Yes, he returned for the final episode.
Yet another attempt to reboot Blake 7 is underway
- Thread starter Rich Watson
- Start date
I would agree. He'll never be a favourite character of mine, though I have warmed a little to him, and Gareth's portrayal. There is an interesting character there, too often subsumed by the need to be the noble hero, but when written/played right Roj Blake is not always the best of men.
From his arrogance. "I've done it!" "It's the only way I can know I was right." to his willingness to get into bed with drug lords (Shadow) and allow countless thousands to die by planning to destroy Star One.
In many respects he's Luthen Rael, except Luthen knows what kind of man he is, he knows the sacrifices he's making to his morality to win, for the freedom of others, I'm not sure Blake was anywhere near as self aware.
To be honest, and no disrespect to Gareth, but I worry less about who they cast as Blake than who they cast as Avon, Vila and Servalan (assuming they even decide to use those characters).
And if anyone care, my top five Blakes 7 characters are...
- Vila
- Avon
- Servalan
- Cally
- Jenna
He also returned in the series 3 finale (well Gareth did, he wasn't actually Blake though!)
Blake and Avon had a perfectly dignified civil union, opened a bed and breakfast in Upstate New York, and then lived happily every after under the oppressive thrall of the Federation.
Agreed completely although even when he was a flawed hero, I still didn't like him.
That's a great comparison and I agree that Blake is nowhere near as self-aware as Luthen. I far more enjoyed Luthen over Blake and I think that comes down to both the writing and the performance. Nothing against Gareth Thomas but his style of acting never really appealed to me.
If we’re talking about the reimagined B7 Media ones (I think) with Colin Salmon as Avon, it’s been years but I remember rather liking them. (And it was nice to hear people flying spaceships express concern in dialogue about having to conserve delta-V.). I believe James Swallow wrote at least some of them?
EDIT: And I’ve just remembered: they had much better main theme music, with a persevering-but-weary, vaguely tragic tone that felt much more appropriate to the feel of even the original TV show than the triumphalist theme that show had. I’m pretty sure one of the later Big Finish audios (set in the original series continuity) slipped it in there too, and darned if it didn’t work.
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That's correct (and thanks!)
I wrote "Liberator", episode 3 of the Blake's 7: The Audio Adventures reboot and a couple of episodes ("Point of No Return" & "Escape Velocity") of the Blake's 7: The Early Years prequel stories. Most of the audios are up on Audible and elsewhere, for anyone who wants to take a listen. They still pop up on BBC Radio 4 now and then.
I'm proud of what we did with those stories - we had a great cast and crew, everyone was strongly invested in the project and we made good drama. It's a pity we didn't get to go the distance and complete it as intended; series 2 of the Audio Adventures was written, series 3 and further Early Years stories were being developed when things went into abeyance. For a while, we were also working on an animated series concept and TV miniseries as possible avenues for a return; I'm interested to see how any new attempt to bring the show back will go this time around...
Dudley Simpson's B7 theme has always sounded a bit awkward to me, but it's never struck me as "triumphalist." It's too minor-key and discordant for that. The opening bars with the horns and timpani have always sounded ominous to me, like they represented the threat of the Federation pursuers. The main melody does have more of a heroic fanfare quality, but in an ambivalent, somber way, not expressing triumph but just the will to strive for it. It's more a battle anthem than a victory march. (Although on one level it sounds more to me like a soap opera theme.)
Well, to my ears it sounded “triumphalist, but played cheaply…”. I seem to remember hearing it referred to as the Federation March, which would make its use as the main theme intentionally ironic (if it was intentional). But that would fit the ominous tinge to it — and for that matter, the dystopian-yet-somehow-shabby feel of the Federation itself.
There is a very interesting character there, I wonder if this time they won't forget the child abuse charges after two episodes (always assuming they even go there to begin with).
A few years back when toying with how I'd reboot the show I considered a Blake who had been tortured and brainwashed so many times that even he wasn't entirely sure the charges were entirely false...
Yeah, I was bummed out the multiple brainwashings were quickly forgotten. I thought that was a fascinating idea.
The Federation March is a separate piece that was included as the b-side on the single release of the opening titles. The irony does apply to the main logo of the series being the Federation insignia.
Unfortunately, my impression of the Blake's 7 theme was warped by my first exposure being the modern reorchestrated version on the season 1 blu-ray VFX sizzle reel.
Ah— right you are. I’d never actually heard that before; it feels like it ought to be called “The Orcs’ Slog” (because “Where There’s a Whip There’s a Way” was already taken).
