Torchwood

Sep. 29th, 2012 11:14 am
elfinblaze: (Torchwood)
Why did no one tell me Nana Visitor was in Torchwood: Miracle Day? Yes, I have finally caught up. But you need to tell me these things, people!

I also have a new layout to go along with this. Because I love Gwen Cooper so, so much. She started off as a young, green constable running coffee orders for her more experienced colleagues on the Force, and through Torchwood was forged into a warrior. Now she's tough as nails, with an understanding and acceptance of the kind of decisions Jack has had to make, but without losing the heart that still lets her bring people together. The only other woman we know of to survive Torchwood was Lucia Moretti (Alice's mother, and Jack's wife). She taught Alice and Steven to survive, and eventually died of natural causes (heart disease). I told a friend my conclusion recently: of those who survive Torchwood, the men get cursed; the women become warriors.

So what do I want to talk about regarding Torchwood: Miracle Day?

Symbolism! My favourite example to use is the one I came up with at university. "Apple". Say the word and everyone who hears it will think of something different. Some people will think of red apples. Others will think of green apples. Still others Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden. Apple computers. Lunch. William Tell. The letters: A-P-P-L-E. Everyone gets different mental associations. Most of us will assume that whatever we think of, others will also think of.

This is why stories are so fascinating to me as a writer and an English student, because when you look at what writers have written, those writers will invariably have written something that they think is just the way things are. They won't even have realised how many subconscious assumptions and associations have crept into their writing.

I thought of that when I thought about Miracle Day. Particularly in thinking about the Blessing.

The Blessing shows us who we are. Everyone sees something different because we are all different.

Jack, Gwen, and Oswald all see themselves reflected back in their own unique ways.

As for me? I see a giant vagina. Not just because I have sex on the brain, but because I see in the Blessing an opening in Mother Earth that gives life, quite literally, and its connection with blood is also graphically obvious.

I don't know if that's what the powers behind the scenes intended (I suspect they did), but that's what I see.

Incidentally, I love this icon. I love the sense of space it evokes. The picture is of Gwen on Flat Holm Island, and the quote is from the episode "Meat".
elfinblaze: (Torchwood)
When I was 18 I used to follow along to X/1999. When new installments came out in Japan, someone would write out in English what had happened, because the official English translation was way, way behind, and us English-speaking fans lapped it up, hungry to know what happened next. I remember sitting infront of the computer, crying, almost every month, because each development was so heartbreaking, with the whole unfolding drama between Subaru and Seishirou. I think I cried more over those two than I have over anything else in my fannish life. I remember the question of who would end up killing whom being a big deal, and then the answer coming out of nowhere, and no one expected that ending... and then that obscured speech bubble where everyone guessed what Seishirou said but it was never confirmed! I remember what a big deal it was at the time.

When Torchwood, season 2, episode 6, aired, I was shocked. I hadn't expected that ending. My primary thought was: "How the hell did they manage to keep that quiet?" I thought it was a fantastic twist, but I also suspected how the series would continue. Come on, this is Torchwood.

I was also unspoilt for Harry Potter, book 6. I got spoilt for book 5 and was determined for it not to happen again. Then when I read book 6 it wasn't a surprise at all. I could see that ending coming from the beginning. On the up side, at least, in the future I'll be able to say I was there when everyone got all worked up about it, the same way people older than me experienced The Empire Strikes Back, or The Wrath of Kahn. And I do sort-of wish I had been around when Sherlock Holmes died. It was a huge thing at the time and I would have loved to have heard what people were saying at the time.

I loved getting to experience the shock of all those things though.

Now that I'm (sort of) in the Glee fandom, where getting spoilt for upcoming plots is the norm, it's so weird to me. Everyday someone is leaking something on the internet, including The Powers That Be (TPTB) themselves, and the line between teasers and spoilers isn't exactly clear anymore. I try to stay away from them because I still don't like getting spoilt, but I've nonetheless been spoilt for just about everything on the show.

