Blake's 7 - Aftermath

Aftermath

Star One is still vying in my affections for Best Episode So Far and I am fairly sure Aftermath didn't answer a single question I had at the end of it. Once again though, I didn't care because Aftermath has instead given us an interesting setup for a series that looks vastly different from the last couple.

I liked the new title sequence as its effects seem slightly more modern but I've grown hugely fond of the original, adoring the visuals almost as much as the theme, so I will miss it. Following this, a couple of papier-mâché models couldn't dampen my joy during the space battle as the explosions were superb. It's great when we can jump straight into the action and this situation felt unique because the series has never left us on such a clear cliffhanger before.

Do we need the Liberator?
I was sure the Liberator was gone. The episode's early shots had convinced me as we never saw anyone on the flight deck: all the shots were empty, and I wondered if the production was using old or unused shots from previous series because they had got rid of the set. On the beach, I felt a pang of sadness when Avon picked up then chucked aside his gun, realising it was useless without the Liberator to recharge it – I have loved the design of those weapons.

A weakness in this plotline is that taking away the Liberator then easily giving it back seemed like cheating. It would have been better to tell us that the Liberator might be failing. I spent the episode wondering how Avon was going to get off the planet when the episode should have made me worry whether the Liberator was going to survive.

Where is everyone?
I spent most of Aftermath feeling anxious – I wanted to know what had happened to the rest of the crew! “Jenna’s gone with Blake,” Cally told Avon as they were hurrying to escape the Liberator. Gone where? The ship was failing – where else could they go? Then we lost Cally and Vila too. Even after Avon managed to contact Zen, I still only knew about Jenna. A hospital ship may sound safe enough, but I remained a tad concerned that Jenna may fall into the Federation’s hands.

I found the details about Blake confusing and couldn’t work out whether he was still on the Liberator or not - it doesn't look like it. He appears to have deliberately left things in a state that means he cannot be traced - a more thorough disappearance than his one during Trial. I wonder if they will try a code word again to see if he has left another video message?

The end of the cult of Blake
I would not have expected to be happy with an episode that only really featured one member of the crew, but by the end, it had become apparent that Aftermath is setting up a series that will have Avon as the main lead.

Last series established a ‘cult of Blake’, where his name represented the actions of the Liberator crew; I’ve compared Blake to Robin Hood a couple of times but suddenly I’ve got a lot more sympathy for all those uncredited Merry Men. This, combined with his natural assumption of leadership, ensured it was Blake who the natives turned to when the Liberator visited anywhere.

The cult of Blake is still echoing in Aftermath with Mellanby saying, "Blake? You were with Blake? [...]Blake and the Liberator? I've been hearing reports for the last couple of years! You were magnificent!" Avon's reply is telling: "Not from where I was sitting." Avon has never been motivated in the same way as Blake and in Star One he had been determined to end his involvement in fighting the Federation.

Setting up the future
Star One is gone and so has the alien threat. The Federation is severely weakened. Avon’s got what he wanted – he just needs to outrun Servalan. I had expected Series B to see Servalan chasing the Liberator to try to get Orac and it seems like Series C could involve a similar plotline. Yet wouldn’t outrunning her be easier if the Federation was really, truly defeated? Or if Avon simply killed Servalan? Unlike Blake with Travis, I wouldn’t expect Avon to wait until his life depended on it to kill Servalan.

Series B had incrementally created real antagonism between Avon and Travis, but Servalan has often operated from a distance and with Travis gone/dead/in a parallel universe, it makes sense to increase the animosity between Avon and Servalan. If Avon is stepping in to replace Blake, this new series has a lot to do.

The scenes between Avon and Servalan were my favourites in the episode. It was wonderful to watch two such compelling actors for a decent length of time and a lovely insight into where the series might head.

Avon doubts they are alike but I am unsure why as Servalan's summary of, "You are ambitious, ruthless, you want power and you never let conscience stand in the way of achieving it," is close - I might have substituted power for money, but then he did fancy taking control of Star One. However, Avon's response, "You overestimate me," is accurate, something I realised when I understood that I had too.

"It's a great pity that you and I have always been on opposite sides, Servalan," Avon says, and until recently I wouldn't have put it past him to change sides. Servalan describes him as "infinitely corruptible" but Avon almost immediately proves her wrong when he wisely turns down her offer of ruling the galaxy together. As they went in for that kiss, with the atmosphere the scene had built up, I was still wondering if Avon would join her for a chance at everything.

Regardless of the logic of that particular moment, I don't believe Avon is all that ruthless anymore - he just doesn't act like the same person that nearly abandoned everyone on Horizon. Avon is presented in a more human, mortal way: he's knocked unconscious; his body can't withstand the g-force in the escape pod; he remains weak after the landing; he is alone and gets into plenty of physical fights; his emotions have rarely seemed so apparent, as he is concerned about his friends throughout the episode and is impatient and anxious while trying to contact Zen. It felt like Servalan had caught him off-guard and in a rare, vulnerable moment when she walked in. Over time I began to think Travis had an advantage over Blake because he was prepared to act so remorselessly, and I am concerned that Servalan has the same over Avon.

Dayna: the action woman Blake's 7 deserves
I had seen later publicity photos featuring a couple of new people, so I recognised Dayna without knowing her name and realised she would probably be coming with Avon at the end of Aftermath.

I immediately liked Dayna because she was an action woman. We meet her when she shoots someone in the back using a bow and arrow: she looks incredible. She tells Avon, "Without danger, there's no pleasure," and I was already thinking: you're going to love life with our lot. I would be so disappointed if this characterisation was dropped because I am hoping the production has learned from the mistakes they made with Jenna.

Blake prevented Avon from killing people several times, so it was an interesting change of position when Avon stopped Dayna murdering a Saren. Blake’s reasonings were always hanging by a thread I felt, while here Avon’s is in keeping with his character as he deduces it will only bring reprisals from the other Sarens. I've considered Avon a keen shooter, but Dayna is something else and has clearly been itching for more action. Blake did alright, but Avon always appeared more able when it came to hand-to-hand combat. It will be great to have someone else equally competent in their skills and who also seems to enjoy a good fight.

It was almost inevitable that Dayna's father, Mellanby, had to get killed. The episode needs a reason for her to leave the planet and a strong reason for her to hate Servalan, which will presumably motivate her from now on because she was pretty apathetic about the Federation in a 'live and let live' way. The grim fate of her sister cements it (The Keeper should take note: THAT is how you show "they're a cruel lot on Goth").

Avon's reaction following the discovery of both bodies ensures we see the man we have known. His line to Dayna on Mellanby, "He got away from here after all," is misjudged and reminded me of his inappropriate remarks after the Dreamer's death in Shadow. Though in Shadow the effect was intentional, I don't think he understood the impact of his quip here until afterwards; maybe that is why he says nothing when they find Dayna's sister and instead stands to stare, blankly, allowing her those moments.

I’m all in favour of healthy curiosity
Blake’s 7 hasn’t really done intimacy. It’s done sexy and, while I’d argue that there has been something from both sexes, in a very 1970s' way, the show has leaned more towards 'something for the dads'. Dayna’s kiss was mildly surprising, yet it came across as cheeky flirting, so although it will stay in the back of my mind, I don’t expect much to come from it. Regardless of what fan fiction may want to imagine (I’m told), personally, I think things would quickly get complicated if there was a free for all of snogging on the Liberator.

