what is this?
Like actually?
What is it?
I can't believe this film exists - now I've heard it all!
Blake's 7 was a low-budget, appallingly-scripted Sci-Fi serial that the BBC put out from 1977, created by Terry Nation, the creator of The Daleks in Dr. Who. The characters were cardboard cut-out for the most part, and the FX were laughable. Being the Beeb, the costumes and sets were excellent, though.
The surprise twist came when after the 1st or 2nd season, the actor playing the main character "Blake" left. They carried on, shifting "Avon" the former "heavy" to centre-stage as a sort of anti-hero. The actor who played him was definitely a cut above the others, and made the role memorable.
Er, what we have here seems to be a take-off by some British comedy actors, maybe in the same vein as some "The Comic Strip Presents" episodes.
If it's anything like the last comedy featuring Vegas & Crook (Sex Lives of the Potato Men), it won't be worth seeing. I can't imagine the effect of Crook playing Servalan - but thank God it's not Vegas in that role!
>>>Blake's 7 was a low-budget, appallingly-scripted Sci-Fi serial that the BBC put out from 1977<<<
i laugh at your lack of blake's 7 knowledge
:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
"Blake's 7 was a low-budget, appallingly-scripted Sci-Fi serial that the BBC put out from 1977"
1. If you think Blake's Seven was badly written, then you were approaching it from the wrong angle. Blake's Seven was superbly written, if you've the wit to listen properly. Yes some of the situations where slightly OTT, but a lot of the subtext was much more menacing and well-written than the casual observer (who'd just seen Star Wars and was impressed by all the explosions in that) might think.
2. It ran from 1978-1981 - that info is at the top of the IMDB Blake's 7 page. Not exactly rocket science to glean it.
B7 was a superb series, offering a bit of a distraction from the early years of the Thatcher administration. Of course you'd have to be clinically dead, not to spot the parallels/parody of Thatcher/Servalan.
People who derride such series as these, and the low-budget years of Doctor Who, are usually the sort of people who assume that, just because the American networks spend millions on their Sci-Fi, it must be better. Sometimes there's a place for some innocent escapism.
Yes, some of the story elements were flawed, but that just makes it endearing. The costumes and the sets were very inventive, given the budget, and let's face it, any series that gets away with having the mass-murdering arch-villainess, swanning around desolate alien planets in nothing more protective than an off-the-shoulder cocktail dress can't be all bad! At least it wasn't taking itself too seriously.
I still marvel at the greatness of Blake's 7's special effects, they put Lucas to shame, that's for sure.
shareI have always been an avid Doctor Who fan, but you must always ask yourself. "Do I only enjoy this because I was brought up with it?"
Well, in the instance of Blake's 7, I can truly say this is not the case. I watched my first episode only a few weeks ago on DVD, and I was instantly hooked. Forget about the dated costumes and the sometimes hilarious special effects, this show is riveting! Apart from the fact that Blake can sometimes be an arrogant pain in the proverbial, basically we are talking about fast paced, well written sci-fi episodes with some wonderfully creative ideas and scenarios, and a truly likeable cast. Anyone who criticises Blake's 7 has either only seen a few minutes of it and dismissed it as low-budget BBC rubbish, or is just not interested in sci-fi. In either case, you're not really fit to comment on it unless you've had a chance to actually watch it.
However, I haven't a clue what Blake's Junction 7 is.
I think Blake's Junction 7 is just someones homage to the original show.
BTW wasn't the Liberator the coolest ship ever!
Absolutely spot on... about the Lib and the show in general.
As someone who is just old enough to have seen Blake's 7 on original broadcast and who has seen just about every sf show since, there was just something special about B7. It wasn't about sets, sfx or costumes - the show just had soul.
I'm watching it all again now on DVD and it's just as good now!
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I hope the ending wasn't as frustrating as the one in the original....if they all end up getting shot I'm not watching it lol.
shareBlake's 7 was anything but badly scripted as is famed for it's rich characters - see the recent DVD reviews in magazines such as SFX, Dreamwatch etc.
What was poor about the series was it's low budget though some of the model effects were better than Dr Who at the time (mostly shot on film as opposed to video).
It is also the TV show that helped inspire Babylon 5, Farscape and even Firefly.
Not sure what the original poster was on but he clearly knows nothing about B7 or sci-fi.
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Blakes 7 is coming up for it's 30th anniversery (okay 2 years to go, but pretty close). For a show that old, to generate so much passion, speaks volumnes. I remember watching the show as a kid (like so many fans) and am still shocked by the ending; loved the varied characters; scared witless by some of the scenes (I was young!); hated the Federation and wanted my own Liberator model (or the real thing) worse than I can remember. Be-litteling the show does no one credit.
Rob, Perth Australia