1.10: Out of Time

[Dave]

IMHO the best episode yet! A well acted, poignant drama, and a 'real' time travel story. This was what I expected and hoped that 'Torchwood' would be. Pity no one else will have stuck around through the other 9 episodes to see it!

Looking at other reviews of this episode, I may be alone on this. It seems many people actually didn't like it. No aliens, no revelations or last minute plot twists. No futuristic technology.

When a small passenger plane which took off in 1953 makes an unexpected landing in present-day Cardiff, its three passengers are shocked to learn that they can never go back to their own time. The Torchwood team try to help the passengers settle in contemporary society, but this simple task has painful emotional consequences.

For once, the sex was an important part of the plot as it dealt with relationships and changing attitudes and it had an adult storyline that actually deserved the adult time slot. Rhys finally grew a backbone in this episode and asked Gwen what she was playing at. Gwen finds her separate lives too hard to bare. Jack finally tells someone that he is from the future, lived in the past and also fell through the rift. He can say nothing to the man who wanted to die to dissuade him from suicide so ends up holding his hand in the exhaust fumes. Owen actually falls in love and then has her leave him, something he has never felt before. Ianto goes Bananas! Perculiar how the eighteen-year-old girl, innocent in the ways of the modern world, was actually the one of the three who was able to adapt.

 

[Pyan]

IMHO the best episode yet! A well acted, poignant drama, and a 'real' time travel story. This was what I expected and hoped that 'Torchwood' would be. Pity no one else will have stuck around through the other 9 episodes to see it!

.

I'm still here!, and I couldn't agree more!

 

[weaveworld]

It was one of the best episodes of Torchwood, especially the part with Jack and the man committing suicide, it was heartbreaking..

 

[Adasunshine]

I loved this episode, it was a heart-wrencher and a fantastic story, you don't need aliens to have a good sci-fi programme...

xx

 

[HappyHippo]

I loved it and loathed it.

I howled into my cocoa when Jack sat with John as he killed himself. It was really beautifully underplayed.

I am SOOOO over Owen;s sex life! I agree, this was more a vital part of the plot, but he's been half naked in at least a third of the episodes to boot, and he's not that great to look at... thos nostrils! *shudder*

I'd love to know if Diane did find the timewarp, and what happened to her afterwards. And GOOD ON YA, RHYS! About time you saw through Gwen's puppy-dog eye routine!

 

[moistfish]

Was sad to see John's son was mentally ill.

However i think more sex on Jack's part would have helped. In fact all episodes could use more sex on Jack's part. he he he

 

[Ian8781]

Couldn't disagree more!

I have been a strong supporter of Torchwood and objected to some of the rather excessively harsh criticism it has received.

THIS EPISDOE WAS AWFUL! It was a brilliant premise but absolutely nothing came of it! It was long, dull, uneventful and who in the right mind wants to see Rhys naked!? There were so many possibilities with this episode and the writers went for none of them! I couldn't have disliked this episode any more.

IMHO - the worst episode of the series so far (closely followed by the Toshiko ep)

 

[Dave]

IMHO - the worst episode of the series so far (closely followed by the Toshiko ep)

And here I see a huge problem for Torchwood going forward. I've been reading other boards and there is a big split on this episode. People either loved it or hated it. it seems that they cannot possibly appeal to everyone. The only thing that everyone seems to agree on was that last weeks episode (Invisible Eugene/Random Shoes) was a Car Crash.

There were so many possibilities with this episode and the writers went for none of them!

I'd be interested in what you think they were. I thought they covered quite a bit.

The only things I thought were: given all of Torchwood's many varied resources and powers, you think they might have got the pilot a flight in a trainer, Amelia Earhart disappeared in 1937 not 1932, the girl got a job as a 'trainee buyer' in London after one interview, without even going to London, and without any experience. And, would it not be better to make the pilot surprised at the 'Smoking Kills' warning label rather than acting dumb about the fact that smoking does kill.

 

[Raven Dane]

I am a staunch Torchwood fan, I can forgive its faults and plot mistakes just to have a vehicle for Capt Jack. And I can enjoy many things on television without too much analysing. Its a few hours welcome escapist relaxation for me, unwinding after a day chained to my tripewriter ,an interval before the night's writing and resultant insomnia kicks in.
But one thing really bugs me; the insistance on Torchwood there is nothing after death- just blackness. But if that was the case, why do those that have experienced it = Jack and Suzie have an awareness of self after death? Why did Suzie mention there was something in the darkness after Jack? And how does that explain Eugene?

