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Blake's 7

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'Blake's 7', created by Terry Nation, was probably the best British BBC science fiction TV series after 'Doctor Who'.

Blake (Gareth Thomas) was a daring choice for a hero, what with being accused of child molestation - albeit falsely. Other strong characters in the series included the cool and stroppy Jenna (Sally Knyvette), who was far removed from some of the shrieking Doctor Who assistants, and the unsmiling, cynical, strident, cocky, but likeable, Avon (Paul Darrow).

The script for 'Blake's 7' was impressive, which is what you would expect from Terry Nation, with a fair deal of depth and philosophising. Other notable points about the series included the dramatic theme music by Dudley Simpson, which, though more traditional, was on a par with the 'Doctor Who' and 'Star Trek' themes. The special effects stand up not too badly, as all special effects by their very nature will soon look outdated. Okay, you had the occasional silliness of a man drowning in foam, but it was a well-crafted series, and up there with the very best.

One interesting Terry Nation idea for the series, which never materialised, was that the Daleks were going to be brought into the show, but this was deemed too radical at the time - the deadly pepper pots being the stalwarts of another famous BBC science fiction series.

Unusually, Blake only appeared in the first two series, apart from his dramatic finale. As a prisoner, Blake leads a mutiny attempt into taking over the prisoner transport ship, the London. It fails, but he and his supporters (reluctant supporter, as far as Avon is concerned) are sent to render harmless a dangerous, strange, and unidentified, starship. Blake achieves this and more, as he, Avon and Jenna, escape from the London. Blake now has an advanced starship to take on his enemies, the Federation, with - a ship that's named, appropriately, the Liberator.

'Blake's 7' really broke the mould with the way the series ended. Blake returns, but he turns out to be not so heroic after all. Like 'The Prisoner', this was a series which didn't necessarily give its viewers the ending they wanted.

- Paul Rance/booksmusicfilmstv.com.

Blake's 7 Regular Cast List (actors listed first)

Gareth Thomas - Roj Blake
Paul Darrow - Kerr Avon
Sally Knyvette - Jenna Stannis
Michael Keating - Villa Restal
David Jackson - Olag Gan
Jan Chappell - Cally
Peter Tuddenham (voice) - Zen (Liberator)
Peter Tuddenham (voice) - Orac
Peter Tuddenham (voice) - Slave (Scorpio)
Jacqueline Pearce - Servalan
Stephen Greif/Brian Croucher - Travis
Josette Simon - Dayna Mellanby
Steven Pacey - Del Tarrant
Glynis Barber - Soolin

BLAKE'S 7 DVDs available through booksmusicfilmstv.com - in association with Amazon.co.uk

Blake's 7 - Series 1 [1978]
BBC Worldwide Publishing
DVD - March 1, 2004
Blake's 7 - Series 2
BBC Worldwide Publishing
DVD - January 17, 2005

Blake's 7 Episode List

Season A
BBC1, Mondays, mostly 7:15pm, January 2nd to March 27th, 1978. Producer: David Maloney

Season B
BBC1, Tuesdays, mostly 7:20pm, January 9th to April 3rd, 1979. Producer: David Maloney

Season C
BBC1, Mondays, mostly 7:15pm, January 7th to March 31st, 1980. Producer: David Maloney

Season D
BBC1, Mondays, mostly 7:15pm, September 28th to December 21st, 1981. Producer: Vere Lorrimer

1 The Way Back
2 Space Fall
3 Cygnus Alpha
4 Time Squad
5 The Web
6 Seek-Locate-Destroy
7 Mission To Destiny
8 Duel
9 Project Avalon
10 Breakdown
11 Bounty
12 Deliverance
13 Orac

1 Redemption
2 Shadow
3 Weapon
4 Horizon
5 Pressure Point
6 Trial
7 Killer
8 Hostage
9 Countdown
10 Voice from the Past
11 Gambit
12 The Keeper
13 Star One

1 Aftermath
2 Powerplay
3 Volcano
4 Dawn of the Gods
5 The Harvest of Kairos
6 City at the Edge of the World
7 Children of Auron
8 Rumours of Death
9 Sarcophagus
10 Ultraworld
11 Moloch
12 Death-Watch
13 Terminal

1 Rescue
2 Power
3 Traitor
4 Stardrive
5 Animals
6 Headhunter
7 Assassin
8 Games
9 Sand
10 Gold
11 Orbit
12 Warlord
13 Blake

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