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Blake's 7 S4 - Review
Aug. 11th, 2024 03:22 pmIt's been a WHILE!
I finished the show ages ago, really, but things happened and I didn't finish writing my review. But I don't want to leave yet another thing unfinished in my life (I already have plenty of abandoned WIPs out there) so I'm going to finally post this. Also, because it's been a while, this review will combine my opinions after first watching the episodes, since I wrote them down at the time, and my current thoughts, considering I've revisited some episodes already (mostly because of the watchalong in the fandom discord!).
One last time: I'm using screencaps from this site and checking the transcripts from this other site. The reviews of previous seasons can be found here:
- Season 1
- Season 2
- Season 3
Rescue was an interesting start to the season. It's such a shame that Cally died, and there wasn't even much of a reaction from the others. One thing I enjoyed about the early part of the episode was Vila saving Tarrant. He doesn't often get to play the hero, and the fact it's Tarrant he saved is great. He never liked him much, did he?
I keep thinking about Dorian, and how charismatic of a character he was. Of course, even the name was taken from Oscar Wilde's book, but I think the character is as memorable as it was because the actor was really good, and he had an enjoyable dynamic with Avon. In fact, this scene here made me think Dorian was subtly hitting on Avon:
Something I really dislike about this episode, and that can be said of others, is that Dayna is suddenly turned into a damsel in distress. Isn't it just absurd to do this to a young woman who we've been told from the start is a skilled fighter? On the other hand, we got yet another skilled fighter, Soolin!
Ah, and, finally, I have to say I'm not fond of Scorpio at all, and Slave I despise as a character. But I need to move on from this first episode already!
Power is certainly an episode of television. You know what the best part of this episode is? Besides the credits, I mean. Well, it's Ben Steed's LAST episode! So after this, you don't have to put up with more of his sexist crap until you start a rewatch!
I genuinely have nothing good to say about this. I guess you could make an argument for the Avon whump, but the stupidity of the "war of the sexes" plot and the treatment of Dayna are so off-putting I really don't want to talk much about this episode. And don't even get me started on that Avon scene and his dialogue. Bizarre is the nicest word I can use.
At least the last scene with Soolin was cool! Yay, Soolin!
Traitor was a decent episode. I'll confess I didn't take many notes on the war plot of the episode, but it was enjoyable, showing once again how twisted the Federation can be, and how people kept trying to rebel against their power.
I loved how Dayna was written here, frankly. She got to kick some ass, which is what she SHOULD be doing more often, and her dynamic with Tarrant was pretty good. I loved this little scene:
It's like he's humming appreciatively at the thought of Dayna in her night clothes. Classic Tarrant (I know he's never been a fan favourite, but what can I say? I like him).
And talking about clothes... What's with the way they used Avon's leather outfit from Redemption on a random civilian who got killed and then Tarrant took it and wore it? That's Tarrant wearing Avon's clothes and you can't fool me, TPTB.
This episode had the great return of Servalan. As Sleer, she's more cruel than ever. Jacqueline Pearce is amazing every single time.
Finally, Forbus was very funny.
Next we have Stardrive, which is... another stinker. At this point in my first watch I was already assuming most of the season would be terrible.
Things that I liked: Vila's physical humour, Soolin shooting a lot of people.
Things I didn't like: errr, everything else?
The Space Rats wore the most ridiculous hair, makeup and clothes ever. That poor doctor was treated like dirt from start to finish, and the (almost) Doctor Who at the end was just... Well. Not very funny to me? But also it might be because I dropped New Who when Moffat kept doing the "Doctor who???" line and I don't want to hear it ever again. Sorry.
One thing I can say is that this is one of the earliest episodes this season that sets the tone for S4 Avon, not in the sense of how much PD was hamming it up by this point (that was clear earlier), but in how ruthless he is.
Oh, dear. It's Animals time. Before this, I'd been wishing for a Dayna-centric episode, and then I had my regrets. To be fair, this wasn't originally written for Cally and not Dayna, which explains why the storyline doesn't quite work, especially because it implies that Justin was a full-on adult, already rather old really, having an affair with a student who was, what, 12 or 13 at the time? What the hell were they thinking?
The bullying of our poor Vila was reaching new heights here, although of course this isn't the peak of the season in that sense... But no one's defending him at all! Even on season 3 when Tarrant was bullying him too much Avon would defend him! Not anymore, because this is SEASON 4! I guess.
