A:13: Orac: A Race to Orac Plus THAT Cliffhanger Ending!

Garry: 00:00:17

Hello and welcome to Federation Strike, a Journey through Blake's 7. My name is Garry.

Adam: 00:00:22

My name's Adam .

Garry: 00:00:23

And this is episode 13.

Adam: 00:00:25

Yes.

Garry: 00:00:37

We are at the end of Series A, bud. Can you believe it?

Adam: 00:00:41

How did we get here?

Garry: 00:00:42

How did this happen?

Adam: 00:00:43

Feels like yesterday we were sat in the BFI. I was trying to convince you to watch Blake's 7. We talked about doing a podcast and suddenly we're at the end of Series one.

Garry: 00:00:54

Here we are. Hey, Orac is upon us, Orac, for episode 13.

We will get to our review shortly, of course, but thank you very much to those of you that are back to listen to more Federation Strike. It's been great to have you along on the journey as we've dived into the beginning Series, Series A of Blake's 7. It's been very cool so far.

If you're a newcomer to the podcast, then welcome aboard.

Also, it's good to have you here and make sure you're following or subscribing to the show in your preferred podcast app so that you can check out all the other episodes plus get notifications through the app when we put new episodes out.

So we mentioned it earlier on in the season, but fear not, although this is our final episode for the Series A of Blake's 7, we've got a few more episodes to come as bonus episodes over the next few weeks, so don't worry about that. Next week Adam and I are going to do a Series A wrap up episode which sounds really cool.

We're going to go through as it sounds, a wrap up, an overview of our feelings on Series A, dive into a bit more stuff around that and then a little look forward to Series B because the Series B Blu ray set was announced.

Adam: 00:02:14

Dude, I know, absolutely cannot wait for Series B. It's funny because I know they, I know they're calling it Series 2 on the actual packaging.

And we spoke to one of the producers of the set, Russell Minton, didn't we, at the BFI and I did ask him, didn't I said, was there any discussion about whether it was Series A, B or 1 2? Because obviously Blake's 7 fans, we call them Series A, B, C, D. And I don't know where that came from. I think there is a reason for it.

And he did, he did reply, he did say, but I can't remember what his response was. What did he say? He said there was discussion around it. I remember that.

But they ultimately, I think probably the BBC or someone who probably doesn't even know what Blake's 7, I don't know, they just decided it was easy to call it Series one and two to save. Was it something to do with the American market? Maybe. I think save confusion. I can't remember what he said.

Garry: 00:03:05

I'm pretty sure that was all. Yeah, for the international markets it was just easier to label it as 1, 2, etc.

Adam: 00:03:12

Yeah, we ought to try and get him on the podcast. He's such a lovely guy, Russell Minton, and he's heavily involved in the Doctor who and Blu Ray sets in terms of, you know, producing them and stuff.

And he's, yeah, he's, he's really interested to talk to but he's, I wouldn't say he's shy but he's always says, no, no, I'd be no good, I don't want to come on and you know, but I might try and drag him on next time we're at the BFI because he's, he's honestly, he does himself an injustice. He's a really interesting guy to talk to and he'd be great to get on. So mate, we'll try and the problem is he doesn't drink. I don't think so.

I can't even ply him with drinks at the BFI bar and drag him on.

Garry: 00:03:51

That's the problem.

Adam: 00:03:52

To sign the contract while he's under the influence. I can't do that. So I don't know, I have to try and talk him into it.

Garry: 00:03:58

But yeah, yeah, no, he's a lovely chat though, Russell. He's yeah, very, very cool.

And talking of people coming onto the podcast though, after our wrap up episode next week, the following two weeks after that, we've got some interview episodes lined up. We'll tell you next week what they are, but we've got some really cool chats and interviews with some people who are involved with the Blu Ray sets.

So some really insightful in depth. One of the episodes is mega geeky. In depth it is, put it that way, yes.

I mean both of them are in depth but one of them is particularly technically geeky and stuff. So if you're, if you're into that sort of thing then you're going to love that. And then one of the other ones is just so, so cool.

I don't want to spoil it, but we got some great chats with some people involved in it. So yes, we'll keep you up to date on that stuff. Also check out the Federation Strike socials for that info as well.

You can find us on Blue sky and X if you do a Search for Lake 7 podcast or there's a link in the show notes. Come and give us a follow over there and chat Blake7 with us.

And thank you so much to all of you that have interacted with us and followed and had chats about all the things to do with Blake's 7. Thank you very much for that. A really cool community around this show.

And yeah, you mentioned just a second ago, dude, about the labeling of Series A and versus one and all that stuff. And you said Blake's 7 fans, I can safely say now that I'm in the, I'm in the camp, I'm in the blade, I can class myself as a Blake's 7 fan 100% now.

Whereas before I was just on the periphery. It was just, oh, Gaz, you should watch, you should watch Blake's 7. It's an amazing show and like, yeah, I'll get round to it and.

But now that we've, we've dived into it and I must admit, dude, you are you 100% on the money? You nailed it. It's, we'll save this chat for the, for next week's wrap up. So. It's a wonderful, wonderful show and I've fallen in love with it.

So it's just such a shame that we're at the end of episode 13.

You and I have spoken offline a little bit about how we're just so desperately itching to, to carry on and dive into, into the, the rest of Blake's 7, but we've, we've resisted. We're going to wait for the next Blu Ray set which has now been announced. It's up for pre order. By the way.

We put some info on our, on the Social channels the other day. You can order it from the usual stockist. So hmv, Amazon, all those sorts of places. I think Xavi have got it as well.

And Rare Waves I think is another one. Yeah.

So if you want this set and you're, you're keen for Blake's 7 to continue in that form where we get a Blu Ray set once or twice a year, then please make sure that you, you speak with your wallet on this one because we can, we can spend millions of hours and, and days on the Socials talking about how wonderful Blake's 7 is and all the rest of it. But until people are actually buying it, you know, in numbers, then the BBC won't make any more of them.

So show your love of Blake's 7 with a pre order for Series two.

Adam: 00:07:14

Definitely, mate. Yeah, I mean get the pre orders in. I mean, I always order for HMV because if you pay by credit card, they don't Take the money until it's dispatched.

So you're not paying out up front, but it's just good to get those pre order figures in so that BBC can see the support. And I think I'm right in saying it's all already. Is it number. It went to number one or two of the Amazon chart.

Garry: 00:07:37

Yeah, yeah.

Adam: 00:07:38

So you got. I think. Yeah, I think was number one, wasn't it? And Doctor who Series seven was number two or. Although previously that was number one. I think it.

Or was it the other way around?

I can't remember but that it's Doctor who and Blake7 are currently top, I think of the Amazon Blu Ray chart, which is just amazing and wonderful to see.

Garry: 00:07:56

They were, they were at the top.

Adam: 00:07:58

Yeah.

Garry: 00:07:58

So it's amazing. Yeah. Very, very cool. And just the sets themselves, we could gush over these all day, but they're just so well made.

A lot of love, A lot of love's gone into those and a lot of many, many man hours and, and some challenges to overcome. You'll hear some of that stuff on the bonus episodes in the next couple of weeks. But yes, the quality is definitely there.

.: 9999

Absolute steal for the content that you get for those. Like I would happily pay. I'd happily pay double that.

Adam: 00:08:42

Don't, just don't say that too loud.

Garry: 00:08:44

I start putting them up, you know what I mean?

It's like the amount of content that's been produced specifically for these new Blu Rays as well as all the archive special features and stuff that you've seen on the DVDs over the years and all that. It's just such a great set. So we could talk about them all day. But yeah, make sure you get your pre orders in for those.

Adam: 00:09:05

Yeah. And it's just, just to wrap that. But it's worth.

If like me, you've bought Blake's 7, if you've not any double dipped, triple dipped or whatever and you've bought it on vhs, DVD and everything else. These honestly are worth getting because of the new content. I mean we talked about Russell Minton.

He, he very much likes to make the Doctor who sets like a time capsule. He likes to bring as many extras from all the DVDs and other releases he can. So it's like a. Almost like a definitive set.

The best, the best that they can do for each one and, and the Same care has gone into this Blake's 7 Blu Ray. And there's the new documentaries. I was talking to Garry about this just before we started recording.

The new documentary on there on disc one is just beautiful, where they get, you know, the surviving cast members and some of the models and archive interviews. It's. Yeah, they've really. They've really put some heart into it.

And I think they were very much encouraged by how well Series 1A, whatever you want to call it, Blu Ray did. It sold very well.

And I think some of the people that were involved with it have tweeted and said, you know, they're working even harder on Series two because it's just given them that boost that they need. I'm sort of thinking in terms of like the new effects and stuff they were saying.

We looked at what we did and we're working to make it even better for Series two and stuff like that. So, yeah, it's. It's great. Get.

Get your pre orders in them, Series three cd, whatever you want to call it, you know, then we'll get all of them on Blu Ray as these little time capsules of all these lovely new extras on. So. And they've got all the stuff that was on the DVDs pretty much as well. So it's great just to have it all in that set.

Garry: 00:10:45

Oh, we love those. We love those sets. Yeah.

