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Blake's 7
- Thread starter ziltron
- Start date
Jade Jaguar
Regular
Re: Blake\'s 7
I've seen it once from the beginning, but not to the end, as the local PBS outlet showing it dropped it. I would bet that it will be available on DVD before too long, and far cheaper in that format than on VHS tapes, so you might want to wait. Here is a link to Blake's 7's IMDb listing:
http://us.imdb.com/Title?0076987
You'll find some info and links there.
I've seen it once from the beginning, but not to the end, as the local PBS outlet showing it dropped it. I would bet that it will be available on DVD before too long, and far cheaper in that format than on VHS tapes, so you might want to wait. Here is a link to Blake's 7's IMDb listing:
http://us.imdb.com/Title?0076987
You'll find some info and links there.
Re: Blake\'s 7
It's just about to come out on DVD here in the UK
http://www.playserver1.com/play247.asp?page=search&adudisc=y
No US listing for it though.
It's just about to come out on DVD here in the UK
http://www.playserver1.com/play247.asp?page=search&adudisc=y
No US listing for it though.
A_M_Swallow
Regular
Re: Blake\'s 7
The complete set of Blakes 7 Season 1 VHS cassettes can be obtained from the BBC America Shop http://www.bbcamericashop.com/?AID=5437335&PID=854671
Here is advance information on the Season 1 UK DVDs
Advance UK Blakes 7 info
I suspect that the US DVDs will be along soon.
The complete set of Blakes 7 Season 1 VHS cassettes can be obtained from the BBC America Shop http://www.bbcamericashop.com/?AID=5437335&PID=854671
Here is advance information on the Season 1 UK DVDs
Advance UK Blakes 7 info
I suspect that the US DVDs will be along soon.
MartinRoth
Regular
Re: Blake\'s 7
Calling it "similar to B5" isn't really fair to either show, except to the extent that they're both space-based character-driven SF shows which tend to have hidden depths and unexpected developments, including a rather shocking end to the series.
The basic setup for Blake's 7 is that a bunch of criminals -- Blake himself could perhaps have been called a political prisoner, but the others included a petty thief, a smuggler, an embezzeler, and a guy who killed a Federation guard -- escape, capture a spaceship, and set themselves up as rebels against the Federation.
The series (52 episodes over four seasons) originally aired from 1978 to 1981, with lots of cast and situation changes over its course.
As for where to start... well, anyplace except the end would be OK. There's a site with Episode Ratings which you might want to consider. I think the numbers generally match my opinions reasonably well for the episodes I remember. (The ones I don't remember tend to be low-rated, which could explain why I don't remember them...
)
Although characters develop and things change, there's no real overarching "story arc" that you need to consider, though there are several smaller "arcs" that span over the course of several episodes. The first couple of episodes are somewhat atypical, since they're more about setting things up, but you might want to give a look to some of the later first season episodes. (Going by the ratings site above and the two-episodes-per-tape setup, "Project Avalon" and "Breakdown" would seem to be your best bet.)
And a warning -- if you're looking for effects and production values, this isn't the show to watch.
Calling it "similar to B5" isn't really fair to either show, except to the extent that they're both space-based character-driven SF shows which tend to have hidden depths and unexpected developments, including a rather shocking end to the series.
The basic setup for Blake's 7 is that a bunch of criminals -- Blake himself could perhaps have been called a political prisoner, but the others included a petty thief, a smuggler, an embezzeler, and a guy who killed a Federation guard -- escape, capture a spaceship, and set themselves up as rebels against the Federation.
The series (52 episodes over four seasons) originally aired from 1978 to 1981, with lots of cast and situation changes over its course.
As for where to start... well, anyplace except the end would be OK. There's a site with Episode Ratings which you might want to consider. I think the numbers generally match my opinions reasonably well for the episodes I remember. (The ones I don't remember tend to be low-rated, which could explain why I don't remember them...
)Although characters develop and things change, there's no real overarching "story arc" that you need to consider, though there are several smaller "arcs" that span over the course of several episodes. The first couple of episodes are somewhat atypical, since they're more about setting things up, but you might want to give a look to some of the later first season episodes. (Going by the ratings site above and the two-episodes-per-tape setup, "Project Avalon" and "Breakdown" would seem to be your best bet.)
And a warning -- if you're looking for effects and production values, this isn't the show to watch.
Re: Blake\'s 7
That's a true understatement You can often see the scenery shaking, and they use the same disused quarry over and over again when they land on a new planet
The same place pops up regularly on Dr Who. The poor old Beeb didn't have much money for location shoots
That's a true understatement You can often see the scenery shaking, and they use the same disused quarry over and over again when they land on a new planet The same place pops up regularly on Dr Who. The poor old Beeb didn't have much money for location shoots
Elenopa
Regular
Re: Blake\'s 7
Ah, the good old BBC Gravel Pit.
My friend probably knows exactly where that is.
The same place pops up regularly on Dr Who. The poor old Beeb didn't have much money for location shoots
Ah, the good old BBC Gravel Pit.
My friend probably knows exactly where that is.
MartinRoth
Regular
Re: Blake\'s 7
Yep. Same place.
One of the best ever in-jokes occurred in a Doctor Who story during the Tom Baker era. The TARDIS actually materialized on Earth, in a quarry. The companion -- I'm pretty sure it was Sarah Jane -- assumed that it was yet another alien planet.
The same place pops up regularly on Dr Who. The poor old Beeb didn't have much money for location shoots
Yep. Same place.
One of the best ever in-jokes occurred in a Doctor Who story during the Tom Baker era. The TARDIS actually materialized on Earth, in a quarry. The companion -- I'm pretty sure it was Sarah Jane -- assumed that it was yet another alien planet.
Elenopa
Regular
Re: Blake\'s 7
He does. Passing over.
There are two that I know of, though readers will probably have details on others. The one most commonly used for 'Blake's 7' was Betchworth Quarry, which I think is somewhere near Slough. Meanwhile, 'Doctor Who' went all over the place, with perhaps the most distinctive being at Gerrards Cross in Bucks. This was used for the Telos sequences in 'The Tomb of the Cybermen' in 1967, and reappeared in the 'sequel' story 'Attack of the Cybermen' in 1985.
There was also location work done for 'Planet of the Daleks' (1973) at some former clay pits near St Austell in Cornwall. That's about all I know, but there was a fairly comprehensive 'Doctor Who' location guide that appeared a couple of years ago, if you want to check further.
-------------------
The Doctor
'We are not of this race, we are not of this Earth. We are wanderers in the fourth dimension of space and time.' From 'Doctor Who' - The Pilot Episode
Ah, the good old BBC Gravel Pit.
My friend probably knows exactly where that is.
He does. Passing over.
There are two that I know of, though readers will probably have details on others. The one most commonly used for 'Blake's 7' was Betchworth Quarry, which I think is somewhere near Slough. Meanwhile, 'Doctor Who' went all over the place, with perhaps the most distinctive being at Gerrards Cross in Bucks. This was used for the Telos sequences in 'The Tomb of the Cybermen' in 1967, and reappeared in the 'sequel' story 'Attack of the Cybermen' in 1985.
There was also location work done for 'Planet of the Daleks' (1973) at some former clay pits near St Austell in Cornwall. That's about all I know, but there was a fairly comprehensive 'Doctor Who' location guide that appeared a couple of years ago, if you want to check further.
-------------------
The Doctor
'We are not of this race, we are not of this Earth. We are wanderers in the fourth dimension of space and time.' From 'Doctor Who' - The Pilot Episode
