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Cult Fiction - February 2007

Blakes 7 - Bounty

February 28th 2007 05:18
Bounty


This episode starts smack bang in the middle of a mission. Blake and Cally are on a forest-y kind of planet (the early scenes showing Federation troopers surveying the area foreshadow ‘Return of the Jedi'), with hopes to rescue/kidnap the ex-president of a Federation-captured colony. It is Blake’s hope that he can turn this disgraced president, the once idealistic Sarkov – now a broken man obsessed with 20th century Earth paraphernalia, into a figurehead for the rebellion.


Meanwhile, the Liberator waits above the planet. They detect an unidentified ship that refuses to announce itself… this blip on the radar screen seems very ominous and eventually transpires to be a group of alien smugglers/slavers who have come to kidnap the Liberator’s crew for a lucrative reward offered by the Federation.

This was an alright episode. Jenna gets some story-action for once (rather than just overlooking the ship’s computers and offering her cautious advice to Blake, which seems to be her role in most of the episodes prior to this). The down-and-out antique-collecting Sarkov was pretty good, played byT.P. McKenna, who should be familiar to Doctor Who fans as the duplicitous Captain Cook from ‘The Greatest Show in the Galaxy’, and film fans in general as Major John Scott from 'Straw Dogs'. McKenna's character provides most of the episode’s thrust (well, him and Jenna – but I won’t talk about Jenna as I don’t want to spoil this episode for anyone who wants to watch it).


We get to see the red esky again (Blake carries it down to the planet) and mention is made of Cally’s telepathy for the first time since she was introduced (though it is implied that she can sense the presence of others – which is a bit different to her ability in Time Squad). The first half of the episode takes its time to get to the point, but things get going pretty good in the later half.

Some quotes...

BLAKE: Be as quick as you can and don’t take any stupid risks. We’re taking enough of them down here.
JENNA: Don’t worry.
BLAKE: I will if you’re not back in time to get us out.

VILLA: I’m entitled to my opinion.
AVON: It’s your assumption that we’re entitled to it as well that is irritating.

VILLA: I told you I couldn’t do it!
AVON: I believed you all along.

VILLA: If I get it wrong – bang! No head.
BLAKE: I trust you.
VILLA: But if it blows up and I’m right behind you…
BLAKE: That’s why I trust you.
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Frontline - The Art of Gentle Persuasion

February 27th 2007 05:18
Brooke Vandenberg


Episode: 1.8 ‘The Art of Gentle Persuasion’

What Happens: A woman is tragically eaten by a crocodile, and the media immediately flocks to the surviving husband. The Frontline team resort to drastic measures to get an interview…

The Issues/Cliches of Current Affairs television: Media invasion of privacy. Filming without permission. Crocodile attacks. Tabloids turning tables (Brooke’s dirty laundry aired in magazine by ex-fiance).

Elliot-Watch: No appearance.

Celebrities: None appear.

Celebrity mentions: Jack Absolom. Ron and Valerie Taylor. Nick Hislop.

Quotes:
BRIAN: (Referring to Croc attack survivor) Get Marty on it.
EMMA: It’s just happened, they’ll be in shock.
BRIAN: That’s right, that’s why we need to hurry.

(Mike listening to Classical Mediterranean guitar music)
MIKE MOORE: Ochnar Lebin… fabulous guitarist from Europe.
DOM: Oh, he’s the guy from Roxette!
MIKE MOORE: …he may well be.

MARTIN DI STASIO: Jesus, how long is this funeral taking, can’t we just sneak in with a camera or something?
STU: What? Hidden in a wreath?

JAN: (Talking to Brooke about negative magazine article) We need a little counterbalance. Something else about you.
BRIAN: Like some charity thing.
JAN: Yes… your trip to Ethopia.
BROOKE: That’s already been done.
JANE: But guess what my love, you’re about to return.
BROOKE: I’m not going back there.
JAN: No… we say you’re going back, in the future. We have to show the caring Brooke.

BROOKE: Listen Marty, that might work fine with Mike but don’t try that smartarse shit on me.
(Brooke leaves)
STU: Aren’t you gonna do those other gags, Marty?
MARTIN DI STASIO: Nah, I’ve already been to one funeral this week.

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Blakes 7 - Breakdown

February 26th 2007 03:20
Blake and Julian Glover


Wow, I loved this episode. This could be my favourite episode so far I think.

The Liberator is just cruising along in space when Gan suffers some kind of break down... the inhibiter that the Federation installed in his brain has malfunctioned and, as a result, he goes fully nuts and starts trying to kill everyone. The crew manage to overpower him (but not without one hell of a struggle that sees Gan shrug off two people at once) and sedate him, but the malfunctioning inhibiter is causing irrepairable damage and will give Gan permanant brain damage if something isn't done soon.

