The Story of Blake's 7
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- Опубликовано: 20 фев 2020
- Narrated by Paul Darrow. Find out more at the Big Finish website: bgfn.sh/b7web
Blake's 7, a science fiction television series, originally ran for four seasons on BBC One from 1978 to 1981. Created by Terry Nation (who also created the Daleks for Doctor Who), Blake's 7 featured spaceships, robots, galactic empires and aliens. Big Finish Productions has been releasing brand new Blake's 7 stories as audio adventures since 2012.
In the far future, mankind has reached out into space, beyond the confines of its own solar system, discovering and colonising new worlds. A single ruling body - the Federation - governs Earth’s empire with an iron fist. For the vast majority of citizens life is hard. Personal freedoms are severely restricted and free speech is prohibited.
However, despite the threat of retribution, there are those that are prepared to resist the oppression of the Federation. Roj Blake was one such man, brave enough to speak out and lead a rebellion. But the rebellion failed and Blake was incarcerated, forced to publicly recant, and his memories of his past life wiped.
The blocks placed on Blake’s memories were only partially successful, however, and Blake was eventually sentenced to incarceration on the penal colony, Cygnus Alpha. En route to Cygnus Alpha, Blake’s prison ship, the London, discovered a highly advanced abandoned starship. Blake, along with fellow prisoners Jenna Stannis, an accomplished pilot, and Kerr Avon, a computer genius, were able to capture the ship for themselves.
The ship, which they named the Liberator, was faster than, and technologically superior to, any Federation vessel. The ship's systems, controlled by the computer known as Zen, included a teleportation facility allowing the crew to travel instantaneously to a planet’s surface without having to land the ship.
Following the London to Cygnus Alpha, Blake, Jenna and Avon attempted to rescue as many of their fellow prisoners as possible. Ultimately though they were only able to save two: Vila Restal, a skilled thief and lock-pick; and Olag Gan, a powerful giant of a man.
With his crew of five, Blake renewed his fight against the Federation. Whilst attempting to sabotage a Federation communications complex on Saurian Major, Blake encountered Cally, an alien telepath waging her own war on the Federation. Cally accepted Blake’s invitation to join the Liberator’s crew.
Blake’s crusade against the Federation was successful enough to have him and his crew placed at the top of the Federation’s most wanted list, but Blake wanted to be more than just an irritation and was eager to strike at a target that would have a lasting and devastating impact on the Federation’s rule. That target was the Federation’s central control complex which monitored and maintained the environments on many Federation worlds as well as coordinating automated shipping routes and satellites. Discovering that the central control complex was located at a secret location known as Star One, Blake tracked it down to a lone planet, just beyond the rim of the galaxy.
Once there, Blake and the Liberator crew discovered an alien war fleet from the Andromeda galaxy, poised to invade. With no other option, Blake alerted the Federation to the imminent attack, and attempted to use the Liberator to hold back the alien ships until the Federation forces arrived.
Ultimately, the alien invasion was repelled but at a high cost. Star One was destroyed resulting in many worlds becoming uninhabitable. The Federation had won the war, but was much diminished. Badly damaged, the Liberator had to be abandoned.
Avon, Vila and Cally made it back, but Jenna and Blake went their separate ways. Avon took control of the Liberator with new crew members Dayna, a weapons expert, and Tarrant, a former Federation officer. Together they continued to explore the galaxy avoiding Federation forces and encountering alien phenomena.
Blake’s 7 stories are available from Big Finish to own forever in several formats: a variety of adventures set during and after the show in book, ebook and audiobook format; 12 volumes of The Liberator Chronicles - audio adventures performed by an original cast member with limited co-stars available as collector's edition CD box sets or digital download; and The Classic Audio Adventures - a full-cast audio drama series available as collector's edition CDs and downloads. 
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Paul Darrow, a voice that's impossible to mistake or ever forget
RIP. Another hero from from childhood gone. What a voice he had.
That hole crew i met them when i was a kid. In Edinburgh. Early hours in the morning in a secret location
Started the clip, heard the voice....must listen to the end,
Rest in peace Paul Darrow, he elevated snide to a high art.
The only actor I remember as being supremely snide in his delivery, but still being capable of stealing the audience's heart as a (relatively) good guy in the shows. Still after all these years not sure if it was Paul's delivery, or the subtlety of the script writers. Either way it was a complete winner for me! Fondly remembered and condolences to his family.
