Something Borrowed

[annundriel]

Torchwood - "Something Borrowed"

Having been a little spoiled for this one, I wasn't really looking forward to it. So I kept putting it off. And while, like I said in my last very brief post, it began on a moment of "what the hell?" I guess I can say in the end that it didn't bother me as a whole as much as I thought it might.

Basically, I didn't hate it. But I still had issues with it. Once again, mostly with Jack. I don't like feeling uncomfortable when he's onscreen. What is with that?

Anyway, the moment at the very beginning of this episode that had me going, "Wait, what?" was Gwen and Jack in "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" and Gwen saying, "I need stability, Jack. Someone I can rely on." Because that was not included the first time around. I had to go back and check. And then I got to thinking about things being cut and then added to different episodes and what that makes the original scene look like and whether that makes this version look like someone's fantasy of that scene...

It was just a weird moment for me.

I'm going to just list things and then elaborate where I like.

- Hey! Gwen has friends outside of work!

- "Boy, would Darwin have a field day if he'd made it to space."

- Immaculate conception. That's a fun, new twist.

- JACK: Rhys might forgive her going down the aisle pregnant, but not giving birth to a razor toothed monster that eats half his family.
IANTO: Could that happen?

- Ianto dress shopping.

- Gwen and Rhys and Gwen's little speech. And the hug. Ha.

- Tosh dressed up.

- Gwen's parents. "Duckling."

- What are they going to say when Gwen's not pregnant anymore? Tell everyone she miscarried? And thank you, Gwen, for realizing that lie could have consequences.

- Banana. "You come up in spots and go soft quickly." ("I'm the best man.") "Evolution is full of surprises." Oh, Tosh. I kind of think you're wonderful. "Bananas make me vomit." Hahaha.

- Go, Ianto, picking the right dress. Master tailor. Ianto's excellent eye. Innuendo. And then interrupted. :( And Ianto's "save" of the conversation. Totally unnecessary and kind of adorable.

- Disgusted Ianto is disgusted.

- Go Tosh, manhandling people.

- Can we have an episode with Owen and Ianto off doing stuff together? Solving crime and snarking.

- "Ah, that thing kills people."
"I saved Martha with it."

- JACK: What is it with you? Ever since Owen died all you ever do is agree with him.
IANTO: I was brought up never to speak ill of the dead, even if they still do most of the talking for themselves.

Interesting reaction from Jack. In that he had one. Which is basically my issue with Jack in the Jack/Ianto sense in that there is nothing there to work with. I mean, occasionally we get a leer or some innuendo. And there was that scene with the kiss that was wonderful. But other than that? Not a whole lot lately.

- The bridesmaids thinking they must've been really drunk not to notice the pregnancy.

- I still kind of think Rhys deserves better sometimes. He's a good, decent man.

- They couldn't find something less obvious to cover Gwen's bite on her arm? At least for as long as it takes to get married? Although I guess it's not that bad.

- Gwen's dad is going to think she's off her rocker.

- Seriously, I love Tosh.

- Oh man, I am my mother's daughter, checking out the wedding flowers. ::eyeroll:: I do like them. And the arch. I've picked up habits.

- JACK: What I don't understand is if people are going to make such a big deal about getting married, why come all the way out into the middle of nowhere where no one can find you to do it? That to me suggests inner conflict.
IANTO: It's because the happy couple want everything to be perfect.

Owen's look at Jack as he ranted made me laugh. But otherwise there are some things in that conversation that make me go hmmm. Like Jack's point about "inner conflict." Protesting the marriage? Because he cares for Gwen more than he should? Or because he thinks marriage will complicate the way the team works and Gwen's availability?

And then you've got Ianto, the romantic.

- Interesting that she didn't really invite anyone she works with to the wedding. And what about that little "Jack?" as she turns around when he stops the wedding?

- Owen and Ianto save the day. Or, well, Tosh. And Banana.

- "Didn't you see the look on her face when he showed up?"

I can think of it this way: Gwen's attracted to Jack. She feels something for him. She's getting married. But can you really blame her for maybe having a nanosecond of a change of mind when Jack runs in and yells for them to stop? And later with the almost kiss? Last hurrah.