While it had been a long time since the first kiss between people of different races on British television, the moment left me curious how it would have been received in 1980. I know racism was still a lot more prominent than today but I wasn’t sure just how deep that went throughout the general population. Starting in 1983, the British Social Attitudes survey asked people if they would mind if a close relative married a black or Asian person. 57% of people answered “a little” or “a lot” for the former, with 51% for the latter. The most recent statistics I can find show that by 2013 this had fallen to 22% and 21% respectively. It’s certainly an indication that Avon and Dayna would have raised a few eyebrows across the country, at the very least.

New beginnings
I was expecting this episode to feel like more of a Part Two to Star One, yet it functions fantastically as a separate episode. Partly, its because there is an awful lot going on: the Liberator seems to be gone, we have lost everyone, Servalan turns up, there's some action with the Sarens in a totally new type of location (surely this isn't the end of Blake's 7's visits to quarries and forests?), and then - BASE UNDER THE SEA.

As a series opener, Aftermath is also a decent introduction for new viewers: we are drawn in with a swift space battle - long enough to indulge but short enough to avoid boredom - then spend most of the episode following a single regular character, learn about their personality, meet their new friend, get to know the main baddie and understand their relationship - all with a bit of plot that offers some action. Aftermath works as a very character-driven episode and it's an impressive feat to provide something extraordinary for the regular audience, while also reinventing the series in a way that provides an accessible entry point for a new one.

I don't want to make too many assumptions yet about what is different about this series. I do think Aftermath offers a suitable link to the last one though as it conveys that no one is safe in this world: here are three lead characters - now two of them are missing; have an exposition scene with two Federation guards setting everything up - oh, they've both been killed; meet Dayna's father and sister - we will brutally murder them.

SPOILERS
At the start of the last series, I explained what spoilers I had encountered for Blake’s 7, which didn’t actually have any bearing on my viewing of Series B but already has a tad for Series C.

I have known that Jenna, Cally and Blake all disappear at some point. Jenna is on the hospital ship and as far as I’m concerned that’s it for her. I’m not so sure about Cally or Blake and I can’t figure out whether we will see either of them again. I hope so.

The photos I had seen meant I recognised Dayna. Aftermath’s credits confirmed that the man on the Liberator at the end of the episode is Tarrant, whose name I had seen with his photo before. If anything, this has left me even more confused though – who is he? What is he doing on the Liberator if he’s a Federation officer? Is he or has he stolen the uniform?

I was so keen to press on with Aftermath after Star One’s cliffhanger. But although that was exciting, Aftermath has opened up such a huge number of questions about characters and where this new series will be heading that it has made me want to press on even more than Star One’s ending did.

Blake's 7 - Star One

Star One

"You can lead the rabble to victory... whatever that might mean."

I've been sceptical about Blake's 7 having a series-long arc because I have grown impatient with it at times. Towards the end of the series, there have been misfires with Voice From the Past and The Keeper, so I was trying not to raise my hopes too much; there seemed every chance I would get a finale that didn't warrant the build-up or wrap up the narrative. Well, with Star One I have never cared less about the lack of a complete conclusion - the ride itself was satisfying enough.

The opening model work scene impressed me as some shots of the Liberator near planets in recent episodes have looked poor and stilted. Moving cameras or models provide much better realism. Conducting this opening purely with models of the ships, without cutting to shots of the men speaking over the radios, may well have been more practical and economical, but importantly, I think it is far more effective for creating the mounting tension the scene needs. I was already listening intently as the panic in the man's voice began to grow.

Space Command
We see less of Servalan in Star One than I was expecting, though this makes perfect sense because she doesn't know where Star One is. I had thought she might have managed to track Travis, but he either got away too quickly or immediately made adjustments to his ship to make it impossible. We appear to have lost her underling from Gambit and every time she returns to Space Command there is a different person for her to share scenes with. It would be nice to have another regular character here to gain more rapport with.

Travis had previously described Star One's potential for disrupting climates, so I immediately thought he must have already reached Star One and the Federation's problems were down to him. I was delighted and cheering him on - despite that feeling slightly strange - because I was keen to see him screw over the Federation. But I did then become conflicted when I remembered I had just watched 400 people die on that passenger ship, which would also have been down to him.

I was surprised that Servalan did not also jump to a similar conclusion. Perhaps she is as convinced as she was on Goth that Travis would not dare to betray her. However, what did she think had happened to Jenna and Vila there? She knew that Blake was nearby, so surely she would have expected him to stay near Goth until the brain print was found. I find myself coming to the conclusion that maybe she believed that Travis had taken the print, but did not intend to use it to find Star One - only to lure Blake.

Discovering that Servalan has very quietly mounted a coup was superb. I remain uncertain about Servalan's true motivations throughout everything. I have generally regarded her as a lone wolf, who delights in power, a belief that was first compounded by Deliverance when we saw her acting without the Federation's sanction. However, there are occasions when she speaks like a loyal servant of the Federation. I have been unconvinced about the sincerity of such statements, yet her attitude in Star One seems genuine. Gaining the Presidential title and its power seems like a happy accident here and Servalan is in no position to enjoy it yet. Unless this is all a massive bluff and she was actually working with Travis - tricking the aliens into coming through so she would have an excuse to grab power, but in fact being ready to wipe them out before any proper damage was done.

Star One
It is completely reasonable for Star One to be a considerable distance from anything else, so I'm not sure why the Liberator crew begin to feel unsure when they approach it. The concern that there would be no one and nothing nearby if they got into trouble is an incredibly odd point to raise. With hindsight, this feels like added emphasis for later in the episode when they have to face an invasion force alone. But they have always been alone. Have they not all felt this? I certainly have: it's them and the Liberator and that's it - as outlaws, they have never been able to risk asking anyone else to come to their rescue, which is partly what makes it such a big deal when Jenna decides to contact Servalan.

Convinced he was causing the Federation's disasters, I had expected to see Travis at Star One. Instead, a further mystery is presented when we have to decide if one scientist is mad or if only one scientist is sane. Until we saw those bodies, I wasn't sure if we could trust Lurena. It's a great, shocking shot when we seem them hanging up and it was the misted eyes that made me recoil - I thought they were still alive, being kept so that the aliens could use their form, and it did seem more of a mercy when we discovered they were dead.

Travis and the Andromedans
Once the Liberator crew mentioned Andromeda, I guessed the scientists must really be Andromedans and discovering that Travis was working with them presented a million questions that Star One never answers.

Why do the Andromedans want to wipe out humanity? What do they want from this galaxy? If the other Andromedans are held back by the minefields, how did this small contingent get through? How did Travis and the Andromedans get to know of one another? Had the Andromedans made it through before Travis contacted them or after - did Travis help them in somehow? If he sent them to Star One - how did he know the scientists were there and needed to be replaced? Why did Travis want to wipe out all of humanity anyway? What was he hoping to gain in a galaxy dominated by the Andromedans?

Travis could surely only gain power, a motivation for Servalan more than him as he has been driven by his desire for revenge on Blake. Yet potentially wiping out the entire of humanity just to achieve that is a bit extreme. I find it significant that Travis is back in his Federation uniform. He did once seem devoted to the Federation and it is Servalan who is now his enemy, not necessarily the Federation.

I wonder if he planned to let the Andromedan force through to let it overwhelm Servalan's Space Command. She would be killed or humiliated and Travis could help organise a successful retaliation, enabling him to be welcomed back into the fold of Space Command and take Servalan's place. There, he can return to being a loyal(ish) servant of the Federation and carry out whatever nasty actions he cares to enjoy, without the fear of reprisals.

