11 replies to this topic

[Slightly Wonky Robob]

I really enjoyed the first 3 seasons of Torchwood, arguably more than I enjoy Doctor Who. So I was really looking forward to this... Even when I found it was being co-produced by a US network I tried to keep an open mind. I was unfortunately quite disappointed.

First off, what the hell was up with the quality? It seemed every time there was a bit of movement it would go blurry. It was annoying the first 10 minutes it happened, but by the end of it I was getting pretty pissed off. Perhaps this was just a problem on my end, but I've seen a number of shows suffer from this over the years (especially American ones for some reason).

Some of the CG work was just awful. That helicopter scene was just laughable... in a painful to watch kinda way. The scary thing is, TV shows tend to spend more money on stuff like this for the first and last episodes of a season, I dread to think what the rest of the season will look like.

The story, if I can call it that, didn't exactly make up for any of this.. I mean, when is the first episode actually gonna start? Does it really take an hour to say "Everyone has stopped dying, oh and BTW Gwen and Jack are back"? I guess this has been set up so that people who didn't see the first 3 seasons can easily get in to it, without knowing all the back story... but it still doesn't excuse the lack of story.

Finally, what the hell was up with showing half the next season at the end of the episode? |:

I dunno if I'm gonna make it through another 9 episodes, not unless it gets better. What did you guys think?

[Libains]

Tbh I didn't have the quality problems you mention Bob. Nor did I particularly care about the CGI, Torchwood has never been great for CGI, it's always about the immersive storylines that keep it going, imo.

I do have one massive fucking problem with this series though, and that is the sheer level of Americanisms in it. Torchwood, and Doctor Who, are innately British. So I don't want to watch Torchwood having American TV segments thrown in. I don't want to watch them piss around in a run-and-gun car chase scene. I don't give a damn about them making jokes over the Severn Bridge. And most of all, I most certainly give a damn that the show is shown earlier in the US. It is our bloody TV show, it's all about England and Wales, and yet this has been sullied with the usual American bolshiness that I'll be quite honest, doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. Will continue to watch and hope the it develops into the characteristically smart, intellectual series that I know Torchwood is, but tbh, I don't hold much hope, and I expect the CIA to be saviours, showing the Brits of Torchwood how its 'really done'. Sod the lot of them, I say.

[Brad]

In a phrase, it was a tad Americanised for my tastes.

(Oh, a

Spoiler

CIA agent overturning Torchwood?

Really? And

Spoiler

he's portrayed as a workaholic hero?

Please).

That said, the overarching story has me intrigued a little.

Edit: Goddamnit AJ stop ninja'ing and making me look like I've basically summarised your post.

Edited by Brad, 14 July 2011 - 22:24.

[Libains]

Heh, I'm just that good

Seriously though, what gets me the most is that the US gets to view the new episodes before we do. In all honesty, were it not for the fact that I have a connection that is useless, I would torrent it from the US before it aired in the UK and then not watch it on the BBC, out of pure principle. Honestly, I think this is a major case of fail as far as the BBC is concerned.

[Slightly Wonky Robob]

AJ, on 14 Jul 2011, 23:19, said:

Tbh I didn't have the quality problems you mention Bob.

I just watched a bit of it in the iPlayer, and it's still present, so it's definitely wasn't just the signal or anything. And it's not just me either, as my mum noticed it as well. Having said that though, it was only once I had pointed it out. It's probably one of those things, it's fine when you don't notice it, but as soon as you do, you can't stop noticing it. D:

AJ, on 14 Jul 2011, 23:19, said:

Nor did I particularly care about the CGI, Torchwood has never been great for CGI, it's always about the immersive storylines that keep it going, imo.

I don't remember Torchwood having bad CGI, maybe nothing groundbreaking, but certainly not as bad as this... But perhaps I am just noticing it more as I was getting so cheesed off with how bad it was.

As for all the Americanisms, I didn't want to say it... but yeah, that's was one of the worst parts about it. D;

[Libains]

Btw, also for the record, the Beeb has been getting a lot of complaints about this scheduling disaster:

Quote

Torchwood, Scheduling, BBC One
Publication date: 8 July 2011
Complaint

We received complaints from viewers unhappy that the new series of Torchwood will be broadcast in America before the UK.

The BBC's Response

We are pleased to announce that Torchwood will return to BBC One at 21.00 on Thursday 14 July.

Starz in the US have the contractual right to the World Premiere, that relates to the deal that was done and ultimately this has created better value for licence fee payers.

Contractually, the broadcasters in other territories can transmit from the next day onwards but being as close to the transmission in the US is not the only factor in the scheduling decision. We have identified what we think is the best slot for BBC One viewers and have also ensured that it's within a week of transmission in the US.

So... which idiot handed over the sodding contractual rights to the world premiere? As a BBC show, with British writers, I'd have thought the BBC would have fought for it rather than been paid a few extra pennies for it. And iut's not like they're fucking short on loose change... And secondly, how in the name of God is a Thursday night at 9PM a good scheduling slot? It's total bollocks - if the entirety of Ausland & Canada are happy to watch it the next day (aka Saturday) then why wouldn't we? This just reeks of American elitism and corporate whoredom as so many TV shows currently do. Is it so sodding difficult to play everything the same day no matter the territory, or has that escaped the teeny-tiny minds of some of the highest paid executives in the country?

