ADULT LEARNING

Kai Owen plays Rhys, the boyfriend of Gwen Cooper on 'Torchwood', and in an interview with icWales, he said that the show's sophomore season should be a vast improvement over the first.

Gods of Kobol, it better be!

"It is bigger, better, classier and slicker," said Owen. "They have cut down on the swearing and the sex but it’s still adult, still violent, and the scripts are better, too."

When it was mentioned that the series has enjoyed record ratings on BBC-America, which broadcasts a truncated, censored version of the show, he observed, "I think they are enjoying the Britishness of it, even the Welshness of it because Cardiff looks fantastic and there is just nothing like it being made in this country."

As far as the sex, violence, swearing - all the adult goody bits - are concerned, there was a show made over here in the States which the writers of 'Torchwood' should watch to see how such "adult" fare should be handled - 'Odyssey 5'.
I just finished watching the full run of the series via DVD and being the Toobworld geek that I am, I noticed how better integrated was the adult nature of the series here than it was in the first season of 'Torchwood'. It was germane to their situations; it was organic in the nature of the characters. Over at 'Torchwood', it just felt seamy whenever someone cursed or - Lord help us! - whenever Owen Harper felt the need to rut. As if it was tacked on just so there could be a cheapie thrill as an interlude between the story's main plot points.

Since most of those scenes could be readily excised, so that it would be more palatable to the Puritans of America's FCC, showed that it was only in there for the titillation factor. With 'Odyssey 5', it would prove to be inherent to the storyline, especially with the swearing - Chuck Taggart just happened to be a character who felt most comfortable with the word "F-bleep" spewing from his mouth. (Oops - I guess I didn't pay my premium cable bill!)

'Torchwood' will be returning to the airwaves soon enough, and this time its American broadcast will be only about a week or so behind its British debut. Because I want to see it in its entirety, I'll do the same as last year - skip the American telecast in favor of the unexpurgated version thanks to Mark & Michael. (I will, however, DVR the series anyway as I did with the first season so that I have something to watch during the strike!)

BCnU!
Toby OB