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bending_sickleTorchwood Reactions:
I realize I'm being particularly harsh on this show. It's a decent watch, and it's not like I suffer through the episodes. It's just that critiquing is fun.
1x02 "Day One"
The direction of the sex is much too flat, like a cheap European film. And trust me, I've seen plenty of sex on European film, and that, my friends, was so amateur the cuts pulled me right out of the story. It was all, Ooh, normal screen, normal action - zomg! Sex! *camera zooms and dones it's "I iz so gritty, for shizzle" look.*
The dust piles are much too neat in some cases. I'm sure there must have been some struggling and sheet-wrinkling, so why're the piles so perfect? (On that note, eeeew dust piles up the crotch.)
I did like that Gwen's kiss made Jack all pensive and serious. I like me serious!Jack. (I don't think kissing your boss is the right thing to do though. *stares hard at Gwen*)
1x03 "Ghost Machine"
Plot and Other Generalness
I actually said, "Oh my god, you'd have to be stupid to press an alien-" Ah, Gwen proves what she's made of. Hey, alien machine, let's press the buttons! (I'd forgive this is if they'd tried a hand!wave of hypnosis, like the machine psychically screaming, "Press me!") Oh my god, just stop pressing the button! You don't know what it does!
If they're above the law, and thus not employed by anyone, who the hell pays for such pretty flats?
Why would you go out to meet a crazy old man in the street who's holding a knife? Why not just stay in the house? Also, Boy's supposed death in the future had no suspense. Well then, that's a highly mortal stab. Apparently. *eye roll* Gut wounds take ages to kill you in general, even if you do bleed to death.
Jack
I like Jack's poofy hair. Is it me, or does Jack always sound incredibly insincere?
Owen
Owen racks up some points with the phone book. Still think he's a jerk. Omg, Owen's not even trying to stop the murder! He's just standing there all, "I'm not here, just keep right on." Now, intellectually I understand why he didn't move: 1) he know's it's already happened and 2) scared shitless thanks to sharing Lizzie's emotions. But it still looks really bad. Gwen at least tried to talk to the boy. I like Owen a bit better now that he's been scared shitless, though.
Owen's ID collection FTW. Owen taunting a murderer extremely explcitly is made of WTF. Not even trying to rationalize it by convincing myself that he's sort of been possessed by the ghost and her emotions, so he's supposed to act like some Really Peeved Off Ghost Looking for Revenge. It still reads as very WTF.
Gwen
Gwen, a policewoman, has never had any gun training? For real? Really? Overt Gun!Sex Innuendo is overt. And not so much hot as harrassment.
Tosh
Tosh's character's just window-dressing apparently. (Nice window-dressing, but still, no development.)
Quotes
"The problem with seeing the future is you can't just sit and look at it." - Likes.
1x04 "Cyberwoman
Plot and Generalness
I’m really starting to hate the voice-over intro. I dislike voice-over intros in general because, come on, how many times can you hear the same damn sentence? But this intro is also really short, which is annoying.
Yes, they treat Ianto like trash. This would have been better, however, a few more episodes in, when we, the audience, have also forgotten about Ianto. Now we're still in the "spot the main characters" mode for the series, so it's not as emotionally gripping as it should be.
ETA: But then again, maybe it's just me. This is 1x04, so it's not really the opening episodes anymore.
The zoom!focus style is really frustrating and disturbing. And I've been ok with zoom and hand-held cameras before, but the way this is done cheapens the feel of the show, makes it feel amateurish. Again, that the quality of the image changes between steady-cam and hand-held doesn't help you either. I like the red-and-blue lighting, especially on Ianto's crying face.
WTF cyborg!machine? Like you need a cyborg converter to sustain a half-made cyborg. Really, come on.
Just why does shutting down the power lead to an automatic lockdown? That's messed up. How convenient, a magic key with a suspense-creating device.
Death by pterodactyl? Weak! Mother lovin' weak! Pteros aren't all that strong or mobile, and most definately couldn't hover. Also, their beak's made for fish. Fish =/= cyber!flesh.
Dialogue
"What's the last thing you remember before coming here?" "Pain." I saw that response coming and even said it before Cyberchick. This means your writing is predictable. And not in the, "that jokes was just begging to be made" predictable, either.
Pointless dialogue for the loss! "This is my fault, I'm responsible for this." Show, don't tell. Besides, we already know it's his fault.
"Jack! What are you doing?" "Resisting the urge to shoot." ♥
"I am...disgusting." Ha!
"You should be dead." "I'm the stubborn type." :D
"There's always something left to lose." See? World-wise Jack, that's the good stuff.
