The Web has a strong underlying concept, but is let down by a weak script and abysmal production.
WRITTEN BY
Terry Nation, starting to show cracks.
PLOT
Desperate for assistance, exiled Auronar scientists possess Cally to deliver the Liberator to an artificially created trap in space, where Blake is forced to make a judgment call between the lives of his own crew and the innocent, bullied lifeforms the Auronar scientists disregard.
ANALYSIS
I think there's a lot of interesting ideas put forward by The Web. For instance, the spiderweb in space itself is a very creepy, classic premise that you could do a lot with, especially combined with the idea of alien possession. They really could've milked the horror of the situation.
On the planet, we have some interesting backstory regarding Cally's people, and an ethical dilemma worth considering. But it doesn't feel like anything of substance comes out of it. The costuming of the Decima and Saymon's assistants are frankly abominable, the planet surface is silly(lots of web strewn about with giant balloon-like plantlife) and once we get to hear the Decima's squeaky voices and see them running around like frantic Ewoks, the whole thing falls apart. I could kind of see the story working with a better director and stronger dialogue, but we don't have that.
So frankly, beyond the early setup, it's a bore.
CHARACTERS
The plight of the Decimas gives Blake something to fight for, and I do appreciate his willingness to stand for them in spite of their offputting appearance. But given how easily he surrenders to Saymon after being faced with torture doesn't really do much for his characterisation. I suppose Avon would've cracked immediately, but... well, do that! Show it! Give us some conflict between him and Avon! You had a premise and you wasted it.
And yeah, speaking of Avon, he gets to save Blake, implying the same underlying morality, that he isn't willing to let someone die in front of him if they've done him no harm, but his immediate instinct to abandon the Decimas seems to contradict that. Although I suppose he might've been bluffing to keep up the facade of emotional disconnect.
Having Cally get possessed on what's essentially her first day on the job could've been a neat setup to seeing the crew turn on her as an untrustworthy alien newcomer(indeed, Time Squad ended with the implication that Jenna didn't trust her), but this goes nowhere.
The rest(Jenna, Gan, Vila) are completely peripheral to this story.
NOTES
*I'm not sure if this is part of Saymon's influence, but I like that Cally just casually walks around with a gun on her hip, as befitting her freedom fighter character.
*The close-ups of a possessed Cally gave me strong Sarah Jane Smith vibes(from Doctor Who, when she is possessed by Eldred in "The Hand Of Fear").
*Zen apparently doesn't allow himself to become involved in the crew's activities.
*The one special effect I actually liked was that of Saymon's desiccated body in the jar. Quite freaky.
*Why didn't the crew immediately restrain Cally after knocking her out? Instead, they just leave her on the floor until she goes for a second try.
*Avon believes the crew could and should make a fortune(in addition to the treasure room, I suppose) by selling the Liberator's unique technologies. The fact that he delays this to allow Blake to continue his crusade tells tall tales of either Avon's patience or a suppressed loyalty.
*I like that Saymon proves to be a member of Cally's race. It's not that we learn anything more about the Auronar(another missed oppurtunity!), but it just adds some nice consistency to the Blake's 7 universe.
*This episode marks the first appearance of the "away team anoraks", which I quite fancy.
*David Jackson likes to give a thumbs up. Good to know some classics never die even in the future.
*Did Saymon just forget to lock the doors? The resolution to this episode was crap.
*What was the deal with Gan's glasses hooked up to a box? Some futuristic VR machine?
INFORMATION!
*As the episode ends, Blake resumes course for Centero, as established in Time Squad.
*Like Cally, Saymon and the Auronar scientists are exiled from Auron.
"Biological machines will never replace the real thing. They're far too unpredictable."
CONCLUSION
What a waste.
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