Reviews End of Days by Patsy Newton-Carline

In 'Captain Jack Harkness' we visited the Ritz Palais de Danse - neither in 1941 or in the 'now' was it ever a dance hall - the Ritz has too much style and class!

Then we discovered the real 'Captain Jack Harkness', having a drink with his team and who else - our Jack, who has been here before and knows that by tomorrow night, the real Jack will be dead!

I found the relationship between the 2 Jacks to be both moving and enlightening - the real Jack finally acknowledging his sexuality, having found someone who understands, our Jack - they share, very publicly some tender intimate moments, then they must part - our Jack knowing it will be forever and we clearly see his very human pain. So he takes Jacks name and rank and we gain some insight into his close bond with humanity and the earth - much like the Doctor, and it helps to explain his trust of and faith in his team at Torchwood.

And so - to The End of Days.........

Which takes us to a darker place......

Owen, against both orders and common sense, has opened the Rift to recover Tosh and Jack - but you cannot control what comes through and the world has become a terrifying place to be.....

Bilis is using visions and even murder to destabillise the team - and he's succeeding.... Owen has broken and the rest follow shooting Jack and opening the Rift, letting through Bilis's god, the Great Devourer, Abaddon, that will destroy all humanity. And of course they will depend on the weakened, barely restored Captain Jack to save the world - to clear up their mess!

This episode clearly shows what happens when those you trust and have faith in fail that trust - and also Jacks faith in humanity and his dedication, like that of The Doctor, to save the earth, to persistently try to save us from all threats - and ourselves!

And when Jack takes on The Great Devourer and defeats it and is lying quite perfectly and immaculately dead, Gwen recovers her faith and waits patiently for his recovery, finally giving him a Princess Kiss, you know the one - you end up either with a prince or a frog or in this case an immortal gay time-traveler!

I have to say if I was Jack, even without the Doctor needing help, I would have legged it anyway - ungrateful little Erks!

Hmmm, yes well this seems to have turned into a bit of a rant about the inhumanity & lack of trust & faith generally demonstrated by humans - but you must admit that in this episode the team, at least, seem to have earned it!!

Any more rants? Well yes, a common one & I hate to say guys, when it came to 'background /atmospheric music' - you blew it - during one of Owens deeply felt spoutings, we only found out what he was going on about by rewinding & bringing up the subtitles! Please remember more than 50% of the population has less than perfect hearing - so before release to the world of Woodies in future, please get your Nan (or me if you don't have another Nan handy!) to view it, under her normal viewing conditions - you know - comfy chair, bowl of nibbles, box of chocs, bottle of wine/gin & tonic - whatever floats her boat, or, failing that, put a small amount of cotton wool in each of your ears & see what you miss! Actually in this instance, Owens speech(?) would have been more dramatic without background music!!

And finally - The Great Devourer! Yes, well, I took one look & I was Hammered, (House of Horror Hammered, that is!) ........ I mean, guys, it really was a bit Dennis Wheatley, admit it!

And finally final, are we the only ones to notice that Owen has been moonlighting - in the movies, no less - we spotted him playing a hit man in Red 2 - under a false name & wearing what may well have been a borrowed body and in posher clothes! Anyone who hasn't seen it, go and Google 'Byung Hun Lee' & flip to images - oh, boy!

Well, bye for now - we must do this again soon! 

Luvnhugs to Woodies & Whovians everywhere