OK, the idea for this came as I was reading an article on 'Dr Who' in 'Intensities', on how fans construct a consensus of value judgements (that's here http://www.cult-media.com/issue1/Amckee.htm if anyone's interested). Anyway, I skipped the author's problematization of such lists and thought, 'Hey, that would be fun to do for B7!'
Here follows some shameless gushing fannishness of the sort I didn't think I did any more. No doubt I've forgotten loads. No particular order.
1. "The rumours of my death have been - " "*Greatly* exaggerated." "Well, slightly exaggerated, anyway..."
<sob!> I cannot deny the shameless angster within! I remember watching 'Rumours' back when I first got a copy of it again in, must be 1990, and I just couldn't get over this exchange. Avon gives away so much of himself, and yet says virtually nothing.
2. "He's an animal, Cally." "Yes, and it's contagious, isn't it?"
I promise these won't all be from 'Rumours'. I loved this exchange in 1980 and I still love it now. B7 punctures the hypocrisy of the good guys. Cally demands that people are the best they can be. Great stuff.
3. The dome city. I know some people think this effect is rubbish, but I think it looks great and it's so evocative. All those lights, all those lives.
4. "Thieves, killers, mercenaries, psychopaths..."
<gulp> Is he or isn't he?
5. "For what it's worth, I have always trusted you from the very beginning".
I don't believe Blake for a moment, but I don't doubt that Blake believes it.
6. "Vila, I need your help..."
To be honest, I don't mind that they cut some of MK crying. I know that he is.
7. "The Federation is run by hypocrites and supported by fools. I'm glad to be rid of you all."
OK, Penny, you can gloat now. I'm picking this bit because I think Croucher's great here (in fact, I think he's great throughout 'Trial'). What I like about this is the defeat laced with defiance - and then the speed with which he snaps back into action the second he hears those alarms and knows he might still be in with a chance.
8. TRAVIS: Do you remember the medic that saved my life? SERVALAN: You're wasting time. TRAVIS: It was Maryatt. SERVALAN: Does it matter? TRAVIS: No... No. Only Blake matters now.
I have to have a Greify moment too. This is my favourite - the feeble death throes of Travis's conscience. It's a great exchange, speaks volumes about both Servalan and Travis, their relationship, and what really matters to them. Servie is avaricious and aggressive, Travis is weary and can no longer care enough to make a stand.
9. "Are we fanatics?"
Actually, that whole group hug session in 'Star One' when, after two years of fighting side by side, it all comes down to how much they really can't stand each other. It's like Christmas.
10. "Deathwatch". The whole of it. A complete jewel.
11. "The Way Back". The whole of that too.
12. The Vilaworld set. There's something about that set that sums up my watching SF telly as a kid. That planet set should, by all that's godly, be crap - yet somehow I completely believe I'm looking at an alien world. It reminds me of the time when I could suspend belief completely and be utterly entranced. I get the same thing from 'Sarcophagus', and from memories of 'The Adventure Game'.
13. "Maximum power!"
Yes she's bonkers, but you kind of want the blow struck for feminism.
14. "Cheers, Orac."
Vila's finest moment. My most quoted line from B7, mainly because I can't be bothered to memorize anything longer.
15. Darrow trips in 'Animals'. And thus was born a new obsession and a reason to get up in the mornings. You can fill the days incredibly easily when you adopt a hopeless cause.
16. The opening credits of the first two seasons. I didn't watch B7 when it first started and it took me till 1989 to see the opening credits from seasons 1 and 2, when the crappy old edited videos came out. It was thrilling.
17. Docholli's coat. And yet they battle on with the take... How did 'Blake's 7' *ever* get transmitted...?
18. Dudley Simpson's little teleport tune. Da-da-da-dar, da-da-da-dar, da-da-da-da-dar. Da-DAH!
19. "Regret is part of being alive. But keep it a small part." "As you do?" "Demonstrably."
Of all the bits of 'Sarcophagus' I could pick, I've got to have this one. First of all - it's angsty as hell. Second, I'm still an old romantic when it comes to Avon and Cally (you don't see this so much any more in fanfic, do you?). Third, you get to peek inside one of the cabins. Plus it carries on some wonderful character development from CoA and 'Rumours' - yes! it's B7 as soap!
