Tuesday, October 16, 2007

What is it....

about men named Captain Jack?

Earlier this year Captain Jack Sparrow had everyone swooning in the third installmant of Pirates of the Carribean. [Honestly, I'd pick Orlando over Johnny Depp, but that's just me].

Now there's a new Captain Jack on the scene, at least for us sci-fi geeks. The British Doctor Who series spinoff, Torchwood, boasts a new and different Captain Jack - Harkness, that is.

Played by American actor John Barrowman, Captain Jack made his debut in an epsiode of Doctor Who then spun off to star in his own show.

Torchwood [an anagram of Doctor Who] is a fictional law enforcement agency that operates 'outside the government, above the police' and deals with alien incursions on Earth and very often interdimensional and time travel.

The show rocks - mostly because it's British and they can do things we just can't on American TV - chief among them have the lead character be admittedly 'omnisexual.'

Captain Jack isn't gay [though John Barrowman is] and he's not technically bisexual, even though he's been in love with both males and females. The word 'omnisexual' has been coined to describe someone who is open to all sexual experiences. I've yet to see him mack on a non-humanoid, but I'm sure it's not out of the realm of possibility.

Captain Jack fascinates me because in addition to being a tortured soul of sorts - lost in time, and unable to die - he's dashing, compassionate, intelligent and hot. He has all the qualities of a good hero, with the added bonus that he can potentially fall in love with anyone, or any thing.

The difference, I think, between Captain Jack Harkness and Captain Jack Sparrow is that Jack Sparrow was somewhat ambiguous, and Jack Harkness [an alias, btw - but you have to watch the show to find out where he got the name] is unapologetically...biguous so to speak. There's nothing questionable about his orientation. He's gay, he's straight, he's bi and he's easy on the eyes so everyone can fantasize.


If you get a chance, check out Torchwood and see for yourself what makes this Captain Jack so compelling. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Okay, so I'm the one hetero gal who didn't swoon for Capt. Jack Sparrow (didn't get his appeal at all) but I'm completely with you on Torchwood's Capt. Jack (though I've only seen him on Dr. Who and I think you're a mean and cruel person to tease those of us who can't get BBC and watch on a weekly basis). The reason I've fallen for this Captain Jack is his openness. He's not shy about falling for anyone or everyone (or any thing as the case may be).

Two Voices Publishing said...

You're not the only one who didn't swoon for Jack Sparrow. He didn't do much for me - though when you admit that in public people look at you funny.

Anonymous said...

People look at me funny in public anyway

Speaking of Capt Jacks: Wasn't Jack O'Neill a captain at the start of SG-1?

I'm such a geek....

Two Voices Publishing said...

Wasn't Jack O'Neill a captain at the start of SG-1?

No. Jack was a Colonel and Carter was a Captain. He would have made a great addition to the Captain Jack mythos, though.

Anonymous said...

I stand corrected.