Cyberchick
Cyber!boobs! Funny, I never saw any breasts on cybermen before, regardless of sex prior to upgrade. Do they put on the cyber!boobs and then, upon completion, take them off? Seriously, with all the rearangement of the human body that an ungrade entails, you'd think a masectomy would be one of the easiest and first things to do. Also, the really crappy costume did wonders to break my suspension of believe. Fail!
Jack
More acknowledging that Jack's from the future and lived through the past beyond those condecending "Oh, you 21st century humans and your quaint ways" or "the 21st century is where it all starts". He's starting to sound like Nine in some respects. Hasn't Jack mellowed out or angsted up, gotten wiser or anything during all those years?
Oh, Jack, snogging =/= resucitation.
"When I want you to think for yourself, I'll tell you." See, other characters could make this sound harmless and funny, or totally serious in the "I'm boss" sense - Malcolm Reynolds comes to mind. Jack just makes it sound condescending as hell.
The "You hid yourself from us" and "part of the team" and "loyalty to us" speech of Jack to Ianto makes me want to smack him. You totally ignored the man, he's basically your bellboy, and now you're hounding on him to have loyalty to you, rather than his partner? Jerk. Jack totally is "the biggest monster" if he keeps on being like this.
Gwen&Owen
Is this me actually liking the Gwen&Owen team? I think it is. Must be that mutual hatred thing, with the banter and stuff. I love it when people hold flashlights and guns together. Owen does a lovely professional job of it, while failed!copper Gwen, not so much. "What do we do?" *snog* XD Saw that coming, but still, funny. And the awkward bit after was fun. I take it this is going to happen often on Torchwood. I'm totally game for sex banter.
ETA: I think I also found Owen somewhat attractive in this scene. I'm totally shocked with myself.
Ianto
"When did you last ask me anything about my life?" Oh, Ianto... ♥ liek woah (Also, the quiet teaboy's got balls. And poise.)
Music for the Masses: Chinese Music Links
Jay Chou, "Huo Yuan Jia" (Fearless)
If you listen to only one thing in this list, let it be this.
Modern
Fairy Tale - Guang Liang
Paino Battle: a mash-up of Bach's Prelude in C Minor, Jay Chou's Dragon Heel, Against the Grain and Super Mario. - Jay Chou and Yu Hao
Endless Love (The Myth Soudntrack) - jackie Chan and Kim Hee Sun (live)
? - Teresa Teng
Shuo Ai Ni - Jolin Tsai - Catchy
Jay Chou
Field that Ends the War - Piano plus rap, le shiz.
Ting Mama de Hua
Nocturnes
Wo Bu Pei
Checkmate
Luan Wu Chun Qiu (Chaotic Dance Spring Autumn)
Qing Tian - Gorgeous video
Cai Hong (rainbow) - Gorgeous video
Traditional
Do Not Leave Me - Song Hye Kyo
Er Quan Ying Yue - ?
Traditional Songs of the Miao
Love Story - ?
Links of the Day:
Photgraphy Classics in Lego-form
Michael Emerson reacts to his Emmy Supporting Actor Nomination and breaks to the news to his mom - No man his age should be this adorable.
It's rainingmen fish in Pinellas Park - Wherever the hell that is.
Wiki: Walking as a Leisure activity - aka "to go by Marrow-bone stage", "to take one's daily constitutional", "to ride Shank's pony", "to ride Shank's mare", or "to go by Walker's bus." *cuddles the English language*
Comic Relief: Harry Potter and the Secret Chamberpot of Azerbaijan (Part 1), (Part 2), (Part 3), (Part 4)
Chinese Painting and Caligraphy in 3D
Alilein Duinn - Karen Matheson - Scottish song.
It's All Over - Three Days Grace - Alas, the awesome Durza fanvid has been deleted :(
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littledoglaugh's Doctor Who Comic: Uncle Rusty's Toys
* Trindle (2007)
I realize I'm being particularly harsh on this show. It's a decent watch, and it's not like I suffer through the episodes. It's just that critiquing is fun.
1x02 "Day One"
The direction of the sex is much too flat, like a cheap European film. And trust me, I've seen plenty of sex on European film, and that, my friends, was so amateur the cuts pulled me right out of the story. It was all, Ooh, normal screen, normal action - zomg! Sex! *camera zooms and dones it's "I iz so gritty, for shizzle" look.*
The dust piles are much too neat in some cases. I'm sure there must have been some struggling and sheet-wrinkling, so why're the piles so perfect? (On that note, eeeew dust piles up the crotch.)
I did like that Gwen's kiss made Jack all pensive and serious. I like me serious!Jack. (I don't think kissing your boss is the right thing to do though. *stares hard at Gwen*)
1x03 "Ghost Machine"
Plot and Other Generalness
I actually said, "Oh my god, you'd have to be stupid to press an alien-" Ah, Gwen proves what she's made of. Hey, alien machine, let's press the buttons! (I'd forgive this is if they'd tried a hand!wave of hypnosis, like the machine psychically screaming, "Press me!") Oh my god, just stop pressing the button! You don't know what it does!
