From: blakes7-d-request@lysator.liu.se Subject: blakes7-d Digest V00 #111 X-Loop: blakes7-d@lysator.liu.se X-Mailing-List: archive/volume00/111 Precedence: list MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/digest; boundary="----------------------------" To: blakes7-d@lysator.liu.se Reply-To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se ------------------------------ Content-Type: text/plain blakes7-d Digest Volume 00 : Issue 111 Today's Topics: Re: [B7L] Project Avalon Re: [B7L] Carrying Concealed [B7L] Oooh--opticals! RE: [B7L] Oooh--opticals! [B7L] Re: blakes7-d Digest V00 #110 [B7L] First Impressions: "Project Avalon" Re [B7L] Andromedan War - erratum [B7L] Seven [B7L] His Reveredness Re: [B7L] Carrying Concealed [B7L] Revenrence (was - Andromedan War - erratum) [B7L] Late Night Currie [B7L] Re: First Impressions: "Project Avalon" Re: [B7L] The Bill - an episode for the Australian Soolin fans [B7L] Supplemental Briefs Re: [B7L] Supplemental Briefs Re: [B7L] Oooh--opticals! Re: [B7L] First Impressions: "Project Avalon" Re: [B7L] First Impressions: "Project Avalon" ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 22:27:13 +0100 From: "DragonFly" To: , Subject: Re: [B7L] Project Avalon Message-ID: <002001bfa7ea$893067e0$f507883e@oemcomputer> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit The teleport scene with Villa putting his top on, had me and my hubby rolling in laughter, What was that scene about, Jenna and Avon must have someting in their heads that they weren't sharing. To too liked this episode but I did find it a little odd that they hadn't let the set of the federation fully dry before using it..the white wallpaper looked like they had just pasted it up (very badly) and also in the scene were Servalan is looking at Avalon on a screen and then says "take her down" was she meant to be behind the prop as you briefly see the chaps with her at the left of the screen as they push her passed the screen servalan is watching her on. Julia - loughborough ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Saturday, April 15, 2000 5:07 PM Subject: [B7L] Project Avalon I have to say I thought this week's episode, while still entertaining, was the weakest in the run so far. Was it produced in a hurry does anyone know? It seemed under-rehearsed, even the normally excellent Michael Keating didn't sound as sharp with the script this week. Though I did like this bit with Avon: "I'm very susceptible to low temperatures… I've got a weak chest" "The rest of you's not very impressive" It just seemed to lack something for me - there was no subtext this week, just a very camp story about android doubles. All that bit with the mutoids (who remind me of the fembots from Austin Powers) and Servelan's sheepskin rug seemed a bit too tongue-in-cheek for me. Does anyone also know if there's any truth in the rumour that Terry Nation planned to introduce the Daleks to this series? ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2000 23:17:21 +0100 From: Julia Jones To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] Carrying Concealed Message-ID: <695pW6AxpO+4EwtK@jajones.demon.co.uk> In message <00d001bfa6b7$868ee180$8153063e@leanet>, Andrew Ellis writes >Totally agree, but you get more precision with the locator system in smart >cards. Or with a mobile phone, if you know how to use it. I have had ample opportunity to test the reception in the toilets on site... -- Julia Jones "Don't philosophise with me, you electronic moron!" The Turing test - as interpreted by Kerr Avon. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 10:06:55 -0400 From: "Dana Shilling" To: "b7" Subject: [B7L] Oooh--opticals! Message-ID: <000501bfa7ad$088cf6e0$d3694e0c@dshilling> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit It's really jarring to have the last episode of Series 3 and the first of Series 4 on the same tape--having a different logo and opening is startling. (Although it was odd to see the new logo, I could never figure out a non-sinister explanation for why the Federation symbol was the logo of the series anyway.) I don't have enough technical knowledge to get the terms exactly right, but they obviously had a bring and buy sale between Series 3 and 4 and raised some extra money for optical effects. Some of them look like the output of a Video Toaster, a prehistoric fx editing device. There are a couple of wipes in the much-maligned Animals--first for the series, I think. (Not to start THAT one off again, I must merely indicate one vote for Ultraworld as much, much worse than Animals.) It's funny to see the twinkle effect for S4 teleporting instead of the S1-3 white outline--I liked to think of dear little Mary Sue, the BBC intern, gallantly wielding the laundry marker when she wasn't brewing up. -(Y) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 10:52:10 -0500 From: "Reuben Herfindahl" To: "b7" Subject: RE: [B7L] Oooh--opticals! Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Fond memories of the Video Toaster.... Unfortunately the the fourth series predates the Video Toaster by at least 5 or 6 years. How much better it could have been done with the Toaster. The original effects shots used to sell Babylon 5 were done on a Toaster. Reuben reuben@reuben.net http://www.reuben.net/blake/ -----Original Message----- From: Dana Shilling [mailto:dshilling@worldnet.att.net] Sent: Sunday, April 16, 2000 9:07 AM To: b7 Subject: [B7L] Oooh--opticals! It's really jarring to have the last episode of Series 3 and the first of Series 4 on the same tape--having a different logo and opening is startling. (Although it was odd to see the new logo, I could never figure out a non-sinister explanation for why the Federation symbol was the logo of the series anyway.) I don't have enough technical knowledge to get the terms exactly right, but they obviously had a bring and buy sale between Series 3 and 4 and raised some extra money for optical effects. Some of them look like the output of a Video Toaster, a prehistoric fx editing device. There are a couple of wipes in the much-maligned Animals--first for the series, I think. (Not to start THAT one off again, I must merely indicate one vote for Ultraworld as much, much worse than Animals.) It's funny to see the twinkle effect for S4 teleporting instead of the S1-3 white outline--I liked to think of dear little Mary Sue, the BBC intern, gallantly wielding the laundry marker when she wasn't brewing up. -(Y) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 09:22:35 -0700 From: Helen Krummenacker To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: [B7L] Re: blakes7-d Digest V00 #110 Message-ID: <38F9E8CA.42C@jps.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Artificial Violence and Observation Neohuman. And of course, Avon likes to be thought of as not-quite-human... he secret is finally out! > Cybernetic Artificial Lifeform Limited to Yardwork. Replace Yardwork with Teleport Duty and you'd have her there. :) > Synthetic Organism Optimized for Logical Infiltration and > Nullification. Well, she infiltrated them, and everyone died that season. Hmmm... ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 19:05:23 +0100 From: "Ariana" To: "b7" , "Judith Proctor" Subject: [B7L] First Impressions: "Project Avalon" Message-ID: <00b901bfa7ce$7f15cd20$bce407c3@ariana> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Ah yes, much better. An entertaining story, with a couple of nice plot twists and character moments. Not perhaps the best that the series can offer, but at least it was more interesting than "Duel", IMHO. I did get the feeling there was something not quite right with Avalon when they rescued her; she seemed too dazed and passive to be the rebel we saw earlier, but I initially put that down to her having been tortured. So I didn't suss what Project Avalon was until the episode told me. Maybe I'm just slow, but I do like stories I can't predict from start to finish. The whole subplot of the Liberator being scared off and only getting back in the nick of time was well done, IMHO, even though the outcome was pretty predictable. Though that bit was at least made less hokey by the fact that Travis et al. were deliberately allowing Blake and Co to escape. Possibly my only serious disappointment is that the Federation comes off as too cartoonish. As discussed before, Travis and Servalan are not exactly what I'd call complex characters, but previous episodes had shown us the human face of the organisation. Here we just get the devious bad guys vs. the honest good guys. Still, it was entertaining, and who can ask for more? Character stuff: ================ Vila shows his usual enthusiasm for field work, but also demonstrates why he's indispensable. I loved the way he dragged his feet when Blake ordered him to the planet, much to the bemusement of Avon and Cally. He also managed to threaten that Federation guard pretty convincingly. While I don't agree with the Vila-is-pretending-to-be-stupid current of thought in the B7 fandom, I do like his mixture of ingenuity and incompetence. He's an ordinary human being, and like most of us, he has his moments. Cally shows that she's (nearly) as good as Jenna when it comes to piloting the ship. Jenna does scream when Chevner creeps up on her and Cally, but she's also the one Blake leaves in charge of shooting every guard that ventures into the corridor. Quite a death toll, as I doubt desperate rebels would be daft enough to *stun* half a dozen lethal enemies. Shows how far the character has come from her "Could you kill someone?" question to Avon in Spacefall. I guess Jenna has had some time to exercise her killing skills by now. Talking of Avon (unavoidable as he is), he gets another opportunity to display