Eevee TV - Torchwood: Children of Earth Review

[Sha1Hulud]

Brialliant review, very entertainingly presented. I was not that fan of the first two seasons, but if Torchwood were only about "Children of Earth" I would call it the best of the hole whoniverse

[frenzymania11]

i loved your review....

[doctorw2]

blymy shes fit!

[PuffyAmiYumi]

Well apparently Torchwood IS coming back, with John Barrowman. Not sure about the others.

[KoH10]

You're a cutie

I found you cuz i searched eevee

yes very random :)

[hollabooiers]

Oh my. I do agree with you, I do very much indeed. :)

[GeorgeMillerAtkinson]

but it was terrible.

[wesuda]

Somehow I came upon your channel and I enjoyed your reviews, well most of it :P

Anyhow my main question is the same as the couple os sentences as the opening of this video.

I want to know what are your thoughts on "The End of Time" and the "Eleventh Hour"

Hope to see more of your videos and reviews :P

[toweronepower]

Why all the pointless editing for the sake of editing in this video, i hate it. And dont copy Mr. brooker's lines anymore you unoriginal little woman.

[BlackDove137]

I'm finding myself in agreement with your review, and so I humbly thank you for putting my thoughts into words.

I loved the writing of COE, but not in my torchwood. I'd much rather have still had my Ianto, and Jack and even Gwen then this, while stunning writing, horrible litany of 'It got worse!'

[David8693]

I have to agree with pretty much everything you say except for Ianto's death not advancing the narrative. By breaking Jack's heart it damaged him and made him dead inside, and that went into the ending with his decision to sacrifice Steven.

LOVELY review and so true!

[lacountess]

Lol, OMG you're hilarious. Best CoE review ever. And thank you for putting my thoughts into words. I mean every magazine and blog praised this third season over the other two, but it came at the cost of beheading the show and throwing its lifeless body over the ridge. Don't know if it was worth it.

[lulabell0]

omg i've just realised..................

the pteradactol was blown up along with torchwood hub....... and janet....

DAMN YOU RTD!!!

[TheGwennie]

Oh my goodness. I've never really been able to put my thoughts into words, but you've just done it. So hoorah! Apart from Jack's coat... I quite like Jack's coat. :)

[anpusat]

You're great. You should have your own TV show - funnier than Charlie Brooker and all without swearing. This was a great review and says everything I thought about Torchwood.

[xlifeintoartx]

I just finished watching children of earth. Every time I saw the prime minister I kept wishing for Harriot Jones. Or Harry Saxon, then the Doctor would have shown up =)

[mcnasty2113]

I found it fitting. There aren't many shows that will crap on their characters like TW did. I am all for happy go lucky endings and stuff but things like TCoE are needed every once in awhile.

[Ullygirldk]

I started watching Torchwood after everyone else, I already knew that Ianto would die, so I had that in mind doing the series. That probably eased the blow for me. thought CoE was brilliant, even though I lost a little faith in humanity. I don't find Ianto's death needless because that had to happen in order to break Jack, and make him do what he did. And I don't hate him, because he's the one who has to live with it forever. he lost everything he had, and that's a pretty big punishment to me.

[drunkenfianna]

WORD!!!!!!!!

[Bullshitonline]

I am sitting here, trying to figure out what to comment on. But as I type these words, I realise that I have actually nothing constructive to say (Just concider this comment as unsent).

You speak the truth. Great review by the way, normally I lose interest when I'm watching these kind of videos.

[xSonicguyzx]

OMG You took my company name!

[dadasopher]

brilliant commentary!  thank you!

[viridismonasteriense]

so you're saying the show was so good they broke the show! haha And I didn't think Ianto's death was meaningless. It showed that Torchwood's incompetence had a price and that they couldn't just barge in guns swinging like the old days. People die and now Jack has to learn it the hard way. I think the show kills off its characters to make the audience feel what Jack felt after living 100 years. They're mortal, he's not. He's Torchwood, and perhaps it mightn't look like it now, he WILL BE BACK.

[Ullygirldk]

i agree

[BrandenburgConcerti]

I do miss Saxon - at least he was honest about his evil. I would often walk around campus and hum: I can't decide, whether you should live or die ...

