WEBVTT NOTE This transcript was created on 2026-06-07 at 22:29:26 1 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:24.660 Max Welcome to Maximum Power, the podcast that never approves of anything until it's an undisputed success, because this week we watched Blake 7 Project Avalon, episode 9 of series one. 2 00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:26.940 We're off to Ricky Hole. 3 00:00:27.059 --> 00:00:27.660 I am Pete. 4 00:00:27.719 --> 00:00:28.739 I'm Colin. 5 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:31.500 I'm James And I'm Cy. 6 00:00:31.559 --> 00:00:33.000 I was running away there. 7 00:00:33.060 --> 00:00:45.539 I want to get down in those caves straight away because this is an episode where we do go to that treasured British location of the holes of Wookie to get things started. 8 00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:47.280 How does Chewy feel about that? 9 00:00:47.340 --> 00:00:52.619 I know, yeah, there's no scenery to be chewed, which is unusual in Blake 7. 10 00:00:53.100 --> 00:00:56.039 How do we feel then? 11 00:00:56.100 --> 00:01:00.960 James, how do you feel about seeing this wonderful British iconography of rock in your screen again? 12 00:01:01.079 --> 00:01:02.100 I was... 13 00:01:02.100 --> 00:01:10.500 Desperately disappointed that there wasn't an almost drowning Elizabeth Sladen in this episode. 14 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:12.480 But apart from that, I loved it. 15 00:01:12.540 --> 00:01:14.760 It's a tradition, isn't it? 16 00:01:14.819 --> 00:01:21.000 I think this is one of my favourite Blake 7 episodes of the entire 4 series. 17 00:01:21.060 --> 00:01:22.680 Oh, me too. 18 00:01:22.739 --> 00:01:23.280 Definitely. 19 00:01:23.340 --> 00:01:24.659 I love this one. 20 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:25.920 I think it's got everything. 21 00:01:25.980 --> 00:01:26.939 It's got a bit of everything. 22 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:28.439 It's got a deadly virus. 23 00:01:28.500 --> 00:01:32.939 It's got mining for minerals to create ice crystals for weapons. 24 00:01:33.000 --> 00:01:38.760 It's got the, you know, Inspector Clousone, Pink Panther kind of chase ramping up. 25 00:01:39.000 --> 00:01:42.359 It's got Serverland, it's got Travis. 26 00:01:42.420 --> 00:01:45.659 It's got rebels, it's got a massacre. 27 00:01:45.719 --> 00:01:46.379 It's got everything. 28 00:01:46.439 --> 00:01:47.819 Robot in the snow. 29 00:01:47.879 --> 00:01:52.319 Yeah, no, that could be toothed robot is good on its own, but robot in the snow, that's even better. 30 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:53.219 And then he caves. 31 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:55.560 It doesn't look any better though, really, does it? 32 00:01:55.620 --> 00:01:58.620 Even Michael Lee Bryant can't make the robot look better. 33 00:01:58.980 --> 00:02:04.379 Is this the last time we see terrible over budget spending robot? 34 00:02:04.439 --> 00:02:06.480 Yes, never again. 35 00:02:06.540 --> 00:02:07.920 Really? 36 00:02:07.980 --> 00:02:11.340 So that final moment that it spits flame out of its crop. 37 00:02:11.879 --> 00:02:13.439 I'm being. 38 00:02:13.500 --> 00:02:14.159 What a way to go. 39 00:02:14.219 --> 00:02:14.819 I want to go. 40 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:17.099 I wrote in my notes, jizzes fire. 41 00:02:18.780 --> 00:02:20.939 Because that's what it looks like. 42 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:23.460 It is, different distant Elmo's fire. 43 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:25.740 The 2 can never be confused. 44 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:28.800 It'd sting. 45 00:02:29.759 --> 00:02:32.699 I love that we meet the sub-Tirons. 46 00:02:32.759 --> 00:02:33.599 I wonder where they live. 47 00:02:33.659 --> 00:02:37.020 It's off ground, momentary nation. 48 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:48.240 And this is, I think this is, this is, it feels like a terry nation firing on all cylinders script to me, just purely picking up the, picking up the vibe of it from what we've seen so far through, through the series. 49 00:02:48.300 --> 00:02:54.960 And there's just lots of stuff like, there's a bit where Blake radios up to Gan and says, Gan, any space activity? 50 00:02:54.960 --> 00:03:00.719 And Gan replies, well, we've seen a spaceship, but it couldn't have come from Federation space headquarters. 51 00:03:00.780 --> 00:03:06.300 It's like, what do you learn space doing in either of those sentences, really. other than just upping the space of it. 52 00:03:06.360 --> 00:03:08.639 Maybe we should call this podcast space action. 53 00:03:08.699 --> 00:03:12.419 Oh, I'm actually Nathan right now to tell him about space action. 54 00:03:13.620 --> 00:03:15.960 What category would we call it? 55 00:03:16.020 --> 00:03:16.860 Is it heist? 56 00:03:16.860 --> 00:03:18.419 It's a sort of heist, isn't it? 57 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:25.439 where Avalon herself is the heist, to be hoisted. interesting, isn't it? 58 00:03:25.860 --> 00:03:27.900 Apart from her frock. 59 00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:30.539 That's very true. 60 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:32.879 It's interesting, isn't it? 61 00:03:32.939 --> 00:03:45.900 Because Travis has come up with this plan to trap Blake before, and he's got it all set out ready, and it's all sort of almost like to the minute he knows what Blake's going to be doing. 62 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:47.939 He knows how this is all going to play out. 63 00:03:47.939 --> 00:03:55.259 And it's really cleverly done because you don't, you know Travis is up to something, but you don't know exactly what it is that he's done. 64 00:03:55.319 --> 00:04:05.159 And I really like the I really like the twists and turns of this plot because the viewer doesn't know, but Travis and Servoland know, and Blake doesn't know. 65 00:04:05.219 --> 00:04:08.340 So you're finding out with Blake what it is that Travis has done. 66 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:11.039 And yeah, it just keeps you on the edge of your seat all the time. 67 00:04:11.099 --> 00:04:13.379 It's one of the best plots. 68 00:04:13.500 --> 00:04:14.340 It really is. 69 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:18.180 There's so many different pieces that make it up. 70 00:04:18.300 --> 00:04:30.300 Like Travis thinks he's got it nailed, but then, you know, they start to notice, you know, the gun's not working properly and that it was all a bit of a setup and and, you know, they go, right, let's go back in. 71 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:32.699 And it's like, what, Blake is waiting for you. 72 00:04:32.759 --> 00:04:33.660 No, really he is. 73 00:04:33.720 --> 00:04:37.680 You know, they don't they don't expect that the tables to have been turned. 74 00:04:37.740 --> 00:04:38.699 It's terrific. 75 00:04:38.759 --> 00:04:39.300 It really is. 76 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:45.720 I doubt Avon could have reprogrammed Avalon necessarily in like 5 minutes, you know. 77 00:04:45.720 --> 00:04:59.399 You went on space YouTube, because so that is the greatest piece of robotic technology he's ever seen. that it's wearing with cogs, clerks, climbing round inside the head. 78 00:04:59.459 --> 00:05:02.100 This is the worst use of CSO I've ever seen. 79 00:05:03.779 --> 00:05:10.620 I kind of wanted them to reuse the like the the Sarah Jane Smith. 80 00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:13.199 Android invasion face. 81 00:05:13.259 --> 00:05:15.000 That would have been fantastic. 