First time watching Torchwood (spoilers, ish?)

[KingofCretins]

I watched an episode using OnDemand, and it was pretty interesting. It was about an alien that took over this cute girl and then had sex to feed. The plot was apparently almost a complete lift from an "Outer Limits" episode many years back starring Alyssa Milano... who was taken over by an alien and then had sex to feed.

That aside, it was funny and sexy and interesting -- kind of like Men in Black, but without the dry humor, more of a slacker energy to it. A completely gratuitous scene of two women making out, which I must admit is usually visually pleasing.

I will tune in again, or at least catch more of it OnDemand. I'm quickly starting to like BBC America -- I have Hotel Babylon on my DVR

[Rosamunde]

A completely gratuitous scene of two women making out, which I must admit is usually visually pleasing.

That scene was one of the things that inspired me to keep watching. I'm that shallow. And I can confirm that you can look forward to be a few more gratuitous sapphic kisses later in the series

The plot was apparently almost a complete lift from an "Outer Limits" episode many years back starring Alyssa Milano... who was taken over by an alien and then had sex to feed.

I didn't know about that, but Torchwood is such a lazily written show that I'm not at all surprised that they're lifting things from other places. All though the "have sex or die!" thing is also a huge cliché in sci fi porn, I'm surprised they managed to make such a watchable episode out of it.

I'd be interested to hear what you think of other episodes of the show, especially as I would consider that to be one of the better ones

[KingofCretins]

The smooching was very hot, I was floored. There really is a difference between US and UK TV. And here I thought it was all hype because "Hotel Babylon" is all hype.

I watched another episode, incidentally, very "Minority Report" ish... not quite as good, although very fun scene with Gwen learning to shoot. They seem to be unsubtly be setting up some sort of fling between her and Jack.

[Dorian's Kitten]

The smooching was very hot, I was floored. There really is a difference between US and UK TV. And here I thought it was all hype because "Hotel Babylon" is all hype.

I watched another episode, incidentally, very "Minority Report" ish... not quite as good, although very fun scene with Gwen learning to shoot. They seem to be unsubtly be setting up some sort of fling between her and Jack.

Yeah I've found this too. They seem to be able to have a lot more sexy stuff on BBC. The stuff we're seeing on BBC America has actually generally been edited down-meaning that even though it's surprising by our tv standards, it is tamer than it was.

I am completely hooked on Torchwood-yes the comparisons to Men in Black are inevitable and there has definitely been some familiar-looking plots, but I've found it to be unique enough. I love all the mystery surrounding Jack!!!

As far as their apparent unsubtle set-up of Gwen and Jack-I suspect it is really not that simple.

[Rosamunde]

I watched another episode, incidentally, very "Minority Report" ish... not quite as good, although very fun scene with Gwen learning to shoot. They seem to be unsubtly be setting up some sort of fling between her and Jack.

Hee! I never expected that people with guns could looks so hot and be so much fun. I didn't think that episode was good, but Torchwood does have some fun moments.

Yeah I've found this too. They seem to be able to have a lot more sexy stuff on BBC. The stuff we're seeing on BBC America has actually generally been edited down-meaning that even though it's surprising by our tv standards, it is tamer than it was.

Really? I don't find the stuff on BBC to be particularly sexy in comparison to American tv. I mean shows like Sex and the City or The L Word or Queer as Folk US are more graphic than something like Torchword. But, I'm a bit confused: do you mean tamer than American tv in general or just tamer because sci-fi doesn't usually have so much sex in it?

[Nikole]

They seem to be unsubtly be setting up some sort of fling between her and Jack.

GOD PLEASE NO. Ahem. Sorry. I'm not particularily fond of Gwen. I'm a Jack/Tosh shipper (I know that's so random but they're sweet!)

The later episodes are much better. Especially They Keep Killing..., Random Shoes (although not many people like that one but it's got pretty good writing especially for TW), and Captain Jack Harkness. Oh and I think Countrycide is pretty cool as well. (Mostly because we get more Tosh and Ianto scenes)

I definitely agree that they are umm what's the word? I guess raunchier on British TV. Not just BBC but channel 4 as well and probably other channels I'm not aware of. While we have to pay extra for the cable for HBO and Showtime and stuff to see those things they get it for free on their like basic channels! lol *jealous*

[KingofCretins]

I'm not pro- or anti- Jack/Gwen -- just noticed the thing. I mean, as a boyfriend, I certainly would have ached seeing her all curled up into his neck and shoulder like she was when they were watching the sunrise in that "Minority Report"-ish episode.

The gun-training was hot, but also funny... it's like "and now I will show you all the wrong ways to shoot that people on TV shows know". They should also have a staff training session on television CPR, where you do a few chest compressions over about 20 seconds, then start slapping the victim and hitting their chest with your fist until they suddenly wake up and need no further medical attention.