Do we really need... Blake?
As I had thought as much after The Keeper, it was unsurprising that Avon has no intention of preventing Blake from heading into Star One to destroy it, despite the temptation of all that power. I was pleased that their conversation from Pressure Point had not been forgotten. Blake had no great objections then about Avon taking the Liberator and, if not happy exactly, is content to go with this now it's being voiced to everyone. Presumably, he must have some plan for attacking the Federation from Earth after Star One's destruction has caused chaos. Somewhat ironically, this must be one of the first times Blake has insisted everyone is consulted on a decision, although in the same scene he also says, "We have to win. It's the only way I can be sure I was right."

Having been advocating stuffing Blake out of an airlock since last series, part of me was thrilled by this idea becoming a closer reality, though I had quiet reservations: Blake is the most interesting member of the crew and there is still plenty to explore with him. Also, the moment this plan was agreed I gained a sense of foreboding and was sure it would not happen; either Star One would remain intact, or something else would force the crew to stick together with Blake.

Jenna and Vila briefly question this. But if Blake himself is willing to get off at Earth, what more discussion is there to have? Are they going to fight over who leads the Liberator? Force Blake to stay? Avon gets shit done and though I have concerns about having such a trigger-happy leader, he's the only other crew member that has seemed capable of stepping up into that role.

It's unfortunate that we haven't seen more of Jenna and that her character hasn't developed more into the kick-arse ex-smuggler she could have been, as I think she could have grown into an excellent antagonist for Avon, and another potential leader. More vocally than Cally, she has almost always supported Blake and I wouldn't expect her to stay on the Liberator without him.

'Trigger-happy' isn't quite the right description for Avon, but he is more forceful than Blake, perhaps less empathetic, and I think I inevitably come back to him being selfish - why should he unnecessarily risk his life, even slightly, for the sake of anyone else? His speech in this scene is marvellous and I adore Paul Darrow's delivery. It's passionate and angry, and as Avon's more scathing comments are often delivered at a normal volume, just slightly raising his voice has an impact without the need for him to become any more animated. I thought back to this scene towards the end of the episode.

"For what it's worth, I have always trusted you - from the very beginning." I was so taken back by Blake's words to Avon. Really? Have you? Just what does Blake think constitutes "the beginning" because he very nearly never got to leave Cygnus Alpha. It was a close call on Horizon too, though the more I've thought since, perhaps Blake knows Avon better than I've thought, and better than I have up to now. When Avon said, "I want to be free... of him," Blake responds, "I never realised - you really do hate me, don't you?" But I'm not sure Avon does. For a while now, I've increasingly come to believe that he actually cares about Blake enormously: he came to the rescue on Horizon, and he's directly saved Blake's life numerous times - including again on Star One. Despite all that logical self-preservation in him, whilst they are still bound together by the Liberator, Avon feels obligated to Blake. I think Avon cares for Blake far more than he wishes he did, and that's why he wants to be free.

STAND BY FOR ACTION
Avon's confrontation with Travis outside is super: no pissing about - start blabbing or start blubbing. "Talk or scream, Travis!" is a magnificent line. Watching him watch Travis as they head inside, Avon is incredibly cautious and it's pure bad luck that Travis gets away from him. Confronted by one of the Andromedan scientists, when Avon shoots him there is plenty of blood and it splatters up the wall, which I thought was awesome - things are getting serious.

"I've had better days."
The episode's been gripping enough from the start anyway but from this point, the excitement and tension ramp up. Travis shooting Blake was one of the best moments ever. No confrontation - just time for Blake to half turn and suddenly - everything's momentarily slowed down. I'm holding my breath, then - "Nooooo!"

He looks very dead. When the scene cuts to Cally and Avon, it felt like an age. Cut back to Blake! Cut back to Blake! C'mon! I am mostly sure, but... when it cuts back to him lying on the floor, I'm certain, and it's a punch in the guts because I've hated this guy - I've spent months now being frustrated by him doing stupid, undemocratic things and then occasionally redeeming himself to me only for him to do them again. Yet I've bloody loved it and suddenly the idea of losing him doesn't seem fair - not for him, not for the others. Who else is going to have the determination to risk everything to bring down the Federation? Because really, as much as I think he's a selfish git, in equal measure I have come to admire Blake's sheer bloody commitment to his cause.

Gan's death has echoed throughout the rest of the series for me - and probably always will. It convinced me that Blake's 7 might just as easily maim or kill one or more of the other regulars. Was it planned this way? It's rather brilliant because without that I would never have believed Blake was dead.

Is Travis dead?
One of the very few positives about The Keeper was that it added a demonstration of Avon's loathing for Travis, which is why I was less bothered than I might have been when he gets the parting shot that sends Travis off. That Blake the Bloody Hero shoots Travis in the back is truly fantastic - he's finally been forced to come down to Travis's level. It's such a sudden, fast-moving scene with so much to process in only a few seconds: Travis is shot! Blake's alive?! Avon's here! Travis isn't dead! "He is now." Well, that remains to be seen. I instantly thought that he wasn't. He will have been chucked out somewhere, ready to crawl out and reappear when we least expect it.

It feels like the episode should be rounding things off by now but I was too gripped to notice. Get out, get to the Liberator, head off. But it's still going and the race to get the bombs out was nail-biting. As soon as Cally got outside, I'd had enough - "Just bloody chuck 'em!" And still, the excitement isn't over. Wasn't that enough? It was enough but I happily lapped up the rest.

That ending...
I spend a considerable portion of Star One leaning forward, eyes wide, either biting my lip or gaping at the screen, occasionally remembering to breathe out. I often swear at the screen when things start going wrong in Blake's 7 but there was much more variety to the phrases being shouted during Star One. I egged our heroes on, cried out in anguish, whooped in triumph, and laughed in relief and delight - including as it cut to the credits. It's a wonderful way to end a series and though I felt a pang of dismay, I cheered because, far more than that, I was so pleased with it all.

They end it there? THERE! I've spent 50 minutes going through an exhausting range of emotions and they end it there! I am presuming there was an entire year's wait for the next series, so this is both cruel and brilliant. It also presumably means that the production knew they were getting a third series and I am curious how early this was decided. Was there more than one ending for Star One, depending on whether they got another series? While Orac left room for more, this is a proper cliffhanger for what could be a two-part episode.

The end of the last series left me pondering on a mystery, but that spaceship explosion was always going to happen - it was just a matter of how and when. I was just as intrigued about where the characters' development was going to go in Series B. But currently, I have next to no interest in thinking about that for Series C - all I can think about is what is going to happen in the seconds and minutes immediately after Star One.

Blake's 7 - The Keeper

The Keeper

"A fool knows everything and nothing."

I was not keen on The Keeper, though it starts well with setting up the story and some initial action. I am glad that the purpose of Control/Star One is reiterated in the opening scenes as it’s been a while and I feel it’s important that the stakes are emphasised again. We get more details when Travis is dwelling on it with Servalan. The descriptions of the power it offers, with the ability to control enormous and significant aspects of the Federation, reminded me of what I anticipated Orac might offer. I had been thinking more about control in terms of communications and weapons, although that potential has never really materialised. Orac has instead, mostly, become a slightly sassy Google, which is still a significant improvement on the unreliable Zen.

Blowing up Travis
It seems like a while since we had a Liberator side plot and anyone left behind has had little to do. Leaving Avon on board for the entire episode is a first, I think. It makes for a different setup that I felt worked as there is nothing for him to do on Goth.