*Goes to bed suitably annoyed at the BBC being spineless cretins & the US media being a bunch of thieving bastards*

[Slightly Wonky Robob]

So we're now 2 episodes and what's happened? Not much.

At least there is loads of cheesy music... Oh and that hilarious broken neck scene at the end. Oh wait, neither of those things are good. The American's do realise Torchwood is aimed at adults, right? |;

Also, I wish they would fix that sodding motion blur thing, it's bloody annoying.

Edited by Bob, 21 July 2011 - 21:12.

[Ion Cannon!]

I caught the last 35mins of the 2nd episode and NOTHING FUCKING HAPPENED!! The overall idea has me intrigued, but it won't keep me watching it at this rate. They don't seem to understand you need to keep it mysterious but enthralling. Oh and the americanisms, they can fuck right off to hell. Laptops have batteries not fucking fuel cells.

[Libains]

Well, it's been a few more (read:6) episodes since the last episode, and I've got to say, I've had all sorts of conflicting emotions over this one.

The Americanisms have gone (or at least been suitably pissed on by Davies&co), and what remains... well I don't know what it is.

The whole point of Torchwood has been defending against an extraterrestrial threat of some description. That's what drags it into the Doctor Who Universe, and that's what made it so special (a bit of the real world injected into DoctorWhoLand). I honestly don't know what happened this series, but Davies seems to have taken too much inspiration from the human side of things from Children of Earth. There's been no sodding extraterrestrial threat at all, aside from a brain bug and an odd looking sheet of metal. It's all human-instigated, and there's no actual aliens, as far as I am aware. It's just a bit of alien tech.

It also feels like it could have been compressed down into about 6 episodes. There's so much filler you feel like you're being overwhelmed by the storyline, whilst at the same time, there doesn't appear to be a lot going on.

To sum up, it's a decent enough show to watch, but nothing at all special. In fact, aside from the characters, I am genuinely struggling to see why this has Torchwood attached to it. It's more than this. It's better than this. And unless the final episode drags it all together in some very nice bundle that makes sense (which I still wouldn't totally forgive), I get the genuine impression that this series has been a bit of a bloody disaster.

[Slightly Wonky Robob]

AJ, on 05 September 2011 - 20:28, said:

It also feels like it could have been compressed down into about 6 episodes. There's so much filler you feel like you're being overwhelmed by the storyline, whilst at the same time, there doesn't appear to be a lot going on.

I think you're being pretty generous... 9 episodes in (and 1 to go), and what exactly has happened so far? Bugger all.

Spoiler

- A few new characters have been introduced that no-one cares about.
- Everyone has become immortal (except for Jack who has become mortal).
- There are 3 people that have made a pact of some kind, that may or may not have something to do with this.
- The governments of the world have made some drastic decisions, that a lot of people don't like, but ultimately are a fairly reasonable response.
- ???

Does it really take 9 episodes to express that? Hell no. 2 episodes tops. Every time they hint at a slightly interesting plot point, the episode ends and it's never mentioned ever again.

AJ, on 05 September 2011 - 20:28, said:

To sum up, it's a decent enough show to watch, but nothing at all special. In fact, aside from the characters, I am genuinely struggling to see why this has Torchwood attached to it. It's more than this. It's better than this. And unless the final episode drags it all together in some very nice bundle that makes sense (which I still wouldn't totally forgive), I get the genuine impression that this series has been a bit of a bloody disaster.

It really isn't a decent enough show to watch. If this didn't have Torchwood slapped on the titles, I would have given up watching after the first half-an-hour. The music is cheesy, the plot is cheesy (and practically non-existent), considering this is a sci-fi show I'm struggling to find the 'sci'. Not to mention the bloody awful motion blur. The characters aren't even saving it for me, I'm actually getting to a point where I don't care about them either.

AJ, on 05 September 2011 - 20:28, said:

And unless the final episode drags it all together in some very nice bundle that makes sense (which I still wouldn't totally forgive), I get the genuine impression that this series has been a bit of a bloody disaster.

I will be genuinely surprised if there is an actual conclusion to this. If there is, it will either be an extremely weak one or they will brake their habit and actually have some plot lines in an episode. I crack myself up!

The more likely option is it will end on a (weak) cliffhanger and Torchwood will get cancelled due to poor reviews, or there will be another season that will pretty much ignore the cliffhanger and spend another 10 episodes doing bugger all.

Unfortunately, one way or another, I fear this is the end of Torchwood we knew and loved.

Edited by Bob, 06 September 2011 - 17:44.

[Ion Cannon!]

9? I thought only 8 had been broadcast here, unless you're counting the US ones.

90% of the show seems to be filler, Davies is once again focusing on characters while ignoring plot. I mean really,

Spoiler

1 whole episode to introduce angelo and then in the next one he doesn't even have a speaking part and dies 5 minutes in?

Those whole two episodes could have been 20 minutes tops.

[Slightly Wonky Robob]

Ion Cannon!, on 06 September 2011 - 19:29, said:

9? I thought only 8 had been broadcast here, unless you're counting the US ones.

My bad, yeah it is only 8. I'm getting ahead of myself.