2.11: Adrift

[Dave]

Torchwood is Adrift: aimlessly moving without control; failing to reach a target or wining position.

People are going missing on the streets of Cardiff. As Gwen digs deeper, she begins to realise that the rift isn't a one way system. Jack seems convinced that there's nothing to be done, but Gwen disobeys him and discovers the truth he has been hiding.

Spoilers will follow:

Well, what can I say? I don't think I'll be watching this much more. I had really thought it had improved, the Martha episodes were relatively good. Even last week's episode, for all of its faults, was quite good in comparison to this.

My wife, by no means a fan, was watching with me. When Jonah began his 20 hour a day cry because he had looked into the heart of a Dark Star, she said "this is bad" (actually she used another word) and went off to bed. I had to admit that this was as dire as Torchwood had yet reached.

Do we really need to see men with their trousers down? We all know that this show has some kind of sex quota to fill, and that this is written and produced by gay men, but do gay men really have lower moral standards than heterosexuals? I've never dropped my trousers at work, even when I was single. I would have expected that this kind of stereotype might be one gays might want to avoid promoting. And why such shock from Gwen? It isn't as if she just found out!

Gwen is now treating Andy the way she used to treat Rhys. Andy is a very sad case indeed, but Gwen obviously has a nasty streak running through her. I wouldn't want to cuddle it.

Nikki, the mother, said something like 'Do you think I'm mad' - well yes actually, a stark raving loony.

Toshi is still staying in playing with her computers. And how long is Owen going to stay dead?

I used to love to hate the first series, but I just hated this.

[Mary Hoffman]

! watched this by mistake last night, meaning to watch 2.10 an hour earlier but getting in a muddle with the scheduling.

But I don't think I'll bother with the kiddies' version tonight (wonder what they'll do about the Jack n' Ianto scene next week?).

I didn't think it was great. Gwen seems to use being in Torchwood as an excuse for bad behaviour because she has the power to but also as a justification for breaking the rules in order to show she is humane.

As for the sex, I think it was technically after hours, Dave, and Jack seems to live at the hub, so where else would they go? Does Ianto even have a home? But inviting Gwen to join in and make it a threesome is sexual harrassment whenever or wherever it happens.

Mary

[pyan]

Didn't think much of the plot, I must admit.
But does anyone else think that Eve Myles has come on in leaps and bounds as an actress since the start of Series One? I thought that some of her scenes in 2.11 were really rather effective.

[Lenny]

You really hated it, Dave? Wow.

I rather liked it. In fact, I'd go far enough to say it is one of the bets of the series... well, the scene with Jack and Ianto threw me slightly (come on, what?!), but the rest was good. Very dark, which is a new touch.

The plot wasn't bad, but could have maybe done with a bit less of Rhys yelling.

But does anyone else think that Eve Myles has come on in leaps and bounds as an actress since the start of Series One? I thought that some of her scenes in 2.11 were really rather effective.

I agree completely. Her performance in the episode was top notch! She looked different too, for some reason. Though it might have just been her jacket. 'Twas a nice jacket.

---

Anyone else start thinking of the Doctor when Jonah was explaining what happened to him? It seems like something the Doctor might do if he came across people from Earth on the wrong planet... though, then again, why wouldn't he return them immediately, rather than wait forty years?

[Tillane]

With you on this, Lenny. Loved it - and so far, the most I've done is vaguely like an episode. Eve (Gwen) acted her socks off, and I thought the idea of the ep was original and well handled. And Josh's scream near the end...chilling, as far as I was concerned.

Yes, there were iffy bits. Yes, there were bits I saw coming from some distance. Didn't matter.

Best ep so far.

[Tillane]

Originally Posted by Lenny

Anyone else start thinking of the Doctor when Jonah was explaining what happened to him? It seems like something the Doctor might do if he came across people from Earth on the wrong planet... though, then again, why wouldn't he return them immediately, rather than wait forty years?

Actually, I was kind of thinking that DT would apologise (profusely), then keep Josh somewhere in the Tardis, where he couldn't do anyone any harm.

[Dave]

I guess it was only me that didn't like the story or the 20 hour per day scream idea then.

As for Jack and Ianto living at the HQ. If that is Jack's bedroom it has glass walls and glass doors. Now we know he is an exhibitionist, but that is going a little far, and even less reason for Gwen to be so shocked.

[Mary Hoffman]

Originally Posted by Dave

As for Jack and Ianto living at the HQ. If that is Jack's bedroom it has glass walls and glass doors. Now we know he is an exhibitionist, but that is going a little far, and even less reason for Gwen to be so shocked.

Haha! I don't think there is any such thing as "too far" with Captain Jack!

Mary

[PTeppic]

Although I'm much more of a fan of the sci-fi episodes and don't normally like the touchy-feely ones, I thought Adrift was very effective. A very human-centric plot, focusing on the effects of belief in the rightness of your actions and how being right may not be the best outcome. As a side-effect it re-inforces that that there are many layers to the operations of TW which some or all of the staff don't know. As mentioned about previous episodes, they all seem to break the rules, apparently at whim: as an organisation it's in real trouble!

[Dr.Jackson]

Very much of a 'bigger picture' episode, I thought. Enjoyed it a lot more than the last episode, but as I was listening to it at volume I was a little unprepared for that scream being as unsettling as it was.

I agree that Eve Myles was brilliant in the episode, very well acted. Gwen wanted to do what she believed was right and humane, whereas it was Jack who was acting in everyone's best interests. He showed, by setting up a care facility for rift victims, that he has as big a heart as Gwen, but also saw the big picture, given their conditions.

The scene with Jack and Ianto getting jiggy in the hot house (not his bedroom) was indeed after hours, so it shows what those two get up to (or down to!?) when no-one else is around. As for inviting Gwen to join them, it was something that was so like Jack, it appears that sexual harrasment must not exist in the 51st Century, possibly because everyone has become sex mad!