[stlouisphile]

It got worse is akin to Jumping The Shark here in the states. I loved your review. Poor me this was the first time I watched Torchwood and what there's just Gwen left.

[neadst]

Although I've watched all your reviews, this definitely was the funniest yet! And I agreed with everything you said!

[neadst]

I completely agree about Lois/Martha - I hope we see Lois again, whereas I don't care if Martha is never mentioned!

[overdark666]

I wouldn't say "they broke the show" so much as "they dissolved the cast." I have no doubts that John Barrowman will reprise his role as Captain Jack even if it's just in Dr. Who.

Didn't Davies say something about a new season/series based on how Children of Earth performed? I heard it did rather well; I could see the show beginning with a fresh cast and maybe a ringer or two.

The story was compelling and dramatic and I think maybe you're over-analyzing a bit much. :p

[RoyAndEevee]

Well, to be fair, I posted this as a review, which in my opinion justifies any perceived 'over-analysis'. If I hadn't offered any analysis at all, I might as well have just posted a Torchwood recap, which would've been terribly boring.

And I also think that dissolving a cast does break a show, especially in a plot-driven sci-fi where the world ends every other week. Without a solid, distinctive core cast, a sci-fi quickly loses its individual identity.

[ilikemike987]

uh...i think this is last season of torchwood for now?

[Sarinka7]

Very well done, I totally agree with you. They killed this great show and Ianto's death was so pointless :(

[Omegahazard]

id guess il be getting a face concerning martha but you made good points

well you wernt the only one this show has a massive impact, after seeing this show everyother death (comic, film or otherwise) seems a lot more like they were just taking vacation

[makeshiftusername]

the 'saw' comment - that made me LOL hard

and 'they accidentally broke it'

[TheBWordUK]

Summed everything up brilliantly! Show was brilliant...but where's the hope?

'Accidentally broke it" pretty much says it all :D (plus I miss Ianto, if he had to die it should've been for a better reason than 'move the story along.' Tosh and Owen were given grander deaths than that).

Again, well said :D

[jonathanpaton]

I was one of the many not to post a comment about your absence. You were missed. I just assumed you had eloped or that you were too busy making babies.

During the fifth episode I began to doubt that the story would conclude. It definitely got worse before getting worse in the 15 minute wrap up. Another episode of disaster would have put us all in a lunatic asylum.

We'll need an entire series for Torchwood to acquire a new cast, a new hub, a new car, new alien artefacts and new weapons.

[willowscat1]

Loved this. Sums up pretty much all I thought about CoE.

And YES! I just wish someone had of said to RTD "Step back from the laptop now before it is too late to save Torchwood!"

[finksgirl]

This was absolutely incredible. Best review I've seen. I agree with EVERYTHING you said and you've said it so eloquently. I just wish RTD could see this....

[branwell]

GREAT review, for some reason you remind me of Rachel Maddow (if she were very young and British)

[frow9405]

Excellent review.  Thank you very much for saying what's on everyone's minds in a clear, concise, and effective manner.

[aheria]

I LOVE YOU. Seriously, your accent and your wit is just wonderful. That said, you summed it all up thusly. Excellent work.

[aimlessjoe]

Did you notice that the actress playing Jacks duaghter seemed to be wearing a grin thoughout her performance, Hello dad manic grin, Oh no my son has been killed the same grin, or was that my imagination?

[ceindreadh]

(standing ovation)

You have said pretty much exactly what has been running round in my brain for the last few weeks, only much more eloquently.

Thank you for posting this!

[heatherfire]

This is an excellent review of COE. This vid was recd on savecoffeeboy on livejournal, so I followed the link, watched a couple of your reviews and I must say I love them all. Have you ever thought of reviewing Merlin? Go on, you know you want to.

[flauschichanlove]

I agree to that! *applause*

doesn't fit here, but you're really cute girl! ^^

[Tonksdora]

Tragedy: A drama in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances... this series was a tragedy!! and yes its different but to say that it is broken is ridiculous! Buffy killed off the main character! To leave the audience with some "and they lived happily ever after" ending would just prove that the writers care more about their audience than their characters

[hmk381]

I agree with everything you said.

