Torchwood: Miracle Day

timewarrior wrote:

Yeah, Starz is being a punk on the renewal.

Starz is just waiting for RTD's decision on the next season. They want it, but first RTD has to decide if he wants to do it or if he'll pass it on the someone else. It's all up to him right now. It's still his show. He said when he started Miracle Day his intention was to come in, set up the franchise, and leave it in someone else's hands. However, Jack Barrowman said in an interview dated June 29, 2011, "And, all being well, I’m set to be filming more Torchwood in January.”

As for the "no one dying" thing - never going to happen, as long as RTD's writing it. He's say that's a crucial part of TW, main characters dying. He set that up by killing Suzie in the first episode. He says it adds realism & tension that when you're operating in a dangerous environment, people die. He didn't want TW to be one of those shows where every week they're in danger but you know they're all going to be just fine at the end.

I'm all for him handing the franchise over... I just hope Starz will still go for it. In the articles I have read, it doesn't sound like they want to do it if RTD leaves. Which puts the series back to square 1 after CoE in trying to figure out how to keep it going if the BBC insists on having a co-sponsor.

I'd rather them keep it to themselves and stick with a 5 episode format like CoE. Keep the story tighter and frees up the cast to keep doing TW as well as other projects.

so, imo, i think they dropped the ball with this episode. three episodes left, and we get introduced to the so-called "mastermind", who is a new lover of jack's/ ex-lover/crazy person.

ok, so as i explained this to my girlfriend. if you found out your lover could come back to life, would you: a. stab them to death b. after stabbing them to death, invite the landlady up to see that he could come back to life, so she could stab him to death, 3. have a big party where everyone would stab him to death, dance around him, and drink his blood.

then after all that, say you're sorry, and wonder why you're lover won't forgive you. i mean, i've heard of jealous, crazy, abusive lovers, but this one takes the cake. so much so that he's willing to ruin all of humanity just to get back at jack?

i know i dog on moffat a lot, but rtd has really lived up to his reputation here. let's pull something out of nowhere to explain everything. two episodes left, hopefully we'll get a conclusion to the mystery of the triangle men, oswald danes, that kitzinger girl (she's in way too many places to be a coincidence), jack, and who was trying to kill gwen.

they rushed over a lot of stuff in this series (the cult of people who wore masks over their face), ernie hudson's character, wayne knights character, that lady who got her neck twisted. it's almost like rtd wanted a lot of cameo's, with no real substance. i wouldn't be surprised if nana visitor isn't in any of the remaining episodes, or gets killed off next.

speaking of which, where in the world is john delancie? i swore i read he was in this series. since he hasn't appeared yet, will he be part of the 3 triangle people (along with angelo, and some other guest star)???

i would really like the ending to tie everything together, and pay off, but just like i call moffat out on things, i will do the same with rtd. i don't think he will pull it off. i could be wrong, but i'm putting my money down on the opposite table.

bret_owen, John de Lancie is in the spots for this coming Friday's episode (Aug. 26).

I just stumbled across a blog written by the co-writer, Jane Espenson. She co-wrote the series with RTD. Russel wrote only the first episode, and Jane's done 4, with both of them writing the finale together. I wasn't aware she was writing most of it. She was even the one who put the Doctor Who reference in the last episode!

Anyways, her blog is here.

She writes each one after the episodes airs, and walks through it with some insight into the writing process. It's pretty interesting.

I think both RTD and JE screwed up big time with the way the current series was written.

-The first two episodes being basically setup about what Torchwood is all about. Why if the show has already been on air for three series before. I don't care if production was taken over by a US company or not.
-Jack's taken the backseat for the most part while the newbies hogged the airtime
-Incorporating a pedophile/murderer who takes on a following.
-The introduction of Angelo via flashbacks in a single episode late in the series rather than sprinkling them throughout the series.
-The sex scenes, on the whole, really haven't been relevant in the overall series. Instead, focus on the story.
-Ten episodes to concentrate on a single storyline is way too long. It could have been done in half or less episodes to allow for more self-contained stories.