The design for the "animals" was kinda sweet, and the concept of genetic experimentation and so on was fine, but everything else... Ew. Poor Dayna.
Headhunter is definitely better than the previous episode. I'd say the quality is pretty decent in the season from this point onwards. Vila being the hero by saving Tarrant again! Good for him. He's the most consistent character in the show, and I like that. Other than him, Avon's the only character from the original crew who's still in the series, so it's nice that at least one of them has consistent writing.
The plot of this one was fun, and I always think it's hilarious when Orac gets possessed or affected by some external force somehow. I loved this bit of dialogue:
Avon got hurt again, which I always appreciate, and if there's one thing I like about this season is that the crew keeps showing that, hey, sometimes they don't agree with Avon and will go against his wishes, what's he going to do about it? And so they did that at the end here, and it was nice.
Assassin had a lot going on for a single episode! My notes say that "Servalan is so hot", which I believe was my reaction to her telling Avon to call her mistress. Sorry, I have my weaknesses.
I figured out the twist early on, but I think that's fine. I hate it when writers try to outsmart the audience by writing twists that make no sense just because no one can guess them. Anyway, it really keeps being funny to me how easily Tarrant can be seduced. Mu notes say "you have a beautiful head, USE IT!" Poor Tarrant, his blood was always elsewhere.
Soolin was great in this episode! She got to figure out who the assassin was, although there were some lines there about women in that scene with Tarrant I didn't like. I do like Soolin a lot, and wish they'd used her way more than they did.
As for Piri, I think she was a fun character, and she tied Avon to a table, so that gives her some extra points.
Games is the next episode. Another planet, another visit to the quarry! My favourite part of this episode was probably Vila. He got a lot to do, and his interactions with Gambit were fun. Gambit itself was an interesting idea, and at least this computer finally had a woman's voice. You can't play everyone, Peter Tuddenham!
I guess I didn't think much of this one when I watched it, because I don't have a lot of notes on it. Crystals are always important in B7, which I love. Sci-fi crystals can be so special. I did love the part where they all had to use their skills to pass all the different games: Soolin shooting, Tarrant piloting, Vila opening the lock.
Aaand Sand, the second and last of Tanith Lee's episodes, is here. This is definitely one of my top episodes of the season, which, to be fair, isn't saying much, but it's still worth mentioning.
The planet setting and the effects look very cheap and dated, unfortunately, but that's a very minor problem for me, to be honest. Servalan's dialogue was really fantastic, such as these lines:
Ah, I understand Tarrant and Servalan needed to be stranded together for the episode to work, but god, they really got rid of poor Dayna rather fast, didn't they? Oh, well. For what is worth, I loved Servalan's seduction of Tarrant. As I said earlier, she's very hot, not only because of her looks, but because of her often dominating, aggressive behaviour (as much as some writers liked to write just the opposite). She's wonderful at caressing men with a gun, you know. Although there isn't much merit in seducing Tarrant: a flutter of the eyelashes and some pouting will do the trick. But it's Servalan we're talking about, so that won't do.
This dialogue was just very memorable:
And it's only made even more memorable when you know this came from a real conversation Jacqueline Pearce and Steven Pacey had, and that Tanith Lee liked so much she decided to include in the actual script.
...Bear with me, because apparently I have a lot to say about this episode.
Now, I liked the vampiric sand as a concept, but I'm still not entirely sure how much of an influence it exerts on people. Surely Tarrant and Servalan wouldn't have ended up in bed without it, right? At least considering Servalan played a role in Deeta's death and, well, Dayna's dad's too. Obviously Orac was influenced, which resulted in a very funny scene. But was the dominant male Avon thing necessary, really? I feel like they were really overdoing the macho thing with Avon this season, and PD was on a power trip.
Just to finish talking about these two, the fact Tarrant told them he had slept with Servalan knowing Dayna's feelings on the matter was insane. And, finally, regarding Servalan's heartfelt confession about her first love, at first I thought it was just one more lie or manipulative technique, but it turns out it was true (no doubt some kind of influence from the sand). I understand Lee was aiming to show a side of Servalan not often seen in the show, which makes me think of her dialogue with Kasabi in Pressure Point, a glimpse into a past Servalan who was vulnerable and is still hidden inside her. However, I have to say it doesn't quite match the tone of Servalan's writing in the rest of this season, which isn't really a criticism of Lee's writing per se. It's just a season where everyone's ruthless, so it doesn't quite match.
