Some writers on Blake's 7 were so prolific, that they managed to develop their own recognisable style independent of the others. None quite as much as series creator Terry Nation, whose instantly identifiable pulpy tone defined the series for an entire season, and continued to inspire it throughout. This is a ranking of all of Nation's contributions, from the bottom of the barrel to his greatest achievement.
19. 1x07 "Mission To Destiny"
Aside from Paul Darrow stepping into the limelight for the first time, I've never found a reason to revisit this inane attempt at a detective story. I can easily imagine Nation at the end of his wits, clutching at straws to find plots for his episodes and then deciding to make an Agatha Christie-style adventure purely because it was something different. The mystery is badly constructed, all of the guest cast are forgettable, the production is boring.
18. 1x05 "The Web"
This one is watchable, but just kind of... weird. And not the good kind. Blake is forced to go to a planet and finds himself protecting a bunch of genetically engineered wood dwarves. Memorable, I guess, but not very entertaining. It is notably the only episode to feature Blake and Avon alone together on a mission.
17. 1x10 "Breakdown"
Aka the episode where David Jackson got robbed the hardest. The only Gan story, and he is a mere plot device. It's frustrating. The script meanders a lot and the episode feels more like a series of almost standalone sketches than a complete thing. I do think there's several good moments that show off the crew's chemistry, but as a whole it's forgettable.
16. 1x01 "The Way Back"
I have to give The Way Back some respect for being the premiere, as well as its unique dystopian elements that provide Blake with his motive for the rest of the series. But I never actually enjoy watching it. It's repetitive, slow, there's some confusing plot twists regarding Blake's arrest, the acting is merely alright and the low budget is never as noticeable as it is here. The only really interesting part of the episode is seeing Michael Keating and Sally Knyvette's rough performances as Vila and Jenna.
15. 1x04 "Time Squad"
This is a case where half of the episode is very good(Saurian Major) and half of it is some of the most boring, uninteresting crap the series ever produced(the thawing aliens). It's an awkward story that alternates between having my complete attention and putting me to sleep. As such, this is as high as I can put it.
14. 3x02 "Powerplay"
Like Time Squad, Powerplay alternates between multiple storylines. However, in this case, I feel like there was potential for both. It's just that neither is given enough time to really sink in and as a result, the episode never quite grabs me even if it is cool to see the series adapt to its new, Blake-less format. David Maloney's direction is on point as well. I think I'll remember the imagery of Vila in the jungle and Avon in the red-tinted service ducts the most.
13. 1x13 "Orac"
There's nothing really wrong with Orac, per se, other than the fact that you feel it's the end of the season and everyone's a bit tired. It moves rather slowly, there's never a proper threat until the final act and Blake's crew humiliates Travis for the umpteenth time. Been there, done that. The question of 'what is Orac?' is answered about halfway through so much of the runtime is just about shuffling back to the Liberator whilst most of the crew are mildly irritable over being exposed to lethal radiation.
12. 1x11 "Bounty"
T. P. McKenna carries this one on his shoulders. He is very magnetic as Sarkoff and I always get considerably invested in seeing what happens to him. I also love Sarkoff's home - there's a lot of fun in seeing Blake and Cally traverse the neatly trimmed lawn and make their way inside the eccentric castle. But it basically falls apart in the second half when we get to the silly 'Amagon bounty hunters' and completely drop the melancholy political angle. Sarkoff spends the rest of the episode sitting on the flight deck! It's weird the way it just peters out like that. And I don't think anyone at this stage believed that Jenna had turned traitor.
11. 1x03 "Cygnus Alpha"
I think I can best describe Cygnus Alpha as an ok mixture of excellent elements. I love Brian Blessed's hamminess. The oppressive atmosphere of Cygnus is brilliant(both in the script and in the direction). Gan gets to be more commanding than he ever is again. But none of these things entirely come together. It could've used some retooling. Blessed might've been better suited to a lighter episode so that the cult of Cygnus could remain threatening. I also would've really liked it if Blake hadn't entirely stolen Gan's thunder as the group leader, or maybe an arc where Gan admits defeat after he got almost everyone killed by leading them to Vargas. I find Cygnus Alpha to be one of the more fascinating episodes of the show, but it's definitely uneven.
10. 1x09 "Project Avalon"
Who doesn't love Project Avalon? It's like the most Blake's 7-y episode of Blake's 7 ever. Servalan and Travis setting a trap - check. A parade of Nation cliches - check. Avon deciding to spend the entire episode just making wisecracks - check. Blake somehow figuring out the villains' entire scheme based on pure conjecture(how many times has Gareth Thomas delivered the lines "now, they must have...") - check. Unimpressive gunfights - check. Vila fretting at a door - check. It's the ultimate fast food episode. Completely shallow, but you get everything.
