Overall this was a dissapoitning episode for me. It's a distraction that takes us away from the main story (finding Star One) and I am not sure tells us much else new about the Federation or the cause. Cally gets to be very capable and practical, as does Jenna, and with Glynd and servalan in play it's a strong female episode
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Vila must have very deep doubts about Avon. I think deep down Vila really is quite insecure about whether other people actually could care for him, or only find him useful to have around. :-( Also, while he can be very brave and capable when forced to make his own decisions, it seems he can be 'persuaded' into things relatively easily - which could be an acquired trait from spending too much time around dangerous people, I suppose.
I am a bit lost as to how long it has been since Blakes trial I think they mentioned two years, somewhere? Maybe confirming the idea that each series represents approx. one year for them?
Those guards. That gun sound. the falling bodies. Blake's wince when they hear the guns really made me feel for him. I'm not sure if that's how it was meant to be interpreted, but I suppose it could be the memory of those past massacres that causes him to hear the tone again and causes that last breakdown to be so extreme.
I think I'd have tried to pull sending Travis to expode in space Good point!
I am a bit lost as to how long it has been since Blakes trial (when hypnotic triggers could be implanted) and now.
Blake seems to be reliving not just the events of the trial that sent him to Cygnus Alpha, but also his original trial which was, according to “The Way Back”, 4 years before the trial that sent him to Cygnus. So all that “renounce, renounce” stuff actually happened 6 years before this episode. I’m not sure how this fits in with implanted conditioning, unless Venn Glynd's is relying on or has added to, some kind of failsafe conditioning that the Federation installed at that time.The mining on the satellite was only abandoned at the time of Blake’s last trial, I notice.
A legend of hope to the great mass of the oppressed." Robin Hood in space, indeed.
It has just occurred to me that Robin Hood doesn’t traditionally have a happy ending either, so quite an appropriate analogy in that respect!
The advantage of having extremely low expectations: I was prepared to grit my teeth to get through this one but then unexpectedly found it less difficult to watch than 'Hostage'. Admittedly, I think this has mostly to do with the wealth of crew interactions aboard the Liberator and less to do with actual plot elements. Or the "special effects." Or Travis' "disguise". Eh, I wouldn't even know where to start with the flaws. Instead, some of the things that I found enjoyable/interesting/curious:
Jenna's apparent attitude to Cally's exercises, ahaha. She's just enjoying the view!
Del 10 is an "ultra planet", whatever that means...? I wonder if it really was Avon's suggestion that they go there.
Oh dear, the look on Avon's face during the "dual therapy"... No denying his capacity for empathy there.
Somebody's been paying attention to past eps for once, with all those detailed references to Blake's trial in TWB etc., and even remembering about Avon's "anti-telepathy" modification to Orac.
"Avon has been excluding me a bit lately."
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the Federation lure seems to be "not killing you when I get in power." On that basis I suspect no one has any real alliances? bit of a parliament of thieves, but with less honour.
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I think deep down Vila really is quite insecure about whether other people actually could care for him, or only find him useful to have around. :-( Also, while he can be very brave and capable when forced to make his own decisions, it seems he can be 'persuaded' into things relatively easily - which could be an acquired trait from spending too much time around dangerous people, I suppose.
I am a bit lost as to how long it has been since Blakes trial
I think they mentioned two years, somewhere? Maybe confirming the idea that each series represents approx. one year for them?
Those guards. That gun sound. the falling bodies.
Blake's wince when they hear the guns really made me feel for him. I'm not sure if that's how it was meant to be interpreted, but I suppose it could be the memory of those past massacres that causes him to hear the tone again and causes that last breakdown to be so extreme.
I think I'd have tried to pull sending Travis to expode in space
Good point!
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Agreed. and utterly heart breaking.
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Blake seems to be reliving not just the events of the trial that sent him to Cygnus Alpha, but also his original trial which was, according to “The Way Back”, 4 years before the trial that sent him to Cygnus. So all that “renounce, renounce” stuff actually happened 6 years before this episode. I’m not sure how this fits in with implanted conditioning, unless Venn Glynd's is relying on or has added to, some kind of failsafe conditioning that the Federation installed at that time.The mining on the satellite was only abandoned at the time of Blake’s last trial, I notice.
A legend of hope to the great mass of the oppressed." Robin Hood in space, indeed.
It has just occurred to me that Robin Hood doesn’t traditionally have a happy ending either, so quite an appropriate analogy in that respect!
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Jenna's apparent attitude to Cally's exercises, ahaha. She's just enjoying the view!
Del 10 is an "ultra planet", whatever that means...? I wonder if it really was Avon's suggestion that they go there.
Oh dear, the look on Avon's face during the "dual therapy"... No denying his capacity for empathy there.
Somebody's been paying attention to past eps for once, with all those detailed references to Blake's trial in TWB etc., and even remembering about Avon's "anti-telepathy" modification to Orac.
"Avon has been excluding me a bit lately." ( ... )
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Jenna and Vila would be lovely for both of them, I think!
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the Federation lure seems to be "not killing you when I get in power." On that basis I suspect no one has any real alliances? bit of a parliament of thieves, but with less honour.
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