B08: Hostage: A Trap, A Traitor, and a Very Tired Vila

Garry: 00:00:17

Hello there and welcome to Federation Strike, A journey through Blake's 7. My name's Garry.

Adam: 00:00:22

My name's Adam.

Garry: 00:00:23

And welcome to episode eight.

Garry: 00:00:40

Thank you for the nudge there, bud. Episode eight.

Adam: 00:00:44

Eight. It's funny that you had that little memory lapse there because I had the same thing last night when I was putting the episode on, because we.

We've actually taken a week off between recording a little week's break listener. And so I was a bit like, now which. What episode are we on? I sort of lost track in that week, so. Seems I wasn't the only one.

Garry: 00:01:03

Same day. Yeah, I was. I've been editing, recording some of the episodes to get them queued up to go out over the next few weeks.

So I think my mind was just stuck in, I don't know, episode five or six or something.

Adam: 00:01:15

Yeah, well, I remember writing it down. I was like thinking, are we seven or eight? I thought, wow, we're actually already on episode eight. That's gone quick, is what I remember thinking.

Garry: 00:01:23

It has, yeah. What we on total for this season? This series? So it's 13. Yeah, we're well over halfway.

Adam: 00:01:30

Yeah, exactly.

Garry: 00:01:32

Oh, man.

Adam: 00:01:33

I know. But don't worry, that season three Blu Ray is somewhere just around the corner.

We don't know when it's coming out, but we know it's coming, so don't panic when we get to the end of this. Season three. Should be following fairly soon, I think, with any luck.

Garry: 00:01:50

Yeah, not too long. Yep. Alrighty. Thank you very much, dear listener, for tuning in to another episode of Federation Strike.

It's great to have you here as always, as we trek through all of Blake's 7 from the beginning. We're in our second season of the podcast now, which aligns very nicely with the second series of. Of the show of Blake's 7.

And I hope you checked out last week's episode, which was killer. Episode seven, which we were. Did we like it any more than the episode trial, I can't remember. I think we did. I think we. Or did we?

Adam: 00:02:28

I think it's fairly level pegging, wasn't it? I think we both thought it was good, but it just wasn't up there as a. As an absolute belter. But it was a good one.

Garry: 00:02:36

Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Wasn't too bad, that one. That was the. The alien virus, of course.

Adam: 00:02:43

That's it.

Garry: 00:02:43

That run amok. Fast forward to now. This one kind of picks up where that one left off, which we'll get onto it in a second.

But yeah, over the last week we've had a nice Break as you've gone off and done some. Some travel and whatnot. So you had a good week, dude? Been up to much?

Adam: 00:03:01

Yeah, it's been good, yeah. Just, just. Yeah, it's just been a good week, really.

Just to catch up on a few, you know, a few things, a bit of life, but nothing too exciting, to be honest. How about yourself? I know you're in Cardiff. You have time up in Cardiff?

Garry: 00:03:16

I did, thank you.

Adam: 00:03:17

Yeah.

Garry: 00:03:17

Here in the uk, over. Over in my. My. My motherland, as it were.

Adam: 00:03:24

Doctor who locations. Did you.

Garry: 00:03:26

Not on this trip, no. I've already done all of that stuff, to be honest with you, for the old Doctor who stuff. It's obviously gutted that the.

I know this is a Blake's 7 show, but gutted that the Doctor who experience is no longer in Cardiff. That left us a few moons ago now, which is. Which is rubbish, to be honest with you.

But yeah, I've done the whole Doctor who stuff around Cardiff itself and the bay area and a couple of little towns and stuff just outside Cardiff. The one, the obvious one, anyone that's a Doctor who fan that's.

That's been to Cardiff or is going to Cardiff is the Queen's Arcade shopping centre, which is the.

ening episode of rose back in: 2005

Adam: 00:04:23

Of course. Yeah. They put the red, red bus, didn't they, on the burning on the front of it, which is very much like London. Yeah.

Garry: 00:04:31

Yes, yeah. But always, always loved being back in. Back in Wales and all that stuff.

So it was really nice and it was just very nice, as you said, just to catch up on a little bit of life stuff and kick back a little bit. But we are back to. Back to crack on with some Blake.

Adam: 00:04:50

Well, that's what I was thinking. It's nice to have a break because we've been recording these sort of every week and sometimes two episodes a week.

And I was thinking it is good to just. Now we're sort of past the halfway point just to sort of put the brakes on a little. Just take a minute to let the desk settle, dust settle.

So I'm not drunk, honestly. Haven't had too many so soma and whatever it is that Villa always has. But yeah, let, you know, let the death settle and.

Yeah, just see how we're feeling. I mean, how are you at this point in series two? Would you say you're enjoying it as much as series one? Less than series one. More than series one.

Where. How are you feeling so far? Now we're past the halfway point.

Garry: 00:05:33

Hmm, good question. I think, and this is a strong think, I think I am enjoying it a little bit more than series A. Right.

Adam: 00:05:44

Cool.

Garry: 00:05:45

I think so, yeah. Not to take anything away from series, Series A, it's, it was, it was fantastic for the most part. Yeah.

I just think that the, the, the overall, the performances have just up a couple of notches.

Adam: 00:06:01

Yeah, I think it's kicked in another gear, isn't it? That's what I feel like. And actually, not to. No spoilers here, but I think one of the best episodes is yet to come.

There's one episode I've told Garry, I haven't told him which one it is, but I've told him he wants to get himself a nice cup of tea or a beer, whatever his drink of choice is put, lock himself away in his little man cave and just enjoy every minute of it. I think listeners will know which one I'm talking about.

There's also one coming up which I, I don't remember being very good because I did say that I think nearly all the episodes have something of merit in them.

There is one coming up which I haven't watched for a very long time and just looking at the title of, I was thinking, yeah, I don't remember that one being very good. So what have we got left? Five episodes. My maths is great, isn't it? 13 Minus 8, 5 episodes left. I think we've got some good stuff come in.

I think we've got one absolute belter at least and the rest are good. But there is one in there which I think is a bit of a clunker, but we'll see. It might be one that you enjoy.

I think it's certainly going to be one that will have you laughing even if you don't enjoy it.

So, yeah, I'm glad you're enjoying it so far and I think perhaps, and I don't want to big it up too much, but I think perhaps the best episode is yet to come. So I do, I do think we've got a clanger in there though, which is going to ruin a run of great stories. But we'll see, mate, we'll see what happens.

Yeah. Right, five episodes to go. So let's see how we feel at the end of it. Be nice to do a wrap up of this series. Two Series B, just to see. Yeah.

What you feel by the end of it, because it's definitely got its own feel to. It still feels like a great continuation, but it definitely feels like it's gone in its own direction as well, doesn't it?

Garry: 00:07:53

Yes. Agreed.

All right, before we crack on with our review of this week, then, those of you that have just joined us, very big welcome to Federation Strike. We hope you stick around.

Check out the back catalog the previous episodes leading up to this one and stick with us as we get through the remaining five episodes as Adam works out in his head. And best way to do that is to give us a like or a follow or a subscribe whatever the button says in your preferred podcast app of choice.

That way you get a notification when the new episodes drop. And when we finish this episode.

We've also, like we did with series A, we'll have a couple of special bonus episodes as well, where we speak to some people involved either directly in the show or involved with sorting the Blu Rays out, that kind of thing. So we'd love you to. To check those out as well. So you can do that in your whatever podcast app you get your podcasts on.

We're also on the socials if you want to come and chat Blake7 with us. Just do a search for Lake7 podcast. We're mainly on X and BlueSky.

And thank you very much to those of you that do follow us and have provided some really cool Blake's 7 chats and. And have listened to the podcast as well. And we've had some convos over there, so thank you very much.

Okay, Bird, what we doing this week in series B?

Adam: 00:09:16

Series B, yes. So we're up to episode eight, as we've established, and it's called Hostage.

Trailer: 00:09:23

You're going to help me, Villa. How do these things work? I've no idea. One of the others always does it for me. I'm not very good with technical things. Don't play the idiot with me.

You're gonna kill us anyway, so why don't you get on with it? What are you doing now? You see, Moloch has a bracelet on. All you have to do is talk. Demonstrate. Tell us the word.

Trailer: 00:09:50

I'm saying nothing.

Trailer: 00:09:58

The word. Tell us the word. I'm sorry, we didn't hear the word, did we, Moloch?

Trailer: 00:10:05

I'm not helping you. Never.

Trailer: 00:10:08

Now, for the last time, tell us the word. The word. The word. Switch. The bracelet on. The word. The word. The word.

