

I hate lying, selfish, conniving, cruel, manipulative characters. Like Gwen Cooper.

[tomorrows-moon.livejournal.com]

Yep, this was the bit that made me do a double take and go 'say what now?'
Yes that logic makes perfect sense RTD.

'IS this man bloody insane?'
Is this even a question anymore lol?

[legal-padawan.livejournal.com]

I just love his sweeping statement about how because viewers don't like Gwen, they don't like happy characters.

If he actually took a moment to find out WHY we like Ianto... but that would mean he'd have to admit his self-insert-with-boobs isn't as interesting as he'd hoped she'd be...

[theromangeneral.livejournal.com]

How astonishing, I never knew that the reason I didn't like Gwen was because I don't like happy characters. I though it was because she reminded me of someone I knew and didn't like - lying, cheating, manipulative bitch that she was. Well, I've obviously been set right, haven't I? [/sarcasm]
Really, why is it so hard for him to understand that Ianto was the more interesting character compared to Gwen? He had survived and was messed up - tends to make characters more interesting that they are actually dealing with shite that has happened to them (even if we only see glimpses of it). There is a reason little miss perfect Mary Sues are generally loathed, discerning audiences like people to have consequences (beyond those that simply leave you playing happy families).

[ceindreadh.livejournal.com]

Really, why is it so hard for him to understand that Ianto was the more interesting character compared to Gwen?

Why because Gwen was written as the most interesting character, whereas Ianto was just a space filler. And how dare we the viewers presume to know more than the writers who created the characters. Don't we know that we should be bowing down at the writers feet and blindly following their favourite characters?

[suzywok.livejournal.com]

Yeah how dare we ? Now they would have to THINK about deepening the character and give him more screentime. But it's their show, don't we know they already are kind enough to share it with us, unworthy ones ? Do we think we even have the right to suggest anything, or Lord forbid, disapprove of their work ? Better to just kill Ianto, problem solved.

[theromangeneral.livejournal.com]

Exactly, heaven forbid that we have an opinion that isn't spoon-fed to us by the writers. I mean, my god, we plebs shouldn't be able to think for ourselves or express that negative opinion anywhere. I guess we're just not seeing RTD's genius.

[wingslapped.livejournal.com]

The only thing I enjoyed about the interview were some of the comments in response to them on the afterelton site.

He doesn't understand his audience. He thought the interviewer was talking about Janto's sexual relationship. I (and I think many other people who like Janto) wanted to see more of the emotional side shown on screen. Jack and Ianto still had to work out what their relationship was and further their connection. Then, he thinks that people who don't like Gwen/Rhys don't like happy people. No, I just don't like women who cheat on their men and have the audacity to try to kiss another man on their wedding day. She cheapened the relationship and made it seem less than happy a long time ago for me. He doesn't get why people are upset about Ianto dying and Jack being so scarred. He doesn't get (or maybe he does) that he destroyed Torchwood and all but two (Gwen, Rhys) of its characters before leaving it to someone else to pick up the pieces and pray they have an audience left.

[tomorrows-moon.livejournal.com]

To quote Owen - I think even the stick up his arse has a stick up his arse.

I can't think of any other show creator that has such little respect for their fans as RTD seems to have. He should be thrilled that one of his characters has become so popular and give them a bigger part in the show (hence appealing to the viewers) not killing them off and blaming us for liking them.

Well I'm very sorry that I didn't fall in love with his favourite character, Saint Gwen, it could have saved me a lot of upset as obviously nothing bad is going to her.

Thing is, you know its not ignorance. RTD has to have known that Ianto was one of the most popular characters and Gwen...wasn't.

I think he's going to have a little shock if he thinks he can get away with treating fans like this and still do well in America.

Sorry for the rant but that interview made me mad!

[sagrario martínez castro (from livejournal.com)]

All I can see is thanks RTD I didn´t see TW without Ianto Jones and Doctor Who too (Neither TW and DW, thanks!)Gwen NEVER will like me, never.