Okay, so just to recap, then, get your pre orders in, make sure you're following this, this podcast in your fave podcast app so you don't miss notifications for all the cool stuff coming up. And then our next season later on in the year as we go through Series B, give us a like and a follow on the socials.

There are links in the show notes to those things.

And lastly, if you like the podcast and thank you so much to those of you that have already done this, it's very, very cool if you can leave us a rating or review and whatever podcast app enables that Apple Podcast does it. You can leave a rating on Spotify or There's websites like podchaser.com and those sorts of things. Thank you so much to those of you that have left.

Very kind words and your thoughts on the podcast. It's very much appreciated. But if you can spare a minute to do that. And also, we don't run ads or anything on.

On our podcast within Cosmic Echoes at the moment, so we rely on. On a bit of word of mouth and you guys sharing this with your friends.

So if you want to share this with your mates, Tell them that There's a Cool Blake's 7 podcast amongst some very other Cool Blake's 7 podcasts out there. Share us with your mates. That would be much appreciated as well. So thank you very much to those of you who have done that thus far.

And with all that being said. Dude, our last. What's our last review for this one?

Adam: 00:12:05

So here we are then. We're at the end of Series a with episode 13 and it's called Orac.

Trailer: 00:12:15

Goodbye, Blake. Wait. I have waited too long. He's the bonus. Travis Aurak is the prize.

Trailer: 00:12:22

Where is Ensor Ensil?

Trailer: 00:12:25

Like his son? He's dead. It was to be expected. He survived longer than we thought was possible. That box, Orac. That's what we came for.

If it does only half of what was promised, it'll give the Federation greater power than it's ever known. What are you going to do? What do you think I'm going to do? I think you're going to kill me, Travis. With or without orders from the Supreme Commander.

With orders, Blake. All right, Travis, go ahead. Ah. Don't move. Good shot, Avon. I was aiming for his head.

Trailer: 00:13:14

You took your time. What have you been up to?

Trailer: 00:13:16

We had a few minor problems. Did you bring the decontaminants? Yes, we've got them. Tell them to bring us up. Jenna, stand by. But what are you waiting for? Come on, man.

Why don't you kill us? No, I've got a better idea. We'll get a message through to the Federation, tell them that you let us take Orac.

I'm sure they'll be quite fascinated by your explanation. You're in a lot of trouble, Travis.

Garry: 00:13:49

Oh dear.

Adam: 00:13:51

Oh dear. You don't want to be on the end of Servalan's, Travis

Garry: 00:13:56

What a great clip.

Adam: 00:14:00

Brilliant.

Garry: 00:14:01

March: 1978

And the synopsis from the old VHS is Blake and his crew go on a life saving mission to the planet Aristo, where they must stop Aurak, a highly advanced computer falling into the Federation's hands. But Servalan and Travis have located it too. And Blake is caught in a race against time to save the lives of his crew.

Adam: 00:14:42

Again from radiation. Who would have guessed?

Garry: 00:14:46

Who would have thought a Terry Nation story would feature some radiation? But here we are. And. Right, so story wise for this one. It's almost a carry on Isn't it from last.

From Last Week Episode 12 Deliverance where the they're aware of Orac. They. They're not what it is but they're aware of something called Orac. Because Ensor's son, also called Ensor, is on his way to save his dad.

It turns out that his father Ensor is had a an electronic or heart fitted many moons ago and requires these energy cells to keep it going.

So his son was on his way to make sure his dad was all good with that stuff and also as an offshoot to sell Orac to the Federation for a large sum of credits. So Servalan and Travis are on the case now. They're.

They know that Orac is there for the taking after they sabotaged Ensor ship in the previous episode and. But there's a lot of security in place on Aristo.

Blake and Cali head down for exactly the same mission to retrieve whatever Orac is with a little substory of the the guys back on the Liberator have now suffered some radiation poisoning so they need some anti radiation drugs to to save them. So a nice climatic story bud to so this one. So what are your thoughts on. On the finale?

Adam: 00:16:33

Yeah, I like, I like this. I think it's a. It's a nice continuation from last week.

I love the fact that we get introduced to a new character that's going to join the Liberator Orac. It feels like it's the final piece in Terror nations puzzle for the first Series. You know, it's kind of like to me it just. It's that last piece.

It completes everything ready to really kick off in Series two.

I am intrigued actually what you're going to say about this episode because although I like it, I think it's a good, a good nice final, a nice end to the Series. I. I am wondering. I. I feel like this might not be what you're expecting now.

We listeners, we never talk about episodes before we record so we always go in blind. I never know if Garry likes the episode or not. We save it till the recording.

So I have no idea what he thinks of this episode or any of the others we've reviewed until we actually press record. But I don't know. I was watching this last night and it's an episode I like. I don't think it's the most action packed final or anything like that.

I just, just like it. As a story like Ensor, I find it quite funny. This cantankerous guy that's been living in this little world with robotic birds and plants.

I just think it's a lovely, lovely little story and a nice ending. I'm gonna say not, not the most wow or action packed ending to a Series, but I think it's a nice wrap up for Series one.

But I was sat there watching this last night thinking I don't think this is going to be what Garry was expecting to end the Series.

I think you thought we were going to have a full on battle with the Federation and it was all going to kick off, which it sort of does right towards the end. But watching this as a. With my reviewer eyes on.

You know, although I like the episode, there is a lot of exposition, there is a lot of walking around caves. As I said, not the most action packed finale. So I was thinking all the way through this. I wonder if Garry's enjoying this.

I wonder if this is the kind of final he was expecting. So I'm going to head over to you in just a second and I'm just going to say that I do like this episode. I do think it's a good finale episode.

But I'm curious to hear what you thought of it.

Garry: 00:18:52

Yeah, I thought it was a great finale episode.

Adam: 00:18:54

Oh, good. I was worried. I was genuine. This is one of those episodes, mate. I was worried it might be a bit ploddy.

It would just be totally the opposite of what you were thinking it was gonna be as a finale. You know, I thought that you thought they were gonna go back and start blowing up like the dome in the first episode or something like that.

So slightly relieved. Okay, tell me, tell me your thoughts.

Garry: 00:19:15

Yeah, I thought it was a great one because there was a part of me that did expect that. I thought there was gonna be a big old shootout scene with the Liberator and, and some of the Federation ships and whatnot.

I thought there was going to be a big final showdown between Blake and Travis. Yeah, I was expecting that as well.

And I was also expecting a bit more in terms of what Orac turned out to be okay, because I think they played on that a little bit in the script as well, where I think it's Jenna or, or Kali. You know, when they plug Orack in at the end on the Liberator, I think one of them turns around and says, well, that's a bit. Is that it? Yeah.

Is that it? Sort of thing. And as a viewer, I think you're also thinking the same thing. It's. But I.

One would assume, rightly or wrongly that we will hear a lot more from Orac. In Series B onwards, I'm guessing.

Anyway, but just for now, as a little teaser to what Orac is, which is essentially like a supercomputer, it's so obviously spoilers with all this stuff. If you've not seen Blake's 7 before, listener.

But essentially the Ensor who's the scientist who they're, they're going to see in this episode, he developed something called the Tarial Cell and it's in all of the Federation computers.

And what Orac does, it's able to tap into every computer now that the Federation owns and it can either extract information or it can partially take them over and stuff like that. So that was why Serverland was so keen to get Orac, because she knows that in their hands it's invaluable because it protects everything.

It protects all the information, all the data, all the computers from the Federation. It protects that because they own it, but they can also use it to their advantage for their plans or for whatever.

She also knows that if it falls into Blake's hands, it's going to set them back so much because Blake will have the upper hand.

Now she's able to tap into all the Federation stuff and it's a bit of a follow on, in my opinion, from very early on in the Series when they capture the cipher machine and they're able to kind of decrypt a lot of the Federation's communications and whatnot. But it takes a long time, it's a bit labor intensive. With Orac on the fly. They can just say, right, what's this? And he can go off and do that.

A lot more powerful, etc. So the reveal of Orac was a little bit. Yeah, you know, that was. I was expecting a little bit more.

However, I think the payoff is going to be more, more prevalent in Series B once they start, I'm guessing, anyway, they start to use Orac in conjunction with Xen potentially.

So between the two of them, they've got these two very powerful computers, almost sort of artificial intelligence based computers that they can help, that will help them, you know, do their thing. So as a finale, really cool. I love the, I love the, the, the suspense in some areas of it with will Ensor survive? Sadly, he doesn't.

That's a really sad little scene because he's quite a likeable old, old guy.

Adam: 00:22:35

Yeah.

Garry: 00:22:36

And just wants to do, you know, just wants to survive at this point.

Essentially he knows the end is kind of insight for him, but he just wants to survive and he's happy with his plants and you know, and all that stuff.

So it's a bit of like, you know, will they save him or they get him back to Liberator to do the heart upgrade the cells and that will they get all right back to the Liberator? Will Travis and Serval and find them and all this? Will, will Avon and, and Jenna and. And those guys, will they survive?

You know, is the radiation going to take hold and, and is it going to be one of those sad endings to one of the. To a Series where one of the cast members inevitably dies and stuff like that?

So there was a lot of suspense and build up as you went through the episode, which I loved and in a way I kind of preferred this as opposed to having huge fight scenes and space battle scenes and, and all this stuff.

