Review: 'Torchwood: Miracle Day' - 'Rendition': Aches on a plane
Jack and Gwen run into trouble on a long cross-continental voyage
Jack (John Barrowman) and Gwen (Eve Myles) go traveling in "Torchwood: Miracle Day."
A review of tonight's "Torchwood: Miracle Day" coming up just as soon as I contribute to our cultural hegemony with a nice frosty cola...
There are essentially three pieces to "Rendition," each with its own positives and negatives.
The most prominent is Jack and Gwen's long, dangerous flight from the UK to the USA. On the plus side, it gives us more of Jack and Gwen interacting than we got in the premiere, and John Barrowman and Eve Myles still have great chemistry. On the minus side, Rex is such an unbearable ass (the guy actually seems pleased to be separating a mom from her baby) for so much of the early going that it felt like the show had dug too deep a hole with him by the time he was forced to reluctantly team up with the Torchwood duo. Also, the whole jeopardy with Jack being poisoned by the duplicitous CIA agent (played by "Dollhouse" alum Dichen Lachman) felt oddly like filler, or like the producers' attempt to shoehorn a semi-standalone plot into one of the early chapters to help fill the miniseries' long running time.
Our second piece involves Dr. Juarez and the rest of the medical community responding to all the complications that come with a populace that's suddenly immortal but still aging and getting sick. I don't love Arlene Tur's performances as Juarez, but all the details about the unexpected complications of the miracle were great - even if sci-fi universes always have a much easier time enacting major policy reforms (in this case, overhauling the entire healthcare system) than the real world does. (That's one of the reasons it's called speculative fiction, I suppose.)
Our third piece involves the Oswald Danes apology tour. On the one hand, I think Bill Pullman's doing some interesting work here, and I really enjoyed our first glimpse of Lauren Ambrose as giddy PR specialist Jilly Kitzinger. On the other, it feels like the transition from Oswald being despised by everyone to being forgiven by some (at least enough to become a Twitter trending topic) came even more ridiculously fast than everyone's talk about healthcare reform. One minute he's a pariah, and then after a few tears (delivered in response to badgering by a really stiff guest actor), the PA is herself tearful and apologetic for mistreating him? I know we're a culture that loves to forgive - I imagine Casey Anthony will have her own sycophantic reality show within a year or two - but even for the sake of getting Oswald into position for wherever the story needs him next, this was clumsy.
Comic-Con starts next week, so my post on the third chapter may be especially brief. But in terms of "Rendition," what did everybody else think?
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupKellie K
July 16, 2011 at 12:47AM EST Reply to CommentAches on a Plane! Belly laugh at that.
I do like Arlene Tur, and I'm with you on the fast redemption of Danes; but at the same time, they have ten episodes, so things have to move along to get to where they're going.
Completely agree about Jack and Gwen's interaction. That was immensely satisfying for me as a longtime fan.
milaxx
July 16, 2011 at 12:54AM EST Reply to CommentI am still loving it. Somehow Gwen is not hitting that note where she makes me want to stab her in the fact like she usually does. They seem to have found the right balance between being a kick butt & still being human. Also enjoying the fact that Barrowman isn't as over the top as he can be while playing captain Jack. Sure Rex is a jerk, but the way I read it, he;s supposed to be and so Mekhi's performance hasn't annoyed me.
Even Pullma's trending top sudden forgiveness doesn't bother me. It's a topsy turvy new world and I expect a few illogical happenings. If he can get out of jail seemingly overnight, I can buy the sudden public turnaround.
Oddly enough I disliked the casting of Wayne Knight. I can't look at him without imagining he's a Slitheen and I keep expecting him to start farting and then unzip his human suit.
milaxx correction: stab her in the face
July 16, 2011 at 12:56AM ESTwebdiva I concur with Alan: it's okay to make Rex obnoxious to a degree, but they've made him gratuitously so -- to the point where his suddenly being less obnoxious isn't credible and his character looks completely unredeemable. He's just going to die a bad guy who had a temporary respite while they were solving this mystery condition.
July 16, 2011 at 11:06PM ESTAs for Jack's illness, I figure it's a big clue as to what's really going on, but it's just one of those things that has a long enough arc that we can't see what that is just yet. We see the connection to the undying, we just don't know what's behind it yet. So yeah, his being poisoned and having to be saved in flight probably turns out to be really important later on. (If it isn't, I'm gonna want to smack Davies big time. I'm hoping he's more reasonable than to jerk us around like that.)
Also concur that the instant turnaround in popularity for Oswald Danes was unbelievable; that should have taken a few episodes to build and shouldn't have started until Weird PR Girl began remaking his image. That would be more logical.
And I LOVE having Gwen back
Jon88
July 16, 2011 at 10:11AM EST Reply to Comment30 pounds of story in a 50-pound sack. Hoping things will improve once we dispense with the setup.
