Blakes 7 from start to finish

[Cartimand]

Having treated myself to a ChromeCast for Christmas and seeing that all 52 Blakes 7 episodes were available on YouTube, I decided to watch the entire saga. Just finished watching the jaw-droppingly bleak final episode "Blake".

Verdict? Well we all know that the special effects weren't great, having barely progressed since the days of Thunderbirds. The plots were generally very gripping though with some great twists and the characterisation was superbly nuanced.

Favourite episode? "City at the Edge of the World" in series 3, in which the cowardly Villa finally shows he does have a noble side and even gets the girl at the end!

Overall, a very enjoyable chunk of space opera, which retained a certain edginess throughout due to the writers' never shying away from killing off even major characters. Also great to see so many famous British actors in guest roles (sadly many of them no longer with us). Finally, has there ever been a more deliciously wicked but sexy villainness as Servelan?

Any views?

[Richard1978]

Re: Blakes 7 from start to finish

I was too young to remember it when it was first on, but got into it mostly for being a fan of Dr Who, which shared a lot of personnel.

About 20 years ago I started to borrow some of the videos from my local library & bought some before the short lived BBC2 repeats in 2000.

After that I watched & taped the rest from UK Gold.

It's been a while since I watched them, but still have all the tapes.

[catflap]

Re: Blakes 7 from start to finish

I watched the whole series through again a few years ago because it was some anniversary or other of the show (I forget which one). A classic.

I've lost count of the number of times it was announced they were going to do a new series or remake. I don't suppose we'll ever see one now - probably just as well.

They could probably cast Glynis Barber as Soolin again though - she hardly seems to have a aged a day since!

[Cartimand]

Re: Blakes 7 from start to finish

You're right. Glynis Barber still looks amazing. My top vote for Blakes 7 eye candy (apart from Servelan of course) was Bobbie Brown in the final series. Shame she got all skeletonised!

[darren]

Re: Blakes 7 from start to finish

Ive never saw it i must say.

But i know a few who really like it.

Must say i never knew glynis barber was in it.

From what ive heard of it im sure id like it.

[Richard1978]

Re: Blakes 7 from start to finish

You're right. Glynis Barber still looks amazing. My top vote for Blakes 7 eye candy (apart from Servelan of course) was Bobbie Brown in the final series. Shame she got all skeletonised!

Did Toyah leave a wig behind after a Top Of The Pops performance?

A now closed site used to have a lot of screen shots with funny captions like that.

[zabadak]

Re: Blakes 7 from start to finish

Could never get into this...

[marc]

Re: Blakes 7 from start to finish

I did see all the episodes. Really, it went on for a season too many. The final episode, "Blake", was something to remember. I well recall the rumpus among fans about the ending. The bad guys won. It was pointed out, in reality, the good guys don't always win. A book came out later, "Blake's 7, Afterlife." In the book, Avon survived the onslaught. He was actually badly injured, and left for dead. He regained consciousness, and managed to crawl away and hide. I can't remember much more about the plot, except the computer was called Blake. I can't remember how the book ended.

[fynger]

Re: Blakes 7 from start to finish

Watched this complete a couple of months ago.....its one of those series where you get Pee'd off cos it was so short......wanted more....lol

[Cartimand]

Re: Blakes 7 from start to finish

I read the follow-up novel "Blake's 7 Afterlife" several years ago. Both Avon and Vila were wounded but survived and were incarcerated in a Federation prison. The action starts some 6 months after the final TV episode. Well worth a read if you can find a copy of this rare book! There's also the audio books, which are worth a listen. I have the Project Avalon collection, which is voiced by Paul Darrow and Jacqui Pearce and is very entertaining. There's a nicely creepy dungeon crawl in one of the stories.

[Richard1978]

Re: Blakes 7 from start to finish

Originally the series was supposed to have ended with the 3rd series, but someone high up at the BBC called in to TV Centre to renew it while the last episode was on air.

I've got a CD set of the radio shows made 15 years ago with most of the series 4 cast.

[Pussywillow]

Re: Blakes 7 from start to finish

Ah Blake's 7. I was a young adult/teenager when it was on, and a huge fan. So much so I even joined the fan club (Horizon) which I think is still going. I used to get all sorts of fan fiction from there, plus a magazine that arrived about twice a year.

Since then the B7 tapes have been put in the loft and I've got the series on digital now. Don't think I could re-watch it now though, but the books/kindle are worth a look if you liked the series. There's about 7 or 8 of them on Amazon and I've read the first 2, and they were very good, the characters and personalities captured and true to canon.

There has always been talk about re-doing the series, especially since Dr Who made such a redoubtable comeback. Paul Darrow reckons they've already done a remake in the film/series Firefly. I Can't see that myself.

I've come to the conclusion, after the best part of 40 years since it was first aired, that's it's maybe best to let sleeping dogs lie. Besides, there's enough audio/books/fan fiction out there to keep the keenest fan occupied.

Let's remake the Champions instead !

[Cartimand]

Re: Blakes 7 from start to finish

"Paul Darrow reckons they've already done a remake in the film/series Firefly"

And he's absolutely right. Firefly also featured 7 renegade characters on the losing side in a war, some of the plots were almost identical and several snippets of dialogue were lifted directly from Blakes 7. Shame that Joss Whedon didn't have the integrity to acknowledge the very heavy influence B7 was on Firefly.

[Richard1978]

Re: Blakes 7 from start to finish

"Paul Darrow reckons they've already done a remake in the film/series Firefly"

And he's absolutely right. Firefly also featured 7 renegade characters on the losing side in a war, some of the plots were almost identical and several snippets of dialogue were lifted directly from Blakes 7. Shame that Joss Whedon didn't have the integrity to acknowledge the very heavy influence B7 was on Firefly.

I've heard that quote, I'll have to get round to watch Firefly (On Netflix) to see how it compares.

[I. R. Fincham]

Re: Blakes 7 from start to finish

I watched it all in January this year. The first two seasons are some of the greatest television ever. The third season had quite a lot of good, but wasn't up to the same standard. The final season was mostly bad.

The special effects were mostly good, except for the flying through space effect which was awful.

The Liberator is the second greatest spaceship ever, only narrowly behind the original Enterprise.