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blakes7-d Digest Volume 00 : Issue 104
Today's Topics:
[B7L] Re: First Impressions: "Mission to Destiny"
Re: [B7L] Re: UnAmerican Activities
[B7L] Re: UnAmerican Activities
[B7L] Re: UnAmerican Activities
[B7L] Avon & helping.
[B7L] Re: blakes7 dolls
Re: [B7L] Drugging of population on Earth
[B7L] Re:Avon's search?
Re [B7L] UnAmerican activities
[B7L] Zenith, goats, Rand, fraud, etc.
[B7L] Re: Mission to Destiny
[B7L] The Beeb say it so it must be true...
Re: [B7L] Re: Mission to Destiny
[B7L] First impressions: "Duel"
Re: [B7L] First impressions: "Duel"
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2000 06:49:51 PDT
From: "Sally Manton" <smanton@hotmail.com>
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: [B7L] Re: First Impressions: "Mission to Destiny"
Message-ID: <20000408134951.20228.qmail@hotmail.com>
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After Judith wrote:
<Is it so surprising that Blake chose to mine the entry lock?>
Murray answered:
<It's not surprising; it's just that a lot of fans accuse Avon of being
ruthless, while ignoring the fact that Blake was also ruthless, this episode
being early evidence of this.>
Blake is every bit as ruthless as Avon when he chooses to be - his natural
warmth is tempered by a rarely shown but even more cold-blooded streak. He's
also more dispassionate about violence - he doesn't use it unless he thinks
it necessary (Killer vs Star One and no-we-are-not going to start that
again, I'm just pointing out the difference in *his* attitude towards what
he considers gratuitous vs justifiable violence), but shows no qualms when
he does. The cold detachment that was so disurbing in 'Blake' *was* always a
part of him.
Given his character, it *is* reasonable to assume that he had what he
thought were grounds for the action (whether you agree with them is beside
the point). I agree with Judith's suggestion that Blake probably did it to
prevent a battle that he was unsure the Liberator was up to - he's not about
to take that chance by indulging the bleeding heart Avon derides. Given
everything he does know - that Rafford was murdered and the controls
wrecked, that the Ortega has deliberately been made a sitting duck with a
fixed flight pattern (so an obviously unfriendly someone could find them),
that the neutrotope was swiped before he could take it - the chances of them
being anyone except the predators were that remoted they were ridiculous.
And - as Judith said - he now had the neutrotope on board. Given *his*
character, why on earth *would* he risk his ship and crew and the innocent
Ortega people on the off-chance that these people might think better of
attacking to get back ther prize? This is *Blake*, not Deeta
everyone's-entitled-to-one-stab-in-my-back Tarrant.
Also, Dorian wrote:
<We don't know that they knew anything about conditions on Destiny or about
the neutrotope's current owners.
Either they approached Sara or she approached them - either way, they knew
enough to know its value - that it was (as Dr Kendall says) valuable enough
so that a planet would have to mortgage its future to get the thing. They
would have had to have learned some of the background to the purchase (which
would quite reasonably have included the reasons for buying it) before going
into the deal to steal the neutrotope (and let us not forget, massacre the
crew) with Little Miss Murderer. If they didn't (which is impossible for me
to believe), they were blithering idiots and deserved all they got.
<Also, presumably, if they needed the neutrotope they had problems similar
to Destiny's anyway.>
That doesn't follow *at all* - nothing in the episode even suggests that the
plotters need it, just that they're willing to conspire at theft and mass
murder to *get* it. Assuming there's another whole planet behind them is
assuming rather a lot without a skerrick of proof to back it.
As Avon says - quite truthfully - "try greed. It's usually reliable."
______________________________________________________
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------------------------------
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2000 06:50:22 PDT
From: "Sally Manton" <smanton@hotmail.com>
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: Re: [B7L] Re: UnAmerican Activities
Message-ID: <20000408135022.26857.qmail@hotmail.com>
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Alison wrote:
<In a way the Liberator crew are organised like a syndicalist battleship or
a pirate band rather than on conventional military lines.
