Blake's 7 - Powerplay (1980)
Season 2 ended with a majorly devastating space battle involving the Terran Federation (I'll get to that in a moment) & the Andromedans, an alien species from the neighbouring galaxy. This is the second episode of season 3 which shows us the 'aftermath' of this massacre & the ripples it'll cause in the Milky Way galaxy. We pick up the pieces here.
Gareth Thomas who played Blake had left after Season 2, so it was left to Paul Darrow's Avon to finally take the lead he so much craved since the beginning, or will he? This episode continues where the previous left off. Just as Avon & newbie Dayna arrive safely aboard the Liberator, Tarrant arrests them claiming the vessel for the Federation. One catch, it's on remote & will only respond to voiceprint. Vilas loud whinges! Suckers!
Elsewhere, Vila tries to con his way out of an awkward situation, his escape pod crashing on a strange planet during the alien battle. Fortunately, these one with nature "primitives" are friendly & tend to his wounds. They warn him of the "Hi-Techs" that hunt them but does Vila listen when he is caught? course not! The Hi-Techs are all heart in more ways than one.
Charlie's Angels - welcome to my parlour...
They want to help the primitives "contribute" to their society so stun them with drug-guns at the hunt. Their planet started out as an Earth colony, but is now independent from Earth & the Federation (OKAY! I'll explain, soon!), they take Vila to a groovy, cosmopolitan, hospital dome.
Meanwhile, Cally finds herself aboard an ambulance spaceship picking up survivors among the debris of the alien battle, how Humane of them, so red-cross. :) The nurse explains to Cally how lucky she is seeing as she suffered third-degree burns, OUCH! They come from the planet Chenga, a former Earth colony, but is now independent from Earth & The Federation (sounds familiar!).
. Oh, crap!
The ship lands on a hostile, primitive planet (Aftermath) where they pick up a sole, remaining survivor, Servalan! What begins is a brilliant & funny confrontation between Cally & Servalan. Cally gleefully rubs in the fact that her empire is finished, & they're on a neutral ship headed for a neutral planet, Servalan has enjoyed authority too long to give it up! "Try clicking your fingers & see who comes running, Servalan!"
Back on the Liberator Avon & Dayna become the prime suspects in a murder mystery as someone is knocking off Kleg-section leaders men, one by one. I REALLY wanted it to be one of the alien survivors of the space battle, no such luck, it's Tarrant (typical!) who wants to join Blake & his crew, a defector. Kleg's team are a special bunch of SAS-style Fed thug death-squad, so waste no tears my readers & only friends. Sorry, went 'Clockwork' there.
Tarrant Dayna D'OH!
Cally & Vila reunite in the Dome, interesting twist unfolding here. Just when Vila thinks everything is fab Servalan pays them a visit to the unofficially named "slaughterhouse". Now it's Servalan's turn to gloat. She had to pay a considerable sum, using her influence to avoid the fate awaiting Cally & Villa. Yep, the Chengans are organ snatchers to those suckered to be donors, that's why their ships were patrolling the battle scene aftermath, hence the Hi-Tech hunters on their own world. Fortunately they're beamed back to the Liberator on time.
Terry Nation who created the Daleks (did you really think it was Davros?!) was the brainchild of Blake's 7 in 1978. We've just had the 40th anniversary of this cult classic. The Federation was a deliberate British take on Star Treks Federation being typically dark, grim, & hostile. Most of the planets, once Human colonies, are now under Federation occupation. Servalan is pure, cold as ice evil, even her name suggests reptile-style coldness. Complete with Garry Numan's haircut she would happily shoot her own grandmother in the back if it served her purpose! Season 3 begins with two new additions to the Liberator crew in Dayna & Tarrant, thus continues the saga minus Blake...
Borgduck aka Stewart,
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