[joidnew]

You are brilliant, darling. Thank you so much for this. You have said so many things that have been bugging me.

[RogueMarch]

You are by far one of my favorite persons in the net right now. I agree with you with everything. I think Children of Earth was pretty good, except it didn't feel like Torchwood at all. Maybe I'd liked it more if I weren't a fan of the original series...

XOXO from México City.

[uncannyrman]

Yay, you're back!

I don't particularly like Torchwood, but I thought that what I saw of Children of Earth was pretty neat.

[XTinkszX]

Wow

your back :D

[Roycru]

One might pause to reflect on what might have happened had it been Sir Humphrey Appleby rather than John Frobisher who negotiated with 456 and also what might have happened if K-9 and Leela rather than Capt. Jack and Ianto had confronted 456.

"Confound Their Politics, Frustrate Their Knavish Tricks"

[Kreshendaheehe]

Very well done, and thank you for allowing me the first time in my life where I have heard a person use the word "git" unscripted outside of a Harry Potter Movie. From here I could see them potentially adding the characters Martha Jones and Mickey Smith into a new Torchwood cast, However, I agree that they don't really have a leader figure that could be believable.

[dac100]

Hi Eevee - a great overview. Nice to have you back posting - daveac (dac100)

[sliders1]

Ah, another TV Tropes addict. I've lost many a night in its obsession making grip lol

[Nicolesid1]

I heart you! Your grandmum didn't do child sacrifice? Really? I guess I am alone in that than. Thank you for the great great review!

[RoyAndEevee]

And thanks for your response! Torchwood seems to have got everyone talking. :)

[Wiccanslyr]

Hi there, My name is Wiccy. I have just met you and I love you.

Seriously thought. brilliant review and I agree with every word.

[flashgrilled]

Grand. Thumbs up ;)

[conversejosh]

Yay!

Nice to see you have returned!

Do you watch '24'?

[James1993UK]

i'm pretty surprised you never reviewed the ''series 4 finale'' of DW. Could you?

[TOMD920666]

i agree with u apart from martha but what about torchwood in scotland and the one that went missing? plus the rift will keep spewing baddies out.

[signcrash]

I'm so glad you're back! Don't stay away so long next time.

The best TV reviews on YouTube!

[James1993UK]

What the hell did Martha do wrong? btw. All she done was save the planet from the masters rain and she got over her crush on The Doctor (which i know all Rose fans were itching for that to happen''.

[RoyAndEevee]

Starting a discussion about Martha is a dangerous idea! :) In my opinion Martha as a character could have been a fantastic companion but she was poorly served by having the crush written in, because unrequited love is painful to watch regardless of where you stand on Doctor/Rose. That's partly why she grated for me. I'm also not a fan of Freema Agyeman; watching her, I'm always aware that she's an actress, if that makes sense. But as I said, that's just my opinion.

[James1993UK]

I understand that you have an opinion and that everyone does. But, Jack has a crush on Ten and you don't dislike him, is that because he is a man? or something. And no, what you said about Freema makes no sence at all. When it comes to my shpping couples, they are Martha/Jack, Gwen/Owen, Rose/Doctor 10.5 and Doctor/Donna.

[RoyAndEevee]

Well, you're assuming there that I'm a shipper! I'm not, not anymore. I'm sorry, I can't think of any other way to explain my aversion to Martha. I also think that Jack's 'crush' is very different to Martha's because Jack's is usually played for comedy, whereas, as I said, Martha's is quite painful to watch.

[cardclashers]

You've got a lovely voice...LOL...

Fit aswell :D

[avitty]

Sorry, you lost me a the Saw comparison.

[RoyAndEevee]

Sorry. It was meant to be a joke. Sometimes I get a bit...carried away.

[jazzx251]

I thought it was a really happy ending.

Captn Jack saved millions of children and sent a bunch of malevolent space junkies packing. They won't be back here again!

Total "collateral damage" - a bunch of civil servants in Thames House, a previous abductee and 1child.

The bombing of Dresden softened the Nazis up - but thousands of German kids were killed in the process; complete innocents.