<gurgle> so far as they were 'organised' as all, which by my reckoning was
not very far *at all*...
______________________________________________________
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------------------------------
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2000 06:54:56 PDT
From: "Sally Manton" <smanton@hotmail.com>
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: [B7L] Re: UnAmerican Activities
Message-ID: <20000408135456.8037.qmail@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
Mistral wrote:
<They've probably not thought about it much, or had a chance to go shopping
(and would Blake let them have any money?)>
Very little evidence either way, but Vila's words in Shadow:
BLAKE: If you've got the money.
VILA: But we have, we have.
- and the fact that he then cheerfully dips into said money to go on a
rather extensive spree suggests that whatever they had *was* considered
theirs, not Blake's. While Blake is rather - errr - miffed (all right,
ropeable :-)) later, there's no indication that it has anything to do with
Vila helping himself to the treasure room.
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2000 11:48:21 -0400
From: "Dana Shilling" <dshilling@worldnet.att.net>
To: "b7" <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: [B7L] Re: UnAmerican Activities
Message-ID: <004e01bfa175$ea468940$fd614e0c@dshilling>
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I think Avon would be the first one to tell you that he's not a capitalist,
he's a crook. The relevant test is neither Kantian nor Turing but fungal.
The economic system is one of the very long list of things that can turn
into a mushroom for all he cares. Whatever the economic system, he assumes
that sooner or later someone will leave a heap of money somewhere he can get
his hands on it.
The optimum economic system for a just society is a Blakean question,
especially since he thinks he might end up running one. Sometimes I like to
think that, early in Season One, someone offered Blake a small fixer-up
planet, and now he's trying to talk his spouse/Vice President Cally out of
demanding that he take paternity leave--he's got seven democratically
elected political parties, four hostile ethnic groups, and a large defense
budget to worry about.
Meanwhile, Gan has settled down on the Ponderosa, Vila owns a movie studio,
Jenna owns an aerospace company, and Avon has established investment banking
(I think that's what he'd really like to do, because it's such a hack).
At times I even wonder if Anna caught up with him on a day when he was in a
good mood, and he decided to forgive her, although he will try to catch up
on what he views as her 4000-point lead. And if they have some children of
vulpine appearance and fiend-like demeanor...and if at least some of
Servalan's offspring/clones survived (surviving the other 14 would not be
the least of their problems)...now, THAT would be star-crossed lovers for
you.
-(Y)
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2000 10:38:33 -0700
From: Helen Krummenacker <avona@jps.net>
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: [B7L] Avon & helping.
Message-ID: <38EF6E99.2C53@jps.net>
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>
> I have wondered how much of Avon's willingness to help when it's his idea
> (or he's been asked nicely) as Mistral writes comes from his MBTI typing, or
> perhaps I'm just over-identifying with the snarly one. Any comments from
> other INTs (no prejudice between J and P) welcome.
>
Very likely. When I was a child, my mother hit on the perfect way to get
me to do my share of the chores-- make up a list of what needed to be
done and choose a certain number of items. I had control over the chores
I spent my time on, so I had a feeling of control and was peretty happy
(mind, I'd rather have been curled up with a good book, but there was no
denying that it would be unfair to have her do all the work herself).
Where I work, duties are assigned on a daily basis, and tend to come out
very unevenly. I hate having a lot of tasks assigned, even though I
should be able to ask for help if I need it. But if they don't assign me
an equal share, I start asking the others to let me take some off their
hands.
I don't like friends begging with me for favors or attention
(guilt-tripping! responsibility dumping!), but if they are in a tight
spot or having a rough time, I will offer help.
My choice= my freedom.
> Another avenue of thought is to examine his relationship with authority.
> Obviously the Federation as a model of authority is enough to give him fits.