82 00:05:15.060 --> 00:05:21.000 That would have been far better, and it was still around at that point because they just used it in stones of blood, hadn't they? 83 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:27.959 I've been, was it in, I've been, it's in, in one of the cells in the, in the spaceship. 84 00:05:28.019 --> 00:05:29.639 Yeah, of course. 85 00:05:29.699 --> 00:05:34.740 So they could easily have done a face cast of Avalon and taken that off. 86 00:05:34.800 --> 00:05:35.699 That would have been far better. 87 00:05:35.819 --> 00:05:37.199 Yeah, yeah. 88 00:05:37.259 --> 00:05:39.540 But I guess someone on their teams said, no, that's right. 89 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:40.199 I make you one of them. 90 00:05:41.160 --> 00:05:43.079 Oh, it's okay. 91 00:05:43.139 --> 00:05:45.480 Just stick a blue bandage on the side of our head. 92 00:05:48.540 --> 00:05:55.740 So we arrive on this, like, planet of 120 degrees centigrade, presumably. 93 00:05:55.800 --> 00:06:01.019 And they just need to put on a couple of like jester outfits with thermostats. 94 00:06:01.079 --> 00:06:04.139 And they're fine, apparently. 95 00:06:04.199 --> 00:06:13.259 Um, but there's this really great sort of, you know, classic termination intro of, you know, another mutoid, event. 96 00:06:13.319 --> 00:06:15.360 Um, what do we think of that? 97 00:06:15.420 --> 00:06:25.500 Well, I mean, that mutoid, obviously, is super cool for being played by Glynis Barber, who we will be seeing a long time in the future, of course. 98 00:06:25.620 --> 00:06:27.720 Yeah, she makes a good impression, doesn't she? 99 00:06:27.779 --> 00:06:29.399 Yeah, she's she's really cool. 100 00:06:29.459 --> 00:06:36.839 She looks great and she plays it really well and the stunt work with the female mutoids. 101 00:06:36.899 --> 00:06:39.839 Jumping from the rocks is really brilliant as well, isn't it? 102 00:06:39.899 --> 00:06:41.819 Yeah, definitely not her. 103 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:44.100 No. 104 00:06:44.160 --> 00:06:58.139 You can tell, you can tell that they thought that the cyber, you know, the cyber battle scenes looked fantastic because they're basically recreating that with women in silly hats. 105 00:06:58.199 --> 00:07:03.300 That's the one thing that was missing when Michael Lee Bryant was last down in these caves directing. 106 00:07:03.360 --> 00:07:07.620 It's like, this is going really well, this battle, but in his women in silly leather, rubber hats. 107 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:09.240 Let's be back in time. 108 00:07:09.300 --> 00:07:25.740 When I was for the Australian listeners, when I was watching this in preparation for the podcast, my husband walked in through and asked me, what the hell the goth gumnut babies were? 109 00:07:28.860 --> 00:07:31.680 And I was like, oh, oh my god. 110 00:07:31.740 --> 00:07:32.759 No I can't unsee it. 111 00:07:32.819 --> 00:07:34.500 You won't get that. 112 00:07:35.819 --> 00:07:37.379 No idea. 113 00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:41.819 But we've got a mental image, but I don't know if it's... 114 00:07:41.879 --> 00:07:46.620 No, this is like classic Australian children's books. 115 00:07:46.860 --> 00:07:56.100 Snuggle pot and cuddle pie about these babies who little gum nuts from a gumtree. 116 00:07:56.160 --> 00:08:01.500 And their heads kind of look like the mutoids hats. 117 00:08:01.560 --> 00:08:02.759 All right. 118 00:08:02.819 --> 00:08:04.199 Well, we can just edit all that shit out. 119 00:08:04.259 --> 00:08:04.620 Thank you. 120 00:08:06.779 --> 00:08:08.399 That's fine. 121 00:08:08.459 --> 00:08:09.480 I'll put it in the show notes. 122 00:08:09.540 --> 00:08:09.839 No. 123 00:08:09.959 --> 00:08:22.139 Yeah, and a packet will be available to any listener who sends a stamps addressed envelope to James, Australia, and YouTube can munch on a mutoid head. whenever you like. 124 00:08:24.300 --> 00:08:40.860 I read, I read that, um, that, um, Jenna only got so involved in this particular plot because Sally Nevette complained that she'd had bugger all to do for the past few weeks. and so, uh, they, so they stuck Callie on the Liberator instead and gave, gave Jenna her bits, uh, because it is good to see. 125 00:08:40.919 --> 00:08:43.679 I mean, it's a shame that it was treated as an either or situation. 126 00:08:43.740 --> 00:08:45.360 I don't think that was probably her intent. 127 00:08:45.419 --> 00:08:52.980 But it's nice to see her getting down and getting into the shootout at the end as well, and sort of noticing that something is awry in that shootout. 128 00:08:53.039 --> 00:09:08.940 There is definitely something Ryan, that shootout, uh, which I only notice yesterday, um, and that is where they make the guard sort of walk ahead of them, and they go, don't worry, there'll be 2 guns behind you, and I'm like, okay, 2 of them are going ahead, and it's only Jenna. 129 00:09:09.059 --> 00:09:10.259 Oh, wait, hang on. 130 00:09:10.559 --> 00:09:14.039 Jenna's holding 2 guns that can't be held more. 131 00:09:14.100 --> 00:09:17.399 You could only hold one according to episode 3 or something like that. 132 00:09:17.460 --> 00:09:19.379 Great. done it again. 133 00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:22.139 Just call her 2 guns Stannis. 134 00:09:22.259 --> 00:09:24.120 She hacked it. 135 00:09:24.179 --> 00:09:30.480 She's hacked that giant wine rack that they keep all the guns in on the floor and found a way to let it have more than one gun at a time. 136 00:09:30.539 --> 00:09:36.360 I'm going to say how she's going to fire those guns when she's got 2 guns and the cool box as well. 137 00:09:36.539 --> 00:09:40.740 Yeah, she's going to struggle a bit there. multi-jasking, yes. 138 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:43.139 But only one girl is allowed on an away mission at a time. 139 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:45.600 So Callie just cannot come with her to carry something else. 140 00:09:45.659 --> 00:09:47.759 Union rules, apparently. 141 00:09:47.820 --> 00:09:50.100 I believe they call that gender parity. 142 00:09:50.340 --> 00:09:52.919 Or Jenna parity. 143 00:10:01.019 --> 00:10:12.419 So it does feel like a lot of time has passed between dual and and this because, you know, they mention, oh, Servolan's like going, oh, there's been a few assassination attempts after me. 144 00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:14.879 Do you know it's actually nice to Calais? 145 00:10:14.940 --> 00:10:22.440 Uh, you know, she, that's like smile at each other when they're, when Jenna's leaving the ship or like be careful or something like that. 146 00:10:22.500 --> 00:10:31.679 You know, maybe they should have put another episode in between here to sort of, so it isn't like a Travis versus Blake and then another Travis versus Blake. 147 00:10:31.740 --> 00:10:33.659 I don't mind, but it's good. 148 00:10:33.720 --> 00:10:36.960 It feels like a bit of time has passed without them having to spell it out. 149 00:10:37.139 --> 00:10:43.860 Yeah, I think they've used that time in the crew for Avon to get a bit more snarky with everyone. 150 00:10:43.919 --> 00:11:01.860 He's definitely more sarcastic and quippy now after all these months, and there's also just little things I noticed, like, um, Avon and Callie sharing a smile after they've teleported Villa down to the planet, and there's just little warmth between all the members of the crew, which is really lovely to see. 151 00:11:01.980 --> 00:11:03.659 Yeah, everyone's got their role. 152 00:11:03.659 --> 00:11:09.480 Now, you know, Villa is the comedy character who's going to complain about having to go and do anything. 153 00:11:09.480 --> 00:11:14.820 And then, you know, they're all sort of forming into what they'll be going forward. 154 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:17.700 Yeah, it's like, you know, cut to villa for a quip moment. 