MovieChat Forums > Blake's 7 (1978) Discussion > CONNECTIONS BETWEEN B 7 DR WHO,BBC

CONNECTIONS BETWEEN B 7 DR WHO,BBC

posted 11 years ago by ib011f9545i
7 replies | jump to latest

People talk about BLAKE'S 7 as rumoured to have been a planned replacement for DR WHO.

I don't know if there was any truth in that idea but it seems obvious that BLAKE'S 7 could not have existed without DR WHO coming first.

The skills of the costume and set designs make BLAKE'S 7 look like parts of DR WHO ,for example the freedom fighters in B 7 PRESSURE POINT remind me of the ones in DR WHO DAY OF THE DALEKS.

But BLAKE'S 7 was more adult with hints of sex and torture.
Watching it again SERVALAN is an amazing character,often touching and bullying the male officers under her command.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] mindbait 11 years ago

i don't think B7 was ever planned as a replacement for Dr Who, according to Barry Letts it was supposed to be a British answer to Star Trek, in some ways it's almost the opposite of trek though because in that show the intergalactic federation are captain kirk's bosses and it's all about exploring the universe and doing the federation's good work whereas in B7 obviously the federation are a ruthless dictatorship who impose their will mercilessly

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[–] IanDSmith 10 years ago

I doubt it was considered a viable replacement, though in 1980-1981 its ratings actually surpassed Doctor Who's. The most striking similarity for me was always Dudley Simpson's music - it's great, but it always reminds me of 1970s Doctor Who before anything else.

[–] flashgordan 10 years ago

Loved the fact the daleks said "seek-locate-destroy" at least twice on Saturday's (30-Aug-14) Dr Who.

Now that is a Terry Nation full circle.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] russdaren 9 years ago

Well during Colin Baker's Doctor Who both Servalan and Avon made appearances. Of course not the actual characters themselves. But Paul Darrow and Jacqueline Pearce made appearances as very hammy bad guys, quite like their Blakes characters.
Though to be honest the reason I am here today is because I saw Paul Darrow in Doctor Who Season 22's "Timelash". And thought, hey wasn't he on Blakes 7?
And jeez, does Darrow ever chew the scenery in that role!

[–] dustyhonda2000 9 years ago

Rather than Doctor Who, I think it would be more accurate to say this show followed in the same vein that produced Space 1999. Both of these 70's shows were attempts to mount "a serious space drama". Credible environments, stories reproducing situations found in our daily lives, and realistic no-nonsense workaday characters. It seems there was a taste for this at that time, to show that outer space could be a serious and realistic place, not just something for children or totally bizarre Barbarella-esque flights of fancy.

If anything was designed to replace Doctor Who it would be the short-lived Moonbase 3. Same creative team as DW. Although doesn't seem entirely plausible as DW was very near the height of its ratings when MB3 was conceived. Perhaps it was meant to run in parallel, as its my understanding that BBC working culture gives you more clout and kudos if you produce a brand-new successful show rather than continue an on-going one.

To come full circle, Moonbase 3 would be the seminal point of this "space-taken-seriously" notion that unfolded over the following 10 year span...
Moonbase 3- Space 1999- Blake's 7- Alien- Outland- Aliens- Star Cops
(some obviously more successful than others, but the "seriousness" tone permeates all).