> Telling or ordering Avon to do anything is nearly the surest method of
> ensuring he doesn't do it.
Or telling him not to, makes him want to? Makes me think of the
Patrician ordering Sam Vimes not to investigate teh theft from the
Assassin's Guild. ("And up until then I didn't know there had been a
theft.")
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2000 10:43:35 -0700
From: Helen Krummenacker <avona@jps.net>
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: [B7L] Re: blakes7 dolls
Message-ID: <38EF6FC6.32A6@jps.net>
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> Helen wrote:
> >Say, is anyone collecting the info on the 'dolls', the legal and
> >marketing memos, etc?
> Not me. Trish? You started this marvelous game by introducing the line.
> Helen, as this site is your idea, have at it!
>
Sorry, Pat, I don't do websites. At least, not yet. I also haven't been
saving the thread (though I realize I could ransack the archives). I was
just hoping in a few weeks I could send an email to friends who don't
get the list but love B7, and say, "Go to (insert name and links here)
really great Blake's 7 website and go to the page for the action
figures. And while you're there, check out all the other cool stuff."
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2000 09:03:10 +0100
From: "Andrew Ellis" <Andrew.D.Ellis@btinternet.com>
To: <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: [B7L] Drugging of population on Earth
Message-ID: <009c01bfa130$e38af4a0$31b701d5@leanet.futures.bt.co.uk>
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From: Prmolloy@aol.com <
>Gnog wrote:
>
.....we have NO evidence
> for it being an entire population or an entire social class type
operation.
> The evidence that a few people are drugged can't really be extrapolated to
> the whole population.
Trish quite rightly points out that .....
>Blake was told to abstain from food or water for 36 hours.
There are two possible explanations for this. Firstly, it could indicate, as
Trish states.
>The presence of
>drugs in the water
Or, it could be a standard detox type of thing. Hence Blake's bad temper,
his racing mind, hallucinations creeping round from his past - all classic
withdrawal symptoms (?)
>
>It's also a lot more difficult to drug only the foods of specific
>individuals. How would that be accomplished? Enter the home every few
days
>and spike his or her oatmeal?
>
I imagine that he uses Safeway Internet Shopping for his groceries, with
free daily delivery. So spiking his oatmeal is EASY.
Gnog
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2000 23:42:52 +0300 (EET DST)
From: Kai V Karmanheimo <karmanhe@cc.helsinki.fi>
To: Blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: [B7L] Re:Avon's search?
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.4.20.0004082340330.28834-100000@kruuna.Helsinki.FI>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Hello
The most obvious reason (though of course not the most interesting
one) why the crew searched for Blake but not Jenna is that Blake had his
name in the show's title, Jenna didn't.
Neither Blake's nor Jenna's departure was the writers' or the producer's
idea, but as the third season began, they were faced with the problem of
continuing the series without either of them. Blake was initially the
central character of the show and they were uncertain how well it could go
on without him. It was necessary to create the impression that Blake was
in fact still around and might return to the series, hence the initial
(and quickly discarded) talk about searching for and the continuos
references to him ("That's BLAKE's ship"; "You're BLAKE's people"; "I was
with BLAKE"). After "Terminal", which was originally supposed to conclude
the series, Blake was for all intents and purposes dead and the series
could go on without keeping up the illusion of his presence.
Jenna on the other hand was never as central a character. In fact I
understand the main reason for Sally Knyvette's departure was the fact
that Jenna's main tasks on Liberator seemed to be operating the teleport
and looking sullen, and unlike Gareth Thomas she wasn't interested in
doing guest appearances. So when you have character you don't consider
vital to the show, who has no further role in the narrative and who has
already been effectively replaced, you don't spend a lot of time
discussing that character (with all the Babylon 5 discussion lately, I
suggest you think how little actual mention Sinclair got outside his
season 2 & 3 guest appearances despite the prominence of his role). You
want to concentrate on the characters in hand, not draw attention away
from them by reminding the viewer of something that was (and beyond
"Sand" there isn't much reference to deceased regulars that doesn't serve
the story in hand). Hence no mention of Jenna in "Volcano", the only time
before "Terminal" when they talk about searching for their missing crew
members, and after that no mention at all, relying on the audience soon
forgetting about that loose end all together with all the other things
going on. Not a very elegant solution but perhaps they were leaving the
door open for someone to come up with a script that would close that book
permanently. In any case, at least Chris Boucher had the decency to
finally tie that string up in the final episode.