Having said that, finding out ahead of time doesn't negate that sinking feeling in your stomach when you hear about something shocking, or take away from experiencing that emotion, and as long as others are in the same boat, there's still that community feeling where everyone else wants to talk about it too. The spoiler just takes the events out of context. Sometimes that makes it worse, because then you have to wait weeks or months for the episode to air until you can find out how it gets resolved.

Sometimes, it makes it better because you can prepare yourself.

Normally I hate surprises. Loathe them, in fact. So most of the time I'm glad for spoilers if there's a theme I have trouble dealing with, coming up. For example, I'm glad I've now been warned for episode 18 so I can brace myself for the worst and not expect to go to bed happy after watching that episode, so I'm glad for that. (While we're on the topic, I wish books had warnings like fanfics.) But I don't want to know everything ahead of time and out of context. That's why I don't listen to the songs or watch the videos from upcoming episodes. Sometimes I don't even watch the trailers, just read the official summaries.

Thankfully there's still some good discussion that goes on after an episode has aired, so it still feels like being in the midst of it, especially when spoilers turned out to be misleading and people are freaking out about surprise romances, near deaths, actual deaths, and whatever else.

So I'm in a weird position of wanting to know some things but not others ahead of watching/reading something. I think I'll sum it up as: I like to be warned, but not spoilt.
elfinblaze: (Torchwood)
My second Christmas entry, in which I detail my post-Christmas enjoyment of all gifts.

I began the day by watching this:

Miracle Day - no spoilers )

So I'm watching Torchwood again! Damn, that feels good to say. I'm finally catching up with this newest series, and I'm loving watching Jack and Gwen again.

No one spoil me, I've only seen episodes 1 - 3 so far. I'm going slow this time, unlike Children of Earth which I watched in one sitting. @_@ Never again.

After that, for a change of pace, I watched:

Glee: the Concert Movie )

And I can finally take screencaps of all the creative and different Born This Way t-shirts! I still love all the stories those shirts tell about the wearers, and yes, I am wearing my own shirt right now, but that was purely by coincidence.

Shirts! )

And after that, I started reading some of this year's Yuletide fics.

So far, I've loved The Perils of Hunting Leporidae-Chiroptera-Vampirus (Tanya Huff's Smoke series), which doesn't quite feature a killer bunny, but does feature my favourite wizard, Tony Foster (sorry, Harry). It's thoroughly enjoyable and suitably deranged.

Also, I Found My Way (Lewis), which focuses on Sergeant Hathaway's past, faith, and sexuality, as spun out from "Life Born of Fire" and "Wild Justice" (my favourite two episodes), with a tone that fits perfectly well into the series. It's a lovely, quiet little story.

Look at that: I fit Torchwood, Glee, and Tanya Huff into one post. How perfect. It should be obvious by now, but I have a deep and abiding love for all things cheesy, camp, absurd, and downright insane.
elfinblaze: (Glee Kurt Blaine)
- A few weeks ago it was raining every day. I'm looking out my window now and seeing a half-dead lawn. Gotta love this country.

- My TV guide claims new episodes of Glee will be on tomorrow evening. I'm assuming that means "Special Education" will finally screen here, although the episode title isn't listed in the guide, but that will be the next one they need to screen. I will be re-watching. It's a good episode, so everyone else in Australia, you should be watching it too.

- I miss Torchwood too and I cannot wait for it to come back either. I'm already looking forward to it. I just love the show, and if Torchwood were a real institute, my dream job would be to work there, despite the high body count. As it is, the likelihood of me getting killed by an alien at an untimely age is significantly lower at least. But I need more action and cracky aliens in my life!

- I'm just going to link to this post of all the H/D fic and art Fests this year, because I'll probably want to come back to that. Lots of stuff happening.

- I would add more to this update but my internet connection is ridiculously slow and some websites aren't co-operating. Which brings me to the last thing I'm looking forward to: faster internet connection again on Tuesday!