One more thing I liked about this episode: Vila mentioning Cally's death! Finally, someone remembered and mentioned it. Thank you!
The next episode is Gold, which I thought was fun. It's certainly funny that Avon's friends keep popping up. Who are these people? Do they message each other or are they just friends because they worked together at some point and owe each other a debt? Who even knows what Avon's definition of friendship is, really!
The little scheme they prepared was fun to watch. I particularly loved seeing Tarrant and Soolin as a gunslinger duo. Of course things had to start going wrong near the end, but hey, they made it work! Although PD falling was always just a bit ridiculous to see, sorry to say.
I think the last scenes of the episode were the best: Servalan and Avon flirting by trying to outsmart each other, all of this being witnessed by Tarrant after recently bedding Servalan and thinking that he got her like no one did or something, and then them realising they had been played and Avon laughing at their misfortune, as he always did.
Orbit is definitely one of my fave Blake's 7 episodes. I just can't believe how much I enjoyed it! You'll forgive me for my choice of screencaps here, but I couldn't pass the opportunity.
You really have to thank Robert Holmes for the way he wrote Avon and Vila, and I can imagine it was a challenge to work with the season 4 version of these characters, particularly in the case of Avon. He's really such a different man, no wonder things get pretty dark. But still, the way they talk in the first scenes when they're alone together is reminiscent of Gambit in that Vila is truly thinking about how much money they'll earn, what he'll do when he's rich, and so on. Although, as I said, Avon is a different man now.
Egrorian and Pinder are hilarious, and Avon and Vila's back and forth while Servalan showed up and both sides planned on outsmarting the other was really exciting to watch. This script seemed super tight to me! The Orac scheme worked perfectly.
And of course, I can't not include one of the most chilling moments in the show:
That moment of realisation in the dark of the shuttle, the way Avon raises his guns and calls for Vila, the shot of Vila hidden and fearing for his life, both covered in sweat. I know it changed everything between the characters and some people don't like it, but I thought the writing, acting and directing here were excellent. I might have yelled so much at the screen someone at home checked on me because they thought something was wrong. Well, in my defence, something was VERY wrong!
Those last shots of the episode, and Avon's final line, are just so very memorable:
The next and last entry in the horndog Tarrant universe: Warlord. Well, I shouldn't be so cruel. Zeeona was actually nice, in spite of her abysmal hair, which I describe as Stephanie from Lazy Town after a night out.
Avon is doing politics, yay! But everyone's more worried about Tarrant's love story, I guess! I loved Vila rolling his eyes at the couple, lol. Me too, buddy. Soolin helping Tarrant and Zeeona was really sweet, and I love how she doesn't give a damn about what Avon wants. Still, they were a great duo, and they looked good in those jumpsuits!
Servalan's role here was great, although I don't think it's what her last appearance deserved, you know?
And, finally, the wonderful Blake.
I know this is a controversial episode, and I agree with some of the criticisms. But, emotionally, it landed for me, and that's what always matters to me the most, especially in a first watch. Thank you, Chris Boucher and Mary Ridge.
Okay, I just realised now that somehow I never finished my notes on this episode. But that's fine, because everything's right here in my head.
Blake's appearance is shocking, the scarred face and the way he's alone in the woods, as well as his interactions with Arlen. I think the script was in general pretty good at disguising what was really going on in a plausible way, which then hits you as you know what it looks like for the others and you can tell it's going to end badly. The way Avon speaks about Blake is so bitter, but this is the same man who was oh so desperate to find him at Terminal.
Then, the crash. Tarrant was the hero here, and I was happy to see it. To be fair, he WAS the pilot, but he saved the day and even survived. Seeing Blake and Tarrant interact was interesting, firstly because Tarrant was a sort of replacement for Blake, and secondly because this is their first time meeting and he's getting an impression of Blake based on it and the contrast between what he's seeing and what the others have said. I was sad to hear that Jenna died off screen! But at least it came from Blake's mouth, and Gareth Thomas is really good in this episode.
It's so tragic how everything goes down, but so satisfying in the same way a Shakespearean tragedy is when it all comes together for the fatal ending. Blake has been working hard to gather more rebels, disguising himself as a bounty hunter to test everyone in case they're a spy. It feels like a bit too much, but can you blame him? Of course, this leads to the misunderstanding of his intentions by Tarrant, and Avon believes Blake had betrayed him.
