Death-Watch (312)
I like this episode, and that Star Trek is canonical in the B7 universe.
I wonder if it was part of their past, or just that the Federation was based on a popular and inspiring old vid series. After all, they pretty much turned the Star Trek insignia on its side.
Del Tarrant has a brother called Deeta as well as some unspecified relative (I go for uncle in my fanon) called Dev. To me this implies that all Tarrants may have names beginning with De. Was their father Derek and their sister Delia? I'm also betting that the name Del is the Jack of the future, what with Del Grant and at least 10 planets.
OK, Star Trek and Tarrant naming conventions aside, this really is a good episode. Champions meeting in single combat isn't a new idea, but it's updated for SF with sensor nets in the combatants' brains that allow spectators to experience death or killing. It's reality TV taken to the extremes it would love to go to (and probably will). I'm surprised that Vila went for it, but I'm also intrigued about Vinni, the android who thought he was human, and was such a good copy of one that the only oddness Dayna detected was his inhuman speed. He certainly can't have the mechanical relays the Avalon android had. I'd like to know more about Vinni and how he was created. Perhaps they implanted personality in a similar way to that of clone Blake.
I don't see Avon and Vila going for the whole idea of a fight to the death being entertainment. Vila might enjoy the festivities surrounding it--they have drink and nibbles on the flight deck, and he teleported back when there was nothing going on--but I really can't see what Avon would enjoy about it.
Cally is all sanctimonious again, but yay, she uses her telepathy at the end in a way that should have happened more.
I like the media people and Max the diplomat and friend. The whole idea of the duel is very well done without any clunky exposition. The only weak spots are the crew's reaction being rather out of character, the arena chosen being disappointingly boring (for me anyway), and the set at the end being the same as at the beginning. Passenger ships might have a standard layout, but they're big.
Costumes: You know what I'm going to say about The Matador, so I won't. Apart from Dayna's green, which suits her, the rest of the crew's weren't great either.
But awww, nibbles and drinks on the flight deck! I hope they did that more often than we saw.
Nice title too, considering the sensor nets.