Blakes7 August 2001

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51 participants
264 discussions

Re: names
by Steve Rogerson 23 Aug '01

23 Aug '01

I liked Alison's analysis of the name Servalan because that is one area I really struggle with when writing - thinking up plausible new names. I end up either with very contrived names beginning with X or boring existing names of the John and Paul variety (no offence to Johns and Pauls cos I also include Steve in that list). So I'm impressed by people who can come up with good new names. One method I've heard is to combine two common names into a new one so it has a familiar feel but is still novel. The difficulty is clearly widespread given that very few brand new names become popular. Names such as Lorna and Wendy are therefore exceptional is this, but how many other recently invented names have become so widespread? -- cheers Steve Rogerson http://homepages.poptel.org.uk/steve.rogerson Redemption 03, 21-23 February 2003, Ashford, Kent Celebrating 25 years of Blake's 7 and 10 years of Babylon 5 http://www.smof.com/redemption

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Re: [B7L] Penguin advance
by J MacQueen 23 Aug '01

23 Aug '01

>From: "Sally Manton" <smanton(a)hotmail.com> >Joanne wrote: ><Saw it on the news -- a penguin that can bow respectfully, as well as >shuffle.> >But have they been trained as attack penguins? Una ought to be the one answering this, because I haven't worked out the intricacies of them holding weapons as yet. Regards Joanne (who hasn't been anywhere near anything other than the book variety of late; though, given my tendency to attract paper cuts, you could train attack Penguin books easily enough) _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp

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Re: [B7L] Episode review: Seek-Locate-Destroy
by Sally Manton 23 Aug '01

23 Aug '01

Iain W wrote: <Blake issues the orders to the crew after they have teleported down. This is bad planning and terrible management. They should have had all this sorted out before they teleport. If they planned these things properly maybe they wouldn't go wrong!> <g> Now this is rather unfair IMO. Wars (being the messy things they are) don't usually *have* proper management plans because - not surprisingly - proper and throrough assessment is a little hard to do beforehand ("excuse me, we're planning to blow your place up next week, could we have a look round and do some tests to work out what level of explosives we'll need?") Blake quite possibly *couldn't* have worked out and given the orders before they went down - since none of them had been on a base like this before, how would they know what to expect? And he only has *five people* (including himself) to do this, so of course he'd be planning to adapt to the circumstances they found down there (one of the reasons Travis could never beat Blake *was* that Travis did all this planning that you're keen on; Blake thought on the fly and therefore always threw a monkey-wrench into the plans (see also Duel). Obviously the amount of explosive needed to destroy this place was exceptional for some reason, since Gan thought half the amount Blake ordered was sufficient, didn't he? They *did* think about the size of the charges, but was obviously wrong (as happens all too often *in* wars, where you can't take time out to do an on-site assessment or go back and work it all out again). Remember, except for Cally, they're all still amateurs at this business - learning very quickly to work together and building up fairly impressive teamwork when it's needed (the scenes with Servalan and the Deadly Duo make it clear that this is not the first bit of Fighting for Freedom, there's been enough to make Blake an increasingly popular hero) - but still raw enough to make mistakes. And in this business, learning on the job probably gets most people *killed*. Forgetting Cally was a doozy of a mistake, I agree (I think that Blake, on teleporting, charges straight off to the flightdeck, not surprising since there's no one *there*, and assumed Cally was with the others ... and they assumed she'd gone with him. But still, it *was* a blunder). JMO ... _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp

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Episode review: Seek-Locate-Destroy
by Iain Walker 23 Aug '01

23 Aug '01

Well, it's taken six episodes (half the season!) and the rebellion is finally under way! Not your typical TV action rebels. After "The Web" it is good to be actually getting somewhere. When Blake and Vila teleport down - that whirring stupid robot is really, really, really annoying. It can't tell the difference between a human and a piece of swinging pipe - which it actually attacks! Yes - that's right - it ignores the terrorists and attacks the very base it is supposed to defend. Very worrying. Now - it is true that animal sight responds better to motion rather than stationary things, and that robot vision systems attempt to use some of these same principals (using contrast changes to determine edges, convert edges to vertices and then determine vertex changes). However - only a very primitive system would simply shoot at any detected motion. Vila shows his technical skills and the ability to move & hide quickly. Also he brazenly approaches the guards - he will make a fine terrorist. He makes the knocked out guards comfortable - he never does this again. What nutbar put the guard to the cipher room on the inside? Put him out in the hallway where he can see intruders and stop them. Dialog gem: AVON: It had better be right. A fraction out and you could put us down in the middle of the security barracks. JENNA: Don't tempt me. Blake issues the orders to the crew after they have teleported down. This is bad planning and terrible management. They should have had all this sorted out before they teleport. If they planned these things properly maybe they wouldn't go wrong! Blake wants "total destruction" - but doesn't get it. That's why Travis is able to figure things out. AGAIN a bit of planning to think about the size of charges needed would have helped. And AGAIN - a quick check on the crew before zooming off into the big black might be a good idea. Blake is just useless as a leader - incompetence on the scale of running a large dome in London. But not as incompetent as the people who built that really, really annoying security robot. Vila will not shoot the guard in the back when he has the opportunity. Just trying to hard to be a good guy? Vila says to Cally "I've just been spotted" - no he wasn't. Callys guard relaxes and takes off his helmet. Cally then kicks his bottom (as our American friends would say). So it looks like the hand to hand maiming will be done by "companions for my death" Cally. Too bad it doesn't last. It took until episode six before we get someone to officially wear the black hat - it turns out to be Servalan - who looks to be about 20/21 in this episode. And Travis seems quite capable in this episode - its plausible he could actually beat our heroes (he sees the importance in finding out WHY Blake attacked). Bercol and Rontane show the backstabbing political intrigue in the hierarchy of the federation. I like that the show shows little bits of the world beyond the central characters - Servalans actions are not made in a vacuum - there are political and personal repercussions. We meet the first of Servalans boy-toys - note the way she coquettishly says "Oh Rey. Come Here". Oddly, Rey (and Bercol and Rontane for that matter) don't seem too fond of the ruthless side of the federation that Servie represents. Blake finally gets something right - he uses the same plan as Travis: get there first (even after many viewings it is still a surprise to me)- see what can be done if you have a plan. However - it is implausible in the extreme that Blake would know in which room Cally was kept. Lastly - Blake should have killed Travis. He's a terrorist - you don't go "letting people off" just so you can have a good gloat - unless you are someone without any planning/management skills - like Blake. Indirectly - Blake then becomes responsible for the Andromedan invasion. If he had killed Travis then it would never have happened and we would not have to suffer through some of the totally crap episodes in S3 and S4. Oh, and did I mention that the security robot is really, really annoying. Sorry - typing late at night and getting a little cranky. - Iain

