Lost Souls (Torchwood Radio Play) Review
Sep. 10th, 2008 03:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fictionalOkay, I was ridiculously pleased by the idea of Torchwood being present at CERN for the past few days. Like, really. Not least because (when asked for a suitable con for a galactic era conman to run on present day earth) my father1 suggested something involving the Hadron Collider, and I had to be all like, yeah, awesome, but already been done. I was very tickled!
But seriously, I love the idea of fictional world - real world collision, and this seemed like a brilliant way to do a little of that.
So what did I think of the result?
Good things:
* JACK: Can weevils swim?
IANTO: Apparently not.
* Ianto the Ambassador of Wales, Gwen, his charming wife - and Jack. The Personal Assistant. Comedy Gold. Also, Jack's "whatever" for the win.
* Jack reversed the polarity of the neutron flow! The Doctor's gonna have a field day with that one. Oh, yes!
* Gwen and Ianto's friendship. So fucking sweet.
* IANTO: Come in, Gwen
GWEN: Yeah?
IANTO: My bike's got a bell. *ding*
GWEN: I'm so happy for you.
* Gwen telling Ianto he loves coffee. And Jack!
* MARTHA: I couldn't half do with a sonic screwdriver, but a rock will have to do.
* Ianto reads Tennyson. Jack recognizes Tennyson.
* Jack's words at the end about about asking questions. Cheezefood, but fucking awesome. I love this show - and for once, I agree with pretty much all its moral lessons. Don't be gullible. Do not be fooled by evangelists. And ask questions. Fight death, but accept everything ends. Awesome. I think that was the real educational moment, honestly, all the stuff about the Higgs Particle, and CERN aside. Science is cool, kids. Ask questions.
Eh things:
* Jack having to explain CERN to Gwen and Ianto. They've never heard of CERN? Really? Where have they been? I mean, I guess they do technically work under a rock. But it's a very plugged in rock. You're telling me Torchwood hasn't been on standby?
* Incidentally, it really is kinda like a big camera. Come on, Jack. Give Ianto a little credit there. [Think of each area as if it were a microscope with a digital camera. Some of these microscopes are huge -- the ATLAS experiment is a device that is 45 meters (147.6 feet) long, 25 meters (82 feet) tall and weighs 7,000 tons (5,443 metric tons) [source: ATLAS]." see, CAMERA! Bad Jack, no biscuit.
* I understand that Gareth David Lloyd is very good at emo!Ianto. And I even concede that the situations he gets put in are extreme. And I love that he's not over Lisa, and probably never will be. BUT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, please stop using Ianto as a stand in for whatever character you need to move the plot. Butler? Sure. Damsel in Distress? Clearly. Stun gunner and facer down of Jack? As you see. Font of all knowledge? Definitely. Ignorant of the Hub's radio devices, and oh yeah, CERN? Whatever you need. It drives me crazy, and makes me feel like the kid's got multiple personality disorder!
* I love John Barrowman, and hearing his voice is awesome. However. He is not the best radio-play actor I've ever heard. GDL is great though. Freema Agyeman suffers from the same problem that she used to on the show sometimes, where I don't believe the emotions she's meant to be conveying. I like her voice though, and Eve Myles is pretty decent as well. But the time frame, and the need for the metric ton of science-y exposition made us not have time for emotional resonance, which Barrowman provides with physicality. I missed that.
* A little heavy handed with the Owen & Tosh stuff guys. Also, would've been cool to actually get them back to do the voices, though credit where credit is due, a decent enough imitation. And good to address their loss. Damn, I'm gonna miss them.
Random things:
* Rach & I were terrified of being jossed here, but from the way they talk - it really does seem as if this whole episode is taking place before Journey's End. We're gonna go with that one, anyway. I think we're probably fine.
In conclusion:
Really, I thought it was pretty adorable. Not a bad 43 mins.
1My dad's a professor of computer science and physics, though not a Torchwood fan (yet). I plan to indoctorinate at some not-so-very-far date. When in need of a technological plot bunny, he's usually my second call, having also introduced me to star wars, kung fu movies, star trek, barbarella, and other such gems of modern cinema. Oh, and screwball comedy of the thirties as well. And well, actually, in the entertainment field, pretty much everything. =) D. is my first call, but that's because, well, he is a bunny-generator extrordinaire, lives with me, and reads more sci. fi - and is usually willing to come along for the ride on whatever my most recent obsession is.