The price of victory was very cheap in this show by comparison.

[mcalisteralyssa1]

Oi you are f'ed up if you think that this had a "really happy ending."

Jack used some messed up utilitarian reasoning to justify his sacrifice of his grandson. I don't believe that should be simply brushed away & called "collateral damage."

And God, there's a lot of reason to believe the Allies didn't need to bomb Dresden--especially to the extent they did. Just like the atomic bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki, the Dresden bombing was not irrefutably necessary.

[jazzx251]

Jack had seconds to find a kid - the only way he could stop the aliens. What would you do?

a) Make the sacrifice

b) Do nothing, unable to make a decision [that's probably what I would do - and most people]

c) Mess around trying to find another solution, even though there isn't one

In this case, b) & c) result in the same outcome. Aliens win.

It could be worse - what if they had two kids available? Arguably, Jack is even worse morally if he chooses the kid who is not his grandson.

[mcalisteralyssa1]

I'm not saying that Jack made the wrong decision. I was just shocked that someone could rationalize Jack's actions to the point where they thought the story had some uplifting ending merely because the death toll wasn't too high.

I think that RTD had Jack kill his own grandson to wake us us from our desensitized ways & show how important each life is. Before Jack sacrificed 12 kids believing it was for the "greater good;" after CoE Jack is forced to realize they were not just numbers.

[mcalisteralyssa1]

Also, just the main reason I was taken aback by your comment was the Dresden bombings part. I mean you're totally entitled to feel that CoE ended on a happy note (although that is disturbing to me), but I really don't think you can justify any real life killing as having a "happy ending". Those people were not "collateral damage." Collateral damage would entail that the Allies had no idea that they would hurt so many innocent lives.

[jazzx251]

I was actually trying to be sort of funny.

I hate terms like "collateral damage" - and I think the Americans shouldn't be lecturing anyone on morality after being the only country to use atomic weapons, the worst single act of mass murder in history.

So there was more than a hint of irony there.

What's not ironic is that this is a TV show, and we shouldn't get too upset - especially, as the 456 said, when tens of thousands of REAL kids are dying daily of starvation. Nobody cries over them.

[mcalisteralyssa1]

Sorry if I missed the irony. I was under the impression you were trying to justify civilian killings, so...

Ultimately this is what Im trying to say:

The RAF & the USAAF were both responsible for implementing the Dresden bombings, so I'm not some American who is trying to rebuke others. And I did equate it to the Hiroshima & Nagasaki bombings.

~Everyone~ ought to question the clear-cut "ends justify the means" narrative we are often spoon fed in history class.

[RoyAndEevee]

Well, in the sense that pretty much everyone lived and most of the human race got to go along as normal, yes, I suppose it was a happy ending. It just wasn't a particularly happy ending for the Torchwood team themselves!

[jazzx251]

Oops - forgot to mention one Torchwood team member was also a casualty, although they can be considered a combatant and not collateral damage.

[mcalisteralyssa1]

My last comment- I swear!

Sorry there is no offense meant by my comments. I am just one of the many fans who probably feel like their souls were kind of crushed after five days of "and it got worse."

Thanks to the amazing acting & writing I'll probably still be crushed by the events of CoE weeks from now.

[vandreadparty]

Ok I loved ur review & loved COE it delivered great acting & story which captures that humanity is its own worst enemy when threatened. I think that some of the points that were made about COE were very valid & it just seemed that the story could have been accomplished in 2 ep if it wasn't for the writers attempts to fill the time. However I disagree with u about Martha she was a great character & if u looked at series 3 and 4 of DW u would see that Dona and Martha are very similar.

[RoyAndEevee]

I thought similarly - the 456 was defeated by such a quick fix that it's easy to see how they could have told the story in one/two episodes; that's perhaps why, practically, they had to get rid of the Hub so that Jack would've have the necessary technology earlier on in the story. I don't really agree that Martha and Donna are similar but I respect that the majority of people liked Martha. It's just my opinion. :) Thanks for commenting.

