She did try with Vila in Traitor but it wasn't the time or place. And Vila uses the stand-up comedian to disassociate himself from certain kinds of action. And I agree with you totally about the women. They're not on her radar at all.

Also opening the door - very stupid.

She did try with Vila in Traitor but it wasn't the time or place. And Vila uses the stand-up comedian to disassociate himself from certain kinds of action. And I agree with you totally about the women. They're not on her radar at all.

But it didn't work because Vila is straight-up scared of her. There's no tension at all, sexual or otherwise.

The probability square is the way David Bowie said he wrote some of his lyrics: just shuffled them until they worked.

Joking is his displacement behaviour.

I think the reference to Sarcophagus is crass - but I do like that Vila is clearly still mourning Cally.

I love the way Servalan comes back from this apparently fragile moment to swindle the lot of them in Gold.

I love the way Servalan comes back from this apparently fragile moment to swindle the lot of them in Gold.

She had to - for her own self-respect. And she pointedly ignores Tarrant and flirts with Avon.

She's only partly fragile. A good actress knows how to turn on the waterworks to her own benefit.

What, as if nothing happened? (har har har).

(I said 'apparently'!)

She has to show that nothing did.

I think She's forgotten it already. Tarrant's the one that has to pretend it didn't. Avon doesn't forget, though.

She's only partly fragile. A good actress knows how to turn on the waterworks to her own benefit.

You mean she faked it??????

I think this is a thing I like about this episode. She knows that Tarrant is the chivalrous type, so she's playing up the damsel in distress - but to me, at least, it's clear that it's not all an act. Where the one starts and the other stops is the thing that it is so hard to determine.

No, but it's just what she does to an available male. He's one in a very long line. She can't be expected to remember them all. And when it's over, it's over.

Just kidding.

Remember - it's all about power for her.

I do love the fact that Soolin and Dayna's reaction to Avon as the 'dominant male' is to laugh.

And haven't we just said that laughter is about fear?

And haven't we just said that laughter is about fear?

The other element in the equation is the Sand. It is clearly affecting both Servalan and Tarrant, and dictating their behaviour - but how much? Another imponderable.

The other element in the equation is the Sand. It is clearly affecting both Servalan and Tarrant, and dictating their behaviour - but how much? Another imponderable.

Best episode, for me. More meaningful about the people than all the shoot-em-ups from male writers. Fewer plot holes, less stupid magic technology that doesn't look right etc etc. Great fun.

And again, this is so very stupid, and so very Tarrant - he wouldn't be able to live with keeping a secret of that magnitude from them, even though he must know how they would react.

And again, this is so very stupid, and so very Tarrant - he wouldn't be able to live with keeping a secret of that magnitude from them, even though he must know how they would react.

Although I think there is also a side of him that would like to make Avon jealous - and I think he has succeeded.