[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Episode 15

Shadow

Written by Chris Boucher

Blake decides to try and enlist the help of the Terra Nostra, much to Gan's objections to aid their fight against the Federation. The Terra Nostra, a drugs cartel have a contact on Space City, a Las Vegas in space.

Blake and the crew travel to Space City to try and make contact with Largo, whom Jenna knows from her old smuggling past, but he doesn't admit to the Terra Nostra even exsisting.

Unbeknown to the crew Orac has fallen under the influence of a telepathic alien and has mentally attacked Cally.

Unable to help Cally, Blake decides to find the source of the drug Shadow, the main source of wealth of the Terra Nostra. The telepathic plants from which Shadow is derived fortunately help Cally recover but the crew discover that the planet Shadow is found is ultimately protected by the President of the Federations personal security forces.

"To have total control," Blake observes, "you must control totally---both sides of the law. The Terra Nostra/the Federation---two sides of the same power"

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A very adult episode concerning drugs and their supply as well as their effects.

Orac proves less than friendly throughout the episode and its mental subjugation of Cally is quite disturbing in places.

This is the first episode to be written by anyone other than series creator Terry Nation, in this case the series script editor Chris Boucher. Boucher came from Doctor Who to Blakes 7. He wrote three Doctor Who stories - The Face of Evil, The Robots of Death and Image of the fendahl and introduced the character of Leela to the show. In his script for Shadow Boucher gives the characters some excellent dialogue including some quality quips and put downs.