So What Was Or Is Blake's 7?
Created | Updated Jun 21, 2003
BLake's 7 was a sci-fi show about a group fighting to free earth from a corrupt government? Well yes, but it was more than that! Its greatest strength was its characterisation.
They did not always win. They could die (and did often.. about once each!), they argued, they did not fall in love every week, and they never looked like beating the Federation. It was a bit like Star Trek only British! It had humour but never silliness. It had something
special...
It was created by Terry Nation, the man who created the Daleks for 'Doctor Who', and the sci-fi show Survivors for the BBC. He wrote the first season himself (the only
time this had happened in a drama series) but JM Straczynsky did write more episodes in a
row for Babylon 5.
Blake's 7 started on the 2nd of January 1978. It was the same
night that Star Wars opened in London. A good day for sci-fi!
To tell the story of Blake's 7 it is best to tell you about the characters, so here goes:
The Good Guys
Roj Blake: A freedom fighter. He is fighting against the 'Federation'... a
totalitarian government (The BAD Guys), who drug the population to keep order.
'I will not rest until I am a free man'.
(season 1 and 2)Kerr Avon: The second best computer genius in the Federation.
'Who's the best? The man who caught him'
Avon never liked Blake, and often let him know it!
(season 1 - 4)Jenna Stannis: A pilot and smuggler; she was close to Blake and stuck buy him.
(seasons 1 and 2)Olag Gan: A gentle giant. He was strong, but could not kill anyone as he had an implant
in his head.
(season 1 and 8 episodes season 2)Cally: A Telepath from the planet Auron, she was a clone exiled from her
people. She could talk in someone's mind, but could not read what they said.
(season 1-3)Vila Restall: A thief and a coward, but the best locksmith ever! He could open any
lock in an hour or, if his life was in jeopardy, a few seconds. He was often the butt of the
jokes.
'They went for your weakest point... ooh my head.
The fire was stupid! Putting Vila on guard was suicidal'
Vila was the nearest thing Avon had to a friend.
(season 1-4)The Liberator and Zen: This was the name of the ship and its on board computer. It was
the most powerful ship known, with a self-repair facility built in. It was a bit strange and
uncooperative at times.
(seasons 1-3)
The 7 of them all joined up in episode 4, but only Avon and Vila stayed until the end. Blake
did return for the last story, and Gareth Thomas who played him was in the last episode
of season 3.
The Bad Guys
Servalan: To start with she was just Travis's boss, but became a thorn in Avon's side.
She became one of the best female sci-fi villains of all time.
(season 1-4)Travis: He was Blake's main enemy. Blake had shot him and left him for dead, but they
rebuilt him... with a bionic eye and an arm that had a built-in gun. He hated Blake and wanted
him dead more than he valued his own life.
(season 1 and 2)
Together Blake's 7 fought the Federation, led by Servalan and pursued by Travis. The show ran for four years. Blake only stayed two, but without him it took on a new life. Avon took over (still fighting the Federation) but he was more for himself... what's in it for me! As one cast member left, others took over.
Later Characters
Orac: The supercomputer that could gain excess to any other computer, but only if you asked it nicely.
Dayna Mallanby: Weapons specialist and gun maker also good at hand to hand combat.
Del Tarrant: An ex Federation pilot, often on the wrong side of an argument with Avon.
'Tarrant's idea of diplomacy is breaking someone's legs then saying lean on me'.Scorpio and Slave: Unlike the Liberator, Scorpio was falling to bits! Its on board computer was always sorry for something.
Soolin: A hired killer, fast with a gun, she had killed the people that had killed her
family.
To me Blake's 7 was the best British sci-fi program ever made. I don't say that lightly! I have seen most of them.
