My basic problem with Torchwood

[mylescorcoran]

is typified by last night's BBC3 episode.

Okay, the bad guy (a one-dimensional science-first villain from Central Casting) was wrong to engage in alien experiments, using and abusing both captive aliens and unwitting human subjects. I imagine we're all agreed on that. But this drug 'Reset' that was derived from the alien insect was nothing short of miraculous, and I can't see either Owen or Martha ignoring the potential. Just destroying all the research outright smacks of anti-science torch-wielding villagers and not the behaviour I'd expect from scientists. Any SF scientist worth their degree would have come up with a half dozen methods of isolating or replicating the drug without the abuse of the alien insect or the clumsy testing on human subjects with live larvae.

But that's the problem. The staff of Torchwood too often play the role of torch-wielding villagers. It's light years from the curiousity and whimsy of the Doctor, and the worse for that.

Comments

[irishkate.livejournal.com]

That's a good point - but it was such a better episode than 'Adam' that I loved it.

[mylescorcoran]

Granted. I didn't see the beginning of 'Adam' but I wasn't impressed with what I saw.

[irishkate.livejournal.com]

Although thinking about it - after world war two there was quite a long and ultimately unsettled discussion about what to do with the horrific research performed on people in concentration camps by the nazis.

It probably is fair to say that the 5 members of torchwood in Wales would have a gut reaction to destroy it all when that was one of the very considered reactions in the aftermath of WWII.

[daftnewt.livejournal.com]

I've seen only the first two episodes of this season, and am still forming an opinion.

I think the general behaviour of the Torchwood group is appallingly unprofessional, given the (supposed) importance of the work they're doing. If I were their GM, one of the nasty secrets lurking in the background would be that they were stalking horses/cat's paws for people who didn't care how much they screwed up :)