Alison wrote:
I sometimes wonder to what extent the formal convolutions of B7, the kind of thing you mention in this post, were thought through at all, by anyone. It's not just reflecting the age, I don't think, because you wouldn't find it in any other show of the time. But I'm not suggesting anybody put it there on purpose either.
At least it was (occasionally) acknowledged, even at the time. Rifling through my cuttings, I cite the Guardian's TV guide, January 7, 1980: "Aftermath. A new 13-part series of the home-produced space-drama saga, justly popular with the younger set - maybe because, rather than in spite, of lacking the moral pretension of Star Trek..." I'm afraid most of their previews of B7 were a lot more sarky, but then TV previewers often seem to be like that.