some seriously understated concern for his companions. The way he snaps at Cally and Gan and then runs to the teleport room when the Liberator returns to the planet indicate how worried he was after abandoning the away team. Whether out of personal attachment to Blake (no, not *that* kind!) or unwilling team spirit, Avon *is* prepared to place his own interests after those of his team mates. Interesting behaviour for someone who professes to only be out for number one. Apart from that, Blake struts his stuff as the noble leader and Gan gets quite a few lines and even a fight scene. Which leaves us with the guest stars... Avalon could have been a good character, but I would have liked her better if she hadn't been constantly paraded before us in various skimpy garments. The actress failed to convince me that she was such a wonderful rebel -- it's hard to take her speech about the lengths she's ready to go to seriously when she's only wearing two strips of tin foil. Of course, one could argue that the costumes were of Travis's choosing, and that most of what we saw of Avalon was actually her android replacement. But that aspect seemed a bit gratuitous. Again, Travis's head mutoid is a pretty woman: I wonder if we're seeing a significant trend here. Perhaps Travis, while appreciating the mutoid as efficient warrior, also likes them to be aesthetically pleasing? Or are there some mutoid talents we haven't been told about yet? Well, since I've drifted onto that subject again... Subtext Addendum: Cally is discovered unconscious, so Avon is the one who rushes to her side, and the one Blake picks to stay with her. Read into that what you will. Oh, and I'm sure Avon's aforementioned concern can be interpreted in various creative ways. ;) Nitpicks and Preposterous Props: ================================ Vila's picnic box from "Seek Locate Destroy" returns! And so, unfortunately, does the cardboard robot. Somehow, no amount of emoting from Gareth Thomas et al. could quite make up for the total lack of menace emanating from that wheel-mounted prop. Nice planet concept, and at least they showed some consistency with the characters constantly complaining about the cold. The thermal suits were a nice idea and the crew's "away team" anoraks make another appearance. On the whole, the planet didn't look bad (despite the tacked-on snow at the beginning). I did wonder why their footsteps in the caves sounded as if they were walking on wooden planks, though. Where was Avon when Jenna came back to find Cally sitting in the chair? The last time we saw Cally, Blake and Jenna had just left Avon with her. He evidently scampered off in time for the injured Chevner to frighten the women. Maybe the writers thought that Avon screaming in terror wouldn't have had the same impact. What happened to the subterrons Blake mentioned at the beginning of the episode? I don't recall us meeting them in the rest of the episode, unless that fellow Travis had fried was one of them. I thought that point could have been made clearer. I wonder if the prisoner Raiker was any relation to the fellow Leslie Schofield played in "Spacefall". :) Dialogue Gems: ============== AVON: Perhaps, but the ice crystals are unique and as such quite valuable. BLAKE: No, Avalon has started resistance movements on a dozen Federation planets. AVON: Another idealist, poor but honest. I shall look forward to our meeting with eager anticipation. BLAKE: Is your anticipation eager enough to come down there with me? AVON: [looks at the screen] Not quite. I think I shall contain my enthusiasm here in the warm. ====== JENNA [To Cally] Very impressive. I think I might have taught you too well. ZEN: Navigation computers register positional error -- point zero zero zero one zero one. Automatics are compensating. JENNA: Thank you, Zen, for that small compensation. ====== BLAKE [in the cavern] Vila, get on a thermal suit and come down here fast. VILA: Me? Oh, now wait a minute, it's cold out there, and I'm very susceptible to low temperatures. I've got a weak chest. AVON: The rest of you's not very impressive. [[Not one of his better put-downs]] ====== BLAKE: Vila, you're in business again. VILA: That has Klyber fastenings on the other side. You need a lot of explosives or a genius to open that. BLAKE: Can you do it? VILA: Of course. BLAKE: All right, we'll applaud you later. For now just get on with it. Miscellaneous: ============== Nothing to do with this episode, but I hear from Judith Proctor's website at http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7 that Gareth Thomas should be in next week's "Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)". I'll admit to more than a passing enjoyment of the latter show, so it's funny to think of Thomas making an appearance there. He also recently appeared in Sky One's "The Strangerers" (also starring Paul Darrow) -- was he