3.02: Children of Earth--Day Two

[Queen E]

The saga continues...

[spacecat1974]

It sure does!

Go Ianto!

[artemis]

This felt like more of a "bridge" episode than the first one. I still enjoyed it quite a lot though.

ETA Forgot to say that in the little special after the episode, Gareth said that having Ianto go after Jack with construction equipment was a lot more exciting than making tea!

[beccaelizabeth]

Ianto Jones: Best boyfriend ever.

Also, got to love how he just hangs out on rooftops watching the people who tried to kill him. Lessons in cool.

His family are win too.

[artemis]

Jul 22, 2009 15:11:10 GMT -5 beccaelizabeth said:

Ianto Jones: Best boyfriend ever.

indeed!

Also, got to love how he just hangs out on rooftops watching the people who tried to kill him. Lessons in cool.

oh, i know, i love that scene. and the way they frame the camera shot so that you see him appear to be literally hovering over her shoulder is really nifty.

His family are win too.

i was amused by, amongst other things, the nonchalant way his nephew said the house was probably bugged, and his brother-in-law's "pedos!" scene.

[beccaelizabeth]

Jul 22, 2009 17:31:21 GMT -5 artemis said:

Jul 22, 2009 15:11:10 GMT -5 beccaelizabeth said:

Ianto Jones: Best boyfriend ever.

indeed!



oh, i know, i love that scene. and the way they frame the camera shot so that you see him appear to be literally hovering over her shoulder is really nifty.

His family are win too.

i was amused by, amongst other things, the nonchalant way his nephew said the house was probably bugged, and his brother-in-law's "pedos!" scene.

I was amused about the bugs and the snoops, yes.

I was wondering how it translates though. "Dibble or dole" etc. Police or Benefits Agency, checking up on crime or working when you say you aren't. UK news is full of stuff like local councils using laws meant for the prevention of terrorism to go out and prevent terrible things like dog poop and kids going to schools they wouldn't have got into if their parents filled the forms in different. They set 'spies' on people for rubbish like that. Add to that the CCTV coverage, which long since hit soaked, and we have a society that not only expects to be watched, it's watching back. When legally permitted. Police have also been known to try and confiscate cameras, because there's another anti-terror law that says you can't photograph police. It's meant for very specific circumstances, but oddly enough the police think those circumstances include any time they're doing something they don't want in the papers.

So I loved those scenes because they're doing something in a context of SF that's, well, not very SF, really. Just with added catalyst.

Which was also why I didn't so much love it as Torchwood, but that's a whole other thing.

[artemis]

Jul 22, 2009 19:22:31 GMT -5 beccaelizabeth said:

I was wondering how it translates though. "Dibble or dole" etc. Police or Benefits Agency, checking up on crime or working when you say you aren't. UK news is full of stuff like local councils using laws meant for the prevention of terrorism to go out and prevent terrible things like dog poop and kids going to schools they wouldn't have got into if their parents filled the forms in different. They set 'spies' on people for rubbish like that. Add to that the CCTV coverage, which long since hit soaked, and we have a society that not only expects to be watched, it's watching back. When legally permitted. Police have also been known to try and confiscate cameras, because there's another anti-terror law that says you can't photograph police. It's meant for very specific circumstances, but oddly enough the police think those circumstances include any time they're doing something they don't want in the papers.

So I loved those scenes because they're doing something in a context of SF that's, well, not very SF, really. Just with added catalyst.

yeah, it is pretty similar here in the States. though we don't have as many CCTV cameras (though there are a lot of private ones that the police/etc use when tracking people; most of the cameras here are on private property), there are a lot of similar stories in the news here.

Which was also why I didn't so much love it as Torchwood, but that's a whole other thing.

yeah. in one of the specials RTD mentioned that in CoE he was specifically turning the tables on TW - having the same things that they'd used to target others be used to target them - which i thought was interesting. not so much fun any more, eh, gang?

in last night's little special (airing after episode three, though the specials tend to talk generally about all the episodes that have aired so far), RTD and the actors also talked a bunch about the theme of how someone can allow really awful things to happen simply by not having the courage to stand up to what they're told to do - definitely another theme for our modern age! they talked about what a slippery slope someone can find themselves on, starting out with good intentions and just slowly spiralling down into doing morally reprehensible things.

[Lola m]

Nice (and creepy) touch, with Gwen's hearing all muffled and those "locate the body" whistles going off.

"No survivors!" Oh, crap. These aren't real fire fighter-helper people. They're the clean up crew! Fight, Gwen!! And snipers too? Damn, they really intend to be totally completely really really thorough.

Run, Ianto, run!!!!! Holy crap!

Politician man is really not convincing the wife there.