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Episode Comments: The Web
by Iain Walker 23 Aug '01

23 Aug '01

Mostly, I just didn't care about this episode - nothing much of interest happens. I suppose we have "character development" going on - with Blake trusting Cally after she has been taken over, and Blake and Avon (incoherently) discussing the decimas right to life. I am sure there will be some defenders of this episode on the list (just like for Animals ;-)) but for me it just doesn't ass anything to the series. None of the things that happen in this episode (except aliens taking over the crew members) have a bearing on the rest of the show. Mostly the tape is on FF for this one. So instead of a review, just a couple of comments: Confirming Jennas suspicions about Aliens, Cally gets "taken over". But hahahaha, last laugh on Jenna 'coz she gets taken over too. There are also some good dialog gems, for example: Jenna "we're all in it Avon" Avon "Yes - aren't we." ZZzzziiinnngg! - Iain

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Re: names
by Alison Page 22 Aug '01

22 Aug '01

I don't know where the name Servalan came from but it's my favourite B7 name. It misdirects the ear in two way. The 'serv' sound makes you think servant or service or serf, or even slave, and the whole world sounds like the name of a mainframe computer (to me). So the first interesting thing is the way the name points up Servalan's two strongest characteristics - dominance and physicality - by contrast with a name that is submissive and incorporeal. However I think the role of Servalan as it played out, also teased us with the opposite characteristics, submissiveness and intellectual coldness. And the name 'Servalan' fits those two hidden aspects of her character. I think this is probably all coincidence, if you pick enough names some of them have to have hidden 'meanings' that you didn't mean to put there. That doesn't take away the force that the name has though. Alison ********************************************************************** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by MIMEsweeper for the presence of computer viruses. www.mimesweeper.com **********************************************************************

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Re [B7L] tofpa
by Neil Faulkner 22 Aug '01

22 Aug '01

The master copy of Eric - not that it was ever going to be called that - is now with Judith. Price yet to be confirmed, since she wants to reproduce the cover (in colour) as best she can. You can sneak a preview of the cover - and find out what 'tofpa' means - at http://homepages.tesco.net/~N.Faulkner/blakes7/tofpa/tofpa.htm . I'm toying with the idea of giving a free copy to whoever identifies them all. Neil

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RE: [B7L] Naming Reasons? ( really obscure )
by jacquispeel＠netscape.net 22 Aug '01

22 Aug '01

tony nolan <t.nolan(a)uts.edu.au> wrote: > >G'Day, > >For a bit of fun I have been playing with the names of the series, and how >those names may have been contrived, with regards to there roles in the >series. Anyway - perhaps people can improve on them, or tell me where i am >wrong ? > >Tony > > >Servalan = Server Land (servitude) - Slaves Land - The queen of the >land of the slaves. <snip> Or computer Server. __________________________________________________________________ Your favorite stores, helpful shopping tools and great gift ideas. Experience the convenience of buying online with Shop@Netscape! http://shopnow.netscape.com/ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/

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Episode 'Killer'
by jacquispeel＠netscape.net 22 Aug '01

22 Aug '01

In the latest issue of BBC History (ie September) magazine there is an article on germ warfare, in which Jeffrey Amhurst is mentioned as using smallpox-infected blankets in North America. I presume this is the origin of the Lord Jeffrey Ashley incident in 'Killer.' Jacqui __________________________________________________________________ Your favorite stores, helpful shopping tools and great gift ideas. Experience the convenience of buying online with Shop@Netscape! http://shopnow.netscape.com/ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/

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Re: names
by Helen Krummenacker 22 Aug '01

22 Aug '01

Servalan-- I noticed at the zoo that there is a small cat called a serval. She does have a certain feline grace and cattyness.

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Blakes7 August 2001