pebblerocker (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
pebblerocker) wrote2014-01-14 08:30 pm
pebblerocker) wrote2014-01-14 08:30 pm
Blake's 7: Cygnus Alpha
Back to the Blake!
It's my guess that this sets the pattern for multiple future episodes: arrive at a planet that looks very like a disused quarry, teleport in for an adventure, fly away again. Imagine if they landed on a planet that looked like a desert in Southern California, or if Captain Kirk or the Robinsons found a quarry planet - "We've slipped into the wrong universe!"
This episode gets off to a bit of a slow start, but I like the teleport bracelets as a concept. Zen is a bit of a worry, withholding information that could be life and death - the ship doesn't quite seem a safe refuge for our team. Blake proves what he's made of by casually using the possibly-fatal device without apparent concern; when he returns safely Jenna runs to hug him and this is a hug that has my wholehearted support. I like the characters involved and find them both huggable. \o/
Gan would have been my last guess for first crewmember to get kissed by the guest star of the week. I don't know who would have been my first guess. Sorry, Gan, for stereotyping you in such a way. I gather that fandom at large fails to treat Gan as a hero or focus on him for fic.
My partner, watching with me, saw the priest Vargas enter the scene: "Is that Brian Blessed?!"
"Can't be," I said with wholly unwarranted certainty, "Brian Blessed is louder than that." I don't actually know what Brian Blessed looks like, just a general impression of immense size and an immense beard. But then HE GOT LOUDER and I had to admit my mistake. Blake sits tied to a chair with his ears flattened down on his head while Vargas roars at him in a superb power-drunk display.
Jenna's not scared of much. In her place I would be afraid of staying on the ship alone with Avon, not because he might be violent or because he's unpredictable, but because he would predictably do something that suited nobody's interests but his own. I would want to make sure I have enough people on my side to outvote Avon and keep his scheming under control. Bringing up the idea of murder to him in this situation doesn't seem wise. Notice how easily she can distract him with the opportunity for a wardrobe change, though - Avon tries not to sound interested but he's out of his chair pretty quickly!
I think he's going about his campaign all wrong in trying to convince Jenna to fly off and leave Blake behind. After being on the prison ship for so long, what's another hour? He should put on an act and say he's perfectly happy to wait for Blake - stay an extra half-hour just to be sure - and then feign regret at having to leave without him. He needs Jenna to fly the Liberator and he should try to avoid pushing her to oppose him, keep her on side with him as long as necessary.
Why doesn't he do that? Why is he in such a hurry to leave the moment Blake's time runs out, or earlier? Avon may not agree with Blake's aims, but however unwillingly he believes in Blake and has full faith that he'll be back when he said he would.
Down on the planet, a big fight scene. I wonder if this is the one mentioned in the commentary on the last episode in which Gareth broke his ankle and jumped up again for another take. That dive over the spears made me go all yay. From the way Vila's bit was done, it appears this is the first time he's ever stabbed someone in the back. Congratulations, Blake - Vila had never hurt a fly or stolen from anyone who couldn't afford it, and you've turned him into a killer.
I do wonder how Blake knew how to teleport people beyond maximum range so they'd explode, since he'd left before Jenna and Avon discussed the concept. He has worked on the matter transmission project before, I suppose. Incidentally, when they talked about the project when they discovered the bracelets, I persistently mis-remembered and misheard the scene: I thought Blake said "Small world," extending a point of commonality towards Avon, who rebuffed him with "Large project," but actually the lines are the other way around.
Anyway, they've got away safely, with a slightly expanded crew, and the final scene is a lovely summing-up of the future direction of the show: "They'll never give up"/"Nor will we" as Federation ships pursue them into the sunset.
The theme of this episode reminds me of that genre of stories in which the beautiful mustang/brumby stallion too proud and swift to be captured, driven by an irresistible instinct, makes daring raids into civilised areas in order to recruit more mares for his wild herd. Blake certainly has a strong drive to find more crewmembers and bring them away with him, and those who have been made too slow and timid by domestication fall by the wayside as he leaps fences back to the wild. He'll need to add more to his herd if we're to get up to 7 on the crew.