But seriously, I love the idea of fictional world - real world collision, and this seemed like a brilliant way to do a little of that.
So what did I think of the result?
Good things:
* JACK: Can weevils swim?
IANTO: Apparently not.
* Ianto the Ambassador of Wales, Gwen, his charming wife - and Jack. The Personal Assistant. Comedy Gold. Also, Jack's "whatever" for the win.
* Jack reversed the polarity of the neutron flow! The Doctor's gonna have a field day with that one. Oh, yes!
* Gwen and Ianto's friendship. So fucking sweet.
* IANTO: Come in, Gwen
GWEN: Yeah?
IANTO: My bike's got a bell. *ding*
GWEN: I'm so happy for you.
* Gwen telling Ianto he loves coffee. And Jack!
* MARTHA: I couldn't half do with a sonic screwdriver, but a rock will have to do.
* Ianto reads Tennyson. Jack recognizes Tennyson.
* Jack's words at the end about about asking questions. Cheezefood, but fucking awesome. I love this show - and for once, I agree with pretty much all its moral lessons. Don't be gullible. Do not be fooled by evangelists. And ask questions. Fight death, but accept everything ends. Awesome. I think that was the real educational moment, honestly, all the stuff about the Higgs Particle, and CERN aside. Science is cool, kids. Ask questions.
Eh things:
* Jack having to explain CERN to Gwen and Ianto. They've never heard of CERN? Really? Where have they been? I mean, I guess they do technically work under a rock. But it's a very plugged in rock. You're telling me Torchwood hasn't been on standby?
* Incidentally, it really is kinda like a big camera. Come on, Jack. Give Ianto a little credit there. [Think of each area as if it were a microscope with a digital camera. Some of these microscopes are huge -- the ATLAS experiment is a device that is 45 meters (147.6 feet) long, 25 meters (82 feet) tall and weighs 7,000 tons (5,443 metric tons) [source: ATLAS]." see, CAMERA! Bad Jack, no biscuit.
* I understand that Gareth David Lloyd is very good at emo!Ianto. And I even concede that the situations he gets put in are extreme. And I love that he's not over Lisa, and probably never will be. BUT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, please stop using Ianto as a stand in for whatever character you need to move the plot. Butler? Sure. Damsel in Distress? Clearly. Stun gunner and facer down of Jack? As you see. Font of all knowledge? Definitely. Ignorant of the Hub's radio devices, and oh yeah, CERN? Whatever you need. It drives me crazy, and makes me feel like the kid's got multiple personality disorder!
* I love John Barrowman, and hearing his voice is awesome. However. He is not the best radio-play actor I've ever heard. GDL is great though. Freema Agyeman suffers from the same problem that she used to on the show sometimes, where I don't believe the emotions she's meant to be conveying. I like her voice though, and Eve Myles is pretty decent as well. But the time frame, and the need for the metric ton of science-y exposition made us not have time for emotional resonance, which Barrowman provides with physicality. I missed that.
* A little heavy handed with the Owen & Tosh stuff guys. Also, would've been cool to actually get them back to do the voices, though credit where credit is due, a decent enough imitation. And good to address their loss. Damn, I'm gonna miss them.
Random things:
* Rach & I were terrified of being jossed here, but from the way they talk - it really does seem as if this whole episode is taking place before Journey's End. We're gonna go with that one, anyway. I think we're probably fine.
In conclusion:
Really, I thought it was pretty adorable. Not a bad 43 mins.
1My dad's a professor of computer science and physics, though not a Torchwood fan (yet). I plan to indoctorinate at some not-so-very-far date. When in need of a technological plot bunny, he's usually my second call, having also introduced me to star wars, kung fu movies, star trek, barbarella, and other such gems of modern cinema. Oh, and screwball comedy of the thirties as well. And well, actually, in the entertainment field, pretty much everything. =) D. is my first call, but that's because, well, he is a bunny-generator extrordinaire, lives with me, and reads more sci. fi - and is usually willing to come along for the ride on whatever my most recent obsession is.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2008-09-11 05:38 pm (UTC)*laughs* Yeah I tend to get up and rant around in a fit; sorta like Rhys in the supermarket. But I can usually deal as long as it's at least marginal, and internally consistent.
The thing that bothered me the most in Torchwood was when Owen went all, "I can't do CPR; I have no breath!"
!!!! But you're talking, right???? GAH. I hate that on all vampire shows, and they had done so well with what it might actually be like to be dead up to that point. Grr.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-09-11 05:49 pm (UTC)