Attention Queer and Feminist Whovians: "Torchwood" is what you should be watching

Now, I know there are plenty of feminist and queer Whovians out there, but there may be fewer than there were a few years ago. Why? Because if you think too hard, and by that I mean at all, about Steven Moffat's female characters and sexual dynamics you would run screaming too. They range from the obviously boring little girl (Clara) to the hypersexual (River) to the promiscuous and controlling (Amy). I got a little fed up and missed Russell T Davies desperately, so I watched the first 2 seasons of "Torchwood." What is "Torchwood" you might ask. That's a show? If you have to ask this question please turn in your Whovian card and proceed to the exit. Or stay for a brief description.
"Torchwood" is a spin-off of "Doctor Who" set in Cardiff where Torchwood 3 investigates alien activity around the famous rift. It centers on RTD's baby, Captain Jack Harkness, and a team of pretty awesome people. I won't claim that "Torchwood" is a fabulously written show, so if you're looking for fancy plots and scary monsters you should go back to Moffat because those are his areas of expertise. But if you're in the market for female and queer characters to whom you can relate, come over to "Torchwood."

The Team

These 5 people are the core "Torchwood" cast. Note the presence of more than one woman. "Torchwood" passes the Bechdel test by having 2 female characters who talk to each other about something other than men. Neither one of them is treated as something fragile or as needing extra protection. The chicks and the dicks are equal on this team, because RTD is awesome. Whovians who watch the show will notice that Jack Harkness in command is less likable than he was as the dashing interloper in "Doctor Who," you will get over this. Now introductions. From left to right the team is: Ianto Jones, Gwen Cooper, Jack Harkness, Toshiko Sato, and Owen Harper. Let's talk about why you should like them, individually.

Tosh

Toshiko Sato, better known as Tosh, is the computer geek at Torchwood 3. She does fall within the stereotype of the Asian technology expert, but her character is well rounded. She is never really shy or 2-dimensional, and although she has romantic feelings, they are not allowed to dominate her storyline.

Owen

Owen Harper is Torchwood's medic. He is at first glance a tough-guy womanizer, but that assessment doesn't hold up after a few episodes. He is intelligent and resourceful and very dedicated to his job. Although he has difficulty expressing his emotions, this is never explained away as some kind of normal male thing the way that many shows would. The bottom line on Owen is that he is here to save lives, and he does.

Gwen

Gwen Cooper is Torchwood's resident badass. She is the newest member of the team, but she is effectively Jack's second-in-command and the most likely to stand up to him. And she never comes off as a controlling bitch when she confronts the male lead, what a radical notion! Gwen also manages a normal life on the side, with a fiancee and eventually a wedding. She is dedicated to her job without being consumed by it, and she can be both sensitive and someone you want on your side in a dark alley.

Jack

It's queer time! You should all be familiar with Jack Harkness by now. He is, as previously stated, not as likable as he was on "Doctor Who" and a lot of that derives from the fact that he is now directly responsible for four people and indirectly responsible for the lives of everyone in Cardiff. This Captain Jack cannot be as carefree and eternally running as the man introduced in Season 1 of "Doctor Who." But he is still a man worth watching. Why? Because he is queer. Although he is reputed to be "omnisexual," for the purposes of "Torchwood" he is essentially bisexual, given the lack of inter-species sexual activity. He is also a flirt and perhaps even a slut. The miracle is that not once is this promiscuity blamed on or even explicitly linked to his bisexuality. Jack Harkness likes people and he likes sex with people. He has tender, romantic moments mainly with men over the course of the show, but the gender of his partner is never remarked upon. But, you're probably saying, he is still all about his sexuality like most queer characters on television. Can't we have a character with a concrete personality, who just happens to be queer? Or a bisexual who doesn't sleep with everyone they see? I understand your sentiment and thanks to Russell T Davies, you can!

Ianto

 Queers of the world, may I present Ianto Jones? You will meet him and wonder if he's actually gay or just a little effeminate, and if he will ever do anything more important that making coffee. The answer to the first question is complicated but the answer to the second is yes. It takes a little while, but Ianto becomes quite the badass in a suit. Ianto is always nicely dressed and a little quiet, setting him up as one of several common gay stereotypes on television. But nobody comments on this or speculates on his sexuality, and then you meet his girlfriend, and nobody comments on how surprising it is that he's dating a woman. Or declares him straight. Now you're probably wondering why I am so obsessed with him as a queer icon since he seems to be straight, right? Wrong.

 Ianto starts sleeping with a man. Expressing sexual interest in both men and women, that makes you bisexual, right? And everyone on TV knows that bisexuals are sluts, right? Or they are just human beings interested in more than one gender... When Jack and Ianto start their relationship, no fuss is made over Ianto's "sudden" gayness. His bisexuality is just a fact and a normal part of life, moving on.

A summary of the awesome nature of Ianto's character: He is a bisexual man whose sexuality is neither derided as slutty nor made a central focus of his character. He is a member of the team and a badass first, his identity as a queer man is secondary. That is what makes him so important, he just happens to be queer. No fanfare. No fuss. Just adorable vests and suits.

So watch "Torchwood" for the strong women and the understated queer man. And fly free my queer and lady friends.