That's really interesting about Jenna and her role being changed the way it was, she did seem exciting at the very start but yes you could see the changes as the series progressed. Disappointing
Blake's 7 - First Time Watching on BritBox
- Thread starter JD
- Start date
Watching one a week. Weapon next.
Comment from Darrow, years ago. "Julius Caeser isn't the most interesting character in that play."
Back in the day, he was equated as "the anti-Spock", in a show deemed "the anti-Star Trek". Maybe that's why I gave it another chance back in the day... Paul Darrow's done some interviews but even without seeing or reading those it's clear how much he relished and adored playing Kerr Avon. If you like him now, keep watching and without skipping episodes or choosing them randomly in the way I do because I'm a nit... no spoilers but considering this being the late-70s/early 80s, he's ahead of his time in a way...
B7 really starts out pedestrian in pacing. It's a genuinely nice change regardless of era. They start the series as being one type of dystopian future-Earth sci-fi, and do a neat plot twist later on. The only giveaway is the opening titles, which are also the first to have used CGI (via the "ELIMINATE" graphic)...
There aren't too many good ways to go. Depends on who one marries and what condition one's heart is in, I suppose...
I loved those scenes; it's always a cliche and it's a bit of a bypass of that that the "heroes" didn't easily win. And that's the goofy thing - this show shies away from nothing. Good people on the bad side, bad people on the good side, and all to varying extents. It'll often keep you guessing. The ship commander is pretty much one of the more neutral/stuck in the middle/sympathetic folks to feel sorry for... you are in for a lot of treats if you keep sticking through the series. Again, don't skip or jump episodes - the payoffs later on are worth every moment.
What Marc said above. It's a fantastic episode to introduce her in and it's only the start. As with Avon - Servalan gets some really great stuff as the seasons continue and if you're loving what you've seen so far you'll really like what is to come. And, as with Paul Darrow, Jacqueline knows when to act it out austere and when to have a little fun with just enough camp to add some flair -- but to also not go over the rails with it. And that's part of the fun with sci-fi of the era.
Oh, Servalan was originally a male character as well, but Jacqueline Pearce impressed so much in the casting process... she starts out great but, yup, in later seasons she's stealing the show no matter how good or bad the episode she's in gets. Thankfully there are far more good than anything approaching bad episodes.
Others who auditioned for Blake included Maurice Colbourne, Warren Clarke, Brian Croucher and Martin Jarvis. More tortured, working class or heroic... to make assumptions about them.
I do like that it's literally Earth became the bad guys in the Blake's 7 universe
Here's a question. Had Terry Nation gotten his wish to have the Daleks be the alien invasion from the Andromeda galaxy in the second series finale 'Star One', where would that fit Blake's 7 chronologically within the Doctor Who/Dalek timeline and how would have affected the series going forward?
Background information prepared for the show says that Blake's 7 is set in "the third century of the second calendar' at least '700 years' in the future - so circa 2700+/-.
What were conditions like on Earth at that time in the Doctor Who universe; could there have been a Federation-like empire at that time?
There don't seem to be as many alien races encountered in Blake's 7; mostly human colonies with small populations as opposed to a galaxy/universe teaming with alien life in Doctor Who.
The only place where I think Blake's 7 and Doctor Who could intersect is in 'The Daleks Master Plan'. Bret Vyon, played by Nicholas Courtney, and Sara Kingdom, played by Jean Marsh, could well be playing Federation officers.
Background information prepared for the show says that Blake's 7 is set in "the third century of the second calendar' at least '700 years' in the future - so circa 2700+/-.
What were conditions like on Earth at that time in the Doctor Who universe; could there have been a Federation-like empire at that time?
There don't seem to be as many alien races encountered in Blake's 7; mostly human colonies with small populations as opposed to a galaxy/universe teaming with alien life in Doctor Who.
The only place where I think Blake's 7 and Doctor Who could intersect is in 'The Daleks Master Plan'. Bret Vyon, played by Nicholas Courtney, and Sara Kingdom, played by Jean Marsh, could well be playing Federation officers.
Prior to B7 entering production, think the closest depiction in Doctor Who to the 27th century (well were a time frame was given) would have been Earth in the Frontier in Space which iirc was the 25th century.
They sent people to a penal colony on the moon for minor political offences and had mind probes they would use on prisoners so could easily be proto-federation.
Having just watched season 1 again it's interesting how great Jenna often is, it's a shame going into season 2 knowing that it's downhill from here on for the character. Meanwhile the characterisation of Cally is all over the place. Hardened guerrilla fighter one week, easily fooled sap the next. On the plus side they both got a better deal than David Jackson
Jenna was one of my big crushes growing up
She declined the opportunity to play Dayna for Big Finish's B7 audios, though she has acted in a couple of their Doctor Who stories.
I don't think Nation really thought about that.
Then why the hell include Daleks if he didn't give much thought to the implications
Because "Daleks are cool."
And because Nation created them so of course he wanted to bring them over to his new show for that cool factor.
I mean that would have been cool but illogical. If that could happen then I'm sure the Doctor could topple a teeny tiny federation LOL
True.
Gareth Thomas and Tom Baker were good friends and wanted to do a literal walk-by cameo on either show (didn't matter) where the two of them walked passed and acknowledged each other as friends, but it was nixed by the higher ups. Alas.
I know about that one. It's a shame it would have been a cool thing too
Does anyone know which episode of 'Blake's 7' it might have been? Based on the plot synopsis, the only episode where I could see that happening is the second series episode 'Shadow'.
I don't think anything specific was ever talked about. Just an idea they both had that was nixed before anything could be suggested.
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