It's my guess that this sets the pattern for multiple future episodes: arrive at a planet that looks very like a disused quarry, teleport in for an adventure, fly away again. Imagine if they landed on a planet that looked like a desert in Southern California, or if Captain Kirk or the Robinsons found a quarry planet - "We've slipped into the wrong universe!"
This episode gets off to a bit of a slow start, but I like the teleport bracelets as a concept. Zen is a bit of a worry, withholding information that could be life and death - the ship doesn't quite seem a safe refuge for our team. Blake proves what he's made of by casually using the possibly-fatal device without apparent concern; when he returns safely Jenna runs to hug him and this is a hug that has my wholehearted support. I like the characters involved and find them both huggable. \o/
Gan would have been my last guess for first crewmember to get kissed by the guest star of the week. I don't know who would have been my first guess. Sorry, Gan, for stereotyping you in such a way. I gather that fandom at large fails to treat Gan as a hero or focus on him for fic.
My partner, watching with me, saw the priest Vargas enter the scene: "Is that Brian Blessed?!"
"Can't be," I said with wholly unwarranted certainty, "Brian Blessed is louder than that." I don't actually know what Brian Blessed looks like, just a general impression of immense size and an immense beard. But then HE GOT LOUDER and I had to admit my mistake. Blake sits tied to a chair with his ears flattened down on his head while Vargas roars at him in a superb power-drunk display.
Jenna's not scared of much. In her place I would be afraid of staying on the ship alone with Avon, not because he might be violent or because he's unpredictable, but because he would predictably do something that suited nobody's interests but his own. I would want to make sure I have enough people on my side to outvote Avon and keep his scheming under control. Bringing up the idea of murder to him in this situation doesn't seem wise. Notice how easily she can distract him with the opportunity for a wardrobe change, though - Avon tries not to sound interested but he's out of his chair pretty quickly!
I think he's going about his campaign all wrong in trying to convince Jenna to fly off and leave Blake behind. After being on the prison ship for so long, what's another hour? He should put on an act and say he's perfectly happy to wait for Blake - stay an extra half-hour just to be sure - and then feign regret at having to leave without him. He needs Jenna to fly the Liberator and he should try to avoid pushing her to oppose him, keep her on side with him as long as necessary.
Why doesn't he do that? Why is he in such a hurry to leave the moment Blake's time runs out, or earlier? Avon may not agree with Blake's aims, but however unwillingly he believes in Blake and has full faith that he'll be back when he said he would.
Down on the planet, a big fight scene. I wonder if this is the one mentioned in the commentary on the last episode in which Gareth broke his ankle and jumped up again for another take. That dive over the spears made me go all yay. From the way Vila's bit was done, it appears this is the first time he's ever stabbed someone in the back. Congratulations, Blake - Vila had never hurt a fly or stolen from anyone who couldn't afford it, and you've turned him into a killer.
I do wonder how Blake knew how to teleport people beyond maximum range so they'd explode, since he'd left before Jenna and Avon discussed the concept. He has worked on the matter transmission project before, I suppose. Incidentally, when they talked about the project when they discovered the bracelets, I persistently mis-remembered and misheard the scene: I thought Blake said "Small world," extending a point of commonality towards Avon, who rebuffed him with "Large project," but actually the lines are the other way around.
Anyway, they've got away safely, with a slightly expanded crew, and the final scene is a lovely summing-up of the future direction of the show: "They'll never give up"/"Nor will we" as Federation ships pursue them into the sunset.
The theme of this episode reminds me of that genre of stories in which the beautiful mustang/brumby stallion too proud and swift to be captured, driven by an irresistible instinct, makes daring raids into civilised areas in order to recruit more mares for his wild herd. Blake certainly has a strong drive to find more crewmembers and bring them away with him, and those who have been made too slow and timid by domestication fall by the wayside as he leaps fences back to the wild. He'll need to add more to his herd if we're to get up to 7 on the crew.