I think you could just say that Jenna was expendable and Blake wasn't
completely so.
Kai
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 00:23:14 +0100
From: "Neil Faulkner" <N.Faulkner@tesco.net>
To: "b7" <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re [B7L] UnAmerican activities
Message-ID: <002d01bfa1b2$8dfecd40$e535fea9@neilfaulkner>
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The Capitalism vs Socialism debate seems to have more or less petered out
before I can finally find the time to enter the fray, so I'll just briefly
say that Alison's definition of capitalism is what I've always understood by
the term, and the parasitism various socialist detractors have referred to
is, IMO, not so much the product of welfare systems as of the recessions of
the late 70s/early 80s, which made long-term unemployment come to seem
almost normal. I spent large chunks of the 80s on benefit, and most of the
people I mixed with were doing the same. It was something you became
resigned to. Twenty years on, it is something that is effectively expected
in certain segments of the population.
Ob B7: There are a few references in the series (eg to a mining company in
VftP, the Federation banking cartel in Ultraworld) that suggest the
Federation may have ruled over a free market economy, and nothing that I can
recall to explicitly deny this suggestion. I believe free enterprise was
more or less allowed to continue under the fascist regimes of the 30s, so
there is a historical precedent.
Neil
"I am not a man, I am a free number."
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2000 23:42:51 -0700
From: "Sarah Thompson" <sthompson162@mindspring.com>
To: <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: [B7L] Zenith, goats, Rand, fraud, etc.
Message-ID: <002901bfa1ee$ed763a60$f0aecdcf@y1i7s9>
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Andy Hopkinson, I'm looking forward to =Zenith=. Please do let us know how
and where we can get it. I hope you will make some provision for us
overseas fans, too. You and Alan did a fantastic job on HNL #39, and I'm
sorry you didn't get to publish #40.
Andy Spencer, I for one would love to have B7 miniatures, especially if the
company did a good job on the DW ones.
Re: rams and goats, in Chinese the same word is used for both animals,
although the zoological difference was certainly recognized; and come to
think of it, there is a wonderful 13th-C. painting by Zhao Mengfu in the
Freer Gallery in Washington, DC, that presents a sheep (a noble, good-luck
animal in China) and a goat as contrasting personality types-- very much a
Blake-Avon kind of comparison! Twenty-some years ago I used to have a
poster of that painting on my wall, flanked by photos of my favorite Hong
Kong movie stars, Ti Lung and David Chiang, another interestingly
contrasting pair.
Re: capitalism, I don't believe that anyone has yet brought up the point
that even if the worker is worthy of his hire, etc., what about the next
generation? Are people really entitled to enjoy enormous wealth that they
did not work for, but their parents did? Grandparents? Great-grandparents?
This whole thread reminds me of the one a little while ago, as to what Avon
would have thought of the books of Ayn Rand, radical capitalist. My feeling
is that he would have found them terribly appealing when he was in the
throes of adolescence, and would later have been deeply embarrassed by that
fact. Then again, perhaps it depends on the nature of the Federation
educational system. Iain, IMO the appeal of this stuff to Americans,
especially young ones, has much to do with the fact that intellect is a
downright disadvantage in many sectors of the secondary school system--
hence the allure of books that tell you that people like yourself ought to
be running everything. Later, when the emotional rush wears off, you
realize that despite the books' claims to extreme rationality, they are
really not very rational at all.