It was more personal I think to the characters doing it this way where the, the side quest, if you like, of saving Ensor, saving the crew of the Liberator and so on, those things were cool, but it was more that what's going to happen to Blake at this point? Because the other option they could have gone with is that Servalann and Travis succeeded.

You know, that's the, that's the cliffhanger that they succeeded in capturing Orack and also they've captured Blake.

Obviously they're not going to kill Blake off because he's back for the next Series, but they've captured him and now he's a prisoner back in the Federation. So they could have gone down, down that road and then.

Yeah, the fact that again Blake lets Travis live and survive because he knows that his punishment is gonna. Is gonna be.

It's weird to say, but he knows that his punishment that's going to be coming up because he's let him escape again is going to be a worse punishment than death because he knows that Travis's kind of obsession is to kill Blake and he still can't do it.

Adam: 00:24:42

Yeah.

Garry: 00:24:43

So the fact that he's going to be left alive knowing that Blake has succeeded in taking all rack and he's gone out, gone off on the Liberator and stuff like that will crush Travis some more. So yeah, the ending was very corner. More personal so I preferred it this way. It was a lot more.

A little, a little glint in Blake's eye, a little grin as he's saying to the way he doesn't even refer to Serverland by name. Does he, you know, come up to that commander? Yeah, it was very, very nicely done but will come on to the end in a second. So yeah, As a finale.

Very cool. Very, very cool. Yeah.

Adam: 00:25:21

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yeah.

As I said, I just thought, I know you like all the stuff about the Federation and Blake sort of trying to bring them down and I thought maybe you're expecting more of that in this episode. But don't worry, we've got plenty of that to come in the future. But yeah, no, it's, it's an. I think it's. Yeah, it's a sort of a.

I wouldn't say an understated finale, but it's. I think it's a nice wrap up to the Series.

When I talked about it being, you know, like Terry Nation's sort of overarching plan, when I look back at Series one and maybe we'll talk about this on the sort of overview, I can see that every sort of couple of episodes he's sort of adding in another piece, you know, another character. And Aurak, obviously, to me is that final piece because from Series B onwards we're very much into the action. I think we very much step up a gear.

So what, as I've always said, I love Series one and it sets out all the, all the pieces on the chessboard and I think by the end of this finale we're sort of all in place, ready to go. And obviously it ends on a cliffhanger, which we'll talk about later.

But I'm intrigued to see treat to hear rather your thoughts on the cliffhanger, which to me sort of comes a bit out of nowhere.

And I like that, you know, I like the fact that Orac leaves the viewer and Blake and all the crew on the edge of their seat of like what, you know, it's a really cool little cliffhanger that kind of comes out of nowhere. So be interesting to hear your thoughts, thoughts on the ending. But like with a lot of episodes, mate it.

For me, the thing that makes it is the characters and the performance. As I said, it's not action packed. There is, there is quite a bit of exposition, especially at the start.

We almost get like a 5 to 10 minute recap which is obviously for the benefit of the viewers. And this obviously shows, you know, is a example of when the period this program was made because we didn't really.

We didn't have iplayer or anything like that. People didn't binge watch stuff.

So you would have been watching this very much like you are, you know, you'd been watching like one episode a week, whatever, or so it's there for the benefit the viewer that sort of first five, 10 minutes. They do, like a little recap, don't they, where suddenly these new seats and a table have appeared at the side of the Liberator deck, which I love.

They just set up this little table for them to have a little chat on and a new monitor screen to the side. I don't think we ever see that bit of the Liberator ever again.

So we get a little recap, bit of exposition, and then we're into the main story, which, yeah, I think is. Is good. And the characters are great. Love Ensor.

He's funny, he's cantankerous, but he's likable, which I always love it when we get characters like that. I love the fact he feeds his fish and waters the plants before he leaves.

All that sort of little details that, for me, make Blake's 7 what it is, is these fun little moments that bring stories like this, which I can imagine, mate. This was one of the stories that on.

On the page, you know, if you break down the actual storyline, I can imagine it needed a little bit of padding, a little bit of, you know, rewriting to sort of bring it up. So it is those little moments that make scripts like this fun, I think.

Garry: 00:28:42

Exactly, mate. Yeah, we need those little bits of those moments, as you said.

And also, it's interesting, the exposition stuff at the beginning as well, because you would have thought that I quite like the way that they did this as well. Because, you know, sometimes you've got on TV shows, you have this thing where it's like. Previously on Blake's 7.

Adam: 00:29:06

Yes.

Garry: 00:29:06

Yeah, it could have been that kind of thing, but the way that they did it was actually Blake investigating the explosion.

Adam: 00:29:13

Yeah.

Garry: 00:29:13

On the ship from the previous episode. And he's going through, he's analyzing, because something doesn't look right to him.

The rest of the crew have just accepted it as an accident on the ship. But he's like, something's not right. It doesn't look. It's not tallying up in my mind.

So he's using Zen and he's like really sort of dialing in the details of the crash. And then it's like, yeah, this is the sabotage job. He knows that the Federation have done this sort of thing, so.

But by doing that and also using footage from Deliverance as well in that opening sort of five minutes, it does give you a nice little recap, but it's not done in the way of a recap, if that makes sense. It's not there. Yeah. So it was really. It was very Nicely done. Because they sort of weave those two things in together.

A bit of an investigation as to what happened in the last episode, but also a bit for the viewers benefit, a little bit of. Actually, yeah, this is. Well, this is what happened last week and. And this is where we're at now. So that was kind of cool.

Adam: 00:30:15

Yeah. A much more interesting way of doing it, isn't it? Like you said, rather than just having a basic recap because you almost.

You're almost sort of tricked in a way for the first couple of minutes. You know, it's only when they start getting into it, you think, oh, they're just giving the viewer a recap.

But at first you get quite invested into it. Well, what's wrong with the explosion?

So you're right, it is a much more fun way of actually doing a recap for viewers that, you know, have had a week between episodes, like they would have done back then.

Garry: 00:30:42

So.

Adam: 00:30:43

Yeah, yeah, it's cool.

Garry: 00:30:44

Yeah, it's good. Yeah. And after you've. We're done with that stuff where we. We recap what's going on, it's. We're into sort of the main.

One of the main storylines where Jenna's not feeling too hot, Avon's a bit dizzy. You can tell things going on. I should have clocked it at the beginning, dude. I should have.

I should have thought to myself, this is a radiation thing because it's a Terran Asian story. I should have clocked it, but I didn't. I thought, oh, what's going on here? Why are these, like, acting a bit squiffy? What's. What's going on?

What have they eaten? Something weird. Is it, you know, something weird. But no, obviously it turns out it's the. On the last episode one. The.

When they were on the planet, was it Cephalon, I believe. Yeah, the previous year.

So on Cephalon, that was the whole reason why the whole Lord Avon thing was happening, because the previous people had been wiped out by the radiation and they launched a rocket that went off to, you know, start that. Those guys on a new planet somewhere. And.

And I think it was mentioned a couple of times in the previous episode about the radiation before they teleported down. I think they had a brief chat and it was like, yeah, the radiation levels are, you know, significantly higher than what we used to.

So can't be down there for too long, blah, blah, blah. Yeah, here we are. And they did stay down there for too long, so they're starting to feel the effects of that. And so did You.

I don't suppose you remember because it was probably quite a while when you first watched these for the very first time.

But did you remember clocking that that was a radiation thing that we were about to drive into, or did you think, oh, I'm not sure what's wrong with these guys?

Adam: 00:32:30

I'll be honest with you, mate, I honestly can't remember. I know. I genuinely can't remember when I first would have watched watch these, whether I clocked it or not.

I mean, the thing is, even with the recap that they're giving at the start, I. I'd sort of almost forgotten about the planet having radiation because they do mention it. You're right that that seed is sown in the script.

But yeah, when Callie comes out with the little radiation meter and it's going, oh, yes, of course it's radiation, of course it is. So. But I can't remember if I. I can't remember if I figured that out the first time.

Garry: 00:33:04

I should have played it, like I said. Yeah.

But as soon as they do mention it though, as soon as they dive into the hole when Callie's doing some research and she's like, yep, it's radiation, it's okay.

Adam: 00:33:17

I like it when. When they realize they haven't got any drugs and Villa says, die, I can't do that. And Avon's like, it's the one talent we all share. Villa.

It's so cold. Just. This is the thing. This is what I try and tell people with Blake's 7. When that. When they say, no, I don't know if I can get you.

I was like, when you get to know the characters, it's lines like this that just lift every episode. And there's so many of them. That's the good thing about Blake's 7. So many great one liners like that.

Garry: 00:33:46

Yeah, yeah. So good. Especially between. Now that we're. We've gone through the Series, for me at least I'm very. It's comfortable now.

The bants that are going on between them and these little digs and things like that. I think some of the characters play off a bit friendlier than others. Like Gan's always got a little grin on his face when these things are happening.

And, you know, Villa's got that, you know, we've gone through that many times. The thing with Villa and his very pessimistic and et cetera.

So I think it sums up nicely the relationship between those characters at this point at the end, where they're still very. They're a crew, obviously, but they're still very looking out for one's own self, especially Avon still.

