DUEL #8 (Series A) Written by Terry Nation Directed by Douglas Camfield Airdate: 2/20/78 CAST: Gareth Thomas (Blake), Sally Knyvette (Jenna), Paul Darrow (Avon), Jan Chappell (Cally), Michael Keating (Vila), David Jackson (Gan), Peter Tuddenham (Zen), Stephen Grief (Travis), Patsy Smart (Giroc), Isla Blair (Sinofar), Carol Royle (Mutoid). PLOT SUMMARY: Liberator nears a planet in uncharted space while under the attack of three Federation pursuit ships under the command of Travis. As the attack depletes Liberator's energy supply, Blake decides to wait for the two ships he predicts aren't Travis to run out of energy and then tries to ram Travis's ship. But as Liberator prepares to rip through the pursuit ship's hull, time is frozen by two mysterious guardians on the planet below, who pit Blake and Jenna in hand-to-hand combat to the death against Travis and a mutoid from his crew. Jenna defeats the mutoid and Blake traps Travis before the eyes of both ship's crews. Blake relents and Liberator is released while Travis returns to his ship in shame. Coach of the Year: Roj Blake of Blake's 7. His illustrated play by play approach to the fight with the Federation pursuit ships was truly ground-breaking. Most Boy Scout Badges Earned During an Episode: Trap Construction, Weapon Fabrication, Survival Skills including tree climbing and fire building and Self-Defense Techniques. Greatest Tribute To Mr. Clean By A Dead Alien Race: The grave markers seen on the planet bear a remarkable resemblance to the Cleaning Fluid King. Maybe it was a broken mop handle he was holding up to the sky. GREAT LINES: AVON: "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." BLAKE: "My crew are with me by their own choice." AVON: "Really. AVON: "I have never understood why it should be necessary for one to become irrational in order to prove that you care or indeed why it should be necessary to prove it at all." BLAKE: "How do you demonstrate the death of a friend to a man who hasn't got any?" GREAT SCENES: When Blake has his stick ready to kill Travis..Avon shakes his head and smiles, knowing that Blake would/could never kill Travis. SPECIAL EFFECTS: Of course, any comment concerning the effects in Blake's 7 should be considered a cheap shot but sometimes its hard to resist. Slow motion and exposure techniques were used quite liberally in this episode with a slightly humorous outcome. That's all that needs to be said. GENERAL COMMENTS: Travis obviously flunked astronomy 101. He says Blake was pushed into this "galaxy" he should have said this "planetary system". Why doesn't Blake take Jenna's gag out first instead of cutting her hands and feet loose. She was obviously trying to tell him something important...he could have heard her warning earlier. Why does Gan say he never saw Sinofar when he saw her at the beginning of the episode? This episode is very like the Star Trek episode "Arena". (Reviewed by H. M. Melton) PROJECT AVALON #9 (Series A) Written by Terry Nation Directed by Michael Briant Airdate: 2/27/78 CAST: Gareth Thomas (Blake), Sally Knyvette (Jenna), Paul Darrow (Avon), Jan Chappell (Cally), Michael Keating (Vila), David Jackson (Gan), Peter Tuddenham (Zen), Stephen Grief (Travis), Jacqueline Pearce (Servalan), Julia Vidler (Avalon), David Bailie (Chevner), Glynis Barber (Mutoid), John Baker (Scientist), John Rolfe (Terloc), David Sterne, Mark Holmes (Guards). Alternative Title: Don't pick up strangers..... Quick Summary: Blake and Jenna go planetside to rendezvous with a known rebel, Avalon. When they arrive they find all her people were killed except one by the name of Chevner. Chevner explains that they took Avalon away before the shooting. Blake calls Vila down to help them free Avalon. They manage to free Avalon with little damage except Blake being shot in the shoulder and Avalon in the leg. Aboard the Liberator Blake wonders why they were able to escape at all. He proposes that it was a trap and that they have fallen for it beautifully. Trying to answer the impending question of what trap, the crew begin to look for Avalon and Chevner but are unsuccessful. Will the crew be able to locate the reason for the trap before it's too late? Has Cally become the first victim? Things to look for: Glynis Barber makes her first appearance in B7 as a mutoid. Avon and Cally fans get their first glimpse into a possible relationship here with his reaction to finding her unconscious. Best Quote: Blake: (referring to the planet) Does it support any intelligent life? Avon: (looking at Vila) Does the Liberator? (Reviewed by Nicole Petty) BREAKDOWN #10 (Series A) Written by Terry Nation Directed by Vere Lorrimer Airdate: 06 March 1978 CAST: Gareth Thomas (Blake), Sally Knyvette (Jenna), Paul Darrow (Avon), Jan Chappell (Cally), Michael Keating (Vila), David Jackson (Gan), Peter Tuddenham (Zen), Julian Glover (Kayn), Ian Thompson (Farren), Christian Roberts (Renor). Alternative Title: There is a fine line between genius and madness Quick Summary: Gan's limiter begins to malfunction he attacks Jenna and then Blake. With the help of Avon and Vila they are able to subdue him then place him under restraint over the objections of Cally. The crew learn that if Gan does not get medical help in time he will die. Avon informs them of a space laboratory, XK72, that will meet their needs. Zen says the flight path to XK72 contains a forbidden zone and Zen refuses to accept command to proceed and shuts itself off. With Zen out of commission Jenna takes the ship on manual. Meanwhile Avon realizes that they will not be able to fly the ship without the auxiliary computers he tells Jenna to turn around. She