155 00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:23.279 You just know that it's, you know that it's coming and they can, they can start setting them up and, yeah, especially with him and Avon. 156 00:11:23.340 --> 00:11:30.120 I think by this point they know what the, um, they really know what the cast can deliver and they're writing to them by this point. 157 00:11:30.779 --> 00:11:33.899 Yeah, I think that's, yeah, I think that's very true. 158 00:11:33.960 --> 00:11:44.820 It certainly feels like all the characters are very clearly delineated now and everyone knows what they're doing and Terry Nation and Chris Boucher know what they're doing as well with their characters. 159 00:11:44.940 --> 00:11:53.759 So off we go and we can have this fantastic adventure now knowing what everyone's roles are and wow, yeah, there we are. 160 00:11:53.759 --> 00:11:56.639 And you get it, I think, with Travis and Servland as well. 161 00:11:56.700 --> 00:12:17.639 I think there's a real sort of clear sense of who they are and what their roles are, and it's almost like the tables have turned between Travis and Serverland a bit, because whereas in Cyclocate Destroy, Travis is very brusque and not taking any of her nonsense and any of that. 162 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:21.960 And yet here, she is definitely in command. 163 00:12:22.019 --> 00:12:24.360 She's in charge completely, isn't she? 164 00:12:24.419 --> 00:12:40.440 Yeah, that moment of her swishing down that corridor, draped in, probably, um, probably endangered Arctic species made into her lovely goat, fake uh, endangered Arctic species made into her amazing uh, coat as she strolls into the ice face. 165 00:12:40.500 --> 00:12:49.320 Do we think, by the way, I think there's a few, um, Star Wars vibes going on in here, particularly, so obviously it's about rescuing Avalon, who could... 166 00:12:49.320 --> 00:12:50.220 Rebel princess. 167 00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:51.120 The rescue. 168 00:12:51.179 --> 00:12:52.559 Yeah, the rescuing of Princess Lia. 169 00:12:52.620 --> 00:12:54.960 That makes server, that definitely makes serverland the Darth Vader. 170 00:12:55.019 --> 00:12:58.259 We're several years ahead away still from the Empire Strikes Back. 171 00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:01.620 So it's not the ice base setting, isn't it? 172 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:02.820 No, exactly. 173 00:13:02.879 --> 00:13:03.840 They land on Hoff. 174 00:13:03.899 --> 00:13:06.059 It's freezing cold. 175 00:13:06.120 --> 00:13:11.340 It is almost the Empire Strikes back because they try and strike back. 176 00:13:11.460 --> 00:13:16.799 I guess the difference being in the Empire Strikes back, the empire kind of gets the upper hand, really. 177 00:13:16.860 --> 00:13:20.399 Uh, whereas this one, it's kind of the empire strikes back. 178 00:13:20.460 --> 00:13:21.539 But Blake is too clever. 179 00:13:22.740 --> 00:13:26.279 So, yeah, no, he is a little bit Star Wars. 180 00:13:26.340 --> 00:13:28.500 I mean, it's got so many so many good things going for it. 181 00:13:28.620 --> 00:13:33.480 What do we think about the character of Avalon and the performance? 182 00:13:33.539 --> 00:13:34.860 of that? 183 00:13:34.919 --> 00:13:40.320 It's very strange because she doesn't get very much to do in this episode. 184 00:13:40.379 --> 00:13:50.340 She's, I think she seems super cool in those scenes where her band of rebels are being captured by Travis. 185 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:55.500 And it's almost, it struck me this time and it's something I'd not noticed before. 186 00:13:55.559 --> 00:14:05.100 It's almost played like it's supposed to be a surprise that she's a woman because it's not stated that she's a woman before the reveal. 187 00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:09.000 So I wondered if that was supposed to be a, oh, it's a female version of Blake. 188 00:14:09.059 --> 00:14:10.139 Oh, we weren't expecting that. 189 00:14:10.200 --> 00:14:21.480 Aren't all rebels men kind of thing, but she doesn't actually get a great deal of character or anything to do, really, because she's replaced by the Android for most of the episode. 190 00:14:21.600 --> 00:14:28.259 So we don't get to find out what she stands for, what she's doing other than what other people have said about her. 191 00:14:28.320 --> 00:14:29.759 She could be a computer. 192 00:14:29.820 --> 00:14:30.899 Yeah exactly. 193 00:14:31.019 --> 00:14:33.659 Yeah, she could be a computer or a box with some flashing lights on it. 194 00:14:33.720 --> 00:14:34.080 Ultimately. 195 00:14:34.139 --> 00:14:40.500 She is a prize to be rescued to be rescued that's going to help them in their efforts, isn't she? 196 00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:48.059 She does get a reasonably decent interaction with Travis whilst they're, you know, making the copy of her brain. 197 00:14:48.179 --> 00:14:49.919 Oh, yeah, that's true. 198 00:14:49.980 --> 00:14:51.480 Oh, yeah, when she's in the little machine, yes. 199 00:14:51.539 --> 00:14:53.399 Yeah, being with the lights going off. 200 00:14:53.460 --> 00:15:02.399 It's a strange choice to give the central, this character, external character that the episode revolves around, a name that's only 2 letters different from Avon. 201 00:15:02.460 --> 00:15:07.860 Not quite sure why that wasn't seen as an issue, but I mean, it isn't an issue, really, is it? 202 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:09.419 It's just something that they tend not to do. 203 00:15:09.480 --> 00:15:12.779 It just, it does feel like a bit of a missed opportunity. 204 00:15:12.899 --> 00:15:16.019 She should have been, I get, I get, or does it? 205 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:29.700 I mean, it feels like she doesn't have anything strong to say or do particularly, but for most of it, you know, when we see her, she's an Android, so she hasn't gotten that much more programming. 206 00:15:30.179 --> 00:15:37.200 It's um, I mean, it might be a missed opportunity, but that's not going to stop big finish coming back to it in 40 years time. 207 00:15:37.259 --> 00:15:38.279 Oh, Yeah. 208 00:15:38.340 --> 00:15:41.039 Who's managed to listen to that because I have not. 209 00:15:41.100 --> 00:15:42.059 Not yet. 210 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:45.240 So I do like Olivia Poulet. 211 00:15:45.299 --> 00:15:49.080 So this is a new, a brand new range, the big finish have just launched, yeah? 212 00:15:49.139 --> 00:15:51.059 Yes, they've used Abalon already. 213 00:15:51.120 --> 00:16:00.059 They used her in the 40th anniversary story the way ahead. and recast her brilliantly and she was very, very good in that. 214 00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:07.740 Olivia Poulet plays Avalon brilliantly, gives us real steel, and she's very different to Blake, which is good. 215 00:16:07.799 --> 00:16:09.840 So you get a contrast of different types of freedom fighter. 216 00:16:09.899 --> 00:16:10.679 Yes. 217 00:16:10.740 --> 00:16:12.360 Yeah, I see with different. 218 00:16:12.419 --> 00:16:19.259 I think she she does need to pick slightly better rebels to help her because that bit at the start where Travis says, which one of you is Avalon? 219 00:16:19.259 --> 00:16:22.139 And this guy just stands up and like moves in front of her going, it's not her. 220 00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:23.279 It's not... 221 00:16:23.340 --> 00:16:25.500 I'm just standing here, really, obviously. 222 00:16:25.620 --> 00:16:30.120 Hello, I'm still at fell and I'm about to fall over, so there's probably a slun. 223 00:16:30.360 --> 00:16:39.779 Oh, yeah, at least if you're in a battle if you've got Stuart Fell standing in front of you, you've got a better chance of surviving because it's likely he's going to be the one who goes down first, isn't it? 224 00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:43.559 And then, of course, you've got David Bailey in it as well. 225 00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:45.360 Yes, a Shedna. 