One thing I always liked about Ayn Rand myself was that, politics aside, she
had yummy-looking heroes, and she told you in detail what they looked like,
and sometimes without their clothes, too. There was definitely a strong
element of het female-oriented lust in those books, and thirty years ago
that was a scarce and precious commodity. Also, she did great torture
scenes; I bet a lot of get-Avon fans were Rand fans once upon a time.
There's one in =Atlas Shrugged= that I still remember, in which Our Hero,
John Galt, is being tortured by the baddies with some sort of electric-shock
machine. Not only does Galt show not the slightest sign of breaking, but
when the machine breaks down, and the villains (being technically
incompetent, as he is not) have no idea what to do, =he tells them how to
fix it=. A real fanfic Avon moment, it is.
And then there was that line, in the same passage, about "the body of a
builder of airplanes." It seems pretty silly to me now, but I thought it
was hot stuff back when. I think Rand's supermen played to the same
emotional archetypes, whatever they may actually be, that make Avon such hot
stuff for so many of us (thought the Rand heroes are more like the Super
Avon of fan fiction than the tragic Avon of the aired canon).
On Avon and Anna, I think that when Avon was involved with her, he believed
that she was already separated from Chesku and would eventually be
divorced-- or perhaps that she was separated from Chesku and would like to
be divorced, but Chesku was delaying it out of possessiveness, or even
because he still loved her even though she no longer cared for him.
A scenario like that would make it reasonable for Anna to go back to Chesku
if she was in desperate circumstances, even if it was only Avon that she
really loved. And it would be plausible for Chesku, whether he was acting
from possessiveness or genuine if unrequited love, to use his Central
Security connections to shield her by letting people, including her brother,
think that she was dead.
At some point while he was figuring it all out, Avon may even have thought
that the fraud was discovered by accident because Chesku had used his
connections to have Anna investigated.
Sarah T.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2000 08:39:17 -0700
From: Steve Rogerson <steve.rogerson@mcr1.poptel.org.uk>
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: [B7L] Re: Mission to Destiny
Message-ID: <38F0A425.1A6EDBF2@mcr1.poptel.org.uk>
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Ariana quotes:
AVON: Rafford was dying. It's difficult to be neat under those
circumstances. [he takes a marker pen and paper and draws]
Let's
start with the one and the two... [The letters A R A appear]
And
the first letter... [He puts an S in front, everyone looks at
SARA]
But wasn't it a tad stupid revealing this while she's in the room rather
than trapping and disarming her first?
--
cheers
Steve Rogerson
http://homepages.poptel.org.uk/steve.rogerson
"In my world, there are people in chains and you can ride them like
ponies"
The alternative Willow, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 09:06:18 +0100
From: "Una McCormack" <una@q-research.connectfree.co.uk>
To: "lysator" <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Cc: "Freedom City" <freedom-city@blakes-7.org>
Subject: [B7L] The Beeb say it so it must be true...
Message-ID: <006901bfa1fc$3678cc20$0d01a8c0@codex>
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/newsid_705000/705922.stm
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 18:03:13 +0930
From: "Minnie" <minnie@picknowl.com.au>
To: <steve.rogerson@mcr1.poptel.org.uk>, <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: [B7L] Re: Mission to Destiny
Message-ID: <001901bfa1fe$3f972b60$624c18cb@marina>
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Hi, im a newby here, but im a big fan of B7. You know, I wondered the same
thing, why didnt they hold her or something!! Its the same when they turned
their backs to various doorways thoughout, but then it just makes for a more
thrilling story I guess. <G>
Cheers. Min.
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Rogerson <steve.rogerson@mcr1.poptel.org.uk>
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Date: Sunday, 9 April 2000 17:15
Subject: [B7L] Re: Mission to Destiny
>Ariana quotes:
>
>
>AVON: Rafford was dying. It's difficult to be neat under those
> circumstances. [he takes a marker pen and paper and draws]
>Let's
> start with the one and the two... [The letters A R A appear]
>And
> the first letter... [He puts an S in front, everyone looks at
>SARA]
>
>But wasn't it a tad stupid revealing this while she's in the room rather
>than trapping and disarming her first?
