Wow!
What a powerful piece of television. I haven’t been so gripped since the first two series of Spooks.
Loved the philosophical challenges of utilitarianism – can you quantify the greatest amount happiness for the most amount of people and therefore sacrifice whatever is necessary to make that happen. Jack and Yanto arguing that when one person is harmed all are harmed is difficult to sustain because that is not always the case – as the aliens rightly reply – thousands of children die from malnutrition every day, and as the director shows us abortion’s of convenience undercut the idea that every child is valuable. The programme’s bleak ending is based on the wrestling with the question of how to handle suffering, but I think also with the fact that we have no real basis for a moral ethic yet we can recognise that morality does exist.
Ofcourse as a christian I believe that the Christian story provides the best basis for a moral ethic. Where life is intrinsically valuable, because all regardless of ethnicity, age, academic ability, is valuable.
The idea of sacrifice of one child to save all the others – is also problematic – it seems to undercut Jack’s ethic that when one is hurt all hurt. Some will try and see a Christlike figure in Jack’s grandson. But he was an unwilling victim to everyone else’s plans. The christian gospel is based around a rescue of the human race through the willing sacrifice of the son – who deliberately became the saviour of the world. (see my book destiny for more on this)
Well done Torchwood – you used to be cheesy slightly naff and lightweight. But this week you have had on the edge of our seats….
Let’s hope jack is willing to come back again soon…
What was the message of Jack’s giving up of his grandson? I was half-expecting him to have learnt from the guilt he’d felt in 1965, and think up another way. He goes back on what he says about one person harmed meaning everyone is harmed. Are we meant to sympathise with him? Agree with him?
The pragmatic morality of the ends justifying the means – and particularly with a perpetrator who knows what they’ve done is immoral, but does it anyway “for the greater good” – seems to be an increasingly common theme. Contrast Jack in this episode with Batman in the Dark Knight, or (for those who’ve seen it) the Operative in Serenity (I wrote about this a while back which is why it struck me: http://audienceofone.org.uk/2008/07/dark-knight/)
The almost throwaway comments about abortion were interesting. What were they trying to say there? If all human life is valuable, then what are we to think of Jack’s decision?
Of course, in reality we’re called to “do what’s right”, as God still reigns. Perhaps pragmatism/relativism is the only option if he’s not.
(Here ends the ramble!)
nice job – matthew – i was rambling too ;o)
Great episode! I found the very beginning bit of the last episode interesting to as a unusual kind of theodicy of sorts, with the whole Doctor as a type of Messiah-figure…
“There’s one thing I always meant to ask Jack. Back in the old days I wanted to know about that Doctor of his. The man who appears out of nowhere and saves the world. Except sometimes he doesn’t. All those times in history when there was no sign of him. I wanted to know why not. But I don’t need to ask any more. I know the answer now. Sometimes the Doctor must look at this planet and turn away in shame.”
good comment Matt – that part really reminded me of Cloverfield too…
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