226 00:16:45.419 --> 00:16:46.919 Yeah, he's really cool. 227 00:16:46.980 --> 00:16:51.059 Yeah, and I always get him mixed up with Michael Jason. don't they look a little bit alike? 228 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:52.440 They do. 229 00:16:52.500 --> 00:16:57.419 They do, especially like craggy and covered in sort of furs and things. 230 00:16:57.659 --> 00:17:02.100 It's, um, I, I did for on 1st viewing as a keep going. 231 00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:03.059 Is that the Val yard? 232 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:05.940 Oh no, it's Taryn Capel. 233 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:08.339 And he hit the big time, didn't he? 234 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:10.500 Most of the pirates of the Caribbean movies. 235 00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:13.680 He's one of the bad pirates. he was, wasn't he? 236 00:17:13.980 --> 00:17:15.660 He died. 237 00:17:15.720 --> 00:17:18.539 He died in March this year. 238 00:17:28.200 --> 00:17:34.799 So what do we think about the sort of wider world issues? 239 00:17:34.859 --> 00:17:41.460 So, Serbaland sort of mentions that Blake is becoming a legend and hope is very dangerous. 240 00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:45.480 Is that something that the show should have done a bit more of, do we think? 241 00:17:45.539 --> 00:17:49.740 That is the sort of dialogue that you'd put in episode one if you were rebooting it, isn't it? 242 00:17:49.799 --> 00:17:50.940 Probably, or episode 2 maybe? 243 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:55.440 Yeah, because it's like, oh, they've just spotted this extra direction to go in. 244 00:17:55.500 --> 00:17:57.059 I think coming from her is what makes it. 245 00:17:57.359 --> 00:18:03.779 I think it's a restatement of of their kind of worldview as well. 246 00:18:04.019 --> 00:18:05.400 Yeah. 247 00:18:05.460 --> 00:18:29.940 Yeah, I quite like the fact that you get this idea that despite them trying to keep everything quiet and every all news of it's suppressed that all these sort of almost like urban legends are creeping up around Blake and he's going off destroying things and creating his own sort of myth almost that would become very dangerous for the federation going forward. 248 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:53.099 Yeah, and we us seeing Servoland becoming concerned about that is a great way of depicting it to us when they haven't got the budget to show us rebellions happening on multiple planets, and also that wouldn't be as exciting a form of storytelling as just having this icy commander visibly being unsettled by the fact that they haven't managed to immediately snuff him out is a really a really good turn, yeah. 249 00:18:53.220 --> 00:18:55.019 And talking of stuffings out. 250 00:18:55.079 --> 00:18:59.039 The effect of that, the sparkly poison thing. 251 00:18:59.160 --> 00:19:00.779 CGI virus. 252 00:19:00.900 --> 00:19:03.900 It's got a space name, hasn't it, that I'm eluding me. 253 00:19:03.900 --> 00:19:06.839 It's based on the phobon plague. 254 00:19:06.900 --> 00:19:07.859 Is it? 255 00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:08.640 Yes. 256 00:19:08.700 --> 00:19:09.359 Well, there we go. 257 00:19:09.420 --> 00:19:10.859 They're the worst types. 258 00:19:10.920 --> 00:19:20.579 When it, when, you know, the young guy gets, gets exposed to it as she, as she sort of gloats and just do what, she just enjoys the show, doesn't she, basically? 259 00:19:20.700 --> 00:19:23.279 That's a really, really scary, gruesome bit. 260 00:19:23.339 --> 00:19:25.440 I think 2 things on that. 261 00:19:25.500 --> 00:19:43.140 One, the way that Travis says to the mutoid, you know, just go and find a dissident, you know, just if there aren't, if there isn't anyone in detention, just grab someone off the street, you know, um, which, you know, just reinforces the way the federation is run. 262 00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:51.180 And then this person comes in and he sort of goes, all right, yeah, he'll do, and then punches him in the stomach and goes, yeah, yeah, he's all right. 263 00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:53.460 Yeah, he seems healthy enough. 264 00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:54.359 I just love. 265 00:19:54.359 --> 00:19:56.460 He's healthy enough to kill. 266 00:19:56.519 --> 00:19:57.900 Yeah. 267 00:19:57.960 --> 00:20:05.819 But then they've got this, you know, the CGI fringe virus and they and they give it to this guy. 268 00:20:05.880 --> 00:20:07.140 He doesn't seem at all bothered. 269 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:11.220 Well, yeah, he's probably seen on basic rates probably. 270 00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:14.279 They're not paying me enough to be... 271 00:20:14.339 --> 00:20:16.559 But also, it's all going to be done with an effect, darling. 272 00:20:16.619 --> 00:20:17.099 You just sit there. 273 00:20:17.099 --> 00:20:18.299 We'll make it turn into a skeleton. 274 00:20:18.359 --> 00:20:20.279 It's not a terrifying virus. 275 00:20:20.339 --> 00:20:22.980 It's, you know, or space plague. 276 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:31.500 It's just a, there's a bit of, um, uh, rollback and mix going on, you know, the virus, the virus should be good to roll back and mix virus. 277 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:33.900 The rollback of mixed plague. 278 00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:42.960 I thought it was really, it was quite disturbing, but the effect is quite disturbing, but because he has to remain completely still for it. 279 00:20:43.500 --> 00:20:49.619 It just, it kind of robs of any sort of urgency or or real horror. 280 00:20:49.680 --> 00:21:00.779 If only, yes, the 1970s, if only they could have done that with some motion or screaming or shown the horror of him having his flesh eaten off. 281 00:21:00.839 --> 00:21:03.240 Yeah, you don't get any of that, do you? 282 00:21:03.299 --> 00:21:05.640 You don't get any sense that the guy's in pain. 283 00:21:05.700 --> 00:21:08.460 It just seems to happen to him and it's done. 284 00:21:08.519 --> 00:21:11.579 Well, look, he's probably dope to his eyeballs anyway. 285 00:21:11.640 --> 00:21:16.500 He is a, um, like a labour grade in the Federation. 286 00:21:17.279 --> 00:21:19.500 Yeah, basic equity. 287 00:21:19.559 --> 00:21:35.880 What I find interesting though, what sort of watching it was Travis is so enthralled by the works of the poison, and you can see almost like glee in his eyes as he watches this guy sort of be consumed and die in 30 seconds. 288 00:21:35.940 --> 00:21:39.960 He looks like he's getting some kind of thrill out of watching that. 289 00:21:40.019 --> 00:21:43.740 Oh, there's also that great line from Servoland. 290 00:21:43.799 --> 00:21:47.279 You know, the labs have come up with something for you. 291 00:21:47.339 --> 00:21:53.880 It's very, very lethal and very expensive or something along those lines. 292 00:21:55.019 --> 00:22:01.079 I wonder if we get, there's a, Avon gets to say, let's get the hell out of here at one point. 293 00:22:01.140 --> 00:22:03.420 Is that the 1st is that our 1st swear? 294 00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:05.160 Is that count as a swear? 295 00:22:05.220 --> 00:22:06.960 I don't know if you're allowed to say get. 296 00:22:07.019 --> 00:22:08.220 I think that's as close as we're going to come. 297 00:22:08.279 --> 00:22:09.480 Yeah. 298 00:22:09.539 --> 00:22:18.299 And then Callie gets a job at Flying the Liberator, which I guess links back to it originally her and Jenna's roles having been swapped around. 