I've only watched seasons 1 to 3, skipping 4 for now or forever, and I've got some takes which are generally cold but boiling with rage because wtfwtfwtf.

(1) Ianto. My boy.

I understood Owen's death. I understood even Tosh's death. They made sense. Owen died with the nuclear facility's lockdown and after being miserable with his shit version of immortality, and Macintosh died after confessing her feelings (and also having been shot or whatever)

WHAT WAS WITH IANTO'S DEATH???

what were they fucking thinking when they just Walked Over to 456 with ABSOLUTELY NO PLAN and went "Stop." And it went "No. Death gas" and Jack was collapsed on the floor going "NOT HIM!" JACKNESS WHAT DID YOU THINK WAS GOING TO HAPPEN ISTFG. Ianto could've died in the ending for some other majestic purpose if the Favourite Character Assassin (Russel T.D.) wanted him dead so fucking badly.

(2) The Transphobic Throwaway

Which fucking dumbass wrote that line. It was like some skin walker was wearing a Jack suit. I have never been more appalled with how out of character that stupid line was. It wouldn't even be funny to transphobes, it was just a Shit Line. And he fucking deadnamed her too. "Since then I've always been a little nervous when a friend acts out of character." Actually dudes this caught me so off guard I thought I was watching the wrong show. Stained the image I had it Jack in my head, had to scrape that memory off entirely to watch the next episode.

Is it absolutely riddled with plot contrivances? Yeah 💀

I'm gonna be real though, when is Doctor Who stuff not? (real answer is probably sometimes) But even all-timer stories have a few.

But even with that, the world building is fantastic and the political commentary is on point and scarily relevant recently... People REALLY underestimate how fricken strong the premise of this season is!

The characters are still fantastic is well. There's tons of drama, some melodramatic but also a lot that have real character stuff behind it. Gwen being traumatized by being in Torchwood was a cool way to open the season and Jack's immortality being inverted is really novel and a fantastic hook for the season. (It probably should have played on it a bit more tbf) Rex and Angelo are also really fun.

The blessing is also fantastic to me. I can see how some people might be a bit underwhelmed by the visual of it but I actually really liked how it looked. The fact that Jack doesn't know what it is and that we as the audience never found out either is something not a lot of writers would be willing to do and I respect the restraint. It keeps you thinking about what it could have been even after you finish the season and I really like that.

It's probably not even the worst season of Torchwood too. Season 1 and this are probably tied. (For the record I love both)

The only bad thing to me is that it ends on a cliffhanger, even then it's only two scenes, it's not hard to just retcon then out in your head. And the way Gwen puts Rex whatever happens to Rex can work somewhat as a good ending. "Why didn't the blessing reach out and done one last favour and save Ester?" And then the exact next thing we see is that Rex is immortal, meaning that the Blessing actually DID do a favour, just for Rex. It's not like you NEED a follow up when it's framed so definitely. It's satisfying enough for me.

Overall I loved this season! Maybe Children of Earth served as a better ending for the show but I really don't mind having a little more after that!

I’ve read a few posts on here about it, but it still feels odd. Why does EVERYONE getting with EVERYONE? I don’t mind poly relationships or diversity in dating, in fact, I welcome it. But it’s getting ridiculous. I’m at season 2 episode 3, so why does it feel like half of the episodes are concerning relationships and sex? Jack, I get. He’s Jack. But everyone else? Gwen with Owen (which I expected would last longer for what Gwen had to do to her then bf/now fiancé to have (I still dislike her for that she’s so selfish but anyway)), Owen and that time travelling woman, Toshiko and that extraterrestrial, Toshiko and that man from 1918, Ianto and his cyber woman, Jack and Spike (I forget his name), Jack and Ianto, Jack and Gwen (? But then again it’s Jack), Suzie and Owen, and probably others I haven’t gotten to. And it’s not just that. The relationships (most of them anyway), just feel so rushed? You’re telling me you developed romantic feelings for that person you met A FEW DAYS AGO? I don’t know, maybe it’s just the aroace in me, but I feel like they push it a lot and it makes the show feel more immature if that makes sense. Tell me what you think.

TLDR: Too many rushed relationships/sex, everyone is getting it on too much.