This are just a couple of the main issues I have with the show. If, and that is a big if, the show returns, they need to improve on the writing instead of stretching them out as they have. Series four is definitely not going to be on my list to buy on blu-ray.

rdks, i read that blog. i think that will be the last one i'll be reading. it explains a lot, about the author, and the "writing process" that has gone into this show. really wish they had devised a better outline for this story, instead of throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks routine.

bret_owen99 wrote:

ok, so as i explained this to my girlfriend. if you found out your lover could come back to life, would you: a. stab them to death b. after stabbing them to death, invite the landlady up to see that he could come back to life, so she could stab him to death, 3. have a big party where everyone would stab him to death, dance around him, and drink his blood.

then after all that, say you're sorry, and wonder why you're lover won't forgive you. i mean, i've heard of jealous, crazy, abusive lovers, but this one takes the cake. so much so that he's willing to ruin all of humanity just to get back at jack?

Although I have disagreed with you in the past, I cannot agree with you more right now. I enjoyed the episode, but this specific aspect of it was very difficult to digest. Near the end, when he was all emotionally devastated, I was thinking "we don't care anymore, we don't like you anymore".

I really wish this backstory had come earlier on, in episodes 3 or 4 possibly. There would have been 1) more Jack in the first half of the series, and 2) more of a surprise at the end of episode 7 for this 'reveal'. It is as if the series was broken into two parts, and the first focused very much on the aspect of the sick, the definition of dead, the hospitals, all that stuff....and the second half is focusing on the miracle's origin and the backstory. I would have preferred that both these aspects/storylines were occurring at the same time, not separately.

I'm still hopeful for the next three episodes, though.

bret_owen99 wrote:

i wouldn't be surprised if nana visitor isn't in any of the remaining episodes, or gets killed off next.

Ummm....hmmm.....yeahh..... this comment of yours was the first thing I thought of as soon as it happened, while I was watching.

Pretty good episode. I enjoyed it much more than last weeks. Finally got to see Q! About time. He was great.

Funny, about halfway through it I was getting a little bored with it and started thinking maybe 10 episodes are too long for one plot. Then the little twists happen at the end and I'm excited again. I yelled "No!" when the episode ended - I wanted more!

One little part bugged me - Q threatened to deport Gwen if Jack didn't talk. Jack stayed quiet and they took her away, then as soon as she's gone he spills the beans. Huh? Maybe he didn't want her to hear it for some reason.

Whilst I'm enjoying the episodes so far I'm disappointed and giving up on any hope of seeing a cool-looking, properly menacing alien enemy.

Yeah, if they kept it to 5-7 episodes it would be a lot tighter.

What I was thinking as I watched this ep was... with the short flashbacks they did tonight, with just a little more exposition, you could have almost or completely eliminated all the Angelo flashbacks from last week, saved a lot of time, and that ep would have flowed better with the focus being on the hostage dilemma with Jack and Gwen.

The other thing Coop suggested was throwing all the back story into the beginning. Do the background and set up for all the characters in the first ep... Gwen and Rhys, Jack and Angelo, Esther and the sis, and Rex... then have the Miracle Day event happen in ep 2... and you are off and running with the main storyline with no need to spend time on flashing back.

Im starting to become less than thrilled with some of their characterizations.

Esther already breaks protocol and contacts her sister. All the bad stuff happens, and she is all guilty and sorry because she betrayed the team and she's never done this stuff before, etc etc

Then bring in the sister again, and all that previous experience goes right out the window, and Esther blabs to CIA Q about the floor when Jack wanted to keep it secret.

And Rex. Rex has been betrayed twice now by people in the CIA and gone through all sorts of pain and grief because of it.The team has had his back when all this is going on. But in comes CIA Q and he's back to being the CIA obedient poster boy, and goes along with everything he says, even though 1) CIA Q is a jerk in general 2) been oblivious to all the CIA traitors 3) instead of asking the team to help and pool their resources, he just deports Gwen and resorts to blackmail and threats.

Oh yeah, lots of learning going on right there for Rex.

Just really doesn't do a lot to make you like these new people. Rex Ive never liked and have just hoped when Miracle Day gets shut off he dies on the spot. Esther on the other hand I did like and could see her being a part of the team in the future (assuming we get more TW). But, here she goes and messes up again. Now it's back to square 1... the only people I care about are Jack and Gwen/ family. They can kill off everyone else and no big deal.

Good that the driving force behind it is less Angelo and more The Family. Hopefully there is still a surprise or two left before the finish.

And I think before Gwen left the house she would have knocked CIA Q on his ass first.