The way Blake and Avon finally meet is just a wonderful piece of television, and yes, Blake could've explained himself better, Avon could have waited and not overreacted as he did. But isn't it a fantastic scene as it is, just a classic misunderstanding that ends in tragedy and you can't really blame anyone?
Blake's final moments as he finally grabs Avon and calls his name, then falls dead at his feet as Avon watches his in horror... Ah, what can I say? I just love the parallels between this episode, these scenes and Rumours of Death, another Boucher episode that I adored. The show really had to end with Avon and Blake, and the parallel makes it all the more tragic. The two people Avon loved killed by his own hand, the first had betrayed him so he thought the second did, too.
And immediately we find out Arlen was a Federation spy, so Blake was right to suspect (but not good enough to detect this one), and the troopers storm in. Now they know Blake hadn't betrayed him, and their mistake had ruined everything. The choice to show their deaths in slow mo isn't my favourite, but in a way I guess it heightens the drama. The ending might be my favourite part of the episode (I'm not sure, though; it's just really good in general): Avon, surrounded by troopers, straddles Blake's body and looks down at his face, then raises his weapon and smiles.
I keep thinking about that acting choice of straddling Blake and studying his face. Was this Avon simply choosing to protect Blake's body until the very end? Was he trying to die by his side, to summon his spirit and try to win an impossible battle? Was he trying to stand by his side even after his death, to continue what he couldn't finish, inheriting his role?
I don't know, and that's fine. I'm just glad the show got a fantastic ending, not in spite but thanks to its tragedy. I think it's effective and matches the dark tone of the show, often pessimistic, and it closes the story of Blake and Avon in a satisfying way. Of course, it also was written to accommodate a possible season 5 that never came, so, technically, one could imagine that Avon survives, or that some of the others survive, except for Blake. It's an intriguing ending in many ways, and sometimes I come back to this line, spoken by Avon and later by Blake, and consider that, as bleak as the ending is, it also points to something that goes beyond the characters as individuals against the Federation:
So, no matter how many die, how bleak everything seems, there will always be more people willing to fight, rebel, resist against the Federation. I don't think this is what most people think about this episode and how it ends, so maybe I'm wrong, but, to quote a character from a different show:
This was the worse season overall, although it had some very enjoyable moments. The loss of Zen and the Liberator was really heavy on the show, as well as Cally's. Season 3 struggled to work without Blake as a leader, but I think ultimately it was enjoyable and allowed the show to have episodes that couldn't have been done before Blake left. However, the departure from the original dynamics of the show went too far here, and as much as I like the tragic ending, characters like Avon and Servalan suffered a lot in being pushed to be more ruthless than ever. No Blake and no Cally = chaos.
Still, the season had its highlights, from the fantastic ideas of Tanith Lee in Sand to the amazing script of Orbit, and, of course, the beautifully executed finale of Blake. Watching this in 2024, it really landed for me in a way most show finales haven't. The tragedy feels earned, the culmination of a relationship that was as intense as it was complicated from the start, and, even more than that, it's part of the bigger picture of the war against the Federation.
After what this season was like, and considering Gareth Thomas didn't want to return at all, I think ending the show here was the best move. Of course, it could've ended with Terminal, but I like this ending, too.
I loved this show, and I've already rewatched some episodes, posted fic, vids, even some art. I wish more people who, like me, are too young to have watched this show's original run or re-runs and who love old school sci-fi would give this show a try! Trust me, I've already recommended it thoroughly, and will continue to do so :D. Thanks for reading!!
I finished the show ages ago, really, but things happened and I didn't finish writing my review. But I don't want to leave yet another thing unfinished in my life (I already have plenty of abandoned WIPs out there) so I'm going to finally post this. Also, because it's been a while, this review will combine my opinions after first watching the episodes, since I wrote them down at the time, and my current thoughts, considering I've revisited some episodes already (mostly because of the watchalong in the fandom discord!).
One last time: I'm using screencaps from this site and checking the transcripts from this other site. The reviews of previous seasons can be found here:
- Season 1
- Season 2
- Season 3
Episode by episode review
Rescue was an interesting start to the season. It's such a shame that Cally died, and there wasn't even much of a reaction from the others. One thing I enjoyed about the early part of the episode was Vila saving Tarrant. He doesn't often get to play the hero, and the fact it's Tarrant he saved is great. He never liked him much, did he?