looking for a payday when these things were made last year? Comments and discussion welcome as usual! Ariana ====== "Is your anticipation eager enough to come down there with me?" "Not quite. I think I shall contain my enthusiasm here in the warm." -- Blake and Avon in "Project Avalon" ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 01:27:05 +0100 From: "Neil Faulkner" To: "b7" Subject: Re [B7L] Andromedan War - erratum Message-ID: <000201bfa7d2$8414f540$e535fea9@neilfaulkner> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit It appears I made something of an error in my last post. I am *not* the Revered Editor of the Sevencyclopaedia, I am the Revered *Author*. The Editor of this project was Judith Proctor. You can revere her too if you want, I don't mind. Well, not very much. I see the news of B7's return has spread to the Daily Mail. Unfortunately they got all their important facts right so the article was very boring. Actually I might have to settle for Revered Co-Author, given all the little extras Murray's done for the 7cyclo. No, no, I wrote 90 per cent of it, I'm still the Author, and Murray's just a contributor. Sorry, Revered Contributor. So come on, you lot, start revering. That includes you, Una. And you at the back there. Yes, you - you with the ugly jumper. Don't think you can get away with ... Oi! You two! Stop that at once! Oh no no no, *not* out of the window ... Who threw that? Right, nobody leaves until whoever threw that - What? Oh, all right, if you*must*.... Neil "Dogger, Fisher, German Bight - North-east 6 or 7 backing North gale 8, severe gale 9 in east Fisher, intermittent showers, moderate or poor." ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 19:23:48 +0100 (BST) From: Judith Proctor To: Lysator List cc: Freedom City Subject: [B7L] Seven Message-ID: Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Sheeagh Wells just rang me to say that she's finished the recording session for 'Seven'. This was definitely the 'get Gareth Thomas' tape . He got to appear with: Paul Darrow (Avon): the man who shot him Jim Francis (special effects): the man who blew out Blake's guts Chris Boucher (writer and script editor) who wrote the script that killed him off. I'd been hoping that Chris Boucher would get to take part in one of these tapes - he wrote most of my favourite episodes and his influence as script editor was responsible for much of the best dialogue in the series. It'll also be interesting to hear what Jim has to say. Sheelagh still has to edit the tape, but you can pre-order it from her for 8.25 pounds UK, 8.50 Eur, 9pounds or $15 cash USA or 9 pounds Aus. Her addresss is 20a New Rd, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 ONX Once it's generally available, I'll also have copies for sale. Judith PS. And the baby Orac from Gambit will be on the cover photo with the others. This is Blake's 7: it's compulsory to have a computer to bring your number upto Seven. -- http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7 - Fanzines for Blake's 7, B7 Filk songs, pictures, news, Conventions past and present, Blake's 7 fan clubs, Gareth Thomas, etc. (also non-Blake's 7 zines at http://www.nas.com/~lknight ) Redemption '01 23-25 Feb 2001 http://www.smof.com/redemption/ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 15:35:34 EDT From: Prmolloy@aol.com To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: [B7L] His Reveredness Message-ID: <20.4a028fa.262b7006@aol.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I imagine someday we'll read about how the Revered Author of 90% of Sevencyclopaedia turned out to be a murderer deemed clinically insane and locked up in Broodmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum. Trish (removing her ugly jumper and tossing it in the laundry pile, well more like a mound) It appears I made something of an error in my last post. I am *not* the Revered Editor of the Sevencyclopaedia, I am the Revered *Author*. The Editor of this project was Judith Proctor. You can revere her too if you want, I don't mind. Well, not very much. I see the news of B7's return has spread to the Daily Mail. Unfortunately they got all their important facts right so the article was very boring. Actually I might have to settle for Revered Co-Author, given all the little extras Murray's done for the 7cyclo. No, no, I wrote 90 per cent of it, I'm still the Author, and Murray's just a contributor. Sorry, Revered Contributor. So come on, you lot, start revering. That includes you, Una. And you at the back there. Yes, you - you with the ugly jumper. Don't think you can get away with ... Oi! You two! Stop that at once! Oh no no no, *not* out of the window ... Who threw that? Right, nobody leaves until whoever threw that - What? Oh, all right, if you*must*.... Neil "Dogger, Fisher, German Bight - North-east 6 or 7 backing North gale 8, severe gale 9 in east Fisher, intermittent showers, moderate or poor." Trish - "Brains but no heart." ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 09:35:11 +0100 From: "Andrew Ellis" To: Subject: Re: [B7L] Carrying Concealed Message-ID: <002601bfa77e$b5655c60$d7a401d5@leanet> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit From: Julia Jones >Or with a mobile phone, if you know how to use it. I have had ample >opportunity to test the reception in the toilets on site... Agree again. If you are in range of three base stations. Gnog ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 09:38:44 +0100 From: "Andrew Ellis" To: "b7" Subject: [B7L] Revenrence (was - Andromedan War - erratum) Message-ID: <003f01bfa77f$2ecaefc0$d7a401d5@leanet> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Neil said.... > Yes, you - you with the ugly jumper. Don't >think you can get away with ... My jumper is NOT ugly. Gnog ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 21:56:17 +0100 (BST) From: Judith Proctor To: Lysator List cc: Freedom City Subject: [B7L] Late Night Currie Message-ID: Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII I got the day wrong - hadn't realised Late Night urrie is on both Saturday and Sunday. If you're still up at 11.15 Sunday night, try listening to radio 5 live then. That should be roughly the time that the B7 bit is on. Judith -- http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7 - Fanzines for Blake's 7, B7 Filk songs, pictures, news, Conventions past and present, Blake's 7 fan clubs, Gareth Thomas, etc. (also non-Blake's 7 zines at http://www.nas.com/~lknight ) Redemption '01 23-25 Feb 2001 http://www.smof.com/redemption/ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 19:34:28 +0100 (BST) From: Judith Proctor To: Lysator List Subject: [B7L] Re: First Impressions: "Project Avalon" Message-ID: Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII On Sun 16 Apr, Ariana wrote: > I did wonder why their footsteps in the caves sounded as if they were walking > on wooden planks, though. Possibly because it was filmed in Wookey Hole caves and I think the floors there at that point had wooden duckboards... (I used to go there as a kid) Apparantly they had to keep stopping filming to let groups of tourists through! Judith -- http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7 - Fanzines for Blake's 7, B7 Filk songs, pictures, news, Conventions past and present, Blake's 7 fan clubs, Gareth Thomas, etc. (also non-Blake's 7 zines at http://www.nas.com/~lknight ) Redemption '01 23-25 Feb 2001 http://www.smof.com/redemption/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2000 08:30:47 EST From: "J MacQueen" To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] The Bill - an episode for the Australian Soolin fans Message-ID: <20000416223047.92483.qmail@hotmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed >From: "Minnie" >Great!!! Cheers. BTW what is the ep called?? Sleeping with the enemy. Glynis is playing a call-girl. Regards Joanne ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 18:48:19 -0400 From: "Dana Shilling" To: "b7" Subject: [B7L] Supplemental Briefs Message-ID: <001a01bfa7f5$e19aade0$74684e0c@dshilling> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit [Down & Safe letterhead] Date: Right after "Power" To: Federated Health Insurance System Subject: Worker's Compensation Claim On behalf of my client, Kerr Avon, who is absolutely bloody sick and tired of getting knocked sprawling (and twice in the same episode is over the top and down the other side), note attached claim relating to RSI of cerebellum and documentation of loss of earning capacity. You'll probably try to weasel out on some feeble excuse like lack of proof of insurance or premium payments. My client says I should tell you to look in your records: well, now there is. Mary Sue, Esq. PS--yes, there is something brown and black that looks good on a lawyer and isn't a Rottweiler. Eat your heart out. [Down & Safe letterhead] Date: Right After StarDrive To: SSS (Spacecraft Security System) Insurance Company Subject: Collision Claim Sure, Tarrant says it's Avon's fault for telling him to go within 50 yards (yards? what's that?) of an asteroid, and Avon says that if you call yourself a pilot you should be able to parallel park. But so what--Sector 5 is a no-fault jurisdiction anyway. And check out the fine print on page 38 of the policy. Yes, you do have to pay for cleaning out the hold. Mary Sue, Esq. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 21:34:14 EDT From: Prmolloy@aol.com To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] Supplemental Briefs Message-ID: <43.37b7e30.262bc416@aol.