299 00:22:18.359 --> 00:22:27.599 But she gets to fly the liberator with the little Wii controllers that they've got, you know, I really like the way that they do it with their hands in gloves in the air. 300 00:22:27.660 --> 00:22:32.039 Hey, at least they're attached to something so you don't end up breaking your TV screen. 301 00:22:32.099 --> 00:22:33.240 No, right. 302 00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:43.259 We're really moving into the liberators attacked, so they can't be teleported up when they desperately need it cliche now. 303 00:22:43.319 --> 00:22:47.339 I think this is now the 2nd time this season and we'll have that a lot going forward. 304 00:22:47.400 --> 00:22:55.619 So I always love those scenes where they turn on the communicator when they're back on station and it's Blake screaming, get me out of here. 305 00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:56.160 Where are you? 306 00:22:56.279 --> 00:22:58.079 And off we go. 307 00:22:58.140 --> 00:23:05.220 Yeah, last minute, desperate, rushing in and there you are, because, and that, that's a really Blake 70 bit of tension, isn't it? 308 00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:06.839 Because they don't still don't quite trust each other. 309 00:23:07.500 --> 00:23:11.460 Why isn't one of them in the teleport control room? 310 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:15.660 Why are they all there when they have to get somebody up quickly? 311 00:23:15.720 --> 00:23:18.900 Oh shit, we're all in. on the flight deck. 312 00:23:18.960 --> 00:23:19.559 Run. 313 00:23:19.619 --> 00:23:21.779 Everybody run down the corridor. 314 00:23:21.839 --> 00:23:24.359 It's almost like it's a bit of false tension, isn't it? 315 00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:25.319 Yeah. 316 00:23:25.380 --> 00:23:30.240 There was definitely no time and motion study done on the workplace layout of the Liberator by whoever built it. 317 00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:32.279 Right, because it's like whenever the phone rings. 318 00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:34.859 Gown, we're 5 minutes from the planet. 319 00:23:34.920 --> 00:23:39.480 Maybe you could just start ambling to the teleport now, just in case we need to bring anyone up. 320 00:23:40.140 --> 00:23:51.240 Whenever anyone comes in on the communicator, it beeps and someone has to get up from whatever desk they're in and go round the sofa and down to where the like the phone is and press the button to hear the call coming in. 321 00:23:51.299 --> 00:23:56.940 Well, you know, they solve a lot of those problems with Aurak later, though, of course, don't they? 322 00:23:57.000 --> 00:24:00.359 You know, putting him in charge of the of the teleport. 323 00:24:00.599 --> 00:24:03.180 Except when he decides not to use it. 324 00:24:03.720 --> 00:24:05.940 But we're getting ahead of ourselves. 325 00:24:06.359 --> 00:24:09.119 But yeah, artificial intelligence. 326 00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:09.960 What thorac? 327 00:24:10.019 --> 00:24:11.579 I have no idea what you're talking about. 328 00:24:11.640 --> 00:24:13.559 Yeah, or what or who. 329 00:24:13.619 --> 00:24:13.859 Yeah. 330 00:24:20.579 --> 00:24:34.619 I remember Sally Nevette giving an anecdote when she was being interviewed ages ago about how when she 1st started in Blake 7, she got the Mickey taken out of her because they said to her in rehearsals, you run down the corridor, pull out your laser and go pew pew. 331 00:24:34.680 --> 00:24:39.359 And then the cameras rolled and she ran out, ran down the corridor, pulled out Helaser, and said, pew, pew. 332 00:24:39.420 --> 00:24:44.940 That was her standard anecdote, which she used to do, if she ever turned up on TV in the 80s being in tune about her time was Blake 7. 333 00:24:45.000 --> 00:24:52.680 And I did wonder if it came from this, that corridor shootout where she stands there in bright pink, going pew pew in a narrow corridor at some people who all keep missing her. 334 00:24:52.740 --> 00:24:55.619 That's, uh, could well be the moment, I think. 335 00:24:55.680 --> 00:24:58.380 I love the sound of the liberator guns, though. 336 00:24:58.380 --> 00:25:00.960 I think there's such a brilliant sound effect. 337 00:25:01.079 --> 00:25:03.660 One of my favourite things in Blake 7. 338 00:25:03.720 --> 00:25:08.460 Yeah, yeah, and yeah, just for distinct. such a tough call on a special sound team. 339 00:25:08.519 --> 00:25:13.500 Come up with a really distinctive laser gun that's obviously a laser gun, but not quite the same as the others. 340 00:25:13.559 --> 00:25:15.240 Who is the special sound? 341 00:25:15.660 --> 00:25:19.500 So Richard Yeoman Clark still at this point. 342 00:25:19.559 --> 00:25:30.660 So he does the 1st he does the 1st season and half of series B, and Elizabeth Parker then takes over for the rest of the series from hostage, I think. 343 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:31.440 Cool. 344 00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:37.140 So yeah, he's done a great job, I think, with the special sounds so far because the teleport is a great sound effect as well. 345 00:25:37.259 --> 00:25:41.460 Um, So, yeah, he's he's doing good work. 346 00:25:41.700 --> 00:25:47.460 Um, the the sound effect is certainly better than the uh, the visual effect. 347 00:25:48.359 --> 00:25:52.259 I mean, I like the outline, but that being teleported down. 348 00:25:52.319 --> 00:25:54.240 Yeah, we don't we get a clue. 349 00:25:54.299 --> 00:26:01.440 I we get clear in the next episode, someone specifically mentions that it doesn't feel, you don't feel anything, because otherwise your imagination is going to think. 350 00:26:01.740 --> 00:26:05.099 I hope they've got travel bands on or there's some kind of... 351 00:26:05.160 --> 00:26:07.380 I mean, I get a half hour on a ferry, does it for me. 352 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:09.480 Never mind being shaken about like that. 353 00:26:09.539 --> 00:26:13.200 Imagine the DVT you'd get from DSV too. 354 00:26:14.640 --> 00:26:16.980 Decoding your acronyms. 355 00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:25.319 But I like that Gareth Thomas is still doing his little wobble every time he materialises. 356 00:26:25.380 --> 00:26:25.980 That's great. 357 00:26:26.039 --> 00:26:28.259 Yeah, yeah, he's not just standing there. 358 00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:31.079 He's already begun acting before the camera rolls. 359 00:26:31.140 --> 00:26:32.940 Now that's a real professional, isn't it? 360 00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:34.559 That's what Shakespeare teaches you. 361 00:26:42.059 --> 00:26:46.440 I want to talk a little bit about Stephen Grief, is it? 362 00:26:46.500 --> 00:26:47.400 Grief or Grief? 363 00:26:47.460 --> 00:26:48.180 Grief. 364 00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:49.559 Is it grife? 365 00:26:49.619 --> 00:26:50.220 Okay, okay. 366 00:26:50.279 --> 00:26:52.140 I'm sure it's grief. 367 00:26:52.200 --> 00:26:52.380 Yeah. 368 00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:53.400 I've got grief. 369 00:26:53.460 --> 00:26:56.700 I've got a gripe with your pronunciation of Stephen Grief. 370 00:26:56.759 --> 00:26:57.539 How do you say that? 371 00:26:57.599 --> 00:27:00.180 Sorry. all right. 372 00:27:00.240 --> 00:27:02.460 So I want to talk a little bit about Stephen Griff. 373 00:27:02.519 --> 00:27:13.079 I think in this episode, he's by far the most valued player, he's like he's got a great story for his character and he plays it brilliantly. 374 00:27:13.140 --> 00:27:21.839 He is, you know, you get you get the impression he's been planning and planning and and like he's impatient to get this done. 375 00:27:21.900 --> 00:27:28.380 He wants this sorted, um, and right at the end, where he's got to catch the CGI space plague. 