OldDarth
July 16, 2011 at 11:44AM EST Reply to CommentExcuse me while I put a silver necklace in a magical arsenic antidote pitcher. /..\
Terrible, terrible episode. And in that so bad its funny, but unintentional way. Felt like I just had watched an episode of M3T2K.
At first I thought Pullman breakdown scene would be the low point but it just steadily went down hill from the arsenic antidote sequence to the backwards broken neck Dichen Lachman scene.
Embarrassing.
An episode or two in the same vein and it will be a Miracle if I watch the whole series.
PS - Hellooooo Newman!
Mini_Me I agree-- this season is definitely missing something... I feel like every little gimmick they include is something I've seen somewhere else... I HATE the Rex character... It seems obvious that a Brit wrote the part based on stereotypical views of American CIA agents... This season is losing me really fast. Disappointed.
July 16, 2011 at 3:48PM ESTThe one huge redemption-- LAUREN AMBROSE!! BRILLIANT!! Hopefully we get more of her and less of the bullshit...
webdiva OldDarth -- you must have meant MST2K, eh?
July 16, 2011 at 10:45PM ESTMini_Me -- Admitted: Lauren Ambrose was great as the slimy, manic gal you love to hate; much better at that than Dichen Lachman, who was disappointing.
The Noble Robot webdiva - you must have meant MST3K, eh?
July 17, 2011 at 1:00PM ESTOldDarth, I agree that the antidote sequence was boring, intelligence-insulting filler, but I'm still engaged with the basic premise of the series and not ready to give up on it just because one episode was sub-par.
JQ
July 16, 2011 at 12:15PM EST Reply to CommentOh. Wow. This was silly.
Craig Ranapia
July 16, 2011 at 4:42PM EST Reply to Comment"even if sci-fi universes always have a much easier time enacting major policy reforms (in this case, overhauling the entire healthcare system) than the real world does. "
Golly, Alan, next you'll be telling us that no matter what every cop/forensic procedural ever might have you believe cops aren't master hackers with a single keystroke and DNA tests aren't done in minutes.
You lie, sir. You lie.
sepinwall But procedural cop shows aren't trying to simultaneously comment on a variety of social and political issues when they telescope the story in that way; they're just trying to get through the plot as expediently as possible.
July 16, 2011 at 5:09PM EST
July 17, 2011 at 3:40PM ESTIn the end, if the suspension on your willing disbelief is calibrated differently from mine - fair enough. We can agree to disagree and move on. (When it comes to SF, I'm irrationally annoyed by how in the 24th century of Star Trek everyone - even the aliens - speak perfectly idiomatic late 20th century American English.) I'm just more annoyed by what many folks in law-enforcement have called 'The CSI effect' where the extremely unrealistic presentation of law enforcement and forrensic procedure on television shows has real world effects. (And I'll leave it there in deference to your "no politics" rule.)
But personally, I'd like to be a little less cynical and assume if a real global healthcare crisis hit folks might just be able to get their crap together a little better than the Galactic Senate in the Star Wars prequels. (Though I guess the trailer to Steven Soderbergh's 'Contagion' might be more realistic -- totally impotent authorities crumple like wet toilet paper in the face of an implausibly virulent strain of bird flu. Gwynneth Paltrow is the first to die and the mass graves fill up.)
Hwat
July 16, 2011 at 8:47PM EST Reply to CommentMostly amusing, with one bad actor and one terrible effect.
DonBoy
July 16, 2011 at 10:07PM EST Reply to CommentSure, it's largely ludicrous, but it's good ludicrous, not stupid ludicrous, plus first Gwen Cooper punched out Sierra and then later SIERRA HAD HER HEAD TURNED AROUND and if you don't love that, I understand, but I'm on board with it.
webdiva YES!!!!!!!!!!!
July 16, 2011 at 10:49PM ESTDavid H Donboy speaks truth. That's exactly the kind of attitude one needs to watch Torchwood. You can't take it too seriously. This show had Cyberwoman fighting a pterodactyl at one point. One must always keep that in mind.
July 17, 2011 at 12:26AM ESTCesar Well, I thought (maybe just hoped) the cyberwoman vs. pterodactyl days were over...
July 17, 2011 at 11:23AM ESTAnyway, in my opinion,
Gwen Cooper vs. Sierra = Awesome, more please!
Head turned around = not so good... The effect was just silly...
So, more Sierra but please, PLEASE don't keep her walking like that.
As for Lauren Ambrose, nothing bad to say about her
Eric
July 16, 2011 at 10:40PM EST Reply to CommentSo back when Jack was immortal it wasn't like he was also invulnerable. Things still killed him, he just woke up afterward. So how do we know it's any different this time? I mean granted the only sure way is to kill him and see what happens, but what makes Jack so sure he's mortal all of a sudden?
webdiva Because he used to heal quickly from anything that wasn't bad enough to outright kill him immediately. Dead giveaway, so to speak.