And that was very prevalent, actually, in that scene where the.

Blake had said to them, look, you need to stay conscious enough for long enough so that when we've done what we need to do, you can teleport us back up. And they were like, oh, cool. Obviously, things kick off down on the planet surface and they don't end up, you know, coming back in time.

So at first glance, Avon's like, right, it's a rescue mission. So him and village like, Villa, come on, get yourself sorted out where we're going.

At first glance, I thought, right, he actually does care about Blake. He does care about those guys and wants to rescue them. But then I very quickly realized that he's obviously needs to save his own skin.

Adam: 00:35:24

Of course, it's interesting he picks Villa, isn't it? I've noticed in the last.

Last couple of times Avon's gone down or whatever, he's taken Villa with him, which is interesting because their relationship can be quite tense at times. You know, you get the. You get the feeling that Villa irritates Avon and vice versa. So it's interesting that he often picks him.

And I, knowing how calculating Avon is, I'm assuming it's because he knows that despite the fact that Villa's a bit of a clown at times, he. He does have his uses. You know, as much as Avon would hate to admit that if he needs him to open a door or whatever, he is useful. So I think that's.

I don't know, I just think it's interesting he picks Villa rather than sort of Jenna, who's pretty handy with a gun, which is. Maybe that's Avon's strength as well. So he thinks, I'll take Villa with me. So he's. It's always calculated with Avon. That's what I like.

Every decision he makes is always to benefit him.

Garry: 00:36:18

Yes, yeah, exactly. Yeah. But I was fooled for a moment. I thought, oh, he does give it. He does give a. He does give a damn about Blake and wants to save him.

But then I thought, no, his life's about to come to an end and needs the anti radiation.

Adam: 00:36:31

He's had enough of waiting.

Garry: 00:36:32

Yeah, he's had enough. Yeah. So, yeah, the relationship between the crew at this point is not.

Not that it's expected in a bad way, as in you rolling your eyes like, oh, here we are. But it's just cool that you're. You've got to know the characters pretty well at this point.

Adam: 00:36:47

Yeah.

Garry: 00:36:48

And and you almost look forward to the bants. Like, what. What little dig is Villa gonna throw at the guys? What.

What snarky comment is, is Villa gonna come out with this week and that kind of thing? It's pretty cool.

Adam: 00:37:01

Yeah.

I was gonna say, actually, that's one of the things that's nice about Blake7 is I think we've got to know the characters and so, and the characters have got to know each other almost at the same time. You know, as the Series is built, those characters have got to know each other and, and sort of realize their characteristics and their faults and.

And whatever. And I think the View has been along on that journey with them if, you know, I mean, we've got to see the interactions between them.

And it's almost like we're a fly on the wall in a way, isn't it? That we get to see the characters build and get to know each other throughout this Series.

Garry: 00:37:39

Yes, yeah, exactly. That, you know, you do get to see.

Because the other thing is, as we've gone through each episode of this first Series, to me it's felt like I'm not sure that I would want to do this, but you could edit this into one like a two part feature film, because each episode seems to follow on directly from the previous one.

There isn't a big time gap where, you know, things have happened with the crew and I've gone off and done certain things and we're just picking it up, you know, at certain points. So, yeah, and I think as the. As a finale, that's.

It cements all of that stuff quite nicely as, you know, as we get to the end of the Series, it's like, okay, Avon's still after his own, you know, saving his own skin. Blake's still doing the right thing. Some of the other crew members are following Blake still. So it's really cemented that stuff.

Adam: 00:38:34

That's a good way of explaining it, mate, because I think that is what I was trying to get at is because it feels almost like not in real time.

But you're right, it feels like each episode follows on nicely from the other in terms of a timeline, that we do feel like we're on the journey with them. One of a better phrase, don't we? So I feel like that's what I meant when I was saying we've got to know them at the same time.

They've got to know each other. And it is because of that, I think every week you go back and it's almost like checking in with some friends to see how they're getting on this week.

And, you know, they've. They've. Friendships and relationships have progressed just that little bit further.

They're either a little bit more trusting or they know exactly, you know, where their limits are with each other and stuff like that. So, yeah, I think that is what I like about Series one is that that progression of the characters and the fact we can follow along with them.

I am slightly surprised by the way that Avon doesn't want to get his hands on or. Because that's normally the sort of thing Avon would. I mean, he could rule the galaxy with that thing and it's worth a fortune. So I'm.

I guess they could have played into that a little bit more, maybe, but I'm surprised he didn't want to go down and get that for himself, to be fair. And I think it's in some of the production notes, isn't it, that I think originally it was Avon that was going to go down with Cali instead of Blake.

But they figured that if it was Avon going down to get all right, he wouldn't be able to resist stealing it. So they changed it to Blake.

Garry: 00:39:57

I think that's right, yes. Yeah. So that was in the original script. That.

Adam: 00:40:03

Which I can totally get. I'm. I mean, even when Blake brings it on board, I'm surprised everyone isn't, you know, boxing it up, ready to leave.

Garry: 00:40:13

Yeah, exactly. And it's. It's kind of weird because you would have thought that actually.

No, because they're not aware of what Orac is before they get to it, are they? So you could be.

But what I would say is at the end, at the Liberator, when they've plucked Orack in and they're taking him for a test drive, you're right. I think you would expected Avon to be all over it a bit more because he's such a technical genius and loves all that.

All those things like you said, if he had Orac to himself, he could, you know. Yeah. So it's weird that he's.

It's almost like a repeat of when we first meet Zen earlier on in the Series, where Avon takes an immediate dislike to him and doesn't appreciate the lack of human interaction from a computer that's so intelligent. It's like, oh, God, here we go, just give me the bloody answer. You know, it's that kind of attitude.

And he almost has the same reaction to Aura, like, because he quite. He gets quite irritated and unplugs him, doesn't he? And turns him off and walks away. So, yeah, it's.

You would have thought that Avon would have been like, look, I need time with Orac.

Adam: 00:41:35

You know, where's the escape shuttle to.

Garry: 00:41:37

Dive in and do all that stuff? But, yeah, he just. He's like. You almost get the feeling that his.

His attitude is a bit like another bloody computer that's, you know, on board this ship. That doesn't make any bloody sense and all the rest of it. And he's just had enough.

Adam: 00:41:54

And do you know what? They missed the tricks. Now, what would have been funny? I've only just thought of this.

It would have been good if Blake had just got the, you know, the surveillance, whatever that funny security robot thing is. It's floating in the sky. It looks like a silver rugby ball, silver basketball.

It would have been funny if Blake had brought that out and said, oh, gosh, we have got something for you as well, Avon. We've brought. Because he does actually say it'd make a nice pet for Avon, which is, again, a great line, isn't it?

It would have been funny if they'd have brought that out and given it to Avon at the end as a consolation prize for not getting Auric. Yeah, but I guess they didn't know. They couldn't. They were too busy trying to escape, I suppose, to bring it.

But that would have been a fun moment, wouldn't it?

Garry: 00:42:35

That would have been so funny pet for eight.

Adam: 00:42:37

But imagine his face if you saw that thing.

Garry: 00:42:39

Bless Avon. He does get. He does get some stick, doesn't he, from Blake and. And from Villa, as we've gone through this. But. Oh, yeah. So, okay, what about the.

The storyline then, with. With Ensor and. And his, well, I would say untimely, very timely death. His time has obviously run out naturally, and now he's being sustained by this.

This mechanical or electronical heart that is now keeping him alive. And his time's almost up and I can't say whether I was expecting him to be dead or not. I can't really say if I.

If I was thinking that one way or the other was going through the episode.

I thought at the most that he would make it to the Liberator, but then something would go wrong when they were doing the, you know, changing the parasols, etc. Yeah, but the. The performance. I really, really did like Derek Farr as Ensor in this. He has such a likable, sort of grumpy old guy.

It was really a real human performance from him when he was as Ensor, not the Voice of Aurak but we know when we first see him and he's pottering around, doing all his stuff, chatting away to himself. And then when Blake and Callie turn up, he. He immediately assumes that they're scientists and starts reeling off all the things.

Adam: 00:44:09

Let's get on with it.

Garry: 00:44:11

Yeah. And. And when Blake starts to explain to him the situation and then reveals that his son's died, he immediately has this very, like such a.

You really feel for him because although he doesn't break down, he just has this look about him like he's never going to see his son again. Yeah, absolutely, mate. And he apologize, he's like, look, I'm sorry if I snapped. You know, that's just my way. It's just, you know, and then he talks.

It's really quite heart wrenching because you really feel for him because, you know, he's got, he's got to that point in his life where he's obviously got. He's thinking about death, he's thinking about that stuff, but he doesn't, he doesn't think that it applies to his son at this point.

He just thinks that his own death, that's imminent.

Adam: 00:45:00

Yeah.

Garry: 00:45:00

You know, and his time is almost up and I think he almost, he references it almost like that and.

But he's just gutted and deflated as you said, when they said, you know, two people have died and he immediately clocks like one of them's his son and, and they were like, you know, one if he knew that I loved really was a bit of a choke moment because of his performance. He just yet switches to this mode like, well, I'm never going to see him again, you know, and he's almost disappointed on two counts.

