Dr Who vs Torchwood - family vs adult?

[joeranger]

I am loving the "new" Dr Who. I was a huge fan of Tom Baker as a kid and am now watching all of the past two Dr's and current episodes with my young kids.
It kills me not to get ahead on episodes so last night netflix recommended Torchwood. I gave it a shot and really liked it. I just watched the first two and realized that I cant watch it with my kids:eek

I know there is a current debate about social agendas. Please do not reffer to anything that would get this thread locked. Enough said.

The new series do seem to have more adult themes. Much like Pixar films have humor on multiple levels.

Is Dr Who returning to more of a family show and Torchwood is a spinoff for more provocative themes?

 

[Organic Mechanic]

I don't think Doctor Who will be changing. It's always been family oriented, but 'watch from behind the sofa' scary for the little ones.

Yes, Torchwood is clearly directed at an Adult audience, but to offset that, instead of neutering DW, they gave us 'The Sarah Jane Adventures" (R.I.P. Liz), and the rebooted K-9 series. Both of which feel a little like muppets might jump out and sing some songs about tying your shoes once in a while. :lol

 

[Jumpergal]

Unfortunately, it looks like this Torchwood series will be the last. However, I think you're right - Torchwood was designed to be a bit edgier, more adult, and Dr. Who seems to be aimed at the pre and early teens, while keeping the kiddies in mind and making the adults happy... makes for an interesting balance! The show runners are extremely talented!

 

[CutThumb]

This Torchwood deserves to be the last!! I have never seen such a waste of "style" over content!!!! This was dull and terribly boring in the way that "Saphire and Steel" was decades ago!
I celebrate the fact that this series actuallly managed to finally kill Torchwood and Captain Jack better than anything the writers could have dreamt of.
This actually managed to give sci fi a bad name again after years of improvement. I hated this series worse than anything I have seen on TV of late, infact I could have watched the entire series and have been more entertained by watching the recaps. This was awful television!!!!!
Dr Who, at least ,of late, is pantomine. But at least its panto done in forty five minutes!!!! There is not a single redeeming feature in Torchwood I can find. Harsh but true!!

 

[Organic Mechanic]

...There is not a single redeeming feature in Torchwood I can find. ...

Two Words.


Eve Miles.

 

[rodneyfaile]

Captain Jack Harkness is AWESOME!

I want a Torchwood movie!

 

[wuher da brewer]

Torchwood: Children of Earth (Season 3) was as fine as any of the best scifi television I've ever seen and the highlight of the whole run of Torchwood. Unfortunately, what came after was the drawn out, neutered Starz series. I've yet to finish it, but man is it boring. Jack is not JACK! I'm only occasionally interested. It just feels so drawn out.

 

[joeranger]

There is an added level of criticism in my case which is mass appeal. When I say "family" show, I don't mean "Sound of Music", I mean something that doesn't offend, but is entertaining to a wide audience. My wife hates sci-fi but loved; BSG, V, Firefly, the Dr Who's about Amy and Rory, or the Dr. and River.
Sometimes I think good sci-fi is a diamond in the rough because it will never have mass appeal if "we" like it. Dune is the perfect example. Fans hated it because they dumbed it down, but the public didn't understand it.
The pinnacle of scifi success IMO would be the Dr Who/Van Goth. Great writing.

 

[rollerboi]

I will say this.. Jack Harkness is friggin' hot. I'd fancy a snog, even, and that's not normally how I roll. :lol
Now, I just watched the episode with the flashbacks to the ah.. Italian guy scenes. That's the most blatant I've seen as far as adult themes and content, and I was a little nervous should my wife walk in and wonder why the hell I'm watching two naked men going at it.

So yeah, wow. It's pretty much free reign for the writers to get some self-expression out there. Very surprising and interesting approach to television. I do think I liked the innuendo and hints better than pretty much seeing it all! A guy's got to dream, right? :lol

 

[VelaNoon]

I remember how I cried my eyes out during Children of Earth It has to be among my favorite mini-series of all time.

 

[Angelus Lupus]

Having seen the whole thing now, I agree that some of it could have been edited for faster pacing. Children of Earth seemed to be the right length, but this just went on a couple of episodes too long (it kinda dragged in the middle).

For the next series/season I'd really like them to go back to the original style of individual episodes. After all, how many more world-wide, affect-the-whole-human-race, events can we be expected to take?

I also cried at CoE, and I recommend listening to the (full cast) radio plays that were made before Miracle Day, there's one there that had me blubbing.

 

[Noeland]

I have yet to watch miracle day, as I don't have starz. I was really hoping for an exciting series though. Sucks that folks seem to not like it and I'm reading a lot about how boring it is. BUT, I was/am a massive fan of Torchwood, and I enjoyed it as an extension of the DW universe. I never really thought of Doctor Who as a family show, or a childrens show, especially the relaunch series. It's just a fun, entertaining science fiction show for me.

 

[Scapey]

Having now watched all of Miracle Day... Dear god, it didn't half drag!
10 episodes, to tell a story that could comfortably have been told in 5 - And a pretty rubbish ending, to boot.
Don't get me started on the unnecessary sex scenes ( But RTD is pretty bad for that sort of thing, as we know from his run on Who. Why use subtlety when you can CROWBAR YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS, eh? )

I'm sure it's mere coincidence that said scenes got a lot of media attention and "controversy"...

 

[GDafi]

I have seen the first two episodes of Torchwood under Starz, and will be watching the next few shortly.

BUT

Children Of Earth did sort of conclude Torchwood (unfortunately), and when you tie in David Tennant's last episode, worked well.

I like Dr Who, but loved Torchwood, but that's my personal opinion.
I did love the Jack character in both series, and in s2 of Torchwood we saw some history of both Torchwood, and Jack.

The link to the Face Of Bo, just cemented everything for me.

Matt Smith's Doctor is highly unlikely to see Jack in any way shape or form, but then again, I thought River was just a one thread wonder and looked what has happened there!