Reviews Fan Vid Review They Keep Killing Suzie by Dr Owen Harper

Hello. I'm Doctor Owen Harper and---put that down, it's volatile. I don't know what it'll do to human skin but you should see what it did to the Weevil's. Jack thinks we might be able to weaponize it---you know, lessen the affect so that it becomes a warning shot instead of lethal.

So, you saw what happened with Suzie, I take it.  Yeah, that was as much fun as you can have around here.  Bringing back the dead.  Never a good idea. 

It's time to do fanvideo reviews again. 

But, let me explain the process first.  In case you're just now joining us.

Fanmade videos are a form of art like paintings, sketches, and fanfiction.  They may be only tributes to a character, a movie, or an episode, but they can also tell a story within the mix of lyrics, dialogue, and imagery.  Sometimes, those stories are time capsules which create a sort of portrait, but there are other fanvids which tell unique stories of their own. 

Each month, starting with September, we have published five videos found on Youtube (and other places) which either encapsulate the month's featured episode, is a tribute to the team or a character or a relationship, or stand as a sort of video fanfiction.  During the month, we post twelve fanvids to the Project: Torchwood Facebook page and you, as readers, can vote on the ones you think should make the final cut.  Vote on every one of them if you like, no one minds, but please do vote.  If you have comments about the fanvid, have at it---your words are valued.  Well, valued as much as anyone values words around here.

Video Winners

5.

Torchwood - Suzie Tribute V1

by BriLIz0rdz

song: Lamb by Gorecki

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-o_iCY6shs

This song is used for everything in Torchwood, isn't it?  Suzie is no different in that respect, because of her love for the job.  The video is blurry, but the imagery sequence is well done.  If I'd personally had to pick a favorite (not based on votes), I think this would've been the top video.  As a tribute to Suzie Costello, the love song lyrics works well.

4.

Jack and Ianto - One More Night

by belletaylor303

song: Cascada

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7b6Fdb3vig

Oh, of course.  Another Janto fanvideo.  It's an interesting take on the relationship between our fearless leader and the teaboy.  The song, however, is fantastic.  The graphics are very well chosen and the sequencing works well with the lyrics.  Nice, very nice.  Another winner.

3.

Torchwood - Owen and Diane - Almost Lover

by TorchwoodFan1993

song: A Fine Frenzy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdLaETKtNXA

I feel strange looking at this, knowing that it belongs to another episode entirely.  But, it works as a study on the relationship---no matter how brief---between myself and Diane.  The song is one of my favorites and it is appropriate, but as nice as the sequencing is---and it is nice!---the video is not as crisp as it could be.  I blame the software, not the artist. 

2.

[Torchwood] The Life and Death of Suzie Costello

by PsychoHellKat

song: Listen Up Suzie by The Living End

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE6H7Kyu6qo

The video is wonderfully crisp and clear, but I don't think this song particularly works for Suzie Costello.  But, the votes have it, and it comes in at number two.  It does, however, show the whole story of Suzie in a way that can be used as a primer for her personality and character, and for that reason, I can say that it does deserve a place in among the winning videos.

1.

Torchwood Music Video - How Blind is Love? Ianto/Lisa, Jack

by scifichicx

song: It's All About Us by tATu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwpxqNaxf3M

This video belongs to another episode, one that we covered a few months ago, but it is a very good one.  The imagery is blurry, but the segue from clip to clip is well done and the song is a good choice.  As an emotional study of the relationship between Jack and Ianto and Lisa, it's an excellent portrayal of how love can drive us in situations both good and bad.  It wouldn't have been my choice of a number one, but the fans have voted and this is the top video for the month.  Congratulations, Scifichicx!

And that's it for this month.

You know, if we could make this toxin into an aerosol, UNIT might be interested.  In the meantime, wear gloves if you're going to pet the Mae-cat.  I don't know why you'd want to, but that's your business. 

Close the door on your way out, please.  I've got these spores to examine and if there's a draft, it could get into the ventilation system and we'll all be infected.  Believe me, you don't want that.

***

Reviews FanVids for December 2013

Hello.  I'm Doctor Owen Harper and I'm here to tell you about Weevil Capture Safety Protocols.