[IrkThePurists]

Yay! Welcome back! Love your reviews. I'm glad your first reaction to Ianto's offing wasn't to storm the BBC with torches and pitchforks :-)

I think the bleakness of COE was dramatically necessary to convey the point of the story: that the way to salvage glory in a big hostile universe is to revel in your humanity and fight, not giving in to despair. This is why Gwen deciding to keep the baby was so vital. It was a 21st century Quatermass (or La Peste, since I'm pretentious :-P) .

Thanks!

[RoyAndEevee]

It's interesting because I didn't interpret Gwen keeping the baby as some huge decision that she had to make. I thought it was fairly obvious that she never would've got rid of it; it's not in her nature really. But perhaps if they had made a bigger point of it then your idea about revelling in humanity (which I love by the way and think you may well be right about) would've been portrayed a lot more strongly. Also thank you, glad you liked it :)

[MrWhovian]

There is a chance they'll try to rebuild the cast from scratch and up destroying the show like with the X-Files. They might bring Martha and Mickey on.

[lewin73]

great video i really enjoyed it. thanks

[GusF]

Brilliant review. It had me glued to my telly for five nights in a row. I don't any other show has ever done that for me.

I completely agree about Ianto. His death was needless really. I'd love a fourth series but like you I don't see how they're going to be able to do it given everything that's happened.

[TwilightFairyGirl]

Nice to see you back. Love your reviews for Torchwood and Doctor Who - they are extremely accurate and completely justified - but this one tops the bill. You definitely have an aptitude, why not try writing reviews professionally. I, for one, would definitely read them :)

I heard that the BBC are considering a 4th series (before they aired COE) but I don't see how they can do it now the team has been disbanded. What are your thoughts on this?

[RoyAndEevee]

I would welcome a 4th series; Torchwood is a fantastic show which now has a real position on the BBC and an opportunity to tell stories that really push the envelope. I'm definitely not going to be one of these fans who says 'I WILL NEVER WATCH IT AGAIN' because I didn't like some of the choices made in COE. But they'd have to bring it back well and address everything properly. I have no idea what they'd do with the team. Probably start from scratch? I'm not really a Jack fan anymore either.

[TwilightFairyGirl]

I'm very much the same, I would like to see more of Torchwood - I'm definitely not one of those people who would say something along the lines of 'I'm never going to watch an episode again'; but I agree that some of the decisions in COE were bad ones, particularly concerning Jack's family, but he must have been so distressed by Ianto's death that he didn't feel like living anymore so his family suffered as a consequence and he had to leave. Personally, I can see him turning up in DW series 5...

[TwilightFairyGirl]

If they were going to do another series of Torchwood, they would probably start from scratch, but where would they go?

London, Cardiff (and Edinborough?) have gone and with Jack somewhere in space, Ianto dead, and Gwen heavily pregnant, it would make sense to bring in a new team. I'm thinking that they may try and go for the younger generation and use 18-25 year olds in Birmingham for example - or if they wanted to keep Torchwood in Cardiff then possibly a secret location we don't know about

[RoyAndEevee]

I think they'd keep it in Cardiff. Cardiff is too proud of it now! :) But it's probably going to be Jack heading up a new team, maybe with Gwen guest-starring every now and then.

[CrayfordDresden]

You have been away from YouTube too Long! Glad to see you

Ianto: Sometime you just die and it's pointless. I believe that was the point.

[RoyAndEevee]

Thanks! Good to be back. :) Considering RTD's an athiest, that's a perfectly good explanation of Ianto's death - that there is no explanation. But RTD's also a writer (with time constraints!) so I don't feel like he would include something in an episode without it having some sort of dramatic purpose. But then the only purpose I can see is that the loss of Ianto drove Jack to the absolute limit, resulting in the death of his grandson, which I wasn't a fan of.

[grantha]

Fantastic review of a fantastic series - okay, the bad taste in the mouth might be right, but it was so memorable. I have never been so affected by a show.

[RoyAndEevee]

Excellent point - I was also extremely affected by COE; I think it's fairly obvious that the folks in charge really succeeded in provoking a reaction. It was TV to confront, to make you think. COE left no room for passivity. And thanks. :)

[Timeforthaunted]

It was awesome to see you return, i was all whoa...she's back.