376 00:27:28.440 --> 00:27:33.299 His demeanour having changed completely after being double crossed himself. 377 00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:42.660 I'm a bit, you know, it doesn't quite get there in the series that this becomes a cat and mouse, Pink Panther, Inspector Cluseau forever and every episode. 378 00:27:42.779 --> 00:27:44.940 It could have become really tiresome like that. 379 00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:51.539 But in certainly in this case, it is a terrific performance, you know, by him. 380 00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:54.000 And I think he really carries that final... 381 00:27:54.119 --> 00:27:55.619 I don't know about you, but that final moment. 382 00:27:55.680 --> 00:27:58.140 Yeah, when he catches the thing and stops them all from being died. 383 00:27:58.200 --> 00:27:58.980 You feel sorry for him? 384 00:27:59.039 --> 00:28:00.539 You feel, phew, he did it. 385 00:28:00.599 --> 00:28:01.200 He saved them all. 386 00:28:01.440 --> 00:28:03.119 I do. 387 00:28:03.119 --> 00:28:09.720 I do like how he catches it even though she was supposed to crush it. dialogue disaster. 388 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:12.359 I was like, what? 389 00:28:12.359 --> 00:28:18.839 Oh, Avon's just really shit at reprogramming it. 390 00:28:19.079 --> 00:28:20.640 Exactly. 391 00:28:20.700 --> 00:28:33.180 No, I think, I think they, it could just be, what they managed to achieve in the time was, Avon, can you just get her to hold the thing, and that's all we need to do before we beam out? 392 00:28:33.240 --> 00:28:36.599 We just need to bluff and make them aware, we're going to do this. 393 00:28:36.660 --> 00:28:44.460 But actually, you know, we don't need to do, you know, we don't need to respond to Alexa, what's the weather like, you know, just do these. 394 00:28:45.240 --> 00:28:49.319 Yeah, you do really feel sorry for Travis in that scene. 395 00:28:49.380 --> 00:28:53.819 Uh, especially, you know, um, the way he's treated by Servoland. 396 00:28:53.940 --> 00:28:56.039 He's got a shitty boss. hasn't he? 397 00:28:56.099 --> 00:28:57.720 That's basically how this is being portrayed at the moment. 398 00:28:57.779 --> 00:28:58.859 She's bit toxic. 399 00:28:58.920 --> 00:29:04.559 It is a toxic, well, literally toxic and also, like pathogenical. 400 00:29:05.700 --> 00:29:12.119 There's that great scene where it cuts back to, they're both just sitting on a space sofa together and she's got her little glasses on. 401 00:29:12.180 --> 00:29:16.500 She's playing a game or something on her, on her, on her iPad. 402 00:29:16.500 --> 00:29:19.920 And they're just waiting for, for updates. 403 00:29:19.920 --> 00:29:26.940 And then he stands up off the sofa and there's this almighty creak as the leather of his costume and the leather of the sofa to catch themselves. 404 00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:30.660 They rock on with that at this point in the end credits. 405 00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:33.299 He's still getting top bullying over her. 406 00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:41.940 They share a caption card and it's him as the main guy and her as the person who he has to answer to occasionally. have to do something about that. 407 00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:44.519 I am fascinated to see how long that lasts. 408 00:29:44.519 --> 00:29:46.140 Not for much longer. 409 00:29:46.920 --> 00:29:55.619 There's a there's a great moment that I always love where Travis is sort of almost gleefully saying, a couple of hours. 410 00:29:55.680 --> 00:29:57.180 It'll all be over. 411 00:29:57.180 --> 00:30:02.460 And Serviland just shoots him a look like, no, you're gonna fuck this up. 412 00:30:02.519 --> 00:30:03.900 I'm good Travis. 413 00:30:03.960 --> 00:30:05.579 No. 414 00:30:05.640 --> 00:30:08.819 He knows that this is not going to work. 415 00:30:08.880 --> 00:30:10.740 However much Travis thinks it is. 416 00:30:10.799 --> 00:30:13.259 And that's why we love her so much. 417 00:30:13.319 --> 00:30:18.599 He's trying so hard. just wants to be evil. 418 00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:21.240 Where's the leather and everything? 419 00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:27.180 I have all the, I have about 3 giant iPads that I press the same button on. 420 00:30:28.019 --> 00:30:31.920 What more, what more can you do to try and prove? 421 00:30:31.980 --> 00:30:39.420 And yeah, and I really love the way that Servoland takes charge at sort of in the final confrontation. 422 00:30:39.480 --> 00:30:44.099 She knows that Travis is going to blow up and make this situation even worse. 423 00:30:44.160 --> 00:30:52.680 But just the way that she turns around and says, he is demanding. phenomenal. 424 00:30:52.859 --> 00:30:55.319 He is not having any of this. 425 00:30:55.380 --> 00:31:10.140 Yeah, and she just, and that is just Jacqueline Fierce just taking this script and just putting everything into it, even when she's doing, when she's doing a lot, or when she's doing a little, or when she walks in at the start and she just lets her coat fall to the floor and a mutoid has to rush and pick it up. 426 00:31:10.200 --> 00:31:10.799 That's right. 427 00:31:10.859 --> 00:31:16.259 She's got this male mutoid who is obviously just employed to hold her furs for her. 428 00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:20.279 He just stands there in the background holding her jacket the whole time. 429 00:31:20.640 --> 00:31:29.579 The direction of that is, is, is really, like, they zoom in on the coat falling and the mutoid coming over and picking it up. 430 00:31:29.640 --> 00:31:31.859 It's not like just happens in the background. 431 00:31:31.920 --> 00:31:35.460 I think it's just the moment that she arrives, really, isn't it? 432 00:31:35.579 --> 00:31:46.079 Like, in her 1st episode, you kind of get an inkling of of her sort of conniving sort of intelligence. 433 00:31:46.140 --> 00:31:49.559 But in this, it's just fabulous. 434 00:31:49.680 --> 00:32:01.680 They're sort of strutting down corridors and like throwing her clothes off on the floor and arched eyebrows every so often at people and. 435 00:32:01.680 --> 00:32:11.279 Yeah, because pre- pre-serviland, the Federation is sort of more of the evil bureaucracy kind of thing, which is a terrination thing as well. 436 00:32:11.579 --> 00:32:19.559 But then, but once she comes along and just starts, Yeah, then it's got it's got Hutzpah as well as just being an awful monolith. 437 00:32:19.619 --> 00:32:19.980 Yeah. 438 00:32:20.039 --> 00:32:31.019 Yeah, and I love the way she's played sort of in these very early stories where she's just quiet and she's calm all the time. 439 00:32:31.079 --> 00:32:35.640 And she's so commanding without having to be over the top. 440 00:32:35.700 --> 00:32:39.119 She is really, she's just wonderfully cool. 441 00:32:39.180 --> 00:32:41.160 Yeah, yeah, I see. 442 00:32:41.220 --> 00:32:41.819 You could say. 443 00:32:41.880 --> 00:32:42.720 Yeah, you could. 444 00:32:42.779 --> 00:32:47.039 And James, doesn't she have a fantastic costume this week? 445 00:32:47.519 --> 00:32:51.720 Yes, I mean, especially, look, I mean, I love that fur coat. 446 00:32:51.779 --> 00:33:10.140 Um, like the the, uh, multiple mink stole, um, But when she takes it off and you, You get that wonderful silk slash Saturn kind of ribbed, like stretched. 447 00:33:10.200 --> 00:33:11.279 Sorry, what are you describing? 448 00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:15.480 Well, it's ripped for our pleasure. 449 00:33:16.140 --> 00:33:24.660 But it's, it's, it's so form fitting and and structural and that collar. 450 00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:26.160 Yeah, that colour is awesome. 