Torchwood Children of Earth finale WARNINGS

[tzikeh]

In the wake of fandom's most recent discussion about warnings, I feel I should post this. I'm doing it in the very least spoilery way I possibly can for those who don't want warnings. I think that, if you watch Torchwood, and you are watching (or dl-ing) this current minseries, then you know that I'm warning for something regarding the subject. If it's something you feel you need warnings about, click on the cut tag.

In tonight's episode, one of the main characters of the miniseries kills his own children, and then his wife, and then himself.

During the episode, there is a lot of emotional horror w/r/t children and their safety.

There are some VERY ugly moments regarding what "kind" of children will be best to sacrifice.

In the climax, Jack will save all of the children of Earth except one: he will choose the child closest to him to be the one child who must die in order for the counter-attack on the 456 to succeed.

So there you go.

ETA: edited to make it even less spoilerly, but equally as clear for those needing the warning.

Comments

[kirbyfest.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this. I'd been saving all four (five) eps to watch this weekend, but it sounds like perhaps another time would be better.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

I think that you are right. I do not recommend this miniseries for you this weekend *at all*, for more than just the reasons stated above.

I'm insane with school right now, but I want to visit with you when you feel up to it, so don't let me get away with flaking out. :) *hug*

[suaine.livejournal.com]

I found the BBC announcer's little "this is violent and chilling, do not let your kids watch it" woefully inadequate, especially with his chipper tone. I only wish this had come with the type of warnings fandom has worked out to be essential.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Huh. And here in the U.S. we get kind of the opposite; the voice-over before potentially upsetting episodes of television simply says "viewer discretion is advised" - but the intonation sounds like he should be saying "YOUR DEATH IS AT HAND; PREPARE."

At least with time-shifting, we can depend on fandom to help us out more specifically before we dive into something.

[suaine.livejournal.com]

I kind of love the way the announcer says "viewers discretion is advised" in the US. It's so growly and doom-y.

[kirbyfest.livejournal.com]

I will be stern! You will not get away with anything!

[misachan.livejournal.com]

I never even noticed it until I started watching 24, where if you got a warning you knew Jack Bauer was really going off the deep end that night. "Oh crap, it's a Warning episode! Start recording!"

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

HEE - and I kind of love how the Beeb's bumper announcements can be so *very* stereotypically pip-pip British while they're about how the next show will make your eyeballs bleed and cause spontaneous human combustion.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

HEE! And I've grown totally inured to it, because they air it before every. single. episode. of House, so I don't even know what they're advising viewer discretion *for*. Blood? Sarcasm? The slow, pathetic downfall of once-great characters?

Man, wouldn't it be great if we had niche warnings like that? "Tonight's episode of House contains adult themes, violence, and a completely unrecognizable version of Cuddy. Viewer alcohol is advised."

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Hurrah!

[misachan.livejournal.com]

Man. I could have avoided whole seasons of Smallville with warnings like that. "Tonights episode of Smallville contains kung fu witches and questionable continuity. Viewer discretion is advised."

I've always wondering if that warning on House is for people seriously squicked by needles. I know at least three people who can take epic amount of gore but have to cover their eyes whenever someone gets and IV, and that's every episode of House. Or if they have to put up a warning whenever they're showing blood, and heaven forbid there's an episode of House that doesn't feature projectile bleeding.

[hubbit.livejournal.com]

"And now, Radio Four will explode." *BOOM!*
(Terry Jones, in vocal drag) "Oh look, the radio's exploded!"

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Ugh, thanks for the heads up. This would be one of the main reasons I got sick of watching Torchwood - I'm just not interested in that level of violence and horror.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

There are, of course, other equally HORRIBLE things that happened in this mini-series, but they are not pertinent to the specific warning at hand. (And I think you probably know what I mean, since one can hardly avoid it at this point.)

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

BURMA!

[klia.livejournal.com]

Before every ep of Rescue Me, and after EVERY commercial break, they do the visual + voiceover "Viewer discretion is advised." Because, yeah.

[klia.livejournal.com]

Thanks for this! I hadn't been reading anyone's reactions, and was planning to watch them on BBC America next week, but now? I think I'll dl and save them for another time. There's been too much of that sort of thing happening in RL for me to deal with a fictional version right now.

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know the plot bit you mean. I think the S1 ep with the mass murdering family in the sticks was the one that pretty much killed it for me. I was thinking about watching this series, but now I'm pretty sure I don't want to bother. Yeow.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. There are also one or two other HUGE AND UNPLEASANT turns of events that make me very wary of anyone who isn't in a really, really good headspace choosing to watch this now. Hell, even in a good place, balanced, and ready for serious shit, people are coming out the other end of this miniseries emotionally and mentally drained. There's a trending movement on twitter organizing a Giant Post-Torchwood Group Hug to take place at Wembley Stadium. I doubt it'll come to fruition, but that should give you an idea.

[st-crispins.livejournal.com]

I'm just curious. Where is Torchwood being shown in the US? My cable says BBC America won't start the third season until July 20

[nestra.livejournal.com]

To me, this was by far more unpleasant than anything that's ever been on the show.

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Oh boy. DEFINITELY not watching, then. :(

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Yes, this five-part mini airs on BBCA starting July 20. This miniseries *is* Season three.

[st-crispins.livejournal.com]

That's what I thought, but it sounded like some folks in the US had seen it already.

[50mm.livejournal.com]

Hello, here via friendsfriends, hope you don't mind a random commenter! I stopped watching Torchwood in S1 (too much horror for me), but thought about watching this series since lots of my flist are. However, your warning tells me I should *not* watch, at all. Children in peril isn't a trigger for me, but I do get pretty upset, so thank you for this post!