20. Surely you can guess?
Awooga! Awooga!
"Security personnel to main tracking gallery! Security personnel to main tracking -- yargh!"
In no particular order...
1. The whole 'wading in blood... the only way I can be sure that I was right' bit from Star One.
2. Star One again: 'Avon, this is stupid!' 'When did that ever stop us?'
3. All the Space Command scenes of Trial.
4. Sarkoff listening wistfully to his gramophone in Bounty.
5. Blake threatening to destroy Kayn's hands in Breakdown.
6. Shadow: 'I'm just sentimental about money'.
7. Shadow again: "Where are all the good guys?' 'You could be looking at them.' 'What a very depressing thought.'
8. Pressure Point: 'Gan is dead.'
9. Trial again: 'It sounds a little casual to me'... 'I don't get them killed.' 'True.'
10. Gambit: 'An eye patch? How quaint.'
11. Tarrant bullying Vila in City at the Edge of the World.
12. Moloch: 'Like women, do you?' 'No.'
13. Deeta's death in Deathwatch.
14. Deathwatch again: 'After all, it wasn't a major violation.'
15. Terminal: 'He meant it -- he was going to kill you.' ' I got that impression.'
16. Traitor: the General telling his war stories to Quute, who is trying to feign interest.
17. Traitor again: launching the missile strike in between chess moves.
18. Orbit: 'Vila weighs seventy three kilos.'
19.Orbit again: 'Why do you think I'm sending Tarrant?'
20. Blake: the entire episode.
Iain
Iain wrote:
- Terminal: 'He meant it -- he was going to kill you.' ' I got that
impression.'
Ooh yes, I remember gushing about that one at the time - these are meant to be our heroes, for fuck's sake! - although I don't believe I articulated it in that manner.
- Traitor again: launching the missile strike in between chess moves.
Oh yes, wonderful. God bless Christopher Neame.
Una
ijc@bas.ac.uk wrote:
In no particular order...
- Sarkoff listening wistfully to his gramophone in Bounty.
What was he listening to - & why was it different types of music on each side?
Jacqui __________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Webmail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/
Aah well, unable to resist it.
1/ "A transporter accident I think" in the Way Back.
2/ Nova being moussed to death. Naff effects yet oddly effecting.
3/ Bercol, Rontane and Servalan in SLD. Honourable mentions to Servalan and Rai and Servalan and Travis. Oh, and Vila's spiel to the guard.
4/ The shoot out in Project Avalon. If I were unfortunate enough to be issued a dud gun and sent to take out a bunch of armed desperadoes I would insist on being shot by Sally Knyvette.
5/ Blake threatening to trash Kayn's hands.
6/ The Travis/ Servalan scene in Deliverance.
7/ "I can barely walk" "Then crawl" In Orac. Honourable mentions to the scene in the teleport room and "I was aiming for his head".
8/ The Space Battle in Redemption
9/ Pressure Point. All of it. Especially the bit where Blake looks up at Gan's empty seat.
10/ Trial. All of it. Especially the bit where Travis makes his speech. And I love the way that they all decide to rescue Blake after it's touch and go whether they push off with the treasure room and leave him to stew.
11/ Star One. All of it. Especially "Avon this is stupid" "When did that ever stop us".
12/ City at the End of the World. Bayban threatening Vila. Oh and the bit where everyone gives Tarrant a thoroughly deserved hard time.
13/ Rumours of Death. I am completely in agreement with Guy's comments about the line "Of all the things I have known myself to be until now I did not recognise the fool".
14/ Sarcophagus. The Confrontation between Avon and the Alien on the flight deck. The realisation on the alien's face that Cally does have loyalties. The alien's death scene. The shot of Cally standing in the entrance to the flight deck with tears running down her face. Liked the handbags between Avon and Tarrant. "Be thankful I'm restricting myself to talk" "Well now, that's fascinating, you mean you can do something else".
15/ Terminal. Zen's death scene. The revelation about Blake's death. The shock horror revelation about the Links. "Maximum Power". The destruction of the Liberator.