Instead, we get to see Avon’s hatred of Travis as he takes the decision to blow up Travis’s ship. Cally’s objection to moving out of teleport range for the others seemed odd, as this has frequently happened in the past. However, in fairness, this has normally been to hide from Federation ships, rather than actively move towards any of them. Is this a sign of Avon’s growing confidence because the Liberator has avoided being caught so many times before? Or is it simply evidence of his increased loathing, and perhaps a reasonable fear of Travis?

At the start of Series B, I considered Travis to be Blake’s rival. The Federation and Servalan were after everyone but Blake and Travis had that personal relationship; few of the others had met Travis until Orac. Yet in this series there have been more direct encounters. As in Orac, during Weapon Avon showed a keenness to get rid of both Servalan and Travis. However, the circumstances seemed strategic. Avon again wanted to kill Travis at the end of Hostage. By Gambit, Jenna also thought they should. Like the casino scam in Gambit, The Keeper provides another opportunity to see what Avon will do when Blake isn’t there to stop him.

Blowing up the ship is partly strategic here, yet there does seem more loathing now, with Avon narrowing his eyes in determination as they close in, and telling Cally, “I have no objection to shooting him in the back.” Although Cally obeys Avon in blowing up the ship, she isn’t happy about it, but I was fully on his side as he says, “What did you want me to do – give him a sporting chance?” The Liberator crew need to be willing to play to the same rules as Travis.

Ultimate power
It's easy to say that when I don't know what else will happen. In the opening scenes, Avon reminds everyone that with Star One under their command, they could control the Federation. I couldn't decide just how provocative he was being when he considered that, "Blake is afraid that power would corrupt him."

This theme has come up earlier in Series B, though I'm struggling to place the exact instances. One moment I am now reconsidering is Avon and Blake's fantastic chat in Pressure Point, where Avon suggested Blake would be the natural leader for a resistance movement based from Earth. Blake's hesitant, "Perhaps..." threw me as I was unsure why he wouldn't want that. I pondered at the time whether he was feeling the pressure of leadership, but now I am wondering whether he really does think power would corrupt him - he does say, "That sort of power would corrupt anyone."

I enjoyed this brief moment in The Keeper and it will be interesting if this is expanded on, either in the next episode or in the future. Blake does easily take the place of a leader, no matter what situation they find themselves in, and if he doesn't think he should have enormous capabilities, that's a bit of a conflict with the side of him that wants to push his agenda by leading and deciding most things on the Liberator. If there is to be a successful rebellion against the Federation - whether that's through destroying Star One or any other means - it's starting to look as though Blake will have little choice in being at the head of it.

Travis and Servalan
I began wracking my brain to remember how things were left in Gambit because I couldn't work out how Travis and Servalan could have got to Goth ahead of the Liberator. I don't think they should have been able to outrun the most powerful ship around and they seem to have been settled in for a while.

And why is Servalan there at all? Only Travis heard about Goth, so he must have told her - why? I can only conclude that he knew he needed to move quickly and had to get hold of a ship. Yet after recent episodes, it seems very strange to see them teamed up like this without any proper onscreen explanation.

I'm unsure what Travis had imagined happening by going back to Servalan. It's surprising that he suggests them ruling the Federation together and Servalan's dismissiveness in, "What are you talking about, Travis?" is entirely appropriate. He says, "Don't you trust me?" and she responds, "No, of course not," and I'm thinking, 'Yes! Of course she doesn't! Why the hell are you trusting her again?!' It made me wonder if he still felt some element of loyalty to Servalan, but again - why? This plot seems to imply that it was only after Servalan rejected Travis's idea that he decided to betray her. Based on Travis's character previously, I am just not convinced of any of this as he would have had to have been incredibly foolish. Servalan may call him "pathetic" but I don't think he is.

It makes far more sense that Travis planned to await Blake's arrival and/or run off with the brain print at the first opportunity. Yet he didn't necessarily need to appear in the episode for that to work - the reveal of the missing brain print would have served as the explanation that he Travis had got there before them and already left.

Servalan has even less reason to be here. Travis could have hired or stolen a ship and the side plot of Avon blowing up a ship could have been removed, or it could just have been another Federation ship. The fact that Avon identifies a Federation pursuit ship as Travis's is slightly odd anyway because the Liberator crew know that Travis is now out of the Federation command. So if we didn't need Servalan's ships, the only reason for her presence is so that we see Travis betray her. It feels like the plot of The Keeper may have needed to achieve certain things before Series B's final episode, but there are too many flaws in the plotting for me.

They're a crude lot on Goth
There were large chunks of The Keeper that I did not find interesting or exciting. The studio sets for Goth were an enormous come-down after the flamboyance of Freedom City. CSO has been used sparingly throughout Blake's 7, so its use to show Jenna and Vila being brought into the caves really stood out and it really does look appalling.

The scenes in Gola's tent often seemed stilted with no engaging dialogue to grip me. Obviously Gola's fondness for Jenna is creepy and rapey, but I mainly found him tiresome and predictable. He has plenty to do but he's just a petulant, raging child and no one rises to it - his sister remains calm and the others bow to his whims.

This episode did provide something more substantial for Jenna. After initially seeming uncertain, her decision to endear herself to the Gola proves most useful. I loved her glance to Vila with an enormous eye roll. Her scene alone with the Gola's sister was also wonderful, and one of the few this episode that properly intrigued me.

I felt like if anyone was my saviour in some of the duller scenes, it was Vila. His reactions always entertain me and I enjoyed his horror when the Fool's mimicry gets him sent "below". There, I could almost feel his pain when Blake chose to leave him in the cell and we had a real Vila-esque line in, "I don't like the dark - I like to see what I'm scared of."

If I only had a brain (print)
Despite the description of a "brain print", the idea of a tiny thing on the back of a pendant was not what I had expected. I'd been imagining a small physical print that could fit in a purse hung around someone's neck. For once, this is a case of Blake's 7 predicting future technology to be much smaller.

After initially believing that the old man moaning in the cell must come into the episode somehow, I became as dismissive of him as Blake and Vila when nothing occurred. The Fool describing himself to the old man as "your fool" sent a flag up, but I didn't work it out.

The most impressive part of The Keeper's plot for me was the trigger phrase. The hunt for the print on the various royals had lacked tension, but I liked this twist and thought it a clever idea.

To Star One
This has easily been my least favourite episode of the series. There have been other episodes that I've had big issues with but they manage to redeem themselves overall. Yet here, the negatives outweigh the positives - and that's a first for me with Blake's 7. I will happily go back and reassess other episodes at some point, but The Keeper's greatest crime is that I found so much of it dull.

It also doesn't help that I was left frustrated trying to figure out Travis and Servalan's involvement. I've never wished they weren't in an episode before. Their presence feels forced and largely unnecessary. I felt like I was missing pieces of the puzzle though and I'm doubtful whether they will come together in the next episode. Nonetheless, I can't wait to see what Servalan does now that Travis has tricked her - she said she would kill him.

I am curious what Star One will be like. I've imagined something similar to Control on Earth, but I've also pictured it housed in a spaceship or satellite of some sort. We have spent so long looking for Star One that I have given little thought to what might happen there. I suppose I hadn't been expecting the crew to be chasing Travis - I thought it would be the other way around.