The first obstacle is to find a close enough neurosurgeon who can help Gan. Once the crew manage to agree on heading to a neutral scientific research station they must then convince the computer, Zen, to take them there. The only problem is, Zen doesn't want to co-operate and the crew must take the Liberator there manually. Once they manage this they soon find that the reason for Zen's lack of co-operation is that there is a highly dangerous gravity vortex in their path. Yikes!

Eventually the crew get to the station but not before Avon decides he's had enough and wants to quit the team. Also, the neurosurgeon they manage to find has ideas of his own in regards to Blakes relationship with the Federation, despite the apparent neutrality of the research station...

Most of the action in this episode takes place on the Liberator, and we get lots of interaction between the main characters, which was great to see. Julian Glover (of Star Wars, James Bond and Indiana Jones fame) makes a guest appearance as the neurosurgeon too. Zen takes it's lack of co-operation to new heights in this episode too, I hope they really address this properly in later episodes. Anyway, it was a good episode.

Some quotes...

AVON: There are quicker ways you could kill him, but none more certain.

JENNA: The problem there is that they're considered potentially hostile.
BLAKE: To the Federation?
JENNA: To the species. hey don't like humanoids in general, and in particular homo sapiens.
AVON: And that puts their intelligence beyond doubt.

BLAKE: Presumably Zen will come back to us when we're out of danger.
VILLA: Sounds like a good idea. Any chance of joining him?

AVON: Why do you stay with Blake?
VILLA: I like him!
AVON: That isn't a good enough reason.

AVON: Blake, in the unlikely event that we survive this...
BLAKE: Yes?
AVON: I'm finished. Staying with you requires a degree of stupidity of which I am no longer capable.
BLAKE: Now you're just being modest.

DR RENOR: I love girls with a sense of humour.
JENNA: Yes, well, I can see where that be an advantage.
DR RENOR: Do you believe in love at first sight.
JENNA: Not yet.
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Frontline - We Aint Got Dames

February 23rd 2007 03:14
Geoffrey Salter


Episode: 1.7 'We Aint Got Dames


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Blakes 7 - Project Avalon

February 22nd 2007 02:53
Travis on Blakes 7


This episode kicks off with Travis and a mutoid offsider wandering around some blizzardy cold planet. Travis is kitted out in a nice fur coat... very suave. Anyway, they ambush and capture this chick called Avalon, she's the resistance leader of the natives on the planet and she has been waiting for Blake to arrive and take her to a new base somewhere... thanks to a traitor amongst her own people though Travis is able to get the jump on this arranged meeting. It appears the Federation has a plan


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Frontline - Playing the Ego Card

February 21st 2007 12:27
Frontline Mike Moore


Episode: 1.6 'Playing the Ego Card


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Life on Mars Series 2

February 20th 2007 00:30


Last week saw 'Life on Mars' series 2 go to air in the U.K


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Frontline - The Siege

February 16th 2007 13:42


Episode: 1.5 'The Siege


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Blakes 7 - Duel

February 14th 2007 13:57


'Duel' sees Travis catch up with Blake, and this episode is exactly what the title implies it is… a duel between these two sworn enemies


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Frontline - She's Got the Look

February 13th 2007 08:48


Episode: 1.4 'She’s Got the Look


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Blakes 7 - Mission to Destiny

February 12th 2007 08:43


Well, it looks like the Federation isn't hot back on Blake's trail right away... following on from the last episode we have ourselves a nice little murder mystery for the crew of the Liberator to lend a hand to


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Frontline - City of Fear

February 9th 2007 09:22


Episode: 1.3 'City of Fear


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The Hulk

February 7th 2007 09:14


I tried not to build up my expectations too much when this film first came out. I mean, it was the Hulk (!), and with Ang Lee directing (double !), so it had to be good. Nothing would prepare for the end result though... it was unlike anything I had see before. An actual comic book on screen. As such, it remains unpopular, but I will continue to honour it as a deeply flawed but courageous attempt to do something different with the genre


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Frontline - The Desert Angel

February 6th 2007 12:19


Episode: 1.2 'The Desert Angel


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Blakes 7 - Seek-Locate-Destroy

February 5th 2007 11:41


Enter Servalan and Travis


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Frontline - The Souffle Rises

February 2nd 2007 11:56


I was recently given a box set comprising of all three series of Frontline on DVD. I was very happy to recieve this. I used to love watching Frontline, it was such a great show. Very ahead of it's time, I watch it now and I can see shades of 'The Office' - the same mockumentary-feel, the lack of a laugh-track, the realistic interaction of the characters, the presence of a major dickhead who is sometimes a little too awkward to watch (Mike Moore


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