What a wince-inducing episode THAT was! What with the mutilation of Frumkin by that rather pointless but scary ‘Torchwood Tracker’, poor Ellis Monroe being crushed ALIVE in the car (my worst nightmare by the way – thanks Russell!), and Eve Myles’ American accent – not to mention the epic fail in trying to make a forty-three year old John Barrowman look in his late twenties – it has to be said that Russell T Davies is definitely trying out all the old cards he did in series one, when trying to distance Torchwood so far from parent show, Doctor Who that the main plot points planned became rather lost and obscured; nevertheless the episode did have its high points.
Dead is Dead, the campaign thought of from Ellis Hartley Monroe, Mayor and Tea Party member, became an interesting twist to the Miracle Day concept, with the ongoing thought towards the question: Are those whom have died, dead? Okay, yes some are up and walking – Rex and Oswald to name but two – but can they be classed as living citizens? Have they now surpassed their ‘time’ or is that entire concept part of a past that is simply that, the past? Monroe may have had a point towards it, but her… let’s just say; religious interpretation towards her own freedom of speech was not the best way to pronounce it to the world.
That said, the concept of reopening old hospitals to simply home such Dead is Dead patients was equally not the best idea; and the thought toward what said hospitals could soon become… well that’s a thought not worth thinking of. Nevertheless they ARE all interesting thoughts; more consideration than anything else, early ideas as to what an undead-but-ageing society would do and let’s face it, the human race do NOT set a prime example at what the best idea is (indeed, I’ve seen bits of the next episode and it gets worse - tear-jerkingly worse!).
There’s a point in all this though, a philosophical point as to the nature of the human race: it’s widely known by everyone that we as a race on whole are terrible – individually we’re okay though. Turn on the news and every day you can find some scandal or war going on (in the UK there’s the on-going phone hacking scandal, and indeed the rioting in Tottenham; worldwide there are fights of all scales going on left, right and center) and the whole reason behind it, an unsaid singular thought: We won’t have to deal with it forever. The Miracle Day concept is fantastic for this unsaid analysis, whereby that now the human race as both a whole and an individual cannot die, we HAVE to deal with it all; and it’s that thought that scares the underwear off!
Deep, huh? Okay, maybe I’ve thought a bit too deep, but it’s something to consider. Moving off into more confortable territory, I’d like to spend a moment evaluating Jilly; last week I hadn’t much to say about the mysterious red-head, but some things, if not her past then at least about her personality, were revealed in the latest episode, and those spin towards her working life. Previously we got to see her as an overly-bright, exaggerated P.R. woman, always a smile on her face and naught a bad word to say to anyone about anyone. Well, Escape to L.A. saw a different side to her; it proved she had a personality beyond smiles and slight clumsiness – it showed that she indeed hates Oswald as much as the public, only tolerating him because her working with him pays her bills! Just fantastic!
Now, at the beginning I mentioned the ‘Torchwood Tracker’ – as he is indeed credited down as – and have to wonder his purpose to the whole plot. Again hired by, most likely, the darker side of PhiCorp (with the spinning triangle) and riding around in what only could be described as a modern day K.I.T.T. (from Knight Rider for those whom have just gone ‘what?!’), his main purpose was to take a perverted look at Gwen, talk mysteriously to a speaker in his car and reveal that whatever is behind the Miracle has something to do with Jack’s past (please not a resurrected Grey or Daleks – this IS RTD we’re on about). Indeed, he can only be described as an: ‘antagonist episode filler’, a villain against Torchwood and a physical anti-Jack, if you will, to viewers as Rex kind of was in the first episode, Lyn and Wayne in the second and Jilly in the third (I know who it is in the fifth, but I won’t say). Okay, yes he did have some scary part to play at the end, threatening Gwen, but as per usual, he was put incapable of ever reappearing so as to save on plot for him. Indeed, K.I.T.T. was even destroyed with poor Ellis Monroe inside – her eye… *shudders*
Anyway, enough of this; I can successfully inform readers that this is the first review I have ever done (since Doctor Who last year anyway) where I haven’t re-watched the episode first, and I think I’ve got all the major points across, so boo-ya to me! Now all that needs to be done is this:
- Jack = 9/10 – Another rather average episode for the Jack-meister; he gabbles a lot, gets in and does what needs to be does and acts the leader. Just never try to make him look any younger than say thirty-five again, please!
- Gwen = 10/10 – I remember a time when quite few Torchwood fans didn’t like Mrs. Williams, so I just hope that Eve and Gwen are turning those fans around – well she should have in Children of Earth in my opinion – but does she HAVE to wear a sexy suit every episode now? Seriously! Although Eve I have to say is an amazing actress, it’s just a shame that Gwen is – at heart – a work-first kind of woman. Oh, and NEVER put on a Californian accent again, Eve, please…
- Esther = 10/10 – Anyone else feel sorry for her? Okay, calling child services for her niece and nephew could only end in one way (and fantastic casting on her sister – they really did look alike), but the stress of the situation put pressure upon her and Rex’s attitude did NOT help, the bastard. Besides, Esther returning to her home didn’t get the Torchwood Tracker on their tail; Gwen talking openly and LOUDLY about her job in public did, not that they would ever know that.
- Rex = 8/10 – Am still not bonding with the man, I’m sorry but I’m not – and the whole thing with his father was just pointless in my opinion and most likely more filler for the episode. So what if his father’s a squatter? Okay so there’s no love in that family, we can now understand why he’s such a hard-arse, but still, a quick sentence from him to Esther would have dealt with the situation the same way. Still, he saved Gwen from eternal torment, so he has some blessing from me.
- Vera = 10/10 – Every episode I fall for Vera just a little bit more; she has a solid, clear head and understanding of the situation that others clearly just don’t, which is why I have to reveal one spoiler to the readers and please do NOT click this link if you don’t want to know – no, seriously don’t if you hate spoilers.
- Oswald = 9/10 – A clever, clever man! Just when Monroe was stealing his needed spotlight (as long as he kept the money coming in for PhiCorp they kept him protected) he went right in and stomped all over her – right past her, in fact, and into the ‘Dead’ hospital to provide a heart-warming speech and even hold a baby. Go Danes.
And so that concludes another review, a LOT earlier than last one, although I hoped to do it twenty-five hours earlier than it is now in preparation to returning to a working schedule (long story those who don’t know, but will be returning within about two weeks, by estimate, to a bastard boss and hell) AND accompanying new Doctor Who reviews (return date unofficially confirmed as the 27th) – and I’m not used to doing two reviews a week. Yeah I know; hard work! (Sarcasm included!)
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