CHILDREN OF EARTH: DAY 5 My Random Thoughts…
These are a mixture of in-the-moment reactions from as I watched the episode and more reflective comments I went back over after… It's long, it's a bit hotchpotch, but more or less in chronological order to the episode...
I love Rhiannon! I wish we had so much more with her and the fam - they're brilliant. How was there never a big finish episode dedicated to them?! A missed opportunity IMO :) (Though it is kinda funny how Ianto said do not let the kids out of your sight for a single second, and then Rhiannon immediately tells David to go do this and that without any supervision... It's fine, nothing bad happened.)
Watching this episode does nothing to quell my opinion that The War Between the Land and the Sea should have had some sort of verbal acknowledgement of CoE having happened. Pierce is literally in both shows and played by the same guy! dude literally took over the proceedings in CoE! If you don't want to acknowledge that fact in a show that is already full of “easter eggs” to that other show, then change the name of the frickin character! He did not need to be the same person.
I’m still calling bullshit on Dekker surviving the virus! There is no way he ran all that way without breathing in one bit of that contaminated air! It's bullshit.
456 ambassador: They create chemicals. The hit is good…
Firstly - That's Horrific.
Secondly - I was wondering why this sounded familiar, and I think it's because it's the same thing the Sex Mist entity said in the original DAY ONE. And thinking about it, this episode is actually just an amalgamation of different season 1 situations:
Day One - an alien entity wants to consume human biochemical stuff
Small Worlds - Jack sacrifices a child
Greeks Bearing Gifts - a guy [tries to] murder-suicide his family
Captain Jack Harkness - Ianto shoots Owen just like Agent Johnson shoots Dekker
End of Days - Jack abandons Gwen and Earth
And then there were two… the image of Gwen and Jack, huddled together at the canteen table, looking so defeated and powerless, is so tragic. They look like lost little puppies. I actually can't bear to think about it.
Frobisher: Do you think you're still players?
Gwen: We can try!
Gotta love Gwen's determination despite being so completely defeated.
They’ve killed *Ianto* - the voice break when Gwen says Ianto’s name and Rhys’s silent ‘oh no’ - heartbreaking! 🥺 As well as how Jack's clearly trying to stay strong and in control because the situation isn’t over - he's been through all this before (so many times), and yet he can't avoid it hurting as much as it still does. He’s hunched over, quiet, there's no light in his eyes - he’s not okay.
Then there's Gwen curled up against the wall, unable to hold it together.
Jack: I can’t look at her anymore
And I'm like:😭
Poor Lois! Though at least she's not dead, which I really did think was going to happen. small mercies, I guess
Stephen: I want to see!
(me: You absolutely do not want to see that, kid! It's foul! And I can't believe I've seen it AGAIN!)
Seriously, though. I can't deal with that 456 child’s face. And they keep showing it to me!! MAKE IT STOP!!
Oh god, poor Frobisher. Further proving loyalty does not pay (First Ianto, now Frobisher)
That prime minister is a bastard - he'd better get what's coming to him!
“They’re just girls!” A sentiment that can be said for a whole lot of those kids being sacrificed, Frobisher!
Rhys: She’s pregnant.
Andy: Bloody hell fire, who’s the father?
Rhys: I’m slapping you, young ‘un!
These two are brilliant together. There’s a great balance of intensity and well-placed humour to alleviate the tension a bit - it all works perfectly. This is something TV can really struggle with, especially at the minute!
Oh GOD! Frobisher NO! I knew something bad happened with him, but I didn't realise it was this!! Horrific! I actually think that's the worst thing that's happened in all of Torchwood! I have no words.
Andy: You know Ianto, was he gay?
Gwen: Shut up.
Andy: They might not know!
Again, there's something kinda brilliant about how humour is woven in amongst such shock horror intensity, I literally went from gobsmacked silence to laughing out loud - which is sort of insane but somehow works without ruining or overshadowing the tensions... Whether or not this moment is supposed to be humorous, idk, but the fact is that anything Andy says is instantly hilarious to me.
On a different note, I do find it interesting that the element which dates this series most as being from 2009 is the tension we glimpse surrounding Ianto's queerness. In this moment, Gwen is immediately dismissive of Andy's questioning because she doesn't know how the conversation may go, so she opts to shut it down to avoid it and to protect Ianto. Andy's question invokes the public stigma present at the time towards the queer community. While today's society is definitely still not perfect, acceptance has certainly come a long way since 2009. (I do want to talk more about this element throughout Torchwood, but I'm gonna put it on a separate post to avoid this getting any longer.)
