Watched the final episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day on Thursday.
Overall it was a pretty up and down series. I know I've spoken about it's pros and cons in the past, but I really did think it got better as it went along. With the exception of the diabolical plane episode, it was a pretty interesting story, especially the moral darkness of the "burn centres".
It was definitely pitched at a transatlantic audience, with a couple of scenes feeling too "American". Not that there's anything wrong with American drama, which I'm a massive fan of, but it just felt out of place on such a thoroughly British show.
There was also the fact that they rolled out a "who's who" of guest stars from American sci-fi. From Q off of Star Trek: The Next Generation to Officer Don from Third Rock from the Sun, Major Kira from Deep Space Nine to Sierra from Dollhouse; it was clear that the endless conveyor belt of guest appearances was aimed squarely at American sci-fi geeks.
But all in all, it was quite good.
They kept some of the knowing humour from the early British versions, including Gwen and Jack admitting that they're willing to kill each other before "hugging it out" and becoming best friends again, or Gwen scoffing back laughter in the face of the CIA director when he made a joke that would normally have been ignored on an American show. The concept of "nobody dying" was definitely the most interesting of all the Torchwood storylines, and the ten episodes gave them time to explore it thoroughly.
It was also good to see writing/production credits from Buffy and Angel alumni such as Jane Espenson, Kelly A. Manners and Skip Schoolnik, which might have helped give an edge to a lot of the shows writing. It was also both entertaining and disconcerting to keep jumping from the grandiose storylines set in the US to the much smaller storyline in Wales, but that certainly made it stand out from every other show out there.
It will be interesting to see how well the show did and whether or not there'll be another season.
The dual epilogues at the end of the episode would suggest it might be in the works...
Showing posts with label Mekhi Phifer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mekhi Phifer. Show all posts
Saturday, 17 September 2011
Saturday, 30 July 2011
It's a miracle (day)
To say I was dubious about the new "Americanised" version of Torchwood would be somewhat of an understatement.
Now, I'm in a tiny sci-fi minority in so much as I quite enjoyed the Torchwood TV show, but have never really given a crap about Doctor Who. Don't ask me to explain why, it's just always left me cold. I think if I sat down and was able to watch it from the beginning I might change my mind, but we haven't reached that point yet, so I'm still firmly in the "Who gives a crap" camp (bad, bad pun, I know).
And I think that my general apathy towards the good Doctor is why I liked Torchwood when so many Doctor Who fans don't - I don't see it as the poor cousin, I see it as the more grown up uncle who drinks and smokes and has sex.
Not that the show was perfect by any stretch of the imagination - each series could have done with being a few episodes lighter, and most episodes could have lost a few minutes, but for all it's flaws it was for the most part entertaining and in it's own way ground breaking. What other show can boast a gay (or bi-sexual) action hero as the leading man?
Plus, it's British, and at a time when I truly believe that the Americans are truly crushing us when it comes to creating good, high-concept adult science fiction, I want to support British shows like Torchwood and the (unfortunately ill-fated) Outcasts as best I can. And before you say it, Doctor Who is clearly popular enough without my support.
And so we have Miracle Day, when the everyone on Earth inexplicably stops dying. This time Captain Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper (the only survivors of the original team), are joined by Mekhi Phifer and Bill Pullman, who I haven't seen since he was rousing US Troops in "Independence Day", which must have been about 15 years ago. Oh how the mighty fake US Presidents have fallen. There's also a pretty blonde CIA Analyst who at the first sign of trouble forgets all of her CIA training and runs around terrified. Oh, and who could forget Gwen's husband Rhys, who has somehow become even more annoying and petulant since the last series. This is highlighted when Gwen and Rhys learn of the fact that no-one on the planet is dying, do the maths and work out that the planet will be overrun in four months and the food will completely run out. Rhys then begins yelling at Gwen telling her not to get involved as someone else can sort it out. Now at this point, everyone thinks Jack has disappeared forever, and Torchwood no longer exists. They don't know of any Torchwood equivalents in other countries, so to the best of their knowledge GWEN IS THE ONLY PERSON ON THE FRICKING PLANET QUALIFIED TO INVESTIGATE THIS. But no, hiding away at your country retreat is a much less selfish option Rhys. Tit.
The American parts of the show don't quite mesh, leaving it feeling like someone has taken a half-an-hour episode of Torchwood and spliced in some bits of a bad episode of 24. Which is a shame because I think the central idea behind the series is probably the best one they've had for any Torchwood yet. The scene where Mekhi Phifer is trying to leave the hospital is unintentionally hilarious, as he ends up looking like Lee Evans from "There's Something About Mary". Entirely out-of-context from the rest of the episode.
But, I've only seen the first one so let's see how it develops.
Now, I'm in a tiny sci-fi minority in so much as I quite enjoyed the Torchwood TV show, but have never really given a crap about Doctor Who. Don't ask me to explain why, it's just always left me cold. I think if I sat down and was able to watch it from the beginning I might change my mind, but we haven't reached that point yet, so I'm still firmly in the "Who gives a crap" camp (bad, bad pun, I know).
And I think that my general apathy towards the good Doctor is why I liked Torchwood when so many Doctor Who fans don't - I don't see it as the poor cousin, I see it as the more grown up uncle who drinks and smokes and has sex.
Not that the show was perfect by any stretch of the imagination - each series could have done with being a few episodes lighter, and most episodes could have lost a few minutes, but for all it's flaws it was for the most part entertaining and in it's own way ground breaking. What other show can boast a gay (or bi-sexual) action hero as the leading man?
Plus, it's British, and at a time when I truly believe that the Americans are truly crushing us when it comes to creating good, high-concept adult science fiction, I want to support British shows like Torchwood and the (unfortunately ill-fated) Outcasts as best I can. And before you say it, Doctor Who is clearly popular enough without my support.
And so we have Miracle Day, when the everyone on Earth inexplicably stops dying. This time Captain Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper (the only survivors of the original team), are joined by Mekhi Phifer and Bill Pullman, who I haven't seen since he was rousing US Troops in "Independence Day", which must have been about 15 years ago. Oh how the mighty fake US Presidents have fallen. There's also a pretty blonde CIA Analyst who at the first sign of trouble forgets all of her CIA training and runs around terrified. Oh, and who could forget Gwen's husband Rhys, who has somehow become even more annoying and petulant since the last series. This is highlighted when Gwen and Rhys learn of the fact that no-one on the planet is dying, do the maths and work out that the planet will be overrun in four months and the food will completely run out. Rhys then begins yelling at Gwen telling her not to get involved as someone else can sort it out. Now at this point, everyone thinks Jack has disappeared forever, and Torchwood no longer exists. They don't know of any Torchwood equivalents in other countries, so to the best of their knowledge GWEN IS THE ONLY PERSON ON THE FRICKING PLANET QUALIFIED TO INVESTIGATE THIS. But no, hiding away at your country retreat is a much less selfish option Rhys. Tit.
The American parts of the show don't quite mesh, leaving it feeling like someone has taken a half-an-hour episode of Torchwood and spliced in some bits of a bad episode of 24. Which is a shame because I think the central idea behind the series is probably the best one they've had for any Torchwood yet. The scene where Mekhi Phifer is trying to leave the hospital is unintentionally hilarious, as he ends up looking like Lee Evans from "There's Something About Mary". Entirely out-of-context from the rest of the episode.
But, I've only seen the first one so let's see how it develops.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)