I keep thinking about Dorian, and how charismatic of a character he was. Of course, even the name was taken from Oscar Wilde's book, but I think the character is as memorable as it was because the actor was really good, and he had an enjoyable dynamic with Avon. In fact, this scene here made me think Dorian was subtly hitting on Avon:
DORIAN: The room exists, Avon. And since I found it I haven't aged one day. It cleanses me of all the corruptions of time and appetite.
AVON: Appetite?
DORIAN: I can do anything, Avon.
AVON: Most madmen can.
DORIAN: I can indulge any taste, any sensation, any vice I wish and the room ...
AVON: Cleanses you.
Something I really dislike about this episode, and that can be said of others, is that Dayna is suddenly turned into a damsel in distress. Isn't it just absurd to do this to a young woman who we've been told from the start is a skilled fighter? On the other hand, we got yet another skilled fighter, Soolin!
Ah, and, finally, I have to say I'm not fond of Scorpio at all, and Slave I despise as a character. But I need to move on from this first episode already!
Power is certainly an episode of television. You know what the best part of this episode is? Besides the credits, I mean. Well, it's Ben Steed's LAST episode! So after this, you don't have to put up with more of his sexist crap until you start a rewatch!
I genuinely have nothing good to say about this. I guess you could make an argument for the Avon whump, but the stupidity of the "war of the sexes" plot and the treatment of Dayna are so off-putting I really don't want to talk much about this episode. And don't even get me started on that Avon scene and his dialogue. Bizarre is the nicest word I can use.
At least the last scene with Soolin was cool! Yay, Soolin!
Traitor was a decent episode. I'll confess I didn't take many notes on the war plot of the episode, but it was enjoyable, showing once again how twisted the Federation can be, and how people kept trying to rebel against their power.
I loved how Dayna was written here, frankly. She got to kick some ass, which is what she SHOULD be doing more often, and her dynamic with Tarrant was pretty good. I loved this little scene:
DAYNA: Oh well, it looks like we're stuck here, Tarrant. I knew I should have brought my night clothes.
TARRANT: Hmm.
It's like he's humming appreciatively at the thought of Dayna in her night clothes. Classic Tarrant (I know he's never been a fan favourite, but what can I say? I like him).
And talking about clothes... What's with the way they used Avon's leather outfit from Redemption on a random civilian who got killed and then Tarrant took it and wore it? That's Tarrant wearing Avon's clothes and you can't fool me, TPTB.
This episode had the great return of Servalan. As Sleer, she's more cruel than ever. Jacqueline Pearce is amazing every single time.
Finally, Forbus was very funny.
Next we have Stardrive, which is... another stinker. At this point in my first watch I was already assuming most of the season would be terrible.
Things that I liked: Vila's physical humour, Soolin shooting a lot of people.
Things I didn't like: errr, everything else?
The Space Rats wore the most ridiculous hair, makeup and clothes ever. That poor doctor was treated like dirt from start to finish, and the (almost) Doctor Who at the end was just... Well. Not very funny to me? But also it might be because I dropped New Who when Moffat kept doing the "Doctor who???" line and I don't want to hear it ever again. Sorry.
One thing I can say is that this is one of the earliest episodes this season that sets the tone for S4 Avon, not in the sense of how much PD was hamming it up by this point (that was clear earlier), but in how ruthless he is.
Oh, dear. It's Animals time. Before this, I'd been wishing for a Dayna-centric episode, and then I had my regrets. To be fair, this wasn't originally written for Cally and not Dayna, which explains why the storyline doesn't quite work, especially because it implies that Justin was a full-on adult, already rather old really, having an affair with a student who was, what, 12 or 13 at the time? What the hell were they thinking?
The bullying of our poor Vila was reaching new heights here, although of course this isn't the peak of the season in that sense... But no one's defending him at all! Even on season 3 when Tarrant was bullying him too much Avon would defend him! Not anymore, because this is SEASON 4! I guess.
The design for the "animals" was kinda sweet, and the concept of genetic experimentation and so on was fine, but everything else... Ew. Poor Dayna.
Headhunter is definitely better than the previous episode. I'd say the quality is pretty decent in the season from this point onwards. Vila being the hero by saving Tarrant again! Good for him. He's the most consistent character in the show, and I like that. Other than him, Avon's the only character from the original crew who's still in the series, so it's nice that at least one of them has consistent writing.