The lovely rich tone of Paul Darrow, greatly missed.
Why he didnt do hundreds of ads I dont know. And why dont people speak like this anymore. Its like music.
@@SesameR7sh Well that's easy to answer - in part the awful Estuary English and also, let's call it the "diverse" range of accents from mass immigration. I doubt if we'll hear many voices like his again, unfortunately.
Producers: " how much grim is your next script gonna be?"
Terry Nation: "Yes"
Paul Darrow, a Sci fi Legend. Great to hear his voice and narration of Blake 7.
I must listen to the audio books. RIP Paul.
So nice to hear Paul Darrow as Avon again, my childhood hero. Avon and the others are sadly missed, but with happy memories!
RIP Paul Darrow Avon was my favourite character.
I second that. A bastard, but sympathetic with it, intelligent, rational and pragmatic. The perfect foil for Blake’s romantic idealist. Stole the show for me, aside from the Liberator of course.
And mine too.
Mine too, and could listen to his wonderful voice for hours.
@@catherinewilliams3850 yes thank goodness he made the big finish audio ones and the B7 books he wrote and narrated are excellent.
@@dogwalker666 Yes thank goodness, and they are.
Blake's 7 was great entertainment - it proved that you don't need a vast budget to hook an audience; just charm, good characters and some good stories.
I know. It was cheap looking but I was so hooked by the story that it didn’t matter.
@@PungiFungi I'm a Doctor Who fan and i still would have watched it IF i was born in the 60s 70s or 80s
Indeed so! The very cream of the crop of space opera.
I am wracking my brain to decide what makes Blake's 7 so great. The stories are so so, the costumes likewise, the props are ridiculous as are the special effects.
But together.... it just ffing works. Must be the famous British thespian tradition that keeps this boat afloat. Over the years I've become such a big fan of British acting.
They don't do 'celebrity', they just do magnificent acting, where you never realize midway that you're looking at actor.
Thank you for your generosity towards Blake's seven and British actors. Yes, we don't have American money or skilled special effects on science fiction programmes which is sad. But Britain 🇬🇧 does produce brilliant actors that put body, heart and soul into their work. What is marvellous is that the company that worked on Blake's Seven became close friends. There are only 5 actors still alive from the show as many have passed away. I hope they make Blake's Seven into a film 🎥 as it deserves a repeat due to being adored around the world 🌎 by scifi fans
Blake's 7 was an absolute masterpiece. It was real life in space
This was COMPULSORY viewing on ABC TV late Saturday night in the early 80s in Australia.
Friday nights were "trots night". Saturday night was the eagerly anticipated "Blake's 7 night".
Really hit its straps in season 2 when a multitude of renowned Dr WHO writers, script editors, producers and directors joined Terry Nation and seemingly random stories suddenly became part of a much more complex story arc.
Strong characters and inspired casting.
THANK YOU FOR COMPLETING MY TEENAGE WEEK.
Lovely to hear Paul Darrow's voice once more
He was a terrific actor, one of the best. May He Rest in Peace.
Paul was a Masterful actor, he will be sadly missed. The show was more important than they know
Wondrous show with brilliant actors. I was a little kid who was transfixed by Blake 7. The late 1970s was so magical ✨️ for me space 1999 and Blake 7. I used to love Swop shop. And each monday we'd disscuss Blake 7 and play out the episode. Tv heaven and I'd like to thank Paul Darrow and Jacqueline pearce for making a show with such weak production values so bloody strong! It was the combination of good stories with a powerful message combined with brilliant acting that made Blake 7 stand as a superb sci fi series.
1970s were a golden age in British television, to be sure. BBC children's tv was never ever better.
100% agree. Brilliant tv series in a golden era of Sci fi & Children’s TV 👍
Great narration by Paul Darrow (RIP) but no mention of the wonderful Servalan, played supremely by the equally wonderful Jaqueline Pearce (RIP also).
To me the character of Avon was to Blake's 7 what JR Ewing was to Dallas without them the show would have been nothing.
Rest in peace Paul Darrow and Larry Hagman and thank you
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Avon is like a space age version of JR. Two loveable rogues who have an element of danger and unpredictability to them.
