Torchwood - Children of Earth

Torchwood series 1 was a bit hit and miss. To be honest, I never saw all of it, because what I did see and read about it made me think it was just about being a "darker and edgier" Dr Who, maybe crossed with something like The X Files. It was all stuff that couldn't go in Dr Who. Sex and swearing. Some bits of it did show a lot of promise though. The last couple of episodes were definitely worth watching.

Series 2 was such a massive improvement. Having James Marsters involved was great, and Owen's shock death mid season, only to be brought back as a zombie-ish living dead man was genius. This series is definitely a lot more emotional too. Adrift is a brilliant episode, and the finale was amazing. Very sad though. Tosh and Owen gone in one episode?!

Children of Earth. Well if series 2 was an improvement, series 3 was the giant improvement that makes Torchwood a truly fantastic sci fi series, able to contend with all the big American shows. Very dark overall, but that's what's good about Torchwood sometimes. They aren't afraid to go for the unhappy ending. There were a lot of good twists too. Jack has a daughter who looks around his age. Jack was involved the first time the 456 came. The 456 wanted kids to use as drugs. So much more.

I actually did cry at a few points. Ianto. Ianto is dead! That was horrible. Again, brave of them to kill off another main character. They really do fit the "Anyone Can Die" trope. I was also upset at Frobisher's actions. I really empathised with his character. He wasn't a bad guy. He was just doing what he thought he had to, and he was the government's fall guy. Of course the saddest moment was Jack having to sacrifice his own grandson. Would the Doctor have done the same?! That's what I kept thinking. Jack makes ruthless decisions for the greater good, but would the Doctor actually end someone's life to save the rest. Truly was heartbreaking to watch.

All in all, Children of Earth really was something special. Apparently a fourth series depended on ratings for this. No worries then, and I really can't wait for it.

So I had an adventure.

Travelling Europe and all that. Bruge, Ghent, Amsterdam (I love this place), Cologne, Rhine Valley, Rudesheim, Frankfurt, Strasbourg, Epernay, Paris. Photos to be found on Facebook, for those who are friends with me. I'll post the albums here when I've uploaded them all.

For some reason, I struggle to write about stuff like this, because it's like I've already relived it all thousands of times telling each of my parents, my brother, and several different people at work. In summary, it was all awesome, and I really want to go back to Amsterdam.

So I've been marathoning Bad Girls again...

...and now I'm definitely noticing a decline in quality. Don't get me wrong, series 6 (I've watched from episode 3 to the end today) was still great and still worth watching, but I think they got rid of too many favourites from series 5 and earlier before 6 started, and many of the newer people aren't so likeable. Yvonne, Denny, Babs, Buki and Karen all gone. All with good reason, but did it have to be all at once? The Julies are the only original inmates still left in it, since Denny went. Her exit seemed kind of sudden, and a little unrealistic. However talented someone turned out to be, if they had a record of escape, would you send them to an open prison? Denny must have got a lot of extra time from the whole escaping thing too. Babs had a good ending to her story, but it would have been nicer to actually see her release. Same with Buki. She started off annoying, but you grew to like her. Her release was spoken about, but then she was just gone between series.

Yvonne's death was a great story, but I think the series suffered without her. Phyl playing "top dog"? Didn't seem right. The drug pushing thing makes them not so likeable too. Of the other new people, I did like Kris and Selena and their story, but I always had it in the back of my mind that I knew they would never get a proper conclusion. I know they aren't seen or heard from again after the series 6 finale. Darlene is annoying. Not a bad character, but not someone you can really like. Buxton makes a good baddie character, but we all want more nice ones too, and not just the mouthy young ones. The series is missing people like Nikki, Yvonne, Babs, Monica etc.

I also never got to like Myers much as governer. Fair and all that, and someone against Fenner, but I liked Karen. She was like Helen with more balls. Myers wasn't as likeable.

So yeah, still good at series 6, but I think I'll always prefer those first 3 series. Maybe 4 too, since it was good that Yvonne had time when she really was top dog. The high character turnover isn't helping. I think one of the things I do love about Bad Girls though is the fact that nothing is forgotten. I like continuous stories in anything, and Bad Girls forgets no one. When Karen thought she had Fenner cornered in series 5, she said she was doing it for Rachel Hicks, Nikki Wade, Helen Stewart and Shell Dockley. All characters from previous series who had been and gone ages ago, with the exception of Shell who was slightly more recent. The prisoners always mention previous characters too. Flowers sent from Crystal and Josh, and calling Monica, and using Nikki's name as a cover, and constantly mentioning Zandra as someone they miss.

The other good thing is that I know I'm now up to a point where I haven't seen them all. I've seen a lot more, but definitely not all. I'm glad I thought to rewatch this series.

It's been a while since the last TV related post...

...and I've watched some pretty good stuff lately. Spoilers ahead.

Caprica

After my BSG marathon, I was definitely ready for Caprica, and I wasn't disappointed. Different, and yet unmistakeably set in the same world. Joseph Adama was well cast, and you can see the things in him that you respect in the Admiral. This idea of the cylons coming from Graystone's desire to have his daughter back is an interesting one, and I like where it's going. I'm not sure how far it can go though. I see a story, but not a long one, unless they decide to skip several years and get nearer to the first Cylon War. I'm sure it won't disappoint though.

