Blake's 7 

A group of convicts and outcasts fight a guerrilla war against the totalitarian Terran Federation from a highly advanced alien spaceship.

Creator:

Terry Nation

Stars:

Michael Keating, Paul Darrow, Peter Tuddenham

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Michael Keating	...	Vila Restal 52 episodes, 1978-1981
Paul Darrow	...	Kerr Avon 51 episodes, 1978-1981
Peter Tuddenham	...	Zen / ... 49 episodes, 1978-1981
Jan Chappell	...	Cally 37 episodes, 1978-1981
Jacqueline Pearce	...	Servalan / ... 29 episodes, 1978-1981
Gareth Thomas	...	Roj Blake 28 episodes, 1978-1981
Sally Knyvette	...	Jenna Stannis 26 episodes, 1978-1979
Steven Pacey	...	Del Tarrant / ... 26 episodes, 1980-1981
Josette Simon	...	Dayna Mellanby 26 episodes, 1980-1981

Storyline

In the third century of the second calendar, a corrupt galactic federation, with Earth at its centre, Narcotises its billions of citizens into placid submission. A rebel named Roj Blake, who once tried to organise a resistance group to overthrow the regime, was caught and his memories wiped. But Blake's revolutionary spirit is revived when he witnesses a mass slaughter by police which is covered up by officials. He escapes on-board a prison ship, and together with a lovable band of outlaws, takes over a vacant alien space cruiser of awesome drive capability. Christening their ship, "The Liberator", Blake and his group travel the Milky Way to seek any opportunity to undermine the corrupt regime.

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Plot Keywords:

outer space | smuggler | space opera | 27th century | cult tv | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 January 1978 (UK)

Also Known As:

Blakeova sedmorka

Filming Locations:

BBC Television Centre, Wood Lane, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

50 min (52 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In an interview, Paul Darrow called Firefly (2002) and its film follow-up Serenity (2005), "Today's "Blake's 7"".

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Quotes

Roj Blake: Where are we?
Vila Restal: In a transit cell.
Roj Blake: I don't understand.
Vila Restal: You're on your way to the penal colony on Cygnus Alpha. Or you will be when the prison ship's refueled. Try to look on the bright side. It must have something. None of the guests have ever left early. In fact, none of them have ever left at all.
Roj Blake: Why are you going there?
Vila Restal: They didn't give me a choice. I steal things. Compulsive, I'm afraid. I've had my head adjusted by some of the best in the business. But it just won't stay adjusted.
Roj Blake: A ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Atop the Fourth Wall: Blake's 7 #2 (2012)

User Reviews

A low budget classic!!

Blakes 7 was launched in 1978 by the BBC, and in the aftermath of 'Star Wars'. I remember eagerly awaiting Thursday evenings when the adventures of Blake and his crew would enthrall me.

The premise of the series was simple; Blake and his band, prisoners of the evil federation, manage to gain control of a powerful alien spaceship, and become freedom fighters.

The series was very low budget, reflected in the poor quality of the sets (spot the egg boxes sprayed silver!!), but the characters were real (despite the occasional wooden acting), and the storylines were first class.

What helped to make the series a success was the perfect chemistry between the cast. There was the fiery passion of Blake, the cold logical Avon, the laid back Villa to name a few. Their Arch enemy, Servalan, was ruthlessly ambitious, and assisted by the focussed and determined Travis.

I would give this series 9/10.