Telly stuff

[shapinglight]

My posts do rather seem to have narrowed down lately to What I Watched On Telly, haven't they? Oh well.

Anyway, this week, I watched a BBC adaptation of Sarah Waters' wonderful novel, The Night Watch, and the first episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day. More about those behind cut.

Spoilers, obviously.



I'm a bit confused about TW; Miracle Day. Apparently, the US version gets more sex and violence and the UK one gets more conversation. Will the same hold true for the eventual DVD releases, does anyone know? If so, it'll be really annoying. I hate to think I might have missed anything at all, but I couldn't find a d/l I could play so I've no way to compare.

Not that I'll definitely be buying the DVD set, because after this first episode the jury is still way, way out. It was an odd confection all right. The glossy, American stuff sat decidedly oddly next to the rather un-glossy Brit stuff. I couldn't help noticing the extreme contrast between the two hospitals, for instance, and I bet American viewers noticed it too, and some of them are probably now thinking all that nonsense Sarah Palin spouted about the NHS is true.

Maybe that's a universal American perception of our health service, unfair as it is, just as the bizarre release of Bill Pullman's character from prison was an equally unfair Brit perception of American justice. RTD must subscribe to the view that Americans are more scared of being sued than they are of anything else (and he wouldn't be the only Brit who thought it), to the extent that they would rather let dangerous paedophiles loose on the streets than take the risk.

To me, that whole thing was very silly. Firstly, if the governor (it was the governor, wasn't it?) was so worried about being sued by Oswald Danes, why wasn't he worried about being countersued by Danes's victim's parents? Silly, silly, silly. I don't believe any American states governor would ever dare release a prisoner like Danes, no matter what the threat. Also, I really resent that Danes was being supported by some sort of anti-death penalty lobby group, since it implies that people who are against the death penalty are all "Paedophiles! Yay!" which is arrant nonsense and quite insulting.

:Steps off soap box:

On a less indignant note, I can't say I'm convinced by the Danes character. Yes, Bill Pullman is doing a good job of making him utterly repulsive (he might as well go around wearing a t-shirt saying, 'I'm a paedo, ask me how'), but that's partly the problem. He's too repulsive. He's supposed to be charismatic. Instead, he's just creepy.

I also thought most of the action sequences were old-style Torchwood silly. The Welsh-set ones were fun, though, and I did enjoy Gwen and Rhys's domestic bliss with guns. I also envy them their beautiful country hideaway. However, none of the American characters gel for me yet. Everything is too Hollywood and glossy. 'Course Barrowman has a lot of Hollywood showbiz gloss, but over here he's most often seen on telly introducing early Saturday evening family game shows (in fact he's just been on, wearing a jacket with blue-sequinned lapels), so it's always a bit jarring when he's being Captain Jack (oh, and I still miss Captain John, so there!).

So, not a whole hearted endorsement, but I will keep watching, if only to (hopefully) catch another glimpse of Robin Sachs as 'British Professor', which had me in stitches when the credits rolled.

As for The Night Watch, I did for the most part enjoy the adaptation. I thought it was a little rushed and can't really understand why the BBC changed certain plot points either, unless it was because they thought the only heterosexual characters in the story deserved a happy ending more (not really, but unfortunately that's one way you could interpret it). I also didn't find the actress playing Helen very convincing. She was certainly nothing like how I imagined her. But Anna Maxwell Martin as Kay and Anne Wilson-Jones as Julia were both excellent (and there was real sexual chemistry between them). Well worth staying up for anyway.

Comments

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

I must agree on all counts. Well, I've got nothing on National Health. The American stuff was a bit too, I don't know, frenetic? I spent the first half thinking that the Americans we were following were journalists (now I don't know why), only to find they are CIA, which mos def made for a chilling punchline. Of all the things that upset me about my country, the policy changes about running roughshod over the rest of the world are among the most upsetting.