Worth mentioning the obvious Bear McCreary score. It was nice to hear Wander My Friends during an Adama family moment, and the taiko drums during the centaurian scenes. He says it'll get closer to BSG style music as they get closer to the events of BSG. Sounds good to me!

One thing I don't understand is how this will appeal to non-BSG fans. They say it's less sci-fi, and so will appeal to more people. They say that you won't need to have watched BSG to follow it. Yeah maybe, but I can't see why people would be all that interested if they hadn't watched BSG.

Scrubs

It's felt like it was on it's way out for a while. Kind of like The Simpsons. You know it's still hilarious, but there's something screaming that it's time to call it a day. And wow, they really did call it a day. That final episode was amazing. The perfect ending. I won't mind if it carries on though, in a different way with new people and new things happening, but it was certainly the end of the story as it is now. I loved the final few scenes. The bits that may happen in the future.

Also, Glenn Matthews? Haha, brilliant. "Hey Tommy".

Dollhouse

I will cry if this is cancelled. Episode 11 was spoiled slightly by the fact that I thought it kind of obvious that Alan Tudyk would be Alpha. It was still exciting, but I thought it would be harder to guess. Maybe it's my own fault for reading too many internet spoilers and knowing Alpha would be revealed in that episode. Episode 12 though, that was something else. Dr Saunders has been an active all along?! Alpha was a killer (almost) before he was an active?! Ballard is going to work for the Dollhouse?! Ballard chose to save November over Echo?! Everything about this episode was exciting, and a great build up for future episodes. I really, really hope this gets another chance. I'm just not sure, because it's a strange series, and I reckon something of a cult thing.

Bad Girls

I know, this is a really random mention. I saw a Youtube clip several weeks ago now of an old episode, and suddenly I had a craving to watch them again, kind of like I did with At Home With the Braithwaites earlier in the year. Honestly, it's brilliant. It's brilliant because it feels real. Of course I don't know what it's like to be in prison, and I'm sure there isn't an evil screw in every one of them, but the characters are real. I honestly thing the Nikki/Helen story is one of the best love stories on tv, but even after they left, it continues to be an amazing series. I'm in season 5 now, and maybe it's waned a bit, but I'm enjoying watching it again.

Well

Not really even half as confused about that thing, since someone else I know is more certain about certain things, and that's made me more certain about the opposite things. Aaanyway. New dilemmas arise. Is applying for this job the right move? What about the people at work I like and would miss so much? Should I give that up, just to go back to living where everyone but the family has forgotten me, or try and make a go of things here? Who knows!


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Now playing: Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism
via FoxyTunes

there's too much confusionnnnn

I've not blogged for a while, for a few reasons. I think mostly because I'm lazy, but I'm also not in a great place right now. Why? The reasons are hard to explain, and I as usual I don't understand everything either. I think that the approaching birthday has something to do with it though. The last three birthdays have had me feeling pretty crap in the build up. My dad was confused about why, with this one. I'll be 23, but I've achieved a lot really. There has been visible progress since the last birthday. The degree, the job, the house, the adult life. They're just things though. I'm still as alone as I was this time last year. I'm still not jumping for joy at the prospect of reaching another day where I think about what I haven't achieved.

I just feel like I've gone backwards, since uni. My last birthday was good. I was happy on the day. Usual negativity during the build up, but then I went for lunch with some friends, and at the weekend my sister visited, and even though I still did some dissertation on the actual day I still had a good time. I was motivated to do well, and starting to get my life together and back on track. That's how I ended up with my good degree and my job. And now I have it all, and I'm getting worse again. I have no motivation. None at all. I'm behind on my portfolio work. I'm behind on other jobs I need to do. The house is a mess all the time. I dread work. I've lost contact with some more friends, and this time I know it's my fault rather than theirs like it usualy is. I've lost the internet as my escape. It's not that I'm really depressed right now, like I was at the start of the year, but I'm in a mess. I need to start being proactive again. It's just...finding a reason. Maybe I don't feel like I have one. At uni, I got my arse in gear because my placement made me realise that I wanted a job in the field. I don't feel like I'm aiming for something now, especially since I don't want to stay living here in this particular job.

There's been something else confusing me a bit, but I can't talk about that yet. The problem with this thing is that sometimes I just accept it for what it is, and it's no big issue, and then sometimes it causes a really deep confusion and questioning of a lot of things. I feel like things will become clear when something happens, but I don't think that will happen for a while.

Ugh. I just need to do things. Things that aren't tv, internet and work.

Upside Down

Some things really are just messed up. The mother of my cousin's son, pregnant by my brother's oldest friend. Pictures of the three of them together, her, him and the little guy, as though they were a family. She's a piece of work. He's just daft. I feel sorry for him. He'd be a good father to my cousin's lad, but it's not how it should be. Better him than some random I guess.

And what about my brother? I miss his ex. The one I spent years slating. I'd take her as a future sister in law over this new girl. He made a decision he'll regret forever today. I blame her.

Sometimes things just don't feel right. The way they happen, the things they cause. I wish there was a reset button for some days. I hope it all works out.