Something to build for our new alien overlords, eh? Why the kids? "Because they can. And they want to scare us." Nicely succinct.

We're on the same side. (Yeah, not so much, I'm thinking. Same government, yes. Same side, no.)

Run, Gwen! Run, Rhys! "I've never gone into hiding before, have I?"

Heee! Police guy all "don't you want to do a risk assesment" and so on. Should have listened to him.

Heee! Carry the bag so she can keep her trigger finger free.

Scary, with them busting into Ianto's sister's place.

"We want a pony. We want a pony."

Oh goodie! Crazed old guy who saw them as a kid is still on the run too!

Go, go, temp assistant woman! You find that corruption!

They still think Jack's non-dying is due to the Hub. Oh, they are so very very wrong. And that will be their downfall.

I wouldn't be so quick to thank him for trusting you. Instead, I'd pay a bit more attention to his explanation of "what the front line is for".

Just the arm. Riiiiiight. Still doesn't mean he won't "pull himself together", so to speak. Or if that is really him, even.

Interesting. They knew about Ianto's family, but not Jack's, it seems.

Careful, temp assistant woman!!! Don't let them know you're on to them!

Trace that mysterious black van, Ianto. Go get your man! Or, your man's pieces. To, you know, assemble him as needed.

"That'll be from uncle Ianto." ;D Heeee! I love him being all noisy and yelling for the listeners.

"Where dad broke my leg."

Damn. They're locking up the Jack-bits. And there they go, reassembling. Cuff the bloody bones to a wall. Damn. She's too thorough!
"If he can survive that, what can't he survive?" Why don't you take warning from that, you gits?!

Escape to London, on a mound of spuds!

Heh!! Get the neighborhood to take out the watchers as the sister sneaks off.

Eeeep! Yeah, I think Jack would agree with you many many times over how often he's been in a "would have been better off staying dead" place.

Heh! Yeah, not exactly the "I'm pregnant" speech setting you were hoping for.

And there go the kids again. Well, at least you have a deadline now.

Poor old crazed guy.

Lois, just tell Gwen that you've seen the wacky death orders and stuff coming from this office! Don't just set up a meeting with your boss guy.

Oh, excellent! She came herself instead of telling boss guy!

"I didn't sign the official secrets act to cover up murder. I didn't take the job to commit treason on my second day. What am I doing here?" I like her!

If you're the good guys, who am I working for. Excellent questions, Lois!

Holy crap! They're gonna put him in a block of concrete?!? Geez, and I thought he'd had some truly horrible die over and over stuff already!

Yay, Lois! "I'm a PA. It's what I do." She so deserves a job with TW.

Old timey 456 government guy is way in the know, and they are ignoring him foolishly.

Heee! They're gonna drive right onto the secret base, with a vehicle just perfect for getting a body out. ;D Gwen is good at avoiding the cameras. Ha! She's giving him all the "zip it" motions. And then he's all "eeep" when she knocks out the guard.

Concrete! Noooo! Tell me that Ianto somehow got him out before it hardened.

Noooooooo!! Captured . . . Oh, yes!!! Ianto!!! Yeah, baby!!! And then truck go boom!!

That. Was. Awesome!!!

Bust open that concrete and set your man freeeeeeeeeeee! Now, go pick up the reanimating bits and run run run!

Ha! Gwen all "spare my blushing eyes" and Jack just strolls out of there with his jacket over the shoulder.

Ambassadorial. Throne room. Slaughterhouse. And he is soooooo enjoying saying all this to them, isn't he?

"For all we know, they've sent the same instructions to every country in the world. We've said nothing, maybe everyone else is keeping quiet too."
"Oh, I don't think so. Whoever they are, they're coming for Britain."
"But why?"
"Exactly. Why is that, Mr. Frobisher?"
Yeah, this old guy is a tricksy one.

[Lola m]

Jul 9, 2009 1:33:47 GMT -5 spacecat1974 said:

It sure does!

Go Ianto!

That was, like, the best prison break evah! ;D

[Lola m]

Jul 22, 2009 15:11:10 GMT -5 beccaelizabeth said:

Ianto Jones: Best boyfriend ever.

Also, got to love how he just hangs out on rooftops watching the people who tried to kill him. Lessons in cool.

His family are win too.

Totally and completely love his family. **nods**

[Lola m]

Jul 23, 2009 10:04:09 GMT -5 artemis said:

Jul 22, 2009 19:22:31 GMT -5 beccaelizabeth said:

I was wondering how it translates though. "Dibble or dole" etc. Police or Benefits Agency, checking up on crime or working when you say you aren't. UK news is full of stuff like local councils using laws meant for the prevention of terrorism to go out and prevent terrible things like dog poop and kids going to schools they wouldn't have got into if their parents filled the forms in different. They set 'spies' on people for rubbish like that. Add to that the CCTV coverage, which long since hit soaked, and we have a society that not only expects to be watched, it's watching back. When legally permitted. Police have also been known to try and confiscate cameras, because there's another anti-terror law that says you can't photograph police. It's meant for very specific circumstances, but oddly enough the police think those circumstances include any time they're doing something they don't want in the papers.