451 00:33:26.220 --> 00:33:31.019 Yes, no, I mean, look, we could do a entire podcast on... 452 00:33:31.019 --> 00:33:35.579 On Serverland's outfits and probably will. 453 00:33:39.359 --> 00:33:43.259 Oh, the rest, I'm just thinking about the, who haven't we mentioned? 454 00:33:43.319 --> 00:33:45.000 Have we mentioned, has Gan had a look in this week? 455 00:33:45.059 --> 00:33:48.059 Oh, he's top... this one. 456 00:33:48.539 --> 00:33:52.140 I can't remember what he says, but it's he's not a liberator. 457 00:33:52.200 --> 00:33:53.160 He sort of could tell about it. 458 00:33:53.160 --> 00:33:56.220 He'd say something like the deliberator, the badant of the desseria. 459 00:33:56.279 --> 00:33:57.839 Very... 460 00:33:58.079 --> 00:34:00.779 It just looks sort of kind of creepy way. 461 00:34:00.839 --> 00:34:02.759 He kind of, the creepy way. 462 00:34:02.819 --> 00:34:07.799 He guides the Avalon Android to the couch while sort of gripping her waist. 463 00:34:07.859 --> 00:34:08.639 Just like... 464 00:34:09.119 --> 00:34:20.099 Yeah, and and he really is being looked, made to look like it quite simple with the, when it's really obvious that there's something wrong with Avalon and he's like, oh, I'll go get your tunic. 465 00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:24.300 But I guess that is setting us up for next week without getting ahead of ourselves. 466 00:34:24.360 --> 00:34:33.599 Maybe they are, they are for line, frontlining the idea of him as the gentle giant, so that if that should for some unexpected reason get revoked, it would be more shocking. 467 00:34:33.719 --> 00:34:39.179 So maybe that's why he's like ultra placid in this episode, but he's fairly placid most of the time. 468 00:34:39.239 --> 00:34:40.019 So it's kind of... 469 00:34:40.079 --> 00:34:57.360 Yeah, he does the most be just the most amazed face you'll ever see on TV when he realises that Avalon is an Android and she's pushing his arms and his whole face just sort of goes, his mouth goes into almost the perfect Oh! 470 00:34:57.420 --> 00:34:58.920 What is happening? 471 00:34:59.699 --> 00:35:02.280 That's one for the GIF archive. 472 00:35:02.340 --> 00:35:03.059 I see what I can do. 473 00:35:03.119 --> 00:35:06.360 But yeah, he doesn't really have a great deal to do. 474 00:35:06.960 --> 00:35:12.300 And I don't think anyone who's on the Liberator has masses to do, do they, really? 475 00:35:12.719 --> 00:35:19.199 No, it's just, it's, whereas in some weeks you get a parallel plot, don't you, up on the liberator whilst other things are happening down on the planet. 476 00:35:19.260 --> 00:35:28.199 This week it's action on the planet, then back to deliberate on the, hmm, that was way too easy and we've still got 12 minutes of the episode left. 477 00:35:28.260 --> 00:35:31.440 I wonder if there's going to be an unexpected twist. moment. 478 00:35:31.500 --> 00:35:35.340 And that, that sort of, it's not a B plot because it's part of the A plot. 479 00:35:35.400 --> 00:35:43.019 But, um, that it's really quite, it's brief and, And just like there's not much to it. 480 00:35:43.079 --> 00:35:46.679 It's it's almost that like that part of the plot's almost too easy as well. 481 00:35:47.039 --> 00:35:49.739 Oh, oh, she's an Android. 482 00:35:49.800 --> 00:35:50.820 Okay, let's catch it. 483 00:35:50.880 --> 00:35:53.159 Okay, and let's sit back and get the real one. 484 00:35:53.219 --> 00:35:53.519 Here we are. 485 00:35:53.639 --> 00:35:54.179 Yeah. 486 00:35:54.239 --> 00:35:56.099 Yeah, it is, it is. 487 00:35:56.519 --> 00:35:59.639 But I mean, but it's, but then you can just say that, that was, it's fast paced and climactic. 488 00:35:59.699 --> 00:36:01.559 I suppose it depends which way you're coming at it, doesn't it? 489 00:36:01.619 --> 00:36:03.659 But yeah, it could almost, that could almost have been a two-parter. 490 00:36:03.719 --> 00:36:06.599 But it wouldn't be a good two-parter. 491 00:36:06.659 --> 00:36:07.800 It would be too slow. 492 00:36:07.860 --> 00:36:13.320 But yeah, but there's that whole 2nd half of the story is the last 10 minutes sort of thing. 493 00:36:13.380 --> 00:36:18.840 I'm going to say, wouldn't it have been a bit more interesting if we'd actually seen the Abalon robot attacking everyone. 494 00:36:18.900 --> 00:36:25.679 So smashing Cali and killing Chevna because it doesn't matter that that's the reveal. 495 00:36:25.739 --> 00:36:32.340 It would have been enough of a reveal to see it in action rather than um, just see Shevna looking puzzled. 496 00:36:32.400 --> 00:36:34.260 And then next scene, he's dead. 497 00:36:34.320 --> 00:36:43.260 Actually, getting a bit of a payoff of that and giving him his hero moment where he realises this is not Avalon because he knows Avalon so well. 498 00:36:43.320 --> 00:36:45.059 You could have you could have done that. 499 00:36:45.119 --> 00:36:51.360 Yeah, in a similar way to the way that they used Callie and the web. 500 00:36:51.360 --> 00:37:04.559 Where, you know, there's quite a lot of her stalking around the ship kicking the shit out of people. before, you know, before they work out what's going on. 501 00:37:04.920 --> 00:37:07.619 And maybe that's why they didn't do it here. 502 00:37:07.679 --> 00:37:10.440 Maybe they were like, oh, we've done this before. 503 00:37:10.500 --> 00:37:14.760 Let's just kind of get to get to the dinner more. 504 00:37:15.119 --> 00:37:24.719 And it is quite a good shock moment where suddenly Chevna turns around and his face is all smashed up. 505 00:37:24.780 --> 00:37:29.460 Because you know, you know it's sort of something like that is coming. suddenly. 506 00:37:29.940 --> 00:37:31.019 So a good treat there. 507 00:37:31.079 --> 00:37:32.760 She's a robot of death. 508 00:37:38.760 --> 00:37:40.679 I just realised that. 509 00:37:42.300 --> 00:38:05.519 Yeah, and again, there's another, there's a nice bit where Avon finds Callie who's been knocked out and obviously hurt, and he's, he's really tender towards her, and he obviously picks her up and puts her in the chair because she wakes up in the chair a bit later on, and this, but I really love the Callie Avon dynamic, and you only get these tiny little hints all the way through. 510 00:38:05.639 --> 00:38:09.000 Sorry, I will keep banging on about this as the series goes on. 511 00:38:09.059 --> 00:38:12.059 But, uh, Yeah, it's just really lovely. 512 00:38:13.139 --> 00:38:34.800 Like, possibly it's also because those, like, apart from Villa, those are the 2 characters who work to, you know, like, sorry, those are the 2 actors and characters who are together on the show the most, because by, you know, by the time she leaves, practically everybody else, apart from Villa is gone. 513 00:38:34.980 --> 00:38:36.599 That's true. 514 00:38:36.659 --> 00:38:40.260 And they've had, yeah, time to build up that nice relationship between them. 515 00:38:40.380 --> 00:38:42.059 Yeah, yeah. 516 00:38:51.960 --> 00:38:54.119 Shall we talk about the ending? 517 00:38:54.179 --> 00:38:55.619 Yeah, yeah. 518 00:38:55.679 --> 00:38:57.900 So what do we think about the ending, yeah. 519 00:38:57.960 --> 00:38:59.519 Look, I think it's fabulous. 520 00:38:59.579 --> 00:39:00.480 I love it. 521 00:39:00.539 --> 00:39:01.619 I'm... 522 00:39:01.619 --> 00:39:04.500 Well, wouldn't the dream of their dreams. 523 00:39:04.559 --> 00:39:04.980 That's fine. 524 00:39:05.039 --> 00:39:06.000 That will do. 525 00:39:06.360 --> 00:39:08.099 There we go. 526 00:39:08.159 --> 00:39:18.539 Like that wonderful moment at the very end after Servolan has dismissed Travis for his shitty failed plan. 527 00:39:18.599 --> 00:39:21.539 And and then... 528 00:39:21.539 --> 00:39:22.380 Yes. 529 00:39:22.440 --> 00:39:36.599 And then she does that wonderful kind of spin around to camera and orders, orders the pursuit ships to follow the liberator, and then it crashes into the entitles, is fantastically camped. 