Like, number one, the obvious one is that he's lost his son, but the second one, he's gutted at the potential that's lost because he says, you know, he was a smart mind. He was, you know, he's switched on and all this sort of stuff and now. And now he's gone. So that was a nice. Is the right word.

That was a, I think a much needed downturn in the episode where it sort of brought home again the human nature of, of the story and it isn't all about, you know, battle against Blake and the Federation and Travis after Blake and. And all this stuff. It was a real human side of it and yeah, a real gutting. But did you like Derek Farr? I thought he was so good as Ensor.

Adam: 00:46:17

Excellent, mate. Yeah.

I love the character and I think it's A beautiful performance from him because he, he plays that sort of eccentric, slightly irascible character. And like you said, to be able to switch like that to the emotion. Yeah, it does.

Even, even watching it last night, I was thinking, ah, you know, it pulled at the heartstrings when he apologizes and he realizes he's lost his son. It's. It's a brilliant performance from him and you need that because when he does die at the end, you, you need to feel something and you do.

You're like, oh, no, you know, Ensor's died. You know, it's a really sad moment. I feel sorry for him though, getting.

I mean, I guess they don't have any choice because they've got to get out of there. But you know, to, to think that Ensor is just left in that damp, grotty cave. That's where he will remain, you know, after dying. It's quite sad.

Doesn't even get like a decent burial. But yeah, it's, it's a wonderful performance from him, I think, and a really great character.

And I love, you know, this is kind of this early sci fi, this thing of him plugging, you know, connecting this thing to his chest.

I just love all that sort of stuff that we used to get in the 70s, which seems so sort of basic now, I guess, compared to the effects we get these days. But it's just such a lovely idea of connecting himself up and.

Yeah, but a great performance from him as Ensor and then just a really likable character. And actually, mate, I think, you know, last week when I was saying I enjoyed Deliverance, wasn't it last week, which is kind of the first.

It's kind of. This is. You could see this as a two parter, I think.

I feel like if you would, if you were going back and watching these two episodes back to back, I feel like you might enjoy Deliverance a bit more. Although that's not to say you didn't enjoy it. I think you gave it, was it 6.5.

You did enjoy it, but I think this might enhance your enjoyment of Deliverance when you react. Come to rewatch it because you know what's to come.

If you know, I mean, you'll sort of appreciate, oh, that's Ensor's son and oh, I know what's going to happen to his dad.

As a two parter, it does have a nice rewatch ability because of those two characters, but particularly Ensor, Elder rather than Ends or Junior, you know, I mean, it just enhances this, these two Episodes. I think the character, and a lot of that is down to Derek Farr's performance.

Garry: 00:48:39

Yes, absolutely, dude. Yeah, very cool. And that's. I'm glad you mentioned his death scene, because.

Adam: 00:48:47

He deserved better than that. That's the only thing that.

I mean, I know they couldn't really do anything, but I do feel like, oh, you can't just leave him in that damp cave, like against the wall. But I guess they've got to get out of there. But I don't know a way of writing around that.

Garry: 00:49:03

No. And with some actors, especially back in the day with. With shows like this, on a bit of a budget and whatnot, some. Some actors are better than.

Are better at playing dead characters than others. The best way to put it, and mate, Derek Farr is almost like they. They filmed him and pressed pause because he is. His eye.

Adam: 00:49:26

I was watching the eyes.

Garry: 00:49:28

His eyes are just completely excused upon dead. Yeah, and he's. And Blake turns his head and he just plays the. It's weird to say, but he plays a dead. A dead character very, very, very well.

Adam: 00:49:42

I was watching to see if he blinked. I was thinking, guys, really like doing this. Well, I know. I did think the same thing.

Garry: 00:49:48

Yeah. Again, heart wrenching, though, mate. It's like. And you're absolutely right, I think that caps off his story in such a sad way.

After all the, the cool stuff that he's invented and coming up with Orac and. And just real. Just finding out mere minutes prior to this that he'd lost his son and. And all of that.

And is Oracle potentially about to land in the hands of the Federation? We don't know. And then, you know, just to go like that and being left in the. In the tunnel. Such a sad ending.

Adam: 00:50:24

Yeah. The more you think about it, it's a really sad ending for a great character, isn't it? That's, you know, given us. I don't want.

I don't want to give anything away about Orac, but it's created something that will, I think, become a fairly important part of Blake's 7. You know, it becomes a bit like Zen. It becomes very much a character in his own right. So, yeah, yeah, it's sad that Ensor, you know, that's.

That's the way he bows out, really. But it is.

Garry: 00:50:51

We do get his voice, though, carrying on in the form of Orac for this. For this episode.

Adam: 00:50:58

Yeah, yeah.

Garry: 00:50:59

So that's not all bad. In the final moments of the episode, we do hear his voice.

Adam: 00:51:03

I think that's a really nice idea. As well, isn't it to have the computer have his voice. And he describes Orac as like a brain, doesn't he? It's like he's not just a computer.

I love it when he's like describing it.

I mean, I'm going to throw in one of my favorite quotes here, which won't mean anything to you yet, but I know anyone who likes Series D will love it. You know, some people or one person has described aura as.

It's just a box of flashing lights, which is one of my favorite lines, which I'm sad to say you won't get to hear for a very long time. But he is so much more than that, Orack. He's. He is quite the character, as you will see when we get into Series two. So. Yeah.

But, you know, the fact that I think we'll, you know, try and remember ends all. I don't know if he gets mentioned again, I can't remember. But it is nice that he's got his voice, even if he. It's only for this one episode.

But it's a nice idea.

Garry: 00:52:02

o he was born. So he. Back in: 1978

ourse, and being born in like: 1912

Take some stones to go through that and stuff. So what a guy. Just all round. A lot of respect for. For Derek Farr and very, very. A very actor with a lot of range as well.

Some of the shows that he did before Blake's 7, lots of different types of characters and Then from Blake's 7 to follow up immediately as a small role as a doctor and some others do have him.

Adam: 00:52:57

Oh, yeah.

Garry: 00:52:57

In Frank's, you know, there's such a very. Yeah. A ranged actor for sure. And he was really good in this one. So a lot of respect for that.

Adam: 00:53:06

Perfect casting, I thought. Yeah.

Garry: 00:53:08

Very cool. So the storylines of those guys with the radiation, that gets solved, obviously, very humorously. Ensor, when Cali, when.

Sorry, Blake says, sorry, Callie says, you can help us actually because some of our crew have been exposed to radiation and they've been, you know, if to them this is like gold dust. They absolutely need this to save the crew.

It's a big thing to Ensor is just like, oh, yeah, there's buckets of the stuff in the cabinet back there in the cupboard.

Adam: 00:53:39

Help yourself. It's like aspirin or penicillin. Yeah, go and help yourself.

Garry: 00:53:44

Yeah. So funny. It's like the contrast between those guys thinking, right, we have to get it. If we don't get it here, it's game over. We can't save them.

And he's just like, yeah, loads of it. Help yourself.

Adam: 00:53:55

I also love it when Villa's so desperate. It's like Villa goes, have you got them? He's worried to death. Yeah.

Garry: 00:54:02

So that storyline wraps up, we. We assume quite nicely anyway, because at the end they're all seemingly well or getting better at least.

Adam: 00:54:10

Yeah.

Garry: 00:54:11

And. And that's all good. The storyline with Orac, you know, that gets a very sad ending.

So the other part of the story then, which we'll conclude on is the. Is the Servalan and Travis thing and their. Their expected clash with. With Blake and Callie towards the end. So those guys are.

They think that they've got the upper hand, which they kind of do to begin with, because they arrive on Aristo first, but they're clued up and they're aware that the. The planet has got its own line of defenses and they can't just land, walk in, take it and go.

So they have to go through the underground tunnels, which they're a little bit apprehensive about. And we've got these. These creatures, haven't we? The Fibians.

Adam: 00:55:00

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Garry: 00:55:01

That attack Serverland at one point. It's a bit of a treacherous journey to get into. Into Ensor's sort of area, his research labs and all the rest of it. And.

But Blake and Cali are also on the case, and they've been mistaken as. Mistaken as scientists, so they get a bit of an easier route in. Orac has taken control of Xen for a little while and has given them the.

The coordinates to teleport. Dude, the teleports bracelet cabinet is wearing very thin again.

Adam: 00:55:36

I told you, we're down to four. There's not even enough for one of each of them.

Garry: 00:55:41

Yeah, we're down to four. Yeah. I remember you saying to me when we very, very reviewed. We reviewed the very first Liberator episode. It's at the end of space Full.

Adam: 00:55:51

Wasn'T it, as a full rack?

Garry: 00:55:53

Yeah. Was it the one after that? So after we've. We've got the. We've got the. The. The. The episode where they actually get the Liberator.

Adam: 00:56:06

Yeah.

Garry: 00:56:07

They then have the following episode where they're looking at all of the tech, aren't they? They're seeing what's what. And, and all of that stuff. And that's where we get the, the, the. The teleport bracelets used, I think, properly.

So what's that? I think that was the episode, was it the one before the web sickness.

Adam: 00:56:23

Alpha, I think where they get with Brian Blessed, isn't it? They. Yeah, they've got loads of them.

