Watching "Blake's 7" (No Spoilers Please)!

[Truth_Seeker]

I've heard nothing but good things about this show so I've decided to give it a try even though it's a little too old for my taste.

I'm not going to post long reviews but just a few thoughts after each episode, because I'm not a native English speaker and their translation would take me forever to do.

So let's get started:

S1 E1 "The Way Back" - An Earth-based pilot episode, depicting an evil totalitarian state called the Terran Federation and its brutal methods of oppressing its citizens.The concept looks interesting, the characters are believable and the dialogue is intelligently written. Most of the futuristic sets and special effects look very old fashioned, of course, but that wouldn't be a problem for me if the story is good. The old style actually gives the show a nostalgic feel of some of the other Sci-Fi hits from the 70's such as "Star Wars" and the original "BSG".

So, Blake is framed for crimes he didn't commit and he's about to be transported to a penal colony. I'll be back with more thoughts after the second episode.

 

[The Badger]

It's been a while since I saw Blake's 7, and I'm interested in what you may think about it.

And yes, the sets and special effects are somewhat dated. But when they work well, they work very well indeed.

 

[Joe Washington]

I haven't watched Blake's 7 in nearly a year. I only watched the first two seasons. I heard what was going to happen in the last two seasons and I didn't know how I felt about those changes.

 

[A beaker full of death]

it's a little too old for my taste.

What does that even mean?

 

[Teiwaz]

Old?
It was filmed in the late seventies. It's not as if it pre-dates 'talkies' or is in black&white.

As it was produced by the BBC around the same time as Doctor Who and just after 'I Claudius', yes it probably looks a little dated and low budget compared to the New gen Star Treks.

But I've always felt that the story and the acting calibre far outweighs special effects and more convincing sets.

 

[A beaker full of death]

^ You clearly don't live or work in Hollywood.

 

[Teiwaz]

I haven't watched Blake's 7 in nearly a year. I only watched the first two seasons. I heard what was going to happen in the last two seasons and I didn't know how I felt about those changes.

I hear your pain.

When I first saw Blake's 7 It was when it was first on, and I was 'only a wee nipper' and could'nt get the tv to myself so I only saw the odd episode of the first two series and one or two of the last seasons, I never knew why it had changed.
When I got to see all of them, I watched the whole thing through, not sure if I'd like the change when it happened, but it kinda worked, Avon was always the best character anyway.

If they ever make a film version, Alan Rickman would be Purfect...

 

[Teiwaz]

^ You clearly don't live or work in Hollywood.

Nope,
But I did live and work in Holywood (Belfast) for a while, does that count?

 

[Truth_Seeker]

S1E2 "Space Fall" - During the voyage to Cygnus Alpha we are introduced to the main characters of the show.

Jenna Stannis is a good looking smuggler pilot, who obviously has enough dignity and self-respect to refuse the offer that one of the guards made her. Kerr Avon is a cynical technical genius who doesn't share Blake's idealism and cares only about money. Combined together those two characters are something like the Han Solo of the show.

Vila Restal is a thief and a semi-succesful comic relief and Olag Gan is the good-hearted tough guy who doesn't speak much.

The mutiny of the prisoners fails, but later in the episode they are presented with another chance to escape. We are introduced to an alien ship (with much cooler looking sets than the Federation ship) that just drifts in space without a crew and probably has something to do with the space battle that was mentioned earlier. Interesting mystery that waits to be resolved.

Oh, and Sally Knyvette is hot, or more likely was hot 32 years ago.

 

[Count Zero]

I'm rewatching it at the moment. I watched it for the first time last year or so, after hearing so much praise for it. And I wasn't disappointed. It's a great show and a lot like life is, if you consider the whole story. The dialogues are brilliant. But, yeah, the special effects are really bad. But that's part of the charm for me.

 

[Forbin]

I just wish it was available in the US.
I think I have a couple episodes on 20-year-old VHS tapes somewhere...

 

[diankra]

Even a massive Blake's 7 fan like me has a lot of bad things to say about it.
Maybe a third of each season's episodes are pretty dreadful.
But don't let that put you off the rest of it, as they are some of the most interesting, political science fiction ever made.
The good of B7 more than makes up for the bad.

 

[Starkers]

^And to be fair even the bad episodes usually have some redeeming features (usually some snappy one liners from Avon,Vila or Servalan.)

 

[Captaindemotion]

it's a little too old for my taste.

What does that even mean?

The guy said English isn't his first language. Would your Bulgarian be any better? I'm guessing he means old-fashioned or dated.

 

[The Squire of Gothos]

In comparison with Doctor Who, the sets and dialogue seem clunkier, but its worth sticking with if you like Who, it has its own charm.

 

[Candlelight]

Wish they'd bloody hurry up with the remake. Taking ages to get those two pilots made...

 

[Lonemagpie]

It's hugely variable, but for every cheap, sucky episode, there's a great one with sparkling dialogue.