Yes, Torchwood is great. Despite all it's obvious flaws (most of which I'm hoping will be worked out for the next series), it's extremely compelling and I adore it. Especially because it's probably the first sci-fi show to canonize slash.
See, in my fantasy, when I'm kissing you... you're kissing me. It's okay. I can wait.
Oz ,'First Date'
Boxed Set, Vol. III: "That Can't Be Good..."
A topic for the discussion of Farscape, Smallville, and Due South. Beware possible invasions of Stargate, Highlander, or pretty much any other "genre" show that captures our fancy. Expect Adult Content and discussion of the Big Gay Sex.
Whitefont all unaired in the U.S. ep discussion, identifying it as such, and including the show and ep title in blackfont.
Blackfont is allowed after the show has aired on the east coast.
This is NOT a general TV discussion thread.
Invisible Green - Jan 14, 2007 6:57:12 pm PST #5306 of 10001
§ ita § - Jan 14, 2007 7:04:28 pm PST #5307 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
the first sci-fi show to canonize slash
If you mean same-sex sex by slash, they're not. B5 occurs to me first, and DS9 had a girl-girl kiss.
Boy on boy? That's rarer. Can't find an example off the top of my head.
I liked Torchwood. I think it's messy and angular and I'm not sure if that's because they're being purposefully awkward or because they're not sure where they're headed. They have me curious, though.
Still want them to live up to the opening monologue properly.
Fay - Jan 14, 2007 7:37:21 pm PST #5308 of 10001
"Fuck Western ideologically-motivated gender identification!" Sulu gasped, and came.
True, B5 (and DS9? I knew I should have watched that show more) brought the girl-on-girl action - but then that's a much less risky thing to do, in terms of one's Geekboy audience. And heterosexuality was always the baseline 'normal' in these shows.
I mean, I'm still "Yay! Teh Gay!" about Winters/Ivanova and all that - but hot girl-on-girl is less challenging/threatening to the geekboy audience (not dissing Winters/Ivanova, which was handled well, I think, and wasn't exploitative wish fulfilment stuff) whereas actively being 'why yes, samesex sex is normal, widespread and fun, folks, and did we mention normal?' is just a wildly different mindset.
Torchwood really isn't heteronormative. And that's a breakthrough.
It's also fairly ethnically diverse, from what I can see - I mean, yeah, the majority of the characters are white, but that's a very fair reflection of Wales - in the second ep I loved the fact that SupportingCharacter was blathering on about how much it cost to hire workers, and how many Polish lads he could hire for the cost of one of these arsey Welsh blokes. Spot on, that.
Ailleann - Jan 14, 2007 9:01:42 pm PST #5309 of 10001
vanguard of the socialist Hollywood liberal homosexualist agenda
OK, Fay just made me put "find ahems of Torchwood" on tomorrow's to-do list.
Theodosia - Jan 15, 2007 3:23:42 am PST #5310 of 10001
'we all walk this earth feeling we are frauds. The trick is to be grateful and hope the caper doesn't end any time soon"
Yes, that Torchwood is set in a place that's not Generic Britain (i.e. London) is a great plus for me as well. Especially because in the American fantasy map of 'Wales' it's all Celtic woowoo historical stuff, so having a more contemporary fantasy paradigm is a great bonus, too.
And then there's the characters, and the plots, and the pretty....
esse - Jan 15, 2007 4:35:18 am PST #5311 of 10001
S to the A -- using they/them pronouns!
Torchwood really isn't heteronormative. And that's a breakthrough.
I think this is what kept me watching even when I was thisclose to chucking it out the window as a load of crap. It's unlike anything else I've watched, really, because even shows like the L Word and Queer as Folk rely on the concept of heteronormativity to push the concept of homonormativity, or acceptance of both, rather. Torchwood doesn't even touch either one--it just says, "hey, lots of people in various combinations getting it on with no issues, how do you like them apples?" And I like them apples very much.
Matt the Bruins fan - Jan 15, 2007 6:09:06 am PST #5312 of 10001
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand
Boy on boy? That's rarer. Can't find an example off the top of my head.
Angel technically went there in its last season, but it told (in the century-past tense, to boot!) rather than showing.
P.M. Marc - Jan 15, 2007 6:54:13 am PST #5313 of 10001
So come, my friends, be not afraid/We are so lightly here/It is in love that we are made; In love we disappear
Henry Jenkins gives Supernatural a chance, falls down the rabbit hole himself: [link]
No spoilers in the text of his entry past vague ones for S1. Bless his boots, he's a Sam boy.
sumi - Jan 15, 2007 7:06:42 am PST #5314 of 10001
Art Crawl!!!
New BSG promo in between Exodus part 2 and Collaborators.
Interesting.
Going to see if it's up on Youtube.
§ ita § - Jan 15, 2007 7:31:04 am PST #5315 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
SPN question--in the crossroads ep, what leverage was Dean going to use against the demon once he'd trapped her there?