[Dorian's Kitten]

I'm not pro- or anti- Jack/Gwen -- just noticed the thing. I mean, as a boyfriend, I certainly would have ached seeing her all curled up into his neck and shoulder like she was when they were watching the sunrise in that "Minority Report"-ish episode.

The gun-training was hot, but also funny... it's like "and now I will show you all the wrong ways to shoot that people on TV shows know". They should also have a staff training session on television CPR, where you do a few chest compressions over about 20 seconds, then start slapping the victim and hitting their chest with your fist until they suddenly wake up and need no further medical attention.

Well she probably should learn how to at least look like she's performing CPR on Jack to help cover his immortality.

As far as being anti or pro Jack/Gwen- I'm currently pro Jack/anyone and mostly looking forward to Jack/guest star that won't air for quite awhile yet but will undoubtedly spawn whole websites of fanfic.

[Rosamunde]

I'm not pro- or anti- Jack/Gwen -- just noticed the thing. I mean, as a boyfriend, I certainly would have ached seeing her all curled up into his neck and shoulder like she was when they were watching the sunrise in that "Minority Report"-ish episode.

I think they're trying to develop Gwen's character away from Rhys and make her more caught up in the world of Torchwood. I don't think they were trying to set up her and Jack, just highlight her involvement in Torchwood, and how she finds comfort there that she couldn't find from Rhys.

The later episodes are much better. Especially They Keep Killing..., Random Shoes (although not many people like that one but it's got pretty good writing especially for TW), and Captain Jack Harkness. Oh and I think Countrycide is pretty cool as well. (Mostly because we get more Tosh and Ianto scenes)

I though Random Shoes was pretty good writing for Torchwood too. Pretty terribly title, but interesting characters. I liked the angle they were working from. It was a bit like Love & Monsters from Doctor Who but I think it worked a lot more smoothly and the plot was a lot better. It was fun.

Countrycide is pretty good too. It was quite creepy in a lots-and-lots-of-gore kind of way. I think the plot fell flat a bit, because I would have liked to see more motivation from the perpetrators rather than "it makes me happy." I know that was supposed to be chilling but I didn't think it really worked.

[ThePoet's<3]

Countryside is great and - OH - I'm blanking on the Fairy one...but I love that one also!! Countryside reminded me of "Friday the 13th" or "Texas Chainsaw" type horror movies.

I found the whole first season to be pretty good. But the thing with the sex is that sometimes I'm not quite sure which gets in the way of what... Does the sex get in the way of the plot and storylines or does the plots and storylines seem to get in the way of the sex??? (not that I'm opposed... )

Sometimes the sex seems to be about "pushing the limits" and not about the actual stories.

My thing with BBC is - why does the US have to be "behind" a season??

[Dorian's Kitten]

My thing with BBC is - why does the US have to be "behind" a season??

An excellent question-though I know it is the same with a bunch of US shows aired in England. I just can't figure out why things can't get aired everywhere at the same time.

I just saw Cyberwoman-funny

Spoiler:

thing was that just before we started I mentioned to my husband that I've been thinking that Ianto doesn't have enough screen time and that Gwen/ Owen could be good and then...

I will acknowledge that sometimes the kissage seems a bit thrown in like -'hey who should snog in this epi?', but I wouldn't want it to go away so...

[TheCharmed1]

I found the whole first season to be pretty good. But the thing with the sex is that sometimes I'm not quite sure which gets in the way of what... Does the sex get in the way of the plot and storylines or does the plots and storylines seem to get in the way of the sex??? (not that I'm opposed... )

Sometimes the sex seems to be about "pushing the limits" and not about the actual stories.

I know what you mean, when I first started watching torchwood I really really liked it because I thought it was just a better version of doctor who. Some times in doctor who it's quite annoying how it's so 2D almost, you don't really get to see the other side like you do on torchwood, but I suppose it is a children's show, and on before the water shed and all that. But then I think they went over board on the whole sex thing. It's too bad they could just find a happy medium. Don't get me wrong I still love torchwood, but sometimes when you are sitting there with my Mam and Dad I am like I really don't need to see this what ever happened to the "afterwards" scene, I could have just filled in the blanks my self. Sometimes it is relevant to the story, like in the second episode, but most times it's not.

So I think you are right sometimes we don't need to see all what we see, and it's more about pushing the limits and shocking people rather than maintaining the quality of the plot.

My thing with BBC is - why does the US have to be "behind" a season??

This is also really annoys me. I don't understand why they don't just have a global release. At the moment I am in suspense waiting for series three of supernatural, I am so jealous.