It's good to see that the CIA recruit their agents from the same corrupt organisation than CTU did in 24!! How many moles can 1 agency have??

I do wish this show was 6-8 episodes long! Way too much padding to fill the time IMO

Another suspensful episodes. . .two more to go. . .though with the preview it looks like the blessing is going to heal rex and he may turn against the team. . .hmmm. . .

.... hum.... lets see how many more former Star Trek people they will have in the show.

workstinx wrote:

It's good to see that the CIA recruit their agents from the same corrupt organisation than CTU did in 24!! How many moles can 1 agency have??

I do wish this show was 6-8 episodes long! Way too much padding to fill the time IMO

LOL, I was thinking the same thing. Background checks!!!

That Brain Parasite thing seemed to me like a mix between the Goa'uld from Stargate (The appearance/MO) and the Ceti Alpha V Eel (MO). Good episode though. Love the fact that the Trickster's Brigade is the only enemy faced on all three shows (and that it started on the Sarah Jane Adventures)

CGren123 wrote:

That Brain Parasite thing seemed to me like a mix between the Goa'uld from Stargate (The appearance/MO) and the Ceti Alpha V Eel (MO). Good episode though. Love the fact that the Trickster's Brigade is the only enemy faced on all three shows (and that it started on the Sarah Jane Adventures)

that was last week's episode. . .

timewarrior wrote:

CGren123 wrote:

That Brain Parasite thing seemed to me like a mix between the Goa'uld from Stargate (The appearance/MO) and the Ceti Alpha V Eel (MO). Good episode though. Love the fact that the Trickster's Brigade is the only enemy faced on all three shows (and that it started on the Sarah Jane Adventures)

that was last week's episode. . .

He's in the UK, timewarrior. They get the episodes 6 days after us.

kcooper76 wrote:

timewarrior wrote:

CGren123 wrote:

That Brain Parasite thing seemed to me like a mix between the Goa'uld from Stargate (The appearance/MO) and the Ceti Alpha V Eel (MO). Good episode though. Love the fact that the Trickster's Brigade is the only enemy faced on all three shows (and that it started on the Sarah Jane Adventures)

that was last week's episode. . .

He's in the UK, timewarrior. They get the episodes 6 days after us.

Well that sucks. . .we can get doctor who on the same day, can't they get Torchwood on the same day as well? I cry foul on that one.

timewarrior wrote:

kcooper76 wrote:

timewarrior wrote:

CGren123 wrote:

That Brain Parasite thing seemed to me like a mix between the Goa'uld from Stargate (The appearance/MO) and the Ceti Alpha V Eel (MO). Good episode though. Love the fact that the Trickster's Brigade is the only enemy faced on all three shows (and that it started on the Sarah Jane Adventures)

that was last week's episode. . .

He's in the UK, timewarrior. They get the episodes 6 days after us.

Well that sucks. . .we can get doctor who on the same day, can't they get Torchwood on the same day as well? I cry foul on that one.

So does probably every UK viewer! Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that part of the contract between the BBC and Starz to make the series together was that Starz must be the first ones to 'Premiere' each episode.

It was pretty much fully funded with US money so I don't think we can moan too much over here in the UK.....wont stop us though!!

You guys should have it at least about the same time. Without you guys, we wouldn't even have Torchwood.

We get many shows over here weeks & sometime months after you guys in the US.

We have just finished airing Falling Skies & Season 5 of Dexter here. Thankfully I watch my US shows the following day after you guys online.

Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it Loved it annnnnnnnddddd Loved it

So I actually thought last week's episode was the best of the series -- no overwhelmingly stupid developments, great pacing, some genuinely emotional moments and surprises, and momentum at the end (Jack dying, Oswald in flight) that left me looking forward to this week's episode. And what did they do?

They started this episode two months later. *facepalm*

Really hated that. Like, you've got main characters near death and/or on the run, and it really doesn't seem like they should be able to make it with the odds stacked against them. So how do you show that? The writers said, "We won't -- we'll just skip past that stuff!" Really, really weak.

But aside from that and the distraction with Gwen's dad and a few other things -- like the really creepy, bloodthirsty characterization of Rhys ("You can leave him with meeeee!") -- it wasn't horrible and I'll be glad to learn what the Blessing is and see how everything gets resolved. Definitely feels like they could've reached this point five or six episodes ago, though.