3.02: Children of Earth - Day Two

[Fried Egg]

Originally Posted by Moonbat

I don't think they have fully explained yet. They seem to be hinting at something that happened in the 60's that Jack was privvy to, probably the first children abduction/offering. The elimination of Jack is required so that they can cover up the knowledge of the Alien's previous visit.

But why? Perhaps it's not what he knows about the previous visit, but what they are worried about him finding out that's got them concerned?

[PTeppic]

Originally Posted by Fried Egg

But why? Perhaps it's not what he knows about the previous visit, but what they are worried about him finding out that's got them concerned?

I seem to recall the Minister explicitly mentioned something that Jack could talk about...

[Tillane]

Originally Posted by Moonbat

It surprises me that the program makers haven't realised how bad they make the bad guys look, and I mean how bad at shooting.

Reminded me of a quote from Red Dwarf:

Lister: How come we never meet anyone nice?
Cat: How come we never meet anyone who can shoot straight?

I've been enjoying this mini-series so far - aside from the stuff that's already been mentioned, like the shoddy sniping. The main characters all seem to be nicely settled into their roles (as they should be after two series, I know, but it's nice to see them poking fun at themselves) and some of the writing for this series does seem to have improved.

Think the Lois character has promise, too - and she looks to be a shoo-in as "new team member" for the next series. Just so long as that means they don't bring Martha Jones back, I'm well happy.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Tillane

Think the Lois character has promise, too - and she looks to be a shoo-in as "new team member" for the next series. Just so long as that means they don't bring Martha Jones back, I'm well happy.

Maybe not Martha Jones, but they do need a Doctor to replace Owen; some kind of 'X-Files' Dana Scully-type to do autopsies, and they already killed the most likely candidate in Dr Rupesh Patanjali.

As, someone mentioned earlier, Lois would not be a replacement for Toshi or Owen, she would do the same job that Ianto does already.

[Lenny]

Originally Posted by Dave

As, someone mentioned earlier, Lois would not be a replacement for Toshi or Owen, she would do the same job that Ianto does already.

That was me.

If she does join the team, then it will mean Ianto is either dead (could well happen, seeing as we've still got three days to go, and he seems the least 'able' of the three - Jack is Jack, obviously, whilst Gwen has grabbed her role by the short and curlies and has really thrown herself into it. Ianto, on the other hand, seems disorientated, slightly scared, and at a bit of a loss), or he's moved into a more active role within the team - maybe Jack could train him as a sniper or something.

I hope it's the latter, but if it's neither, then I can't see how else she'd fit. She and Ianto do such similar jobs that the two of them would really grind if they worked at the same thing together.

[High Eight]

This is scary - I'm actually beginning to like it.

The acting is still pretty naff (Especially Jack and Ianto), but the script is actually beginning to come together in the satisfying way of the old Quatermass TV series. Not 100% original, but if they're going to rip off old stuff, then at least they're ripping off the best.

I'm upping my rating to eight and a half out of ten.

[Tillane]

Originally Posted by Dave

As, someone mentioned earlier, Lois would not be a replacement for Toshi or Owen, she would do the same job that Ianto does already.

Agreed, and from the way episode three felt - particularly that "make the most of it" conversation between Jack and Ianto - I'd say the young man might be for the chop...

[Serenity79]

I know I'm adding to this a bit late, but as I've only just watched it I hope you don't mind.

I love the nudity, not from a pervy point of view, because it's refreshing to see men rather than women. And the bit where he's given a coat and slings it over is shoulder made me laugh out loud.

The snipers are useless, but they are in most programmes, so I can let that slide. I can understand the password thing from the last episode, because she did it out of annoyance, it was in character IMHO and people can be dumb when they let feelings take over. The bit about the CCTV is possibly accurate, they are usually farmed out to other organisations who are too busy with their own jobs to watch them, but perhaps they should have had a man on the inside watching them instead. The bit that got me was how fast the concrete dried and then how it cracked, just right to free Jack, from a short fall and not too hard a landing???

Anyway I'm still hooked, so thats good, I think.

[pyan]

Originally Posted by Serenity79

The bit that got me was how fast the concrete dried and then how it cracked, just right to free Jack, from a short fall and not too hard a landing???

It wouldn't have mattered if they'd dropped the concrete from a thousand feet, after ten years - Jack was dead when they released him from the concrete anyway, IIRC...

[Serenity79]

I was trying to get three points across; one, how long would it take for the concrete to dry, in order for it to be able to crack. Two, would it crack open, to release Jack so easily, having dropped such a short distance, on to a, not too hard surface. Three. I forgot to make this comment altogether, his rescuers got to the bottom of the pit, far too quick. Or is it just my poor lack of understanding of concrete and physics???

[pyan]

Originally Posted by Serenity79

I was trying to get three points across; one, how long would it take for the concrete to dry, in order for it to be able to crack. Two, would it crack open, to release Jack so easily, having dropped such a short distance, on to a, not too hard surface. Three. I forgot to make this comment altogether, his rescuers got to the bottom of the pit, far too quick. Or is it just my poor lack of understanding of concrete and physics???

Not at all, I misunderstood the point of the post - I thought you meant that they got Jack out in time to save him...

Another slightly unbelievable thing about that sequence is how fortunate that Ianto chose exactly the right second to break into the cell, saving Gwen and Rhys from certain capture...

[Serenity79]

Originally Posted by pyan

Not at all, I misunderstood the point of the post - I thought you meant that they got Jack out in time to save him...

Another slightly unbelievable thing about that sequence is how fortunate that Ianto chose exactly the right second to break into the cell, saving Gwen and Rhys from certain capture...

Yes I agree. It was expected, but a nice twist I didn't expect the machinery.

Maybe I should stop picking holes in things, mmm, or would that spoil the fun?

[ctg]

Originally Posted by Serenity79

The bit that got me was how fast the concrete dried and then how it cracked, just right to free Jack, from a short fall and not too hard a landing???

It wasn't driest looking concrete, was it? To my eye it was still quite dark, telling that there was still water. And to answer to the question, it takes ages, thousands of years to get it really, really dry, but to hard enough from few hours to matter of weeks.


Concrete hardens and gains strength as it hydrates. The hydration process continues over a long period of time. It happens rapidly at first and slows down as time goes by. To measure the ultimate strength of concrete would require a wait of several years. This would be impractical, so a time period of 28 days was selected by specification writing authorities as the age that all concrete should be tested. At this age, a substantial percentage of the hydration has taken place. Cement & Concrete FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) | Portland Cement Association (PCA)