Well, this has been a useless entry.

I'll update with something more interesting when I have faster internet again.
elfinblaze: (torchwood)
- I got hit by another story idea today. I love when that happens. And this plot-bunny happens to be particularly awesome!

- Bought Tomorrow When The War Began on DVD. It really is an excellent movie.

- I currently have 8 books in my to-read queue. I really need to get on that.

But that includes the book I'm currently reading (Kathy Reichs' young adult book, Virals), and the book I'm currently "not" reading (Sarah Waters' Tipping the Velvet) only because it is so, so good, and I never want it to end. I want to curl up in its pages forever. I put it down with a sigh after chapter 1 because I just wanted to revel in the feelings, and you only ever get one chance at reading a book for the first time, so I want this one to last.

But I have so many more lying on the floor beside my bed, waiting to be read. Books in waiting. Dreaming books.

- I'm getting really excited about Torchwood again (spoiler warning for that link). It sounds like it's going to be awesome! I can't wait. I'm so exciting to see Gwen again, and to meet the new characters and find out who they are. I have no doubt that it'll be amazing and I'll enjoy it because I'm still a sci-fi geek at heart.

- As for my other favourite slightly-unhinged show which is so far removed from sci-fi it's not funny... My idealised Glee wish list for the second half of season 2, no matter how unlikely:

cut for spoilers )

I know I can't possibly get everything on this list, but I know and suspect at least a couple of those are going to be coming along, so I'll be happy with those. And the rest I can write fanfic about. ^_^ I can't wait.

- Game of Thrones, the HBO series, will start, April 17. I'm still debating whether or not I'll watch it. It certainly sounds and looks like it's been done well, and Lena Headey's in it... but I'm already trying to keep up with too much other stuff. Maybe I'll just watch the first episode and then make up my mind.

- There's also new Doctor Who coming out at some point this year. Which I also want to keep up with.

- And before all of that I need to get some of these books read!

No, I'm not really complaining. If "too much to watch/read" is the biggest problem I have this year, I'll be ecstatic.
elfinblaze: (WM Spears Write Hard Die Free)
Things I'm looking forward to next year:

- More Glee (February)
- Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows Part 2 (July)
- Torchwood (July)
- The Truth of Valor, by Tanya Huff, out in paperback (later 2011)
- Wild Road, by Tanya Huff (late 2011)

Screw Christmas, what I need now is a time machine. Or better yet, a Doctor! Unfortunately, when I called the Doctor he was busy - something about the Vashta Nerada again - so I suppose I'll just have to take the long way through time.

At least I got my Christmas shopping done today. And it only took me two hours, even without the Doctor's help. I'm very proud of myself. *all organised*

In the meantime, I have a story to finish before then. It's currently kicking my arse. And just yesterday I discovered that a character who already had both hands full was indicating something. Apparently I'm really bad at keeping count of limbs.

So my project for the week: finish story in coherent manner, and hopefully I won't find any more people with three arms lurking about in it.

Oh, and wrap presents.

Link Dump

Aug. 7th, 2010 09:05 am
elfinblaze: (torchwood)
1. Via Autostraddle:

The Sci-Fi Explanation of Why Gay People Must Be Allowed to Marry

In many of the sci-fi futures that we know and love, racism, sexism, and homophobia are often scrubbed out of existence. Caprica/BSG, Star Trek, Torchwood, Mass Effect, even less thoughtful fare like Starship Troopers, depict residents of the future who are less interested in the permutations of human identity and more interested in the qualities of a person’s mind and spirit.

I love the continuum they refer to, with a progression of rights based on sapience, sentience, self-awareness, etc.

I know people complain about how conservative speculative fiction still is (it is still a bastion of the straight, white male), but it's leaps and bounds ahead of other genres. Have you ever looked for progressive crime fiction? Well, I have, and I'm sticking with sci-fi/fantasy. I suppose it's true that sci-fi is really all about the present, dressed up as the future.

