Blake’s 7 (1978 TV Series)

1978’s Blake’s 7 is quintessential cult sci fi TV.  It had plenty of flaws and a shoestring budget, but it attracted a loyal following and went on to have a notable impact on the genre.

What Is It?

700 hundred years in the future, the authoritarian Terran Federation has taken control of much of the known galaxy. Former rebel Roj Blake had his memories wiped but his spirit of resistance came back when he witnessed a mass slaughter by police which is covered up. He is framed by the government and sent away on a prison ship, but he and several other convicts escape and commandeer a powerful alien vessel that they name “The Liberator”. They then become a resistance force against the Federation and inspire others to stand up against its totalitarian rule.

Aired 1978-81, 4 Seasons Totaling 52 Episodes

Cast: Gareth Thomas, Michael Keating, Sally Knyvette, Paul Darrow, David Jackson, Peter Tuddenham, Jan Chappell, Jacqueline Pearce

Crew: Terry Nation (Creator/Writer), Chris Boucher (Story Editor/Writer)

Legacy:

This series delivered an epic space saga, though on a shoestring budget and populated with morally ambiguous characters, that would develop a loyal following and that went on to have a notable impact on genre shows that would follow.

A Closer Look:

In 1978, sci fi enjoyed s resurgence in popularity with the success of Star Wars the prior year, and new movies and TV shows were starting to pop up on a regular basis. In Britain, Doctor Who had remained a strong performer and The Tomorrow People had made some waves as well so BBC decided to go full-on space opera and gave the greenlight to Terry Nation’s Blake’s 7. That was an ambitious series (especially on a BBC budget) and it merged together elements of Star Wars, Star Trek, 1984, and other sci fi properties (as well as Westerns like The Magnificent Seven) into an ongoing space saga.

But while the series borrowed heavily from genre tropes, it also forged its own path and took many twists and turns. The show’s central characters were not the good-hearted rebels of Star Wars nor the upstanding Starfleet officers of Star Trek (though they did act like the latter from time to time). The lead character Blake was driven to take down the tyrannical Federation at any cost, and he assembled (haphazardly) a group of mostly criminals whose motives were morally questionable. They tried to do the right thing, but at times they seemed almost as dangerous as the Federation they fought against.

The limited budget made it difficult to translate the ambitions of the writers to the small screen, but the cast was certainly up to the task of carrying the show even though several of the leads would come and go throughout the show’s run. Gareth Thomas provided the strong central figure during his tenure, with his driven and at times unhinged Blake holding together a disparate crew. But the entire cast helped the show shine, particularly Paul Darrow as the cold and calculating Avon, Michael Keating as the scheming and cowardly Villa, Sally Knyvette as the strong-willed Jenna, Jan Chappell as the morally strong Cally, Steven Pacey as the hot-tempered Del Tarrant, and Jacqueline Pearce as the cunning and manipulative Servalan (though I personally found her character rather annoying). Some of the other regulars like Gan (David Jackson) and Dayna (Josette Simon) received little to do, but the actors still succeeded in making their presence known.

The show aired for four seasons, though it had a somewhat uneven run. The first season started off well enough, but then this crew of rogues suddenly started acting like Starfleet officers on a routine tour through the galaxy. By the second season, we found the principals at each other’s throats on a more frequent basis, as you would expect from this cast of characters. The show really started to explore its dramatic potential at that point, and that carried into the third year. The fourth season derailed to an extent, delivering not only some of the show’s worst episodes but also a rather grim and unsatisfying conclusion.

Ultimately, Blake’s 7 delivered the quintessential cult TV series. It has plenty of flaws and a very low budget, but it also accomplished a lot during its four-year run and developed a notable and very loyal following. In addition, it has had a definite impact on later genre entries with the creators of shows such as Aeon Flux, Farscape, and Firefly noting its influence. It is a series that has not stood up well to the test of time (especially the sfx), but it still made its mark on the genre and should be considered an important sci fi TV entry.

Cancelled Too Soon?

Yes. At four seasons and 52 episodes, this show had a good run for a BBC entry but the Season 4 finale definitely left the series on a sour note. Gareth Thomas did not want to return for another season, but the fate of the other characters was left ambiguous. The fourth season had performed well in viewership, but the BBC decided not to proceed with a fifth year, leaving many storylines unresolved and the Federation still very much with its iron hand in control of the galaxy.

The Story Continues:

And continues and continues. While the TV series ended rather abruptly, the story of Blake’s 7 has continued in other media for decades following its run. Several novels (some by Paul Darrow) have been written which includes a continuation from the series finale. But audio drama is where the show has mostly thrived for years. BBC did two productions in the late ’90s which brought back several of the original cast members. Then in 2007, B7 Productions put out 36 five-minute audio adventures (with a new cast) which told three full stories. They also put out eight thirty-minute episodes that acted as a prequel to the TV series. Starting in 2012, Big Audio Productions put out a series of “enhanced audiobooks” that included some of the original cast members. Twelve volumes in total were released, all of which fit into the timeline of the series. In addition, Big Audio has produced five seasons of full-cast dramas (mostly comprised of the original actors) which also fit into the series timeline.

Should It Be Rebooted?

Yes. There are times when a reboot does not make sense because the original did it right the first time. But Blake’s 7 is one of those properties that could really benefit from a modern update. The shoestring budget and poor production values of the BBC series makes it a very challenging watch for modern audiences. But with current sfx technology, this show could receive a proper remake that would introduce it to a whole new generation of fans. If that were to happen, it would be best to follow the spirit of the original as close as possible and also resist the urge to venture into CGI overload (something that the current Trek shows are quite guilty of). It would be hard to replace the original cast, but it could be done with a careful screening process. There have been talks for years of a reboot happening, but nothing substantial has come of that yet. Paul Darrow actually had an idea that would see an aged Avon passing on the torch to a new set of rebels, giving us essentially Blake’s 7: The Next Generation, and that could work as well by carrying on the story and still respecting the original. Sadly, he has since passed away, but his legacy and that of the show remains, and this property is definitely deserving of a revival of some sort.

Interesting Facts:

The show’s creator Terry Nation had worked on Doctor Who and had created the Daleks. Other genre productions he worked on included Out of the Unknown, The Champions, The Avengers, and Survivors (which he created) and he would also write three episodes of the American series MacGuyver.

Gareth Thomas had wanted Blake’s 7 to crossover with Doctor Who, but that never happened. Terry Nation had also considered a crossover with that universe, originally planning to use the Daleks as the invading force that threatened the Federation at the end of Season 2.

The “seven” of Blake’s 7 was rather nebulous through the show’s run, It originally included, Blake, Avon, Jenna, Villa, Gan, Cally, and the Liberator’s computer Zen. The supercomputer Orac was introduced at the end of the first season and would be counted in the seven depending on the fluctuation of the core cast. But the “seven” would become increasingly hard to tally up, especially in the fourth season.

Where Can You Watch It?

The entire series has been released on DVD, but in PAL format only, which is not compatible with U.S. players. The first season has finally been released in the States on Blu-ray , and that is newly remastered with the option of watching the episodes with updated special effects.. It is also available for streaming on the BritBox service.

Read More About the Show:

Wikipedia
IMDb.com
A History and Critical Analysis of Blake’s 7