I think Blake will definitely destroy Star One. Despite Avon musing on the prospect of all that power, I don't think he's willing to go against Blake for it - certainly not when his only support is Vila. I was far more excited for the finale last series because there seemed so much mystery, yet we have always known what Star One is and it feels like we have been heading towards it for an incredibly long time - and longer than I had expected; I originally thought this plotline would only last a few episodes. I hope it's been worth the wait.

Blake's 7 - Gambit

Gambit

"I can provide some very original forms of diversion."

By a significant stretch, Gambit is the craziest episode of Blake's 7 I've watched so far. Even once I thought I had a handle on it, it just kept giving and it has been my favourite episode of Series B so far.

Robert Holmes had impressed me with his first Blake's 7 episode, Killer, so I had high hopes for Gambit. Once again, he splits the crew up to run two entirely separate plots in the same location, also teaming up Avon and Vila again.

Freedom City
Freedom City looks like the kind of debauched place I was hoping to see in Shadow's Space City, so I was pleased the latter got a name check. We saw few people in Space City but the addition of a handful of supporting artists ensures Freedom City feels like a more bustling place. I pondered whether they were originally supposed to be the same locations but the Gambit script was changed after filming Shadow; either they realised Gambit’s city needed to look much better or else they found some cash left late on in the series after trying to keep a tight budget early on.

Robert Holmes makes even less use of the Liberator sets than he did in Killer, partly because Jenna and Cally are brought into the action so we don't need to cut back there once everyone is in Freedom City. The saloon bar is marvellous and made for a superb opening scene. There are good continuity touches here by having all the drinks in bright colours. In particular, that one shade of emerald green has been seen on the Liberator and in Servalan's office.

While we see no games beyond the roulette table in the casino, the Speedchess area was nice with plenty of atmosphere added by the lighting. When the first scene took place there, "Speedchess" was certainly not the word I was expecting to hear. The simultaneous explosion and disintegration of the unlucky challenger to the Klute made me jump as I think I just expected him to get electrocuted. I love having all these different characters around the outside of that chamber - they could all have had a story of their own. Although Vila later seems sure that the Klute isn't a computer, I was never certain; he's too good, Krantor's too confident in him and he seems to spend his days enjoying killing people. Elsewhere, Servalan is lying down, with a dove perched on her - it sets the tone for Gambit.

Krantor's room can only be described as a boudoir and Servalan's room 100 is similar in tone. I think one of the chairs in her room swings. As with Space City, we are never explicitly told everything that one can experience in Freedom City, but Krantor implies enough that we can presume some pretty outrageous acts have been performed there.

Slightly further down the list of sets, we have the saloon bar's backroom that appears to lead to an underground area, which makes a few appearances, mainly featuring Blake, Jenna and Cally. Then there is the area where Docholli heads to escape, decorated with a few oil drums. We never get a full view of the underground cave/tunnel-like area. It looks like a studio set to me and I'm inclined to believe the darkness is hiding how limited it is. It's decorated with a lot of tinsel blowing around and having recently watched Doctor Who's Timelash, this was an uncomfortable flashback to one aspect. The stories are also connected by Denis Carey, who is more prominent playing Docholli here than six years later when he would be the public-facing image of the Borad.

The sound of the underground
I am fond of so many of Blake's 7's sounds. I could probably go through the series again and do a blog solely about them - I've never even got round to indulging in how much I adore the titles. Gambit deserves credit for the background sounds alone as there are distinctive ones for different locations. Both Krantor's boudoir and the casino get a quiet, high-pitched tinkling, while Servalan's room is given a simple constant humming. The darkened underground area has distant chimes underneath a howling wind, which, combined with constant smoke blowing around, go a long way to making something of what could have been a fairly dull set.

Decadent dress
For once, few of the cast's costumes are purely functional and they have gone all out. Interestingly, while Cally and Jenna are royally dolled up for the occasion, Blake hasn't made any effort. Travis has become an intergalactic cowboy and I love the touch of giving him a black hat, the traditional accessory for a Wild West villain. Perhaps there is good reason that Blake wasn't given a white one at any point: I keep remembering Blake's suggestion in Shadow that the Liberator crew were the only good guys, with Avon responding, "What a very depressing thought."

My historical knowledge isn't very comprehensive, but Krantor and Toise's outfits seemed like the French Revolutionary period. Krantor says his costume is supposed to be modelled on the Prince Regent, and thanks to Blackadder III I know there is some crossover there. Krantor is vague about who the Prince Regent actually was and describes the casino's theme as simply "the spirit of carnival". This is nicely all-encompassing for the variety of outfits on display, particularly in the Speedchess chamber. The croupier wears a type of black-tie, while sitting among the patrons are clowns that reminded me of David Bowie's Ashes to Ashes video. Servalan's face is hidden behind a mask at first, but her outline was instantly recognisable.

Servalan looks utterly stunning in Gambit. Her red dress is revealing and outlandish, for once perfectly suited to her surroundings, and I could hardly take my eyes off her. I love how over-the-top most the women's makeup is in the Blake's 7 universe, but I felt this episode gave us even more for Servalan, including a pile of silver, glittering eye shadow. After being introduced to her laid out in the casino, Krantor invites her, "Pray! Be seated!" and she carefully lounges herself across the enormous bed in Krantor's boudoir, providing us with one of several lingering shots of her outfit.

Krantor
Krantor is a cracking character, with his inch-thick silver makeup and false eyelashes making an immediate impression. He loathes Servalan, describing what he will do to her with such venom. He gets some gorgeous lines, including, "She's as perfidious and devious as a snake." I'm unsure whether she dislikes him as plotting his death is just necessary to get rid of Freedom City. Like other "neutral" places in the series, it only takes the right price for Krantor to be tempted. On the other hand, Servalan is utterly uninterested in any pleasures on offer, despite numerous offers from Krantor: "If you find time is, erm, dragging, I can provide some very original forms of diversion which I can guarantee will give you immense pleasure." I was left uncertain whether she has no interest in any of these things or if she didn't trust them coming from Krantor.

Travis
I keep saying how much I like seeing Travis's character develop this series but I felt Robert Holmes added a whole other layer. Travis has never looked invulnerable but in Gambit he is a long way from the powerful commander we first met. Shorter hair (first seen last episode) and a change of clothes mean he isn’t as smartly groomed. His Federation uniform finally dumped, Travis has lost his armour and any notions of authority. Despite stepping in to save Docholli, shortly afterwards Travis is easily taken by Krantor's goons and beaten badly.

I loved the scene in which Servalan sits next to Travis's unconscious body, surveying him. I didn’t ever really think she was going to hurt him, but he looked exposed, unprotected. The point-of-view shot of Servalan when Travis wakes up added to this and was a good inclusion. When the shot of them on the bed pulls out slightly, we can see that Servalan has had her hand on Travis's only good hand, holding it down, leaving him fully open.

Discovering the damage to his hand makes Travis desperate as he needs the repairs urgently, and it's perceptible even with the harsh tone he uses with Chenie. When he finds Docholli, Travis doesn't even care about Blake's presence - there is nothing he can do and he needs the surgeon's work done before he flees. Jenna is the latest crew member to ask to shoot Travis and Blake's excuse for avoiding it now is that killing Travis would be a mercy. That is a hell of a blow.

Servalan is honest with her new underling that she disposed of Travis because "he outlived his value" and it appears she will now pick him up and shake him about whenever she has the need, but will swiftly toss him aside again as soon as it is convenient. Unfortunately for Travis, Servalan knows him well and he is far too predictable, so I expect her to continue using and manipulating him.

