Starring Gareth Thomas, Paul Darrow, T.P. McKenna, Carinthia West, Mark Zuber, Michael Keating, Sally Knyvette, David Jackson, Jan Chappell & Peter Tuddenham
Written by Terry Nation
Directed by Pennant Roberts
President Sarkoff has been deposed as president of Lindor, but finally Blake has managed to track him down. He needs him to return to his home planet, to protect them from the onset of the Federation.
However the Sarkoff that Blake meets is very different to the man who once lead his people. Can Blake convince him of the danger Lindor faces? Or will he have to admit defeat and leave without him?
Meanwhile, on the Liberator, Zen picks up a signal from a drifting craft. Is it a trap or a genuine call for help? And why has Jenna turned traitor?
Bounty once more is a strong story squandered by the writing fatigue that Terry Nation was going through and the massive cast that has been imposed upon the show. It's certainly more consistant than the previous episode, Breakdown, however it's less exciting and, I'm sorry to report, much more turgid.
Very much like Seek-Locate-Destroy, this story starts with Blake and his team right in the middle of the action, however here that idea seems utterly squandered because there's very little contextual knowledge, which is something I feel this story really needs. Without us really knowing the situation on Lindor in the first place, it's difficult to empathise with either Blake's or Sarkoff's. All we get are potted histories and an empty vacuous feeling. Sarkoff's obsession with 20th century materials is something that seems like a quirk quickly written into the character, rather than something which has grown out of his development, and is genuinely something which drives the character. It just reflects the idea that this story is single-mindledly focused on the fact that he's been deposed. And, because of the stories other plot, Sarkoff's plot loses interest. Now, both the script and actor try so hard, but sadly, I was never really convinced by Jenna turning against the Liberator crew. It's in the programme's very nature to suprise and excite, but sadly this 'suprise' left me cold. I mean, it's not really innovative, nor is it well excuted. After all, the first chance Terry gets, he shows Jenna clobbering one of Tarvin's men. It would have been better not to have showed that, but instead keep us in suspense regarding Jenna's treachery, he blows it first chance he gets. And that's what doesn't make the story believable; because of that, the tension deflates out of the story, like a massive balloon. And frankly most of the episode is padded, I can't deny that. Everything about this story feels like it's been extended just to fill the run time, so Bounty spills out into an over complicated mess.
The acting in this isn't as strong as it could be sadly. Certainly Gareth Thomas and T.P. McKenna are a guarantee of quality, McKenna, in particular, injecting his usual gravitas Into the part. However, certainly Mark Zuber goes a bit overboard on the greasy charm. Things are better when there subtle, something which Zuber obviously forgot about with Tarvin. Sally Knyvette is very good at playing a very cold hearted Jenna, mostly because she keeps her performance close to how she normally plays the part, and that's what makes a little more believable. Sadly, the rest of the regulars, including Jan Chappell, passed me by completely. Paul Darrow and, in particular, Michael Keating get some great one liners, but sadly they barely registered for me, once more reinforcing the problems that are already there. And Carinthia West doesn't help either. Her performance just seems off, which coupled with Pennant Roberts' stale direction and Roger Murry Leach's excellent design work failing to move me, and this cripples Bounty in my mind permanently.
Bounty, therefore, is sadly a bit of a flop. There are some good ideas, but these are lost in a sea of mismashed plot beats, some sedate direction and a general feeling of non interest. This series' final two episodes had better pull something out of the bag, because, aside from Project Avalon, this second half had been a bit of a poor showing.
Liberator Rating - 5/10
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