Blakes7

blakes7@lists.lysator.liu.se

5511 discussions

Re: [B7L] Captain Vila
by Jenny Kaye 28 Apr '01

28 Apr '01

Jacqui wrote: >"Jenny Kaye" <jennycat55(a)hotmail.com> wrote: > > > > Sally wrote: > > > > Jenny K: > > > ><There is no need for all this elaborate theorising, when the answer >is > > > >simple: Vila was a thief, and therefore, like most thieves, Vila was >a > > liar > > > >as well.> > > > > > > >Ah, but that's just theory as well, isn't it? > > > > No. It's a fact. Vila lies. Haven't you watched "The Way Back"? > > > > <g> albeit simpler (but of > > > >course some of us prefer the complicated stuff). > > > > Remember though, "a pro keeps it simple", something that Avon would > > recognise and appreciate. > > > > > > Jenny > > >On both the London and in 'Rumours' a junior is (asked if he is) studying >for promotion - perhaps Vila was told at the recruiting office along the >lines 'if you study hard a bright lad like you could become a captain' - Recruiting office? What recruiting office? Do you really think Vila is someone who is going to volunteer for the army? >and if you don't, the survival rate is 15% 15%? Where did this figure come from? And why would 15% be the survival rate? Who are they fighting? The rebels in B7 appeared to be a fairly negligible problem (how many Space Captains do they kill, versus how many the army of an intergalactic power has? Definitely not "all.") And the war hadn't even been thought of yet. Also surely being told that if he doesn't study hard he is going to die, is more of an incentive to pass the exam then fail it? - and he later elaborates this > >into what he says. OK, let's look at the scene. Vila says, "Are you going to let me in on the secret?" to which Avon replies "You wouldn't understand it if we did." Avon then turns his back on Vila. This doesn't go down to well, prompting Vila to respond, "My classification might be Grade 4 ignorant, but I'm not stupid. I bought that classification from a friend at the testing centre." Avon looks on impassively, and Cally in the background rolls her eyes. Vila continues, "I didn't want to be a Space Captain now did I? They all ended up getting killed didn't they?" Cally responds with, "Tarrant survived." "Oh yes," says Vila, "Tarrant says he was a Space Captain, but then Tarrant says he was a lot of things. You don't have to believe it all do you?" Avon then looks Vila in the eye and says, "I'd be more included to believe that he was a Captain than that you could have been?" Vila then changes the subject by saying, "Well never mind about me, but it's Tarrant you should be worried about. And it's not just because he's been out of contact for an hour." Now why do you think Vila changed the subject, and tried to distract Avon by talking about Tarrant? Do you think it could be because Vila is talking crap? Could it possibly be that all this talk about Space Captains and testing centres is just a feeble attempt to get one over on Avon? Could it be that the reason why Vila doesn't want to continue the conversation is because Avon and Cally quite clearly don't believe him, and that if he continues on this line then Avon and Cally might start asking him some difficult questions and stating some quite blindingly obvious facts? Like for example, that the only reason the Federation lost so many Space Captains is because of a damn great war that no one could have possibly foreseen. That being a Space Captain would have been a far better life than that of a common thief, who would eventually end up being sent to a hostile prison planet for life. That the life as a Space Captain would be infinitely more preferable than being a lowly labour grade, condemned to cleaning toilets, mediocre conversation and exploitation by the Terra Nostra. Vila is clearly talking junk. The idea that everyone who passed a test at the testing centre would be immediately promoted to Space Captain is farcical. The implication that he was forced to take the exam, and that he then bribed this convenient "friend" to fail him is just plain laughable. How many secondary school students bribe their teachers to fail them cos they don't want to go out and get a decent job? The scene in Volcano continues with Cally saying, "And what about Dayna? Don't you trust her either?" Vila responds by manufacturing an air of contrived nonchalance and saying, "Danya's a different case entirely." Cally smiles, "Oh she's pretty for one thing." Vila then pretends that he hasn't thought about it, "Pretty? Yes I suppose she is. I hadn't really noticed." Vila then walks off, to Avon's sarcastic reply, "We've seen you not really noticing... frequently." The scene ends with Vila looking uncomfortable. The scene is demonstrating that Vila is: 1/ Shallow 2/ A braggart 3/ An untrustworthy liar 4/ Self deluding 5/ Incapable of forward planning 6/ Stupid, in that he greatly underestimates the intelligence of the people he is talking to. Even though he has known these people for a very long time. Vila a Space Captain? He wouldn't pass the psychological tests let alone be entered for "The Space Captains' exam" even if such a test existed. As Avon confirmed, "A pro keeps it simple." Vila is a liar. And you can't get simpler than that! Jenny _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

4 3

Dorset meet
by Judith Proctor 28 Apr '01

28 Apr '01

The next meeting of the Dorset B7 group will be 19 May at 28 Diprose Rd, Corfe Mullen. (it's near Wimborne) The meet starts at 12 for those who want to watch videos and at 2pm for those who want to skip the videos. All welcome, 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.knightwriter.org ) Redemption '03 21-23 Feb 2003 http://www.smof.com/redemption/

