What I like about Torchwood

[sqbr]

**Disclaimer: ramble written while sick and bored**

So I've been sick recently (and again today! Again!!) and thus watching a bunch of dvds. I'm 2/3 way through Torchwood season 1 and despite the fact that it's frequently terrible am for the most part really enjoying it.

Having just watched a bunch of Dr Who (I'm near the end of Season 2) I decided to think about the difference (apart from Dr Who having better acting etc and significantly less sex) and I think I've figured it out: the doctor himself. He's so smug in his "I am smarter and older and cooler than this entire planet" thing.

While Torchwood still has the "Investigating alien stuff because it's cool (and when appropriate saving the world)" vibe, but is a just a bunch of humans. (Captain Jack is admittedly a bit borderline)

Thinking about other tv shows about people fighting/investigating the supernatural:
While I really like shows like Buffy and Angel, there's still that "chosen ones/supernatural beings save the rather pathetic normals" vibe, I think this is why I always identified most with Xander and Gunn.
Even though "Supernatural" is about two humans who just happen to know a lot about the supernatural, they still come across as very separated from normal life, and there isn't that ensemble cast to create interesting soap opera character interactions and arcs.

I've always liked X-men and Batman more than the other superheroes for similar reasons (I think all the "group of regular humans team up to fight crime" stories I encountered were more about the fighting than the soap opera, so no fun) . And the "Muggles are silly and redundant" vibe in Harry Potter always bugged me.

Oh, and I should mention that yes, I do also like Torchwood for it's obvious appeals, ie Captain Jack and the cheerfully blase attitude to same-sex snogging etc. But that wouldn't have been enough to sell me on it on their own.

And now I think I shall go to sleep.

Comments

[edible-hat.livejournal.com]

The other difference between Doctor Who and Torchwood is that Doctor Who is for a family audience while Torchwood is more adult.

[pedanther]

I don't know about that. Adolescent, I'd grant you, what with the language and the obsession with sex and all that, but Torchwood has never struck me as particularly adult. (Seriously, have you never been watching Torchwood and been seized by the urge to shout "Oh, just grow up, already!"?)

[kadeton.livejournal.com]

Adolescent is the new adult.

[edible-hat.livejournal.com]

ok, I'll rephrase that. Torchwood is allegedly intended for an adult audience.

[alias_sqbr]

That I can agree with :)