Gwen with her baby in earmuffs was the standout moment! Take that for "mama bear", Sarah Palin!

Another one tonight! A little Captain John would indeed be delightful...

[shapinglight]

Of all the things that upset me about my country, the policy changes about running roughshod over the rest of the world are among the most upsetting.

Well, this did nothing to dispel that impression, what with our policeman practically queuing up to present the CIA man with guns on velvet cushions. But the Welsh stuff was probably only there at all as a sop to old TW fans, and to get Gwen into the story. Doubt we'll be going back there much.

Another one tonight! A little Captain John would indeed be delightful...

It would, but sadly I think RTD identifies him with old TW and would rather bury the character. :(

[hello-spikey.livejournal.com]

Major disagreement on the view of "Miracle Day". I didn't feel jarred by the difference between UK bits and US bits. But maybe that's because coming from the US I've had that juxtaposition already watching UK shows.

I'm told by my brother-in-law that, in fact, they do have to release someone if their death sentence fails. Creepy, but valid. It never occurred to me that this might be seen as a skewed view of our justice system, though I did find it rather shocking and was wondering if the creepy pedophile is, in fact, behind it all.

I had been afraid "Miracle Day" would feel off, more "American" somehow and therefore not true to Torchwood, but I actually had to ask Brian, "I thought this was a new production company, is it actually all the original people? It feels exactly the same."

So from my pov: YAY.

There was gloss? Really?

Perhaps I am blinded by my culture. We get gloss on our cheeseburgers, for chrissake.
:D

[caliente-uk.livejournal.com]

I'm a bit confused about TW; Miracle Day. Apparently, the US version gets more sex and violence and the UK one gets more conversation. Will the same hold true for the eventual DVD releases, does anyone know? If so, it'll be really annoying. I hate to think I might have missed anything at all, but I couldn't find a d/l I could play so I've no way to compare.

I don't know how it will work for future episodes, but the US and UK versions were both the same (as far as I could tell) for the first one.

I thought it showed a lot of promise myself, and didn't find the American stuff jarring at all. And as for Bill Pullman's character - it actually didn't surprise me that they let him go. Horrified me, yes, but surprised me? Not at all.

Tbh, I was surprised by how much it still felt like Torchwood. I loved the mix between Wales and the US and hope they continue mixing the two for future episodes, although I have my doubts that they will. So all in all, I'm very much looking forward to ep 2.

I enjoyed The Night Watch too. I think it would have been better to have turned it into a two or three part mini-series, but did enjoy it. And I thought Anna Maxwell Martin was wonderful in the role of Kay!

[caliente-uk.livejournal.com]

I saw it pretty much the way you did - and I'm from the UK.

I thought it showed a lot of promise, so I'm a yay too! :)

[ningloreth.livejournal.com]

Interesting perspective!

I've only just watched TW:MD and I rather enjoyed it, though I did think that the long 'Torchwood Story' from Jack was a bit ham-fisted.

I think the newswoman actually said that Danes wasn't being supported by any anti-death penalty groups (and that that wasn't surprising, because of the nature of his crime). Also, I thought that Danes's release was more about preserving the constitution than about fear of being sued. They didn't release him because the execution had failed (because nothing had gone wrong with the mechanism), they released him because he'd been executed, and a person can't be punished twice for the same crime.

I already like the CIA man. I think he shows a lot of promise. And I couldn't believe I had to pay to cross the bridge, either :-)

[ex_peasant441]

I can imagine they would have to release him. If you try to kill someone and get it wrong you can't just keep trying to kill them, because that would amount to cruel and unusual punishment. Especially since in reality a failed lethal injection would probably cause major and very painful medical problems. Nor could you just keep someone in prison after their sentence had been carried out because that would be arbitrary justice. Nor could you try to re-sentence them because that would be double jeopardy.

