In The Harvest of Kairos Tarrant has persuaded the crew to head to the planet Kairos to steal a highly valuable cargo of crystals from right under the nose of the Federation. Servalan, helped by Ven Jarvik (who taught Tarrant everything he knows) has plans to use the raid to capture the Liberator. After a full on space battle with three new Mark 10 Federation ships the crew get their hands on the Kairos crystals only to find themselves by the old trojan horse trick (Jarvik’s men are hiding inside the crystal boxes.
Servalan is like the cat that got the cream as she teleports aboard the Liberator, threatens to kill the crew one by one until she is given command. Avon agrees to her demands as long as she agrees to teleport the crew down to the nearest inhabitable planet. Which just happens to be Kairos – a planet that may have a wealth of valuable crystals but is also hiding a sinister secret – giant spider like creatures. Yet again the creatures are something of a let down.
Down on Kairos the crew (who still have teleport bracelets of course) discover an abandoned early space age module that could give them an option of escape. Meanwhile Servalan sends Jarvik down to retrieve the bracelets.
It’s a busy episode, which even though is basically crew loses Liberator so how do they get it back type episode (a bit like the previous episode Harvest of the Gods in fact), has lots to recommend it, the interplay between Servalan and Jarvik (brilliantly played by Andrew Burt), Avon’s obsession with a sentient rock and Avon’s performance in general. There is also the clever conceit of the rock providing the key to getting the Liberator back.
production details
UK / BBC One / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast 4 February 1980
Writer: Ben Steed / Director: Gerald Blake
guest cast
Andrew Burt as Ven Jarvik
Frank Gatliff as Dastor
Anthony Gardner as Captain Shad
Sam Davies as Carlon
Charles Jamieson as Guard
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