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The Web was the fifth episode of Series A of Blake's 7 first broadcast in 1978. This was the first episode to feature the Liberator's weapons firing.

Synopsis[]

From the VHS release:

When an unexplainable gravitational pull traps the Liberator in an enveloping gossamer fungus near an unexplored planet, the legend of Cally's people - The Lost - becomes a reality. To break free from their 'web', Blake is asked to wipe out an entire species...

Plot[]

Onboard the Liberator, Cally begins acting strangely, knocking Vila unconscious and then sabotaging the ship. She then holds Blake, Jenna and Avon at gunpoint on the flight deck before Gan overpowers her. When she recovers, she has no memory of the incident. The Liberator drifts towards a nearby planet where it becomes trapped in a web-like substance. Jenna goes into a trance and someone speaks through her, telling the crew to travel down to the planet. Cally believes that her possessor was one of the Lost, a group of Auronar who were exiled from Auron in ancient times.

Jenna possessed The Web

Saymon speaks through Jenna.

Blake teleports down to a wooded area inhabited by small, white-skinned creatures, the Decimas. One of them approaches Blake and asks for help but, before he can respond, it is killed by Novara, one of two silver-skinned people who emerge from a nearby dome. He and his companion Geela take Blake inside and inform him they can use a fungicide to destroy the web trapping the Liberator. However, the power cells that both the fungicide and their life support systems depend on are failing. Blake agrees to provide replacements. Onboard the Liberator, the crew detect Federation pursuit ships that will have them on sensors if they remain trapped but Jenna elects to keep the information from Blake.

Blake is shocked when Novara and Geela reveal that, once they have the power cells, they will release a dose of radiation that will kill the Decimas. They also reveal that both the Decimas and they themselves are manufactured lifeforms. They take Blake to their controller, Saymon, a shrunken head and body located in a life support tank who contains the minds of six members of the Lost, the result of their experiments to prolong life. Geela and Novara are entirely controlled by him and it was also him who controlled Cally and Jenna to bring the Liberator there.

The Web

The Liberator trapped in the web

Federation Pursuit ships in formation The Web

Federation pursuit ships in formation.

Blake contacts the Liberator and learns Avon has already teleported down with the power cells. Finding him in the woods, he attempts to withhold the power cells until Geela and Novara agree to destroy the radiation device. However, the two automatons force them to surrender the power cells and fit them in the dome. Before they can activate the radiation, though, the Decimas attack. Blake and Avon manage to activate the fungicide and teleport clear as the Decimas destroy the lab, killing Geela, Novara and finally Saymon. The Liberator breaks clear of the web in time to avoid the Federation patrol.

Cast[]

Crew[]

Story notes[]

  • Deep Roy, who appears as one of the Decimas, has more substantial roles as the Klute in "Gambit" and Moloch in "Moloch".
  • This episode introduces the colour-coded tracksuits worn by the Liberator crew on planets' surfaces, although only Blake and Avon are seen wearing them. (Cally is carrying hers when she tries to convince Blake to let her teleport down.) Vila's and Gan's debut in "Seek-Locate-Destroy" and Jenna's in "Duel".
  • According to Gareth Thomas, it took nine takes to film Deep Roy's death scene, because his eyes kept crossing.
  • This episode introduces the colour-coded tracksuits worn by the Liberator crew on planets' surfaces, although only Blake and Avon are seen wearing them. (Cally is carrying hers when she tries to convince Blake to let her teleport down.) Vila's and Gan's debut in Seek-Locate-Destroy and Jenna's in Duel.
  • The costumes of Geela and Novara are both made from white overalls covered in thin sheets of metallic plastic. Unfortunately the plastic was not very strong or versatile and throughout the episode it can be seen to be in various states of disintegration, dependent on the order of the filmed scenes.
  • The Decimas suits are repainted Zygon costumes from the Doctor Who serial "Terror of the Zygons".

Ratings[]

9.6M

Filming locations[]

Black Park, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire.

Production errors[]

To be added.

Continuity[]

  • At the end of the episode, Blake sets course for Centero, as he had done at the end of Time Squad. The ship finally arrives there in "Seek-Locate-Destroy.
  • Avon states that one day Blake will not be making the decisions aboard the Liberator, a prediction that comes true in Powerplay.

Quotes[]

Blake: (After Avon has saved his life) Thank you. Why?
Avon: Automatic reaction. I'm as surprised as you are.

Home video releases[]

Series 1 DVD

DVD cover

  • Original BBC video release (Volume 3) in 1991.
  • Fabulous Films video reissue (Volume 3) on 14 April 1998.
  • DVD release as part of the Series 1 box set on 1 March 2004.

External links[]

References[]

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