Trailer: 00:10:19

Teleport. I told you. Teleport.

Garry: 00:10:23

February: 1979

It was written by Alan Pryor, directed by Vera Lorimer and overseen by Chris Boucher as script editor. And the good old synopsis for this one from the VHS release is as follows.

As the council screams for Blake's head, the Federation is renewing its attack with a vengeance. It seems the Liberator is under fire from all sides. Then a message comes through from fellow fugitive Travis offering the hand of friendship.

Mm, fairly accurate synopsis, that one. Sometimes those old VHS ones are a little bit ambiguous.

Adam: 00:11:17

Yeah, that's true. That, that one pretty much nails it.

Garry: 00:11:20

Pretty much. Yeah. So this one is. Yeah, that's pretty. Yeah, that's pretty much nailed. The, the, the theme or themes of the story.

You've got Travis who is on the run after the, the balls up a few episodes ago and then server land trying to get him executed through the official channels, which that didn't really go well. He escaped in the end. Blake is obviously still on the run and Travis is seemingly offering Blake an olive branch.

And we all know it's a trap, you know, of course, of course Avon is the first to protest and yeah, and there's some, some funny stuff there which we'll get onto. Blake does go through with it, not because he wants to test out Travis's theory of is he being real or authentic with this?

He's just more concerned about rescuing his cousin Inga, who's been taken hostage by Travis on the planet's X bar.

Adam: 00:12:25

X Bar.

Garry: 00:12:26

So he's more concerned with that rather than what Travis has got to say. And we end up with this cool little sort of cat and mouse for a little while.

Some, some great action from the offset on this one, some good space battles, etc. And, and, and Serval and shows up at the worst time for, for Travis after it's all gone down. He's got a bit of a sour, sour taste in his mouth. So.

Yeah. So off the bat, bud, what's your, your thoughts on Hostage after you've given this one a re. Re. Re. Re. Watch.

Adam: 00:13:00

Yeah, it is, it is an episode I've watched quite a few times actually. I mean, first of all, hats off to Alan Pryor for an absolutely razor sharp script.

This is just full of great dialogue pretty much from start to finish. And yeah, watching this again last night for whatever the hundredth time, whatever it is, it's still a really entertaining episode.

I mean it has its faults. You know, there are a few bits, you know, watching it last night that don't quite work. The ending, for example, feels a little rushed.

I feel like there was maybe some production issues there because the location stuff seems to go from night and day in the same in between shots and it feels a little rushed at the end, for sure. But overall, mate, I thought this was a thoroughly entertaining episode.

I was really enjoying this again last night and it's maybe a little while since I last watched it, but yeah, I just thought it was brilliant and obviously I.

Every time I put it on, I'm waiting for a certain scene which is the bit where Travis gets poor old Villa in the chair and says to come on the word, the word, the word. And I just. I mean, it's just an iconic moment and I just say. But that's one great scene of many, I feel in this episode.

I just think this is a good one. My only real criticism for it is I do feel like the ending is a little rushed.

It just feels like they had to quickly wrap it up and something about the last five minutes just doesn't quite work for me. I mean, there is. We'll talk about it, but there's that strange bit with Blake and his cousin and Jenna getting jealous, which. What?

But yeah, I'm jumping ahead a bit, mate. All I'll say is I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I think it's a really fun episode.

Garry: 00:14:53

I'm glad you've said that. I think we're going to be quite aligned on this one again.

Adam: 00:14:57

I was hoping you enjoyed it.

Garry: 00:14:59

Yeah, I thought this was a thumping good. Watch this one.

Adam: 00:15:02

Oh, great, great.

Garry: 00:15:03

Yeah, really, really enjoyed this one. It's. It had that really good mix of. And you, you just to reiterate what you said with the script from, from Alan Pryor. Really, really good.

Quite a sharp script, this one and just love the sort of mix of things going on where we've got some. Some good action stuff with the, with the Liberator being pursued by the Federation ships throughout the first or ten minutes or so.

And that was quite suspenseful because it was the first time that for me as a new viewer, thinking, wow, are they actually going to take the Liberator out here? Is it going to be. Not destroy it completely? Because I've seen obviously the, the series B trailer when that came out for the Blu Ray, so.

And some other bits. So I know that Liberator was around for a lot longer, of course, but yeah, for a new viewer, it was kind of, wow, they they're really gonna.

Are they at least gonna take it out of commission? Are they just gonna be drifting through space and, you know, desperate to get it repaired? But. So that was really cool.

And then you've got the whole, you know, what's Travis up to? Is he. Is he up to no good? We think he probably is, but you never know. This is Blake's 7, after all. And so you never really know what's.

What's going to go on. And the. The guilt from Avon is a first, I think, that we've seen.

Adam: 00:16:31

Yeah.

Garry: 00:16:32

Callie picks up on his. On a certain action that he does, which is, unbeknown, not known to us as the viewer watching. It comes out later on that he did a thing and he's.

He's either regretful or whatever. Haven't seen that.

We obviously get the usual stuff between him and Blake, you know, the usual Avon protests and, you know, this is a completely unnecessary risk again from Blake. And Blake tries to kind of call everything by saying, essentially, look, yes, it's a risk, but I'm not asking any of you to come with me.

So I. I'm not putting your life directly in. In harm's way. I'm going myself.

Which kind of works a little bit, but we knew that they would, you know, at least one of them would follow him and so on. Then we get the.

As the episode's namesake, we get the hostage situation, which initially is just with Blake's cousin Inga being held hostage, but that then extends to Blake Villa and Avon being held hostage as well, and the deception by his Uncle Ashton, you know. Yeah. And then server lands in the mix as well. She's gets, Gets. Gets the lowdown on what's going on.

So she turns up towards the end and so, yeah, mate, it was just an episode of it. When I describe it like that, especially to.

If you're listening to this and for whatever reason you've not watched Blake's 7, but you're just listening to it anyway, it sounds like a really busy, complex episode, how I've just gone through the basics there, but it's not. It doesn't feel that way at all. You know, it cuts between things quite nicely. It's paced really well and it's very easy to follow.

Like I said, it sounds complex of all these things going on, but, yeah, really good one, this dude.

Adam: 00:18:28

Yeah, and you're right, there's so much going on in it, but in a good way. Like, all the little threads that we have in this, this episode are brilliant. The way they all come Together.

And I started by saying, hats off to Alan Pryor for a razor sharp script.

And the reason I did that, mate, is because when I talk about Blake's 7 and writers and production and anything to do with that side of it, the names that often get thrown out there, you know, Terry Nation, obviously Chris Boucher gets brought up a lot because he, you know, he was very pivotal with his work on the show and all that sort of stuff. And I don't often hear the name Alan Pryor come up.

And it might just be me, I mean, but I just think we've had a couple of episodes by him now, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I think we've enjoyed all of them so far. And we.

Garry: 00:19:12

And I think believe so. Yeah.

Adam: 00:19:15

And the thing watching this is I felt like, and I don't know if he had. How much help he had on the script by Chris Boucher, I don't know. But let's say, you know, for the bulk of it was him.

One thing that struck me was that Anna Pryor is really getting the characters. He knows exactly how to write each one. The dialogue for each character in it is brilliant. And he manages almost to give them something to do.

I know that once again, Jenna and Callie are resigned to the Liberator.

And I kept thinking, even though I've seen this a lot, I kept thinking, I really wish they'd gone down and actually been the ones to sort of save the day. I think that would have, you know, giving them just that little bit of something to do. So that's a little frustrating.

But even though they're stuck on the Liberator, they still get some great dialogue, some really nice scenes with the other cast and that as well. But. But he gives the other characters great stuff to do. I mean, the way he writes Villa is and the way that Michael Keaton plays it, just.

Just brilliant. You know, when he. When he beams down and he doesn't want to go because it's cold and. And he says to Avon, oh, is that all I've got to do?

You know, knock out Blake's old uncle? Okay. You know, the dialogue is brilliant.

And as I said, I just felt like he's writing everyone so well in terms of the characters that we have in this show. So, yeah, I just wanted to say hats off to Anna Pryor, because it's not. It's not a name I bring up very often.

You know, it's not one that springs to mind straight away when you say great Blake seven episodes. And he maybe writes some Clangers in the future. I don't know, but so far I think he's doing a pretty good job.

And this one, mate, it kicks off straight away with the action, doesn't it? Like we. I think Avon says something like, quiet, isn't it? Or Villa says it, and then it's like boom, boom, and loads of stuff going on.

And yeah, it really kicks in straight away, this episode, and pretty much maintains that brilliant pace all the way through, especially with everything going on in it. So. Yeah, so hats off to Alan Pryor for this one.

Garry: 00:21:16

Yeah, absolutely, mate. Yeah. And it does kick off with. With some, some good action. I thought that was going to be the. The guy who's.

Who's taking control of sort of the strategy on the attack, if you like, from the Federation ships. I thought he was going to be the main antagonist for the episode. It's like a replacement. Yeah.

Because he seems like he's got sort of, you know, a good sort of strategic military mind about him and. But obviously Serverland's not having any of it. Oh, yeah, the Liberator escapes and she tells him to arrest himself.

And you know that, that guy, the actor, the actor playing that was Andrew Robertson, really weirdly just credited as Space Commander.

Adam: 00:22:02

Yeah.

Garry: 00:22:03

Doesn't have a. Doesn't have a name, unfortunately. He's committed himself solely to the Federation, given up his name. It's just space gone.

But, yeah, but I. I honestly thought he was going to be the main dude in kind of in lieu of Serverland, in a way. Yeah, yeah, he was a great character, but he's only in it for four minutes or something. Five minutes.

Adam: 00:22:27

That's right. I mean, as I said, obviously I know what's coming in this episode, so I knew kind of where he wasn't in it much.

But it does, even now, watching it again, make me think it's a good character that I've introduced there. And yeah, he gets dismissed pretty quickly for old Space Commander, but it's a. It's a great way to start the episode. I think it's slightly let down.

I mean, I mean, this is a.

nts it would have had back in: 1979

We, with the model shots are great with, you know, with them firing at the Liberator and explosions coming off of it. It's all going on, and then suddenly the Liberator just sort of somehow manages to veer off and Avon just explains it away that they've.

They couldn't course correct or something.

And I think on paper that that works, but unfortunately it didn't quite translate to screen because it does seem like with all this action going on, they suddenly just get away. It does. You know, as I said, it's one of those. One of those things.

But I gotta tell you, mate, we often speak about the new fx, and while I was watching this, as a purist with the original effects, I was thinking the whole way through that first 10 minutes, I'm gonna have to watch the new effects to see what they've done with this. And I'll tell you what, I'm gonna ask you if you've watched them in just a second.

But I'll tell you what, mate, they've done a fantastic job with the new effects.

I think they did well back in: 1979

I always like the old effects.

There's a charm to them, you know, I'm a bit of a purist, I guess, so I'm not always the biggest fan when they've done it on Doctor who, for example, on those ones, and always the biggest fan of the new effects. But on this one, mate, it really did work for me.

And I'm just curious if you watch both or with the new effects or just the old effects, how did you watch it?

Garry: 00:24:39

Yeah, so I did my typical first watch purist mode. And then what I often do, I've done it. I've done it a couple of times where I've watched them.

Well, I've watched the purest mode first, gone back, and then started watching it with the newer effects. And I've watched that from start to finish, but I've only done that a couple of times.

What I typically do is watch purest mode, then go back in with the new effects enabled, but then just go to the scenes where. Because with this kind of show, you know exactly where those new stuff is going to come in. So you can sort of skip to those scenes where, you know.

So if it's like a space scene or a space battle or like teleportation stuff or, you know, newer, newer sort of battle stations and stuff like that. So yeah, that opening sort of eight, nine minutes of the, of that Liberator versus the Federation ships. The new stuff, just very, very cool.

Adam: 00:25:40

Yeah, I did the same actually. I watched just the first 10 minutes again just to see what they've done. And then I was thinking after that it's probably not too much.

They've, they've changed. So I did sort of just fast forward to check out the other shots.

But yeah, I gotta tell you, I really enjoyed, really enjoyed what they've done and I, I'm just surprised to hear myself saying that because I'm just not, you know, I appreciate the TV for how it was at the time. I appreciate what they had to work with. So I'm not really a fan when they try and modern.

Modernize stuff, you know, bit I'll use the, the classic, mate, the old George Lucas, you know, those effects on the Star wars that he threw in for the special editions look way more dated than anything he did back in the. So in my opinion. So I'm not always the biggest fan of these, but I will, you know, I will acknowledge when I think that they've done a good job.

And I just thought, yeah, this really, it's an exciting start to an episode and this is actually enhanced it, which I think if you're going to do new effects, that's. That should be the goal. And for me personally anyway, it definitely worked. So hats off to Chris Thompson, isn't it, that does the special.

Garry: 00:26:43

Chris Thompson, he's one of the guys. Yeah.

Adam: 00:26:45

Yep. And his team, next time you have a chat with them. I know you interviewed him for the last series that we did on, on Blake's 7.

So if you have another chat with him, mate, tell him hats off. They did a great job on this one.

Garry: 00:26:58

We. Spoiler. I will be having another chat.

Adam: 00:27:00

Aha.

Garry: 00:27:01

With Mr. Thompson. So yes, I will.

Adam: 00:27:03

Right.

Garry: 00:27:04

I'll get his dive into his clever mind and all that stuff. But yeah, those effects were really good. Really, really good.

Adam: 00:27:12

Yeah.

Garry: 00:27:13

And yeah, he kicks off with all that action and so on and then in a, in a surprising ish kind of way, the episode is. Is quietened down really quickly.

So we have that opening stuff going on and then it's really down to the, the conversations between Blake and Avon and you know, Jenny Kelly, Jenna, Callie and. And Villa about this Travis thing. So it's almost like that, that opening scene with Space Commander and the attack on the Federation and so on.

It's almost like that's its own little mini episode within an episode. Because nothing comes back to bite Blake about that stuff anymore.

They managed to elude those ships and then they just let the Liberator sort of go back into self healing mode, I guess, you know, recharge the power banks and, and do all that stuff. The only thing that really, this was quite comical.

The only thing that needed repairing really, and this was not really related to the damage it sustained was. Was the, the, the. The sensors that Villa nagged Avon about. Shouldn't you be, shouldn't you be fixing those, those sensors?

You know, everyone's like, well, yeah, when I, when we find, when we get somewhere I can find the parts, then. Yeah, yeah. And then Callie jumps on, well, shouldn't that be a priority based on what we've just been through 30 seconds ago?

So you think, oh, okay, it's all gonna, it's all gonna get a bit weird again with this lot. And then boom, before you know it, the, the. The communication comes through from Travis and then you're off on a completely different track.

Adam: 00:29:00

Yeah.

Garry: 00:29:01

So it's wonderful. It's really, really cool what Alan Pryor did there with this whole sort of mini episode. That's the way I viewed it. Anyway.

It was a really cool little setup to get the viewer kind of pumped up a little bit into the story and. And then you're into the, the whole Travis thing.

So with that whole Travis stuff, that was a really cool, really cool how that transpired because throughout most of the episode, it looks like Travis has got the upper hand all the time.

Adam: 00:29:35

Yeah.

Garry: 00:29:36

There was only, I think there was only a couple of moments where he lost his rag a little bit because he wasn't getting his own way. There was a bit where, where Inga had run off and one of the old. This was also funny to me that they.

And I don't know if this was an Alan Pryor thing or a Chris Boucher thing. I'm not sure. But they couldn't call the criminals criminals. They were crimos.

Adam: 00:30:04

Cremos. Yeah.

Garry: 00:30:06

Which is funny. So one of the criminals goes to Blake. Oh, she's escaped. And he yells at him, get out there. Get after her. Like proper screams. And then.

And then there's another bit where a bit later on where when they escape, obviously, and then he goes after them and there's a bit of a shootout out in the quarry and stuff like that. But other than those moments, he's quite. He comes across like he's really in control. And you asked me Last week.

I think it was last week or the week before you asked me how was I feeling about Chris Bow. Brian Croucher in, you know, as the new Travis, as we. We're getting through season two, series B. Sorry.

And I am really warming to his performances because I think I answered you with I think he's great and he is really good.

But I, I was still leaning a little bit towards preferring Stephen Greif as Travis from series A. Yeah, I have to say, mate, Brian Croucher, he's, he is growing on me really quickly. I'm really starting to like his, his, his performance. And in this one he was really good.

Adam: 00:31:15

I, I am pleased to hear that. Actually. I got a big grin on my face because I'm definitely appreciating Brian Croucher as Travis a lot more. The more I watch his episodes.

I think I've always had a bit of a leaning towards Steven Greif, but I think Brian Croucher is fantastic in this episode, mate. He's got real screen presence. He, he is a bit more shouty. I think we just have to accept that this Travis.

But I think that's because when Brian Croucher got the scripts, he, he didn't go back and watch Stephen Griffin. He said he just took what was on the page.

You know, the description was something like, you know, a space commander and almost like a military type person. I don't know. But he took what was on the page and that's what he's doing. And I can, I can see that in this episode.

I can see exactly what he's, he's doing with the character. And I just think, Yeah, I think the way.

I don't mind it when he's a bit shouty, like when he does the whole, the word thing thing, it's, it's powerful. It's a great moment and it's the, it's the exact moment I think of when I think of this episode, you know, so, yeah, I got a hat again.

I'm using that expression, hats off. But great work from, from Brian Croucher. I think he's superb in this episode. I talked about the ending being a little rushed.

I think the bit where Ashton knocks him out and pushes, pushes him down the cliff. I'm not sure that Ashton, I mean, he's quite a strong guy, Travis. I wouldn't mess with him.

You know, again, it's, it's little things like that which I just completely overlooked because the rest of it is so good. You know, it doesn't bother me at all. But if you Wanted to nitpick. You could perhaps pull that out as a moment that could have worked better.

But he is scary is what I'm getting at. I mean, I wouldn't mess with Travis, mate, honestly, especially this one.

I think Brian Crouch's Travis is just that little bit more unhinged, you know, you feel like he's always on the edge, you know, A bit. A bit like a caged animal, I find it. And yeah, I think it's just brilliant in this one.

Garry: 00:33:11

Yes. Yeah, I completely agree. Is.

It's one of those episodes where he's not having to share that there's no power struggle between him and Server land to contend with. So he. You really get the feeling that he's. He's kind of running his own thing now. He's not shackled by the. All the processes and the.

And the bureaucracy and all that stuff that comes with being part of the Federation. He doesn't have to worry about all that stuff now. So he's just running things as he sees fit.

So he's got his own little band of crimos and he's like an outlaw. He's like, you know, he's just doing his thing. And that's the thing that he stupidly thinks that Blake would buy into, isn't it?

That first message is now that we're both on the run from the Federation, at some point we're both going to be rounded up. So, you know, instead of lasting a little while separately, why don't we team up and join forces and we'll last. We'll last a lot longer. So the.

Of course, Blake and everyone in that, no one buys it. And. And I don't know about you, the. You probably don't remember, mate, the very first time you watched this, but me as a.

As a new viewer, I already know that. That. That was BS from Travis.

Adam: 00:34:34

Oh, yeah.

Garry: 00:34:35

You know, that wasn't gonna fly, so. So, yeah, it was. That was the thing. And then, yeah, he's got his little outpost and his little oxygen supply and he's just doing his thing.

He's got his hostage and so, yeah, so it's really cool to see Brian Croucher just grab hold of all those things.

Adam: 00:34:55

Yeah, yeah, Sorry, man. I was gonna say, I think making him this fugitive as well now gives him an extra sort of edge.

Gives it an extra layer of like he's, you know, he's sort of.

There's a danger towards Gravis that Travis he didn't have before, you know, so he's a little bit More unpredictable in that sense because he hasn't got anyone giving him orders. Like you said, he sees his own person.

Although that bit at the end, you almost feel sorry for him when he's staring up at the Liberator thinking, oh, I nearly did it. He almost looks like a child that's had a toy taken away from him, doesn't he? He's, like, staring up at it going, oh, I almost had you, Blake.

Which actually, now I think about it, that had. We've had that scene before, haven't we, with Steven Greif, when.

At the end of All Wreck, Remember when he was staring up and Sir Valand was like, oh, you blew it. I love that scene between Travis and Servolone at the end where she says, poor Travis, officially.

Garry: 00:35:49

Yeah, sorry, I was just gonna say, yeah, poor Travis. He's.

Adam: 00:35:54

Oh, yeah, poor Travis. Yeah.

Garry: 00:35:56

He always comes so close. That's the thing.

Adam: 00:36:00

Yeah.

Garry: 00:36:00

And even when he thought he took out Blake, remember back when he took out the clone, he was happy as Larry when Ian.

Adam: 00:36:09

But I love the fact Serverland's now, like, she's supporting him, but behind the scenes, again, it's given a bit of a twist on the whole story. It's added another layer to it, which, again, I just love, you know, it's not.

Instead of being, you know, the Federation working together, Servland, Travis, he's now this fugitive working undercover almost for Serverland. And if he gets it all wrong, there's no comeback on her because, you know, she knows nothing about it, apparently.

So it's just, again, a great piece of writing, I think it is.

Garry: 00:36:38

Yeah. I'm glad you brought that up because that was a. That was a great way to. To bring Serverland back into the.

The main series arc without them to defaulting back into just, you know, supreme. Supreme Leader and Commander. So now she's got this thing where he's. He's basically beholden to. To Serverland now. Right.

Because she's saying, look, because you can tell in her face as well, she's got this kind of very satisfied, like, yep, I've captured you again. You know, I've got. I've got you again. But now she really has got him because it's obvious that she could have.

She could have had it executed there and then.

Adam: 00:37:20

Yeah.

Garry: 00:37:21

You know, or taken him back to the Federation, lobbed him back in jail, you know, and then executed him publicly that way. So he knows that. We all know that. But she's giving him this kind of. She's dangling the carrot a Little bit. She's saying, look, officially. Yep.

You're on the run still, and we're supposed to be enemies. Because he's like, does that mean. I think he asks her outright, you know, you and I still enemies.

Adam: 00:37:47

Yeah.

Garry: 00:37:47

And she says, officially, yes, yes, but on the down low. Basically, you work for me now, unofficially. And I think the reward is. Sorry, dude.

Adam: 00:38:01

Does she say so? Like, no, there's no one as free as a dead man. Or something like that. Again, a great line.

Garry: 00:38:07

Yeah, yeah. She's basically like, you know, you. You succeed in whatever I give you and I'll declare you officially dead.

Adam: 00:38:15

Yeah.

Garry: 00:38:15

And that's. Yeah, there's no one freer than a dead man. What a line.

Adam: 00:38:19

Again, a great line. That. That sounds to me like a Chris Boucher line. But I don't know.

I mean, I'm not going to take anything away from an empire because I have no idea, you know, who contributed what to this script. But that. That is a great line.

And actually server line, mate, while we're talking about her, once again, what amazing screen presence from Jacqueline Pierce.

I mean, you've got that scene with her and Counselor Joe Batten where she's there, you know, they're sort of smiling and gritting their teeth, but obviously they're both seething beneath the service at each other, aren't they? And then you've got the scene where she's in the spaceship with the two mutoids and she gets a message.

And that always makes me laugh, that scene, because she's like, to whom is it directed? To you. And I say, ignore it. It's just she. She is just brilliant at doing the sort of.

I don't even know if you'd call it comedy, but just the way she performs and acts. Server Land is so likable, but evil and. And funny and just. Yeah, just so good. I just love her.

Garry: 00:39:18

She's great. Yeah, you've nailed it as well, with screen presence. Yeah, she steals it, doesn't she, for the majority of scenes that she's in.

Adam: 00:39:26

She's so powerful, though, isn't she? Like you would be. Again, you'd be terrified of her, wouldn't you?

Garry: 00:39:32

Absolutely, yeah. And that scene you mentioned as well, which is sort of about a third of the way through, where the. The crux of it is essentially the. Is it.

The Council, the Federation Council are getting impatient with the lack of, you know, Blake not being captured. He's still out there on the run, but now they're.

They're concerned that the stories about Blake is Starting to circulate across the populace and they're starting to talk about him and view him as a bit of sort of a hero, you know, because he's pushing back. Sorry to be, to be a corny here, but he's striking against the Federation and that's starting to make waves across.

So they've sent in, yeah, Joe Ban, played by Kevin Stoney. And that scene is brilliant, man. That, that to me screams the Alan Pryor stuff perfectly.

So he's got this real kind of like you said, sort of almost two gritted teeth. They're very smiley and, and very civil to each other.

But you can tell that underneath all that they just want to tell each other to F off and leave me alone and just get on with it. And you know, so. And it goes back to Jacqueline Pearson. That presence that she has, she just controls that so well.

So just nothing more than two actors. Just, you know, just two or three minute scene with those two exchanging lines.

But she controls the, the, the pacing of that and the timing and everything. She's so good in this.

Adam: 00:41:10

That's a good way of putting it, mate. Yes, she does.

And I mean that's, that's another thing, you know, you've got all that action and then you get this scene which completely slows things down and sometimes that's when people switch off or they get bored.

But no, this scene is pivotal and it's great because it's basically saying, you know, Blake's becoming a bit of a name, we really need to do something about this.

And it's adding that extra layer of danger and pressure to actually get Blake and take him out the picture because like you said, he's causing a lot of ripples, he's causing the Federation problems, which is exactly what he wanted. So it is a great scene, mate. And also they use little details to show you characterizations.

Like Sir Valon has a sneaky quick drink before he comes in and then says, oh no, I don't like to drink, I like to keep it clear. But do you want one?

And basically just showing that, you know, they're trying to present themselves as a certain way but actually underneath it they're both the same. She's drinking before he comes to the room and, and saying she doesn't. He has a drink but says, oh, I don't normally.

And you know, which is very much true to life, isn't it? So again, it's, it's a great scene and very well layered. And you're right, they're both great in it. But she absolutely.

You've got your eyes in her the whole time, haven't you? Just watching a performance.

Garry: 00:42:27

Yeah, yeah. And it's not one of those things where she has to wear like a, you know, an outlandish outfit or a crazy hat or anything like that.

It's just her pure performance coming out of the screen. Yeah, yeah.

Adam: 00:42:44

I think actually that's.

That's evident because like you said, they do put her in some sometimes more subdued outfits, but she does get some quite outrageous outfits over the course of the, you know, of the series. And I'm talking all four series or whatever. And I'm thinking like, you know, she always.

Her performance comes through, you know, you might sort of notice the outfit. But she's still really. You still take her seriously, no matter if she's in, you know, an outfit with a giant. What was it, a scorpion?

I can't remember what that thing is.

Garry: 00:43:14

Big lizard.

Adam: 00:43:15

Lizard thing, you know. Yeah, yeah.

Her performance always overcomes the outfit because I think we've got some good ones to come from what I'm remembering in terms of outfits in this. Just white. Just a plain white.

Garry: 00:43:29

Yeah, yeah. And just doing her thing. Yeah.

Let's jump to the other story thread then, which is the Travis having taken Inger hostage and Blake has decided at this point that he's going to go down. And he does go down in his fetching white suit, looking very different to the topless Blake we had in the mining scene recently.

He's had a few pork pies, I think, since he's filmed that episode.

Adam: 00:44:00

Oh, right. Yeah. Maybe it's a little too. Too tight.

Garry: 00:44:07

Yeah, I think. Yeah, he's had a few Guinness since then, a couple of pork pies, a few kebabs on a Friday night. But yeah, he's down on the Planet X bar.

He's on the trail. He's trying to find out what's going on. Bumps into his uncle. Yeah, his uncle Ashton.

Adam: 00:44:24

Ashton, yeah.

Garry: 00:44:25

Yeah. And great acting from. From the guy that plays Ashton. John Abenari. Abenary. Abenary. I think it's Abenary. I was fooled.

I was genuinely fooled in that first part.

Adam: 00:44:43

Yeah, okay.

Garry: 00:44:45

Yeah. Because I. I'm glad. Yeah, yeah. It wasn't until I saw him pick up the. I'm gonna use my sci fi voice now. The. The communicator.

I was gonna say walkie talkie, but that's a bit immature. Yeah. When he picks up the communicator and he lets Travis know that Blake's on his way up, then I was like, oh, no. Like, what are you doing, mate?

And then it transpires obviously later on that he felt like he was. He had to do those things because he was going to kill Inga if he didn't comply. So his hands were tied. And you kind of see that.

Even though Inga protests that and she said she would rather have died than him betray Blake and so on. You can see his. He sort of comes good in the end, doesn't he?

He realizes that Travis is going to kill them all anyway, and so he just goes on this absolutely ballistic mental. Like, he starts taking out all the crimos. He knocks Travis out, he goes mad.

So he comes good in the end, you know, he comes full circle and saves them. And. And Blake's, you know, Blake's pretty chill about the whole thing as well. He never gets riled up at him and can kind of see. Can kind of see his.

His circumstance and doesn't really go nuts at him. And in the end, they have a little handshake and. On your way, lad. All right, I'll see you later, Uncs, and. And all that. So. So that thread was.

Was really cool. That was quite suspenseful because you didn't know who else from.

From the crew was going to get taken down because we have this hilarious moment from Villa where Blake's like, sorry, Avon's already teleported down, because I'll come back to that reason in a moment. But Avon's down at the Planet, already needs assistance, so he beams.

He basically communicates back up and wants him to beam Villa down for assistance.

Villa gets captured almost straight away because he's fallen asleep, which links really nicely to the bit before, you know, when the Liberator's getting attacked and it sort of shakes them all up and it's like, oh, Callie, I need one of those relaxants, babe. You've got a. You've got to hit me up here. And she's like, no. She's like, yeah. Villa's just like.

And then because he's so knackered from that attack, he beams down and Avon's like, look, watch out. What's going on? You're basically, look out. But also importantly, call back to the Liberator every 10 minutes. They'll know that you're all good.

Literally cuts back just a couple of minutes of Avon tracking Blake fallen asleep.

Adam: 00:47:50

Typical Villa.

Garry: 00:47:52

It's just so perfectly Villa, isn't it? It's like, of any of the characters that are going to have a nap while supposed to be on lookout, it would 100% be. Villa wouldn't.

Adam: 00:48:03

Would, mate.

And this is the thing I was thinking, like, it would have made much more sense for Avon to ask Jenna to come down because she would have been perfect at keeping an eye on Ashton and she probably wouldn't have had qualms about knocking him out. But now he gets Villa, which doesn't really make sense.

But in terms of being comedic and fun, it definitely, you know, I can forgive it in terms of, you know, not making sense, if you like, because it is just so funny to see Villa going down. But because I love. I just love scenes with Villa and Avon together. They are so good. So it is. It's just funny, isn't it?

You just know that Villa's gonna mess it up within two minutes and he does.

Garry: 00:48:40

Yeah. There's a couple of times I was cracking up at these scenes with Villa. And the first one was when Ashton pulls a knife on him and Villa's.

He tries to. He tries to fob him off to begin with. He's like, are you the only one that's here? He's like, yeah, yeah. I swear, normally people that go straight.

Straight in with. I swear it's because they got something to hide or they're not telling me the truth.

Adam: 00:49:06

Yeah.

Garry: 00:49:07

And anyway, cut to the next scene. Ashton on the communicator. Yep. There's two of them, so feel as though it slip. And then later on, when Travis is interrogating him, I won't talk.

You know, I'm not going to tell you. I'm not going to say anything. The scene later, it gets shoved into. Back into the cell and Travis has got his answer.

Adam: 00:49:32

It makes me laugh, that sound when he's firing up his handgun as well. It's like a. Before he points, it's. If he's loading it, you know, it's just brilliant.

Garry: 00:49:42

Sorry, that scene that you love, what's the word? The word? The word word.

Adam: 00:49:49

The way he says it. Quiet to begin with. Transport.

Garry: 00:49:51

What?

Adam: 00:49:51

I didn't hear you, Villa. It's such a good scene, isn't it? You know, I think Brian Croucher probably gets fed up with people saying, you know, do. Do. The word. The word.

Because it's, you know, I think it's what he's. I wouldn't say most remembered for, but it's definitely a moment that us Blake fans like. I think the thing I was gonna say, mate, is I was.

I said I was pleased that you hadn't guessed that Ashton had betrayed Blake, because that was one of the things I was wondering Whilst watching this, like if we'd been watching it together, I was thinking, I wonder if you would be thinking this, you know, is there something going on here? So the fact you didn't, I think is great.

You know, I love the fact that that was a surprise to you because obviously me watching it, I know exactly what's coming. So I like. You know what?

I love the scene where Ashton's just sat quietly for a few seconds contemplating whether he's actually going to go through with it because it just proves that he really doesn't want to. You know, like you said, he's kind of doing it because he feels it's the only way to save Inga. Do you know what I mean?

Again, it's a nice piece of writing because, you know, about me, he's just sort of sat there thinking and then he gets up and takes the communicator out as if, like, oh, I'm gonna have to do it. And so again, I love all that and it's a great performance from him.

I believe a different actor was going to play Ashton or even filmed and scenes who sadly passed away during production. Now, I don't. You might know, I don't have it in front of me, but there was a different actor, I think filmed some scenes as Usher and.

And sadly passed away and then was replaced by. By the actor.

Garry: 00:51:20

Yeah, it was. They.

It was an actor called Duncan Lamont and yeah, had filmed all of the location stuff and then sadly passed literally just as soon as they finished filming that. That stuff. And obviously that's only half the story because you've got all the studio stuff to do and. And some other bits and so on. So. Yeah, yeah.

And then he was replaced with John Abenari after that.

Adam: 00:51:50

Now, see, I'm wondering now maybe that's why a lot of the location stuff doesn't quite match up because did you notice that a lot of the time it goes from night and day in between shots. Like there's a shot because it's very dark when Blake's talking to Ashton, but it's not when Ashton's talking to Blake.

So again, that, that might explain why some of that doesn't match up.

But I'm glad they went all the way back to film it rather than thinking, oh well, we'll green screen it with Blake against a quarry green screen or something. So I like the fact they actually went back and re reshot it. But John Abenieri. Is that how we're saying it's.

Garry: 00:52:28

Yeah, probably butchering that. It's John Aben area, I think.

Adam: 00:52:33

Yeah, he's great in the role. I don't, I don't know the name. Duncan Lamont. I can't picture the actor so I can't sort of visualize what he would have been like. But yeah, it's.

Yeah, I think John Abba Neary does a great job as Ashton.

Garry: 00:52:48

Yes.

Adam: 00:52:48

I like the character and I love the bit where he first meets Blake. He doesn't recognize him for a second. That's nice, isn't it? And then he's like oh my goodness, Raj and all this sort of stuff.

So yeah, they work well together, I think.

Garry: 00:53:00

Yes. Yeah, agreed. They do work well. And like I said, it was nice that Ashton comes full circle and, and just starts beating the crap out of, of everyone.

He's a, he's a bit of a hard ass, that guy and.

Adam: 00:53:15

Well he is. Yeah. He takes down Travis pretty quick, doesn't he? Yeah, he's on the. Travis is on the floor and then being pushed down.

Garry: 00:53:22

He kicks him off the cliff. Yeah, yeah, he's. Yeah, he's pretty bad.

But 10 points though to Avon for, for spotting it though because as the viewer you wouldn't have done really, you wouldn't have picked up on it. So when Ashton first sees Blake and they're all sort of happy and smiley like hey, how you doing?

Sort of thing and he takes him to his little hut for a cup of tea, he's got a fake limp. And then Avon's like when he was walking, when he was walking with Blake he had the limp.

And then he says to Villa like, you know, and then after that no limp.

Adam: 00:53:58

Yeah.

Garry: 00:53:58

So he's putting it on. It's a, it's a ruse. So fair play to Avon. He's so keen, he's like got just Hawkeyes.

Adam: 00:54:05

Hawkeye.

Actually it's funny because you often asked about first time I watched these episodes and one thing I do remember about the first time I watched it is that I remember thinking that was silly the first time thinking what? Just because he hasn't got a limp that he figured that out.

But actually watching it last night, it is explained because Ashton puts the limp on as an excuse not to be able to go to the place where Travis and that are hiding out. Doesn't he says I can't get up there because of my limp. So there is a reason for it which I missed back in the day. So it does make sense.

And like you said old eagle eyed Avon, you know, nothing gets past him. You were going to say Something about when he first lands. Is it that.

That he spotted the limp or was it the tremendous swoop round with the gunshot that Paul Darrow is so good at doing when he lands, he can't just be teleported down. He has to do a swoop and a. You know, which is just what I love about Paul Darrow as Avon.

Garry: 00:55:00

He loves doing that, doesn't he?

Adam: 00:55:01

He loves it.

Garry: 00:55:02

Yeah. Yeah. I think I said out loud, actually, when I watched this earlier today. I think I said out loud. Oh, Avon loves a swoosh.

Adam: 00:55:11

Yeah, he does a swoosh.

Garry: 00:55:12

A little swoosh around with the. The other arm out, you know, parallel.

Adam: 00:55:17

And ready to shoot anything.

Garry: 00:55:19

Yeah, he's, he's. He's in, yeah, battle mode immediately. Paul Darrow was, was, was, was good in this one, mate. I thought he had that really good.

He showed a little bit of range that we don't normally see. There was a really. Scene. There was a scene that was really key to having a bit more insight into his character.

Just for this episode, where we find out later on that he sent an encrypted message to Serverland, which is what, you know, she gets in her office, which prompts her to go to the Planet X Bar in the first place.

Because essentially it comes down to the same old thing with Blake and Avon, where Avon's basically like, look, this is too much of a risk, you know, And I know, and we all know that this is a trap set by Travis. What's the point of putting yourself in the trap and risking all of our lives to do this and blah, blah, blah.

And on top of that, which is so this show is so good at layering things up, but because the next layer, on top of that, Avon has sussed that. Hold on a minute, Travis is also a fugitive like us, so if he can get the Federation to X Bar, they might take him out. Travis is out the picture.

One less thing to worry about.

Adam: 00:56:43

Yeah.

Garry: 00:56:44

So he sends that message to Serverland. She doesn't know who it's from. It just says Travis is on X Bar. No location, coordinates, nothing. It's just. Yeah, he's there. Go and figure it out.

You'll find him. But after he's done that, Callie psychically kind of picks up that he's feeling a bit guilty about that.

Adam: 00:57:03

Because I love that scene. She's like, no, it's nothing.

Garry: 00:57:06

Yeah, yeah, it's so good because he volunteers himself to go down and he can tell that something's not right. Blake's not responding. He's obviously in trouble.

And instead of doing what he normally does, which is try and convince the crew that they should just do the off, he immediately volunteers to go down and save him. And even Jenna's face is like, huh,.

Adam: 00:57:28

Yeah, that's a good point, actually. Yeah, yeah.

Garry: 00:57:30

Like, even her face is like, that's very unavon to do something like that. And then it's Callie that's like, well. And then Jenna's like, you know, what's going on? And she's like, I think so. Like, he's guilty about something.

And then we find out later that he tells Blake outright, doesn't he, that he sent the message to Serverland and she's on the way.

Adam: 00:57:49

Yeah, and it's funny, actually, because I hadn't really thought about it like that. Like that, because you're right. Normally at this point, Avon would be like, okay, Blake's obviously done for. Let's go.

And yeah, it's the guilt, isn't it? He can't do it, you know, so it does show that Avon does have morals somewhere under that hard exterior.

But did you at any point guess when Silverland got that message? Did you at any point think, oh, that's got to be from, like, Avon or when they revealed that? Because again, I think it's a great reveal.

I didn't see that coming at all.

Garry: 00:58:21

Yeah, exactly. I never. If you'd have said to me if. If that if the episode stopped after the bit just after when Serverland got that message.

And then you said to me, gary, who do you think sent that message to Serverland? I never. Like, Avon would have been way down the list.

Adam: 00:58:40

I would have thought, like Ashton maybe. Maybe Travis himself, I don't know. But I would not have thought Avon. So again, a great little twist.

And I do love the fact that to give Callie some screen time and something interesting that she picks up on it. Again, it's a very subtle little scene, but it's nice, isn't it, that she's. Jenna picks up on Callie picking up on Avon and she's like, what is it?

And she's. She's not ready to share it because she's not sure. And also I think she feels that if Avon doesn't want to tell them, it's not her place.

So, yeah, it's a nice, nice little scene that.

Garry: 00:59:14

Yeah.

And going back to something that you and I have mentioned and picked up on across most episodes that we've reviewed in that it's difficult to give all of the crew sort of equal screen time if you like, and sometimes you have characters that get sidelined and stuff. I just want to reiterate just how. Just how great the script is with this, that it didn't feel like that in this episode.

It felt like they all had reasonably equal footing in this one, because in previous episodes, you. I think there was one episode where you had, like, literally three sentences out of Jenna.

Adam: 00:59:57

Yeah.

Garry: 00:59:58

You know, and. And that was it. And you didn't really see much of her and so on.

But in this one, you've got constant communication from the guys that are on the planet surface, you know, speaking to Callie and Jenna up there. And there's a great scene where one of the criminals gets teleported up, thanks to Villa, gets teleported up onto the Liberator.

And you think, oh, no, like, these guys are gonna get taken hostage now as well. You know, the whole crew is gonna be down there. But fair play to. To Cali and Jenna, they hold their own. You know, they go along with it for a bit.

And then it's the. It's the kick from Cali, the quick fingers from Jenna, and he's out, blown up in space.

Adam: 01:00:40

Yeah, great.

Garry: 01:00:42

It's so cool. And he was a real. A real nasty one as well. He was real. You know, you really wanted him to get his comeuppance.

Adam: 01:00:51

Yeah. I mean, you do. Moloch, isn't it? The character, I think. Yeah, but he's got such a great look, isn't he? He looks. No offense to the.

To the actor James Coyle. He. He just has that villainous face about him that, you know, he probably got cast as villains all the time, unfortunately.

But, yeah, he's got good screen presence, considering he's not in it that much. He just looks a bit villainous and dangerous. So. Yeah, but he gets his comeuppance. I wouldn't have minded seeing a bit more of him, actually.

I think him and Travis worked quite well together, but, yeah, sadly obliterated in space. But, mate, I have to agree. I think everybody gets some really good. They get really good dialogue in this episode. They all get something to do.

If you wanted to nitpick, yes, it is a shame that Jenna and Kalia are relegated to living Liberator once again. But I think, like you just said, they still get good stuff to do. I would have liked to assume them be the ones that teleport down to.

Actually, maybe they could have been the ones that took out Travis, you know, rather than Uston. I don't know. That would have been nice.

But I'm not going to nitpick too much, mate, because I think like you said, Alan Pryor does a great job in giving people stuff to do in this. Everybody.

I actually put on my notes, especially at the beginning during the battle stations, you know, during that scene that all the cast are working so well together, like everybody's got something to do, you know. I had to laugh at Jenna with her little lampshade steering sticks though. You know, they're just lamps. But hey.

But yeah, everybody's got something to do and everybody's got really great dialogue in this. So, yeah, not an easy thing to do. Even though we've lost Gan, you know, we're still got quite a big crew, haven't we, to try and write for. So.

Yeah, in terms of that, I think it's really good episode.

Garry: 01:02:44

Yeah, agree.

Let's push, let's push to the ending of the episode then because there was two things in this ending, closing scenes, one of them a bit weird and one of them absolutely hilarious.

And before we recorded Listener, I said to Adam that if, if he and I were watching this together, there were a couple of bits that I would have just howled and rolled about laughing. We probably would have had to have paused it. The first one we've already spoken about is just Villa. A couple of scenes with Villa, just so funny.

The second one we'll come on to in a second, but just before that. So when everything's wrapped up in a nice little bow where the crims are gone. Ashton's clearly forgiven by Blake.

Avon's got a bit of a scrape, but he's going to be okay. Yeah. And they're going to go off back to Liberator and it's fine.

Jenna is, is teleported down very briefly with some more bracelets so that, you know, people can go back up. And what's weird is that the. Is the goodbye between Blake and Inger. So a nice little. Not a peck on the cheek either.

No, you know, a full on thing now. Forgive me, this isn't. They are cousins, right? Yes, they are cousins. But yeah, because there's a little. It's not just the kiss either.

There's a bit of chemistry there, there's a, there's a bit where Blake's like, well, you know, he says he'll come back. Yeah. He's like, you know, once this is all settled, I'll come back for you. And she's like, yeah, don't worry, you know, we're gonna.

We've got enough food stores here now to sort of, you know, get everyone sorted. And he's like, okay, when that sort. You know, when the dust settle, basically, I'll come back.

And then he says something like, you know, as long as you want me to come back for you. And then she has a little smile and have a little kiss. And I'm thinking, hang on a second, hang on. So anyway, did you find that a little.

It's not, like, mega weird. It's not like, you know, I'm not watching Blake's 7 again, but did you find that just a tad strange?

Adam: 01:04:54

Oh, yeah. I mean, it's just a little bit out of nowhere, isn't it? And it doesn't really add anything to the story. I don't know. It's a strange writing choice.

I've always found it odd, and I always thought. I also find it odd that Jenna is suddenly getting jealous of Blake. Like, where did that come from? Because she. She gives jet.

She gives Blake a look like, how like, you. You have to ask yourself, has something. Has there been a bit of hanky panky on the liberate that we don't know about in a, you know, off screen?

Like, what is going on here? And then when they do go back up, she's fuming. He's like, all right, Jenna, press the button. It's very awkward. It's just so out of nowhere, mate.

I don't know. It's. It's just weird.

Garry: 01:05:47

Oh, I'm sorry. That. Honestly, mate, when I watched that. Oh, God, I'm sorry. Yeah. When I was watching it.

Adam: 01:06:04

Were you like, what the hell?

Garry: 01:06:09

There was. Yeah, it was. The first bit of. It was when Jenna teleports down and she sees Blake having a little flirt with Ingo and a little kiss. It was the face.

It was like, wow, like, what's. What's going on here? Like, why is she so jealous? Like, it's not like she sort of reacted in a weird way, like, on impulse, like, huh.

Never seen Blake with another woman before. That's made me feel weird. And then she just sort of sorts her own head out later, and she's fine.

She's like, immediately, like, what the f is going on?

Adam: 01:06:47

Yeah.

Garry: 01:06:47

And. And then when they. It's the way that. It's the way that Blake walks up beside her and he's got this look on his face, like, right, we all good?

Like, okay, like, you know, walk ten sort of thing. And the way he looks up at her, she just gives him the look from. He's in the doghouse Big.

Adam: 01:07:14

The rest of the crew are like, we'll leave you to it. We're off to have a well earned rest and you guys sort it out.

Garry: 01:07:21

Yeah. But when the way that she looks at him, he then looks back at her with this. He almost breaks into a little grin.

Adam: 01:07:29

Almost.

Garry: 01:07:30

You can tell in his face he's about to go because he's got that look on his face that just screams, oh, like her indoors. She's. She's got the ump. Yeah, I'm in the doghouse. And then she turns away. He is in. He is in for it. I don't know. Oh man.

Adam: 01:07:50

But where's it come from? We've not. I haven't seen any sort of, of that type of chemistry between the two characters unless, unless I've missed it.

It does feel like out the blue. But my question to you, mate, is do you think, do you think we're going to see the aftermath of this?

Do you think in the next episode they're going to be on opposite ends of the Liberator? And you know, Callie's sort of comfort in Jenna. It's. It'll be, you know, Navon's like, well, I don't know why you even bother with it.

Garry: 01:08:22

I'm. I'm not really sure. I. I feel like it's a little inconsequential thing at the moment.

I can't really see this being a big, you know, a big thing that they're gonna, they're gonna stay on.

Adam: 01:08:37

You don't think we're gonna see like a big row on the Liberator deck? How dare you. Who is this Inga woman anyway?

Garry: 01:08:44

You know? Yeah, just a plate go flying past.

Adam: 01:08:47

His head orack in the middle of it.

Garry: 01:08:53

Yeah, I honestly don't think. I don't know. I think there could be a little bit of tension. I'm just taking a stab at that.

But potentially a little bit of tension between with Jenna and so on. But I don't think it will be a huge. I could be wrong. You know, Jenna keeps the sealed, you know, opening scene, opening. Opening scene of Countdown.

Could be Jenna with a suitcase under her arm and I don't know. I don't know. But mate, I was absolutely just.

And it was a good job that the credits rolled within seconds of Blake pulling that face and the way she looks at him. Because, mate, I was on the floor laughing for about five minutes straight, like barely hurting laughing army that.

I'll tell you what, Alan Pryor just, what a great, just a, what a fantastic way to end an episode like that. Not On a big sort of doom and gloom cliffhanger. Not on a, you know, Liberator's taking another missile on its way out of orbit.

Nothing, Just a little bit of. A. Little bit of a domestic.

Adam: 01:10:12

Domestic on the Liberator. I mean, it's got it all going on, isn't it just. You may as well just throw that into the mix of everything else. It's just got it all.

Garry: 01:10:19

Oh, mate. Yeah. And what a fantastic way to end it as well.

I just ended that episode being thoroughly enjoyed by it all and then just cracking up at this funny scene to close it out. It was so good.

Adam: 01:10:32

A funny, bizarre end. Yeah. I mean, I'm smiling, mate, because, I mean, when I watch these episodes and. And especially an episode like this, I, you know, I'm enjoying it.

But even now, you know, I'm always worried that I think me and you, we're often on the same page.

I think we have similar tastes and stuff, but there, you know, there have been episodes that you've enjoyed and I haven't of Doctor who and vice versa, where, you know, we're not on the same page.

So when I'm watching something like this and enjoying it as much as I was, there's always this little voice back in my mind thinking, oh, I really hope Garry's enjoying it as well, like, because I never know, you know, I mean, some episodes, you just might not click with that. I do. But, yeah, the fact that you enjoyed this episode so much, it really makes me smile, mate, because when I switched it off, I was.

I wasn't rolling on the floor laughing, maybe because I've seen it a few times, but I was just like, I. I really enjoyed that episode. Like, I can't wait to hear what Garry thought of it. So I'm so glad you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Garry: 01:11:31

Even now, in my mind, I'm just picturing Blake's look to. To Jenna, his little, tiny, tiny, little grin as he's thinking, oh, God, I'm in for it now.

Adam: 01:11:41

Is it? It's the eyes, isn't it? It's in the eyes. He's like, oh, God, here we go. Yeah.

Garry: 01:11:46

And you know what? Fair play to. To. To Sally Nevette.

I'm not sure if this has come naturally to her, if she's ever been in a relationship where her other half has annoyed her that much that the. The look she gave Blake before they teleported and then the look she gave him again on the. On the flight deck. If they could kill.

If looks could kill Me?

Adam: 01:12:11

You're thinking Countdown's gonna start with Blake and Jenna at some sort of Federation Council session for couples. So when did you first start dating? On the Liberator line.

Garry: 01:12:24

Oh, fantastic. Have you got anything on your notes, mate, that you want to bring up?

Adam: 01:12:30

No, I think. I think I pretty much covered it, actually. Yeah, I think we pretty much covered it, mate.

Garry: 01:12:35

One tiny little thing for me, and I'm. I'm struggling to. To get my brain in order to. To grock this one. But when Blake teleported down, the saying was altered very slightly.

So I'm pretty sure in every episode thus far that. And I could be wrong. So, listener, if I'm wrong on this, please, please let us know. But I'm pretty sure when you.

When they teleport down, especially Blake brings the bracelet up and he's like, down and safe, blah, blah, blah. Because that's one of the main catchphrases from the show. Right?

Adam: 01:13:10

Down, safe.

Garry: 01:13:11

Yeah, in this episode, teleports down, gets the bracelet down safely. Oh,.

Adam: 01:13:21

Now, I didn't notice that.

Garry: 01:13:24

I could be. I could be wrong, but I think that's the first time that we've not had the actual factual down and safe saying. He's altered it very slightly.

Adam: 01:13:36

I wonder if he said it right in the. In the original. You know, we have to reshoot the footage. I wonder if he just changed the line or got it. Got it wrong or whatever in the retake. Maybe.

Garry: 01:13:47

I don't know.

Adam: 01:13:47

I didn't notice that.

Garry: 01:13:49

Who knows?

Adam: 01:13:50

I did notice we've got a full rack of teleport bracelets, though. It's a very. It's a blink and you'll miss it shot. But I still fall. I'm absolutely staggered, mate. I do.

I do have a feeling that Matt Irvine said that, you know, because we know they all got stolen throughout series one. I do seem to recall that Matt Irvine said that they were getting stolen so frequently that he just started making them out of Sellotape in it.

You know, the little cardboard bit in the Sellotape, you know, so you had, like about five proper bracelets, the real thing. And then the rest of the rack was sort of dummy ones made up of Sellotape in it. But don't quote me on it. I don't.

I can't remember where I heard him say that. It might have even been just speaking to him at a convention, I can't remember. But. But I did notice whether they were real or.

Or, you know, the genuine thing. It was a full rack still. So we're doing well on the old teleport braces. I will be keeping an eye on it. I'm sure they. Sure, they don't last that long.

But anyway, we'll see.

Garry: 01:14:53

It's a glorious thing, isn't it?

Adam: 01:14:55

Oh, I love them. When you're going to get one, you gotta get. Yeah, I know. You're gonna end up getting one. You're gonna have to.

You'll be at a Blake's 7 convention in the future and you'll see the, the bracelet table. You'll be like, I better get one. Yeah, you need it on your shelf.

Garry: 01:15:12

Don't say that. Next week, listening.

Adam: 01:15:16

Whether it's tomorrow or a week or a month, you know it's gonna happen.

Garry: 01:15:20

Yeah. I have a full scale Liberator out in the garden.

Adam: 01:15:24

Oh, glorious.

Garry: 01:15:26

Well, this is great, Garry, but the neighbors have complained because they can't see the stars in the sky anymore because there's a ruddy great ship in the garden. Oh, well.

Adam: 01:15:41

But what a beautiful ship in the garden. Oh, sorry about the old Internet was going crazy there. So I overcut you.

Forgive me, but I heard what you're saying about the Liberator and I was, I was just gonna say if you're gonna have a ship in the garden, there is no more beautiful ship than the Liberator.

Garry: 01:15:57

So there we go.

Adam: 01:15:58

Yeah. Anyway, onto scores then. Who's to go first?

Garry: 01:16:02

I think it's me. I think it is.

Adam: 01:16:03

It is.

Garry: 01:16:04

I'm gonna give this a nine. Whoa. Out of ten.

I'm gonna give it a nine because I know we normally say like, you know, when we say, oh, there's probably better stuff to come and there probably is, but I don't care. I just thoroughly. This was a, A whopping great episode of, of just so many things to like about it. It wasn't. Is it like the best of Blake's 7?

Probably not. But it had some great stuff in there and, and Alan Pryor, his script just. Yeah, really, really cool. I, I just thoroughly enjoyed it, mate.

What about you?

Adam: 01:16:42

Yeah, I echo that, mate. I am going slightly lower than you with an 8.5. And the only reason is because I think I'm gonna save my nines and whatever for some other episodes.

But I, I agree with you. A fantastic episode.

If I was writing it with the fun factor rather than sort of like a review ahead, putting on me old words or review ahead, if I was voting it as just someone sitting and watching it, it'd probably be a 9 or a 10 because it's so much fun. But yeah, I'll take a couple of little points off just. Just for little picky bits as a reviewer, but it's a great episode.

I really like this one, too, and I'm so glad you enjoyed it as well.

Just quickly, mate, did you think while you were watching this, this might be the episode I was referring to when I told you to lock yourself in your man cave?

Garry: 01:17:29

No.

Adam: 01:17:30

Okay. All right. Because it's not that that one's still to come.

Garry: 01:17:33

So I thought so.

Adam: 01:17:34

Yeah. So I hope. Now I'm thinking, wow, are you gonna. What are you gonna rate that one? But I'm hoping you enjoy the one.

I'm thinking of as much, if not more. But we shall see. We shall see. It's coming up.

Garry: 01:17:46

Indeed we will. And I think that's a great place there to stick a pin in it and close out episode eight.

Adam: 01:17:53

Oh, yes.

Garry: 01:18:09

Thank you very much for coming back and listening to another episode of Federation Strike. That was episode eight and our review of the episode Hostage, a nine for me, an 8.5 from Adam. Some. Some great scores.

I think that's the highest I've rated one. So. No, I think I gave an episode in series A and 9.

Adam: 01:18:29

I think so. Yes.

Garry: 01:18:31

Yeah. But great scores nonetheless. And I'm. When I come back to re watching Blake's 7, that's when I'm going to look forward to.

Adam: 01:18:37

Oh, yeah, it is. It's one I often reach for.

Garry: 01:18:40

Yeah, yeah. Good times. Right. Next week we'll be back, so tune in for our review of the episode countdown. We'll see what's going on in that one.

In the meantime, as I said earlier, make sure you are following or subscribing to this podcast in your favorite podcast app of choice. So when new episodes drop, you get a notification and you can dive right in. And also gives you access to all the previous episodes.

So if this is your first time listening, welcome aboard. It's great to have you.

If you want to go back and listen to our previous eps from this series or even order series A, you can go back and do that freely and it's your leisure. Thank you very much. We're also on the socials if you want to come and chat Blake7, we want X and Blue Sky.

Just do a search for @blake7 podcast or there are links in the show notes on all these episodes. Just give that a click. It'll take you over there. Give us a follow and watch out. All things Blake's 7.

On the subject of checking out some cool stuff online, make sure you check out my co host channel over on YouTube. It is of course the Geek's Handbag.

Adam: 01:19:46

The Geek's Handbag.

Loads of geeky stuff on there and as we're recording this a new video should have just dropped if the YouTube timer is working it's me discovering three shells worth of Doctor who Target books. Go and check that out.

Actually by the time you listen to this it will have been out weeks but anyway go and have a look the geeks handbag on YouTube and all the socials.

Garry: 01:20:06

Yes, go and give Adam a follow over there. Subscribe to his YouTube channel. So many good geekery videos over there you'll not be disappointed.

Grab yourself a cup of tea, settle down and check out all of Adam's videos over there. Until next week then please take care of yourselves. It's been great to have you along as always. My name's Garry.

My name's Adam and we'll see you next time on Federation Strike a journey through Blake's 7. Sam. Sa.