Written by Robert Holmes, this very strong episode establishes that the Federation is finally getting back on its feet after the Galactic War and is spreading faster and further than the Scorpio crew had predicted. This is a very exciting development as the series is returning to its roots, something which is emphasised by the best use of the series' trademark political machinations since Series Two. Having survived the destruction of Liberator in "Terminal", Servalan is back to her old tricks under the pseudonym Commissioner Sleer. In her temporary absence, she was removed from office and the High Council was restored so she's in the process of rebuilding her powerbase. Never one to do things by half measures, she gains control of the population of Helotrix – Helots being a group subjugated by the Spartans. Nice touch! – and other planets using a new pacification drug called Pylene-50.
To be honest, this episode doesn't really reach its full potential until Servalan appears on the scene. While it was rather obvious who the ruthless Sleer was before she appeared, it was nicely built up. The Helot rebels are a bit of damp squib but otherwise this episode has a strong cast, particularly Malcolm Stoddard as Leitz, Edgar Wreford as the (literally) tortured genius Forbus and Christopher Neame, later a mainstay of American sci-fi series, as Colonel Quute. With his hairline and eye patch over his left eye, Colonel Quute seems to have been modelled physically on a younger Moshe Dayan, who died only four days after this episode aired. Coincidentally, Neame and Neil Dickson both later played villains in "Sliders". Avon's very risky manoeuvre in hiding Scorpio by bringing it into the atmosphere in the hope of avoiding Federation fire shows that he's growing unstable. Tarrant and Dayna are very well used in this episode with the former looking far better in his leather outfit (even if it's one that Avon used to wear!) than this grey, grey and grey one.
To be honest, this episode doesn't really reach its full potential until Servalan appears on the scene. While it was rather obvious who the ruthless Sleer was before she appeared, it was nicely built up. The Helot rebels are a bit of damp squib but otherwise this episode has a strong cast, particularly Malcolm Stoddard as Leitz, Edgar Wreford as the (literally) tortured genius Forbus and Christopher Neame, later a mainstay of American sci-fi series, as Colonel Quute. With his hairline and eye patch over his left eye, Colonel Quute seems to have been modelled physically on a younger Moshe Dayan, who died only four days after this episode aired. Coincidentally, Neame and Neil Dickson both later played villains in "Sliders". Avon's very risky manoeuvre in hiding Scorpio by bringing it into the atmosphere in the hope of avoiding Federation fire shows that he's growing unstable. Tarrant and Dayna are very well used in this episode with the former looking far better in his leather outfit (even if it's one that Avon used to wear!) than this grey, grey and grey one.