The plot of this one was fun, and I always think it's hilarious when Orac gets possessed or affected by some external force somehow. I loved this bit of dialogue:
ORAC: Join us, Soolin. We can fulfill your every desire.
SOOLIN: [Deactivates Orac.] You wouldn't know where to start.
Avon got hurt again, which I always appreciate, and if there's one thing I like about this season is that the crew keeps showing that, hey, sometimes they don't agree with Avon and will go against his wishes, what's he going to do about it? And so they did that at the end here, and it was nice.
Assassin had a lot going on for a single episode! My notes say that "Servalan is so hot", which I believe was my reaction to her telling Avon to call her mistress. Sorry, I have my weaknesses.
I figured out the twist early on, but I think that's fine. I hate it when writers try to outsmart the audience by writing twists that make no sense just because no one can guess them. Anyway, it really keeps being funny to me how easily Tarrant can be seduced. Mu notes say "you have a beautiful head, USE IT!" Poor Tarrant, his blood was always elsewhere.
Soolin was great in this episode! She got to figure out who the assassin was, although there were some lines there about women in that scene with Tarrant I didn't like. I do like Soolin a lot, and wish they'd used her way more than they did.
As for Piri, I think she was a fun character, and she tied Avon to a table, so that gives her some extra points.
Games is the next episode. Another planet, another visit to the quarry! My favourite part of this episode was probably Vila. He got a lot to do, and his interactions with Gambit were fun. Gambit itself was an interesting idea, and at least this computer finally had a woman's voice. You can't play everyone, Peter Tuddenham!
I guess I didn't think much of this one when I watched it, because I don't have a lot of notes on it. Crystals are always important in B7, which I love. Sci-fi crystals can be so special. I did love the part where they all had to use their skills to pass all the different games: Soolin shooting, Tarrant piloting, Vila opening the lock.
Aaand Sand, the second and last of Tanith Lee's episodes, is here. This is definitely one of my top episodes of the season, which, to be fair, isn't saying much, but it's still worth mentioning.
The planet setting and the effects look very cheap and dated, unfortunately, but that's a very minor problem for me, to be honest. Servalan's dialogue was really fantastic, such as these lines:
SERVALAN: There is something you should realise. There are no women like me. I am unique. That makes me rather dangerous. Good night, Investigator. [Reeve stands and walks over to the assistant.] Sweet dreams.
Ah, I understand Tarrant and Servalan needed to be stranded together for the episode to work, but god, they really got rid of poor Dayna rather fast, didn't they? Oh, well. For what is worth, I loved Servalan's seduction of Tarrant. As I said earlier, she's very hot, not only because of her looks, but because of her often dominating, aggressive behaviour (as much as some writers liked to write just the opposite). She's wonderful at caressing men with a gun, you know. Although there isn't much merit in seducing Tarrant: a flutter of the eyelashes and some pouting will do the trick. But it's Servalan we're talking about, so that won't do.
This dialogue was just very memorable:
SERVALAN: Oh, Tarrant. I'm just the girl next door.
TARRANT: If you were the girl next door, I'd move.
SERVALAN: Where would you move to, Tarrant?
TARRANT: Next door?
And it's only made even more memorable when you know this came from a real conversation Jacqueline Pearce and Steven Pacey had, and that Tanith Lee liked so much she decided to include in the actual script.
...Bear with me, because apparently I have a lot to say about this episode.
Now, I liked the vampiric sand as a concept, but I'm still not entirely sure how much of an influence it exerts on people. Surely Tarrant and Servalan wouldn't have ended up in bed without it, right? At least considering Servalan played a role in Deeta's death and, well, Dayna's dad's too. Obviously Orac was influenced, which resulted in a very funny scene. But was the dominant male Avon thing necessary, really? I feel like they were really overdoing the macho thing with Avon this season, and PD was on a power trip.
Just to finish talking about these two, the fact Tarrant told them he had slept with Servalan knowing Dayna's feelings on the matter was insane. And, finally, regarding Servalan's heartfelt confession about her first love, at first I thought it was just one more lie or manipulative technique, but it turns out it was true (no doubt some kind of influence from the sand). I understand Lee was aiming to show a side of Servalan not often seen in the show, which makes me think of her dialogue with Kasabi in Pressure Point, a glimpse into a past Servalan who was vulnerable and is still hidden inside her. However, I have to say it doesn't quite match the tone of Servalan's writing in the rest of this season, which isn't really a criticism of Lee's writing per se. It's just a season where everyone's ruthless, so it doesn't quite match.
