20 January 2008

Torchwood: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

Torchwood's second season launched with Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (and for trivia hounds, film critic Pauline Kael came up with this phrase in the 1960's to describe the James Bond movies) and the introduction of someone from Jack's past.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer's James Marsters shows up as another Time Agent named Captain John Hart. While his mission -about some thermal devices - is silly, what he does to the team is much more interesting.

Everyone, still upset about Jack's vanishing act (at the end of season one, he joined the Doctor for three episodes) and his sudden reappearance are even more thrown for loop when Hart arrives and makes things worse.

The pacing of the show got better, but this is the season opener, and the added humor and less back biting from the team is also a reward. Marsters shines as Hart, reminding me many times why Spike on Buffy was so much fun to watch. I guess without using the Previously on...notice, it forced the series to tell all that stuff at the opening, which I find distracting. What's the point of restating the mission statement again and again. Oh. Can't count on the viewers to pay attention.

There appears to be a more overt romance planned for Jack and Inato, and liked how jealous he became when he realized John was everything he wasn't. But Jack did ask Ianto on a date.

And in typical Buffy/Angel style that the series tries so hard to emulate, John let's out a secret for Jack to mull over until his return (seen in the previews) at the last few moments of the episode. Who is Gray and why did Jack go all pale?

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