User:Remchar88/Evaluate an Article

Which article are you evaluating?
I am evaluating the C-Class article Captain Jack Harkness (Torchwood episode).

Why you have chosen this article to evaluate?
I chose this article because I'm currently in a science-fiction class, and this was the first science fiction article that caught my eye in the recommended C-Class articles to review, as Torchwood is important to me as a piece of media, and this episode in particular. In addition to that, this article matters because it is part of two WikiProjects, one of which labels it as mid-importance. I would also argue it matters socially, because of its queer representation in the early 2000s, which is under-represented in the article. For my preliminary impression of the article, I would say that it deserves the C-Class rating: while it gives a decent overview, there is a lack of citation for information, details left out of certain sections that I think it could benefit from (a few in the plot and continuity sections, mainly), and the reception section seems sparse, particularly considering the queer representation it depicts (although I would need to track down a few sources to confirm anecdotes I've heard about its impact in that respect).

Evaluate the article
(Compose a detailed evaluation of the article here, considering each of the key aspects listed above. Consider the guiding questions, and check out the examples of what a useful Wikipedia article evaluation looks like.)

Lead Section
The lead section appears excellent for the current page. It is concise, and overviews the rest of the article. I would recommend only two significant edits. First, I believe the brief episode synopsis should reference the fact that this is the introductory episode for Bilis, who will be one of the major villains of this season's finale (this should also appear in the continuity section). Second, as I'll detail more in a moment, the final paragraph of the lead section should probably reflect an expansion on the article about the reception, particularly as it relates to queer content in the media at the time.

Content
While the information all appears to be relevant, there are some gaps that I'm concerned about. While I saw the talk page is somewhat concerned about spoilers, I don't think an encyclopedia page should be worried about that. In that respect, I would recommend adding the following:


 * Plot: Ianto doesn't just hold Owen at gunpoint, he shoots him in the shoulder. While there are other little additions that could be made to flesh this section out more (i.e. the racism against Tosh, Jack's attempts to pair up the original Captain Harkness with someone else, etc.) this is the one detail I think particularly important to reference here.
 * Continuity: As mentioned before, since Bilis is a major villain of the finale episode, that this is his first appearance should be stated. Additionally, this is one of the first on-screen references to Ianto and Jack's developing relationship (during the gunpoint conversation between Ianto and Owen). As they kiss at the end of series one and begin a more definitive relationship in series two, this milestone in that arc should be indicated. I'd also recommend reordering the continuity section to be more readable, grouping together under subheadings the details that relate to Torchwood and Doctor Who separately (trying to find a way to organize them chronologically might help, but I'm not sure the best way to accomplish that).
 * Reception: I'd need to track down sources, but I know this episode is cited in at least a few scholarly articles about queer representation both in Torchwood specifically and in the media at large. I think this might be the place to discuss it (or in the next bullet point I'll explain). Anecdotes from the actor who plays the original Jack Harkness aside, this would have had an impact on the reception because of the lower levels of queer media content at the time, although, again, I'd need to review the sources to make a more detailed section.
 * Other Content to be added:
 * Later releases of the show have other DVD extras, including commentaries for this episode. A subheading of releases and/or additional content, since a music video is already referenced, might be beneficial.
 * This episode deals both with homophobia/queer representation and anti-Japanese racism. If appropriate sources can be found, a section about something like political impact or representation politics should probably be added, since this is severely under-addressed in the article.

These things should probably be added, since there appears to have been very little substantial change to the content since 2007/8 to reflect these points.

Tone and Balance
The tone appears neutral, without attempting to persuade, but there is the aforementioned issue of underrepresentation. None of the information present is particularly controversial, but more about the impact of the queer content would be beneficial to fully cover the topic.

Sources and References
This is one of the major drawbacks of the article. I know this episode appears in at least a few scholarly sources discussing queer content (especially in relation to science fiction). However, there is only one citation (a very old one, from 2008), aside from other episodes referenced, and there are no citations provided for the music or broadcast sections. Sources should be found there if possible. Similarly, in the external links section, the second link (to a BBC website) is broken.

Organization and Writing Quality
See previously mentioned issue with organization in the continuity section, which makes it difficult to read, and need for additional sections as detailed. On the whole, it's well-written, although the plot section does get a little confusing with pronouns/names, which is to be expected for an episode about stolen identity. It could benefit from some clarity copy-editing, although I don't see any other major changes to be made.

Images and Media
There are no images on this page, although the talk section indicates that there used to be. It could benefit from one relevant, well-captioned photo, to make the page more visually appealing. I can't find for certain why they were removed, but I understand the issue with finding non-copyrighted material for a television show.

Talk Page Discussion
As mentioned, this is part of two WikiProjects, so while not highest priority, some work could definitely be done to fix up a C-Class article like this one. As mentioned, the image issue came up back in 2007 on the talk page, but no additional comments or information indicate why the change was made to zero. There's also an issue with the plot summary that got brought up in 2012, but the change was either never made or changed back again. I would lean towards editing it, as the wording is somewhat confusing (instead of " The two talk more, Jack asking if the Captain would like to go elsewhere, but he refuses, acknowledging that Jack has obliquely told him that his remaining time on Earth is limited" I would either just remove the sentence or revise it to something like "Jack attempts to conceal his knowledge of the real Captain Harkness's death, while also encouraging him to make the most of the time he has left"). Aside from that, very little has been discussed since the first few years after the episode aired, which seems to be reflected in the article's lack of significant expansion.

Overall Impressions
On the whole, I agree with the assertion of this being a C-Class article. It's good, but it needs sources and updated information about the public reception and queer content, if nothing else. What's there is pretty well-developed, clear and with a good level of detail or conciseness where called for it.