Torchwood finale

[trixtah]

I thought the last two eps were fab - Owen finally had the major fuckup I was expecting from him - but why oh why did they have to tie it back into the Doctor Who ep I thought was the cheesiest of the cheese? And if they going to continue with that whole theme, it's going to end up annoying me.

Also, it's interesting how much SF that features "bug hunts" is seeming increasingly hackneyed to me these days. I'd go so far as to say that 9 time out of 10, aliens (or "other beings") annoy the fuck out of me.

I wish Torchwood hadn't brought in the deus ex machina (ho ho) for the villain of the piece. The individual who'd been set up for the role throughout the last two eps was doing a damned fine job without it. I was almost expecting a Sapphire and Steel kind of finale, damnit.

While some of the religious parallels were interesting, there definitely is a limit for me. Also, the Lone Hero thing is wearying in the extreme, and I find myself peeved that Jack is the One Who Knows (and Saves) All, while the others are just the wee (ignorant, and fucking-up-as-a-result) groupies.

Still, the character development was great; the sexy stuff was Hawt. And I like programmes that are about Big Poly Clans, it seems. Heh.

[Although we need to come up for another term for Big Poly Clans that doesn't use the c-word. I'm somewhat allergic to it. A "tribe" is worse, but that's purely because it's become such a cliché - I love the concept. Something that implies an interconnected group of people, without it being about ownership, per se. If we were in NZ, I'd say Ngati Poly (hee!), since that implies a confederated grouping. Hmmmm.]

Comments

[submarine-bells.livejournal.com]

I use "polyweb" when describing my own network of involvements and their involvements (and so on ad infinitum).

[trixtah.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, I keep forgetting about that one! It's certainly one of the less precious terms. :-)

[pretentiousgit.livejournal.com]

I use "relational database," but that's 'cause I'm a big nerd.

[trixtah.livejournal.com]

*snortle!*

I like that one; I may use it. :-)

[kikibug13.livejournal.com]

A "poly bunch"? Or perhaps even "a Torchwood bunch"? :) Just kidding...

Anyhow, Jack has been doing the lone wolf routine since Everything changes, IIRC; and the one who knows all thing as well. (that's what made his call to the police officer in They Keep Killing Suzie so absurdly funny)
I'm really looking forward to these two eps, I am. I should have seen them already, but...

[trixtah.livejournal.com]

I'm sure you'll enjoy the new eps, they really were excellent.

The whole "lone wolf" thing with Jack is probably the part I find the most irritating in the show. I was *hoping* that his involvement of the police in TKKS was perhaps the beginning of his turning over a new leaf (humour and all). Alas, it seems not.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

The individual who'd been set up for the role throughout the last two eps was doing a damned fine job without it. I was almost expecting a Sapphire and Steel kind of finale, damnit.

Bilis, you mean? Yes, I really liked him. Would klike to see him again. The Beast/Abaddon didn't seem cheesy to me in Doctor Who, but he did here. I'm not sure why.

Still, the character development was great; the sexy stuff was Hawt.

I certainly thought so.

I like programmes that are about Big Poly Clans, it seems. Heh.

As do I, but there's no reason for this to be surprising.

What does "Ngati Poly" mean?

[trixtah.livejournal.com]

Yes, I thought Bilis made an excellent villain, and I thought he was doing just fine by himself. Where did he come from? And what was the significant of all the clocks (since they weren't just about making money)?

The ep featuring The Beast in Doctor Who was by far my least favourite. The lead-up was alright (and I really liked the characters in those eps), but then the Beast itself and all the resulting stuff was just... irritating. And heavy-handed, I thought. I don't mind some mythology in my SF - I think it's great to borrow the tropes - but a clumsy transplant job doesn't really work for me.

"Ngati Poly" is just my blending of a couple of terms. "Ngati" is the prefix name to a bunch of iwi (super-tribes, if you will) in NZ. It originally means "descended from" - so Ngati Porou is a conglomeration of tribes whose members all count Porourangi as their ancestor. A slang term in NZ is to refer to (generally Maori-friendly) European-descended people as "Ngati Pakeha" (pakeha means "white NZer"). Pakeha all have some kind of "kinship", but we're not necessarily directly related. So, I thought it could work well for the clumps and conglomerations you get in poly groupings. :-)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Bilis made an excellent villain, and I thought he was doing just fine by himself.

His fate was unclear. I hope he's still around, with his clock shop and his time-travelling ways.

what was the significant of all the clocks (since they weren't just about making money)?

I don't know, but I do love the time-themes in this universe.

The ep featuring The Beast in Doctor Who was by far my least favourite.

I've heard others say this. It was one of my favourites. I think I loved everything about it.

I really liked the characters in those eps

That was a large part of it. Well written, beautifully cast.

then the Beast itself and all the resulting stuff was just... irritating.

I liked him too. Liked the Doctor's monologue to him. For me it was adapted mythology that worked well - in a way that it didn't work well at all in Torchwood, and I'm still wondering why I had such a different reaction.

"Ngati Poly" - thanks for explaining. Good term.

[buddleia.livejournal.com]

I like 'tribe'! Admittedly I know bugger all about poly networks, but by god I live in a big city with a bunch of lezzas. It's all about the non-geographical, quasi-familial agglomerations, baby.

[trixtah.livejournal.com]

Yep, pretty much the objections that saluqi mentions. I like the term, especially for its non-geographical, quasi-familial associations... but it's been co-opted by real tosspots who looove sporting their "tribal" tattoos and thinking they have an edge.

It's a pain when a few idiots bugger up a groovy concept like that. Also, hm, being a kiwi, even if the idiot brigade hadn't jumped on the bandwagon, I'd be careful about the contexts I'd use such a term in. "Tribal" has a fairly specific meaning in NZ, and while tons of Maori are cool about us Pakeha borrowing it in certain areas, there are plenty who are not. So, I'd be a bit audience-conscious too.

[saluqi.livejournal.com]

Sadly tribe is a horrible cliche when applied to white alt communities, and made worse by the 'tribal' tattoo phenomenon.

And yes, ngati poly is cool, but very NZ specific. Polyweb is the most accurate I've heard, not all that sexy a turn of phrase, but it's clear right awya what it means (to me, anyway).