Lorcan Dempsey's weblog: Blake's seven

Blake's seven

April 25, 2008 • Categories: Books, movies and reading ...

I have noticed that any self-respecting blog has to have the occasional science fiction reference. So here is an off-topic post for Friday.

A remake of Blake's Seven is being discussed.

LONDON -- Hoping to cash in on the success of classic sci-fi revamps such as the BBC's "Doctor Who" and "Battlestar Galactica," Sky One is planning to remake cult '80s space series "Blake's Seven." ...

... Memorable for its cardboard sets and leather-clad arch villainess Servalan, the show was the creation of sci-fi legend Terry Nation, himself responsible for Doctor Who's arch-nemesis the Daleks.[Sky One to revive 'Blake's Seven']

Here is Wikipedia on the original:

Although many of the tropes of space opera such as spaceships, robots, galactic empires and aliens are present, the series is primarily noted for its strong character interaction, ambiguous morality and its dark, pessimistic tone.^[3]
[Blake's 7 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]

I preferred Blake's 7 to Doctor Who, perhaps because it came along when I was older, or maybe because it lasted for a much shorter time.

Avon was a pretty memorable character. And you could never forget that eye-patch!

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3 comments so far

Posted by Paul Walk on April 26, 2008

I too preferred Blake's Seven. True, it had wobbly sets, and wobblier actors in some cases. But it had an emotional quality, a dark melancholy, rarely found in TV shows. And a wonderful theme tune!

Posted by Michael Sauers on April 30, 2008

Lorcan,
You memory and your sense of good grammar are playing tricks on you. The name of the show was "Blakes 7" (sans apostrophe)
--A fellow fan. ;-)

Posted by Kathryn Greenhill on May 2, 2008

I wanted to be Servalan when I grew up.

Like you, I was utterly engrossed, but I suspect it was to do with the age when first exposed, rather than the quality of the program. Also the intrigue of an almost amoral hero and crew members who were an intelligent woman, an utter coward and someone who really didn't give a damn about anyone.

Plus, they were probably the last
space adventure show that could air without seeming to cross reference Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and parody itself. 1981 was probably the last year you could get away with including ORAC in any show.

As long as they don't remake "Space 1999", I think we will all be safe.