The Blakes 7 Thread.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

A lot of people seem to enjoy the seventies sci-fi thread so i thought i would add to that by doing a Blakes 7 thread, looking at each episode from all four series.


Please feel free to make any contributions, all are most welcome.

[VicDakin]

Blakes 7.
I have'nt seen this since,i can't remember? was it ever repeated?and what are the dvds like?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Series one ran from the 9th of January 1978 until March 27th.

The series was created by Terry Nation, most famous for introducing the Daleks to Doctor Who.

The regular cast of series one

Blake - Gareth Thomas
Avon - Paul Darrow
Villa - Michael Keating
Jenna - Sally Knyvette
Cally - Jan Chappell
Gan - David Jackson
Zen - Peter Tuddenham

Series one title sequence -

[VicDakin]

You forgot Orac

[wongfeihung62]

If you are a fan, watch these - Blake's Junction 7

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Episode 1

The Way Back

By Terry Nation

Roj Blake is a typical citizen of the Federation who believes that his family have emigrated to a frontier world. When an acquaintance promises him information about his family, he illegally goes with her outside the domed city into the forbidden lands. Once there, he is told that four years earlier he had been a rebel leader, but following capture his memories were wiped and new ones added by the Federation, he finds out his family were sent to another world but executed before arrival.

Whilst at a rebel meeting Blake hides as Federation troops massacre the rest, he is then arrested and put on trial to discredit him on charges of child molestation, so any potential followers would be put off him. Evidence is manufactured, Blake is proved guilty of the charges and he is sentenced to life on the penal colony Cygnus Alpha.

Whilst in transit Blake becomes friends with a thief named Villa Restal and beautiful smuggler Jenna Stannis. As the prison ship London takes off Blake is told to take a final look at earth, he replies "No, i'm coming back".
............

The opening episode of Blakes 7 is far from the classic space opera it would become, this episode is more Grisham style courtroom thriller. For a start there are no real villains in the episode just the "system". Its an adult themed sci-fi drama, a notch up from the increasingly childish Doctor Who episodes airing at the time. The episode encompeses freedom fighters, mind altering drugs, torture and touches on paedophilia to give the viewer an entirely grim opening episode with its only flashes of humour apparent with the arrival onscreen of Villa.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by VicDakin

You forgot Orac

Orac was introduced in the final episode of series 1. It was never a regular cast member untill series 2.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Episode 2

Space Fall

Written by Terry Nation

The London is in flight to prison planet Cygnus Alpha, Blake is introduced to Kerr Avon, a computer expert caught whilst stealing five million credits from the Federation banking system. Blake sums up his options and realises he has with him not only a computer genius but also a pilot (Jenna), Blake plans to take over the London.

The plan goes wrong when the rest of the prisoners are captured and the sadistic Sub-commander Ryker (Leslie Schofield) begins killing prisoners until they surrender.

The London aproaches a space ship, most likely alien adrift and abandoned during a battle, the Londons' captain, Leyland (Glyn Owen) decides to check it out, but loses contact with the two men he sends over to the craft. Unwilling to sacrifice any more of his men leyland instructs Blake, Avon and Jenna to board it as they are expendable.

Once on the alien vessel the three manage to escape, commandeer the ship, Ryker falling from an airlock in the process and set off following the London to Cygnus Alpha to rescue the other prisoners.

.................

Episode two takes the series into the stars, a little humour adds to the script from Terry Nation as the four regular cast members Blake, Avon, Villa and Jenna interact and begin to bond, although clearly Avon has his own agenda.

If the first episode was a Grisham style political courtroom intrigue story then Spacefall is an episode of Prison Break as the prisoners plot to take over the transport ship. The serious tone of the first episode continues and Avon's fight with a guard is well staged and realistic. The special effects model work of space craft courtesy of Ian Scoones is very good and our first glimpses of the Liberator intriguing.

[VicDakin]

Originally Posted by Demdike

Orac was introduced in the final episode of series 1. It was never a regular cast member untill series 2.

I see,i dont think i saw series one then,i do remember Paul Darrow being very good.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Episode 3

Cygnus Alpha

By Terry Nation



On the alien vessel, Blake, Avon and Jenna discover its highly advanced computer - Zen. Using Jenna's thoughts Zen names the ship Liberator. Unbelievably for Blake they discover a teleport system which the Federation had been working on without any success, Blake volunteers to be the guinea pig as they test the system out with huge success.

The Liberator has caught up with the penal ship London which has left its prisoners on Cygnus Alpha. Vila and Gan find themselves at the mercy of a sinister cult. Back on board the Liberator much to their pleasure Jenna discovers the ship has a huge wardrobe and Avon delightfully declares the vault has as much wealth as the Federation banking system.

After a bloody battle with the cult members Blake only rescues Gan and Vila from Cygnus Alpha, the rest of the prisoners were unfortunately killed in the fighting. All safely back on the Liberator Zen alerts the crew that Federation pursuit ships are on the ships detectors, Blake tells Zen to lose them for now as "when we can handle this ship properly, we'll stop running. Then we'l fight"

.....................

Cygnus Alpha is a planet straight out of a Hammer film. Cloaked figures lurk in the shadows of dark temples. The monastery is a place of candle lit alcoves and used for ritualistic sacrifice. Brian Blessed plays the High Priest and Pamela Salem the Priestess.

This was the first episode to really introduce Olag Gan and give him a meaty speaking role rather than just hired muscle from the previous episode. Avon shows his real side of deviousness when he finds the ships vaults and suggests ti Jenna they leave Blake on Cygnus Alpha as he would waste the money on his futile war with the Federation.