Well, everything you said was true, and it's how i felt after watching the show. It was brilliant but everything seemed to go to a level where you feel disgusted and just bad. Especially the last two episodes. IANTO! Cannot believe they got rid of him. Gwen can't take over...she's having a child. Jack...well...i don't think he would want to come back. Where's Torchwood now?

[Solidsnakeprime501]

Yay! Awesome to see another review buy you guys! (or girls, but you know wot i mean). Children of earth was good, but I'll never be able to look jack the same again. Killing his grandson. *mutters incoherently*

[James1993UK]

Maybe the Doctor could use the Tardis to repair the hub, in the very same way as when the Titanic crahsed into the Tardis. I'm sure the Doctor has some reversal time trick. As for Gwen & Rhys baby, they obviously need to get a nanny to look after the baby. And maybe Rhys could join along with Gwen, Lois, Martha & Mickey. I also think this christmas on DW, when Jack meets the Doctor, that The Doctor will order Jack to return to his duty. TW has not ended, series 4 is good to go, said the writers.

[RoyAndEevee]

I think you make a good point about Torchwood being a programme where they show there's not always a happy ending. I think what I disliked about COE was that there really was a complete absence of hope. Even Shakespeare left one character to carry on as normal at the end of his tragedies! But you're right, I think that if Jack does turn up in DW, the Doctor will pull out the 'duty' card; it's about the only thing that could get Jack back, I reckon.

[JohnHutch]

YAY!!! You're back!!!!

A brilliant review. I for one love the series - it makes great drama and amuses the sci-fi fans. It's a shame they killed off Ianto and things went from bad to worse, but what I like about torchwood is that it shows that there is not always a happy ending. The world is dark and aliens are scary (and should be, some of them). I think if it had a happy go lucky ending, it would have been far too cheezy. Torchwood left us asking the question of "what would you do?"

[canadiankazz]

*GLOMPS EEVEE*

.... OMG that's scary. I've just been having long rants with friends about how Saxon would not have put up with the 456 and would have gotten rid of them quick smart.

Also... when I finished watching Torchwood, I posted in my livejournal that it "left a bad taste in my mouth." >D Has sneaky eevee been stealing from me? ... or do we just have a hivemind? O.o

[RoyAndEevee]

HIVEMIND. DEFINITELY HIVEMIND. (I knew that sounded familiar.) HIVEMIND HIVEMINDHIVEMIND HIVEMIND. :)

[canadiankazz]

"Torchwood, which I was so looking forward to, has left a bad taste in my mouth. "

See? See? Quote from my lj!

The rest of that journal post was really angsty cos Torchwood didn't help my already bad mood, but... still! Hivemind!

[RoyAndEevee]

Shh, stop revealing that I'm a big dirty thief! ^^

[dogtorwho]

welcome back :D

thats true aswell, ianto should not have died, and tbh jack shouldnt have run away...

saying that though, thats probaly cos hes gonna run into david or matts doctor, and they're gonna have some adventure, and the doctor convinces jack to go back to earth and start again, and then torchwood is rebuilt...

and i just sound really boring now XD

but anyway, good review :D

[RoyAndEevee]

Nice to be back. And no, you don't sound boring, I think that's a very plausible way of patching Torchwood up!

[dogtorwho]

ohh... gee thanks :D

[CGMWorks]

Missed your reviews! So glad you're back. Torchwood was brilliant, but I too was dissapointed by the ending that slashed the series premise and led to Jack BUTTONING UP HIS COAT!

[RoyAndEevee]

It was Jack's decisive buttoning that really topped it all off for me. :) Glad you liked.

[xXEminemXGirlXx]

IANTO SHOULD NOT HAVE DIED!

[Stummy777]

Brilliant :D

I've really missed your reviews

[RoyAndEevee]

Thanks! I realised when I did this that I kind of miss making them. So if anything else provokes me, you can bet that I'll end up talking about it.

[aimlessjoe]

Your back!! I missed you, I haven't watched it yet, it's still sitting on the hard drive, so it's brilliant I look forward to watching it

[RoyAndEevee]

Thank you for your support. :) I hope you like it!