[shapinglight]

I'm told by my brother-in-law that, in fact, they do have to release someone if their death sentence fails. Creepy, but valid. It never occurred to me that this might be seen as a skewed view of our justice system, though I did find it rather shocking

You know, that may be the letter of the law, but I am completely unconvinced it would ever happen. No state governor would release such a person. It would be political suicide. They would find some way to keep in him behind bars, I'm certain.

But never mind. I understand he had to be released for plot reasons, but that whole scene where he's menacing the governor's assistant just didn't ring true for me at all.

There was gloss? Really?

Heh! Yes, there was. That little blonde CIA girl was so Hollywood - looked like she came off a production line of size 0 blondes in some factory somewhere. There's obviously so much more money available compared to old TW, that's all.

It's weird, though. It didn't feel 'American' so much as some weird Transatlantic hybrid. Which it is, of course.

[shapinglight]

I don't know how it will work for future episodes, but the US and UK versions were both the same (as far as I could tell) for the first one.

Well, there haven't been any sex scenes so far of course.

And as for Bill Pullman's character - it actually didn't surprise me that they let him go. Horrified me, yes, but surprised me? Not at all.

Well, it didn't surprise me either. He has to be released for plot purposes. But it was a contrivance I just don't believe in at all.

And I thought Anna Maxwell Martin was wonderful in the role of Kay!

She was, wasn't she?

[shapinglight]

though I did think that the long 'Torchwood Story' from Jack was a bit ham-fisted.

Yes, it was, though of course he only trotted it all out because he was about to retcon Generic Blonde Actress.

I think the newswoman actually said that Danes wasn't being supported by any anti-death penalty groups

She did, but later during the actual release scene, I'm sure some group that had supported him was mentioned. Maybe I have that wrong.

Also, I thought that Danes's release was more about preserving the constitution than about fear of being sued. They didn't release him because the execution had failed (because nothing had gone wrong with the mechanism), they released him because he'd been executed, and a person can't be punished twice for the same crime.

I don't agree. All the emphasis on the scene between Danes and the governor's assistant was on the possibility of Danes sueing, IMO for the very reason that despite the Constitution, it would be political suicide for any states governor to release such a person. Some third way would have been found, I'm sure. However, I understand he had to be released for plot purposes so :shrug:

And I couldn't believe I had to pay to cross the bridge, either :-)

But toll bridges/roads are very common in the US.

I did like his Wales being like New Jersey crack, though.

[shapinglight]

Sorry. I just don't buy it. Some way would have been found to keep him in prison, if only a spurious one that it was for his own safety. It would have been political suicide for a states governor to release someone like that.

But :shrug: It was done for plot purposes so I understand why they did it.

[ex_peasant441]

You can't imprison people 'for their own safety'! That can only be done if someone is sectioned for having a dangerous mental health problem, which is hardly applicable in this case since he was considered fit to stand trial. The law is the law, it has strict limits for very sensible reasons and nobody wants to live in a world without those limits. What you are suggesting - essentially imprisoning someone just because it is convenient - would break all those limits, and he would indeed be entitled to sue the hell out of anyone who did it. Nor can I imagine any American politician (or I hope any British one) keeping their position if they were seen to behave in an illegal fashion.

So I disagree, it wasn't just for plot purposes, it was a neat plot point that made good use of a genuine (if highly unlikely) legal situation. There have certainly been cases in this country of people who revived after execution who were allowed to go free because the sentence had been carried out.

[caliente-uk.livejournal.com]

Well, there haven't been any sex scenes so far of course

Heh. Very true. Although the trailer at the end of the ep did show a clip of what looked like a fairly steamy scene, so you never know... ;)

I understand where you're coming from with Danes. I'd like to think something like that could never happen outside of a drama like Torchwood, but I did understand it from a legal point of view (not being able to be tried (executed) for the same crime twice, etc.). It was still completely unpalatable, though. Bill Pullman is playing the role very convincingly so far!

She was, wasn't she?