16/ Rescue. The bit where Vila tries to decide whether to save the others or to go on the lash. Honourable mentions to Cally's death scene and the bit when Soolin has to move past Avon with the tray of wine and pushes Avon's gun out the way.
17/ Headhunter. Avon trying to decide whether Vila and Tarrant are expendable. That or the bit when Orac offers to fulfil Soolin's every desire and she replies "You wouldn't know where to begin". The sense of loss of family, of home, of innocence is palpable. [mem. to self. Must look up palpable in the dictionary sometime].
18/ Assasin. Cancer getting her just reward. Honourable mentions to Soolin slapping Piri, Avon and Tarrant's case of handbags in Cancer's ship and Soolin telling Nebrox that she doesn't view Piri being enslaved as any worse than Nebrox being enslaved.
19/ Orbit. Avon deciding that Vila is expendable. Honourable mention to Egrorian grovelling at Servalan's feet.
20. Blake. All of it. From the opening credits to the final fusilade of shots.
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Grrr. I was going to have an early night, but I just had to do this too. Approximately in order. Last ones a bit flaky which must mean I've forgotten loads.
1 Orbit. All of it. Every bit.
2 "He's dying - Zen's dying". <sob>
3 Avon's expression in the last frame of "Blake". What more could a man ask than to die pointlessly with a gun in his hand and his friends dead all around him ?
4 "Of all the things I have known myself to be, I never recognised the fool." If you choose any other Rumours quote above this one you must be mad. Sorry - a MAD SLASHER - please leave this list immediately.
5 Zen to Vila - I forget what episode: "It will be necessary for you to make a personal investigation" etc. Zen plays it straight as usual but we know he's laughing really.
Three from Headhunter - such a fab episode: 6 Oh, you'll have to do better than that, Orac, if you expect me to kill them."
7 Avon/Orac "Restore the teleport...." "I urge you..." "RESTORE THE TELEPORT""Very well."......"I am obliged to do as you say, even though I know it to be wrong." etc etc. Stop me now or I'll just type out the whole bloody script.
8 "Yes, master."
9 Servalan in Games: "I didn't come here for a history lesson."
10 All Vila/Orac, esp "Plastic brain", "Trooper Orac" and "Cheers Orac".
11 Avon taking the piss as Dorian describes the "mysterious room", even though he's being held at gunpoint.
12 Avon/Orac in Horizon, and Avon's laugh when he finally finds a way to rationalise rescuing the others.
13 "Regret is part of life" etc - much as it pains me to agree about anything, I have to do so here.
14 "What a fiasco."
15 Largo/the Chairman in Shadow: "Chairman, the rewards will be threefold....""Don't delay too long, or the rewards will be onefold."......"I thank you for your confidence, Chairman.""Largo, that is too small a thing to thank me for."
16 Travis/Avalon - for me, one of the only times Travis allows his mask to slip a bit. He admits that resistance can never be wiped out completely. "However, we shall persevere."
17 Vila in City. He is so cool. And his argument with Kerrill - doesn't this encapsulate beautifully pretty much every male/female argument you hear every day ?
18 "An eye patch ?" Thanks for reminding me of this one Iain.
19 Terminal: Avon tells Vila to "go and keep going". Of course he does. And Servalan didn't know he was going to do it. Despite the fact that she banked on him going all that way to find Blake. This programme is so brilliant.
20 "What was that for ?""Curiosity.""I'm all in favour of healthy curiosity. I just hope yours isn't satisfied too easily." I'm waiting to use this one, but the relevant situation hasn't arisen recently.
Thanks,
Guy wrote:
Grrr. I was going to have an early night, but I just had to do this too.
<cackle>
Three from Headhunter - such a fab episode:
Yeah, I like 'Headhunter' a lot too. I like the Soolin and Orac bits best.
13 "Regret is part of life" etc - much as it pains me to agree about anything, I have to do so here.
I'm touched you made the sacrifice.
17 Vila in City. He is so cool. And his argument with Kerrill - doesn't this encapsulate beautifully pretty much every male/female argument you hear every day ?
God yes.
