BLAKE'S 7 was one of three major sci-fi shows that Terry Nation worked on during his career. BLAKE'S 7 and SURVIVORS were
the shows he created while the creation of the Daleks helped cement the longevity of long running time travel show DOCTOR
WHO all thanks to the talent of Terry Nation. BLAKE'S 7 was described as Robin Hood in Space, but Terry Nation's sci-fi action
drama is complex and dark. This low budget sci-fi show from the BBC only lasted for four seasons, but it has fans since it
debut in 1978 stretching from British fans who watched it on the BBC to PBS stations in the USA to new fans who discovered
it on BritBox or the BBC Sci-Fi Channel on FreeVee. Since it never got a DVD release in the USA, BLAKE'S 7 sees its first
physical media release (since VHS) with the packed blu-ray release of BLAKE'S 7 THE COLLECTION SERIES ONE.
BLAKE'S 7 follows rebel Roj Blake who is framed for crimes he didn't do and he ends up gathering a crew of criminals like
Kerr Avon, Jenna Stannis, Gan, and cowardly thief Vila along with telepathic rebel Cally. They use the alien ship as the
Liberator and the computer Zen to fight against the tyrannical Federation and Supreme Commander Servalan and Space commander
Travis. It is a very adult sci-fi action series with mature themes and some violence. The characters get developed over
time, but the clear favorites are Avon and Villa with Blake being too much of a straight man devoted to the cause. It is
very different from Doctor Who while it shares some of the same low budget/ no budget DNA that classic Doctor Who had from
some of the same guest stars, writers (Chris Boucher), quarries as other world locations, and one of the most iconic Doctor
Who composers (Dudley Simpson).
SPECIAL FEATURES:
BLAKE'S 7 is packed with new and old special features including hour long interviews, TV promotional segments, HD photo
galleries, making-of documentaries, audio commentaries on three episodes with the cast, continuity announcements, rare convention
footage from HORIZON in March 1998, featurettes, character introductions, model footage, DVD Easter eggs, studio footage,
the blu-ray trailer, a deleted scene, and outtakes. Each episode also has optional updated CGI special effects.
DISC ONE-
LIBERATION is a newly produced HD documentary on the origins and making of the first season of BLAKE'S 7.
DISC TWO- SALLY KNYVETTE IN CONVERSATION is an hour plus interview as Matthew Sweet talks to her about her career and
playing Jenna on BLAKE'S 7
DISC THREE-
Friends, family, Stephen Grief (through interview footage), and colleagues remember and talk about actor Stephen Grief
and his career as an actor including getting fired by Orson Wells for poor penmanship.
DISC FIVE-
Director Michael E. Briant talks about his life, acting career, directing DOCTOR WHO and BLAKE'S 7, and his passion for
sailing in a conversation with Matthew Sweet in MICHEAL E. BRIANT: IN CONVERSATION
DISC SIX has a deleted scene, outtakes, studio footage, and an unreleased MAKING OF BLAKE'S 7 documentary which was originally
going to be included with the UK DVD release of the series.
FINAL ANALYSIS: It is great to see BLAKE'S 7 get such a fantastic blu-ray release in North America and the UK. It has
a slide out slip cover, case art, and a booklet on the series and what is on each disc. Too bad the North American blu-ray
releases of Classic DOCTOR WHO don't get this treatment like it does in the UK.
This blu-ray review is ©12-29-2024 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. Send all comments to
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