- "Thanks, but it is my wedding, too. Don't I get a say?"

- "Gwen's Torchwood? You mean you're real?"

- Tosh: It's all about the handbags and handguns.

- "Get back you ugly bitch!" Ha.

- "Yeah, and the Lone Ranger didn't have a thing with Tonto."

- Rhys punching Jack. And, y'know, I thought the one outside might be the shape-shifter.

- "That's the kind of daughter every mother must dream of, cool as ice, packing an automatic."

- "You're not the only one that met somebody that knocked their world out of kilter."

Oh, geez. At this point I just wish he was talking about the Doctor. I won't even ask for Ianto. Just not Gwen. She's not that amazing. And, geez, Jack. You've become predictable.

- "He's not afraid to tell me he loves me."

Ugh.

- OH THANK GOD. I have never been SO RELIEVED to see a carnivorous shape-shifting alien before.

- Go Owen!

- "Come on, do me a favor."

- "Then I guess we're going to need a bigger gun."

- Go Rhys!

- "Fuck." HA.

- Uh. Shouldn't she be having that moment with Rhys and not Jack?

- "And the hero always gets the girl."

- Aw, team. At the wedding. Ianto's wee smile.

- DJ Ianto! Owen asking Tosh to dance!

- If Ianto is DJing, doesn't that mean that he chose the song that's playing? And does it mean anything that he chose it and then went to dance with Jack? Damn film class, making me want to analyze things.

- GWEN: What will you do while I'm gone?
JACK: Oh, the usual. Pizza. Ianto. Save the world a couple of times.

I do kind of like the glance to Ianto and Ianto in the background downing a drink. Lord knows with Jack he might just need it.

But I wish...I wish there was something more serious about the consideration of Ianto here. Like I said after "Meat," Jack is polyamorous and I am fine with him loving multiple people. But I am not comfortable with this sort of hierarchy I see developing in his affections toward people. And, okay, sure. You love some people more than you love others. But he's in some sort of relationship with Ianto and I feel like Ianto should get...something more out of it than leering and innuendo.

Though he did seem pretty happy flirting with Jack about men's inseams...

- GWEN: Will you miss me?
JACK: Always.

Blaaaaah.

- Rhys the "perfect husband." Loyal. Brave. Hell of a swing. "And best of all he really loves you."

Hey, doesn't this fit Ianto a little?

- Owen and Tosh chilling in the background.

- Ianto cutting in. Mixed feelings here. Mostly because it took them long enough to notice him. And then he was all wistful.

And maybe I can go with the idea that Jack's just mourning an opportunity lost to hook up with an attractive person. And not some big "oh my heart is breaking" kind of thing. Because I don't want to deal with that here on this show.

Which sort of leads me to my problem with Torchwood at the moment. They advertise themselves as pushing boundaries and doing new things in terms of relationships. They're all cool and modern. Except? So far? No, they're not really. We get our little bit of Jack and Ianto, but in the end I'm left looking at the hero pining after the girl. Which is the same thing I can find on basically any show I watch. Just because the hero is omnisexual does not make it new and exciting.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe there's more going on beneath the surface than I can see at this point. Now though? I'm annoyed that they've got this opportunity to really do something different and they're not taking it.

- Two mums asleep on each other.

- I knew they'd mess with their memories.

- "There'll be no secrets in this marriage." Aren't secrets sometimes a good thing? And, hey Gwen, how about that time you cheated on Rhys and then messed with his memory? Is that a secret?

- "That's what I love about Torchwood. By day chasing the scum of the universe; come midnight you're the wedding fairy."

- Ianto's going to have to clean up that confetti, Jack. Quit making a mess.

- Of course Jack was married. Can't expect him to live forever and not hook up at some point. And I'm sure the not aging thing raised an eyebrow at one point.


Anyway. So positives: Owen. Tosh's hair. Tosh. Ianto's suit and tie combo. Ianto. And other things, I'm sure.

Only one more episode to catch up on. And this one I'm actually more interested in.