TV Review Blakes Seven Series ONE Episode Four Time Squad 1978

TV REVIEW BLAKES SEVEN SERIES ONE EPISODE FOUR TIME SQUAD 1978

Arthur Chappell

There are two independent stories going on in this episode which interrupts the Liberator’s conflict with the evil Federation empire for a different kind of adventure, and introduces a new member to the crew, the 7th of the Seven, Cally, played by my namesake, Jan Chappell.

The Liberator is on its way to deliver the first major attack on the Federation, and pick up a group of rebels fighting their own battle with the Federation, in order to build an army. On route, they pick up a distress signal from a smaller spacecraft and go to its aid.

Blake and Jenna find the crew are cryogenically frozen men sent off on some unspecified mission and goal. They decide to thaw the men out and recruit them to their own cause.

After a tricky and well filmed docking procedure, Jenna and Gan look after the thawing men, who will so obviously soon be running amok on the Liberator in a plot not unlike that of classic Star Trek’s Space Seed episode.

Blake, Avon and Villa go to the planet they hope is filled with rebels, but find only one, Cally, a telepathic warrior from another World. She survived when the rebels were all gassed to death from space by the Federation due to her alien nature (though she looks perfectly human).

Events on the Liberator intensify with the silent space warriors thawed out and trying to kill the established crew. Gan’s back-story is given with some poignancy. An inhibiter plate in his skull stops him from being able to kill anyone – a punishment and security measure imposed on him for killing Federation guards before his full imprisonment. Jenna finds herself fighting alone against the men who look like extras from the movie, Zardoz.

Jenna gets a broken arm, which Gan instantly heals, with a gizmo in the Liberator medical kit. Jenna is amazed by the devise, though no explanation is offered for how Gan knew about it or how to use it. 

Blake and the others return to The Liberator to assist in disposing of the remaining cryogenic soldiers, and introduce Cally to Jenna, who is immediately wary and suspicious towards the alien girl, as Blake sets them on course for their next attack on the Federation as the episode ends.