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antigwenallies Jan. 7th, 2014 09:39 am)
sandysan2013.livejournal.com posting in antigwenallies Jan. 7th, 2014 09:39 am)I was watching BBC America this morning and an episode of Dr Who was followed by an installment of Torchwood: Miracle Day. It surprised me to learn that while Dr Who was categorized as science fiction, Miracle Day was listed as a bit of fantasy. Seasons one through three of Torchwood were categorized as science fiction. That season four is put in the fantasy column is just another sign of just how far removed it was from the original premise of the show. I'm no expert and I suppose even experts can disagree so I won't launch a defense of the party who made these choices. I just thought the distinction made was curious and wanted to pass it along.
For the record, I agree with the categorization of Miracle Day as fantasy. The response of the worlds' governments was far afield of what I think would actually happen in capturing their response to the events. Does anyone really believe that a country still imprisoning suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay all these many years, most without trial, would ever have let Oswald Danes free to roam? The press can be really vile, but I'm betting that even Jilly is outside the possibilities. I was not put off by the made up science. I'm prepared to entertain the possibility of immortality for the population. I need realistic and probable human responses to that made up science to accept the story that follows. Miracle Day fails on that score.
Finally, and on another completely different topic, did anyone notice that Gwen's offensive tirade against Jack changed in the latest viewing of the show. She no longer gloats about being better than the others because she survived and they died. My Netflix version is also missing that dialogue. Other bits have changed, but it appears that in retrospect the show handlers are trying to improve Gwen's image by fixing some of her worst verbal gaffs.
For the record, I agree with the categorization of Miracle Day as fantasy. The response of the worlds' governments was far afield of what I think would actually happen in capturing their response to the events. Does anyone really believe that a country still imprisoning suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay all these many years, most without trial, would ever have let Oswald Danes free to roam? The press can be really vile, but I'm betting that even Jilly is outside the possibilities. I was not put off by the made up science. I'm prepared to entertain the possibility of immortality for the population. I need realistic and probable human responses to that made up science to accept the story that follows. Miracle Day fails on that score.
Finally, and on another completely different topic, did anyone notice that Gwen's offensive tirade against Jack changed in the latest viewing of the show. She no longer gloats about being better than the others because she survived and they died. My Netflix version is also missing that dialogue. Other bits have changed, but it appears that in retrospect the show handlers are trying to improve Gwen's image by fixing some of her worst verbal gaffs.
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Rehabilatation of Gwen, they keep trying and as we know they keep failing....
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Most survivors experience "survivor's guilt." Her gloating that she was better because she survived his a raw nerve for me. Friends who had never seen the previous seasons thought badly of her when they heard that speech. Now that it's missing the negative impact is less. They still don't think she's a heroine, but they think better of her, though only one of them so far has liked Miracle Day.
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My only hope re Torcwood now is that they could remake it in ten years or so and get it right next time, preferably by not bothering with the Gwen Cooper character. She wasn't needed, by either the show or Torchwood, she never did anything that the other characters couldn't have done better, faster and with less complaining.
On the other hand, there's still an opportunity for a new show with Jack and Ianto. The Rift spits out a now immortal Ianto on some other planet far in the future, he tracks down a now much older Jack and they proceed to have adventures. I know I'd watch that!
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Screw RTD - Torchwood is the property of the BBC. All it needs is a skilled writer to make a viable proposal, and we could have Torchwood proper back again.
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There are plenty of fans who would be more than willing to tell them what we'd really like and would watch. They could put up an online survey, find out what we want and then get it made!
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A corpse comes to mind.
Sorry, people... Had a bad day and I'm feeling kinda bitchy right now.
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It was too late for Gwen from the moment RTD first imagined the character.
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To me "fantasy" refers to more sword-and-sorcery type stuff, so it's an interesting choice that they'd place MD in that category. Perhaps it's because the reason for the Miracle turned out to be not very sci-fi at all but something rather earthy and mystical?
I remember being shocked at Gwen's line about feeling that she was better than everyone else when I heard her say it. I had previously only read it in fanfic and thought it was something the gleefully Gwen-bashing author had made up. It's so typical of her character though, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. :/
Well, they can cut those offensive lines, but they can't change the fact that Gwen is a self-centered, obnoxious human being, and that MD became what RTD always wanted--"Gwenwood" instead of "Torchwood".
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I was not aware they cut out Gwen's vile & vicious rant to Jack, about how glad she was that the others were dead & she had survived; this after she had kidnapped him & was driving him to his obvious death (remember, Jack was the only mortal human at the time). Once again, she made it all about "Gwen"; she & Jack together could have rescued her family, along with Rex & Esther (if I vaguely recall, Andy, Rex & Esther did in fact save her family). Yeah, it was all fantasy.
P.S. - Sorry if I spoiled anything for someone who has not yet seen MD (It was, after all, two & 1/2 years ago!). Oh, did I forget to mention that I thought it was complete & utter garbage?!!
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The only thing that worries me is if the show is dead, then why bother? I just hope this isn't (as mentioned above) a rehabilitation of her image for future episodes.
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She was RTD's pet character and rtherefore untouchable, though you have to admit that some of the writers managed to subtly bash her despite RTD having final say over the scripts. RTD clearly has a warped idea of what constitutes a strong, admirable woman. He seems to think all women want to be whiny, adulterous, self-righteous, hypocritical harpies. I found most of Gwen's behaviour to be thoroughly reprehensible. I can only hope that I am NOTHING like Saint Gwen.
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I'm not certain, but I think MD was written mostly by RTD, in which case, yes, Gwen's statements would have been meant to show just how special Gwen was and how much better than those who died. Honestly, the only reason Gwen survived was because misguided people kept risking their own lives to save her and because she, unlike the rest of the team, didn't put her life on the line to protect the world. Gwen always put herself first. The rest of the team did what was necessary, even knowing it could cost them their lives.
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Yeah, RTD has an ego as big as Gwen's which is no doubt where she gets hers from. Working in television, you need to be adaptable and cater to the audience you have instead of changing things to such an extent that you lose them. Seems RTD thinks the viewers should want to watch what he thinks they should like, not what they actually like.
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I read somewhere that in all the episodes of Torchwood, Gwen received more air time than anyone including Jack.
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So our views doesn't matter to him? LOL
I never saw a tv show that didn't need the viewers.
If was that, he could just make it for himself and be done x.x
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RTD's writing for Torchwood truly went far left of centre in series 3 and 4 - it wasn't that different to the way he went about deconstructing Tennant's Doctor in the Specials series. It was like he knew he was stepping aside, but didn't really want anyone else taking over, so he figured he'd trash the shows instead. The one thing that remained constant in Torchwood from start to finish was RTD's man-crush on Eve Myles, and his determination to make Super Trouper Bazooka Cooper the sole focus of the show.
Excuse me now while I go and watch the final scenes of "Adrift", where Nikki Bevin gives Gwen the verbal serve she should have gotten right from the start.
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There were no aliens.
There was no actual science at any point. They could have injected this but the character of Esther was so stupid she didn't know how to use Google and didn't realise that the were in shouting distance form several Unviersities. So picking up the phone or doing research was not even thought off
There was one episode that came close that was Seven.
As as a narrative it had more plot holes than a sieve and was an insult to a intelligent viewers.