Jack: They’ve got kids… Ianto’s niece and nephew. Save them
I love this line! I don't have anything to say about it, but I love it <3
The truth about Ianto’s dad…
I wish this had actually been explored in the show, rather than simply being there for shock value to reveal that all Ianto had previously said about his father was a lie. This is the start of a conversation, not the end of one.
Agent Johnson: He’ll be fine. The nice kids are safe…
Alice: Even if 90% look away, what sort of world are you leaving behind?
David and Mica holding hands... So cute! There is nothing more adorable than seeing kid siblings holding hands - looking out for each other.
Yes Johnny! You go stick it to the Man!
Bring on Chavs army!
Yes Andy! Fight for what's right!
Agent Johnson shooting Dekker - Brutal, though given what comes next, she should have aimed higher.
Again, kinda funny that Gwen tells everyone not to make a sound, yet proceeds to make a video talking at full volume! Practice what you preach, dude!
Rhys’s tear down the cheek🥺I love Rhys! I’m so glad they didn’t kill him off in S1.
Oh, Dekker, you bastard. You evil, heartless bastard!
Jack's little “shut up” - like trying to silence an intrusive thought. Dekker is the little devil on his shoulder, willing him to do bad. He's desperately trying to avoid the inevitable. However, he will always be able to make that decision because he’s the immoral and has the bigger picture mindset ingrained into him… that doesn't mean he likes it.
It’s easier when you don't know the names… but, evidently, it’s not impossible when you do.
This is Jack without Gwen or Ianto
Once again, loyalty doesn’t pay - Alice put her faith in Jack and ends up losing her son in the process. Truly tragic.
Whoever snitches on Gwen's hiding place - bastard!
Poor Stephen!
Poor Alice!
and I'm gonna say it, poor Jack.
Yes, Bridget, with the contact lenses!
Though, am I a little disappointed that nobody is apparently going to release any of the captured footage of the government being shady? Yes. Would making the general public aware of the government’s utter bullshitery and willingness to sacrifice children lead to absolute chaos on the streets and cause more harm than good? Also yes. But I don’t care. ianto's dead, and right now, I want to see them suffer!
That final moment between Jack and Alice. Ice cold… lethal. And all Jack can do is get up and carry on… the immortal man has no choice.
Six months later… gonna be honest, not a fan of the time skip. I kinda want the establishment of everyone else after the fact - even if it's a quick montage of clips with some sort of Jack or Gwen voice over saying something poignant. I hate this kind of timeskip - SO MUCH just happened and we're not gonna check in with ANYONE after that?!
This whole final scene is just so heartbreaking... There are moments where it feels like old times as they all seamlessly banter with each other, but then it hits you just how tragic everything is; they are all that's left.
Jack: The Welsh complaining, I’ve missed that.
Jack: This planet is too small. The whole world is like a graveyard.
I always wondered how Jack got his wrist strap back after being atomised!
Rhys: Cost me 50 quid that!
Jack: Bill me!
Gwen: Are you ever coming back, Jack?
Jack: What for?
Gwen: For me.
Jack running away, abandoning Gwen - Has s1 finale vibes.
Also, maybe a call back to KKBB, too - his claiming he came back for Ianto? Now Ianto’s the reason he can’t bring himself to stay where Ianto isn’t anymore. suggesting/proving Gwen can’t/was never able to fill the role Ianto played in Jack's life. He would have always chosen Ianto over Gwen, just like Gwen would always choose Rhys over Jack? Or at least that's how I like to read it :)
Gwen: It wasn’t your fault.
Jack: I think it was
Jack: I have lived so many lives. It’s time to find another one…
Gwen: You cannot just run away.
Jack: Oh, yes I can, just watch me.
So, this feels like it was supposed to be The End… or at the very least the end for jacks earth based adventures with Torchwood - especially with his line about it being time to find his next life to live. It also makes the choice to kill off Ianto seem a little more understandable if they were wanting to move Jack off Earth and properly shake things up with a new style of show... or even as a complete endpoint - with Gwen as the lone survivor settling down with her growing family, and Jack beaming off into the stars to do who knows what.
This scene has more weight as a final moment between them... it feels kinda odd watching it knowing Jack's not actually gone gone, because there's still Miracle Day to go. Did they decide that CoE did so well, they would be stupid not to carry the show on, and so Jack was brought back to Earth and reunited with Gwen for a S4? Because I can absolutely believe that to be the case if so.
Overall, definitely the weakest episode of the 5, I think, but as a whole (ignoring the fact they killed off Ianto), Children of Earth really is a phenomenal piece of writing. This could be released today, and it would still be as poignant as it was in 2009.
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