I liked that Ianto was passionate about saving the woman he loved (I thought he looked scarily like Beaker when he was crying over her, but it's his face and there's nothing I can do about that). Yes, he has a certain dry wit, and yes, he could do with getting a life outside work. But that's a couple of factors, maybe ten minutes screen time? And I still don't *understand*...
As for Gwen... I think a lot of it is down to personal interpretation, and like you said about Ianto, indentification with a character. Maybe it's that I can identify with Gwen that I like her. And I don't mean that I like or approve of all her actions, but I don't see any of them as incomprehensible, given the circumstances.
I saw her as thoughtless with the snogging question, trying to find a way of getting them talking - and it sure as hell backfired on her, wouldn't you say! I don't have a problem with anyone disliking her for being a liar - so long as we can also acknowledge all the other lying that everyone else does.
I think Combat was about more than how Owen lashing out at Gwen made her feel. She's been utterly slammed for retconning Rhys, whereas if you look at it from another direction, both hers and Owen's actions were self-destructive: his to his life, hers to her self-respect and the relationship that grounded her. I didn't like what she did, but I could *understand* it. She was weak, she wanted something to hold on to, and to feel somehow - *any*how - that she was forgiven for hurting the man she loved but was growing apart from rapidly.
More than anything, I don't feel that Gwen's there to add sympathy, or compassion, she's a cleverly drawn character, with real motivations and reactions, she's *interesting* and considering how much time we spend (as TW fandom) discussing /defending/ excoriating her and her actions, I think the writers should be proud. She works. Personally, I think TW would be a lot duller without her than it would without Ianto. I'm just hoping that in S2 he gets more of a personality, and that we get to see more of Tosh. And *lots* of Gwen.
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As for Gwen... I think a lot of it is down to personal interpretation, and like you said about Ianto, indentification with a character. Maybe it's that I can identify with Gwen that I like her. And I don't mean that I like or approve of all her actions, but I don't see any of them as incomprehensible, given the circumstances.
I saw her as thoughtless with the snogging question, trying to find a way of getting them talking - and it sure as hell backfired on her, wouldn't you say! I don't have a problem with anyone disliking her for being a liar - so long as we can also acknowledge all the other lying that everyone else does.
I think Combat was about more than how Owen lashing out at Gwen made her feel. She's been utterly slammed for retconning Rhys, whereas if you look at it from another direction, both hers and Owen's actions were self-destructive: his to his life, hers to her self-respect and the relationship that grounded her. I didn't like what she did, but I could *understand* it. She was weak, she wanted something to hold on to, and to feel somehow - *any*how - that she was forgiven for hurting the man she loved but was growing apart from rapidly.
More than anything, I don't feel that Gwen's there to add sympathy, or compassion, she's a cleverly drawn character, with real motivations and reactions, she's *interesting* and considering how much time we spend (as TW fandom) discussing /defending/ excoriating her and her actions, I think the writers should be proud. She works. Personally, I think TW would be a lot duller without her than it would without Ianto. I'm just hoping that in S2 he gets more of a personality, and that we get to see more of Tosh. And *lots* of Gwen.