Rewatching Blake's 7

[Candlelight]

Maybe there were more teleport stations, but not as close to the bridge?

It is a VERY big ship.

Dozens of teleport stations times half a dozen bodies.

Does beg the question what the original crew complement was on that ship.

Other than the flight deck, the teleport bay and a few sub control rooms we never saw much else for a crew to do; the auto repair and the self-recharging power cells took care of the rest of the ship.

 

[diankra]

Well I was wondering about the levers; in the first couple of episodes Avon just presses a button on the console to trigger a teleport, but in subsequent episodes they start using the red and blue levers. Now does this mean the teleport only has a limit of 10 people per teleport? I remember watching an episode of series 2 or 3 in which they used three levers for three people.

Can't remember how many teleported in Mission to Destiny.

Maybe Zen reroutes the controls to give the new crew an easier sequence. Or Avon realises after a bit that there was a 'macro' already built into the controls that would do it all for him.

 

[Guy Gardener]

This is an observation 8 year old me had... "Didn't they lose most of their teleport bracelets on Cignus Alpha? They must be running low."

Was the ship automatically making more bracelets or did they have hold some where lined with crates of teleport bracelets?

 

[Candlelight]

This is an observation 8 year old me had... "Didn't they lose most of their teleport bracelets on Cignus Alpha? They must be running low."

Was the ship automatically making more bracelets or did they have hold some where lined with crates of teleport bracelets?

They lost a heap in Cygnus Alpha, 1 in Seek Locate Destroy, 1 in Mission to Destiny, etc and yet in Redemption they had a full set:

Obviously Zen made more.

 

[Candlelight]

C07: CHILDREN OF AURON

Another continuity rich episode with references to Saurian Major (Time Squad), the Clone Masters (Weapon), Vila's space helmet (Dawn of the Gods), that green gun that's been in pretty much every episode this season, not to mention foreshadowing Cally's feelings towards Avon (Sarcophagus) and Avon going after Shrinker (Rumours of Death). Jan Chappell does a fine double act as Cally's twin sister Zelda. The story is very brutal, similar to Killer from the previous season, though this one moves a lot quicker despite less impact of the virus with extras being infected, and Jacqueline Pierce is in fine form. Loved the brilliant pre-DNA side-story about Servalan's blood, and the Thunderbirds-style explosions are naturally awesome. Despite being the typical Series C lackeys-of-the-week, Ginka and Derrell do a good job facing off against each other. Servalan's orgasm at the end is legendary. My only gripe is Servalan and Avon don't really get to face off as much as I'd liked, but this is Cally's episode after all.

 

[Candlelight]

C08: RUMOURS OF DEATH

Despite being a fan favourite of the season, I've never warmed to this episode, despite being a Chris Boucher script. Lorna Heilbron is ok as Anna Grant but I guess I expected more. The duo in the surveillance room are painful to watch, Shrinker comes across as Vila's uncle rather than a deadly Federation interrogator and the handful of resistence fighters, while seeming to lose more than they had, take over the residence of the President rather easily, although Servalan has been shown to be over cofident in the past. Unless I missed it, this is the only episode in the series that doesn't feature a special effects shot of the Liberator, and once again the flight deck doesn't appear in this episode either. That said, the second half of the episode is excellent, and any scene with Avon and Servalan is worth the price of admission. Would've loved to have seen a cutaway shot of Cally when Avon tells Anna there was no one else.

 

[Starkers]

But that's the point about Shrinker, he is just an ordinary person, a weak and cowardly man emboldened by his position, like countless real world examples throughout the years. The Major is ridiculous, I remember on the commentary they're bewildered as to why he's doing an American accent, but I quite like the Section Leader.

I guess for Servalan, and for the Federation in general, the thought of an attack on the President's residence was almost impossible to counternance. I'm not sure what the rebels though they would achive. Given Servalan is an unelected president I'd imagine some clever senior officer would just write her off and assume power themselves. I like that Anna's actions are somewhat ambiguous, though I lean towards her fancying being Supreme Commander herself.