Because even Brian Blessed has got a whole table of them, like pyramids, you know, in a pyramid shape of all stacked up. So, yeah, we've. Sadly, we're down to. I think it was four left.

Garry: 00:56:38

That's it.

But I remember when we reviewed Cygnus Alpha, you said to me, mate, there's a bit of an in joke with Blake's 7 fans that throughout Series A, you notice that the amount of teleport bracelet starts to dwindle.

Adam: 00:56:50

Yeah.

Garry: 00:56:50

As we get through. And you're absolutely right. Absolutely 100% bang on with that. We get to the finale and like you said, there's four and it looks a bit barren.

Adam: 00:56:59

I'm gonna be keeping an eye. Cause I can't remember in Series two if they make some more. If they just get rid of the rack.

I'm not sure I have to keep an eye on it and have to bracelet watch.

Garry: 00:57:08

Yeah, it's hilarious, mate.

Adam: 00:57:10

Yeah.

Garry: 00:57:10

And so anyway, all rackers taking control of Xen gives them the teleportation coordinates. They get down.

There's a little bit of security to get through, like you mentioned with the floating basketball and all that stuff, but they essentially get taken straight to. To Ensor, which is good. And then that's when the, the. The chase begins, if you know what I mean.

Travis and Sir Valen blow up the entrance door from the, from the tunnel they're in. They clock him. Remember, that's the famous thing that we've shouted for years whenever we've mentioned Blake's 7. Blake.

Adam: 00:57:44

I love that. It's just the way he does it. It's like I've seen him.

Garry: 00:57:47

Blake, listen, if you probably won't be aware unless you've listened to our Doctor who part podcast, the Big Blue Box, for many years that we mentioned Blake's 7 on and off because actors have appeared in both shows and. And some other bits over the years. Every time we mention it, Adam and I always shout Blake, just because of this scene. And now we've finally seen it.

Adam: 00:58:07

Seen it. I thought. Yeah, did think that when it was on.

Garry: 00:58:09

Yeah, very cool.

Adam: 00:58:10

You've finally seen it.

Garry: 00:58:12

Yeah. And so they.

They witness those guys escaping through the tunnel they have to go through because they realize that Ensor's running out of time pretty quick now. And I can't wait for the force barrier to come down. It's gonna take hours. So they through the tunnels and Serverland's got the map.

She finds the map and she's like right there going this way, we'll go that way, we'll cut them off. And they ultimately do. That happens, you know, they're on the planet surface, they're ready to go.

But the, but those guys find them and there's that little confrontation which I played in the clip early on. And that's a wonderful scene, mate. It's a wonderful scene because they were almost there. Yes, sir. Valan and Travis, they were.

They just had a bit too much of a struggle to get through the tunnels. You know, with the Fibians and the collapsed walls and stuff like that. It took them just a bit too long.

If they'd have got through that earlier, they would have got there and, you know, Orac would be theirs.

Adam: 00:59:16

Yes.

Garry: 00:59:17

And that scene just plays beautifully where you've got the, you've got the, the confidence from Blake knowing that Orac is, is in their possession, but also the realization that they're about to be killed because of Travis's hand cannon. And. And it's down to Avon to save the day once again. And that scene is just so good where he's like, good shot, Avon.

And he's like, I aim for his head. Yeah, I don't know if that's true or not, but great line, but yeah. And then that sort of plays out.

And then it's that absolutely great bit at the end where Serverland's just had it. Now she's like. Because in previous episodes when those two are featured in it, she's.

We've gone through this kind of with this arc with Travis where at the beginning where we, we meet him, which I think is in the web or the one after where she hires Travis initially. Yes.

Adam: 01:00:18

Seek locate Destroyers.

Garry: 01:00:20

Yeah. And he's very confident and he's put everyone's back up because he's a bit of a nasty piece of work, but he gets results.

And Servland's like, right, I need that. You're gonna be the one who's gonna help me take down Blake. Fast forward a little bit further. Hasn't quite done it.

And she's like, look, publicly you're screwing up. Right? But personally, don't worry, I've got your back. We'll sort this out. And now we're here. And now she's at it.

She's like, look, you're in big trouble, Travis.

Adam: 01:00:49

Yeah, I think this has got to be the final straw.

Garry: 01:00:54

And she's so cool because she tries to stamp her authority still. So I think Blake mentioned something like, you'll kill me, won't you? Even without orders.

And she comes in very quickly and she's like, no, with orders.

Adam: 01:01:08

I love that bit.

Garry: 01:01:09

Yeah, yeah, Travis, control. Yeah, yeah, do your thing. And then Avon turns up and stuff.

So, dude, that closing scene with that lot before we get back to the Liberator was so good. And you almost. Because. Because it's the finale, in my opinion, as a. As a new viewer coming into it, I didn't know which way it was going to go.

I didn't know if Serve Land was going to interject and just say, actually will take Blake as prisoner along with Orac. And then that's the feed into Series two. It becomes a bit of a. We have to save Blake sort of few episodes of Series B.

Or if Blake was going to succeed and they were going to scarp her, which they ultimately did. But as a viewer, it kept me hanging for a little while. So, listeners of this podcast, you've probably seen Blake seven, many times.

But to me, as a fresh, fresh pair of eyes on it all, I was. It was 50, 50 for me which way that was gonna go. And that's down to the script and the direction. It's very good.

Adam: 01:02:09

Yeah. Because, I mean, even. Even me, I know exactly what's coming. And there's a great shot of Blake when he says, I think you're gonna kill me, Travis.

And he looks really serious. And for just for a split second, you think Blake's done for. Even though I know obviously he's not. But it's a great shot. And it's.

Gareth Thomas really sells it just in his performance, you know, just in the face of like, oh, this is it, this is it. So, yeah, it's a great end scene, mate. I love all the stuff between Serval and Travis Blake, he's just got this half grin on his face that I've.

I've outsmarted you again, haven't I? You know, just love all that stuff. There is a slight. There's a scene, you know, you were saying about when the.

What they called the Fibians, those creatures. Right. Now, you can tell that via Lorimer. The director has really tried to show as little as them on screen as possible. They.

They are the, I would say, the one thing that lets this episode down.

You know, they are very much the sort of thing that clip, you know, if someone wanted to sort of take the Mickey out Blake's 7 to say, oh, the effects, the wobbly walls, blah, blah, blah. All the stuff that, you know, Dr. And Blake's 7 are known for. Although actually the reality is they didn't have any. Many wobbly sets or bad effect.

You know, it's. It's that sort of. What's the word I'm looking for? That.

Garry: 01:03:25

Yeah.

Adam: 01:03:26

Not stereotype. That. The thing that people always accuse it of, that actually isn't as true as you would think. But, yeah, I have to say, the Fibians, they.

They are the one thing I think that lets it down. They just look terrible. And they are on screen for the briefest of moments. I could tell that they've tried to.

They've obviously seen them turn up on the day of film and so. Oh, no, what is that? You know, they don't look good. Yeah. So I think there was. There is a short scene on the Blu Ray of. There is a.

You get to see the actual creature properly. I think when it's dead on the floor, you can see the full actor in the full costume, which they cut out. It's like a scene that was cut.

So if you want to see the Fibians, I think I'm saying that. Right. And they're full glory, you can check out that deleted scene.

But I can see why they cut them as much as they possibly could in terms of trying to make them scary. I think Jacqueline Pierce does a good job of selling the fact that she's scared. And actually it's a.

It's a moment that I've always thought stood out a little bit because we don't often see, especially going forward mate, from. From Series two onwards, we see an even stronger server line, if you can believe that.

See, we don't often see serverland vulnerable and it's quite unusual, I think, that little scene to see her actually scared. But what I do love about it is when. When Travis shoots it and realizes she was scared, she realizes she's let her guard drop.

So she's like, I'll go first. So she instantly goes back into serverland mode. So it's quite an interesting little moment. We.

We do see that from time to time, but we don't often see serverland vulnerable or scared like that. It's not very often we see that. I don't think. Anyway, I can't think of many moments, but yeah, it was interesting to see that.

But I do love the way she picks herself back up and, you know, makes it clear to Travis, she's still very much in control at that moment.

Garry: 01:05:20

She's in charge. Yeah.

Adam: 01:05:22

Oh, for sure.

Garry: 01:05:23

Yeah. Jacqueline Pierce, another good one. She's great in this world.

Adam: 01:05:27

Brilliant, mate.

Garry: 01:05:27

Really good.

Adam: 01:05:28

Honestly, she's so good. Yeah.

Garry: 01:05:30

Yeah. And I've loved watching those. Watching her and Steven Griff do their thing.

Adam: 01:05:35

Yeah.

Garry: 01:05:36

Over the, what, three or four episodes that they've appeared in throughout the Series. It's been really good to see the dynamic change a little bit.

As I mentioned a little while ago, with Travis's blunders and not being able to capture or kill Blake.

Adam: 01:05:52

And did you. Did you pick up on the fact that there is a slightly odd scene where we just see Travis's legs? Because I. I must admit, I.

Even from a first watch, I remember thinking there's something about the way it's shot that just is a bit weird. And obviously fast forward all these years when you actually have the Internet and production notes and stuff it, you. You find out the reason for it.