 

[PTeppic]

I am a staunch Torchwood fan, I can forgive its faults

Like having a 1950s plane with a modern tail number...? I'd bet modern radio protocol is somewhat different as well. And how on Earth did they know to be at the small airfield waiting for it, without half the Air Force trying to shoot it down as a smuggler, terrorist or foreign invader?

Why did Suzie mention there was something in the darkness after Jack?

Did you spot the same message in next weeks trailer? It's the "Torchwood" clues from Doctor Who again. And "Bad Wolf"...

Not sure what I thought of the episode. Sex was one way of examing the differences, though there are no doubt others. I suppose it's very difficult to theorise what aspects of modern life are the hardest to adapt to for someone just arriving from the past. Maybe sexuality, particularly for the women, is a big change.

 

[Coolhand]

I echo Dave’s comments at the start of this thread.
Best-TorchWood-EVER. If you only watch one TorchWood, watch this one.

Now, what follows might confuse people at first because, having proclaimed the merits of this Ep I’m going to spend a little time kicking it in the teeth, but bare with me until the end when everything shall become clear.

Firstly, Gwen must die.
There, I’ve said it. I actively pray for this characters death. Preferable in a slow cheese-grater accident. I haven’t felt this way since Wesley Crusher first smeared his miserable stain across the bridge of the Enterprise D. For this weeks display if staggering ineptitude, TorchWood’s answer to Jar Jar Binks takes a casualty of a chrono-shift, a woman who’s very existence is proof of time travel, the rift and everything TorchWood keeps concealed, BACK HOME TO HER HOUSE. Where her Boyfriend, a non-security cleared, non-TorchWood person lives. And Gwen doesn’t tell him she’s there. And doesn’t tell HER that the boyfriend isn’t TorchWood. Resulting in a butt-naked surprise on a couch that could have blown the whole gaff in seconds. Then, a flustered Gwen makes up a cover story about the girl being a relative. Not surprisingly, that goes wrong as well. I can only assume that TorchWood’s covert ops manual is written in crayon and consists mostly of capital letters and no punctuation.
I’m surprised Gwen ever got to be a cop, let alone a Black-Ops operator. Actually, I’m surprised she manages tie her own shoelaces or eat without dribbling food mush all down her chin.

Secondly, as has been mentioned, you’d think TorchWood would be able to snap it’s fingers and get Pilot-Babe a license and paid lessons in a heartbeat. After all, they’ve got them identities and bank accounts. But then, if they did that, Pilot-babe wouldn’t have a reason for leaving Owen, would she?

Thirdly, would Torchwood really let these people seemingly run around on their own without a lengthily “acclimatization course” in a sealed of facility. These people represent a massive risk to the secrecy of the rift, and they are ill prepared for 21st century life. It’s irresponsible in the extreme to just dump them in a hostel and then bog off. Then again, if they didn’t do that, the entire ep couldn’t happen.

Careful, don’t sneeze, you’ll tear the plot!

However, three things are good in this episode. And one of them redeems it utterly.

Firstly, it has some nice one liners. I loved Ianto’s on the fly accountancy advice to the new girl in the supermarket. That was funny. I loved the pilot’s comments about the beauty products in Owen’s flat. Also funny.

Second, it had a nice moment when Gwen got caught up in the paradoxes of 21st century sexual ethics.
“We’re much more relaxed with sex. As long as it’s safe and consensual, no one cares.”
“I see. I should have slept with him.”
“Er…no. You should wait for someone special.”
That was funny. I don’t know if it was intended to be a nice little nod to the way that we’re still trying to get out ideas about sex sorted out long after the human race has discovered the old “horizontal jogging,” but that’s what I took away from it.

Thirdly was the pure shining pearl that rested in the midst of this Oyster mucus. I’m speaking of the scene where the father met his aged, senile son in the nursing home and tried to make him realize who he was. A scene beautifully written, powerfully acted and utterly heart-wrenching. I actually choked up, and I am one cynical, dark sarcastic swine, so that’s quite an achievement. This one scene, coupled with the last, gentle, moving suicide (which also hinted that if Jack COULD have killed himself, he WOULD have by now) utterly redeemed this episode. It was worth sitting through 30 minutes of crud for these maybe eight minutes of powerful, poignant drama.

I wipe a tear form my eye. This Episode’s transgressions are forgiven. It is free to go without further charge.