British Scifi of that era was all about doing more with less. More acting. More drama. Better writing. I love it all.
After Dr Who...my fav of series of all time. I cried at the finale episode when all Blakes 7 killed.
So did I 😭
Rip Paul Darrow.... and Gareth Tomas... 😥😭
Ah, one last run for Paul Darrow.
Trust Avon to leave Orac out of the story... Avon wouldn't want to talk about the one thing smarter than himself.
hahahaha...."Well now..."
Wondered where ORAC was..
How very true! He never could stand ORAC.
Perhaps he just doesn't want us to know where Avon hid Orac!
Also didn't mention Servalan. Or Travis, for that matter.
Blake's 7 was an excellent TV series.
It was a masterpiece
In 2021 I've been watching all the Blake 7 episodes on ForcesTV in the UK. I remembered watching them when i was a kid and they are still as good to watch now as they were years ago.
Rest in peace my friend. You are sorely missed. 💖💔💖
My happy place. If I have a bad day I watch an episode, or three. Bad day obliterated. So nice to hear Paul.
Yes, this, Just thinking about it lifts my mood.
I'm always grateful for a rough analogy of Blake's 7...excellent presentation!!! A calming thing hearing Paul Darrow narrate since his passing.
I watched this show almost 30 years ago. It is still one of mine favourite SciFi shows
Lovely video and so nice to hear Paul’s fantastic voice again, bless him.
Love this and what a great tribute to the show, I grew up watching this and Paul Darrow was my hero........even at 30 years old now when i heard of hes death i was devastated and will live with the regret that i should have mailed him or contacted him saying that he was such an influence on me. RIP Avon the man
Always got time for a Big Finish RUclips video.
One of the BBC's finest ever shows, as well as being some of Big Finish's best releases.
This has thankfully now inspired the release of Blake’s 7 to BritBox.
@@mikebasil4832 Where hopefully it will get a whole new legion of fan's.
This show was originally aired when I was a primary school kid.I absolutely loved it.I had one of the "Liberator" spaceship toys that were on sale at the time.... Methinks it's time for a little stroll down memory lane.Let's see how many episodes YT has to offer....
Rip Paul
celt80 I find Blake's 7 stories hard to listen and watch these days, due to both Gareth and Paul's passing. much in the same way I find Elisabeth Sladen's Doctor Who stories hard to watch.
@@Super_Mario128 With shows of that era, you're often watching scenes where every actor in them has now passed on.
@@silenthunteruk true that.
@@Super_Mario128 Tom Baker often says that the dead are entertaining the living. As an enjoyer of classic films he got used to it.
Lovely Paul Darrow who gave so much to the theatrical world. He was in so many brilliant tv productions. He was more than Blake's seven, but didn't mind the show defined his career. So many people now adore Blake's seven around the world 🌎 i watched it with my mum as a kid in the 1970s and was transfixed! I bought the vidoes in the 1990s for my nephew and he loved it so much! Blake's seven deserves to be made into a film 🎥 with American money 💰 but British actors! It would be dynamic scifi
Avon was the best Blake's 7 character
A great introduction to Blake's 7...I loved meeting him many many years ago in New Jersey.
Ooh this is really neat! I just started showing Blake's 7 to my husband.
Fantastic presentation, and so lovely to hear Paul's voice one more time. A great range of of stories, thank you to all for such wonderful work over the years.
Mr. Paul Darrow!!! We miss you. We love you. :)
Paul Darrow, I love you man. You were one of my favorite actors growing up. Avon, was my hero. Thank you for all the great memories!
Wonderful recap and it's brilliant to hear Paul Darrow (Avon) narrate it. I love the Liberator Chronicles. Any fan of the original show will enjoy them as they enhance and expand on the existing show episodes perfectly.
we love YOU Big Finish!!!
Just finished watching Seek-locate-destroy only on serries 1 but love it so far.
I feel envious, I wish I was just discovering it again. Isn't it brilliant? I watched it when I was a child but remembered none of it and don't think I understood it..how it was aimed at kids is beyond me, the first episode has massacre, corruption and a man framed for molesting children. Not really Blue Peter and yet the crew were interviewed on it and Lesley Judd taught us all how to make teleport bracelets.
Seek Locate Destroy..I love it when Servalan says "Destroy Blake' and Travis says: "Depend on it" and his voice goes up in that sinister way.