Ocean's Two
I'd be curious what sort of briefing Series B's writers had about the series and the characters, and what they had seen of Series A. Blake and Avon’s relationship was one of the most interesting aspects for me, yet in both his stories, Holmes has completely eschewed depicting any conflict between Blake and Avon by separating them. I'm left wondering whether he had little interest in that relationship, felt he had no more to add, or just wanted to contribute something different to the series. Maybe he had decided that writing Avon and Vila was far more fun.

Vila seemed the only one excited about the prospects of Space City, but Avon is equally keen to experience Freedom City and their adventure is his idea. I was thrilled when our two thieves decided to take on the casino. It's the kind of suggestion that would have been stamped out by any of the other three usually, yet with none of them around there is nothing to stop Avon and Vila having some fun. Both plot strands in this episode are set up quickly and I was impressed by this one in particular; we establish Avon and Vila's boredom and lust, then within a minute or so Avon has formulated a plan and we move on to the problem of Orac.

I think Robert Holmes adds humour to Blake's 7 very well, with just the right balance, and I enjoy it so much in Avon and Vila's scenes.

Vila "Oh! That is beautiful! Avon, there are times when I almost get to like you."
Avon "Yes, well that makes it all worthwhile."
Vila "I mean, you give me a warm feeling right here - right round the money belt."

The manipulation of Orac is also excellent and the short lines, delivered quickly, ensure the pace is moved along. Avon and Vila's handshake at the end is a lovely addition. Throughout these scenes, it's the reactions from both Paul Darrow and Michael Keating that really add to it. The miniaturisation of Orac is a great idea and I hope it's used again to enable more use of the character.

The duo's scenes in the casino were enormous fun. It soon becomes clear that neither of them knows the first thing about cheating a casino: don't make it obvious. I became almost as nervous as Avon, who nonetheless easily relents to Vila's implores to carry on: "Alright, just once more. But after this, I warn you, I'm walking out... to be sick."

Vila appeared drunk when Krantor led him away for a "celebratory drink", but when he returns he looks calmer, almost drugged, which he snaps out of as soon as he sits in the Speedchess chair. The sudden cut to a stunned Avon spitting his food out was great. After what Vila's put Avon through, it feels like Avon gets his own back when, with no hesitation, he tells Vila to play the game and risk his life for their five million credits. Avon's still nervy when they come to leave, displaying his usual cautiousness by drawing his gun as they walk out with the money.

On their return to the Liberator, I liked Avon's swift switching from, "Quickly, Vila - hide the money!" to calmly answering the radio with, "Reading you, Blake." Even though it's Vila who Blake is suspicious of, for me, it is Avon's gabbling of, "Oh, great, wonderful, terrific," that is greater evidence of an attempt to cover up by finding something to say.

Star One
The search for Star One continues and it now seems likely that we will be heading there for the series finale, via the planet Goth. Docholli's description of Goth was suitably grim so I'm looking forward to seeing our heroes visit it. I am also curious whether the Control/Star One ongoing plot will be properly tied up. I expect Chris Boucher or Terry Nation to be writing the last couple of episodes, but I do hope we get more from Robert Holmes again.

Servalan and Travis know exactly what Blake's up to so I expect this isn't the last of them this series - smashing. I hadn't seen enough of Servalan for my liking prior to Gambit but this really paid off and I would like to see if she keeps her new assistant, who is certainly a different sort to Travis.

Former-Space Commander Travis once had the backing of Servalan and the Federation, briefly followed by the service of some Crimos, but he is now utterly alone and there were moments in Gambit when I almost felt sorry for him. This episode gave Brian Croucher plenty and Travis has become such a differently fascinating character. I hope at some point in the last couple of Series B episodes we get just a little bit more of that.

Blake's 7 - Voice from the Past

Voice from the Past

"So much for Blake's new epoch of peace."

Voice from the Past was an interesting episode as I was intrigued by the plot immediately. The idea of Blake reverting to his pre-The Way Back brainwashed state was fear-inducing as the consequences I imagined were disastrous. I saw him covertly redirecting the Liberator and turning the whole crew over to the Federation. This is almost where we headed, only with Blake acting with much less consciousness than I pictured. While nothing seemed truly clear for most of the episode, the payoff from the final 10 minutes was superb and among the most thrilling, nerve-wracking I’ve experienced with Blake’s 7 so far.

What the plot?
I was trying to work ahead of the episode’s plot throughout but could never get there. I felt I couldn’t trust anyone – not Ven Glynd, not Shivan, not Le Grand, not Blake – and this meant I was sure of nothing and believed nothing. I had a constant feeling of dread that the crew were being led into a horrific trap. Blake’s rerouting of the Liberator was concerning, his duping of Vila made me want to bang my head against a wall, and despite the friendly demeanour of the rebels, they seemed too good to be true. As for the councillor-type woman, Le Grand, until she turned up on the Liberator I was sure she was on the Federation's side, yet then I wondered if she wasn't but maybe Ven Glynd was really in league with Servalan. There were too many possibilities.

Blake the Brainwashed
I had pondered just how easily the Federation would be able to brainwash Blake again, yet I always imagined they would need to physically get hold of him first. Therefore this remote attack using sound seemed clever, and I loved seeing Blake's 7 use continuity in the plot, as opposed to merely weaving it into lines of exposition.

I could be more annoyed at Blake, but it’s hard to justify anything when he spent the entire episode brainwashed. However, his assertion to the others that he “commands this ship” provided a stab of anger and I was glad that Jenna immediately countered with, “You lead - we don't take commands.” It is a vital distinction. Blake may not be a perfect leader and I don’t think any of the others would be either, but Avon has been eyeing up the position and from day one has had strong feelings about democracy onboard. That statement sounded utterly like Blake and I hated him for it because good grief – every time I find aspects to admire in him, he does or says something like this again.

It was hard to measure how much Blake’s decisions to ignore Orac were influenced by his altered state of his mind. He overruled Avon’s request to consult Orac before bringing Ven Glynd and Shivan onboard. Yet while I despaired over what seemed an incredibly poor judgement, this didn’t seem to make any difference in the end as Orac couldn’t accurately determine if Shivan was who he claimed to be. Even though Blake's judgement was poor and it was a foolish decision, this could be attributed to his unstable state of mind. However, turning Orac off later and taking the key was a sign of Blake wielding his power and I was livid, crying out, "Where is our bloody democracy, Blake!"

Loyalty to your commander
It feels like Series B is testing the crew's loyalty to Blake. If Blake had shown similar signs of regression in Series A, Avon would have advocated abandoning him as a security risk. They all make considerable efforts to help Blake here and it's interesting that this devotion to one another is still there, regardless of the crew's dynamic now often being Them vs. Blake.

I thought Vila would notice the clear change in Blake's tone of voice when he insisted that Avon and Cally had plotted against him. Instead, I was surprised Vila believed Blake at all, especially considering how secretive he has been this series. I might have expected Vila to trust Avon as much as Blake now - if not more - but that clearly isn't the case and Blake still has the most influence.

Cally and Jenna both had more to do than in any recent episodes, helped partly by so much of the episode being set on the Liberator. From the opening scenes, I began to think we would spend the entire episode on the Liberator and I would have been perfectly happy with that. It did occur to me that the programme’s budget might incorporate a ‘lite’ episode that forced them to set one episode entirely on the Liberator. Cally has taken on a caring, nursing role in much of Series B and she continues it in Voice from the Past as she and Avon attempt to help Blake.

