Warlord (1981) Review

 

To its credit, Warlord tries to do something different, but it gets bogged down in unusual pretentiousness.

WRITTEN BY

Simon Masters, a workman script editor and writer for various British drama shows between the 70s and 90s. 

PLOT

In the hopes of gaining equipment and raw material to create the Pylene-50 antitoxin, Avon sets up a meeting of planetary leaders on Xenon to form an alliance against the Federation. However, they are betrayed and the base is sealed to become the crew's tomb... 

ANALYSIS

Warlord seems to be largely overshadowed by the series finale, but there's some really interesting stuff here as well. First and foremost, it is the only episode of Blake's 7, where the crew actually lead a rebellion. Where Avon of all people is trying to guilt politicians into entering a war where the enemy has the advantage. That's already more than enough to get my attention. I loved seeing Xenon Base bustle with activity, and Avon clearly out of his comfort zone having to keep the peace between his various guests. The stakes feel higher than they have in a long time, and one might even believe that the show is preparing for a two-part showdown between the rebel armies and Earth. It would've been especially appropriate, given that the footage of the Federation-occupied Zondawl played by Avon resembled how the show began in The Way Back. Except even worse. 

I was also very impressed by the idea of the crew struggling with being buried alive in their own home. Vila is excellent in these scenes, full of spite and hopelessness, no longer willing to cater to the others. And although Avon isn't physically there, he too seems stunned by this turn of events. He is rather detached and absent-minded throughout the second half of the episode, as if he's simply letting the events play out... and mentally preparing for what he knows is next.

There's some neat directorial touches - I love the location filming in the sandy desert. Somehow, the show still finds new and interesting terrain for action sequences. Tarrant's use of a touchscreen stylus pen(similar to Blake's in Duel) to redirect the airflow is inspired. There's some really good, disorienting handheld footage in Zukan's ship when it's spiraling out of control. And we also get to hear Dudley Simpson's Federation March, possibly for the last time!

But why oh why does Warlord have so much stupid in it? The romance between Tarrant and Zeoona is played so sincerely that it belongs in an entirely different show, and watching the crew constantly sabotage their relationship with Zukan so Tarrant could get laid is frustrating.  

As soon as Zukan appears, he offers to provide both the raw plant as well as the technology to refine it, making the rest of the alliance completely pointless(Avon established that Zukan was only meant to give them the plant). We never see them again, lessening the impact of the alliance's disintegration at the end. If they'd been kept in the story throughout the episode and been scared away by Zukan's actions, it would've felt like a much bigger loss. 

I hate that Zukan sees visions of his daughter and (for some reason) Servalan, and that bit with Zeoona's face amongst the stars, and the unnecessary CSO establishing shot on Betafarl. I hate that the characters are portrayed inconsistently: Zeoona is a bioengineer, yet conveniently forgets she shouldn't take her glove off in the midst of a virus. Zukan becomes a raving lunatic at the end because... reasons. Tarrant's a total dolt. 

It's frustating, and it really drags down what could have otherwise been a dark and brutal episode, and a better setup for the finale. 

CHARACTERS

When I first watched the episode, I found it somewhat offputting that Soolin(who has been completely pragmatic up to this point) would indulge Zeeona's romance with Tarrant. But it actually might be some of her strongest characterisation. Soolin stands up for Zeoona and her freedom to do as she wishes regardless of what happens to others, because that's what Soolin herself does. In addition, she has the least reason to care about what happens to Avon's rebellion, because she has no personal investment. She's there to sell her skill and could find herself another employer if she felt like it.

Tarrant has no excuse, though. He's being extraordinarily naive and shortsighted, even by his standards. I did absolutely love the moment where Avon shoves him away into the corridor to give Zukan and his daughter some privacy, though. Maybe I would've been more open to this plotline if it were a comedy episode, something like City At The Edge Of The World. But here it's just cheesy and unwarranted. It doesn't help that Bobbie Brown(Zeoona) is either not a very good actress, or is badly misjudging her performance. Her alien aloofness isn't much better than Rick James's. At least he goes all the way with how bad he is. 

Roy Boyd's got a good deal of charisma, and the script gives Zukan a few token scenes of depth, where he ruminates about his life, but the character doesn't come to life unfortunately. He's just a tool for Servalan, and completely inconsequential beyond sabotaging the base. I wish he got a chance to redeem himself before dying, or went out in a more memorable way at least. And the hair... no. 

NOTES

• The video-within-video effect on the Zondawl footage is remarkably reminiscent of modern Youtube. 
• What's with the ridiculous lightning effect on the goblets? 
• I wonder what the idea behind the giant flower on the monitor behind Zeeona was. Perhaps something akin to a desktop wallpaper?
• The virus is released into the base's circulation system by the "neutron bombarder". Egrorian would be appalled. 
• Lol at Zukan carrying around a giant desk lamp instead of a simple flashlight. 
• I love that the virus canisters have VIRUS GAS imprinted on them. Classic. 
• For once, Avon isn't wearing black leather!! He actually looks quite good in fatigues. 
• How does Betafarl function in perpetual light? Can a planet be habitable in that condition?
• Darrow seems a little tipsy in some of the Scorpio scenes. "If it comes to a choice between the alliance and Zukan's revenge..." *tiny wobble* "... don't think that I won't sacrifice y-youuu..."
• I bet Orac was fine. He doesn't even look dented. He just wants them all to die already. 
• The Federation troopers have clearly been on vacation to the Psychic Circus, judging from those hopping skills. 
• Zukan's plastic juicebox is hilarious.
• Why did Zukan lose control of his ship anyway? Did the bomb blow up in Finn's hands before he got ejected? It's not really made clear. 
• The sound effect of Avon opening a communications channel to Xenon happens before Darrow presses the button.
• I really do feel bad for Jacqueline Pearce. If they knew she wasn't going to be in Blake, they could have at least given her scenes some semblance of finality. But alas, the last time we see Pearce onscreen as Servalan is during Zukan's daft hallucination. I'm just gonna consider Gold as her final proper hurrah. 

INFORMATION!

• The concentration of Pylene-50 used by the Federation has been stepped up since the events of Traitor. 
• Avon is the leader of the anti-Federation alliance, an idea put forth by Egrorian in Orbit. 
• Soolin's father was murdered when she was eight years old.
• Avon and Tarrant visited Betafarl shortly before the events of this episode.

BEST QUOTE AVON QUOTE

"I may be a renegade, Boorva, but you betray your people if you do not fear the Federation."

CONCLUSION

Will probably never be a huge favourite, but it's slightly underrated. 

And on with luck, to Gauda Prime...