She was outstanding. I've seen her in other things recently, and she's been excellent in all of them!

[hello-spikey.livejournal.com]

That little blonde CIA girl was so Hollywood - looked like she came off a production line of size 0 blondes

Yeah, what you have to realize is, on US TV, even the local news team only employs size 0 blondes. It's kinda what I like about British TV - you get to see normal looking women!

I don't really disagree with you all that much, actually. I, too, thought the pedo was just a touch scene-chewing, and in fact, nothing like a pedophile. Having (sadly) known a few, they are usually sad, socially awkward little men. This guy reminded me more of a serial killer. Very "Cyrus the Virus". Maybe he grows some depth and interest in later episodes.

Yay transatlantic hybrids! Maybe we'll stop being "two cultures separated by a common language". ;)

[shapinglight]

There have certainly been cases in this country of people who revived after execution who were allowed to go free because the sentence had been carried out.

Yes, a very long time ago. Not these days.

What you are suggesting - essentially imprisoning someone just because it is convenient - would break all those limits, and he would indeed be entitled to sue the hell out of anyone who did it. Nor can I imagine any American politician (or I hope any British one) keeping their position if they were seen to behave in an illegal fashion.

Sorry, considering Danes's offense, I still don't buy it, any more than I buy expecting logic or sense in TW.

[ex_peasant441]

I'm alarmed that you don't get it.

At the risk of talking politics, let me try to explain.

Office holders can't behave in an arbitrary fashion, and they don't. They have to stick with the law at all times, even if that is electorally unpopular. Obvious recent examples spring to mind like votes for prisoners and not deporting foreign criminals. The government weren't going against popular demands because they were unaware of them, or somehow wanted to be perverse, they were following their greater responsibility to maintain the law. Politicians have the power to change the law, but not to break it just because it is convenient. They have to stick to the law as it currently is until they have time to change it. And any system that develops where politicians are imposing arbitrary law, even for the 'best' of reasons like overwhelming popular support or the conviction that they are absolutely 'in the right' is tyranny. And tyranny is a far worse crime than paedophilia, just ask the people of Libya.


Yes, a very long time ago. Not these days.
Well we obviously haven't had capital punishment for a very long time. And when we did, as far as I know, the last incidence of someone surviving hanging was long before that because hanging with a trap-door drop is a very successful way of killing people. Hanging without a dead-drop is a very slow and inefficient way of killing, and survival was by no means rare if friends and relatives could get in and cut the person down quickly enough. But it is the common law that applies in such a situation, something we share with the US, so it's not a case of the legal situation having somehow changed unless a state had specifically introduced a law legislating that if someone survived execution they were to be imprisoned, or executed again or whatever. Such a law is unlikely because if a state had such an inefficient method of execution that survival was probable they would simply change the method rather than bother to legislate for failure.

[shapinglight]

Yeah, what you have to realize is, on US TV, even the local news team only employs size 0 blondes. It's kinda what I like about British TV - you get to see normal looking women!

:) Yes, we still do have a few of them. Actually, the tiny-ness of US TV actresses is quite scary. I mean, I thought Charisma Carpenter was a normal sized woman until I saw her in person at a con and realised that she was teeny weeny. If that's so, SMG and Alyson Hannigan must be midgets.

I, too, thought the pedo was just a touch scene-chewing, and in fact, nothing like a pedophile. Having (sadly) known a few, they are usually sad, socially awkward little men. This guy reminded me more of a serial killer. Very "Cyrus the Virus". Maybe he grows some depth and interest in later episodes.

I don't know if they did the same after the US showing, but the UK one had a long, spoilery preview for the series, during which there were umpteen scenes of people - mostly women - all starry eyed about Danes. But if Bill Pullman carries on as he's begun that's just not going to work. It's not plausible at all.

[shapinglight]

Bill Pullman is playing the role very convincingly so far!

I think he's a bit too convincingly evil. Like I said, not charismatic but creepy.