Finally getting a brief opportunity to leave the Liberator did not work out well for Jenna. She has always seemed the most loyal to Blake but I had wondered if his recent actions had planted seeds of doubt in her, as she has been annoyed by his secretiveness. At the episode's climax when Blake has removed his teleport bracelet, Jenna tries to help him, even removing her own bracelet to ensure she can stay and try to save his life. It's interesting that this is the second episode in which teleport bracelets have been removed on purpose like this, and especially so because the episodes have different writers. Both actions were life-threatening, yet the still, tense atmosphere of Avon diffusing the bomb in Countdown could hardly be more different from the panicked and action-packed circumstances here. I admired Jenna for this tremendously risky act as I am unsure whether any of the others would have gone this far for Blake. It perhaps reflects the more romantic feelings she has for him, which we got a flash of from her scowl at Blake's kiss in Hostage.

Home invasion climax
Down on the asteroid, it all seemed too easy that everything should fall into Blake’s lap like this and my anxiety increased as they brought the strangers onto the Liberator.

It was hard to make anything of Shivan as the bandages ensured the only visible part of him was his eye and I struggled to understand his few lines when he spoke to Ven Glynd. I was willing to believe his miraculous survival story though and paid him little attention because Ven Glynd seemed likely to be the real double agent.

I never had a clue to Shivan's real identity, so Travis’s reveal elicited a shocked “NO!” followed by a string of expletives. That hand! Travis on the Liberator! I’d been concerned when the Liberator was infiltrated in Redemption, but this was different – this was Travis. They had let the Federation in. BLAKE LET THEM IN. The Liberator has felt like a haven; as long as the crew have got their teleport bracelets, they are safe because they can escape – we’ve seen the Liberator outrun dreadful odds. The Liberator is home.

I loved the detail that Brian Croucher appears to have a degree of stubble, implying he's spent days or more literally undercover with the rebels.

Prior to this, the appearance of the guard is a bit grim as attention is given to the knife in his back with blood on display. This is even more shocking than Avon's arm wound in Hostage. I continue to be interested in the way the show depicts violence as Series A probably had a similar amount but was bloodless.

Combined with that desolate auditorium and the appearance of Federation guards, I spent the next few minutes panicking, staring at the unfolding events in wide-eyed horror.

The reveal of the empty auditorium was magnificent. Servalan’s booming voice was imposing and the projection of her image was a wonderful addition. The letterbox shot of her eyes reminded me of the watching eyes of Big Brother in 1984 (did I imagine this poster or does the book specifically reference it?), and there can be many comparisons of the Federation’s regime made to the novel, from its undefeatability to its revisions of established history. Le Grand's tears were so sad and spoke of years of determined work vanishing in an instant, reflecting her own now-inevitable fate. Ven Glynd and Le Grand were goners and knowing the Federation, it was for the best. I think Le Grand's may even have been suicide.

Everything got far worse when Blake’s mind began to be attacked and he took off his teleport bracelet. I’ve never been so worried about the fate of the Liberator crew. It felt like the biggest trap they had ever been in. As Travis went down from the Liberator, Avon and Cally seemed safe again, yet it continued to deteriorate below. When Vila went up and Jenna had taken off her bracelet too, I thought this was it: we were about to lose Jenna and Blake! Avon and the others would have no choice but to leave them because they couldn’t get them back!

The resolution is a variant on the 'teleported just in time' trope we have seen, though it has previously tended to be the result of someone having to rush to the teleport bay. I was initially unsure why Travis needed to teleport down as I assumed his aim was to capture the entire crew, so why not force Cally and Avon to bring the others up, regardless of the message Avon managed to send. However, although Travis may have been compelled to attempt the whole crew's capture while under Servalan's formal command, he has really only ever cared about Blake. With Servalan's trap a success, she would know the Liberator was nearby so must have been poised to send in Federation ships to surround it as soon as Travis gave the word.


I had been hoping for another appearance from Servalan and Travis, the former especially, but it was all too brief and I was left longing for more. They should never appear in every episode yet I would like to see plenty of them when they do. I don't know whether I can ever expect to see more of Servalan: she wasn't a huge presence in Series A, when Travis took centre stage and she pulled the strings from afar. I think it is just the fact I adore the character so much that I feel we deserve more of her.

Voice from the Past sags in the middle. After the episode's opening intrigue (and joy of discovering the crew do team yoga sessions), we begin watching a series of political discussions until towards the end. It was only curiosity at 'what on Dell 10 is going on' that kept me interested. You then have to appreciate who Travis is for that unveiling to have an impact, so while the episode sits well in the series as a whole, it may have been a struggle for more casual viewers who gained less from the ending. I am also conscious that while I love admiring the model work, there was a lot of it this episode and I began to wonder if it was underrunning.

Voice from the Past's strength is absolutely in its exciting climax and it made me realise just how invested I had become in these characters. As much as I enjoyed this conclusion, a lot of it was down to the shock of Travis's reveal combined with the sudden cascading of events, so I don't think it is an episode that would stand up well to repeated viewings. But this is 1979 when home video barely exists, and in this instance, I am more inclined to evaluate Blake's 7 in the circumstances of its creation. Voice from the Past did its job: I was interested, entertained and gripped enough to return again next week.

Blake's 7 - Countdown

Countdown

"You wouldn't understand."

I spent the first scenes of Countdown wondering if any of these masked fighters were our heroes - we've had this sort of opening before. There was one fellow with a similar build to Gareth Thomas that had me almost convinced. Federation guards dress more or less the same all over the universe and, combined with that lovely logo, I now always immediately know who the bad guys are. As I watched the green figures fighting their way through, I noticed that they did not move like soldiers - they’re not cautious or efficient enough in their movements, which then made sense once we learned they are guerrillas.

We don't see beyond any walls in Countdown and it doesn't appear there was any location filming done. I do find it hard to get a sense of scale when we see little of a planet or its people, like during Redemption in that enormous but fairly empty industrial facility. Yet during an exposition dumping scene on the Liberator, Avon's description of this planet with its two poles made it sound similar to Earth and I instantly had something similar pictured.

Vila is not thrilled about visiting another freezing cold planet and there do seem to have been a few, probably so the production can make the use of those thermal suits. He continues to despair over being forced into each adventure: “Yeah, terrific, I’m really looking forward to this. Danger, excitement, sudden death - I can’t wait.” Honestly, I would be Vila. I want to be Avon but I reckon all that peril must get wearing.

Provine
The purpose of the Liberator’s visit to this week’s planet is to locate Major Provine. This picks up the plot leftover from Pressure Point when we learned that Control had been moved from Earth. I was expecting this to become the arc for the rest of the series, so I’m glad they have returned to it. Whilst it had felt like a sudden choice to attack Control when I was watching Pressure Point, on reflection I can see that it fits well into Blake’s wider plan - since the start of Series B - of making more significant hits against the Federation.

In the end, I didn’t feel that engaged with this aspect of the story. There were some wonderful scenes in Pressure Point emphasising the importance of Control but we don't have that build up here. Provine is not the most vicious Federation officer we have encountered, which is a little surprising considering it was he who made the decision to wipe out the planet. I would have liked to have seen some cold-blooded first-degree murder. I couldn’t loathe him and I couldn’t sympathise with him either.

When we saw Provine ditching his now-dirty credentials, I thought he would try to take those of the more junior guard but instead he just sneaks off. Provine’s negotiation with the guerrilla who catches him trying to launch the getaway craft is probably his best scene as after the opening ones he has no other proper conversations with other characters. I thought he was going to persuade this guerrilla to join him as Provine gave a convincing argument and the guard seemed hesitant. But I mistook the guerrilla’s silent moments for thoughtful ones when they were in fact stubborn ones.

