Blake's 7 - Shadow (1979)
Blake's crusade against Servalan's nasty, Terran Empire takes an unusual twist when he wants to use a space-mobster group called the Terra Nostra to trade. While Avon doesn't have your cliché, morality issue with this, Gan has.
They arrive at Space City, a Vegas in space, a dream for Vila that Blake denies him. Largo is the mobster in charge of not only Space City but of the shadow drug, there. In fact he gets pleasure from taunting Hanna, an addict, so-called "Dream-heads" before his distraction gives her brother Bek an opportune moment to rob Largo with his own gun. Blake's deal with the Terra Nostra turns out to be a predictable failure, whilst Jenna has a history with Largo. In fact, no thanks to him, she would've ended up on Cygnus Alpha moon prison were it not for Blake! We also get an interesting subplot here, an non-corporeal, alien invasion?! Cally (yet again..) is being hauntingly tormented.
This one is interesting to say the least. Avon cannot resist his sarcastic, cynical sense of irony at Blake's idealism, 'specially after the failure of Blake to do a deal with the Terra Nostra. But, while that's going on, we've got that spooky, alien haunting of Cally. All alone aboard the Liberator, after Vila conned himself with Oracs help, into beaming down to Space City or the "satellite of sin", & now she wants his teeth in a necklace as revenge. Though, she kicks some Terra Nostra corrupted butt from Space City via the Liberator defences, a non-terrestrial force wants to destroy her so it can invade our Universe via the Orac brain computer.
The alien tormenting Cally is reminiscent of a Sapphire & Steele episode. The irony of it's defeat is the moon-discs of the planet Zondar, which are used to make the drug shadow. Blake & co beam down to destroy this "drug quarry" & Cally astral-projects to Zondar, a planet with two revolving suns & no night to fight her enemy with the help of the sentient moon-discs. Whilst Blake, Avon, & Jenna fight armed thugs in spacesuits, Cally defeats her nemesis using the warmth it mocked her with. Laugh if you must, she made it sound poetic than I ever could!
Anyway, apart from callys personal, psychic war to save the Universe from an alien entity, we're treated to a brilliant bombshell, here. Hanna is killed by the entity, to Avon's lack of compassion, "She was dying, anyway.." referring to her shadow addiction. If this had been an American show, oh, I don't know, say, Star Trek (?) Her brother would be receiving the Deana Troi bedside, comfort manner. Not here. Tis is dark British Sci-Fi, & I have to confess to finding that Avon scene funny, much to my shame. But the bombshell, or was it too obvious? Terra Nostra are the flip side of the coin of the Terran Federation. Meaning that the President of Earth runs the whole scam, scandalous enough for you?!
A Fed badge was found on one of the dead spacesuit-thugs bodies, talk about amateurish! & Blake, your suddenly selfish, desire to fight the Terra Nostra as well? Not only does it come across as vindictive, but what about the shadow discs that helped Cally before you blew the plant to smithereens ?! Lawmakers, Lawbreakers, let's fight them all. Where are the heroes, aboard the Liberator?
You have to feel sorry for poor Hannah! Her reaction as the view-screen which shows Zondar, an otherwise beautiful planet looking like the very drug she's addicted to! Vila learnt to read from the graffiti, growing up at the juvenile detention centres of the wonderful Federation, reading about the magic of Space City. & if he committed a crime it wouldn't be the Terra Nostras fault. Still, they'd want their cut of the money stolen! Yes, dark Sci-Fi at its best.
An important note is that Aussie-born actress Adrienne Burgess (Hannah) & Vilas Michael Keating had previously appeared in 1977's Dr Who -The Sun makers together. An angry yet funny response by Doctor Who script-writer legend Robert Holmes, after having to pay his taxes. Sounds like Robin Hood & certainly one worthy of this geeks blog/review!! This episode may not be on the top levels of Blake's 7, but a space-mafia conspiracy with the Federation in charge? Added to the mix a spooky alien invasion attempt of our Universe, make it well worth the trip!
Non Universal copyright intended.
Stewart alias Borgduck.
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