If they're above the law, and thus not employed by anyone, who the hell pays for such pretty flats?
Why would you go out to meet a crazy old man in the street who's holding a knife? Why not just stay in the house? Also, Boy's supposed death in the future had no suspense. Well then, that's a highly mortal stab. Apparently. *eye roll* Gut wounds take ages to kill you in general, even if you do bleed to death.
Jack
I like Jack's poofy hair. Is it me, or does Jack always sound incredibly insincere?
Owen
Owen racks up some points with the phone book. Still think he's a jerk. Omg, Owen's not even trying to stop the murder! He's just standing there all, "I'm not here, just keep right on." Now, intellectually I understand why he didn't move: 1) he know's it's already happened and 2) scared shitless thanks to sharing Lizzie's emotions. But it still looks really bad. Gwen at least tried to talk to the boy. I like Owen a bit better now that he's been scared shitless, though.
Owen's ID collection FTW. Owen taunting a murderer extremely explcitly is made of WTF. Not even trying to rationalize it by convincing myself that he's sort of been possessed by the ghost and her emotions, so he's supposed to act like some Really Peeved Off Ghost Looking for Revenge. It still reads as very WTF.
Gwen
Gwen, a policewoman, has never had any gun training? For real? Really? Overt Gun!Sex Innuendo is overt. And not so much hot as harrassment.
Tosh
Tosh's character's just window-dressing apparently. (Nice window-dressing, but still, no development.)
Quotes
"The problem with seeing the future is you can't just sit and look at it." - Likes.
1x04 "Cyberwoman
Plot and Generalness
I’m really starting to hate the voice-over intro. I dislike voice-over intros in general because, come on, how many times can you hear the same damn sentence? But this intro is also really short, which is annoying.
Yes, they treat Ianto like trash. This would have been better, however, a few more episodes in, when we, the audience, have also forgotten about Ianto. Now we're still in the "spot the main characters" mode for the series, so it's not as emotionally gripping as it should be.
ETA: But then again, maybe it's just me. This is 1x04, so it's not really the opening episodes anymore.
The zoom!focus style is really frustrating and disturbing. And I've been ok with zoom and hand-held cameras before, but the way this is done cheapens the feel of the show, makes it feel amateurish. Again, that the quality of the image changes between steady-cam and hand-held doesn't help you either. I like the red-and-blue lighting, especially on Ianto's crying face.
WTF cyborg!machine? Like you need a cyborg converter to sustain a half-made cyborg. Really, come on.
Just why does shutting down the power lead to an automatic lockdown? That's messed up. How convenient, a magic key with a suspense-creating device.
Death by pterodactyl? Weak! Mother lovin' weak! Pteros aren't all that strong or mobile, and most definately couldn't hover. Also, their beak's made for fish. Fish =/= cyber!flesh.
Dialogue
"What's the last thing you remember before coming here?" "Pain." I saw that response coming and even said it before Cyberchick. This means your writing is predictable. And not in the, "that jokes was just begging to be made" predictable, either.
Pointless dialogue for the loss! "This is my fault, I'm responsible for this." Show, don't tell. Besides, we already know it's his fault.
"Jack! What are you doing?" "Resisting the urge to shoot." ♥
"I am...disgusting." Ha!
"You should be dead." "I'm the stubborn type." :D
"There's always something left to lose." See? World-wise Jack, that's the good stuff.
Cyberchick
Cyber!boobs! Funny, I never saw any breasts on cybermen before, regardless of sex prior to upgrade. Do they put on the cyber!boobs and then, upon completion, take them off? Seriously, with all the rearangement of the human body that an ungrade entails, you'd think a masectomy would be one of the easiest and first things to do. Also, the really crappy costume did wonders to break my suspension of believe. Fail!
Jack
More acknowledging that Jack's from the future and lived through the past beyond those condecending "Oh, you 21st century humans and your quaint ways" or "the 21st century is where it all starts". He's starting to sound like Nine in some respects. Hasn't Jack mellowed out or angsted up, gotten wiser or anything during all those years?
Oh, Jack, snogging =/= resucitation.
"When I want you to think for yourself, I'll tell you." See, other characters could make this sound harmless and funny, or totally serious in the "I'm boss" sense - Malcolm Reynolds comes to mind. Jack just makes it sound condescending as hell.
The "You hid yourself from us" and "part of the team" and "loyalty to us" speech of Jack to Ianto makes me want to smack him. You totally ignored the man, he's basically your bellboy, and now you're hounding on him to have loyalty to you, rather than his partner? Jerk. Jack totally is "the biggest monster" if he keeps on being like this.