In his dying moments, Provine tells Blake where Control has been moved to. Why? He was dying and had literally nothing to lose. Unless that’s the reason: I’m inclined to think Provine is not meant to be the epitome of Federation evil. It’s arguable he had no choice but to set that bomb – what would his superiors have said if he had escaped without setting it? Following this, he only attempts to kill people when he is truly threatened, instead choosing to knock-out the young guerrilla woman and hide her in the secret tunnel.

Avon and Grant
Without a doubt, the most interesting strand of Countdown was the relationship between Avon and Del Grant. I was interested to discover why Grant would want to kill Avon and I liked that their story was drawn out across the episode. Upon us being introduced to Grant I thought he looked too nice to be a mercenary. Perhaps this is his great advantage for his chosen profession.

Avon stands rather awkwardly when the two of them meet. I realised he was holding his fingers against his teleport bracelet, apparently nervous and ready for a quick getaway. I wondered if Avon had been partnered with Grant and had perhaps betrayed him for some reason. Yet this seemed un-Avon-like; he would just avoid partnering with anyone. We hear Grant’s side of the story first - that Avon caused a woman’s death – but we are forced to hold on to learn any more and the tension between them remains.

Grant is a lucky man as he’s the first non-Liberator crew member to wear one of the silver thermal suits. I think these are smashing and I love the idea of being able to adjust the temperature inside. However, they are a rather snug fit so I’m not sure how comfortable they would be – the crew never plan to wear them for long.

My favourite scenes from Countdown were those between Avon and Grant at the polar ice cap. For a start, it’s a super set. It’s lit well and I’m curious how they filmed it because the light looks so natural – like it’s coming through a transparent roof, rather than being lit solely by studio lights. The dripping icicles eventually become a heavy rainfall, accompanied by falling ice, and add to the mounting tension as the timer ticks down. I love how the two men are forced into close proximity, with one having to recount his loss and the other blinded by anger.

Avon sounds tired telling the story of Anna. He doesn’t want to drag up the memory, reliving it hurts and yet I think he has thought about it a lot in the past. It was fascinating watching and listening to him reveal a different side to himself. “If there had ever been a time when I could have given my own life to save her I would have done it,” he says. Avon has never looked willing to do that for anyone before.

The revelation that Anna was Grant’s sister is not especially shocking, yet it is treated like it should be. Grant doesn’t sound like a lover who lost, so the next obvious assumption is a sibling and my only minor gripe is that this information probably could have been brought in earlier.

Blake attempts to listen in during Avon and Grant’s first chat. Like us, he only hears part of the story. He tries to elicit more from Avon in Countdown’s final scene but is politely dismissed. I am glad that Avon doesn’t end up telling Blake about Anna. He could have shared it; such a history would have easily stopped any further accusations of him lacking emotions. But I don’t think this has ever been implied by Blake – Vila and Gan are the two I remember suggesting it. I was happy with Avon’s choice as this was something private and Avon has always been careful about when he chooses to display his emotions. It would also have been uncharacteristic for Blake and Avon to start having heart-to-hearts. The whole way this plot strand was constructed was an interesting approach to revealing more about our regular characters. It means that only we the audience have learned that Avon once loved someone.

The name's Blake

"I’m Blake. This is Avon and Vila."
"Blake? You mean the Blake who’s been giving the Federation so much trouble?"

I have a problem with this exchange and it's starting to become repetitive. Roj Blake is James Bond, an undercover man known everywhere. The entire universe now seems to know who Blake is and what he has been up to. A few episodes ago Servalan was told that people were talking about Blake and she seemed shocked, which was surprising - just how well did she think all his escapades could be kept from word of mouth? Blake now only has to say his name and he is instantly recognised. That everyone has heard of Blake is not surprising; that he is apparently the only Blake in the universe is, as is him still using his real name when he doesn't know if who he's speaking with is friend or foe. The Federation ought to get on to this. They merely have to send someone into a rebel hotspot, have him tell people he's Blake and it would be the easiest undercover infiltration of the year.

Despite this niggle, I had an entire episode in which Blake was not a prick. Sure, I've warmed to him and like Blake a little now - his determination alone is impressive - but I still often get annoyed with his actions risking everyone's necks. Yet his plan to get all his crew out when the timer hit 50 is one of the most sensible he’s ever put forward. What’s more, he sticks to it, when earlier I would have expected him to push to the last seconds. Additionally, prior to Avon and Grant heading off, Blake warns Grant, “If anything happens to Avon, I will come looking for you.” I did not expect that.

While Blake and Avon's relationship in Series B has been more restrained than seen in Series A, there has still been an undercurrent of distrust there and plenty of scheming going on. Avon made his ideas for the Liberator's future clear to Blake in Pressure Point. Yet we've now gone from the aftermath of Gan's death in Trial, when Avon made it clear he would dissuade anyone from risking their liFE for Blake, to Hostage where Avon may have followed Blake to the planet to ensure he hurried back safely. Now, Blake is saying he would take revenge for Avon's death. What is happening? Is this loyalty? Do they both consider each other as part of their Liberator family now? Or do they simply see one another as useful? Possibly a little of both.

Do we need all the Liberator crew?
Blake's passion is certainly useful and he's good at getting shit done when they team up with others. Avon's technical skills have been established as not just good but as second to none and Countdown is another episode to add to the list of those in which he comes out the greater hero, with him saving an entire planet's population. Vila spends plenty of time this week working on locks, something he's always proud of and often overlaps with Avon's expertise.

Our three men all have practical attributes and skills, but the series continues to struggle to find anything for the women to do. Jenna’s characterisation as a pilot means she is only useful on the Liberator, while Cally’s interesting telepathic abilities have ultimately proved difficult to work into plots, though I’ve enjoyed it when they have. Recently it hasn’t made any difference though - she sensed Avon had done something in Hostage but couldn't be specific and didn’t act on it. Her knowledge ultimately had no bearing on the story at all.

I put off pondering it last episode but... when did Jenna and Cally last leave the Liberator? Jenna last came off in Pressure Point and for Cally it was Horizon. The more I look, the more I see just how bad it is. Of the nine episodes so far this series, Jenna has left the Liberator during four and for Cally it's only three. Unless the Liberator is being attacked, they just have nothing to do but act as switchboard operators for the teleport.

Dressed to kill
I'm not expecting any new costumes for the regulars at this point in the series and am happy with the number of changing ones we've seen throughout the season. I may not be keen on all of them, but most are stunning in their way. There is certainly a firm colour scheme established for many of the regulars and I continue to like the green and browns picked for Blake. I wonder if it was intentional for those of the guerrillas’ uniforms to match this? The only other organised rebels we have met this series were those in Pressure Point and, thinking back, their camouflage army-style uniforms matched Blake's palette too.

Countdown is probably my lowest ranked episode of Series B so far, solely because I have had more enjoyment from all the others. Provine wandering around never seems a threat and I felt there should have been a brief recap on Control to bring in why Provine's knowledge was so vital. The bomb added little tension for the majority of the episode as we know our regulars can just teleport away. The only aspect I was gripped by was Grant and Avon. Even there, we learn something about Avon but practically nothing of Grant; he’s an anti-Federation mercenary who cares about the money enough to risk his life, and he had a sister who Avon loved – that’s it. Countdown was lacking and I'm satisfied with deeming it merely 'ok'.