vilakins | Redemption (201)

And it's into season 2.

Costumes
Since everyone has changed their clothes and Cally has cut most of her perm off (or put her head in the automated coiffure generator), I prefer to think that the beginning takes place a week or more later, which has given Avon lots of time to have worked out what he won't tell anyone unless they ask.
Blake - yay, the iconic goose turd green sleeves! I actually rather like the outfit.
Cally - very 60s SF with the wide padded shoulders, not also not that practical for the modern guerrilla. I'm not surprised the only wore it the once.
Jenna - I like her tunic, and though I've seen it referred to as 'carpet-pattern, it actually looks like a floaty and translucent chiffon. Very attractive but not perhaps the best around controls, but she wears more floaty tunics later so she obviously never watched any pilot safety vids.
Vila - nice understated grey suede tunic that he looks rather delectable in; pity about the yellow trousers and that thick belt which doesn't flatter him at all.
Gan - it might be impractical, but Gan's cloak gives him dignity, He's magnificent.
Avon - Ah, yes, the 'demented dentist'. This is the first appearance of studded leather.
The Altas - hmmm, blue bodysuits and plastic. I do like their hair though, especially Alta 2's; she looks quite modern.

Characters
My favourite scene for Blake is when he helps the slave who collapses under the weight of the pipe section. Its contrasts with his willingness to kill thousands if not millions by destroying Star One later makes me suspect he can care for individuals but not the faceless rabble. Rather like Vila being able to shoot at ships but not people.
I suppose Avon could be asserting his independence by refusing to jump to Blake's orders, but I find it equally hard to drop something I'm involved in and do something else. I want to finish what I'm doing, and Avon is the same; not just in this episode either.
Vila is excellent in this ep (and is adorable to boot). OK, I know I'm biased, but there are eps in which I could smack him hard, most of them written by Chris Boucher. Funny, that. I shall post more on that tonight. Here he's capable, he escapes from his cell and releases Jenna and Avon (and Avon even says he's sorry after he hits him), and he aggravates the System guards. We only see the blood on the wall and the wound on his forehead, but did he fight back as he did on Sardos? Cheek them? Nah, he probably just tried to run.
Cally seems to have considerable technical expertise, working on the teleport bracelets (of which there are now a full set--more evidence that time has passed) and assisting Avon by fitting the auto-navigator and replacing a detector unit.
Jenna, who is usually quite hostile to Avon seems to get on very well with him in their cell. I can't imagine Avon letting many people use him as a source of comfort or warmth. :-)
And as for Orac? He set this all up. Three shots at close range would fix him.

Orac
At the end of the previous season, the crew didn't seem that impressed with him, so he displayed a picture of an exploding DSV against the stars of Zen's home system (and System) which he probably got from Zen when he took him over in 'Orac'. He then had to make it happen--without blowing himself up as well. So he let the crew stew for several days or weeks, then contacted the System. If they had been able to detect the Liberator, they'd have done it before now, so Orac takes the initiative. Of course he also has to ensure that DSV1 is there--which isn't necessarily always so, given its name and function--and this could also explain the time lapse. And of course, when he blew up the DSV1, everyone was suitable grateful.
As for the tarial cell thing, it's specified that he can read any computer with them. It's not said that he can't read computers without them, and he obviously takes over Zen and the System's system with ease.

Unanswered questions
Why does the System use DSVs anyway? And why is DSV2 full of gems and clothes? It doesn't seem that the Altas would use either, and the System appears to be fairly self-contained and probably isolationist.

An enjoyable episode, though I could have had less running around up and down stairs and more about the slaves and System society.