Mission To Destiny was the first Blake’s 7 episode for me. But just afterwards, Seek-Locate-Destroy was a very good impression.
when I was a kid I was only old enough to remember Avon as commander
Great great great show every few months I watch them from start to finish love it absolutely love it I’d be there every week watching it as a kid great great show
That's not Dayna! Dayna was played by Josette Simon!
Great summation. 👍🏾👍🏾
They recast her for the audios (just as the BBC did in the 1990s for their two Blakes 7 radio plays).
Watched this when I was about 12. Loved this almost as much Dr who
I used to watch this after school on PBS... It came on after Dr Who... that was an exceptional line up...Should be an arcade game!!! "THE KIDS WILL GO NUTS FOR IT"!!!!
Met him once, he signed my Blake's 7 Programme Guide and Michael Keating aka Vila signed it too.
Series 3 is where I first encountered "Blake's 7" on BBC America ... wondered for years who the heck Blake was (I started watching it in the late 80s, when I couldn't look this up on the Internet or RUclips) 😂 and im amazed how it still holds up.
Im from Sri Lanka, i remember my childhood during 83 watching this.....what a TV movie....
They showed Blake's 7 in Sri Lanka? I had no idea!
@@shan4680 yes, in 81/82 if im right...again in 88?
Love it, love it, LOVE IT.
Absolutely brilliant.. 👍🏽 🚀
Love B7.. 👌
The last episode messed me up as a child. To think that Blake was a bad guy was shocking to an 8 year old. And then to add insult they killed off the characters and Avon an unforgettable and great actor.
The brought Dr Who back, its time to bring Blake's 7 back...
The Blake's Seven .are the best.even from today there.old program's beat all
Not surprised that the prison ship is called LONDON, Darrow is the real talent. Liberator is the ship that we all travel
Perfect!
Thank you for the synopsis.
Great to hear Paul's voice. One small quibble why is there no close up of Cally in her introduction as there was for the others? Josette will always be Dayna for me, though as it is a BF production I see why you didn't use her image.
Great series. I first watched it in 2001.
the ending of Blakes 7 truly broke my heart
Thank you. Avon is the best !
My favorite show nexts to star trek and b 5.
Brilliant 💗
Amazing
The show was mostly Avon's 7 for me.
free Star Wars The Old Republic has paul darrow voicing "Overseer Tremel" ..... it's amazing to play that story line...
I have got to hear those stories
As a 9 year old I could never work out why it was called Blake’s 7 when there were 5 of them and no Blake. Time to remake it (or reimagine like with battle star galactica perhaps but keep the original music)!
Paul Darrow R.I.P 🙏
RIP Stephen Greif (the first Travis), died Dec 2022 aged 78, now gone to that Federation in the sky, so you better watch out Blake and Avon..:)
I had such a crush on Servelan
I saw the show On WTTW Ch 11 Chicago In fne late 80's - early 90's I did totally enjoy the show, Doctor Who for one. I have to admit thay made some good shoes in The UK :)
How about Servalan, the bad guy with the eye patch and ORAC?
They were in it too :) Yes, they're in some Big Finish audios.
Please update pic of Dayna, and add Soolin, Del the best crew member Orac. OM commander? supreme commander! Servalan.
Soolin is great but they don't hold the rights to her season or characters from it.
Good special effects
Still too upset.
Love Blakes 7. Got them all on DVD. But I hope that the series gets put on BritBox soon. Then I can re watch the show without the DVD's/
According to an email I received earlier, they've just arrived on BritBox! :)
@@Elkestra Yes they have. Unfortunately, I recently finished watching the whole series again on DVD.
@@Elkestra Not Britbox USA though.
Til all are one, Avon!
I still love this show 40 years on.
Zen chose the name "Liberator" not Blake & co.
Zen got the name from Jenna
@@kernv He did!
Yes but Blake's crew (then only Avon!) accepted the name that Jenna thought of and Zen applied.
Not sure how I found this but I'm interested :0
It is nice he missed the lockdown etc. A great actor. Pity the script writer got the liberators facts wrong. It was destroyed long after the war not abandoned. And Avon meets up with Blake at series end.
It was abandoned at one point, the audios don't get to the part where it's destroyed. They're not going to just give the end of the series away.
