Torchwod Ep. 2x07 - SPOILERS! - Dead Man Walking

Post by **Broomstick** » 2008-03-09 03:49pm

I can't believe there was no thread for this, but I did search... "Dead Man Walking" a.k.a. Zombie Owen. Well, if my search-fu was weak I'll take the customary tongue-lashing.

OK, the resurrection glove makes sense, even with the dues ex machina of there being another one ("The do tend to come in pairs") that Jack just happens to know about.

I did like the line "You brought me back for THAT?"

There is something oddly satisfying to the idea of Owen as "King of the Weevils", even though I don't think that's really the case. Also, given what a prick he is, being unable to shag is somehow.... poetic. "No blood" - bummer, dude! Interesting take on the whole thing, in that he really is apparently dead yet still up and moving. The bit with the used beer in the jail cell -- totally ewwwwwwwwww.

Is it noble to volunteer to be embalmed while conscious, or not? Of course, I knew that was not going to happen, there were too many minutes left on the episode for that easy an out.

Thing is - Owen might, in theory, have forever, too or at least a very long run if he doesn't deteriorate and doesn't get too badly harmed, although if he can't heal then wear and tear is going to get to be a bitch. Given that Jack doesn't seem to sleep either they might have more in common than we think (but probably not).

At the end, with the previews from next week where Owen is apparently having problems, my comment was that kept killing Suzie, but they might keep torturing Owen.

But Tosh might finally get to go on a date with him - I mean, he's already dead, right, so the Curse of Toshiko's Doomed Dates can't hit him, right?

But WTF with the little girl turning cards? That just seemed to be thrown in there? Or is the confusion because they're editing it a bit too much for US time constraints?

Crazedwraith · Post by **Crazedwraith** » 2008-03-09 03:52pm

This one has been sitting on my BBC Iplayer unwatched for a week or so now. I just can't bring myself to be bothered to watch it.

I have noticed that the Torchwood and Ashes to Ashes threads don't seem to be made anymore. Have the other EBCs just stopped watching all together?

Post by **Broomstick** » 2008-03-09 04:06pm

I found the episode to be vaguely amusing - Owen has a chance at a tramp in a bar but can't follow through due to lack of blood pressure preventing an erection. Things of that sort.

I still watch Torchwood because there's so little worthwhile on Saturday night on US TV.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2008-03-09 04:15pm

Broomstick wrote:I still watch Torchwood because there's so little worthwhile on Saturday night on US TV.

I got dragged back into it because of a friend who likes to see Jack and Ianto making out. If you turn your brain off, it's really entertaining, in a guilty pleasure sort of way.

And I have to admit that the Zombie Owne plotline is really, really good. The biological bits aren't really thought through, but the way it affects Owen is, and it's compelling SF. Newt week's episode especially makes you appreciate just what Owen's going through, and I personally rank it as one of the best Torchwood episodes ever.

But WTF with the little girl turning cards? That just seemed to be thrown in there? Or is the confusion because they're editing it a bit too much for US time constraints?

She's Random Plot Ploint of the week, just like the second Rissen Mitten.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2008-03-09 04:24pm

I see - well, it was at the beginning of the show, so my brain was not fully in idle mode.

Yes, Torchwood is best enjoyed while not thinking, or perhaps under the influence of some alcohol. In this, it is like much of the rest of what's on TV.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2008-03-09 04:41pm

I see - well, it was at the beginning of the show, so my brain was not fully in idle mode.

I've only really caught up to the show in the second season, she she may be something from earlier on. I didn't really mind her either, it's deliciously random and creepy

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2008-03-09 04:49pm

I've liked the last couple of episodes, they actually were quite entertaining, if still fairly dodgy when you nitpick some details. As for Ashes to Ashes, I missed the last episode as I got my 'rents to watch Ratatouille. It's not really gripped me, though, which means it is already far below LoM's excellence.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2008-03-09 06:22pm

if still fairly dodgy when you nitpick some details

Owen's got to be the least consistent zombie in fiction. They can't even decide if he breathes or not.

Non-spoilerific bit of the next episode. It's not great SF, but it's pretty decent TV.

Crazedwraith · Post by **Crazedwraith** » 2008-03-09 07:20pm

So I just watched and I have to say it was pretty good. Although Martha is proving to be consistently worthless. And Owen's fight with death is hardly awe inspiring but maybe that's because I've been watching a lot of the action heavy Angel Recently.

Still there were some fun bits. The gloves coming in pairs line and the 'we're going with something she googled?!" bit.

Zombie Owen is actually a pretty interesting character, against all odds.

andrewgpaul · Post by **andrewgpaul** » 2008-03-09 07:23pm

Crazedwraith wrote:Still there were some fun bits. The gloves coming in pairs line and the 'we're going with something she googled?!" bit.

I think I preferred "I've searched for 'I shall walk the Earth and my hunger shall know no bounds', but I keep getting redirected to Weightwatchers".

Is anyone else watching it on BBC3? IIRC, the link Bounty put up was the one on BBC2 last Wednesday?

loomer · Post by **loomer** » 2008-03-09 10:18pm

Damnable Zombie Owen. Can you talk? Yes? YOU CAN BREATHE, SHITHEAD.

This has been your Angry Loomer rant for the hour.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2008-03-09 11:48pm

Bounty wrote:Owen's got to be the least consistent zombie in fiction. They can't even decide if he breathes or not.

Well, let's see, his digestive system is shut down but he forgets or doesn't care and, from the looks of it, drinks a keg of beer which he later has to quasi-puke up.

Maybe he doesn't need to breathe, but forgets and does it anyway. He has to be breathing when he talks, at least.

andrewgpaul wrote:I think I preferred "I've searched for 'I shall walk the Earth and my hunger shall know no bounds', but I keep getting redirected to Weightwatchers".

Oh, yeah - 'cause we've all had Google searches like that

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2008-03-10 04:33am

Maybe he doesn't need to breathe, but forgets and does it anyway. He has to be breathing when he talks, at least.

I think I may have been thinking about a scene from next week - they make a plot point out of him not being *able* to breathe at all (as in, he supposedly can't get air into and out of his lungs), despite the fact that he talks and sighs and pants and all that.

Hillary · Post by **Hillary** » 2008-03-10 06:36am

My thought about the tarot girl was that maybe she's "Faith" from the original story in the 17th century. After all, she was a zombie like Owen.

Still seriously lightweight (and not helped by the appalling Martha Jones), but it IS watchable and miles ahead of series 1.

Incidentally, was the nurse who attended to the old and wrinkled Martha one of her relatives from the last Dr Who series? She looked kind of familiar to me.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2008-03-10 06:47am

Incidentally, was the nurse who attended to the old and wrinkled Martha one of her relatives from the last Dr Who series? She looked kind of familiar to me.

IMDb says "no".