Gwen&Owen
Is this me actually liking the Gwen&Owen team? I think it is. Must be that mutual hatred thing, with the banter and stuff. I love it when people hold flashlights and guns together. Owen does a lovely professional job of it, while failed!copper Gwen, not so much. "What do we do?" *snog* XD Saw that coming, but still, funny. And the awkward bit after was fun. I take it this is going to happen often on Torchwood. I'm totally game for sex banter.
ETA: I think I also found Owen somewhat attractive in this scene. I'm totally shocked with myself.
Ianto
"When did you last ask me anything about my life?" Oh, Ianto... ♥ liek woah (Also, the quiet teaboy's got balls. And poise.)
Music for the Masses: Chinese Music Links
Jay Chou, "Huo Yuan Jia" (Fearless)
If you listen to only one thing in this list, let it be this.
Modern
Fairy Tale - Guang Liang
Paino Battle: a mash-up of Bach's Prelude in C Minor, Jay Chou's Dragon Heel, Against the Grain and Super Mario. - Jay Chou and Yu Hao
Endless Love (The Myth Soudntrack) - jackie Chan and Kim Hee Sun (live)
? - Teresa Teng
Shuo Ai Ni - Jolin Tsai - Catchy
Jay Chou
Field that Ends the War - Piano plus rap, le shiz.
Ting Mama de Hua
Nocturnes
Wo Bu Pei
Checkmate
Luan Wu Chun Qiu (Chaotic Dance Spring Autumn)
Qing Tian - Gorgeous video
Cai Hong (rainbow) - Gorgeous video
Traditional
Do Not Leave Me - Song Hye Kyo
Er Quan Ying Yue - ?
Traditional Songs of the Miao
Love Story - ?
Links of the Day:
Photgraphy Classics in Lego-form
Michael Emerson reacts to his Emmy Supporting Actor Nomination and breaks to the news to his mom - No man his age should be this adorable.
It's raining
Wiki: Walking as a Leisure activity - aka "to go by Marrow-bone stage", "to take one's daily constitutional", "to ride Shank's pony", "to ride Shank's mare", or "to go by Walker's bus." *cuddles the English language*
Comic Relief: Harry Potter and the Secret Chamberpot of Azerbaijan (Part 1), (Part 2), (Part 3), (Part 4)
Chinese Painting and Caligraphy in 3D
Alilein Duinn - Karen Matheson - Scottish song.
It's All Over - Three Days Grace - Alas, the awesome Durza fanvid has been deleted :(
littledoglaugh's Doctor Who Comic: Uncle Rusty's Toys* Trindle (2007)
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no subject
Date: 2008-07-19 12:04 am (UTC)....
CATFISH CAN WALK!???!??!?!?!?! I have an intense earth shattering fear of fish, and catfish in particular (It all stems from a continuous nightmare from my childhood :P). If Such a thing had happened near me I would be curled up in a little ball rocking back and forth muttering to myself Oo *shudders* A LIVING NIGHTMARE!! Interesting to know such a thing is possible...
:)
no subject
Date: 2008-07-19 12:07 am (UTC)Although I'd be a bit freaked if giant fish started crawling out of the sewers too.
Also, Jolin Tsai seems like a fun singer. Here's another song. (http://youtube.com/watch?v=HXgwfXE5MZA)
no subject
Date: 2008-07-19 09:37 pm (UTC)I HATED how Ianto's girlfriend is killed by his boss, and then instead of consoling him, Jack's like "clean up the mess". And worse, Ianto then DOES that. Grrr! he may be the alfred pennyworth of the place, but he deserves more respect!
I find myself being annoyed by Jack's ego in this show, because its more prominent than in Doctor Who. >
no subject
Date: 2008-07-19 09:40 pm (UTC)Drool-worthy, but certainly not believable. Level two turns you hot. Level 3 turns you into a full Cyberman. She only went to level 2.
And although I love that pterodactyl, it was lame to attempt to pit a cyberman against him and expect it to win. Because honestly, the Cybermen would totally pwn the pterodactyls.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-19 09:55 pm (UTC)Reinstall universe. Offer no resistance!"I liked Cyberwoman when she was normal, and don't really get why after all that time, she just suddenly when full-on Cyber. All they did was basically take her off the respirator, didn't they?
I may be shipping Gwen/Owen, despite my still thinking Owen's a bit of a jerk and loving Gwen's boy (Reese, I take it - I suck with names).
I quite liked Jack in Doctor Who, but yeah, here, I really wish he'd be a bit less of a jerk. I've wasn't this peeved when I watched Angel's broody!bastard era.