refuses saying she has committed to saving Gan and will fly the ship until it breaks into pieces if necessary. Avon makes the decision that if they make it to XK72 he will stay on the station. XK72 is neutral and neutrality comes in all forms. Is the neutrality on XK72 the form that Blake and his crew can live with especially Gan? Things to look for: Vila shows the lengths he will go in order to help a friend. Blake's threat to Professor Kayn has become a source of debate about Blake's ethics and morality. Best Quote: Avon: Staying with you requires a degree of stupidity that I am no longer capable. Blake: Now you're just being modest. (Reviewed by Nicole Petty) BOUNTY #11 (Series A) Written by Terry Nation Directed by Pennant Roberts Airdate: 13 March 1978 CAST: Gareth Thomas (Blake), Sally Knyvette (Jenna), Paul Darrow (Avon), Jan Chappell (Cally), Michael Keating (Vila), David Jackson (Gan), Peter Tuddenham (Zen), T.P. McKenna (Sarkoff), Carinthia West (Tyce), Mark Zuber (Tarvin), Mark York (Cheney), Derrick Branche (Amagon Guard). Alternative Title: When another ship is trouble call triple AAA Quick Summary: Cally and Blake try to free ex-president Sarkoff and his assistant, Tyce to try and stop a possible civil war on the planet Lindor. Lindor is a planet that has resisted federation rule. Meanwhile back on the ship Jenna, Avon, Gan, and Vila pick up the signal of an unidentified ship moving in on Liberator. Gan gets an SOS from the ship. He offers to go over and check things out and proposes that if he takes too long that Vila can open fire on the ship. Cally and Blake have convinced Sarkoff and Tyce to come back with them. On the ship Cally and Blake find the ship to be empty. They tell Sarkoff and Tyce to wait while they find the others. Jenna finds Blake and informs him there was a battle and that all the others are dead... Things to look for: Avon's subtle impersonation of Maxwell Smart. A BBC prop working wonderfully on Gareth Thomas. Tyce and Sarkoff are some of the best extras to come to the show. Jenna's past is explained a little more in this one. Blake finally makes a strike against the Federation that doesn't involve blowing something up. Best Quote: Vila (to Zen): Personal investigation? When Avon wants to make a personal investigation of how you work, I'll make a point of handing him the instruments....personally! (Reviewed by Nicole Petty) DELIVERANCE #12 (Series A) Written by Terry Nation Directed by David Maloney, Michael Briant Airdate: 20 March 1978 CAST: Gareth Thomas (Blake), Sally Knyvette (Jenna), Paul Darrow (Avon), Jan Chappell (Cally), Michael Keating (Vila), David Jackson (Gan), Peter Tuddenham (Zen), Stephen Grief (Travis), Jacqueline Pearce (Servalan), Suzan Farmer (Meegat), Tony Caunter (Ensor), James Lister (Maryatt). Alternative Title: The Lord Avon Will Protect You. Summary: The crew discover a ship that exploded over the planet Cephlon. They decide to do a rescue mission for survivors. Avon, Jenna, Vila, and Gan go planetside planning on a quick look because long exposure to the radiation level on the planet may cause tissue damage. They find one survivor and teleport him back to the ship. Jenna has not teleported back with them. Avon, Gan, and Vila go back down to look for her. While down there they are attacked by natives. Seeing a door at the side of a hill they try to get it open when a woman appears at Avon's feet stating she has been waiting all her life for his arrival. Meanwhile back on the ship, the survivor a man named Ensor says the Federation is willing to pay a hundred million credits for Orac. He demands that Blake take him to his home planet. When Blake refuses Ensor grabs Cally and threatens to kill if Blake doesn't move the ship. Blake obliges leaving the others stranded on the Cephlon and Jenna still missing. Things to look for: Blake and Avon have some good snipes at each other. It's a good episode with Avon trying to vie for leadership with Blake. Good showcase for Travis. We see a little more of his human side. (That would be the side opposite the artificial one....HA!) For you Avon fans this is your episode...All Meegats must gather.... Best Quote: Vila: You're enjoying this, aren't you? Avon: Probably. (Reviewed by Nicole Petty) ORAC #13 (Series A) Written by Terry Nation Directed by Vere Lorrimer Airdate: 27 March 1978 CAST: Gareth Thomas (Blake), Sally Knyvette (Jenna), Paul Darrow (Avon), Jan Chappell (Cally), Michael Keating (Vila), David Jackson (Gan), Peter Tuddenham (Zen and Orac), Stephen Grief (Travis), Jacqueline Pearce (Servalan), Derek Farr (Ensor), James Muir (First Phibian), Paul Kidd (Second Phibian). Alternative Title: We should have checked those medical supplies a long time ago.... Summary: With the power cells given them by Ensor, the crew make their way to Aristo to help save his father's life. On the way Jenna, Vila, Gan, and Avon become sick. Cally assesses that it's the radiation from the planet Cephlon. They need decontaminant drugs in order to survive. Cally informs them that none are on the ship. They can only hope that Ensor has some on Aristo. Before Cally and Blake teleport down to the planet Servalan and Travis land their ship in search of Orac. On the Liberator Jenna worries that it's taking too long for Blake and Cally to return to the ship... Things to look for: This is Stephen Grief's last episode as Travis. Can you find the aired blooper? It's not a big one but it's there nonetheless. Notice it originally takes two people to carry Orac. Best Quote: Vila: Die? I can't do that! Avon: Yes, you can. It's the one talent we all share -- even you. (Reviewed by Nicole Petty)