Do Torchwood and Dr. Linked overlap much?

TheIrishGrover

I mean like Buffy and the first couple of seasons of Angel were. I tried to get into Torchwood but I just found it hard work. I just found the swearing and sexuality and "adult" tone actually silly and tacked on and yer wan Gwen's accent is so strong it's actualy stupid and distracting (to me). Plus, could they go one episode without harping on about Jack's sexuality? OK, so he's gay/bi/tri/whatever, we get it, we've no problem with it, move on.

I saw bit of that one with the sacrificed kids and it looked pretty good but I don't know if I can work through the rest.

ixoy

How much did you watch of it? Season 1 is fairly poor but Season 2 is a big step up and Season 3 is excellent.

Doctor DooM

Minor spoilers in this post unblacked out, major ones tagged.

Season 1 is AWFUL. It's exactly as you describe- it's like a schoolkid who's just realised he can use bad words so he's going to use it all the time.

As for linking in with Dr Who- it does considerably.

Off the top of my head:

There's a cyber-er- person in it. In one of the worst episodes.

Jack refers periodically to the doctor.

You can hear the tardis in an episode.

Jack has 10th's spare hand sitting around, and the coral on his desk is an infant Tardis he's trying to grow.

The rift manipulator thingy is based on the central platform of a tardis (design wise).

I'm trying not to spoil things for people but most of the really interesting- post jack torchwood/ who crossover happens on Who, not torchwood.

The second series ramps up the interaction as Martha Jones has a run in it. It's a much more tolerable series than the first and I consider the second half (after

One of the main cast dies

) to be very good indeed.

Jack's changed behaviour in this series is put down to the doctor "fixing" him and makingh im want to be a better person in the Dr Who series 4 finale. The reason Jack seems happier and enthusiastic when around the Doctor is supposed, in story, due to the fact he inspires him to be a better person. In truth, the BBC has some worries about kids seeing people behave in a Torchwood way- Note Martha Jones never curses during her appearance in TW.

But series 3 is just badass. There's only one mention AFAIR of the Doctor but it's well done and in the tone of this excellent piece of tv.

Seriously, hate away on the first two series, I don't think anyone will disagree. but Children of Earth is a quality, mature piece of drama (with some horror, and some horrific acts) which missing out on would really be your loss.

TheIrishGrover

Doctor DooM wrote: »

Minor spoilers in this post unblacked out, major ones tagged.

Season 1 is AWFUL. It's exactly as you describe- it's like a schoolkid who's just realised he can use bad words so he's going to use it all the time.

As for linking in with Dr Who- it does considerably.

Off the top of my head:

There's a cyber-er- person in it. In one of the worst episodes.

Jack refers periodically to the doctor.

You can hear the tardis in an episode.
......

Yeah, that's exactly what I was on about. I saw the cyberwoman one. and the hand (Can't remember how many episodes I watched) and I remember thinking "Wow, BBC have discovered the F word. All they were missing was the sh!t counter ala southpark.

Well that's good to know DD and ioxy. I'll give them a lash so. As I said, I saw bits of S3 and liked the tone so, yeah, I'll give it another go. Cheers folks.

Stark

"Small worlds" is worth watching from Season 1. "Captain Jack Harkness" is decent enough as well. The rest are pure crap.

I enjoyed Season 2 for the most part, I enjoyed a lot of episodes there. Season 3 is very good.

aidan_walsh

I skipped Season 2 entirely, really enjoyed Children of Earth (nice tight focus, hoping for the same with the new series) and the only good thing about Season 1 were the reviews here.

Basq

I've the first season waiting to be watched..

.. somewhat dreading it based on what I've heard!

Doctor DooM

Basq wrote: »

I've the first season waiting to be watched..

.. somewhat dreading it based on what I've heard!

You know what? I was able to watch it, I just spent half the time going "Wow, this is crap... THIS is crap... THIS is crap... " at the various things happening.

Morag

Yes but it was the same with DS9 and Bablyon 5.
But it's so worth watching it, so just steel yourself and get through the first season.

Das Kitty

I have to agree about the first season, it's trying too hard to be adult. It's not totally unwatchable though. It did get much better as it went on. The only thing that bugged me throughout was that they have an ctrl+z device that they use a lot.

popebenny16

Stark wrote: »

"Small worlds" is worth watching from Season 1. "Captain Jack Harkness" is decent enough as well. The rest are pure crap.

I enjoyed Season 2 for the most part, I enjoyed a lot of episodes there. Season 3 is very good.

I would refer the OP to your excellent blogs of the time regarding torchwood (at least I think they were yours lol....)

As for overlap, well, there is overlap and overlap. For example, we have had an overlap with Eastenders. Eastenders has had an overlap with Corrie last year (dot wanting to watch corrie on the telly) which means that there is an overlap twixt Who and Corrie.

Of course, this does not explain a few things:

1 - how characters from Corrie can visit Walford in last years Children in Need special or does it mean that Corrie in the Eastenders Mulitverse is a reality programme? For if Dimensions in Time is not Canon (and tell me how it isnt hee hee) then so is that.

2 - Dodo's Accent. ey up chuck, indeed.

Back to Torchwood:

The problem with Torchwood is that its grand to have a sin off show controlled by the Showrunner if that showrunner stays to the end of the show that show being Doctor Who. Comparisons with Buffy and Babylon 5 are valid in that context. Torchwood suffered in that it had to llink into Who, but it cant really.

What was the Doctor doing during Children of Earth, for example? What will he be doing this summer? Steven Moffat has already said quite clarly after The Big Bang that he can use the cracks in time plotline to just wipe away the things from the RTD era he just finds wont fit in with his new direction (like the Stolen Earth. Sadly, despite my e-mailing him about it, he has not been able to wipe my DVD of it. That may or not be a joke).

So in Torchwood Jack and blow up the world if he wants - because its a different world now, its a parrellel world where things like Children of Earth and ITC Torchwood can happen because its in the universe of RTD.

In fact it is the perfect solution. Torchwood is indeed the ultimate spin off - it has actually spun off into a differnet universe where RTD can mess around as much as he likes without it messing about with Who.

Doctor DooM

It's a good theory, but 11 showing up in SJA (sniff ) would say Moffat isn't too pushed about disassociating Who from the spin offs.

iguana

popebenny16 wrote: »

As for overlap, well, there is overlap and overlap. For example, we have had an overlap with Eastenders. Eastenders has had an overlap with Corrie last year (dot wanting to watch corrie on the telly) which means that there is an overlap twixt Who and Corrie.

Of course, this does not explain a few things:

1 - how characters from Corrie can visit Walford in last years Children in Need special or does it mean that Corrie in the Eastenders Mulitverse is a reality programme?

The Tommy Westphall Universe Hypothesis must blow your mind!:cool: