B12: The Keeper: More Wine, Gola. More Wine.

Garry: 00:00:17

Hello 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 12. Oh, Yes, we're at the Almost at the finish line for series B. Penultimate F, mate.

Adam: 00:00:45

Can you believe it?

Garry: 00:00:46

Indeed. It's Whiz Pass, isn't it, going through this series?

Adam: 00:00:49

It has, yeah.

Garry: 00:00:51

Yeah. So almost there. However, not going to fast forward and do away with our time just yet.

We have got another two episodes to go through this one and then the finale next week. And yeah, mate, has been a. Has been an interesting journey going through series B. We'll see.

We'll see what we think of this one as we get on to our scores. But yeah, how's everything been over over in the us, bud? You've been okay. What did you watch this one through with?

The usual style that we normally do with the Purist and then check the effects, or did you dive straight into the visual effects updated?

Adam: 00:01:29

Actually, I did my usual thing. I watched it through with the original effects and I was thinking, there's probably not much they've had to change in this. So then I.

Then afterwards, I quickly whizzed through just to have a look at the new effects. And yeah, it's mostly the Liberator shots.

And when they're blowing up Travis's spaceship and stuff like that that they've obviously put in new effects for, there is a absolutely beautiful new Liberator shot that they've put in. About halfway through that, I was like. Because I just. The Liberator is just such a beautiful spaceship.

And I have probably said in other episodes, you know, oh, you don't need to replace those Liberator shots. They're beautiful as they are.

But I got to tell you, mate, when I saw that particular new shot that they've put in, I was like, that was a really nice, nice new addition to the set. So I've been a bit won over by some of the new effects we've got on this season, I got to tell you. But there wasn't that much.

It's mostly just those scenes because obviously a lot of this is sort of studio bound. I think they may have slightly enhanced. There's a very dodgy, almost Doctor who underworld scene where Villa and Jenna walk through a cave. It looks.

It just reminds me of Underworld because it's just a really bad CSO shot and it's very quick. Anyway, to me, that looked like they'd slightly enhanced that and made it look a bit better.

But that was the only other thing I really noticed on this one. So purist as always. But I did check out the new effects and yeah, they do look good.

Garry: 00:03:04

They do, don't they?

Adam: 00:03:05

What about yourself, mate? I'm assuming you stuck to our rule.

Garry: 00:03:09

I did, yeah. Our unwritten rule of original version first and then go back and look at what, what they've changed and so on.

So yeah, it's been a good formula going through this series actually. I've enjoyed, I've enjoyed watching it through as the, as, as the writers intended. I think it's the right phrase from back in the day.

And then, and, and then enjoying all the, the up to date special effects and model work and stuff. It's. Yeah, it's been. Been good.

I did that for this one and probably do that for, for the finale next week as well just to cap out the series and yeah, it's been great.

Adam: 00:03:46

Yeah. Be interested to see how much work's been done on the finale one. Actually it's gonna be interesting because they. I'll do the same. I'll do the same.

I would actually hope. I'm hoping I'll get time to watch the finale twice.

What, you know, all the way through rather than watching it purist and then skipping through to see the new effects. I'm actually hoping I'm gonna get time to watch it twice because I kind of want to savor that one and just see how much they've changed.

But yeah, we'll get to that next week. We've got to deal with The Keeper first, which is going to be. I think this could be an interesting one.

Garry: 00:04:18

Yes, we have to. I love that, that description. We have to deal with this one. We have to get this one out the way.

Adam: 00:04:23

Yeah, let's get out the way and.

Garry: 00:04:24

Then on to the, the next one.

But before we crack on with our review of The Keeper from series B, as always, dear listener, if you are new to this podcast Federation Strike, then welcome aboard.

It's great to have you here listening to us waffle on about Blake7 and if you are one of our longtime listeners who have been with us since the beginning, then also welcome.

It's great to have you and hopefully it's urged you to dig out your copies of Blake's 7 or to order the new recent Blu Rays and watch through with us and give us your thoughts and so on.

Make sure you're following or subscribing to the podcast in your preferred podcast app of choice so that when new episodes drop, you will be notified of those and you can check them out. Plus you can go back and listen to the back catalog if you are a new listener, all the episodes from series A.

And you can also chat with us about Blake's 7 over on the Socials. We are on X and Bluesky. There are links in the show notes or just do a search on those for Lake 7 podcast. You'll find us on there. Federation Strike.

Give us a. Give us a follow on those and chat all the Blake's 7 things.

And thank you so much to those of you that have followed us over there and hopped into conversations and commented on the podcast and all that good stuff. It really is a lovely community of. Of Blake's 7 fans.

It's a nice, refreshing community to be in when you've been in things like the Doctor who and the Star wars fandoms over the years and have seen how much the. How much that can go off and get a bit shady at times. So, yeah, the Blake's 7 community is very lovely and very nice.

Adam: 00:06:08

Yeah.

I can't think of anything off top of my head where the Blake's 7 fandom have really kicked off about anything in the way that sort of Doctor fandom does. Struggling to think of anything.

Garry: 00:06:19

Yeah, it's a good thing.

Adam: 00:06:20

Maybe an argument over who's the best. Travis over a pint. I don't know.

Garry: 00:06:25

Maybe. Well, you and I.

Adam: 00:06:26

Serious.

Garry: 00:06:27

Yeah, we can have that discussion now, can't we? Over a pint.

Adam: 00:06:30

Exactly.

Garry: 00:06:31

Yeah, that'd be good. Now that. Now that you've dragged me kicking and screaming into The World of Blake's 7 from last year and we're very grateful that you did so.

Yeah, we can have those combos now, mate.

Adam: 00:06:42

So far, no regrets.

Garry: 00:06:44

Absolutely not. No, it was. Yeah.

I've had a few people who have messaged me and have said, wow, you're really into Blake's 7, considering that you didn't want to watch it for years. And I said, I know it's a combination of my sort of laziness and reluctance to. To dive into it. I should have listened to Adam sooner.

But yes, alas, here we are enjoying enjoying it all.

Adam: 00:07:10

My cynical partner always says when I. When I say, so after, like, we watched Countdown, and I said, oh, Garry loves that episode. And I said, he's really enjoying Blake's 7.

You know, my cynical partner's like, oh, he's just saying it. He's just saying it. I said, no, he's not. I said, there's one thing we pride ourselves on is that we give an honest review.

I said, this could have been a disaster. You know, he could have been watching The Keeper, saying, oh, mate, why are you making me. But we would have, you know, pushed through, so I said no.

He's, you know, we're always honest on our reviews, so. Yeah, but my. Yeah, my cynical partner never believes me. He's just saying it's not.

But like the scene in The Keeper where Jenna's like, of course I didn't let you win.

Garry: 00:07:57

Yeah, no, I get that because. Yeah, because it's taken me a long time to get into Blake's 7 and. And so on, and it's been a bit of a. Bit of a 180 on that. On that stuff, I guess. It's.

Yeah. People like, well, how come you love it so much? You know, should have watched it years, but I don't know. But I am genuinely loving the show. It's.

Yeah, it's been so good. And just one thing to finish up on before we get on to the review. Just a very quick tease for those of you that listeners that are not aware.

So Federation Strike is our second podcast in our podcast network, which is called Cosmic Echoes.

ears, that's been going since: 2014

One of them is coming up pretty soon, which is a podcast about the. The old sci fi show, Sapphire and Steel, which two of our. That's not by myself and Adam. That's by two people on our big Blue box writing team.

They've got together and they've put that podcast together. So that's going to be launching on the network soon.

And then later on in the year, Adam and I are going to be doing another podcast, our third one in between Blake seven and Doctor who, which is going to be about a certain. A certain scarecrow from. From back in the day. Yeah, you probably guessed that already, but yeah, it's. Yeah. From old Scatterbrook Farm.

Yeah, we're going to be talking about certain Scarecrow TV Meow.

Adam: 00:09:44

Where's led on for that one.

Garry: 00:09:45

Get your words, led on for that one. Yeah. So just a bit of a heads up and a tease that, yes, we have a podcast network, Cosmic Echoes and two podcasts so far.

Another two joining this year and then we've got another two joining next year if Adam and I can get around to it. So, yeah, good times for the old podcastage.

Adam: 00:10:07

Exciting stuff. And obviously we've got series three Or Series C. Sorry, coming out as well.

So we should hopefully get that in when that, you know, when the Blu Ray comes out. So, so excited for that. Yeah. It's all go, mate. It's all go. All systems go.

Garry: 00:10:22

Full steam ahead. Yes. Warp speed. The Trekkies will know what the map.

Adam: 00:10:29

Oh, I was gonna say covering all bases now.

Garry: 00:10:32

Yeah. So with that out of the way, mate, this week's review, what we got?

Adam: 00:10:38

Yeah. So the penultimate episode, episode 12 of series B and it's called The Keeper.

Trailer: 00:10:44

Through Star One, we could control everything. The Federation could belong to us. I could be president.

Trailer: 00:10:50

Ah, well, we could take it in turns.

Trailer: 00:10:53

You ready to go, Villa?

Trailer: 00:10:54

Why not? Now that would be worth the risks we're taking.

Trailer: 00:10:56

Blake is afraid that power would corrupt him. That sort of power would corrupt anyone. Which is why the location of Star One has been kept such a secret. Travers could change all that.

And I doubt if he has your scruples. Then the very least we can do is make sure he doesn't fall. Find the secret.

Garry: 00:11:19

Okie dokie. The Keeper, the penultimate one.

March: 1979

Adam: 00:11:33

Same.

Garry: 00:11:33

Th of March: 1979

And the synopsis from the old VHS tape is. Can The Keeper of the Secret really be on Goth Doherty certainly thought so. And Blake can't resist the lure of a great of so great a prize.

The location of Star One at last. And the chance to destroy the Federation forever. It's almost in his grasp.

Adam: 00:12:12

All that power that Avon could ever want is all there, waiting. If they could just find it, they.

Garry: 00:12:20

Could just get the intel that they need. They'll be on their way and this will all be over. You won't need a Series C. It will just be done, Blake.

Retire to a planet that's got a beach somewhere. Have a cocktail and chill out.

Adam: 00:12:36

Navon can can ride off in the Liberator. See you later, Blake. Thanks for all the fish.

Garry: 00:12:42

It's been fun, Blake, but alrighty. The Keeper. You said you were fascinated to get our thoughts on this. As usual. We will start with you though, bud.

On your 24th re watch, probably of this one. What was it like checking out The Keeper for another time?

Adam: 00:13:03

Yeah, it's an interesting one. I think it is a Slightly jarring episode. It jars with the last episode, Gambir. They don't seem to flow from one to the other very well. We've got.

Obviously got this link of finding Star One still going on or the location of it or whatever. But. Yeah. So, I mean, just to sort of backtrack a bit, I. I think when I first watched this, I really sort of tuned out. I.

It was not the penultimate episode, you know, the big sort of penultimate build up to what you know is hopefully going to be a really big finale.

It was just so far from what I was expecting the episode to be when I first saw this that I do remember sort of vaguely sort of finishing it and being like, what the heck was that? I was just like, it did nothing for me when I first saw this.

I have watched it a couple of times over the years and of course I rewatched it last night before we reviewed it. And it is one of those episodes, mate, that. A bit like Gambit and what was the other one? Forget now.

But it's one of those episodes where the more I watch it, although I don't think it's particularly great, and it is strange in many ways, the more I watch it, the more enjoyment I get out of it. I was laughing a lot last night. Maybe some of it is not supposed to be funny, but I was finding I was getting great enjoyment out of watching this.

It does plod along. It's certainly not an action episode, but there are some, as usual with Blake's 7, some great one liners in it.

I think the performances, although very over the top from certain people, are really good. I absolutely love any episode of Doctor who or Blake's 7 that has a mad, cackling old hag in it and. Or witch, whatever you want to call it.

So I find her hilarious and brilliant in this. You know, his. There's. There's a lot in this I enjoy, mate. It's just that as a penultimate episode that's leading us into the final. I think it's odd.

I don't know that it necessarily works.

There are some really strange moments in it like Serval and just seems to be casually wandering around when normally she's, you know, out to kill everyone. It is odd. So it's not up there as one of the strongest episodes, series B, but I do, the more I watch it, get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

I love all the stuff with the Fall and Villa. Yeah, watching it again last night, mate, I just thought. I really enjoyed that. Even though it's not that good.

I really enjoyed a lot of what was happening in it. So a little bit of a mixed bag, this one. It goes into that sort of category for me with Blake's 7. Bit of a mixed bag.

But I am intrigued to hear what you thought because this is your first time watching it. And as I said, the first time I watched it, I was just like, I remember taking the VHS out and going, deary me, that was not good.

So it'd be interesting to see, A, if you enjoyed this on a first watch, B, whether you'll think it'll grow on you over time, like it has me. But let's see, what did you think of it on a first watch? Hmm.

Garry: 00:16:17

So I didn't know what to think. I'll be brutally honest with you. I didn't know what to think after I. Yeah, after I'd watched it. I didn't, I didn't quite.

Yeah, I didn't know what to. It was weird because on one hand I thought, is this a good sort of serve? Are we teeing up a good finale with this? You know, is it a good lead up?

Is it a good build up? I couldn't decide, you know, if that was the case or not. And then I also thought, what did I just watch? Like a glorified stage production of.

Of Blake's 7?

Because other than the bits with Avon and Kelly on the Liberator sort of doing their thing in, in the opening half and a little bit of location stuff, it felt like I was watching a. Yeah, like a very small sort of intimate play at a theater. Just one set, you know, or a couple of sets and lots of hamming it up. Loads of chewing the woodwork, loads of. Of stuff going on.

And I thought, I honestly don't. And still now I'm as we are recording this now we're what, 17, 18 minutes in.

I. I still don't know what score to give this out of the four that I've got written down. All right, So I still, I still don't know. I think I liked it. I think it was a.

An interesting story and an interesting point in the series to put an episode like this because we'd kind of gone through the. The whole.

So in the last episode gambit, we'd gone through the whole, this person knows the location of Star One, let's go and pump that person down, get that info. And. And then right at the end it was a case of, well, I don't know what it. Where it is. So. However, I know a man who does.

You thought, oh, crikey, here we go, so now we fast forward to this episode and we've kind of got the same thing going on.

It's like they don't know exactly who they're trying to hunt down this time, because in the last episode, they knew it was Doherty who they were after to try and get the info from. In this one, it's just a case of, well, it's one of three people or one of two people, and they don't know.

But it's the same sort of thing where we go through the episode and they're trying to get that info. And then right at the end, it's a case of, oh, the info was here, but now it's been taken.

Adam: 00:18:56

Yes.

Garry: 00:18:57

And then we do have a. I guess we do have a little bit of a cryptic reveal at the end, you know, with the jester, the fool, who's kind of been mentally prepared for this moment, and he gets triggered by a phrase and sings the location, the coordinates of it. So. But that's literally in the closing minutes. So I'm just thinking, you know, do we. Is. Is it.

You know, what's the crack with having another episode where they're going after this info for Star1 only to almost get nothing? And then right at the very end. So I can.

I can kind of see what they were doing, like, in the last closing act of the series as a whole, I guess, the last three, maybe four episodes. It's that. It's that mini journey that build up to them finding Star One. But. Yeah, but just as an episode, it was cringe in some places.

I wouldn't say terribly acted, but just very, very like am dram chewing the woodwork in a lot of places. And, yeah, it's a strange one because I think I liked it, but there's just nothing that really jumps out. That's.

Yeah, that was an amazing bit of Blake's 7. Yeah. If that makes sense.

Adam: 00:20:17

It perfectly, mate. That's what. The whole time I was watching it last night, I was thinking. Because I was trying to gauge what your reaction might be.

And I was thinking, if nothing else, I think there'll be a lot of this episode that's making Garry laugh. I think there's a lot of moments in it which are just. Even, as I said, if they're not.

Because that's the thing I can't work out if it's trying to be funny and over the top or if it's actually we're supposed to be taking it seriously, but it's just so ridiculous. So I was thinking, you know, I'm pretty sure even if he's thinking this episode's bad, he'll be cracking up.

There's so many moments in this where he'll be cracking up. And there is nice moments. I mean, I think the scenes of Villa are great. You know, once again, so beautifully underplayed by Michael Keating.

You know, there's a.

There's a scene where Villa sort of dips under Gola's arm to try and look at the pendant hanging around his neck and he just gives this little look when he gets caught. It's just so beautiful.

So there's, you know, and also when he gets thrown in the cell and he's like protesting and there's a lot of great Villa moments in this and he does the trick as well. And the fool getting jealous over Villa as well, I think is brilliant.

Just the look on the fool's face that he's so angry that the Villas come onto scene and all of that. So, yeah, I just thought there's bound to be moments in this that you're enjoying.

But as an episode of Blake's 7, I think because of where it's placed as the penultimate episode, I think that's why it feels slightly jarring or worse than maybe it would have done if it was in like a mid season episode where they were just starting to sort of look for Star One and maybe it would have fitted in better there. It is a late addition though, isn't it? I think reading like a little bit of backstory for this. It wasn't.

This was very written very quickly, very late in the day. It was supposed to be a Terry Nation script. Terry was busy, probably on holiday, didn't manage to get a script made.

So they, they drafted in Alan Pryor and just sort of said, oh, I don't know, do something. So it does, you can sort of tell. I think it does. It does show. As I said, I think it's a perfectly enjoyable episode.

But as a penultimate leading into the final, it does feel a bit disconnected. Would that be the right way? It just feels a bit off. Like it doesn't feel like. Like a big build up, but. Yeah, but still a lot of fun.

So were you laughing a lot during this? We were there. Moments that had you.

Garry: 00:22:54

Oh, my.

Adam: 00:22:54

Smiling at least, or laughing or, you know, the fight scene. And brother, when his brother comes in, I'm like, oh, it's so hammy.

Garry: 00:23:02

Yeah, I was laughing throughout most of it, mate. It was.

Adam: 00:23:04

Yeah.

Garry: 00:23:05

And it was interesting.

You mentioned just then about you're unsure if they were purposefully going after that effect to make it comical or whether they, that's just an unintentional, you know, a thing that's come through as the viewer.

You're sort of going through all these different scenes involving the Goths and they've got this old school kind of, you know, if you, if you gave a piece of paper and a pen to a primary school kid and said draw a Viking, you know, on this bit of paper, you know, that's what they've decided. It's like the old Asterix and Obelix.

Adam: 00:23:45

Yeah.

Garry: 00:23:45

You know, it's got just that, you know, that classic what you'd expect Vikings to be like.

And so I'm not sure if the, if the director, if Derek Martin has sort of played on that a little bit and said, you know, if we're going to do a classic Viking style, you know, they're not Vikings but you know, they've, they're clearly modeled on that. But.

So I'm not sure if it's a case of, well, if we're going to do a Viking esque story, we might as well, you know, play up to this a little bit and do it a bit camp and a little bit carry on or if they're all doing it as straight as can be and it's a very, very unintentionally funny, I'm not sure.

But yeah, even the moment when, when Blake and Blake and Jenna and Villa are down on the planet surface after we've had a little bit of sci fi education about the, the dangers of the sulfur in the atmosphere and, and that stuff, you know, when they're creeping through the forest and you've got the, the Goths who are up on the hillside and they're just watching them and then right from the get go I was cracking up because the way that they jump down and scream and, and stuff like that, it's.

Yeah, I was just, I was cracking up but the bit that made me laugh the most and you would have, you will agree, you and I again, it's one of those moments where if you and I watching it together we definitely have to have paused it. But when, when, when Villa gets a couple of slaps off of.

Adam: 00:25:18

Oh yeah, not just one, two, couple of shots.

Garry: 00:25:22

Yeah, yeah, he does. And he, he doesn't flinch. Michael Keating, he didn't flinch. He took him, you know, he took those.

But it was just, it was just the complete sort of unnecessary nature of it. You know, Villa's not being threatening in any way. He's Just, you know, being a bit of a clown. Hence the name that he's been given. Yeah. And.

And Golos just. Just gives him a couple of dry ones and.

Adam: 00:25:54

Yeah.

Garry: 00:25:54

Just for. So I. When that happened, mate, I was gone. That was me absolutely cracking up. It's one of those times I had to pause it as well.

Not because, you know, of anything, but I just couldn't hear what they were saying over my laughing.

Adam: 00:26:08

So it was so out of the blue as well. And it's like, what did Villa do? Leave the poor guy alone. I have to say, I think he's got some great moments in this.

You know, this is the good thing about reviewing these Epps is you sort of. You watch them intently. So you do notice all these little things.

There's a bit where they first jump down and get ambushed, where Villa kind of does this smile as if everything's fine. You know, he's trying to be, like, polite with the. With these Viking people. And again, it's just a really quick shot that blink and you'd miss it.

Garry: 00:26:40

Yeah.

Adam: 00:26:41

But again, it's such a nice choice of acting. If you want to say it like that, from Michael Keaton, that he's just like, hello, beam me up. Beam me up quick.

You know, his free, gritty Steve sort of thing. I just love all that sort of stuff from. From my.

Garry: 00:26:54

Yeah, yeah, he had a. He had a good episode in this one, actually. He's got that usual.

That usual kind of, you know, scared to a point, not really keen to stick around, but now that he's in it, he's kind of. He has to go along with it sort of thing.

Adam: 00:27:11

And I'll tell you another little nice moment. I'll just say it while I remember as well. Again, it's a Villa moment. Did you notice when they top up, he says, more wine. Gola says, more wine.

And he puts his cup out, and Villa sort of puts his cup out at the same time. It doesn't get any. And he looks all deflated, like. No, just.

Again, little moments like that are just great, you know, they just make it so much more fun to watch. Yeah.

Garry: 00:27:36

Yeah. Bless his memory. Michael Keating.

Adam: 00:27:39

It's absolutely.

Garry: 00:27:40

Yeah. And Villa's one of those characters you can always rely on if.

Even if something is going on that's either heavy and emotionally, or it's a bit of a fun, you know, across the entire spectrum, you can always rely on Villa to bring that sort of human, relatable nature to everything.

Adam: 00:27:59

Yeah.

Garry: 00:28:00

You know, because you either go one of two Ways in that situation, if that was to really happen, you'd either just absolutely, you know, pee your pants with fear at some of these things and collapse, or you take it in your stride and make light of it, you know, and that's exactly what. What Villa does in these situations. So it's.

Adam: 00:28:18

Oh, he definitely does, yeah. He's just doing everything to sort of, you know, preserve his skin. You know, he's like, nodding at Jenna when she. To tell her when to.

Yes, say yes, you know? You know, keep him happy. And when he gets thrown in the cell and he sees Blake and he's like, who's this old fool next door?

You know, I just love the character. He's just so amusing to watch, you know, and the dialogue is brilliant. He always gets a couple of good lines, Villa. And he says.

Says in this one, doesn't he? Something about, can I have a torch? I like to see what I'm afraid of. Or something like that.

And, you know, just always such brilliant delivery from Monkey.

Garry: 00:28:53

Yeah, amazing.

Adam: 00:28:54

It's a good one for him, I think. Gets to perform some tricks and. And do some magic, you know.

Garry: 00:29:00

Yeah.

Adam: 00:29:00

Which is cool.

Garry: 00:29:01

Yeah.

Adam: 00:29:02

Oh, yeah.

Garry: 00:29:02

He does the disappearing necklace thing and. Yeah, yeah.

Adam: 00:29:06

There's a bit where he sort of has a knife and he manages to balance an apple on it or something. So obviously, you know, learned a few little tricks for this episode, which is good. I love Gola's reaction to it as well.

I know Bruce Purchase is very loud and very over the top in this episode, but I love the scenes when Villa's performing tricks to him and he sort of almost makes you jump out of the. Out his seat and he's like, hey, that was amazing. You know, I love the fall and the old fool must go and all this.

I could just quickly talk about Bruce Purchase, mate, as God. I know he's over the top, but I.

Apart from one line, which I'm going to put down to the script rather than the performance, I really like Bruce Purchase as Gola. I do think of him as the pirate in the Pirate Planet, the Doctor episode, but I think I love his performance in this.

When Villa's doing tricks, he's got this absolute delight in his eyes and when he's sort of moaning his sister and saying, oh, you silly old woman, believing in that vape and all this, I think his performance is great.

There is one line which is uncomfortable where he says to Jenna, your bond with me, whether you like it or not, which could be taken as a bit nasty, but apart from that you take that line out. I think the character is really fun and I, I just love that Bruce Purchase takes it out to 11. For me, it works.

I think he gets away with it, but I get it's over the top, but I really like him in it.

Garry: 00:30:34

Yeah, he's very good. Yeah. I'm not sure about the fake tan makeup that's been applied to their faces for some reason, but yeah, very, very good.

And that's why I mentioned earlier about the, the delivery of this, because he's obviously acting exactly how this has been written. You know, the character has been written to be this big sort of Brian Blessed style, over the top, shouty sort of person.

And he's doing that very, very well. And, and some great interactions as well between him and Frieda Jackson, who plays Tara, his sister.

Adam: 00:31:11

Also brilliant.

Garry: 00:31:13

Yeah, like the way he just. They're just picking at each other the whole time.

She's really miffed that, that Jen has been brought into this situation and he wants to pair bond with Jenna and Tara doesn't like that at all.

And she feels like the, the tribe has been sort of disrespected for a while and, and, and, and similarly, you know, Gola, he's, he's miffed with her because of all her stupid witchery and, and, and all this stuff. So. Yeah, some great back and forth between those two. And yeah, I, I completely agree, mate. Bruce Burch just had a really good episode.

One thing you could say, even if you didn't really take to how this was directed and some of the acting and so on, and it is over the top, let's be honest. A lot of it is ott. You cannot argue with. He turned up and got the memo.

Adam: 00:32:03

Oh, yeah.

Garry: 00:32:04

For the character. Like, there was no, no doubt about that. Like you, I immediately saw. Saw his other character from Doctor who that kept creeping in.

Adam: 00:32:18

Yeah.

Garry: 00:32:18

You know, quite a bit as I was watching it. But no, I completely agree, mate. Yeah, really good, really good from him.

Adam: 00:32:24

That you're right to mention Frieda Jackson as Tara, his sister as well, because, yeah, the back and forth, the banter, the way she winds him up in this episode, it's brilliant. Those two really, you know, spark off each other so well in this episode. I find it hilarious. Like she's saying here you will die.

And he's like, what are you talking about, you silly old. You know, just brilliant together, those two. And her performance is great.

I love the scene between Tara and Jenna where she's sort of testing her and Jenna tries to get the amulet and, you know, she's using her powers to stop her. So it's a lovely scene. But, yeah, they're great together. Gola and Tara, really good performances from both. You're a big fan of Jenna. We've.

We've said many a time during. Well, I think series A and B, actually, you know, that the character often gets left on board. The Liberator doesn't get anything to do.

Obviously, she features quite heavily in this episode, but what do you think about the material she's given? Do you think. Do you think it's a good episode for Jenna? Because she is a very important part of it.

I mean, I'll just say off the bat, I think, you know, the performance is lovely from Sally Nevad. I think it's really nice to see her get more screen time. But. Yeah, what do you think? Because I know you really like the character of Janet.

Were you pleased that she's finally getting a bit more meat on the bones on the script? What do you think?

Garry: 00:33:55

Yeah, Defo. Yeah, it was lovely to see. I mean, poor, poor Callie. She's relegated to Liberator duty with. With grumpy old Avon in this one.

Adam: 00:34:05

I'm laughing because I do love those scenes where she's just getting. She's almost like putting the reins Avon and she like. Oh, especially does stand up to him the second time. I do love those scenes.

But, yeah, they are both.

Garry: 00:34:16

Yeah.

Adam: 00:34:16

Relegated to Liberator this week.

Garry: 00:34:18

Yeah, we'll get on to those two in a moment. But, yeah, I think Sally Novette, she was. I think you can. You can almost see coming through the screen that she.

She relished the opportunity to do a lot more in this one.

Because, let's be honest, throughout series B, there's been what, three, possibly four episodes where she's not really had a great deal to do and she's often been sidelined with Cali to. Not really. Yeah. Not have much to do. So it was.

You could see that she was enjoying, you know, doing some location work, you know, when they're captured by the Goths and they get tied up and so on. And then moving through the episode to where Gona's taking a bit of a liking to her and she's playing that up quite a lot.

And there's a couple of really good scenes where she's all smiley and flirty with him to try and either free Villa, who's been. She's been jailed for. He's been jailed for. For not doing very good entertainment tricks and stuff.

So she's trying to get him freed, but also she has a job to do. She has to try and find out this information about Star One or, you know, that kind of thing.

So there's a couple of good scenes where she's all smiley with ghola and then when she doesn't quite get what she needs, she looks away and she's got this sort of eyes are rolling back in her head and her face changes and so on.

And that scene you mentioned with her and Tara where they're having a chat and Tara uses a little bit of magic, it feels like, you know, to freeze her arm and stuff like that. Her reaction's really good in that scene. So, yeah, I think she had a really good one and much needed as well. I feel.

I feel sorry that Callie still hasn't had a strong episode thus far, but I'd love to have seen those two do a bit more together. But happy that Jenna at least has spread her wings a little bit in this one.

Adam: 00:36:21

Yeah, I think we'll cover it more when we do the series B wrap up. Because I think there's definitely been times when Callie could have been used more. And I think. Yeah, sorry, not Callie. I mean Jenna.

When Jenna could have been used more. I think the thing is with Cali is I think she's such an interesting character, but they've not really explored much about her. I think we.

Yeah, we might get a bit more to come, but I can't. I genuinely can't remember. I'm not saying it because I don't want to spoil stuff. Yeah, we'll see where that goes.

But it is nice to see her getting, you know, being the central character to the story for a change. Because, yes, they've definitely been getting a bad. A bad rep, a bed rep on the. On this series so far, those two. Yeah. So it's good.

And she is great in the scene she's in. I love it when she's. That scene with Tara because she's just like, just give us what we need. You don't want me here. I don't want to be here.

Tell me what I need to know. And we're off. You know, she's very sort of direct and strong in her performance. So. Yeah, that was good to see.

Garry: 00:37:25

Yeah, for sure. It was. Actually, let's talk about Avon and. And Callie up on the Liberator. So what the sort of. That's a side thread that we.

We explore for the first half of it, I guess, and it was really interesting, mate, to see. So the, the thread that we've already discussed is the main one, which is Blake going down to the planet Goth to try and get the info.

And Avon and Callie are on the Liberator, held in orbit, but they're not very happy. They feel like if they just stay in stationary orbit, they're a bit vulnerable. You know, anybody could turn up and, and any Liberty.

Yeah, like Federation ships, they could be ambushed, whatever. They spot a Federation ship, Avon thinks that Travis is on board and immediately is on the case, isn't he?

He's like, right, this is the best opportunity we're going to get to take him out. Kal is against it. He's like, well, you know, those guys are down on the planet surface. What if they need us?

You know, if they need to get back or they need help. Avon. And Avon's like, nah, don't worry, 10 minutes, we'll be back. You know, they're probably going to be hours yet. It's all, it's all good.

Fair play to Avon. They did get pretty close. Destroyed the ship, got back. Alas, of course it went wrong down on the planet surface, didn't it? Just as I go off to.

To take. And Travis is not. We knew he wouldn't be on board that ship anyway, but. And we'll also get onto Travis and, and serve land everything in a bit.

But yeah, so while they're going off, while Avon's satisfying his need to, to execute Travis taking that opportunity, of course it's all gone tits up down on. Down on the planet surface, which was. You just knew that was going to happen, didn't you? I certainly did.

As a newbie, I thought as soon as they leave the orbit of the planet and go after this ship, things are going to go south down on the surface. And they didn't disappoint, but. And then we have a second go round that way with Avon and Callie.

So Callie's a little bit hesitant and the way that Jan Chapel's playing, that is very. I'm not sure about this, but Avon's such a strong character.

The way that Paul Darrow plays that strength and that, you know, he's difficult to disagree with when he's got, you know, he smells blood in the water like a shark. He's very difficult to, to talk down, so she goes along with it.

And then like you said the second time around, when they see another ship and he thinks it's serverland ship, and he's like, right, it's taken out Travis, now we can take out serverland Here we go, strap in. And Callie's like, nope, not again, bucko. Like, we can't, we can't do this again. So she just bails. And so it's a, it's.

What was great about that stuff is that although it's a little bit thin, and I'm really surprised that they kept Avon up on the planet, up on the Liberator, because I know it's like he, he can't have, I know he can't have to turn and have all the screen time, all the time, but you would have thought that he would have been more useful. Blake would have, would have realized that he would have been more used to him down on the planet to try and get that stuff.

But so interesting that he's been sidelined a little bit in this one.

But yeah, and it was, it was, it was really interesting though to see him and Callie together because you rarely see those two for an extended period of time together. So that was really interesting and pretty cool. But yeah, a fun little sort of subplot going on with those two. Mate. I really enjoyed that one.

Adam: 00:41:14

Yeah, I think they, they actually work well together, don't they? Callie and Avon. Because she sort of has got Avon's number.

She knows how to sort of work with him and she can sort of tell what he's going to do a lot of the time. Not just because of a telekinesis or whatever, but she knows his personality and what he wants. So it was good to see her standing up to Avon.

The irony is, if they had have shot that second shell, they actually would have got him, wouldn't he? Because that was Travis doing a runner in serverland ship, wasn't it? So that kind of reminds me of the whole Star wars debate.

Mate of C3PO and R2D2 escaping in the escape shuttle in New Hope. If they had have shot that, you know, the story would have been over. No need.

There's like a domino effect where none of that stuff would have happened if they'd have just shot that shuttle. So it kind of reminded me a little bit of that.

But I love, I do love the scene, like you said, it's predictable in a sense that, that they're going to get in trouble and, you know, once again they're out of teleport reach. That's been done a few times so far. So, yeah, a little bit thin story wise.

But I do love Blake's fury when he's sort of, he has a drink and composes himself and then he's like and where the hell were you? I just. I just love the way Gareth Thomas delivers that line.

So, yeah, maybe it's just because it's been done a couple of times, it feels a little thin. But it does work in terms of a subplot, if you like. And there's some great dialogue between Callie and Avon, isn't there, when. When she's like.

Well, you could hardly have missed from that, being that close to stuff like that, you know, so it works because the writing's still good, even though it's something we've seen a few times where they've. They've gone out of teleport range. So. Yeah, but I do like this.

The second time you think he's gonna do it and then he doesn't because Callie stops him. I think that's cool. It would have been very boring if they'd have done it the same thing again. Like they go and shoot a spaceship. Oh, no one's on it.

That would have been, you know, that would have been a mistake. So, yeah, it does work.

Garry: 00:43:14

It does work. Yeah. And it provides a little bit of relief from the sort of intenseness. Sorry, the intensity that's going on with the Goths and. And Blake and stuff.

So that, I mean, one thing that I've observed, especially in series B, is that because there are, you know, various people that can't have screen time as much as other people and so on, it.

It does provide an opportunity to have these multiple threads in each story so you can flip between these characters doing that thing, these characters doing this other thing. So that. That's not too bad when that works well. And I think this little distraction with. With Avon and Callie was. Was done pretty well. So.

Yeah, yeah, it was a good one that. Let's talk about Travis, though.

I was surprised to see him, mate, I'll be honest with you, because they did that whole reveal that Travis was still alive in the last episode. You know, when he's the, you know, the French sounding.

You know, in Gambit, he's the French sounding rough, you know, guy that's all wrapped up and then looking at the outlaw. That's it. Yeah. Was it Gambit or was it Voice from the Past?

Adam: 00:44:33

Oh, you're talking about when he's. Oh, God, now you're talking about Voice from the past when he was. Oh, what's the character called? The neck brace?

Garry: 00:44:42

Was it Siobhan? Yeah.

Adam: 00:44:45

Oh, brother.

Garry: 00:44:47

Yeah. So we had that reveal already where we thought Travis was out the picture and.

And then he turns up and so it Was just weird to see him just, you know, knocking around with the Goths and having a chat with Gola and. And all that. And Serverland pitched up as well. She's got her own tent and.

Because it's strange because the conversations that Serval and Travis have had over the last couple of episodes have definitely been Serval and wants to kill Travis 100%. But he's kind of in this one. He's kind of like, well, just forget all that, you know, he's just like, let's just put that to one side for a minute.

I know you want to kill me and you don't trust me. It's all good.

But just think, if we do get our hands on the location of Star One, you and I can go into cahoots, like, properly, because up to this point I've kind of been working for you and, you know, I've messed up a load of times and now you want me out the picture. But now we've got an opportunity to be sort of partners in crime properly and have absolute power and Serverlands.

You know, Jacqueline Pierce is great in these couple of bits where she's. She's like, come on, what are you talking about? What are you doing, man? Yeah, she's like, what are you going on about?

And he's like, well, just think about it, you know, you and I could. It's almost like a Darth Vader Luke situation. You and I can rule the galaxy and, yeah, it's all good.

We can take out the emperor and we can rule the galaxy. He's kind of saying it in that respect. He's like, we can take out the Federation or we can govern over them and you and I can have absolute power.

So I love his sort of dreams of grand sort of galaxy, you know, all that stuff and. But it's just.

It's just strange to see them pop up together in cahoots when over the last couple of episodes, he's been very wary and she's tried to kill him and all that stuff. So, yeah, it's those two. They weren't in it very much, were they?

I think probably as they got round to filming the last half of this story, they probably went on holiday somewhere, probably. So they left them to it. But what did you think of those two in it? Not in it for very long, were they?

Adam: 00:47:05

No, they weren't. They feel a little out of character, to be honest.

But in terms of the way that they're plotted into the story, not necessarily the way they act, all the dialogue because that's still really good. Because, like you said, Travis is willing to share all this with Server, and I feel like.

I feel like at that point in the scene, he's probably got the information. He's giving her a chance to see if they can work together, because she doesn't know that he's got the location at that point, does she?

So he's saying, do you want to be. Do you want to share it?

He actually wants to share the power with her, but she shoots him down in flames and said, you know, it's like, don't you trust me? She's like, of course not. You know, she's. She's having none of it. So he realizes then, okay, so that's when he does a runner, isn't it?

He's like, okay, I tried to. I wanted to share it with you, Silverland, but now I'm gonna have to go it alone.

And I kind of like that because when the penny drops later on, that she's, you know, with Serverland, she realizes he's got the information, he's gone. I like that moment. It's like, oh, so what's going to happen now? You know, she's got to chase after him again. So it does work in that sense.

I love all that stuff.

But seeing Serverland just sort of stood watching them play some weird chess game and sitting down and having a bit of a laugh with Cali, well, you let him win. And what. That feels a little bit odd. It's like she's just sort of wandering around eating a grape that doesn't feel very serval.

And I think she'd have been storming in there with a load of troopers saying, give me the location or I'm gonna burn this place to the ground. You know, I mean, she does make some threats, but they. They don't feel like Serverland threats.

They're like, I could have this place destroyed if I wanted, you know, but I'm just gonna go and eat some grapes, so when you're ready, come and see me. In that sense, it feels a little out of character, you know, but, yeah, I do love. I do love the scenes with her and Travis. I think they.

They work really well.

I just think in terms of how it fitted in with the story, and probably because it was written hastily to get to a certain place, it doesn't really make that much, much sense.

Because also, how did they know about the brain print if that's what I said about it being jarring with Gambit, you know, I actually went back and rewatched the last few minutes of Gambit because, as I said to you in the review, I couldn't remember what happened with Travis. And the reason is, one minute he's in a scene, then he's not. We don't see him leave, we don't see any sort of conclusion.

He just walks off with his robotic arm in his hand. And so that, again, I think, is down to the direction and perhaps the fact that Terry wasn't able to sort of pick up the story from Gambit.

It kind of just went on the. In their own direction.

But all you really needed at the end of that story Gambit was to see Travis listening, you know, around the corner, because how did he know any. Any of the information about the brain print and stuff like that? You know, they weren't there. How does Servland know? How does Blake know that?

They know? You know, there's a bit of a sort of mismatch between the episodes. It's not something that bugs me particularly, mate.

I never really get hung up too much on this stuff because you can start going down rabbit holes if you do that. So it's not something that bugs me. But I think it is a little bit obvious in a sense when you're watching it.

Garry: 00:50:19

Yeah, yeah.

Adam: 00:50:20

They're suddenly best buds again. It's. Yeah. I don't know, it just feels like something's missing between the two stories. Really.

Garry: 00:50:28

Yeah. It is a bit weird, isn't it?

Adam: 00:50:30

You can fill that gap in Big Finish. Probably have done it. I don't know.

Garry: 00:50:34

Probably. Dude. Yeah. Yeah. I've got a bunch of Big finish of Blake's 7 stuff. I'm unsure as to whether to start listening to it now or not.

I don't know if there's gonna be.

Adam: 00:50:45

No, I wouldn't. Because you're gonna get spoilers. I would wait till you've actually. It'll be a couple of years, won't it?

I was gonna say I'd wait till you finish Series D because there's bound to be spoiled. There is spoilers.

I'm thinking of it now, but the big finish, Blake's 7, what I listened to, was actually good, you know, I mean, a big fan, quite critical, you know, but I enjoyed a lot of it, but I know I'd be careful.

Garry: 00:51:11

That's what I'm thinking, mate. Yeah, Good shout. Yeah. Because I also downloaded the most recent thing for Blake's 7.

I picked up was a story called Afterlife, which was a story all about Avon. And I'm thinking, is there going to be stuff in there? That's gonna.

Adam: 00:51:30

Oh, there is. I think I read the book of Afterlife. Like I'm talking a long time ago. If it's the one I'm thinking of.

Yeah, you definitely don't want to be going near that yet.

I think, to be honest with you, mate, there's only so much and going to be able to keep from you as we progress into series three, even from next week. I think in stuff you're going to see about synopsis and stuff like that.

I think even stuff you're going to see from next week is going to lead into slightly spoiler territory, but it won't hopefully ruin too much, I think. I mean, you're going to have to find out these things eventually.

But I think from next week and then obviously series three, there's gonna be stuff which you're just gonna see it, but hopefully, as long as you don't see the ending, that's. That's the main thing. I don't care because I think you're gonna find out other spoilers along the way anyway.

But as long as we can keep the ending from you. And I think Afterlife would definitely ruin that from what I remember.

Garry: 00:52:27

Good shout, mate. Yes. I've done so well as well. You are doing well to now to avoid any big spoilers of anything. So I will.

Adam: 00:52:35

You are.

Garry: 00:52:35

I will keep big finish on the back burner until. Yes. All right, let's finish up with the. The lead into next week's the. The finale. Were you satisfied that where. Where you.

Did you finish this and think as usual, like, based on the. The previous times you've watched it, do you think, oh, that was a. That was a satisfying end to the story.

And now I'm looking forward to the episode Star One, the finale. Or did you think I probably would have ended it like this, you know, a different way?

Adam: 00:53:15

I don't know. I do actually like the ending. I do because I. One of the things, one of the characters I really spoke too much about is the fool.

And what was the actor's name? Because he is great. I absolutely love that character and the way the actor plays it.

Garry: 00:53:30

Oh, Senzig Sana.

Adam: 00:53:31

Senzig Sana. What a really lovely performance from him as the Fool.

And the reason I like the ending is because when he gets locked in the cell at the end, he has a lot of affection for the, you know, the father that's been locked. Yeah. We realize. We find out that it's actually their father, so there's affection. I'm your old fool and he's Ah, you know.

And so when the master dies and the fool's sort of caring for him, well, doing a song, you know, to show his passing. I think it's a really lovely scene. And then you obviously get the. The fact that the, you know, the brain print has been stolen. Oh, dear.

Blake's not gonna find out. But wait, there's one last twist. The fool has got like a trigger phrase to make him say the location. Stole one love, all that.

I do seem to remember that that idea was nicked from Hitchcock film, though, and I can't for life remember which one. I should have looked this up before we recorded. If I'm right, I think it was the man who Knew Too Much or something like that.

There is a Hitchcock film where the exact same thing happened. Someone has a trigger phrase or something like that. When it's said, they reveal the answer. So it's not, it's not a new concept.

It has been pilfered from Hitchcock film which may have taken it from something else. Who knows? Who cares? I. I love that ending. Because you do think that, oh, they're not going to find out now.

We're probably going to get another episode where they're on the hunt for it and they managed to find it, blah, blah. But then they do get the location and it ends with them on the Liberator Zone. Right, we've got it. Let's go.

So I like the last few minutes of the episode personally. What did you think?

Garry: 00:55:13

Yeah, I think it wasn't too bad. I was. I was kind of hoping for a bit more of a showdown.

Adam: 00:55:21

Right, okay.

Garry: 00:55:22

Yeah, yeah.

Because the only, the only bit of action that we got really was, and we haven't spoken to him about him too much, which was Goda's brother Rod, played by Sean Curry. He was equally as hammy and really hamming it up and sort of, you know, Blake rescues him, doesn't he, from the.

From Gola's men, and agrees to help Blake and take him because Rod's on a kind of mission anyway. And that's what Tara's winding Gola up about, isn't it, earlier on, where she's like, you're. You'll be slain.

You know, your death is imminent sort of thing. And he's like, I'll shut up the old witch. But the attempt on his life is real, though. So Rod turns up with the every intention to.

To take his brother out and become the new Charl and, And do that. And the fight scene is.

Adam: 00:56:16

Oh, it's hilarious.

Garry: 00:56:17

Pretty, pretty Funny, mate. And yeah, so his character was good and so I. But that's the only bit of sort of. I'm not really counting the.

The ambush at the beginning with the goths who take to capture Blake and so on. Yeah. So I was kind of hoping for a bit more. Bit more action to round the episode out with.

It wasn't a terrible ending because I agree with you, there was.

It was quite a lovely moment with the original fool and, you know, he's quite sincere and around his old master and so on and he plays that really well. Senzig. He plays that, you know, when his sort of brain goes into that sort of alternate mode and he's.

He's relaying the coordinates to Star One, you know, with that stuff and his eyes are going in a weird square pattern and, and stuff. So he plays that really well and it's. It's not bad.

But yeah, I was just hoping for a really big, like, jaw dropping, like, mouth left open as the credits rolled and then me thinking, oh my God, I'm so tempted to stick on the last episode now. Like, I really want to watch it now. And don't get me wrong, I am eager to watch it.

But yeah, the episode didn't leave me thinking, you know, that's really sort of left me desperate to get the disc in and watch it now. So.

Adam: 00:57:38

Yeah, no, I can appreciate that, mate. I feel like that is the. Perhaps the downside of this episode is it doesn't feel like a really good lead into the final.

It's just a fun, as I said, almost mid series episode, really. So. Yeah, I do understand that. Um. Yeah, I was going to say something that completely slipped my mind, but I'll come back to it.

Let me look at my notes while you finish up.

Garry: 00:58:02

Yeah, while you're looking at that. And the only last sort of thing on my notes, I think is we didn't hear Orack in this one. There's no. No, no, no.

Orac, I mean, it's no surprise really, because he wasn't really needed for anything. There was no point having him there just as either comic relief for Avon's sake, for those two having a bit of a squabble or, you know, anything.

Yeah, I can. I couldn't think of any, any reason why Orac would be involved in it all. So. Yeah, but so kind of weird to have him absent.

I say him to have it absent throughout this because. Yeah, just used to hearing, hearing that voice, really.

Adam: 00:58:45

Yeah. I always like a scene with Orak. You're right. I Can't think what they would have used. But you.

In a way, he's probably feeling a bit like genuine Callie. He's just kind of been sidelined, like, we don't need you this week. I suppose he had a bit of a starring role in Gambit, didn't he, as Mini Orac.

But, yeah, I always. I particularly like scenes with Avon getting angry with Orak and them having a bit of a to and throw. So that was missed.

I have remembered what I was going to say, mate. It was just that, you know, you're talking about, you know, not being that exciting leading into the final.

And it does make me think what would this episode had been if Terry Nation had got round to writing it. One thing we do know is it was around about this time that Terry Nation wanted to kill off Villa and Jenna.

And apparently if he had written this, he would have killed them off. And I think we're going to be saying the same for next week as well, because once again, Terry didn't write it.

So Chris Boucher comes in and once again, the plan from Terry was to kill off Villa and Jenna. Did I say Callie earlier, by the way? I meant Villa and Jenna.

Garry: 00:59:50

I know what you meant.

Adam: 00:59:51

Yeah, yeah. Those two characters, you know, Terry Nation, for whatever reason, at this point in the series, feels like they, you know, are ready to go.

And it's only because the viewers, you know, did a survey, they said, no, Villa's like a really popular character. Don't kill him off. So, yeah, it does make me think, we'll talk about this more next week, because, again, that was something Terry had in mind.

But it does make me wonder what his initial, you know, script or idea for a script would have been for the penultimate episode. It definitely wouldn't have been this. This does not feel like a Terry Nation script to me in any way. I don't know about you, this is. This just feels.

This, you know, I like Alan Pryor. I like his episode. So this feels like an Alan Pryor script. And I mean that in a good way. It definitely doesn't feel like a Terry Nation script.

So I think it's literally a world away from what it would have been if Terry had written it in terms of just being different, not necessarily better. But, yeah, would have been interesting, wouldn't it? See how that went? I'm so glad. Can you imagine if they killed off Filler and Jenna?

Oh, my goodness.

Garry: 01:00:54

Yeah. Terrible. Absolutely terrible. I think. Yeah. I mean, losing Gan earlier on in the series was.

I wonder what it had been like I mean, Gan would have been useful in this one. He would have taken out a few of the gods.

Adam: 01:01:09

He'd have been on that table. Like when they're. I love the bit where they got the chain and the. The chicken. They don't quite manage to. To get the tray of chicken off the table.

So they have another go at it, don't they? And, yeah, G would have been up there getting it, but. Oh, for sure.

Garry: 01:01:22

Yeah, yeah, yeah, he would have.

Yeah, I think he would have been a great asset in this one because they needed a bit of muscle, you know, when they get ambushed at the beginning and some other bits. But yeah, losing Gan earlier on, that was. That was a tough one. And so if we had to lose Villa and.

And Jenna on top of that as well, I mean, there'd be nobody left for the finale, really.

Adam: 01:01:43

No. And we'll talk about it next week when we've watched Star One. But he wanted to, as he didn't get to kill him in this episode.

Terry Nation wanted to kill them off in Star 1. So we'll talk about that next week as well, because that. I think that would have been.

I don't know, that would have definitely altered the episode for sure. But obviously we'll get to that next week. Just quickly, mate. Not much. Blake in this week's episode, he kind of lurks around in the dungeon.

At one point I was asking myself, what is Blake actually doing? But then I realized he's waiting for the brother, isn't he? But Gareth Thomas is great in it, but he doesn't really get much to do.

It's very much a Jenna and Villa episode, isn't it?

Garry: 01:02:20

Yeah, he does. It's weird because I thought, yeah. As we've been talking through it, I thought, right, we'll get to Blake.

And I thought, what am I going to say about Blake? And then you've just. Yeah, you've just summed it up. He's. He's not really in it. A huge amount is. He's. He's quite. He's on the down low, isn't he?

He's just sort of. He's observing rather than getting involved.

And he comes to life a little bit at the end, you know, when he's trying to get the information out of the old guy. And when he get back to the Liberator, he's not happy, you know, early on in the episode, he wasn't happy at all, was he, with Avon and.

Adam: 01:02:59

Yeah, before he gets good scene.

Garry: 01:03:00

Yeah, yeah. Before he goes back down. So a couple of. Okay, moments from Gareth Thomas. Not, not too bad. But it's one of those things, isn't it?

It must be strange as a, as a, as a, as a script writer. So for, for Alan Pryor, who wrote this one too.

And we've had this a couple of times with, with Blake as well, where Blake has been the main instigator. He's been the one that's like, right, okay, this is the plan. This is what we're going to do.

And even if there's a bit of pushback from Avon, you know, on paper as a script, it's like a. Blake is the, is the one that's pushing all this forward. So it must be, it must be weird to then write the rest of the story and not have him in it as much.

Yeah, you know, from a script writing perspective, it must be. Well, you know, Blake's the main dude. He's the main one. That's, that's, that's sparking all of this, all of these things.

And even if you write in those sort of things that we've seen in the past over a few episodes where Blake comes up with the plan, Avon disputes it, Blake then just says, well, we're doing it anyway. And then he disappears for, for 25, 30 minutes and then comes back and doesn't do much. Yeah, just. It's like you're. It's. It.

I like that in a way, because it's just something different.

It's not your kind of typical sort of hero script that you see in some programs where you have one main person and they're in it all the time a lot, you know, and so I do kind of like that. It's a bit like. It's a bit like the Doctor Light episodes that we've seen a few times over on Doctor who.

It's like that, but just unintentionally like that, you know, I don't think the writers are trying to make a Blake Light story, but it just ends up being that way because they've written all this other good stuff.

Adam: 01:04:54

Yeah, yeah, definitely. I was thinking the same with Gambit last week. He was kind of just lurking around and he sort of gets another episode where he's just lurking around.

But I won't say anything, but maybe we'll come into, come into Star One a bit more. You would hope. Okay, we'll see.

Garry: 01:05:10

Okay. Okey dokey. Let's whack a score. Have you got anything else on your notes, by the way? Anything else you want to.

Adam: 01:05:16

No, just the only Other thing I got was I like the fact, you know, Blake's 7 often films in a forest. I like the fact they've put some lighting on it. It does make it feel just a little bit alien, you know, for the time.

It just made it feel a bit different. I liked the sort of. The feel of the planet, a bit of dry ice. This sort of green lighting just made it look pretty good. I saw.

And the only other thing I've written down is I really liked the scene where the fool threw his voice to sound like Villa because Villa's protest in that scene are hilarious because it takes him a second to click what's happened? He's like, no, I didn't. What's going on? And then the fool, you know, he just looks so pleased with himself.

And then the sister looks over at the fool and smiles and it's just like mischievous, like children almost, you know. So that was a wonderful scene. And I. I know I've said it already in this review, but the full. The performance from Sen Gig Sana. Is that.

You say his name.

Garry: 01:06:16

Senzig. Sana. Yes.

Adam: 01:06:17

Just a real highlight for me, mate. He's only in a couple of little scenes, but he's just brilliant in this.

Garry: 01:06:23

So, yeah, it could be Kenzig. We're probably butchering that, of course, but.

Adam: 01:06:27

We probably are, yeah.

Garry: 01:06:29

And the location was really cool, actually. It's. They. They filmed it over in the Forest of Dean. A really cool name, actually. It's got a sub name, so it's.

The area is called Bream Scowls in the Forest of Dean, but it's also known as Devil's Chapel. Oh, that's cool. It's really cool location. Yeah, it's essentially. So scowl is. Basically, it's a.

It's a unique term to describe like irregular and overgrown hollows in limestone and all this stuff. And it just creates this real nice labyrinth of sort of little gullies and caves and sort of network of chasms and stuff. So it was a great.

That outdoor stuff. And you're right, the way that they lit that did provide a bit of a. It was almost suited to more of a horror style story, that location.

They could have used that to great effect if it was a more creepy vibe for something. But yeah, nonetheless it was really good. Really good.

Adam: 01:07:31

Yeah.

I just thought it just used a few simple effects to make it look a bit more, you know, like an alien planet rather than just the standard forest, which was cool.

Garry: 01:07:39

Yeah, agreed. And then lastly, just. I know we mentioned it before, but the visual Effects were. The newer versions were really good. Yeah.

Adam: 01:07:51

Very nice in this. Very, very nice.

Garry: 01:07:52

Yeah. Okie dokie. Time. Time for scores. Whose turn is it to go first?

Adam: 01:08:00

You better pick one of your.

Garry: 01:08:01

Yeah.

Adam: 01:08:02

Scores gonna be interesting.

Garry: 01:08:04

Yeah. I've got a 5, I've got a 6.5, I've got a 7 and I've got an 8.

Adam: 01:08:11

So I don't think it can be an 8. As much as I would love to give it. I don't think it can be an eight.

Garry: 01:08:16

No. So I'm gonna have to roll the dice on this one. I think I'm gonna give it a 6.5. Yeah, I think. I think it.

It's not an unenjoyable episode, but considering some of the absolute bangers that we've had in series B before this and the potential finale could be amazing as well next week, which I'm hoping it will be. But. Yeah, but just based on the other stories where I've scored higher, this one can't go any higher for me on that one. So it's. Yeah, it's got some.

It's one of those episodes where overall not. Not great, but it does have a few little nice bits dotted around.

Adam: 01:09:04

Yeah.

Garry: 01:09:05

And a few bits. So, yeah. 6.5. What about you, buddy?

Adam: 01:09:08

I'm just.

Sorry, I was just going back through my notes because I do find this a hard one to score and I feel like there's gonna be listeners like yourself that have watched this for the first time and you either get into it and enjoy it or you will find it a slog. This is an episode that's not gonna appeal to everyone.

I don't think, you know, I can totally understand if people would put this on and think, oh, well, that was boring. But to me, I do get a lot of enjoyment out of it. So I can only score it by my enjoyment. I wrote 6.5 out of 10. I do wonder if I ought to give it 7.

I think I had a big smile on my face through most of this. You know, if I'm going. Enjoyment factor, I am gonna. I'm gonna give it a seven.

And the reason I was looking through my notes is because I wanted to see what I scored. Weapon. Because that for me is still the weakest episode. And I definitely enjoyed this more than weapon, which I think I scored a six. I'm not sure.

Can't find it, but I'm probably going too high. But I'm going to give it a 7. I just enjoyed it, so it was fun.

Garry: 01:10:08

That's cool, dude.

Adam: 01:10:09

Yeah, but, but I did write 6.5, so I have, I have gone up slightly because I enjoyed it.

Garry: 01:10:16

Yeah. I mean, that is a, that's such a common thing for us, isn't it? You know when you've watched the episode and you think, ah, that wasn't amazing.

But then as we're talking through it in the review and, and all that stuff, if you enjoy it and you had a good time reviewing it and you've got a smile on your face, then. Yeah, go on. Your enjoyment factor.

Adam: 01:10:37

I gave Gambit 7 and I would say I enjoyed this as much as Gambit. I definitely didn't enjoy it less than Gambit. So.

Garry: 01:10:43

Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, fair days. But yeah, stick with it. So then a 6.5 from me and a 7 from Adam. And that's a great point as always, to stick a pin in it for this episode, dude.

Adam: 01:10:57

Indeed.

Garry: 01:11:08

Thank you very much for coming back and listening to another episode of Federation Strike. That was episode 12 and our review of the episode the keeper with a 6.5 from me and Adam Gage this one graciously a 7 for his enjoyment.

Next week we'll be back for the finale of Series B. It won't be our last episode of this season on Federation Strike.

We'll be back after that to do our Series B round out episode where we'll just discuss our thoughts and feelings on the series as a whole. And then we've got a bonus episode coming up after that, possibly two bonus episode.

So it's not the end of Blake's 7 for our season, but we will be finishing up the series proper next week for our review of the episode. Star 1 finally get to see what all the fuss is about as a newcomer to Blake's 7.

So looking forward to that and as I mentioned earlier, please, we'd love to have you to come back and listen to all of our friends, future episodes and everything. So the best way you can get notified for all of those is to make sure you're following or subscribing in your preferred podcast app of choice.

You can also chat to us about Blake's 7 on the socials we're on Bluesky and X. There are links in the show notes to those or just do a Search for Lake 7 podcast.

Give us a like and a follow over there and come and give us your thoughts on this episode and anything else about Blake's 7:7. As long as you don't spoil stuff for me, then we'll be on good terms.

I don't want anyone coming in saying, oh, Garry, by the way, have you heard about this thing that happens in Blake's 7 and I can't unsee it. Also, talking of Blake's 7 and other geekery stuff and all the good sci fi bits and bobs, make sure you check out my co host channel over on YouTube.

It is, of course, as always, the Geek's Hand.

Adam: 01:13:05

Yes, the geeks handbag on YouTube. Also on all the socials under the same name. Come find me the Geeks Handbag.

Garry: 01:13:11

Loads of cool stuff on Adam's channel. Unboxings, reviews, going out shopping for cool geekery figures, posters, vinyl sets, the whole shebang.

Go and check out Adam's stuff over on YouTube. Alrighty. Until next week then. My name's Garry.

Adam: 01:13:29

My name's Adam.

Garry: 01:13:30

And we'll see you next time on Federation Strike, a journey through Blake's 7.