9. 1x02 "Space Fall"
In essence, the real beginning. Gareth Thomas and Paul Darrow establish their brilliant rivalry of head vs heart(but which is which?) that would go on to define the series. We also get to see the Liberator for the first time in a wonderful sequence. Raiker is a great, truly despicable villain and it's a lot of fun seeing the emerging crew subvert him and try to pull off their mutiny. For newcomers, there's the oppurtunity to try to figure out who'll survive(especially after seeing everyone around Blake die in The Way Back).
8. 1x12 "Deliverance"
I didn't expect this one to grow on me so much, but Avon's storyline with Meegat keeps me coming back. Switching the Blake/Avon roles in the script was a stroke of accidental genius that added to the depth of both. Deliverance moves at a nice pace, and I like seeing almost the entire crew on the planet for once. Blake tends to hog the missions like Captain Kirk. Tony Caunter is a good guest star. His plight was very sympathetic, as Ensor Jr was obviously not a villain by choice, but merely did what he felt he had to. In a way, it was almost like seeing a main character from a different show have to deal with our heroes. You want to see them succeed, but also not.
7. 2x09 "Countdown"
Obviously, Del Grant and his complicated relationship with Avon makes this one stand out in particular. But I think Countdown is just an overall great achievement for the series. Paul Shelley's Major Provine is one of my favourite villains in the series - his very understated maliciousness and cunning keeps the tension high. The direction is particularly dynamic and all the battle scenes feel rough and gritty. The literal ticking clock is well executed. They nailed the sense of struggle against impending doom in this one.
6. 1x08 "Duel"
I think the success of Duel is 99% down to Douglas Camfield. His work gives it such an eerie feel that was perhaps duplicated only by Sarcophagus - this sense of complete isolation in space. The near-omniscient Sinofar and Giroc characters have powers close to magic, which makes Duel unique and refreshing amongst Nation's usually grounded scripts. And I really like that he contrived to have Blake and Travis face off in such a personal way, having to rely entirely on their wits to try and defeat the other. The rest of the crew having to sit and watch them is nowhere near as clunky as it might've been. I only wish the episode lasted even longer.
5. 2x05 "Pressure Point"
It would've been a crime if Blake's return to Earth had been anything less than one of the biggest events of the series. Thankfully, Nation delivered with the show's first proper game-changer. Up until now, Blake's 7 had handled itself as a sci-fi variation on Robin Hood. Pressure Point gave the show its balls. Mind you, it's not all fantastic - the direction is flat and some of the challenges the crew face feel distinctly game show-ish. But the twist ending redeems any prior flaws and is always heartwrenching. Shit just got real and things would never be the same again.
4. 1x06 "Seek-Locate-Destroy"
This one I love so much, because the whole runtime is spent on selling Travis and Servalan to us as a pair of incredibly effective and dangerous villains. Travis and Blake have their personal grudges against each other, and the former exemplifies the callous brutishness of the Federation - the soldiers who gunned down Blake's friends. Meanwhile, Servalan stands for the slimy upper class that condemned and mentally tortured him. Her political games, manipulation and treacherous charisma more than match Travis's traditional intimidation. They're wonderful baddies and nowhere do they shine as brightly as here.
3. 3x01 "Aftermath"
Possibly the most creative episode of the entire series, Aftermath completely smashes up the series formula and throws us into the unknown. Following Avon after the utter chaos of the Intergalactic War is exhilarating, and I love the discussions that he has with Servalan as they decide the future of the galaxy from an obscure underwater bunker. It's such an admirable left field turn. The location filming on the bright beach and the design of the bunker are visual highlights of the series.
2. 2x01 "Redemption"
Pure entertainment value. There is not a second of Redemption that doesn't hold my attention. First of all, Vere Lorrimer did a damn good job in showing off the increased budget. POV shots, big explosions, location filming in a gigantic facility, exceptional modelwork... it all looks so much bigger and better compared to the first season. It's awesome to finally see who built the Liberator - a great way to up the ante without involving the Federation. The space battles are really good as far as the series is concerned. And the script is so good. Blake and Avon have astonishingly well-written dialogue on the subject of prediction.
1. 3x13 "Terminal"
If you didn't love Avon's character until now(you nonexistent madman), Terminal ought to do it. His intense hunt for Blake is fascinating, creepy and incredibly touching. Mary Ridge's direction is one of the series' best, perfectly conveying the desolation of the artificial world, with potential dangers around every corner. Speaking of the world, Terminal is just one of the coolest planets in the entire show. There's so much depth behind that concept. All in all, had Terminal been the series finale, it would've been a phenomenal one. Lowkey, but I think there's something to be said for that approach, and it certainly would've redeemed the otherwise lacking plot arc in Series C.
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