That it's actually someone doubling as his feet because he injured himself playing squash, I think, or something. Yeah. Stephen, you're due on set. Ah, you won't believe it. I was playing squash. I don't know what he did to himself, bless him. But.

So they got us a feet double in. Imagine that. A feat. A feet in a hand double. I think so. I mean, they get away with it. I think it's just.

You just pick up that because it's sort of shot through the plants and the way they've tried to hide that it's not Steven Griff, it just slightly stands out, but I think they just about get away with it.

Garry: 01:06:52

Yeah. He's Achilles tendon of all things. Yeah. Painful. Yes. Okay. Gan had a quiet one, mate.

Adam: 01:07:03

Oh, poor old Gan.

Garry: 01:07:05

Oh, David Jackson had a real quiet one again. I think you just got to accept the fact there's not enough screen time for all of them. Yeah.

Adam: 01:07:13

I felt sorry for Gan when Avon pushes the tele. The bracelet trolley away and he's just laid behind it. He's like, what are you doing there?

It's basically because he's lonely, doesn't want to be on his own. It's quite sad, really. Naval nearly snaps. Snaps at him, doesn't he? Why don't you? And then he reins himself back in. That's.

It's quite a nice little moment, actually. But, yeah, Gan gets absolutely nothing to do in this episode.

Garry: 01:07:41

A little bit like Jenna Sally. No, she's. She's good at playing. Not feeling well, but not much else. Going on for her. So her and Gan. Not much.

Adam: 01:07:52

No. You can definitely see why. I don't know if it was during Series one or at the end of Series one.

You can see why Sally Nevad turned round to the producers and said, look, you know, I'm not very happy. I want more. You know, I started off good.

I started off as this sort of space pirate or whatever, you know, you know, a good character on the page, but I'm not getting anything to do.

You can see why she was unhappy because I think you said this mate, first sort of half of the Series she's cracking, gets great, you know, But I think the second half of the Series her and Gan have really suffered in terms of what they've actually had to do on screen. She. She got a little bit to do last week. Did she? I know she got captured.

So yeah, you can see why Sally Nevette was, you know, asking for when we, you know, start Series two. I need to, you need to give me something more than just flying the spaceship. So we'll see how that pans out when we get to Series two.

Garry: 01:08:47

Yeah, no, absolutely. She did have a. Another quiet one like last week. Her and Gan I think were the quietest. And Avon not so much until the end really.

He has a couple of conversations with Jenna and Gan, doesn't he, throughout the episode. But it comes into his own, is his own at the end really. And when he saves Blake and also when they plug or rack in.

And so Villa, Michael Keating, again reasonably quiet, goes down with with Avon at the end. A couple of funny little one liners as expected from Villa. Nothing too crazy. And Paul Darrow I.

We'll speak about him a little bit more in depth on next week's wrap up episode. But a very, a very consistent performance from him as is with most of the cast on this one.

But yeah, a couple of surprise little moments though that we mentioned earlier with Avon you thought he'd be more over. Be more into Orac and all over it more than what he was.

Adam: 01:09:51

I think it's in a way, although I would have liked to have seen Avon get more to do. I think it worked better having Blake go down to get Aurak. I think if they'd have stuck to their original plan of Avon and Callie.

I don't know, I think it's just more fitting that in, in the final episode of Blake's 7 Series 1A that it's Blake that goes down and sort of gets to do more of that.

And also he's, he's really nice in the scenes he's in Gareth Thomas, like, you know, the way he finds it quite charming, you know, when they're trying to hurry ends or along and end source, feeding the fish water and the plants. I mean, Blake sort of like. Chuckles. It's like, ensor, come on. If that had been Avon, mate, it had been like, come on. You know, he would have.

He wouldn't have been standing for any of that nonsense. And I think you would have lost a bit of sympathy for the sort of bumbling, eccentric character of Ensor.

So I think it's, it's right that they changed it to Blake going down. But yeah, Avon, he doesn't really get anything to do.

But I love that end scene like you mentioned, and I love it when he just finally snaps and he's had enough. He's like, I'm not gonna just sit here and die. You just feel like Avon is like, yeah, that's the Avon we've been waiting for.

Of course he's not going to just sit there and wait for Blake to save him. He's got to go down there. So it's a good moment.

And that definitely wouldn't have been as impactful if they had switched it round like they were originally going to.

Garry: 01:11:12

No, I agree. Yes. And, and then just lastly, in terms of performances, Gareth Thomas and Jan Chapel, Blake and Kelly, another good little team up.

They did this last episode in Deliverance when they went to find the guy to bring him back to his planet to sort things out and they were quite a successful team up in that one. So what was that guy's name? It was. What's his name?

Adam: 01:11:40

Who's that?

Garry: 01:11:41

Sorry? In the episode Bounty. Sarkoff.

Adam: 01:11:45

Oh, Sarkoff. Yeah.

Garry: 01:11:46

Yeah. So Blake and, and Cali were a good team up then.

And, and we see them teamed up again in this one down on the planet surface on, On Aristo and so they had some, some cool stuff together. Again, it's not so much telepathy stuff in this one with, With Cali communicating that way. It's all very upfront and there's a lot of urgency there.

There's no time to beat around the bush as it were, like they did with Bounty and that guy Sarkov and. But those two of those work well together. And again, a consistent performance from Cali, Jan Chapel, she was very cool.

But Gareth Thomas, very, very similar to, to the episode Bounty in that respect with him and, and, and Cali. But again, we'll speak about these guys in more detail next week. But another good one from Gareth Thomas.

Adam: 01:12:43

Yeah, definitely, mate. I, I think I like Blake and Cali together and yep, just a lovely performer from performance from Gareth Thomas, as usual. It's weird, the Callie.

I really like Callie as a character and yeah, I was thinking whilst watching this, I don't know what it is because she doesn't even get that much to do or any particular sort of lines of dialogue, but I just find her very likable and interesting as a character. Do you know what I mean? She's like.

I'm thinking she doesn't even really do anything in this episode, but I think she works well with Gareth Thomas and she's quite a warm character.

And I keep thinking back to what you were saying about her entry introductory episode where she's very defensive and harsh and she's really softened as a character. So yeah, again, it's a nice performance and I just thought they work really well together, those two.

The problem is Jenna and Blake work really well together. And again, it's a, it's a, it's a similar dynamic. So as a writer, which one do you choose? Where do you go with it? How do you make it different? It's.

This is the only downfall really to Terry Nation writing it as Blake's 7 because he's. You do. Someone's.

One of the character or two of the characters are going to suffer every week for not getting much to do, but they are really working with what they get there, mate. I mean, Villa is a perfect example of that. He gets very little dialogue or stuff to do, but somehow he, he stands out in every episodes he's. He's in.

He just really makes the most of what he gets on the page, you know.

Garry: 01:14:18

Yeah. And it's.

That's very, very prevalent when they, they go down to rescue Blake or seven or to get the anti radiation drugs, whichever way you want to look at it. And Avon shoots Travis's hand and then Villa looks at him with this weird look. Like when he says, I was aiming for his head.

Villa shoots him a look as if to say, yeah, I believe that. The mood you're in, I can believe that.

And then he runs over to Blake and Callie and he's got this kind of, you know, even though they've been through it, you know, quite a lot to get to this point and back up to the surface and stuff. He's like, what's taking you so long? He's got this kind of whinge about him. Like we're up there, you know, death's door.

What are you lot doing down Here, what's taking you so long? So you're absolutely right, mate.

Even though he doesn't get a lot to play with for his character and dialogue and stuff, when he is on screen, he's just so good.

Adam: 01:15:18

Yeah.

Garry: 01:15:18

And those types of lines.

Adam: 01:15:20

Villa doesn't seem very impressed with Orac either, does he? He's like, that's fixed, Orac. When Avon froze away the key.

Actually, before we wrap up, mate, I've got to ask you, what do you think of Orac's prediction then? The ending, the cliffhanger?

Garry: 01:15:32

Yeah.

Adam: 01:15:33

What were you thinking when you saw that? Because, I mean, you can't send that coming because, as I said, it comes out of nowhere. What do you reckon then?

Garry: 01:15:40

Right, so the. The very last bit, then, of the episode is. Is a real head scratcher because I'm trying to wrap my head around what this actually is.

I've got two thoughts on it. So the first one is. The first one is. It's just an incorrect prediction. Simple as that. It's. It's. It's Aurax just.

It's as crazy as it sounds because he's. They've built this thing up to be such a super computer and this all powerful computer and stuff like that. I. I feel like it's history.

It's like a Terminator kind of vibe where, you know, history is, oh, sorry, the future is not quite set in stone. It's. Whatever you make it, that kind of thing.

So the prediction is slightly wrong or it's correct, but it happens, like, at the very, very end of Blake's 7, the end of Series 4D, whatever. So that's my thought at the moment. It's probably both incorrect, but that's just the vibe that I get at the end of the episode.

But it's a great cliffhanger, though. It's like, Christ, like, what's gonna happen at Series is.

Is it gonna be Blake7 in name, but there's a whole new crew because they all obliterated at the end of Series A. It's crazy.

