Worried by the ever increasing expansion of the Terran Federation Avon proposes an alliance between five factions outside of Federation control all of whom are uneasy at making peace with rival warlord leader Zukon from the Planet Betafarl. A deal is eventually struck but Zukon is himself allying himself to Servalan and has planted bombs at the Xenon base
This is a slightly uneven episode mainly down to director Viktors Ritelis . It gets off to a good opening as subjugated citizens on an unnamed planet travel through a mall and are then gunned down by Federation troopers simply because the troopers are bored . It's an impacting scene but because the visual technique of multiple moving screens is similar to that used in the likes of THE KENNY EVERETT VIDEO SHOW and countless pop videos of the time instantly gives the opening a very dated early 1980s feel . There's also a very irritating scene where Soolin and Avon are on an outside location where the camera has them in close up then cuts to an establishing long shot which is done via very unconvincing CSO then back to location close p uagain . There's also a few instances that gives the viewer a feeling the production was rushed and that the episode isn't as good as it could have been
That said it is one of the better episodes from the season and is very political and does try to explore the trappings of power as Zukon has to betray the cause for the most practical of reasons . It also sees the destruction of the Xenon base that the crew of the Scorpio have been seeking refuge in since the start of the season which is keeping with the bleak nihilistic tone this much maligned show isn't given enough credit for
The episode also sees the final appearance of Jacqueline Pearce as Servalan who it must be said doesn't get much of a send off as she departs to her spaceship leaving a nasty surprise for Zukon in the form of a small bomb . That said it'd be a cliché if she died an on screen death and BLAKES 7 is a unique show so perhaps it's for the best she disappeared leaving the audience to ponder her fate
This is a slightly uneven episode mainly down to director Viktors Ritelis . It gets off to a good opening as subjugated citizens on an unnamed planet travel through a mall and are then gunned down by Federation troopers simply because the troopers are bored . It's an impacting scene but because the visual technique of multiple moving screens is similar to that used in the likes of THE KENNY EVERETT VIDEO SHOW and countless pop videos of the time instantly gives the opening a very dated early 1980s feel . There's also a very irritating scene where Soolin and Avon are on an outside location where the camera has them in close up then cuts to an establishing long shot which is done via very unconvincing CSO then back to location close p uagain . There's also a few instances that gives the viewer a feeling the production was rushed and that the episode isn't as good as it could have been
That said it is one of the better episodes from the season and is very political and does try to explore the trappings of power as Zukon has to betray the cause for the most practical of reasons . It also sees the destruction of the Xenon base that the crew of the Scorpio have been seeking refuge in since the start of the season which is keeping with the bleak nihilistic tone this much maligned show isn't given enough credit for
The episode also sees the final appearance of Jacqueline Pearce as Servalan who it must be said doesn't get much of a send off as she departs to her spaceship leaving a nasty surprise for Zukon in the form of a small bomb . That said it'd be a cliché if she died an on screen death and BLAKES 7 is a unique show so perhaps it's for the best she disappeared leaving the audience to ponder her fate