So I loved those scenes because they're doing something in a context of SF that's, well, not very SF, really. Just with added catalyst.

yeah, it is pretty similar here in the States. though we don't have as many CCTV cameras (though there are a lot of private ones that the police/etc use when tracking people; most of the cameras here are on private property), there are a lot of similar stories in the news here.

Which was also why I didn't so much love it as Torchwood, but that's a whole other thing.

yeah. in one of the specials RTD mentioned that in CoE he was specifically turning the tables on TW - having the same things that they'd used to target others be used to target them - which i thought was interesting. not so much fun any more, eh, gang?

'Twas a very nicely done twist.

in last night's little special (airing after episode three, though the specials tend to talk generally about all the episodes that have aired so far), RTD and the actors also talked a bunch about the theme of how someone can allow really awful things to happen simply by not having the courage to stand up to what they're told to do - definitely another theme for our modern age! they talked about what a slippery slope someone can find themselves on, starting out with good intentions and just slowly spiralling down into doing morally reprehensible things.

And that a big part of what makes Lois such a hero, isn't it?

[artemis]

Jul 27, 2009 18:42:27 GMT -5 Lola m said:

Nice (and creepy) touch, with Gwen's hearing all muffled and those "locate the body" whistles going off.

I thought it was great how they kept alternating between the two.

Run, Ianto, run!!!!! Holy crap!

That scene was awesome. Thankfully their snipers don't seem to have actually been the greatest snipers ever!

Why the kids? "Because they can. And they want to scare us." Nicely succinct.

Especially the latter, I think. Especially scaring by insinuation - "if we can do this, imagine what else we can do with your kids..."

Scary, with them busting into Ianto's sister's place.

Indeed. Those poor kids!

They still think Jack's non-dying is due to the Hub. Oh, they are so very very wrong. And that will be their downfall.

I still wonder what made them think that. Maybe because they couldn't think of another reason? But, y'know, what with all the alien technology TW had...

I wouldn't be so quick to thank him for trusting you. Instead, I'd pay a bit more attention to his explanation of "what the front line is for".

Or anything about that exchange really. It seemed very telling of John's personality that he seemed to just take it.

Interesting. They knew about Ianto's family, but not Jack's, it seems.

Well, Ianto's was in plain sight, and Jack's was under deep cover alias...

Careful, temp assistant woman!!! Don't let them know you're on to them!

Indeed! I was so nervous for her in some of those scenes, thinking she might get found out.

Trace that mysterious black van, Ianto. Go get your man! Or, your man's pieces. To, you know, assemble him as needed.

"That'll be from uncle Ianto." ;D Heeee! I love him being all noisy and yelling for the listeners.

That was really funny!

"Where dad broke my leg."

I thought those few lines said so much about the dynamic between the two of them. No matter what Ianto added, what happened was his fault to his sister, not their dad's.

Heh!! Get the neighborhood to take out the watchers as the sister sneaks off.

Loved that scene too.

"I didn't sign the official secrets act to cover up murder. I didn't take the job to commit treason on my second day. What am I doing here?" I like her!

If you're the good guys, who am I working for. Excellent questions, Lois!

The actress was especially great in that scene.

Holy crap! They're gonna put him in a block of concrete?!? Geez, and I thought he'd had some truly horrible die over and over stuff already!

Poor Jack . . .

Noooooooo!! Captured . . . Oh, yes!!! Ianto!!! Yeah, baby!!! And then truck go boom!!

That. Was. Awesome!!!

It sure was!

"For all we know, they've sent the same instructions to every country in the world. We've said nothing, maybe everyone else is keeping quiet too."
"Oh, I don't think so. Whoever they are, they're coming for Britain."
"But why?"
"Exactly. Why is that, Mr. Frobisher?"
Yeah, this old guy is a tricksy one.

With all the Meaningful Closeups of him hovering in this episode, I thought they'd say something more than the hints, but, yeah, just hints. Interesting stuff, though.

[artemis]

Jul 27, 2009 18:46:19 GMT -5 Lola m said:

in last night's little special [...] they talked about what a slippery slope someone can find themselves on, starting out with good intentions and just slowly spiralling down into doing morally reprehensible things.

And that a big part of what makes Lois such a hero, isn't it?

Indeed! She reminded me (in a much smaller way, of course) of some of the WWII resistance fighters whose lives I read about in museums when I visited Europe.