530 00:39:37.739 --> 00:39:40.860 And it's a good proper dot, dot, dot. 531 00:39:40.920 --> 00:39:45.420 I'll get you Penelope to stop or whatever, except the server land saying it. yeah. 532 00:39:45.480 --> 00:39:46.139 Yeah. 533 00:39:46.199 --> 00:39:51.599 And you get, yeah, you get Travis's, um, if it takes all my life, I will destroy you, Blake. 534 00:39:51.659 --> 00:40:00.900 I will destroy you and just think, this is a man who's just becoming completely and utterly obsessed by his work. 535 00:40:00.960 --> 00:40:05.699 And this is not going to end well for for him or Blake, possibly. 536 00:40:06.119 --> 00:40:18.119 But yeah, it's great how the tables have turned and this is the moment where I think Servland is going to become sort of ascendent and Travis's role is going to descend. 537 00:40:18.179 --> 00:40:20.699 Yeah, he becomes emasculator, doesn't he? 538 00:40:20.760 --> 00:40:21.300 Yeah. 539 00:40:21.300 --> 00:40:23.940 Like, he becomes the sidekick. 540 00:40:24.000 --> 00:40:24.239 Yeah. 541 00:40:24.239 --> 00:40:24.900 Yeah. 542 00:40:24.960 --> 00:40:26.159 He's muttley. 543 00:40:26.219 --> 00:40:27.300 Yes. 544 00:40:27.719 --> 00:40:37.260 When you, yeah, when you see him in deliverance, it's the dynamic between Silverland and Travis is very, very different at that point. 545 00:40:37.320 --> 00:40:39.659 Could you say it's subserviland? 546 00:40:39.719 --> 00:40:40.980 Sorry. 547 00:40:41.039 --> 00:40:44.519 Oh, I think I think he definitely could, yes. 548 00:40:44.579 --> 00:40:46.139 But it is like server line. 549 00:40:46.199 --> 00:40:47.519 Like, take this man away. 550 00:40:47.579 --> 00:40:49.679 I shall have top bulling by the end of this series. 551 00:40:49.980 --> 00:40:52.199 Top baddie billing anyway. 552 00:40:52.260 --> 00:40:53.639 But have you noticed? 553 00:40:53.699 --> 00:41:03.239 I don't know if it's a thing that is, is it a thing that no one mentions or is it just that the, um, the end credits, the Starfield is different, slightly differently done each week as the end credits role? 554 00:41:03.300 --> 00:41:07.980 Like in this one, it's a long, slow zoom out from a picture of a starfill. 555 00:41:08.039 --> 00:41:11.219 And I noticed the other week the camera was sideways panning across it. 556 00:41:11.280 --> 00:41:15.059 And in another week, the camera zooms in slowly on the starfield. 557 00:41:15.119 --> 00:41:27.300 I don't know if that's like, you know, Wurzel Gummidge used to at the end of the end credits, he would get up on his, on his, on his, well, it's not crucifixes the wrong word. you know, wasn't coming... 558 00:41:27.360 --> 00:41:31.800 Well, there are thematic there are thematic layers to it, but that's another podcast. 559 00:41:31.860 --> 00:41:35.460 And that's what we do with the Mortal Rummage podcast. 560 00:41:35.519 --> 00:41:38.639 When do we take the worst old drumage down under podcast? 561 00:41:38.940 --> 00:41:42.239 That's the spinoff that everyone will be waiting for. 562 00:41:42.300 --> 00:41:42.900 They made it. 563 00:41:42.900 --> 00:41:45.360 But, yeah, they did? 564 00:41:45.420 --> 00:41:45.780 Yeah. 565 00:41:45.840 --> 00:41:52.559 But, um, but he, um, and at the end of every episode, he gets up on his stick and then he falls forward or backwards or sideways. 566 00:41:52.619 --> 00:41:54.539 And when you're a kid, you can cheer which way he's going to go. 567 00:41:54.599 --> 00:41:57.960 Well, and guess, because they'd run a different version each episode randomly. 568 00:41:58.019 --> 00:42:04.440 And that seems to be what they're doing with the Blake 7 credits just on a slightly more low-key variety, because, yes, you just watch that Starfield. sometimes it zooms in. 569 00:42:04.500 --> 00:42:13.199 Do you think it's whatever they had left on the cutting room floor after putting together the liberator cut out flying across Starfield shots? 570 00:42:13.380 --> 00:42:15.960 That is odd, isn't it? 571 00:42:16.019 --> 00:42:23.820 Because there are some, there are so many magnificent shots of the liberator and then you get the little cartoon cutout version just popped in. as if public will never notice the difference. 572 00:42:23.820 --> 00:42:32.219 And it's like, I mean, it's very, it's all right. a perfectly nice 2D cardboard cutout version, but it's strange that they... weirdly yellow as well, isn't it? 573 00:42:32.280 --> 00:42:36.059 Is that why some liberated toys ended up being different colours? 574 00:42:36.119 --> 00:42:37.860 Because I had a white one and a silver one. 575 00:42:37.920 --> 00:42:42.539 Oh, no, the silver one was just a, um, it was a special edition for the 25th anniversary of Corgi or something. 576 00:42:42.599 --> 00:42:44.099 Fact has returned to my brain. 577 00:42:44.159 --> 00:42:45.719 That's why I had a silver liberator. 578 00:42:45.780 --> 00:42:47.039 I found that out. 579 00:42:47.099 --> 00:42:51.659 I didn't, for a while I thought the liberator maybe got repainted between 2 between seasons at some time. 580 00:42:51.719 --> 00:42:55.920 This is the kind of fact that you extrapolate from your toy collection when you're 7. 581 00:42:55.980 --> 00:42:59.519 What did you do with the five-sided... 582 00:42:59.519 --> 00:43:00.900 Dapoltatis console? 583 00:43:00.960 --> 00:43:02.639 Oh, I wish I'd had one. 584 00:43:02.699 --> 00:43:07.800 My parents bought one for me, but it was broken and they returned it without giving it to me. 585 00:43:07.860 --> 00:43:10.320 I saw it in the cupboard for Christmas. 586 00:43:10.380 --> 00:43:12.179 I was so disappointed. 587 00:43:12.539 --> 00:43:13.980 Wow. 588 00:43:14.039 --> 00:43:16.500 You saw the present and then took it away again. 589 00:43:16.559 --> 00:43:18.659 And I've never forgiven them. 590 00:43:18.719 --> 00:43:20.159 And how much is it affected? 591 00:43:20.219 --> 00:43:23.760 Yeah, how does this affect your trust issues going forward in life? 592 00:43:23.820 --> 00:43:25.440 But it wasn't good enough. 593 00:43:25.500 --> 00:43:26.519 It had the wrong number of sides. 594 00:43:28.079 --> 00:43:30.420 I wish that had been the reason. 595 00:43:30.900 --> 00:43:34.500 Oh, it's missing. 596 00:43:34.619 --> 00:43:35.820 It's not hexagonal. 597 00:43:37.980 --> 00:43:41.340 We saw how he kicked off when he got that green J 9. 598 00:43:41.400 --> 00:43:42.179 We can't give him there. 599 00:43:42.599 --> 00:43:47.219 They do their best, our parents, don't they, when they realise they've got a geek in the nest. 600 00:43:56.280 --> 00:43:59.340 So, thank you for joining us for Project Avalon. 601 00:43:59.400 --> 00:44:00.480 It's been a fantastic episode. 602 00:44:00.539 --> 00:44:07.019 We've enjoyed your company, and next up, it will be a breakdown, but don't worry, Aber is still at number one with Take a Chance on the Union. 603 00:44:07.139 --> 00:44:09.360 Everything's getting too stressful for you in 1978. 604 00:44:09.719 --> 00:44:11.699 So, thanks for joining us. 605 00:44:11.760 --> 00:44:12.239 Goodbye. 606 00:44:12.300 --> 00:44:13.019 Ta-ta. 607 00:44:13.079 --> 00:44:13.440 Bye. 608 00:44:13.619 --> 00:44:14.280 Bye bye. 609 00:44:15.239 --> 00:44:17.280 Switching to Manny. 610 00:44:17.340 --> 00:44:19.440 Maximum power on all drives. 611 00:44:35.340 --> 00:44:38.820 Yeah, Sydney, I mean, yeah, you do feel, you do feel good. 612 00:44:38.880 --> 00:44:41.340 Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm sorry. 613 00:44:41.400 --> 00:44:42.539 I fuck that lineup. 614 00:44:42.599 --> 00:44:44.519 Um, We missed out. 615 00:44:44.579 --> 00:44:50.039 I've just realised that I forgot to quote Travis's amazing line, expect him to penetrate within the next 12 hours. 616 00:44:50.219 --> 00:44:54.239 Yeah, I think we actually, we're getting we're getting a lot tighter. 617 00:44:54.360 --> 00:44:56.340 Yeah, thanks, thanks. 618 00:44:56.400 --> 00:44:58.559 Yeah, I realised as I said it. 619 00:44:58.619 --> 00:45:00.960 Oh, we'll just sort out in post, darling. 620 00:45:01.019 --> 00:45:01.860 All right, I'll press stop.