Torchwood reaction post

[sophinisba]

The thing is, the character I identified with was Toshiko, and I never connected much with Torchwood fandom because it's been so focused on Jack/Ianto and I just didn't feel that. I mean, I'm all for canon gay couples on TV, but I'm just not into this particular couple. (Sorry.) Toshiko's death at the end of season two made me feel the way a lot of other people are feeling now, when people say, "I'm not watching this show again" or "I just don't care anymore" or "I refuse to care anymore".

I wasn't sure whether I would come back and watch, but early this week everyone was squeeing so I thought I'd give it a try, and I was mostly enjoying it but was frustrated that Toshiko and Owen were barely even mentioned. I thought Rupesh was handsome and interesting and it was a waste to kill him off in the first episode. (I mean that was a great surprise for me when he shot Jack and I didn't mind that he'd turned out to be a bad guy or whatever but after all that work of infiltrating he should have gotten to do more, and also smile his pretty smile and talk more in his pleasant accent.) I thought the gratuitous Jack torture was gratuitous and the character of Lois was boring.

I liked Gwen more than I had in the past. I loved meeting Jack's daughter and especially Ianto's sister. I liked the actor who played Clement. I thought the thing with the kids was interesting and creepy in a mostly good way, and the scene where the government officials discuss how to select the units was awesome.

And then Ianto died and it wasn't that I felt hurt or betrayed like other people did last night. I thought, "Argh, again!" I felt annoyed and distant and didn't care much what happened in the last episode (and anyway the thing with the kids doesn't even make any fucking sense), but then I hadn't cared all that much before either, because they lost me when they killed Toshiko.

So that was my reaction, but I do feel really bad for those of you who are Ianto fans or Jack/Ianto fans and who were more invested in this, especially those of you who write in the fandom. (((blackbird_song))) And I know it's painful to lose one of the few queer characters and same-sex couples we have on TV. It sucks. You guys, I'm really sorry.

Comments

[ladysunrope.livejournal.com]

The thing about Toshiko and Owen's deaths was that they did in fact die for something. Not to be too over the top but it was heroic at least, whereas Ianto's death turned out to be pointless in the scheme of things. If I see a reason why, I can mourn the character's passing but reasonably adjust to being without even if I'm a fan of the actor (eg Dom's death as Charlie in Lost) Ianto's death just left me with the feeling it was done for a 'SHOCK! OMG!' factor rather than anything else which is a waste of Gareth David Lloyd's talents. If he had to die, it could have been given more meaning, in my view.

[sophinisba]

I think being prepared for it makes a huge difference. I mean, I can't really remember now but we knew that Charlie was going to die, right? So it was more worry about whether it would be handled well, and it was, because it had a purpose and because it was given importance in the story and because Desmond was sad about it. When I saw people freaking out on Thursday afternoon I didn't click but I knew something bad had happened and I thought, "Gosh, I hope Ianto doesn't die, but if he did that would be typical." I agree with you that it felt like it was done for the shock rather than because it was important to the story. I just wasn't expecting any better from Torchwood at this point. :/

[peripety]

Tosh was my favorite as well - my real Torchwood pain was when she died. I was a bit surprised how much I even cared that Ianto died, but it did catch me off guard. I suppose I thought, given the emphasis placed on the Jack/Ianto ship that nothing would happen to them...was I wrong.

Still, it was a brilliant story. Kudos to RTD for being brave enough to tell it.

[sophinisba]

After the first episode of this series I saw an uncut post on my f-list saying "I hope Ianto doesn't die!" and I hadn't been thinking about that but then when he lived through the bomb blast to the second episode I figured he was okay. So it sort of caught me off guard except that I knew (because people were nice about using spoiler cuts but just the presence of all those posts let you know something was up) that something major had happened so I wasn't surprised that it was this.

I saw a lot of people saying that the fact that Ianto was getting to do more and that the show was emphasizing the shippiness was there clue that he was going to die. I didn't notice this. It makes me sad.

But yes, the real pain was when Toshiko died. :(

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm with you.
*restrains further comment*

[sophinisba]

Yeah, there was more to this post but it was deleted for the sake of the general peace restrained. *hugs*