>
>--
>cheers
>Steve Rogerson
>http://homepages.poptel.org.uk/steve.rogerson
>
>"In my world, there are people in chains and you can ride them like
>ponies"
>The alternative Willow, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
>
>
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 14:38:06 +0100
From: "Ariana" <ariana@ndirect.co.uk>
To: "b7" <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>, "Judith Proctor" <Judith@blakes-7.com>
Subject: [B7L] First impressions: "Duel"
Message-ID: <001c01bfa228$f20d1b40$b6e407c3@ariana>
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"Blake's 7" does "Arena"... ho-hum.
I might forgive an episode for being silly, but I won't forgive it for being
boring. By that reckoning, this is the worst episode so far by a long shot.
I've seen the premise as Star Trek TOS's "Arena" and Space:1999's "The Rules
of Luton", and it's always the same story: adversaries forced to fight it
out with pointed sticks by super-powerful beings who want a good show. Our
Hero gets the bad guy into a position of weakness, but then mercifully
spares him. The super-powerful beings relent and release everyone.
On the whole, "Duel" is about even with "The Rules of Luton". And
considering the latter episode features super-beings who were actually still
photographs of various conifers, that's a measure of how dreary "Duel" is.
The episode is slow-moving, with -- paradoxically -- way too many special
effects. FX fellow had evidently just got himself a new video editor and was
trying out all the solarisation effects. Way too much of people clutching
their heads in psychedelic colour and cringingly awful slow motion.
I did like the idea of the Liberator being in such a bad situation, and the
way Blake planned to resolve it by playing chicken. Add to that a couple of
good scenes with the crew on the flight deck and you'll be pleased to know
that I wasn't completely immune to the episode's qualities. But there
weren't enough good points to make up for being bored stiff during a good
half hour of the episode.
Character stuff:
================
What character stuff? Well, no, to be fair, Avon and Vila got some good
lines. In fact, Avon got some lines that had Ed and me clutching each other
with laughter. Though admittedly we were laughing at the episode rather than
the lines per se. See the dialogue section for further details.
Still, the scene with Blake and Jenna in the tree was nice. Despite my
opinion of the overall quality of the episode, it still highlighted the
quality of Gareth Thomas's acting. Blake came across as beautifully calm and
composed, the voice of sweet reason compared to Travis. Not that I have any
complaints about Stephen Greif either. There were some moments where his
expression and the tone of his voice made me wonder if Travis did have
emotions after all. But on the whole, the character seems to be continuing
his quest to be the perfect stereotypical baddie.
I rather liked the blood-thirsty old lady Giroc, though Isla Blair's
character didn't get to do much more than pose and get solarised. Aside
from that, Gan actually gets some utterly forgettable lines, and um, was
Cally in this episode? Just joking, nice to know she's on a par with Avon
when it comes to Blake planning his football -- er, battle strategy.
On the Subject-That-Not-Everyone-Wants-To-Hear-About, I have to say that
this episode has at least one scene that must have fuelled a few stories.
I'm
sure those who look for that sort of thing will know what I'm talking about.
Nitpicks and Preposterous Props:
================================
"How to defend yourself against a man armed with a banana?" "Sir, what if he
has a pointed stick?" Judging by the pointiness of the stick Blake handed to
Jenna, Travis might as well come at them with a banana (for those of you
familiar with Monty Python).
Our reaction when Blake materialised in the forest was "Oh, look, they
teleported him to England". A few moments later, Travis was unravelling a
rope from the bottom of a tree, and Ed said, "Oh look, there's the famous
English rope-bush". Well, it made us laugh at the time. I'm afraid to say we
were giving the whole episode the MST treatment. Mike, Servo and Crow would
have had a field day (now *there's* an idea for a parody ;).