1 0

Re: [B7L] Re: If you could change ...
by Marian de Haan 28 Apr '01

28 Apr '01

Sally wrote: >Here's another little exercise, if anyone's interested, in two parts:< Thanks, Sally, I love this kind of thing. >If you could change just three things about the series - with no restrictions on cast, budget, scripting etc - what would they be? (Obviously, *my* first would be "don't let Blake go.")< 1. Give the women an equal share in the action. 2. Let Travis fade away after "Orac" and create na new character for Brian Croucher to play. 3. Can't make up my mind between: 3a. Cast an older actor as Tarrant or rewrite the stories to match his youth, and 3b. Don't change Avon's hairstyle for S4. (And now I can imagine some Lyst members shake their heads and sigh: "An unlimited budget and she doesn't even mention the Special Effects!") :-) >If you could change just three episodes, which are they and how would you do it?< 1. Orbit - Make John Savident play Egrorian as a sane character. (Sorry, but his pantomime performance prevents me from taking this episode seriously.) - Let Vila find the gun and go chasing after Avon :-) (He'd NEVER expect that!) - Let Servalan fall victim to Hoffal's radiation. 2. Weapon - Find another director. - Leave out the clone. (Sacrilege, I know :-) ) - A more plausible end. (I can't imagine either Blake or Avon wanting to live with the shadow of IMIPAK hanging over them for the rest of their lives.) 3. This should be Terminal, but as I've already upset some Lyst members with my controversial views on that episode some time ago I think I'd better stop here :-) (Anyone really interested in them can always read my review of the ep. on Judith's website.) Marian

1 0

Chris Boucher
by Judith Proctor 28 Apr '01

28 Apr '01

Chris Boucher just asked me to pass on that he'll be selling various items via e-bay in the near future. I don't know what items he has in mind, though I imagine it's probably his remaining copies of scripts from various shows. Anyway, he says he'll be putting something up every ten days or so. Judith PS. for those who don't know, Chris was the script editor on Blake's 7 and also wrote many of my favourite episodes such as Rumours of Death. -- 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.knightwriter.org ) Redemption '03 21-23 Feb 2003 http://www.smof.com/redemption/

1 0

Re: [B7L] How do people watch B7?
by David and/or Lesley McIntee 28 Apr '01

28 Apr '01

> From: "Ann Basart" <basart(a)uclink.berkeley.edu> > > Hi all. I've been wondering how people on the Lyst watch B7. All the > episodes (except those that you don't like) in order? Whichever single ep > you feel like? Whatever ep is suggested by comments on the Lyst? I run through them all on tape avery couple of years, and see single episodes on UK Old just if I happen to be up when they're on. DM

1 0

How do people watch B7?
by Sally Manton 28 Apr '01

28 Apr '01

Well, mostly I sit down with the express purpose of checking something out for a reason (for a post, or a fanfic idea etc) and then - if it's one I like - find myself watching the whole thing, with pauses for the good bits, and then two more just for fun (this tends to happen with 2nd-season *a lot*). I'm afraid that it doesn't *always* happen. If I'm checking something in 'Stardrive' or 'Dawn of the Gods' I resist the lure of the whole ep quite easily. And I've still only managed to stay awake through 'Ultraworld' *once* ... When writing the 'Christmas Canto' I made myself watch the last few minutes of 'Blake' over and over to try and get the shooting right from Avon's POV; for another, I had to study the early scenes of 'Voice from the Past' (the Avon-Blake bits, so painful :-)) very, very carefully (I'm afraid I avoided Governer Le Grande like the plague). At the minute I'm seriously studying a combination of 'Gambit' and 'Powerplay' (don't ask <g>), which makes for an errr ... interesting mental combination. And I can always *always* watch 'Redemption', 'Pressure Point' and 'Star One' again ... _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

1 0

Redemption guest announcement
by Steve Rogerson 28 Apr '01

28 Apr '01

Just to let you all know that Damian London (the Centauri Regent in B5) has said yes, and will be joining us at Redemption 03 in February 2003, along with Chris Boucher and various others TBC. -- 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

1 0

Re: [B7L] Captain Vila
by Sally Manton 28 Apr '01

28 Apr '01

Jenny wrote: <No. It's a fact. Vila lies. Haven't you watched "The Way Back"?> Sorry, made myself unclear by bad clipping. Yes, Vila does lie sometimes, that's fact. He tells the truth sometimes as well, that is also fact (in fact, as with Avon, it's a fun exercise teasing out truth from fiction in his words). The theory is that *this* time he's simply lying, since there's no proof on-screen either way. As I said, I do think it's exaggerated at the very least, but Vila-as-Delta doesn't fit my view of how the system might work. So I'm prepared to give him the benefit of some doubt. Then again, it's all a bit vague and muddled anyway (concrete evidence isn't B7-ish). Strictly speaking, the only character whose grade is certain is Coser in 'Weapon' - even Blake's Alpha grade (which I agree with) is only given by - ironically - Vila. _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

1 0

Re: [B7L] Captain Vila
by Jenny Kaye 27 Apr '01

27 Apr '01

Sally wrote: Jenny K: > ><There is no need for all this elaborate theorising, when the answer is > >simple: Vila was a thief, and therefore, like most thieves, Vila was a liar > >as well.> > > >Ah, but that's just theory as well, isn't it? No. It's a fact. Vila lies. Haven't you watched "The Way Back"? <g> albeit simpler (but of > >course some of us prefer the complicated stuff). Remember though, "a pro keeps it simple", something that Avon would recognise and appreciate. Jenny _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

2 1

re: Paypal (OT)
by JEB31538＠cs.com 27 Apr '01

27 Apr '01

After several phone calls, my Paypal problem was solved. The Email help line was useless. I still will never use Paypal (my account is closed) nor will I ever encourage anyone else to, but I did want to set the record straight that my problem has been solved. If anyone ever owns me money, do not use Paypal for me. It will not work and you will have a hassle getting your money back. If anyone ever owes anyone money, be advised that you cannot pay them unless they are members of Paypal and that there are money limits per month (it depends on the account and other factors) with what one can do with accounts. Joyce

1 0

Jump to page:

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

Blakes7