Category Archives: Torchwood
Doctor Who and Clara Oswin Oswald: Season 7: Part 2 Impressions So Far
Doctor Who (Matt Smith) and Clara Oswin Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman)
With the departure of Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) from the last part of Season 7 of Doctor Who, here comes a new companion for the Doctor, the Impossible Girl, Clara Oswin Oswald. Although her deaths are fixed, she continually exists throughout time. In a way, she is much like the Doctor minus the transforming part. With the Christmas special The Snowmen and the episodes The Bells of Saint John, The Rings of Akhaten, and Cold War under our belts, this new season has started out with a roar and a whimper.
Matt Smith has excelled in his role as The Doctor after the departure of David Tennant from the show. He plays it with liveliness and childfulness unlike the sometimes somber David Tennant and mostly somber Christoper Eccleston. Matt Smith definitely has an appeal — for those long-time viewers and for the next generation of viewers. Despite his great acting skills, the scripts have been mediocre mostly. With the most recent The Rings of Akhaten being one of the better episodes so far, this season has been lackluster. The aliens have been boring at best and a snoozer at worst, even through the funny parts. By the way, the music in The Rings of Akhaten has to be one of the best ever in Doctor Who.
Jenna-Louise Coleman as Clara Oswin Oswald has the potential to become one of the better companions. So far, she has demonstrated the intellect of Martha Jones with the beauty and charm of Rose Tyler. However, again, the scripts so far have her playing the helpless maiden in distress most of the time. In my opinion, she should be one of the stronger characters in the Doctor Who universe, but so far, she hasn’t been portrayed as one. Maybe it will take a full season before Clara Oswin Oswald will take the reigns much like Rose Tyler did in the second season of Doctor Who. In all honesty, Clara should play the lioness instead of the lamb.
Perhaps in the future, they need to interject some real humor back into Doctor Who. John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness would be a great choice, if he wasn’t otherwise preoccupied with Arrow as Malcolm Merle. Or some intrigue in the form of Harkness’ companion, Captain John Hart, played by James Marsters. This series need a rejuvenation of its own pretty soon. Otherwise, it may lose viewers gradually, including myself.
What do you think of the seventh season of Doctor Who so far?
Related articles
- Things get spooky in the trailer for next week’s episode of Doctor Who (musingsofamildmanneredman.com)
- Brilliant Clara Oswin Oswald fan art excites us for new Doctor Who (musingsofamildmanneredman.com)
- Doctor Who Unanswered Questions of Season 7b (haveageekasm.com)
- Is Clara Oswin Oswald Destined to Be Rose Tyler 2.0? (tor.com)
- 13 brilliant pieces of Clara Oswin Oswald fan art to get you ready for new Doctor Who (io9.com)
- Jenna-Louise Coleman: I was thrilled and excited by the idea of Doctor Who (metro.co.uk)
Torchwood Returns to Starz on July 8 with Miracle Day
It’s been a while since we last have seen Jack Harkness in command of Torchwood and its resources. He helped the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) battle Davros and the Daleks at the end of 2007′s season of Doctor Who, challenge his former lover, rival and rogue time agent John Hart (played by James Marsters) in the second season of Torchwood in 2008 and lastly, confront his past and a deadly alien in the mini-series Torchwood: Children of Earth in 2009. He’s done a lot to save Earth, perhaps as much as the Doctor and his companions. With his farewell at the end of the mini-series, it would have appeared that the spin-off series was done for.
Move forward a couple of years, and this series has been picked up in the United States, by Starz nonetheless. Much of the stellar cast returns as well as Russel T. Davies as the executive producer of the show. Of course, John Barrowman returns as the charming Captain Jack Harkness. Gwen Cooper (played by Eve Myles) and Rhys Williams (played by Kai Owen) return as the now-married couple caught in Torchwood from the first season. Mekhi Phifer plays former CIA agent Rex Matheson who is running from the CIA which he was formerly employed. Perhaps the most intriguing character is played by Bill Pullman, Oswald Danes, child-killer who will be saved on Miracle Day and seek redemption for the world. By his side is Jilly Kitzinger, played by Lauren Ambrose, who is his PR officer. It doesn’t appear Bill Pullman will orate another “Independence Day” speech, but he has the charisma to pull it off. I hope John Hart (played by James Marsters) will return to this series. Perhaps by the glimpse of the trailer, it will become true. Or perhaps Ianto (played by Gareth David-Lloyd) will also resurrect during this Miracle Day. Both would be nice additions to this series.
This may be the optimal time for a science-fiction series like Torchwood to dominate television, with Stargate Universe being the only real competition (aside from Doctor Who) as Fringe is struggling. So far, it has the feel of Fastforward but with more direction. I hope this series lasts more than a couple of seasons.