I must admit that Blake's drawings on the viewscreen were worth a chuckle or
two as well. I half-expected him to start drawing arrows and devise a
strategy to score a goal.
The studio set for the alien planet was suitably creepy, IMHO. It was also
pretty cold, judging by Isla Blair's costume.
I see Vila gets his lace-up sneakers straight from the late 1970s. :)
Dialogue Gems:
==============
BLAKE: [Laughs] I get the distinct feeling I offended Zen's professional
pride then.
AVON: It's just a machine, Blake.
VILA: And he should know.
GAN: Well Avon is the expert.
VILA: That's not what I meant.
AVON: No, he was calling me a machine, but since he undoubtedly defines
himself as a human being, I shall choose to accept that as more
of a compliment than anything else.
======
AVON: If any of our control systems are damaged by the impact, we
will be helpless.
BLAKE: We're not exactly in a commanding position now.
JENNA: Activating!
BLAKE: Have you got any better ideas? [Violent impact. As Blake and
Avon reel back, Avon clutches Blake protectively]
AVON: As a matter of fact, no I haven't.
BLAKE: Does that mean you agree?
AVON: Do I have a choice?
BLAKE: Yes.
AVON: Then I agree. [Lets go of Blake]
======
TRAVIS: You do realize that any hostile act against me will be regarded
as a hostile act against the Federation. [Giroc laughs.] Have
you any idea of the risk you're running? [Giroc laughs harder.]
BLAKE: They don't seem very impressed, Travis. [Laughs] Why don't you
try stamping your foot?
======
VILA: Have you thought of another plan?
AVON: Yes. I'm going to get some sleep.
VILA: How can you sleep with all this happening?
AVON: With all what happening? Blake is sitting up in a tree,
Travis is sitting up in another tree. Unless they're
planning to throw nuts at one another, I don't see much
of a fight developing before it gets light.
[[This is the bit that had us roaring with laughter. We thought it was an
apt summary of the plot so far.]]
======
[[Same scene]]
GAN: You're never involved, are you Avon? You ever cared for anyone?
VILA: Except yourself?
AVON: I have never understood why it should be necessary to become
irrational in order to prove that you care, or, indeed, why it
should be necessary to prove it at all. [Exits]
VILA: Was that an insult or did I miss something?
CALLY: You missed something.
Miscellaneous:
==============
<Yawn> Glad to know the Beeb *will* be showing an episode next week; it
would be a pity to end their broadcast after this episode.
BTW, I've been asked if I'll be making a Web page for these critiques. The
answer is "yes, eventually", but in the meantime, you can read back issues
at Judith Proctor's site at http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7.
Comments and discussion welcome as usual!
Ariana
======
"With all what happening? Blake is sitting up in a tree, Travis is sitting
up in another tree."
-- Avon summing up the plot of "Duel"
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 10:31:47 EDT
From: RCalla6725@aol.com
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se (b7)
Subject: Re: [B7L] First impressions: "Duel"
Message-ID: <9a.3346dd7.2621ee53@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
In a message dated 09/04/00 14:41:17 GMT Daylight Time, ariana@ndirect.co.uk
writes:
<< The studio set for the alien planet was suitably creepy, IMHO. It was also
pretty cold, judging by Isla Blair's costume. >>
I'm glad someone else pointed this out as I didn't want to be the one to do
it... it was almost as distracting as the old lady spitting every time she
said a line, but not quite.
From the messages I've read on the list so far, I've seen that the members
generate intelligent, insightful commentary. As I can't do this, I thought
I'd just give two puerile observations on the episode at hand:
1. Vila - "I don't mind rough, it's fatal I'm not too keen on". I think it's
the way Michael Keating tells 'em that makes me laugh so much.
2. Travis. Just a thought. Do you think the psychotic Travis was named after
the psychotic Travis Bickle, this series being made just two years after Taxi
Driver?
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End of blakes7-d Digest V00 Issue #104
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