It seems more to be about model-making and the new blu-rays these days (she says on the basis of having attended a grand total of one conference). Much less interesting.

I don't like Pella. Might be better if she could act.

Where are you up to? I like the way we get some 'background' atmosphere of their continual arguing . You don't get that in any of the other SF Tv series.

I have a secret hope that we could have a proper Horizon con for the 50th anniversary.

You get something of it in Firefly, but not on this scale. In Star Trek/Babylon 5/Space 1999 they are professionals, so work together on that basis.

Such a pity, really. It feels like the organisers are more interested in making money than getting fans together to celebrate anything. But to some extent it will depend on the interests of the organisers as well, so if they're into models or whatever, that's the easiest to set up.

Vila gets a lot to do in this episode.

Hurt/comfort doesn't exist because it's all boys running around shooting weapons these days.

Actually, it would seem they didn't really need Tarrant if Avon was contemplating, back as early as Horizon, zooming around the galaxy with Orac as his sole companion. Even Blake leapt in to grab the controls from Jenna at one stage.

I know we talked about this at the Tuesday rewatch, but you can always tell a Ben Steed episode, can't you?

Professionals backbite and plot against each other.

Cato seems a good sort. He needs to train up a successor.

Yes, but perhaps less openly - in well-run workplaces.

My point was that the arguing makes B7 more human, less workplace and more approachable, easier for the audience to suspend their disbelief.

I agree that Avon could fly the ship on his own, under most circumstances, with ORAC's help - but, as his conversation with ORAC in Horizon makes clear, he is not a confident pilot. I suspect he would prefer to have a professional around - and I think that he is confident that he will always be able to dominate Tarrant. And Tarrant is useful for doing the running around, action hero kind of stuff.

I was wondering if you thought the Blakes 7 fanbase had become more male. I first became aware of it through a BBC series on cult TV fandoms - it was noticeable that the B7 episode was all women - Una McCormack, Judith Proctor and others.

My point was that the arguing makes B7 more human, less workplace and more approachable, easier for the audience to suspend their disbelief.

Of course, we make much of the decline of Seska numbers, but we see no young Hommmiks either - and no Hommik women except Nina. Perhaps they are not very good at capturing Seska, and their numbers are declining too? In that case, there may not be the couple of likely boys to be trained as Cato's apprentices.

Where can I get some dynamon? And someone to help me implant it.Telekinesis wouild be sooooo useful.

Yes, but perhaps less openly - in well-run workplaces.

Has anyone written about what happened to the Seska and Hommicks after the Scorpio left?

Looks just like Tracy Island.

So instead of a pirate, they've picked up a mercenary? Soolin might outlast the lot of them.

Definitely no-one to replace Cato and I've been asking myself who all the Hommicks are that Gunn Sar boasts about taking out.

Again, not very intelligent - reducing your manpower in pointless feuds and challenges.

Absolutely! That was one thing I liked in the convention footage from the Series B blu-rays. Sally, Jacks and Jan are interviewed and Jacks, in particular, points out that it is the relationships between the characters that are driving force in the show.

Again, not very intelligent - reducing your manpower in pointless feuds and challenges.

Another reason for doubting whether 'survival of the fittest' is really the way things move forward. It depends what you mean by survival, and what they are fit for. Killing is hardly the best survival strategy.

You must find that rather familiar from the time periods you deal with. Studying medieval history as an undergraduate, remembering who was who did my head in.