2. Via [livejournal.com profile] doctorwho:

List of writers for Torchwood, season 4.

Other writers for Season 4 include John Shiban ("Breaking Bad," "Supernatural," "The X-Files"), Doris Egan ("House," "Tru Calling," "Dark Angel'), Jane Espenson ("Game of Thrones," "Battlestar Galactica," "Buffy") and John Fay (a U.K. "Torchwood" writer).

I was hoping for James Moran or Trevor Baxendale, but this is so much better! Who else thinks this series is going to be epic?

3. Via [livejournal.com profile] daily_snitch:

Emma Watson loses most of her hair in new 'do

Am I the only one who thinks Emma Watson looks hot with short hair? She looked gorgeous before too, but... Some people are just beautiful, no matter what they do.

4. Via... well, the horse's mouth, I suppose:

Tanya Huff is now writing Charlie's story, the follow up to The Enchantment Emporium, and it's due out next year, to which I say: "Hooray!" Because I love Charlie and I want a mini Charlie Gale to go in my pocket with my mini Binti Mashona.

More to read! Yay~
elfinblaze: (Blood and Smoke series)
Things I'm looking forward to:

- Asiavision! Like Eurovision for the Asia Pacific region. The countries competing this year will be: Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. As a follower of Eurovision I can only say: this is going to be so much fun! I'm looking forward to it already.

- Tanya Huff's new books. The Truth of Valor (the final Valor book, and damn it feels weird to write that word without a U) will be out later this year, but I'll have to wait until next year to buy the paperback version. The next book will be a stand-alone about Napoleonic werewolves, and the one after that will be a sequel to The Enchantment Emporium, focussing on Charlie. *waves Charlie flag*

- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I'm guessing everyone's seen the trailer by now? My favourite part: spoilers ) These movies are going to be awesome! And I'm going to need a box of tissues in the cinema with me for the last one. I'm most likely going to be bawling my eyes out. Can. Not. Wait!

Also good news: Tom Felton won "Best Villain" for playing Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at the MTV Awards. He has brown hair in his acceptance speech, if you want to see what he looks like outside of Malfoy-Blond.

- Torchwood. Yes, I'm still all squeeful since the news made me sit up in bed yesterday morning.

Why I'm looking forward to Torchwood, since everyone else is doing this list too and I am a sheep. )

Plenty to look forward to squeeing over. :)
elfinblaze: (torchwood)
YES!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/torchwood/torchwood_new_series/

I can't wait!

That woke me up quick smart. And now I'm going to have a stupid grin on my face all day. And I couldn't be happier about it.

Blame...

Apr. 19th, 2010 08:26 am
elfinblaze: (torchwood)
A cheeky letter writer to the newspaper today said: "Surely we can find someone to blame for the volcanic ash cloud."

According to [livejournal.com profile] metaquotes, it's all Torchwood's fault! Owen's apparently been playing with the rift manipulator again.

So now you know who to blame.

In fact, blaming Torchwood covers you for pretty much everything. Can't find your keys? Torchwood's fault. Car broke down? Torchwood's fault. Don't like the weather? Torchwood!

Bloody Torchwood.
elfinblaze: (Default)
I bought Torchwood: Children of Earth yesterday! Yaaay!

I love that season. It's easily the most intense thing I've ever seen. Admittedly watching all five episodes in one sitting probably contributed to that. ^^;;



Rant time. Spoilers for Children of Earth under the cut. )

On to other topics: what I loved about Children of Earth was the philosophical questions it raised. If you were in that position, would you sacrifice 10% of your country's children to save the rest of the population? And if so, who would you pick? How would you decide? Are some people's lives worth more than others'? I love texts that pose questions like that. It's why I loved Battle Royale (could you kill all your class-mates in order to survive?), so that was fantastic.