One more thing I liked about this episode: Vila mentioning Cally's death! Finally, someone remembered and mentioned it. Thank you!
The next episode is Gold, which I thought was fun. It's certainly funny that Avon's friends keep popping up. Who are these people? Do they message each other or are they just friends because they worked together at some point and owe each other a debt? Who even knows what Avon's definition of friendship is, really!
The little scheme they prepared was fun to watch. I particularly loved seeing Tarrant and Soolin as a gunslinger duo. Of course things had to start going wrong near the end, but hey, they made it work! Although PD falling was always just a bit ridiculous to see, sorry to say.
I think the last scenes of the episode were the best: Servalan and Avon flirting by trying to outsmart each other, all of this being witnessed by Tarrant after recently bedding Servalan and thinking that he got her like no one did or something, and then them realising they had been played and Avon laughing at their misfortune, as he always did.
Orbit is definitely one of my fave Blake's 7 episodes. I just can't believe how much I enjoyed it! You'll forgive me for my choice of screencaps here, but I couldn't pass the opportunity.
You really have to thank Robert Holmes for the way he wrote Avon and Vila, and I can imagine it was a challenge to work with the season 4 version of these characters, particularly in the case of Avon. He's really such a different man, no wonder things get pretty dark. But still, the way they talk in the first scenes when they're alone together is reminiscent of Gambit in that Vila is truly thinking about how much money they'll earn, what he'll do when he's rich, and so on. Although, as I said, Avon is a different man now.
Egrorian and Pinder are hilarious, and Avon and Vila's back and forth while Servalan showed up and both sides planned on outsmarting the other was really exciting to watch. This script seemed super tight to me! The Orac scheme worked perfectly.
And of course, I can't not include one of the most chilling moments in the show:
AVON: Dammit, what weighs seventy kilos?
ORAC: Vila weighs seventy-three kilos, Avon.
That moment of realisation in the dark of the shuttle, the way Avon raises his guns and calls for Vila, the shot of Vila hidden and fearing for his life, both covered in sweat. I know it changed everything between the characters and some people don't like it, but I thought the writing, acting and directing here were excellent. I might have yelled so much at the screen someone at home checked on me because they thought something was wrong. Well, in my defence, something was VERY wrong!
Those last shots of the episode, and Avon's final line, are just so very memorable:
AVON: Well, as you always say, Vila: you know you are safe with ME.
The next and last entry in the horndog Tarrant universe: Warlord. Well, I shouldn't be so cruel. Zeeona was actually nice, in spite of her abysmal hair, which I describe as Stephanie from Lazy Town after a night out.
Avon is doing politics, yay! But everyone's more worried about Tarrant's love story, I guess! I loved Vila rolling his eyes at the couple, lol. Me too, buddy. Soolin helping Tarrant and Zeeona was really sweet, and I love how she doesn't give a damn about what Avon wants. Still, they were a great duo, and they looked good in those jumpsuits!
Servalan's role here was great, although I don't think it's what her last appearance deserved, you know?
And, finally, the wonderful Blake.
I know this is a controversial episode, and I agree with some of the criticisms. But, emotionally, it landed for me, and that's what always matters to me the most, especially in a first watch. Thank you, Chris Boucher and Mary Ridge.
Okay, I just realised now that somehow I never finished my notes on this episode. But that's fine, because everything's right here in my head.
Blake's appearance is shocking, the scarred face and the way he's alone in the woods, as well as his interactions with Arlen. I think the script was in general pretty good at disguising what was really going on in a plausible way, which then hits you as you know what it looks like for the others and you can tell it's going to end badly. The way Avon speaks about Blake is so bitter, but this is the same man who was oh so desperate to find him at Terminal.
Then, the crash. Tarrant was the hero here, and I was happy to see it. To be fair, he WAS the pilot, but he saved the day and even survived. Seeing Blake and Tarrant interact was interesting, firstly because Tarrant was a sort of replacement for Blake, and secondly because this is their first time meeting and he's getting an impression of Blake based on it and the contrast between what he's seeing and what the others have said. I was sad to hear that Jenna died off screen! But at least it came from Blake's mouth, and Gareth Thomas is really good in this episode.