July 16, 2011 at 10:47PM ESTSA Mac
July 17, 2011 at 5:45AM EST Reply to CommentI thought this ep was a big improvement over last week. I felt like last week's episode was telling over showing (i.e. way too exposition heavy) while the story seemed to have more room to breathe.
I agree that Bill Pullman's work is effective so far but I'd have to say his story is the least interesting of the three to me at the moment. I found Dr. Juarez less annoying this week and while I agree that Rex's smugness was a chore in the 1st of this ep, I was enjoying him by the time he was on his 2nd vodka on the plane.
There were 2 highlights for me. The 1st was the return of the Jack/Gwen banter which I'd sorely missed. I really liked how they played the "let's cure Jack with plane supplies" mostly for laughs instead of making it all angst-ridden. I found Gwen'd regulating on the flight attendants during this part hilarious. The second delight was Lauren Ambrose. She just popped on screen (and would have even without the big hair, bright coat, and red lips) and made the most of both her scenes. Like with CoE, I find some of the ethical implications of this event to be more interesting than the logistics or cause of the event itself, so I like the idea of introducing a shady big Pharma rep.
I know you've got a busy week coming up, Alan, but I'm hoping you'll post at least some brief thoughts on the next ep b/c I'm really enjoying hearing your week-to-week take.
Johanna
July 17, 2011 at 2:32PM EST Reply to CommentHa! The only way they could bring Jilly together with Dr Juarez is over a bummed cigarette? I thought The New Rules said that only villains were allowed to smoke on television. (Or is this our warning to distrust the doctor?)
Loved the badgering of the I'm-not-gay flight attendant and his eventual admission. But, again, more fearless transgression than a whole season of Sex and the City.
Didn't Austin Powers use up the Mini-as-spy-car joke for all time? And considering the enormous Torchwood assault vehicle, should Gwen be dissing American SUVs of unusual size?
Sure is convenient that Rex carries two cell phones. Did Hannah Baxter teach him that trick? And what bank sends email messages reporting "Bank" as the sender? Will the Big Bad of this series turn out to be Nigerian spammers whose million-dollar legacy scams have been ruined by the immortality miracle?
webdiva I seem to recall that the doc on the marvelously reinvented BSG smoked, too, but I suppose it was his way of being a gritty curmudgeon.
July 17, 2011 at 3:29PM ESTThat was a UK-born dagnabbit Mini-Cooper Gwen was bitching about. A big-ass Jeep is probably what she was expecting/hoping for. They must underpay the geeks at the CIA (or at least Davies thinks so; personally, I doubt it).
I'd guess Rex had a CIA phone and a personal cell on him. I don't imagine the guys at the Company would expect him to use his own phone for bidness.
Last point: oh, you mean the Chinese hackers who are posing as Russian mafia bidnessmen posing as Nigerian spammers? *THOSE* guys??? they must be crossovers from L&O or NCIS. See what happens when you bring a Brit show over the pond to America?
Mim
July 18, 2011 at 3:56PM EST Reply to CommentI think the whole episode felt like something of a filler, with none of the storylines catching my interest but that might have been because of the characters (Monster taking advantage of the situation? check. Offical looking guy deciding to get rid of Torchwood so that more conflict can be created? Check. Overgrown child in shoes that she shouldn't be able to function in? Check.) It was great to see Jack and especially Gwen though, since she is possibly the favourite for me when she gets to use her competence. The part about the health care systems was interesting though and I'm more than a bit curious about the effeminate whiz kid and he's going to be back. On the other hand, the gay jokes almost ruined my trust in the series. It was only last season that the show actually dealt with how painful that kind of teasing can be, and Gwen was left alone with an MM couple. Now she's going along with the mocking? I know that the shows canon is a big mess, but this is just awful and it does not bode well for the rest of the series
JTudd1995
July 21, 2011 at 6:31PM EST Reply to CommentThis episode felt much more Like Torchwood than then first episode despite it being set mostly on a plane although it is still millenia away from the complete Brilliance of Old Torchwood
Im Still liking the Esther character most of the new americans although now we have had more of a look at Oswauld Danes I am liking him more and more. Im not so sure about the Doctor who seems far too "oh look a problem I know exactly how to solve it - oh another problem how about we do this? Oh im right again" and Jilly Kitzinger, just annoys me and I hope that either they change or we see less of them. The Rex character still seems to grate against everyone and everything else (and I feel this defines the American Attitude towards the series to be honest)
Gwen Cooper.... What a Purely Brilliant creation - not to mention Jack Harkness please, I hope to God they dont change them in the slightest
But For all my disagreements with the new torchwood - That hour still flew by and I wouldnt have spent it ANY OTHER WAY!
matchmf
July 22, 2011 at 5:02AM EST Reply to CommentIt's not Treme! Thank goodness!