I missed some of the humour from last season but there were still some great moments, like Gwen using her police experience to teach the others how to rob people. I'm also a big fan of irony. XD

But all up I loved it. It was like watching a good movie that I never wanted to end. Like I said above, the most intense thing I've ever watched: five hours of high pressure, action, high emotion, and pretty much non-stop.

So yes, had to buy it.

Even though I still need to buy season 2. I've been putting it off because it's so expensive.

And Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is coming out in Australia this week.

And I still need to buy the next season of Bones.

Whatever happenned to saving money?
elfinblaze: (Default)
Good news from work: we got re-accredited! Yay! All that hard work was worth it.

Is it screwed up that I really wish I could work for Torchwood? That'd be my dream job. Pity it doesn't exist. XD Yes, I know the fatality rate, I don't care: if I could work there I would die happy.

Finally got around to watching Children of Earth. Wow, that was heavy going. Of course, I watched all 5 hours in one go, so it would have that effect. ^^;; This is what holidays are for. Really liked it though. Loved the darkness, loved the humorous bits, loved how deep and broad the story went, loved, loved, loved the moral questions it raised. Might have to take some more time to digest properly though, that was a full three-course meal and there's much to think about. Won't spoil it for those of you who haven't seen it, but I'm definitely in the camp that loved it.

Oh, why did I delete my Torchwood icon?
elfinblaze: (torchwood)
Happy Birthday, [livejournal.com profile] viciousdisorder. *hugs* (Even though I'll see you in person tomorrow.) You are a wonderful person and deserve lots of joy and love and chocolate, so I hope it's been a lovely birthday for you. I love you, my sister.

On a more flippant note: I have a theory. XD I think that all Hufflepuffs are secretly evil. Because it's always the quiet ones you need to watch out for. Also, I'm surrounded by them and I believe it's a Hufflepuff conspiracy to drive me insane.

Anyway, I just finished watching the final episode of Doctor Who, season 4. ^_^ Martha needs to join Torchwood; that would be very good. I'm somewhat embarassed to admit I yelled out loud: "YES!" when Jack said to her, "maybe there's something else you could be doing." ^.^;; Yes, yes, she needs to join his teeeeam!

Well, I don't normally get very involved in open canon texts, but in this case I am squeeing, hoping, and speculating along with everyone else, so I'm just a little excitable about my other major fandom (Torchwood).

I am truly obsessed. I spent $15 AUD on the latest issue of the Torchwood Magazine. *sobs* It was just one of those instances where I saw it in the newsagent and knew I would be walking out the door having bought it. v.v Guess my days of paying exorbitant amounts for magazines aren't over yet. At least I can read the language of this one. ~_^

Okay, I need to get lunch organised for tomorrow and then get to bed. Night, all!
elfinblaze: (Harry Potter)
James Marsters is awesome.

TV Guide: What was it like on the Torchwood set? More high-brow than the usual Yank sets?
Marsters: [Laughs] To the uninitiated, it can be a bit of a shock. It's a sexually charged show, so there are a lot of sexual jokes and a lot of double entendres in the air, but none of it is serious. After the first four days, I was saying stuff that made John [Barrowman] start to blush. I told him, "Dude, you shouldn't have unleashed it. I told you I was nastier than you."

Also, I'm actually getting exciting about the Half Blood Prince movie after reading this. Which is odd because it's my least favourite book and I'm trying not to expect too much. XD I like the darker books better. *_* Not surprisingly, Order of the Phoenix is my favourite; Harry's world just becomes so small and oppressive in that book, and he's constantly being cut off at every turn. Every time I read it I can almost hear him banging his fists on the walls all around him, and feel his anger and frustration. Half Blood Prince was far too light for my tastes. :p But that write-up made me go all "yay".

I was going to rec my favourites from the [livejournal.com profile] hd_worldcup, but I can't be bothered just now. So, instead, I'm going to rec a fic from [livejournal.com profile] hds_beltane.

Lost Roses )

And now I need to go get ready for my last day of work tomorrow before my holidays begin! \^o^/

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