I do love classic hero types, I've always been a big fan of old movies.

Me too. :) The first time Jack appeared in The Empty Child, when he turned around and smiled for the camera, some long-forgotten part of me relaxed. Oh, it's Proper Hero, I thought. "He doesn't know it yet, but he will." as the Doctor said in that story.

this is Torchwood after all, and no-one gets a happy ending.

I don't think we've really seen enough to say that yet. A rough ride, yes. But I'm not sure about the unhappy endings.