No, I'm joking.  Come in and sit down, you're letting a draft in.

November has been a busy month around here.  We've had quite a lot to deal with, really.  I'm rather busy at the moment, as you can see.  Jack's got me doing inventory for not just the medical supplies but for the general office nonsense as well.  That's not my job, it's Ianto's or maybe Tosh's.  But that's not what you're interested in.  I can tell.  Your eyes just glazed over.

It's time to do fanvideo reviews again. 

Can I just---before we get started---say how disgusted and freaked out I am by the idea that Tosh read my thoughts?  I'm not usually bothered by nudity, but there's something wrong with being able to see the mind of other people, like you're peeking at their naked self, the part never shared.  Still, I wonder what it was like.  I should've known something was up.  She was acting stranger than usual.  I'll admit, if I hadn't been so wrapped up in Gwen's---well, just Gwen, really---I would've realized Tosh wasn't acting like her usual self.

It was a wake-up call, I believe.

Okay.  Right.  Let's begin.

But, let me explain the process first.  In case you're just now joining us.

Fanmade videos are a form of art like paintings, sketches, and fanfiction.  They may be only tributes to a character, a movie, or an episode, but they can also tell a story within the mix of lyrics, dialogue, and imagery.  Sometimes, those stories are time capsules which create a sort of portrait, but there are other fanvids which tell unique stories of their own. 

Each month, starting with September, we have published five videos found on Youtube (and other places) which either encapsulate the month's featured episode, is a tribute to the team or a character or a relationship, or stand as a sort of video fanfiction.  During the month, we post twelve fanvids to the Project: Torchwood Facebook page (and sometimes to my tumblr dashboard, thoughtfully tagged #project torchwood) and you, as readers, can vote on the ones you think should make the final cut.  Vote on every one of them if you like, no one minds, but please do vote.  If you have comments about the fanvid, have at it---your words are valued.  Well, valued as much as anyone values words around here.

Video Winners

5.

Torchwood - Sexy, Naughty, Bitchy Ianto

by koloSigma1

song: Tata Young

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0aFju9NHyA

I never wanted to know what you thought of Ianto.  Really.  But, it gave me a laugh.  I personally find the song annoying.  It's the sorta drivel that teenage girls listen to.  Maybe they think it's empowering.  It's crap.  But.  And that's a very big one.  Like Gwen's.  But, the video is funny as it shows all the little moments where Ianto Jones shines as a snarky metrosexual robot.  There, I've said it.  The video quality isn't perfect---and you want a perfectly clear video for watching facial expressions---but the entire package is a very well done look at the teaboy.  If you like that sort of thing. 

4.

Toshiko Sato -One of these mornings

by kirstyjay

song: Moby

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_kKaumBgX8

It's a miserable experience, honestly.  I warned Tosh to be careful, that I didn't want to see her get hurt this way.  She looked so happy with Tommy and I didn't want her thinking I was trying to say something that was never even on my mind, but there is something genuinely beautiful in her face when she's in love.  Sometimes, I wonder what it'd be like to see that look more often---all the time, even.  She's open in love and Tosh never looks better than when she's ferociously involved.  It hurt, too, seeing her get wounded the same way I did with Diane.  This video is my favorite for the entire competition.  Thought you should know that.  This song is very appropriate for the story that it tells and the quality of the video itself is flawless.  This is one you should memorize and then keep close.

 3.

Gwen & Jack "One More Moment"

by Robin Stinson

artist: Mindy Smith

http://vimeo.com/78044694

Okay, so I'm not a fan of the Gwen/Jack ship.  Seems to me that while it makes for a good story, because romance is considered to be part of every story, the attraction between Gwen and Jack is one of both sexual chemistry and hero worship, and there's nothing I find more annoying than hero worship when it's mixed with googly eyes.  Well, if I'm honest, it's the hero worship thing.  I never could get that.  The video, however, is fantastic.  It's well put together; perfectly so, in fact.  It made me grin a lot, honestly.  No, honestly.  It did.  You should definitely check it out and if you find more by this artist, pass them along.  We'll call it our little secret. 