 

[Coolhand]

But one thing really bugs me; the insistance on Torchwood there is nothing after death- just blackness. But if that was the case, why do those that have experienced it = Jack and Suzie have an awareness of self after death? Why did Suzie mention there was something in the darkness after Jack? And how does that explain Eugene?

In two words? Bad writing.

Okay, I might be being unfair. There might be more to this whole death thing than what we've been shown so far. It could all be explained in an upcomming ep. But if it isn't, then its just bad writing.

 

[Dave]

And how on Earth did they know to be at the small airfield waiting for it, without half the Air Force trying to shoot it down as a smuggler, terrorist or foreign invader?

I got the impression that Torchwood didn't know what to expect. It could have been a spaceship. Like they have done this many times before as different things have appeared through the Rift and a blip suddenly appears on the Radar. That is what they do. It is the same as the Police turning crime scenes over to them, the military must be aware and know that this is a Torchwood job.

I do still think you have a valid point about it being a nit. We weren't told much about the airfield. I think that the airfield was actually the flights destination, but most airfields used back then are too small for modern aircraft now. They have either been built over, massively enlarged or they are military airfields. The chances of it still being in use today are slight. And you mentioned the radio frequencies already.

I think it would be impossible to keep something like the Rift secret if events such as this happened frequently.

 

[Robertbert]

I really enjoyed this episode...I think it was my fave so far...

I'm a bit here and there with Gwen, I liked her a lot at the start and went off her whith the whole Owen thing...Then I started liking her again...Now...I'm not sure...She's getting more irratating...Don't know...

I'll be sad when this finishes...And I'll be hoping for a second series...But as the Radio Times (UK listings mag) says...If and when they get a second series...We need to care a whole lot more about the characters...

 

[PTeppic]

I'll be sad when this finishes...And I'll be hoping for a second series...But as the Radio Times (UK listings mag) says...If and when they get a second series...We need to care a whole lot more about the characters...

The link to the press announcement about confirmation of a second series is somewhere in one of the threads for the other episodes - may two or three weeks ago. (Put another, YES, there is a second season)

 

[Pyan]

Coolhand, you should be doing this professionally Better than any review I read in the papers.

 

[Coolhand]

Thank you.
Aw shucks, I've gone all shy now.

 

[Dr.Jackson]

Never mind fans being split on this episode, I was split on this!

I thought that the time-travel thing was a good way for the writers to make a comment on the differences that have emerged in society in the last 50 years, mainly the attitudes towards promiscuity, considering that the writers appear to be obsessed with sex.
That being said, I do think that it was an integral part of this weeks episode, rather than the annoyance it has been in the previous ones. It showed a truer account that the post-war era was not just all austerity as many people would imagine, and that there was some amount of 'free love' before the 60's.
The displacement that was more difficult for John to overcome, made worse by the fact that he had seen the end of his legacy, was particularly poignant. It gave Jack a character to sympathise with, and at the same time, be envious of, since John could commit suicide and Jack couldn't. Both had the same sense of lonliness, the same despair at being in a time they didn't belong, knowing that they couldn't return to their own time.
It was a difficult scene to watch, although apparently it was a laugh to film!!

In ther negative column for this episode, the facts that have already been mentioned, such as sticking them in a hostel to fend for themselves, Gwen taking Emma home, and then out to a club!
Leaving John in the middle of the city without checking on him was a bit irresponsible as well.
What could go wrong leaving temporaly displaced people alone in an unfamiliar environment?!

The writing is getting better, certainly if this is an example of what is to come. However, there are still aspects they need to thinik about, otherwise they'll have to put up warnings at the start of the episodes:
'WARNING: TREAD CAREFULLY - UNCOVERED PLOT HOLES!'

 

[Lenny]

Another episode I was, and am, indifferent to.

It had a good idea behind it, and was well executed, but it just didn't grip me.

Tosh and Ianto took back seats here - it's usual for Ianto to, but not really Tosh.

*SPOLIERS FROM SERIES 1 & 2*

To draw again from 2.12: Fragments - poor Owen! Two women who have broken his heart. The first goes and gets herself killed by an alien on her brain, and the second flies out of his life just like that.

Gwen still hasn't hardened enough to merit PC Andy's comment in 2.11, and showed a sort of motherly instinct for Emma. The beret suited her too.

And I agree with above that the Jack and John scene was touching.

But... meh. Wasn't the best, and wasn't the worst, it was just an episode.