Adam: 01:16:57

Yeah. I mean, I. I obviously not gonna say a word. I'm not gonna confirm or deny, but it is a good cliffhanger.

And, yeah, it feeds in very nicely with what's to come. That's all I'm gonna say. But it's a good one, isn't it? I would have loved to have just seen your face when the credits rolled.

I bet you were like, what? No, what?

Garry: 01:17:20

I was like that. Yeah, I was like. I actually said out loud. I was like, christ, what's going on. Yeah.

Adam: 01:17:27

So I bet you're now itching to watch Series two. I bet you're like, well, bring on Series two now.

Garry: 01:17:31

I need it exactly that, buddy. Yeah. I'm so desperate to carry on. But yeah, a real head scratcher of a cliffhanger. Normally they do it from a character perspective.

You know, someone's on the verge of death, someone's about to be shot or whatever, you know, whatever. But to see the entire ship be blown up like that, it's like, what's going on? What's going on? So, yeah, it's a real, a real good one.

But a great, a great way of teeing up future Blake's 7 though, for new viewers. Because I imagine back in 78 a lot like I'm feeling now as a, as a people watching this new.

It would have been, you know, a real tee up to like, what to expect in for future Blake's 7. Like we're definitely getting a new show. Sorry, a new Series.

It's just how does this play in, how does this cliffhanger play in to the next Series and stuff?

Adam: 01:18:23

So, yeah, really do, do try. I know you are avoiding spoilers, but yes, do try. Even like a synopsis and stuff.

Just try and avoid as much as you can in terms of like written, you know, in synopsis really until we get Series two. I mean, we'll talk about.

I know there's a trailer for Series two, which we're going to talk about on the wrap up show that doesn't give anything away in terms of this cliffhanger really. It shows it again.

You get to see it blow up at the end, but it's the same clip so it doesn't actually give anything away about what that actually is about. So yeah, just I think it's more synopsis. If you read synopsis is. Synopsis is that word for certain episodes you might get an inkling of.

Of what the cliffhanger is. But yeah, I don't think. I think it's going to surprise you. I'm so excited, actually. I'm really trying to contain this listener.

I'm so excited for you to see the reason behind it.

Garry: 01:19:26

So am I. I can't say.

Adam: 01:19:28

Anyway, I'm gonna just shut my mouth because I'm just dying to talk to you about this. And we get. It's, you know, we're gonna have to wait till the Blu ray comes out for you to see.

Garry: 01:19:36

But yeah, I've stayed clear of story. I've not gone anywhere near spoilers for anything. As much as possible.

The Only thing going throughout just, it's just a byproduct of doing a Blake's 7 podcast and being involved in the community and chatting on socials and stuff like that. I do see like the odd thing.

Adam: 01:20:02

That'S the problem, mate. You're going to.

're talking about a show from: 1978

But you're doing well so far. So yeah, just try and keep spoiler free as you can.

Garry: 01:20:24

Yeah, fortunately it's been not too bad. I've seen the odd little thing here and there, but I've sort of mentally dismissed it fairly well. So.

Adam: 01:20:32

Yeah, yeah.

Garry: 01:20:34

And very, very lastly. P.S. yeah, Dudley's stuff was really good in this one.

Adam: 01:20:39

Lovely stuff from Dudley.

Garry: 01:20:42

Yeah, some great little. Really added to the suspense and the build up in a few scenes and really cool. Loving his. I've loved his music, his score throughout Series A.

Adam: 01:20:53

For me, he's the perfect choice for Blake's 7. Yeah, some great stuff from Dudley. I'll probably talk a little bit more about him on the, on the wrap up show next week.

But yeah, some lovely symphonic music from Dudley this week. It's great stuff.

Garry: 01:21:10

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Have you got anything on your notes, dude, before we put a score on it?

Adam: 01:21:15

I don't think I have, mate. I think pretty much covered it.

Garry: 01:21:17

Okie dokie. Is it you to go first?

Adam: 01:21:20

Yeah, I'll go first. This is, this is, I'll go first because it's quite an easy one for me. I'm gonna give this a 7 out of 10.

I, I think it's an enjoyable episode and a good conclusion to Series A. Keep going. Say Series one. Series A. So yeah, it's a seven out of ten for me, mate. I like, I like all rack as an episode.

Garry: 01:21:39

Oh, cool. I'm gonna give it a 7.5.

Adam: 01:21:43

Oh, that's up there with the way back. Okay.

Garry: 01:21:47

Yeah, so that's the way back. Cygnus Alpha and Space Fall. Yeah, I think it was a really good, really good conclusion to, to the Series.

And as I mentioned earlier, I really like the fact that it wasn't this big epic showdown between Blake and the Federation and all that stuff because it just reinforces the fact that there's lots more work to do.

Adam: 01:22:12

Yeah.

Garry: 01:22:13

You know, it's Blake, as you know, this is like Series A is like the starter in a meal and as well, we haven't even got to the main course yet.

So I love the fact that they scaled it back and they made it more about the connections between certain characters on both sides and, and an introduction to this new Orac character and so on. So it's just a really enjoyable watch. Really liked it and yeah, we've seen a couple of stronger episodes and, and some not so strong ones.

But yeah, and that 0.5 is the performances again for me, consistent and just very good. So.

Adam: 01:22:51

Yeah, no, that's great, mate. I, I'm, I'm glad. I was concerned it wouldn't be a big enough final for what you're expecting in some way.

So I'm glad that you enjoyed it as much as you did because I. The, the last thing I wanted was for the wheels to come off the cart at the end of the Series. I thought we've been at a really good journey so far.

He's really enjoyed the Series. It'd be terrible if we get to the last episode and he's like, oh, dude, that was a letdown. So I'm glad you enjoyed it indeed.

Garry: 01:23:17

Yes, I did, very much so. And we will. It's. It's tempting for us to talk about the Series as a whole, but we're going to reserve that chat for our episode next week.

Normally we go over to Adam and he lets us know what the next week and the next episode is for review, but next week it's all about Series 1 overall chat. Right?

Adam: 01:23:40

Yes.

And I'm really looking forward to this because there's been stuff I've sort of wanted to say, or was it was going to talk about in terms of characters and overarching plot lines and stuff and I've kind of sort of saved that for our chat. You know, I'm really looking forward to having a good old deep dive, if you like, into the whole of Series one.

Now that you've seen it, you know, for the first time, you know, you're to get your thoughts of it. Overall, I actually really looking forward to having a good old, you know, chewing the fat with you over Series A.

Keep saying Series one on the overview show, mate.

Garry: 01:24:14

It's going to be good indeed. Yes. So tune in next week as we, as Adam said, chew the fat on all the Series A stuff and. Cool.

I think on that note, it's a good place to end it there for episode 13.

Adam: 01:24:28

Alrighty.

Garry: 01:24:43

Thank you very much for listening to another episode of Federation Strike. That was episode 13 and our review of the finale to Series A Orack and it was a 7 from from Adam and a 7.5 from me.

And as Adam said, next week we are going to do a Series A after show episode or wrap up episode.

So make sure you are following the podcast in your preferred podcast app of choice so that you don't miss a notification for that and the upcoming bonus episodes as well, with some interviews with people involved in the Blu Ray set and just future things that we've Got for more Blake's 7 reviews later on this year and onwards. So if you're a newcomer to Federation Strike, thank you so much.

You've kind of dipped in at the very end of Series A, but I'm assuming that you probably seen Blake's 7 at least once before, so it's not too much of a problem.

But make sure you go back and check out the previous episodes from episode one onwards where we take a look at the way back and our beginning journey through Blake's 7.

And those of you that have listened from the beginning, thank you so much for for your your listenership and tuning in every week and listening to us waffle about Blake's 7. Thank you very much for that. We're on the Social 2. Come and chat with us about plenty more Blake's 7.

We've had some news that has dropped in the last week or two, so Blake's 7 is very much alive still.

We had the Series 2 or Series B Blu Ray box set announcement, we had a new finish, a big finish story about Avon, the bit of a prequel to Blake's 7 and there's just so much going on with the show. It's not gone anywhere over the decades and it's still very much alive. So chat with us about those things on Blue sky and X.

There are links in the show notes or just do a Search for Lake 7 podcast, you'll find us on there.

And as I mentioned earlier, just very quickly, if you've got 30 seconds or a minute and you've enjoyed this podcast in something like Apple Podcasts or Spotify or@podchaser.com GoodPods those sorts of things. If you want to leave us a review and a rating, that would be amazing. And thank you so much to all of you that have done that thus far.

And in terms of just general sci fi, geekery, all that stuff, don't forget to remember to check out my co host channel on YouTube. It's the Geeks Handbag.

Adam: 01:27:01

The Geeks Handbag, yes. I'm on YouTube. There is a couple of Blake's 7 videos on my YouTube channel and more so on all the socials under the name the Geeks Handbag.

Garry: 01:27:10

Indeedy. Yes, the Geeks Handbag. Go and check all that stuff out. So until next week for our wrap up episode, my name's Garry.

Adam: 01:27:20

My name's Adam.

Garry: 01:27:20

And take care of yourselves. And we'll be back next time for Federation Strike, a journey through Blake's 7.

Adam: 01:27:48

I love that ending.