This isn't the first time GDL's had an evasive answer to a possible Who appearance. I think your opinion is dead on.

Edited at 2008-04-10 06:57 am (UTC)

Yeah, this one doesn't even qualify as "evasive" anymore, really. Silly boy.

http://classic-horror.com/newsreel/torchwood_aliens_monsters_and_sex_coming_to_bbc_america

In fact, some of the fans who saw the UK airing of "Torchwood" were concerned about the scene early in the series where Owen uses a pheromone spray to attract a reluctant woman. They felt that the woman couldn't consent and so it was a form of sexual assault.

Chibnall states emphatically that they never meant to give that impression. "Obviously, people can read things the way they want, and that's the great thing about drama. That's not the intention of that scene. It's not directed in that way. It's not written that way. Also, why would we have that character as a hero? No. Maybe we didn't make it clear enough, I don't know, but it's absolutely not the intention."

"The spray only accentuates feelings that are already there," suggests Clarke.

"Yeah," agrees Chibnall. "And actually, if you look at the way the scene is directed - she's looking at him, she's eyeing him up. You know, it's meant to be comic. Really. It's a comic scene. And sometimes I think when you interpret comic scenes in a very serious way, it forces a misreading. It's a tricky one." Chibnall adds, "When you write something, you never know how it's going to be interpreted, you know, and you can't really correct that. You have to let the discussion go."

hrm. thanks for linking to that, i had been wondering about it. it doesn't sound nearly as 'bad fans! stop doing that pesky thinking thing you do!' as some folk have made it out to be. it makes me glad that the writers at least realized that their intention really wasn't what came across, though, and can now maybe find ways to improve on that in the future.

Thank you for that. That is, indeed, NOT as harsh as some of the out-of-context quotage made it out to be. I still find their flashback marginally offensive, though. If they'd had some sense they would have just let the goddamn issue lie, instead of bringing it back in a "look! we're going to show it again because we don't agree with your interpretation!" kind of a way.

Edited at 2008-04-10 07:53 am (UTC)

If by "eying him up," he means "telling him to fuck right off," then yeah, I suppose she really wanted it, the little wench.

Even if you accept his argument about the girl in the pub (which I don't) it doesn't apply to her boyfriend, who was ready to punch Owen out before the pheremones hit. Or does Chibnall think it is ok to use rape drugs on guys?

I was also disappointed by RTD's comment on the commentary track for that episode: "Who wouldn't use them?" he said of the pheremones.

When I'm in a charitable mood, I think that these guys, never themselves having to worry about what might be put in their drinks, never considered that people might look at those scenes and think "rape drug" rather than "alien tech cologne". And when faced with those reactions they hide behind the "we didn't mean it that way, you're imagining it" excuse.

Wow, thanks for this! The catfight comment is hilarious (and I agree, probably meaningless). :)

And yes, the Doctor Who thing seems more and more likely-- yay!

'Wow, thanks for this! The catfight comment is hilarious (and I agree, probably meaningless). :)'
Yeah probably meaningless, still funny. I would love to see Ianto in a catfight with Captain John- I think Ianto could take him. He does do all that 'Weevil hunting' ;)

it is kinda amusing that GDL gets hit with the DW question so much more consistently than say EM (actually, does she even do interviews, or is she too good for that?)

i also find it very telling that every single interviewer ASKS him about a DW crossover. hmm, let's think for a moment. can it possibly be because its WHAT THE AUDIENCE WANTS? hmm... hey mister producer, still claim you don't read what the fans are saying? yeah, that's what i thought.

i do think that RTD is literally pulling out all the stops for the series 4 finale of DW because they have to do something to hold the audience through a full year hiatus. and i imagine the reason for bring the TW cast into the finale was meant to bolster that show as the gap-year event so yes, i'm pretty confindent that TW series 3 will happen.

'The LAST QUESTION, on the other hand, I think is very telling, and obviously, the two glaringly obvious write/cockups in Deathray were correct and Ianto and Gwen ARE INDEED in the finale of Who.'
Well that should be exciting. I hope Ianto gets at least one scene with the Doctor. I hope it's not all about Gwen.

Can you point me to the article(s) in Deathray? I'd been suspecting Ianto might be on Doctor Who for a while now, but I hadn't heard any of the speculation in this mag as of yet. (Really, I don't even think I've ever heard of Deathray before)

I don't have it myself, it's quoted here.

Yep, Ithink EVERYONE is in the finale of DW!

I got the impression that there will be a TW/DW full on crossover in one of the specials next year hence the child friendly edit...

Well, if the rumours I'm reading around the net are true, they're moving TW to BBC1 in an earlier slot, so it would seem highly likely to be the Who slot in the absence of any new episodes of Who. I think it's going to be a very weird year next year in terms of scheduling and specials and that, and a crossover seems to be on the cards.

Oooh, thanks for putting that up! I'd love it if Jack did return and bring his whole crew with him rather than leave them behind again. Looks like yet again I'm going to spend most of the DW series I'm going to be feeling guilty over looking forward so much to the finale :)

Ianto and Gwen ARE INDEED in the finale of Who.

The idea alone of Ianto meeting the Doctor just thrills me. It literally makes me so excited that my throat gets all tight and my stomach knots. Fantastic. *bg*

Ah, god. This needs to be true! And the Doctor needs to bring Tosh and Owen back. End of story. :D

I felt that way at first, but I have a creeping suspicion that Ianto and Gwen are just going to be another couple of faces in the vast let's-bring-back-everybody-ever roll call. Maybe get five or ten seconds of good dialogue, tops. Every time we've looked forward to an Ianto moment it's been far briefer then we expected, and I suspect this one will fall right into line.

Torchwood has made me so cynical. But hey, if I'm wrong, happy surprise!

'Ah, god. This needs to be true! And the Doctor needs to bring Tosh and Owen back. End of story. :D'
Yes and YES!

I love this magazine but I can never find it thank you for posting:)

Oh so very excited I would keel over if Ianto was in Doctor who.

'Oh so very excited I would keel over if Ianto was in Doctor who.'
You and me both. I've always found Ianto to be very companion-like, sometimes even Doctor-like.


Love your icon :D

Erm, I have just friended you on account of the deeply in-depth torchwood and dr who babble. I cannot get enough of this at home or indeed on LJ.

pleasebetruepleasebetruepleasebetrue! Thanks so much for posting the article.

Thank you for posting the article!

It was very interesting, even though I winced through half of it because some of the questions are so damn uncomfortable.

Woah so Ianto and Gwen in Dr Who....as in probably working with Jack with the Doctor. Ok now I'm worried about Torchwood, how can Torchwood exist if it's team is off in Dr Who/with Doctor. Oh I want Ianto and the Doctor to meet, that'd be funny and awkward and cool in my books.

Ok the bit about Ianto and Captain John has my fanfic mind thinking.