It's so tragic how everything goes down, but so satisfying in the same way a Shakespearean tragedy is when it all comes together for the fatal ending. Blake has been working hard to gather more rebels, disguising himself as a bounty hunter to test everyone in case they're a spy. It feels like a bit too much, but can you blame him? Of course, this leads to the misunderstanding of his intentions by Tarrant, and Avon believes Blake had betrayed him.
The way Blake and Avon finally meet is just a wonderful piece of television, and yes, Blake could've explained himself better, Avon could have waited and not overreacted as he did. But isn't it a fantastic scene as it is, just a classic misunderstanding that ends in tragedy and you can't really blame anyone?
Blake's final moments as he finally grabs Avon and calls his name, then falls dead at his feet as Avon watches his in horror... Ah, what can I say? I just love the parallels between this episode, these scenes and Rumours of Death, another Boucher episode that I adored. The show really had to end with Avon and Blake, and the parallel makes it all the more tragic. The two people Avon loved killed by his own hand, the first had betrayed him so he thought the second did, too.
And immediately we find out Arlen was a Federation spy, so Blake was right to suspect (but not good enough to detect this one), and the troopers storm in. Now they know Blake hadn't betrayed him, and their mistake had ruined everything. The choice to show their deaths in slow mo isn't my favourite, but in a way I guess it heightens the drama. The ending might be my favourite part of the episode (I'm not sure, though; it's just really good in general): Avon, surrounded by troopers, straddles Blake's body and looks down at his face, then raises his weapon and smiles.
I keep thinking about that acting choice of straddling Blake and studying his face. Was this Avon simply choosing to protect Blake's body until the very end? Was he trying to die by his side, to summon his spirit and try to win an impossible battle? Was he trying to stand by his side even after his death, to continue what he couldn't finish, inheriting his role?
I don't know, and that's fine. I'm just glad the show got a fantastic ending, not in spite but thanks to its tragedy. I think it's effective and matches the dark tone of the show, often pessimistic, and it closes the story of Blake and Avon in a satisfying way. Of course, it also was written to accommodate a possible season 5 that never came, so, technically, one could imagine that Avon survives, or that some of the others survive, except for Blake. It's an intriguing ending in many ways, and sometimes I come back to this line, spoken by Avon and later by Blake, and consider that, as bleak as the ending is, it also points to something that goes beyond the characters as individuals against the Federation:
SOOLIN: (...) Your anti-Federation alliance wasn't worth spit without Zukan.
AVON: A slight exaggeration.
SOOLIN: You think so?
AVON: Nobody is indispensable.
BLAKE: (...) Relax, Deva. Nobody's indispensable.
So, no matter how many die, how bleak everything seems, there will always be more people willing to fight, rebel, resist against the Federation. I don't think this is what most people think about this episode and how it ends, so maybe I'm wrong, but, to quote a character from a different show:
No dictator, no invader, can hold an imprisoned population by force of arms forever. There is no greater power in the universe than the need for freedom. Against that power, governments and tyrants and armies cannot stand. The Centauri learned this lesson once. We will teach it to them again. Though it take a thousand years, we will be free.
General thoughts on the season
This was the worse season overall, although it had some very enjoyable moments. The loss of Zen and the Liberator was really heavy on the show, as well as Cally's. Season 3 struggled to work without Blake as a leader, but I think ultimately it was enjoyable and allowed the show to have episodes that couldn't have been done before Blake left. However, the departure from the original dynamics of the show went too far here, and as much as I like the tragic ending, characters like Avon and Servalan suffered a lot in being pushed to be more ruthless than ever. No Blake and no Cally = chaos.
Still, the season had its highlights, from the fantastic ideas of Tanith Lee in Sand to the amazing script of Orbit, and, of course, the beautifully executed finale of Blake. Watching this in 2024, it really landed for me in a way most show finales haven't. The tragedy feels earned, the culmination of a relationship that was as intense as it was complicated from the start, and, even more than that, it's part of the bigger picture of the war against the Federation.
After what this season was like, and considering Gareth Thomas didn't want to return at all, I think ending the show here was the best move. Of course, it could've ended with Terminal, but I like this ending, too.
I loved this show, and I've already rewatched some episodes, posted fic, vids, even some art. I wish more people who, like me, are too young to have watched this show's original run or re-runs and who love old school sci-fi would give this show a try! Trust me, I've already recommended it thoroughly, and will continue to do so :D. Thanks for reading!!
