Torchwood: Small Worlds

Apologies to anyone who has been eagerly awaiting the next update (so, no one). Planning for Armageddon Melbourne got in the way, then actual Armageddon Melbourne, then the aftermath of Armageddon Melbourne. I'm also planning on spending November editing the novel I wrote last year for NaNoWriMo and haven't touched since - in fact, it turns out I lost the complete first draft earlier this year, so I've got to re-write about 5,000 words. So that's fun.

So without any further ado, I present my review of Torchwood: Small Worlds - originally written 8/8/13. And the main feeling I have about this episode is confusion.

  Why is Jack sleeping in what looks like a really awkward position, and what are the odds that he would happen to dream about an old encounter with Torchwood’s latest threat (maybe a side effect of the Rift?)?

How come ‘computer genius’ Tosh can assess the paedophile’s cause of death? Shouldn’t Owen have been brought along for that (or does this suggest that Tosh does indeed have some medical knowledge, hence the reason why she was capable of going undercover in Owen’s place in Aliens of London)? 

(Speaking of paedophiles, does anyone else find it kinda uncomfortable that Jack fell in love with Estelle at first sight when she was 17?)

When Torchwood keeps driving around to places connected to the fairies, why are they accepted with open arms? The police and military may have some idea that Torchwood is ‘special ops’, but the school and Jasmine’s mum wouldn’t. Speaking of which, how the hell is Torchwood going to cover up/retcon the events of the party? A man died, a child disappeared, and there were heaps of guests who were evacuated and very well could have driven away. 

Another confusing thing is not just in relation to the episode but the show in general. If Captain Jack Harkness disappeared from history in 1941, how has Jack managed to stay off the records for so long? I suppose Torchwood might have wiped the records, but Jack has met so many people along the way (whose memories haven’t been wiped) and never used a different name, yet it never seems to have caused any trouble. 

I think the thing I liked most about this episode was the characterisation of Gwen. Gwen usually thinks she’s better than everyone else, whereas here, she’s simply sceptical about the fairies because she wants to think logically. Gwen usually looks longingly at Jack and follows him around like a puppy, whereas here, she is accepting of his relationship with Estelle but is also visibly upset after the fairies broke into her house. She doesn’t take any shit.  

Other things I liked were the reference to the Mara (although this is apparently a coincidence?) and the ending (though it would have been nice if it wasn’t a rip-off of The Shining). Things I disliked were the music (after the umpteenth time) and the fact that Estelle died because she went looking for the freaking cat.

After Cyberwoman, I said I’d “search very hard for any hints as to why [Ianto] might want to become Jack’s fuckbuddy”. Well, this episode opens with both Jack and Ianto hanging around the office in the wee hours of the morning (before Jack rubs Ianto’s shoulder quite thoroughly). Even if Janto wasn’t a thing back then, I feel this scene could have been expanded on, just a bit, to show that Ianto’s working late to make up for what happened with Lisa. He’s trying hard to earn Jack’s trust back, and that would have been the perfect launching pad for their relationship. But... no.