Una
Una said:
I promise these won't all be from 'Rumours'. I loved this exchange in 1980
and I
still love it now. B7 punctures the hypocrisy of the good guys. Cally
demands
that people are the best they can be. Great stuff.
I'm never too sure whether Aurons and AIs are "people" and what they think about humans (this side of Epinal, anyway)
- "Thieves, killers, mercenaries, psychopaths..."
<gulp> Is he or isn't he?
Well, he can't be a mercenary because no one ever pays him for anything.
- "For what it's worth, I have always trusted you from the very
beginning".
I don't believe Blake for a moment, but I don't doubt that Blake believes
it. It's at times like these that he plays amnesia for all it's worth
- "The Federation is run by hypocrites and supported by fools. I'm glad
to be
rid of you all."
OK, Penny, you can gloat now. I'm picking this bit because I think
Croucher's
great here (in fact, I think he's great throughout 'Trial').
Me too. If they could only get rid of the half of the episode with the flea.
- "Are we fanatics?"
Actually, that whole group hug session in 'Star One' when, after two years
of
fighting side by side, it all comes down to how much they really can't
stand
each other. It's like Christmas.
It's a Miserable Life. But The Host (Angel) has a MUCH more dysfunctional family.
- "The Way Back". The whole of that too.
The WHOLE of it? You mean the bits after the first five minutes?
Of all the bits of 'Sarcophagus' I could pick, I've got to have this one.
First
of all - it's angsty as hell. Second, I'm still an old romantic when it
comes to
Avon and Cally (you don't see this so much any more in fanfic, do you?).
What I want to know is why you practically never see Blake/Cally--I mean, the one person in the Universe who actually agrees with him is his shipmate!
-(Y)
The first twenty that come to mind [with a few edited out as having already been mentioned]:
1. Shadow. Every minute.
2. Killer. Every minute.
3. Gambit: Jarriere's reaction shots. Travis's hat deserves a mention, too.
4. Bounty: Blake threatening to destroy Sarkoff's butterflies.
5. Bounty: VILA: Avon? AVON: What? VILA: Shut up. Please. [Avon turns away and smiles.]
6. Deliverance: BLAKE: How did it feel? AVON: Don't you know? BLAKE: Yes. I don't like the responsibility, either. [Avon rises, looks at Blake, then leaves the flight deck.]
7. City: VILA: All right then, give me a good reason. I'm a reasonable man. I'll accept a good reason. I'll accept a bad reason. I'll accept any damn reason at all, just tell me what the hell it is I'm meant to have done.
8. Trial: Every minute Brian Croucher is on the screen.
9. Trial: "Avon's gadget works!" - and Avon's reaction to same.
10. Volcano: Avon and Vila commiserating on the flight deck.
11. Rumors: Tarrant demoting Avon to "Section Leader".
12. Redemption: "So long as you're not standing behind me." - and Avon's reaction to same.
13. Gambit: Avon and Vila put one over on Orac.
14. Orbit: "Vila weighs seventy-three kilos, Avon."
15. Gold: Vila confronting Keillor.
16. Star One: The "wade in blood" speech, capped off by "You really do hate me, don't you?" - and Avon's reaction to same.
17. Traitor: "I need to kill her myself."
18. Mission to Destiny: Avon getting turned around by the sleep gas.
19. Pressure Point: Kasabi's dead-on assessment of Servalan.
20. Any episode: When the opening credits begin and I hear the cheesy theme song and instantly feel about three notches happier.
Mistral
Oh well, this seems to be compulsory... Sorry for repeats, but maybe it makes up for the BBC being so stingy with them?
1) The Way Back: Havant's speech: "Reality is a dangerous concept. Each one of us interprets it in a slightly different way. Every sense impression is filtered by the brain and altered, sometimes just a little, sometimes completely, to fit our individual model of what the world is about." He speaks with a forked tongue, but he tells the truth!
2) Space Fall: The first moment we see the Liberator. Oh, it's just so beautiful...
3) Time Squad: Cally's first entrance - her wonderful, fierce vitality.
4) Seek-Locate-Destroy: Our first meeting with Servalan, not to mention Bercol and Rontane. Thank heavens we got a second bite of those two in Trial, but why couldn't we have a nibble every other episode?
