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22 days left and we're continuing on my countdown to Miracle Day, Torchwood re-watch! I'll be watching an episode a day and blogging bits and thoughts. With any luck this is gonna read like an episode guide and commentary. Let's dive right in!

Episode: Combat (Series 1 Episode 11)

Written By: Noel Clarke

Original Air Date: 24 December 2006

Sentence Sum-Up: Owen infiltrates Weevil fight club.

Notable New Characters:

Mark Lynch (Alex Hassell): Realtor by day sleazy Weevil fight club member by night.

Janet (Paul Kasey): Torchwood's pet Weevil, we've seen her before but she was a major star in this episode.

Favorite Quote:

Tosh: "You want to release a Weevil in the middle of Cardiff? "
Jack: "Not exactly in the middle, a little to the side."

Never Noticed:

Noel Clarke!! The fellow who plays Mickey in Doctor Who wrote this episode. Apparently he writes as well as acts! That came out of nowhere and I've certainly never noticed it.

At Mark's place there is a giant photo of a boxing match on the wall. That's a bit on the nose isn't it? That would be like a serial killer having a Dexter poster up. Although I don't know maybe a serial killer would have a Dexter poster up...How about if Jack put an X-Files poster up in the Hub?

Mark says very randomly "Something's coming, out there in the darkness, something's coming" a very oddly place warning and the first we've heard of something lurking in the darkness since Suzie made a similar comment in They Keep Killing Suzie I never noticed that moment and I am wondering about it now. With Suzie it made sense, she had been dead, seen things, why would Mark say that? I think we're supposed to wonder, they are laying hints for the season closer but how do they explain Mark saying that? Is he influenced by someone?

After she tells Rhys the truth and Retcons him (and trust me I'm getting to that) Gwen shows up and the Hub with pizza boxes. Very reminiscent of the first episode and she seems just as lost. I wonder if that was intentional.

WTF Moments:

At the start of the episode Owen is acting normal and he sort of rapidly swings into a suicidal rage/depression. He gets quiet once he's alone with Gwen and then goes off on her and switches into meltdown mode the rest of the episode. If it was supposed to be him trying to fake that he was fine he did it too well. I really thought Owen was over it and then I had the rug pulled out from under me.

Jellied Eels. Has to be said, Tosh is brilliant in this episode. She goes from sticking up for Weevil rights with Jack to creating a seriously thought out cover for Owen. She's amazing and not a bit catty this episode. But jellied eels? C'mon Tosh you can do better than that.

Boys and fighting. I am so over it. Fight club was good but if I said I understood the impulse men has to fight I would be lying. I don't get it, men are weird. But if we're accepting that that's the case fine. I just don't like it, I give it a WTF for sheer disdain, ti doesn't interest me, it was the focus of the episode and I didn't care.

To add to that I am giving a complete WTF to them first off using the Weevils in the fight club but especially to Mark for keeping one in his upstairs lair to beat when he feels like it. That's ridiculous and horrible. I get that hes supposed to be horrible but really? That's one step up from puppy kicker.

Owen. Owen is way over the top and all over the place. I've already mentioned his sudden change in mood that didn't feel right but I also think Owen is overreacting. I think even if he loved her, which honestly I'm not sold on being able to love someone so thoroughly in so short a time, he's being a bitch about it! Suck it up, people lose their lovers all the time they don't all go crazy suicidal! I think there needs to be another explanation for his reaction, keep reading I will mention a thought in my random rants about that.

The dead guy's phone. Why did they leave it in the Hub? Seems a little silly. They wouldn't want to keep it for things like convenient texts with location data? And how about the texter? The person notifying members of Weevil fight club? They know that Torchwood has the phone (the talked to each other) why would they still send the address? Is it a mass text and they didn't think? That seems off. Or are they setting them up for a trap? It really seems someone didn't think something trough. I just don't like this bit.

Random Rants:

I love Jack and Tosh in this episode. I am really noticing the way they play off each other on this time through the series and both John and Naoko are great. I adore the scene with the phone ringing on the corpse and the ringer. It was funny. Tosh: "Don't answer it" Jack: *answers it*. I love that that is there relationship. Also, was I the only one thinking Jack can't let a phone ring? The Dead Line? Anyone?

Gwen, Gwen, Gwen. Let me tell you, Gwen needs a good slap. I am so over her. I am so over it. I am done giving her a second chance, I think I hate her more now than last time I watched! Let the bashing begin! First of all, how self centered is she!? She is whining at Owen about her problems when he's dealing with something and she's just going on and on. If I was Owen i would've gone off on her too. When she confessed to Rhys what she'd been doing, or who rather, I thought maybe she's redeeming herself. Maybe I'll forgive her and so will Rhys. Even though I knew it was coming it was still a knock when she told Rhys she'd drugged him. What is wrong with her!? You either want to come clean or you don't! She doesn't get to unburden herself and not face any consequences. That just makes her a worse person! Rhys calls her a selfish bitch and man do I agree. Later in the episode she's broken up about it and crying, I think we're supposed to feel bad for her but really she deserves to feel bad. She's supposed to be this huge hearted person who loves to much. Hell of a way of showing it! Hussy!! OK. I feel better, I will now try giving her another chance. I don't want to hate this character. I think Eve Myles is great.

Owen asks "Do you always know what's best Jack?" I've never thought about it but having watched later episodes and knowing how Owen came to Torchwood and how Jack seemed to him do you think that is where a bit of this is coming from? And do you think his past heartbreak is a factor in why he's crumbling emotionally? I hope so, if I believe there is more too it that what we are shown here I feel bad for Owen, otherwise he comes off a bit too whiny.

MVC (Most Valuable Character):

Even though she didn't have a big part I'm going to say Tosh. She wasn't overly featured but she got things done. She's a clever one as I described earlier and she added bits to the episode to make me like it more. Every time she was on the screen I was happy to see her. Yay Tosh.

MVA (Most Valuable Actor):

I'm going to surprise you all and say Eve. The fact that I am so annoyed and I so want to slap Gwen, that I could get so revved up, is a testament to how brilliant Eve Myles is. She is a very convincing selfish shrew and that's not easy to do. I believe she's Gwen and while I hate everything the character does, it seems authentic she genuinely seems like a horrible person who is struggling with all her horrible actions. Well played Eve.

Episode Grade:

B-
I flip-flopped about what to give this. Sometimes I think I hate this episode. Sometimes I think it's average. I gave it a B- because it's not as good as the others but I'm not sure it's as terrible as I sometimes think it is. Certainly not a favorite or mine but it does have some good points. Ok pretty much it's just Tosh and the good cop/bad cop Jack/Ianto scene. But those make up for the rest I think.

Tomorrow's Episode:Captain Jack Harkness  (Series 1, Episode 12). Remember, I'll be live tweeting my re-watch on the @BarrowmanDay twitter at 12:00am PST (US - West coast) and 8:00am GMT (UK). Hope you all can watch with me and chat.

That's it for today! Hope you enjoyed my run down. What did you all think of this episode? Did you notice anything new? What grade would you give it? xx

<3Dana

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