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Federated Health Insurance System Date: Sometime in the 20 years after receipt of your letter To: Mary Sue, Esq. Down & Safe Subject: Workers Compensation Claim In order to process your Workers Compensation Claim, we require further documentation of your client's earning capacity. Please return the last six years of your client's tax statements and copies of each and every paycheck he has ever received. It is not our policy to accept documents of stolen or embezzled monies as proof of earning capacity. Our records show that your client has been habitually unemployed, quite possibly for mental health reasons (like getting everyone near and dear to him killed). Although we show that your client has made regular payments -- at least our computer records suddenly indicate that he has made payments for the past forty-seven years -- we are unable to process your claim without actual proof of earnings. Travis' Mum, Esq. PS-Vila gave me that brown and black outfit. I'm glad you think it suits me. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 20:29:18 +0100 From: Julia Jones To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Cc: b7 Subject: Re: [B7L] Oooh--opticals! Message-ID: In message <000501bfa7ad$088cf6e0$d3694e0c@dshilling>, Dana Shilling writes >I don't have enough technical knowledge to get the terms >exactly right, but they obviously had a bring and buy sale between Series 3 >and 4 and raised some extra money for optical effects. Some of them look >like the output of a Video Toaster, a prehistoric fx editing device. I recall someone saying in an interview in the dim and distant past that they'd bought a lovely new toy for editing sometime in 1980 or 1981, and had a lot of fun playing with it on B7, amongst other programs. You can tell... -- Julia Jones "Don't philosophise with me, you electronic moron!" The Turing test - as interpreted by Kerr Avon. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 20:32:24 +0100 From: Julia Jones To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Cc: b7 Subject: Re: [B7L] First Impressions: "Project Avalon" Message-ID: In message <00b901bfa7ce$7f15cd20$bce407c3@ariana>, Ariana writes >Again, Travis's head mutoid is a pretty woman: I wonder if we're seeing a >significant trend here. Perhaps Travis, while appreciating the mutoid as >efficient warrior, also likes them to be aesthetically pleasing? Or are >there some mutoid talents we haven't been told about yet? Probably, given that both of Servalan's mutoids were male. -- Julia Jones "Don't philosophise with me, you electronic moron!" The Turing test - as interpreted by Kerr Avon. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2000 13:40:45 +0000 From: Murray Smith To: Lysator Subject: Re: [B7L] First Impressions: "Project Avalon" Message-Id: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Ariana, >An entertaining story, with a couple of nice plot twists and character >moments. Not perhaps the best that the series can offer, but at least it was >more interesting than "Duel", IMHO. I did get the feeling there was >something not quite right with Avalon when they rescued her; she seemed too >dazed and passive to be the rebel we saw earlier, but I initially put that >down to her having been tortured. So I didn't suss what Project Avalon was >until the episode told me. Maybe I'm just slow, but I do like stories I >can't predict from start to finish. Yes, I liked this element of unpredictability. I have to say that I liked the way Avalon looked 'dazed and passive', because it _looked_ as if she had been tortured, unlike Princess Leia in 'Star Wars IV: A New Hope', who seemed to have suffered no ill-effects from her torture. >Vila shows his usual enthusiasm for field work, but also demonstrates why >he's indispensable. I loved the way he dragged his feet when Blake ordered >him to the planet, much to the bemusement of Avon and Cally. He also managed >to threaten that Federation guard pretty convincingly. While I don't agree >with the Vila-is-pretending-to-be-stupid current of thought in the B7 >fandom, I do like his mixture of ingenuity and incompetence. He's an >ordinary human being, and like most of us, he has his moments. One of my favourite non-dialogue scenes in B7 has to be the body language between Avon and Cally while they await Vila getting ready to be teleported down, showing what good actors Paul and Jan are. >I wonder if the prisoner Raiker was any relation to the fellow Leslie >Schofield played in "Spacefall". :) He might have been. It's reasonable to wonder if the family had members known for their bad behaviour. Here is a piece of dialogue which I like: BLAKE: Does it [the planet] support any intelligent life? AVON: Does the Liberator? [Blake and Jenna exchange looks.] There are humanoid creatures called subterrons. They live in caves. Quite what that says for their intelligence, I don't know. Murray -------------------------------- End of blakes7-d Digest V00 Issue #111 **************************************