5) Redemption: "What shall I do with the other hand?" The whole Blake-Avon interaction, but this sums it up...
6) Shadow: Cally fires on Space City. That's our girl!
7) Pressure Point: Kasabi's death scene. I've said it before, but why let that stop me: I may love Servalan, but at that moment I love Kasabi more.
8) Trial: Hurrah, the Return of Rontane and Bercol! The whole Travis plot, especially when he says "Any more than I do" after Par has left.
9) Voice from the Past: The politics, you apathetic lot! Er, yes, and Avon in a black shirt grabbing Blake doesn't do it any harm.
10) Gambit: Avon and Vila tricking Orac, particularly Avon's delivery of "and neither, as a matter of fact, do I", plus the hand movements. It's all ridiculous - they obviously have to brief Orac on what it's all about before they reach the casino, but it's delightful anyway.
11) Gambit: Chenie, Docholli, and that coat.
12) Gambit: And, of course, the star of Blake's 7, Jarriere, ruefully shaking his head at Servalan.
13) Star One: "I want to be free of HIM."
14) Star One: "I have always trusted you, from the very beginning" - I'm with Una on this one, I think Blake is deluding himself!
15) City at the Edge etc: Vila coping with Bayban's psychopath act. Actually, I love Bayban's psychopath act, especially the bit about his mother calling him Babe.
16) City: "It's a pity we're not all as reliable as Zen." "But I thought you were..." And people think Cally has no sense of humour.
17) Rumours of Death: Anna's triumphant smile when her men break down Servalan's door. Oh yes, and the earlier bit where she's sitting slightly apart from her troops, psyching herself up for action. I love this woman.
18) Moloch: Embarrassing as it is to mention a Steed script, "If it comes down to that, Tarrant, there isn't really a lot of point, is there?" I love the way Vila suddenly acts his age and leaves Tarrant in confusion.
19) Terminal: The pale faces of Avon and Blake reflecting each other in the dark.
20) Blake: The End. Thank god they never tried to follow it. Er, what's that you say about a movie?
At 01:54 PM 6/7/01 +0100, Harriet Monkhouse wrote:
- Voice from the Past: The politics, you apathetic lot!
Politics isn't temporally bounded, so how can it be a moment? (;-p).
--Penny (Calling The Kettle Copper) -- "You mix your laundry list with your grocery list and you'll end up eating your underwear for breakfast."
(Alibidinous version of course)
20. Travis and the mutoid chatting in the tree in "Duel" 19. Human Bonding Ceremony scene in "Ultraworld" 18. Toise's headgear in "Gambit" 17. The yummy-looking balls of shadow in "Shadow" 16. Coser's costume in "Weapon" 15. Allegorical rats in "Weapon" 14. All things clonemaster-related in "Weapon" 13. "Weapon". I love "Weapon". I admit it. How long is a "moment" anyhow, Una? 12. Vila gets a wet foot in "Orac" 11. Avon leaving Shrinker in the cave with the gun in "Rumours of Death" 10. Tarrant's silly bow in "Rumours of Death" 09. Okay, the entirety of "Rumours of Death" too. 08. Servalan's giant lips in the empty auditorium in "Voice From The Past" 07. Travis trying to hook up with Servalan in "The Keeper" 06. Blake rushing into empty room in "Pressure Point" 05. Blake's recorded speech and crew reaction to it in "Trial" 04. Vila babbling at the irritatingly silent natives in "City" 03. Avon's bloody armpits speech in "Star One" 02. Travis' blame the system speech in "Trial" 01. End of "Blake". Duh.
--Penny
-- "You mix your laundry list with your grocery list and you'll end up eating your underwear for breakfast."
Penny wrote:
- Coser's costume in "Weapon"
- Allegorical rats in "Weapon"
- All things clonemaster-related in "Weapon"
- "Weapon". I love "Weapon". I admit it. How long is a "moment" anyhow, Una?
Hmm, not the most precise terminology, is it? As long as you like, Penny.
- Vila babbling at the irritatingly silent natives in "City"
I wish I'd put this one in. I love it so much.
Una
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