@@tonyparker7349 it was not abandoned during the battle as the error ridden narrator claimed. The series finished 40 years ago we all know how it ended Tony!
@@Number6_ It was abandoned (the crew used escape capsules) due to taking too much damage at the start of the third season, for a couple of episodes Avon and Dayna have to try to get it back, as the Federation troops with Tarrant took it over.
Sally knyvette had gorgeous legs I was a kid at the time but still appreciated then
RIP Stephen
BBC budget made great by strong characters that are well acted and keep a straight face when the budget makes use of cardboard and string.
Is there any way an "Unmade/lost" stories range could be done for Blake's 7?
Are there many in that category? I've read there were one or two, didn't know there were many..
I know 'Animals' was originally scripted as a Cally episode before they reworked it for Dayna. I don't know if there are any other missing stories. I wonder if any scripts for Season 3 were written with Blake as leader.
@@Ashworth6 Paul Darrow wrote a series D script "Man of Iron" but hard to make audios for that season because of rights issues regarding Soolin and Slave. Pip and Jane Baker wrote a script about the Federation creating "supermen" for Series B, I think (the second season) and there was an early version of Pressure Point called Storm Mountain.
I don't know how sharing works how can we get as many reactors as possible to see this?>
I always thought that Orac was one of the crew (one of the "seven")?
@@magellanthecat I just watched an interview with Paul Darrow on 'Ask Aspel', that was one of the questions, he said Orac was the 7th crew member after Gan was lost
OMG when did we lose Paul???
Aww yeahhh
Very good, but surely that is not Dayna?
Bold of them to kill off the title character like that. It would be like if Bambi got shot by the hunter and the rest of the movie was just the Prince of the Forest helping the other animals.
Blake didn't die at the end of S2. He just went missing, and reappeared in the final episode of S4. In addition, it was speculated that various clones of Blake (from "Weapon", S2) could still be at large in the galaxy.
@@KaitainCPS Yes, he also pops up in a virtual reality at the end of the third seaosn.
I take it this graphic for the space scenes aren’t original? My vague recollection of this classic show were nothing like this fancy.
Yes it's some new CGI just for this trailer. The original series uses models and animation.
Fancy not mentioning arch-enemy Servlan herself
She was one of the best villains I've ever seen. Brilliant, Machiavellian and absolutely gorgeous. She and Avon were mirror images of each other. In my personal mind canon they're siblings. Now that would really be interesting....
Or Commissioner Sleer...
In the bio, I notice that Dayna looks different.
blake's7 could be an earlier idea of what the eu would morph into
Dayna...doesn't look like Dayna. Unless she's a voice actor doing Dayna on BF audio tales.
Why did they not use a photo of Josette Simon?
Rights issues, and Dayna has been recast a couple of times for BBC and BF audios.
Alas, there are no habitable planets. Star Trek connection
BEST UK SCI-FI SHOW EVER 🙌🙌👩🏼🧑🏻🔥🔥🇬🇧🇬🇧😁😁💋💋😎♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Why wasn't a picture of Josette Simon used for Dayna?
She was from my town, strange she didn't let her photos be used though
@@Sennaxm71 She hates Blakes 7. For unfathomable reasons she sees her character as sexist and racist. I cant think why. She was consistently depicted as brave and intelligent , but also a bit impulsive because she was young. She just seemed like the perfect foil for Tarrant. I couldn't see anything sexist at all about it. She was a weapons designer and expert shooter..seems pretty advanced for the time. I dont find B7 at all sexist in any way. Its full of cool and flawed and interesting women, especially Jenna.
@@Sennaxm71 she hates Blakes 7
@@SesameR7sh I didn't think it was sexist either, there were lots of strong female characters, there was Servelan leader of the federation, how is that sexist? Dayna and Soolin were both weapons experts and fiesty, I mean, yes they wore revealing clothes but that was just how things were then, Daisy Duke and her hot pants, it was that time, and I for one, wish things were more like they used to be, coz the World's gone frickin mad lately 🤦♂️
@@SesameR7sh I agree, Dayna was a very strong character. Josette must have had her mind changed by the "woke" crowd. B7 gave her her Equity card, unfortunate that she has this negative view of it now.
looks interesting- but 'the Federation'... ? well, yes, evil, but where've we heard that b4?
0:16 Space Invaders.