I'm actually a fan of the notion of their being something between Avon and Cally, but I'm not sure the evidence--outside of Sarchophagus-- is conclusive. If only her final word had been Avon not Blake!

 

[auntiehill]

WOW. I LOVED Rumors of Death. It's one of my top 5 episodes. I agree with Starkers about Shrinker. What's so disgusting about him is that he IS ordinary.He likes the power he has, likes to hurt and control people but inside, he's a coward, a small little nobody; he's like every other thug in real life.

 

[Starkers]

My favourite bit about Shrinker is that he went over to the rebels side for a while!

So many great bits in this episode. I love Avon's easily found transmitter "They won't come while it's still on" I love that Avon's flashbacks of Anna look like memories from his perspectve rather than the ridiculous third person footage you'd normally see. I love the fact that the others are surprised to find they care about Avon, not to mention Vila's embarrassed line. I love Avon's cold fate for Shrinker.

My favourite bit is actually Cally though...

TARRANT He's an animal, Cally.
CALLY Yes, and it's contagious, isn't it?

 

[Andrew_Kearley]

I love Major Grenlee. He's just a bloke doing a job. Why shouldn't he be American?

 

[Candlelight]

I love the fact that the others are surprised to find they care about Avon

Although to be fair, Cally would later reveal in Terminal the honest truth - "we can't afford to lose you".

 

[Candlelight]

I'm actually a fan of the notion of their being something between Avon and Cally, but I'm not sure the evidence--outside of Sarcophagus-- is conclusive. If only her final word had been Avon not Blake!

There are 3 eps which hints at a Cally/Avon thing this season, and you have to admit, it must be hard being on a ship like that constantly fighting the Federation you must need some stress relief sometimes. Even despite Avon telling Anna there was no one else I'm sure he could've lied a little.

I mean if you'd been on the Liberator with Jenna around...

 

[Guy Gardener]

She had such big hair, that it would have seemed like a threesome.

 

[Candlelight]

So did Tarrant.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Who?

 

[Candlelight]

Oh come on, you're not one of those "series C and D didn't happen" kind of people are you?

 

[Guy Gardener]

Steven was supposed to be a grizzled veteran... Unless they are taking a page from Enders Game, and there have been 5 year olds at the helms of all those Federation pursuit ships?

It's his shit eating grin I could do with out, and Avon should have spaced him in week 1 of season 2.

 

[Starkers]

I always liked Tarrant, as a child he seemed more heroic than Avon, and as an adult I like the fact that he's an arrogant git

As a child I was in love with Cally, and whilst I still adore her now, I do now see Jenna's charms.

It is fun to note the different interpretations of watching ths show as a kid and an adult, for example when I first watched Orbit I genuinely didn't think Avon was really contemplating dumping you know who out the nearest airlock!

 

[Saul]

I found Tarrant to be something of a Blake clone...

Have been listening to the Audio adventures of Blake 7 'The Early Years' and it's pretty good. Two episodes even feature Benedict Cumberbatch! If they ever get around to reimagining the series I wouldn't mind it they started out like this.

 

[Guy Gardener]

There is an audio reimaging made by the BBC a few years ago.

Completely different cast, very similar story to the pilot, but with more politics and different fake scientific grounding.

On 11 December 2006 B7 Productions announced that it had recorded a series of 36 five-minute Blake's 7 audio adventures, written by Ben Aaronovitch, Marc Platt and James Swallow.[63] This featured Derek Riddell as Blake, Colin Salmon as Avon, Daniela Nardini as Servalan, Craig Kelly as Travis, Carrie Dobro as Jenna, Dean Harris as Vila, Owen Aaronovitch as Gan, Michael Praed, Doug Bradley and India Fisher.[64] The new series was broadcast on BBC Radio 7 and repeated in mid-2010 as three hour-long episodes: Rebel (written by Ben Aaronovitch), Traitor (Marc Platt) and Liberator (James Swallow). B7 Productions also produced series of 30-minute prequel audio episodes called Blake's 7: The Early Years, which explored the earlier histories of the central characters.[65]