I'm sure the teleport must be separate to the flight deck as a security measure. Otherwise hostiles appearing on ship would arrive directly in a place they could do the most serious damage – kill the pilot, smash or deny access to flight controls, stop anyone using the weaponry systems, etc.

As for Avon's juvenile taunts at Blake, that he can do better – he has to be new at it. At leadership, I mean. That's another new survival skill he's acquiring while on the Liberator – piloting from Jenna, lock-picking from Vila, guns knowledge could've been from Cally, and leadership from Blake – I bet he never was a people's manager before.

Silver jacket – I also see at as symbolic for Avon trying on Blake's role of a shining messiah or whatever. 🙂

I did like Avon challenging Blake and couldn’t work it into the blog post. It was an interesting line – “think I’ll be able to handle it better than you?” I believe – and amused me because although they often have serious disagreements, Avon came across as such a schoolboy with that line. It was a couple of steps away from shouting “scaredy cat, can’t cut the mustard!”

Interesting story on the jacket. “Something flashier” he cried, and was presented with an outfit that required the rest of the crew to wear sunglasses.

The scene in The Web was pointed out to me after I viewed it, but it wasn’t something I picked up on while watching and therefore hasn’t carried much weight in my mind.

On my first watch I usually just want to be entertained and miss a lot of finer points – I'm amazed by how much you've picked up on the first run, by the way. Then if I become obsessed I'll rewatch and it's often a very different experience – I see so much more and want to write about everything or burst.

And I see the 2nd time through Deliverance was more rewarding for you too, especially Lord Avon part! 🙂

Now for me, even on the 1st run, Lord Avon was a favorite so that I barely noticed anything else – except that superb scene with Servalan and Travis. Yes, Servalan is awesome and she's a unique villain – I can't see her equal even up to this day. And Travis showed his humanity – with Servalan stomping on it ruthlessly yet sympathetically. That's fascinating about her – she can feel regret, she can sympathize, but she can just throw it away in a second. I'm glad she enticed you enough to watch the rest!

Back to Lord Avon. As I was watching in context, I felt almost like Meegat by that stage – ready to worship at his feet. She represented the audience, the feelings of Avon's fans finally acknowledged on screen.

Vila said: "Counting yourself, that makes two people who think you're wonderful." Yeah Vila, that and a couple of million of viewers, especially female ones. 😀

It was great to see the softer side of Avon. He was gentle with her, didn't take advantage. And then he said to her, about himself: "That seems like a poor reward, somehow." A glimpse in how his superiority complex was covering self-hatred.

And Avon volunteering to lead the mission, and challenging Blake that he can do better, marks an important development for him, and follows from Breakdown. He's stuck on Liberator, can't leave – he needs more control over his situation, needs to try for leadership. He was a loner before ("I failed because I relied on other people").
And in this episode he tries on Blake's shoes. And finds out it's not easy – see his distress over losing Jenna. Responsibility (which comes with power) is hard. Their exchange with Blake in the end is superb – you picked up on it too!

Other parts of the episode weren't that good, but my idea to make the episode better would be to shrink them even more or throw them out – like the natives on Cephlon. And expand the fun parts – with Servalan and Lord Avon. 🙂

And yes, Terry Nation was running on fumes at this point, he didn't bother even to tie up Meegat story, she's just left hanging on the planet. Or did she leave with the rocket? She's just forgotten.

As for Blake – I'd say he cared about his crew safety, remember how he had to be restrained not to rush after Cally in SLD, how he was driving himself to save her, and then save Gan in Breakdown? He had a lot of guilt about his old resistance group killed by Travis. Blake is driven by guilt a lot, he can't lose anyone on his watch. So he cares in that sense.
But in the sense of letting the crew do what they want with themselves – no, no that.

Ah, and about the Silver Parka – I've heard Paul Darrow requested a change from the drab windbreaker he had in The Web/SLD. He wanted something flashier and he was given it, to our delight. My favorite look of his in S1! 🙂

Thanks for the blog, it is always satisfying to delve into the finer details of my favourite TV programme!