Entry tags:
Torchwood Monthly Audios - 51, + 53-57
I'm slowly continuing my way through, and being gleeful because it's Torchwood.
Er, I should note that neither Tosh nor Suzie appear in any of the ones I reviewed.
51. The Five People You Kill in Middlesbrough - YVONNE. I love her, my heart grew ten sizes as I listened to this one. She doesn't want to kill them! She just wants to save lives! Just fucking do your jobs, people! But they refuse, they break her heart. And she is so amazing. This one also firmly establishes Yvonne as NOT FOND of stupid shit like Jewish Space Lasers, and gets quite pointedly political a couple of times, which is fun to hear. It's a bit too in the future due to that, I think, but I'll let it pass as it's just so fun.
I really feel like we were robbed of a tv series of Yvonne + Torchwood London shenanigans.
53. Empire of Shadows - I think I wasn't in the best brain? I remember liking the character of Cross, who was in the TV episodes Impossible Planet/Satan Pit. Unfortunately, I found the opening a bit dull, skipped the middle, and the end didn't make the preceding sound interesting enough to go back. It's possible a listen at a different time might help? I listened to it right after Five People... which is a fucking amazing episode, so that might have skewed things a bit. Possibly also not enough women? The robot is the only one aside from recordings of the Empress.
54. Curios - I LOVE JILL. She is fucking amazing, and so clever and competent. I have a thing for competent women, and she has that in spades. I also love that she Has A Past, and doesn't take shit, and STABBED THAT ASSHOLE WITH A FORK. AHHH. So amazing. Lizbeth was right to recruit her. I also really really like that she gets under Manger's skin, that she almost forces him to be nice (and that he's not smart enough to get out without her). 10/10 would LOVE to hear from Jill again, as I said, she is amazing. They could freeze her and she and Lynne Sharman can be a team.
55. The Great Sontaren War - James Goss at his (almost) Gossiest, this is a hilarious comedy of terribleness, with some incredibly pointed social commentary.
I was not expecting a feel-good romp, but despite the nu!Sontaren aesthetic (and the abuse of a bird), it totally is one. I found myself laughing, wincing, and cheering in glee at various moments. Ianto and Kreg have a great dynamic, as does Kreg with everyone around him.
This one is mostly about other people, not Torchwood, like Coffee was. But unlike Coffee the people in this one are... entertaining? Interesting? They feel like real people? I don't know how to put it as I found Coffee dull as fuck, and this one should have been that dull, but it wasn't, it was great! It's like the only time I've ever liked the nu!Sontarens.
And in the BTS interviews, THEY INTERVIEW THE CAT.
"I am fighting an eternal war!"
"On a caravan site? In Swansea?"
"Yes."
56. The Red List - I was looking forward to this, as it's Ace and Mr. Colchester. And while I enjoyed their interaction, and Goss continuing to beat the drum on social inequalities, it wasn't as good as I'd hoped. The immigration by evil aliens thing was also kinda... meh.
OTOH, Ace blowing things up is always excellent and Mr. Colchester complaining was magnificent. And it's definitely worth it for the two leads.
57. The Grey Mare - Annie Watkins is another excellent female character, and she's badass for an old lady, and I wouldn't mind her coming back, either. If only to hang out with Martha Tyler and shoot at Fendahls with rock salt. This one wasn't as horrific as I was expecting (for true horror, that one the with creeping mold is your story), but it tried. Unfortunately, I felt like it was trying a little too hard to be funny, and so some of the horror/terrible things happening don't land? Or don't feel horrific.
I liked it, but it felt almost too fluffy for Torchwood. This felt more like a Doctor Who episode from JNT's era that got a bit lost.
It did have some great lines, though. And I did actually like it! It just wasn't the horror tone I was expecting.
"...the mad fancies of a senile old woman and a heavily-armed nurse."
Er, I should note that neither Tosh nor Suzie appear in any of the ones I reviewed.
51. The Five People You Kill in Middlesbrough - YVONNE. I love her, my heart grew ten sizes as I listened to this one. She doesn't want to kill them! She just wants to save lives! Just fucking do your jobs, people! But they refuse, they break her heart. And she is so amazing. This one also firmly establishes Yvonne as NOT FOND of stupid shit like Jewish Space Lasers, and gets quite pointedly political a couple of times, which is fun to hear. It's a bit too in the future due to that, I think, but I'll let it pass as it's just so fun.
I really feel like we were robbed of a tv series of Yvonne + Torchwood London shenanigans.
53. Empire of Shadows - I think I wasn't in the best brain? I remember liking the character of Cross, who was in the TV episodes Impossible Planet/Satan Pit. Unfortunately, I found the opening a bit dull, skipped the middle, and the end didn't make the preceding sound interesting enough to go back. It's possible a listen at a different time might help? I listened to it right after Five People... which is a fucking amazing episode, so that might have skewed things a bit. Possibly also not enough women? The robot is the only one aside from recordings of the Empress.
54. Curios - I LOVE JILL. She is fucking amazing, and so clever and competent. I have a thing for competent women, and she has that in spades. I also love that she Has A Past, and doesn't take shit, and STABBED THAT ASSHOLE WITH A FORK. AHHH. So amazing. Lizbeth was right to recruit her. I also really really like that she gets under Manger's skin, that she almost forces him to be nice (and that he's not smart enough to get out without her). 10/10 would LOVE to hear from Jill again, as I said, she is amazing. They could freeze her and she and Lynne Sharman can be a team.
55. The Great Sontaren War - James Goss at his (almost) Gossiest, this is a hilarious comedy of terribleness, with some incredibly pointed social commentary.
I was not expecting a feel-good romp, but despite the nu!Sontaren aesthetic (and the abuse of a bird), it totally is one. I found myself laughing, wincing, and cheering in glee at various moments. Ianto and Kreg have a great dynamic, as does Kreg with everyone around him.
This one is mostly about other people, not Torchwood, like Coffee was. But unlike Coffee the people in this one are... entertaining? Interesting? They feel like real people? I don't know how to put it as I found Coffee dull as fuck, and this one should have been that dull, but it wasn't, it was great! It's like the only time I've ever liked the nu!Sontarens.
And in the BTS interviews, THEY INTERVIEW THE CAT.
"I am fighting an eternal war!"
"On a caravan site? In Swansea?"
"Yes."
56. The Red List - I was looking forward to this, as it's Ace and Mr. Colchester. And while I enjoyed their interaction, and Goss continuing to beat the drum on social inequalities, it wasn't as good as I'd hoped. The immigration by evil aliens thing was also kinda... meh.
OTOH, Ace blowing things up is always excellent and Mr. Colchester complaining was magnificent. And it's definitely worth it for the two leads.
57. The Grey Mare - Annie Watkins is another excellent female character, and she's badass for an old lady, and I wouldn't mind her coming back, either. If only to hang out with Martha Tyler and shoot at Fendahls with rock salt. This one wasn't as horrific as I was expecting (for true horror, that one the with creeping mold is your story), but it tried. Unfortunately, I felt like it was trying a little too hard to be funny, and so some of the horror/terrible things happening don't land? Or don't feel horrific.
I liked it, but it felt almost too fluffy for Torchwood. This felt more like a Doctor Who episode from JNT's era that got a bit lost.
It did have some great lines, though. And I did actually like it! It just wasn't the horror tone I was expecting.
"...the mad fancies of a senile old woman and a heavily-armed nurse."