Comments on: Torchwood Miracle Day, Episode Six: Stuck in the Middle? http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2011/08/19/torchwood-miracle-day-episode-six-stuck-in-the-middle/ Responses to Media and Culture Fri, 12 Feb 2016 19:35:04 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.5 By: Jason Mittell http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2011/08/19/torchwood-miracle-day-episode-six-stuck-in-the-middle/comment-page-1/#comment-107021 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 07:13:49 +0000 http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/?p=10281#comment-107021 I think you nailed a key aspect of watching a serial: faith in the (implied) author. For me, my allegiance to Torchwood & RTD is shallow – I adore Children of Earth, but haven’t liked the episode or two of earlier TW I’ve seen, and I’m quite mixed on RTD-era DW. So I’m not willing to give the show the benefit of the doubt, and thus I assume that the payoff will underwhelm. The more I watch MD, the more CoE feels like a moment of accidental genius. But clearly you’re much more prone to have faith in RTD, so you read moments of delayed gratification as leading to something grand. (And for the record, I hope you’re right!)

]]> By: Matt Hills http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2011/08/19/torchwood-miracle-day-episode-six-stuck-in-the-middle/comment-page-1/#comment-106921 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 22:23:02 +0000 http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/?p=10281#comment-106921 A good point, Jason. I watched Rubicon, and agree it worked well (I was sad not to see it return for a second series). But I’m not sure I’d agree with your characterization of TW:MD. Regardless of our differing interpretations, at a subjective level I guess there’s a kind of utilitarian calculus to the thriller. If “stretching an issue… as much as may be tolerated” goes beyond what feels tolerable for a viewer then they will tune out. And, equally, if the (delaying) journey feels intrinsically unrewarding in and of itself then the ‘equation’ called for by the thriller again won’t play properly.

Having said that, I wonder if there’s a necessarily masochistic component to taking pleasure from the thriller form? A different (and less loaded) way of thinking about audience engagements with TW:MD might be to consider fandom as articulated with “heuristic hope” — hopefulness that the pay-off will prove worthwhile (and offer an intensity of sensation), thus redeeming TW:MD’s less compelling moments or episodes. So perhaps it’s partly my fandom that keeps me watching — not masochistically, but hopefully. And perhaps, by contrast, your own viewing isn’t linked to this overarching hope?

]]> By: 2MTL 231: Torchwood: "End of the Road" Reviewed | Two-minute Time Lord http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2011/08/19/torchwood-miracle-day-episode-six-stuck-in-the-middle/comment-page-1/#comment-106630 Sun, 28 Aug 2011 05:16:24 +0000 http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/?p=10281#comment-106630 […] "End of the Road" is on a more typical Miracle Day flight plan: talkier, more gradual. Matt Hills argues this is part and parcel of the show being a suspense thriller, not an SF action romp, and I agree. And yet, this slower episode gives me a chance to look at a […]

]]> By: Jason Mittell http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2011/08/19/torchwood-miracle-day-episode-six-stuck-in-the-middle/comment-page-1/#comment-106329 Fri, 26 Aug 2011 13:44:52 +0000 http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/?p=10281#comment-106329 I’ve fallen behind on the show, so just catching up to your reviews now. I think it’s less of a genre problem than an execution issue – I’m on board with a compelling slow-burn thriller (Rubicon was a recent example that mostly worked in that vein), but not one with such weak dialog, clichéd action plots, and thin characterization (beyond Jack & Gwen). I’m so bored moment to moment, even when it’s supposed to be exciting action, that I’m only left wondering about the larger meaning or rationale – is the high concept payoff worth a tedious & forgettable journey?

]]> By: Morgan Hamilton http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2011/08/19/torchwood-miracle-day-episode-six-stuck-in-the-middle/comment-page-1/#comment-104600 Sat, 20 Aug 2011 15:54:55 +0000 http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/?p=10281#comment-104600 But in spite of what Russell now wants to shove down our throats, Torchwood was conceived as a *SCIENCE FICTION* program not a Thriller or Political Drama. As much as I enjoyed/ am enjoying parts of both CoE and MD, if I want to watch a Thriller/Drama there are any number of them to choose from already but when it comes to Sci-Fi there just aren’t as many choices out there. Changing generes in midstream is just tacky. For me the change in TW has been akin to turning The Brady Bunch into Oz. It just doesn’t compute.

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