Blake's 7 (series 1)

Blake's 7 is a British sci-fi series that ran from 1978 to 1981.  It was created by Terry Nation, the very man who created the Daleks from the Dr. Who franchise.  As such, the show often feels like background for a Doctor Who episode of the era.  I would not be the least surprised if Tom Baker arrived in the Tardis in any given episode and joined Blake and his crew in fighting the Federation.  I first encountered it sometime in the mid 90s.  I saw a handful of episodes and was intrigued.  Ever since then, I have occasionally sought the series.  At long last, I have found all the episodes posted on YouTube.

 

Roj Blake (Gareth Thomas) is a former freedom fighter in the distant future who finds himself being shipped to a prison planet.  As chance would have it, a starship battle between unknown belligerents results in damage to the prison transport.  While assessing damage, the prison ship notes that one ship is drifting.  If they could get control of it, it would be worth a fortune!  The captain sends some of his crew and they fail to return.  Unwilling to risk more of his crew, he sends prisoners, Blake among them.  Blake overcomes the alien ship's defenses and bolts with his new crew mates aboard the Liberator.  Over the first set of 13 episodes, Blake assembles a crew.  There is Kerr Avon the computer genius with an immense ego and mostly interested in what is best for him.  Jenna Stannis is a 'free trader' who was bound for prison for smuggling.  She is a competent pilot.  Vila Restal is a cowardly thief, a man who can open any lock, especially if he is in danger.  Olag Gan is a bear of a man who proves quite amiable.  He has an inhibitor chip in his head to prevent him from killing.  Cally is an alien who looks entirely human.  She can send her thoughts telepathically but cannot read minds.  Lastly, there is Zen, the Liberator's computer.  That makes seven crew, Blake's 7.

 

The show is a cross between Star Trek and Robin Hood.  Blake is an idealist who wants to use the Liberator - which is far superior to any Federation ship - to destroy the tyrannical government.  The rest of the crew would as soon find someplace to hide.  As such, the episodes are a mix of achieving Blake's objectives (e.g., blowing up a communications array, rescuing a rebel leader, etc.) or alien encounters (e.g., all powerful aliens mess with the ship or crew).  Viewing it today, I am reminded of Firefly.

 

The production values show great frugality, looking very like the Doctor Who episodes of the era.  Star Trek, a show that was canceled almost a decade before this one started, has better special effects.  Battlestar Galactica, a contemporary, is vastly superior.  However, the stories are solid, and the characters are fun.

 

The final episode of the first season has the crew acquire the ultimate supercomputer, an AI that is called Orac.  No sooner is Orac aboard the Liberator than it predicts the destruction of the ship in the near future, even providing a graphic detonation on the view screen.  Nice cliffhanger.