 2.

Torchwood - Hot N' Cold

by MissJodieHarkness

song: Katy Perry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji9c5_HH6Z8

If this is a Janto video, it's not in focus.  It diverges so often from its topic that you could forget that it's supposed to be about the relationship between our fearless leader and his bit of fluff.  There's a lot of Jack and Ianto, but it seems to be showing that Jack can't be trusted in a relationship.  But, then I'd say that about Jack and anyone.  No, really, I would.  The things we see out of Jack doesn't suggest he'd be a good partner for anything but the occasional pub-crawl.  If you can get him to play wingman for you.  How could you lose with that?  Off-topic.  The video is clear and crisp and smooth in transition and moves with the rhythm of the song---how's that?  Better? 

1.

Torchwood Toshiko and Mary 'Secret'

by afaviva

song: The Pierces

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X63G-kxNo-U

I shouldn't like this, but I'll tell you another secret.  I agree that it should be the winner for this month.  Its flow and story encapsulates the situation perfectly well, showing the darkness of how easily a person can walk into quicksand in pursuit of the offered kiss.  Okay, so I'm a sucker for unconventional relationships and the grittiness of this is attractive.  I still don't think any of it was any good for us, as a team, or for Tosh, as a woman.  Still, Gwen might have a point.  Tosh glows when she's in love.  You should go check this video out immediately. 

Take your coffee with you.  I don't need help cluttering up this place.

Articles Report on Lizzie Lewis by Dr. Owen Harper

 “You saw an echo of a moment amplified by alien technology...”

Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Lewis

17 years old

Only child of Mabel Ann Lewis

Lived at Hafod Street

Died March 29^th, 1963

Raped and murdered on Penfro Street

Report by Dr. Owen Harper, Torchwood Officer 565

After the incident at the railway station, Captain J. Harkness wanted to reconstruct the same test again, which meant that Gwen would have to revisit her ‘ghost’ who we discovered to be still alive and living in Butetown. When the Captain threw the ‘ghost device’ to me beneath the canal bridge on Penfro Street, after the failed door to door trying to locate ‘Burnie’ Sean Harris, the alien device began to light up, not only did it light up, I was thrown back to the year 1963.

It was night and raining, but the semi damp canal was dry beneath.  A young girl, no more than 17, blonde hair, the style from the 60’s, short dress all the rage, pink coat, handbag, came crying into the tunnel and sat on one of the struts against the canal wall.  She was muttering about some bloke. Her cheeks were moist, her make-up smeared.  I asked for her name, but a voice in the dark answered for her. ‘Lizzie Lewis.’  He was calling to her, in a kind of taunting sinister voice, like kids in a playground. But at night, vulnerable girl, it was evident she was terrified. 

He was tall, wore a DA haircut, typical of the Teddy boy era, and wore a long brown coat.  He looked older than Lizzie, and he was much taller about 6’, which put Lizzie about 5’8”.  She called him Ed Morgan; we’ve also later ascertained that his full title is Edwin Morgan, still alive and living in 46 Pryse Avenue, his mother’s house.  

They couldn’t see me, but I could see them.  It was an uncomfortable feeling.  The girl was obviously terrified.  She kept calling this Ed a ‘bad one, the girls told me not to go with you.’  It didn’t seem to bother him; obviously this kind of comment was water off a ducks back to a man like him. 

He pulled her into a kiss and when she pulled her back he slapped her and drew a knife.  Although I couldn’t see much of this, I could catch the angle of the blade as it caught the moonlight, a dazzle of metal but I could feel the tension, the emotion was so strong, I couldn’t let go, the device had me pinned, I was watching the last moments of Lizzie Lewis, and I couldn’t stop it.  He dragged her, towards the wall behind me, she kept saying she had to be home by nine, and he didn’t care.

Lizzie Lewis was raped and murdered under the canal bridge on Penfro Street in 1963 and I saw it happen, but according to Jack, it wouldn’t stand up in court.

“You saw an echo of an moment amplified by alien technology...”

But I’ve located Ed Morgan and I’m going to make sure he knows what I saw.

Signed

Dr. O. Harper