#52. "Volcano" by Allan Prior
Has maybe one or two good scenes, but otherwise, I find no merit in it whatsoever. A very vapid episode about Servalan trying to take the Liberator, and them fighting her off. Such episodes are a dime a dozen. I'm not sure what Prior was going for with the pacifist society either.
#51. "Animals" by Allan Prior
Whilst it's not a very interesting script(and like all Prior efforts, it's slow), there's at least some attempt made towards character drama. Peter Byrne is dreadfully miscast and his playing the antiheroic Justin as a hammy villain makes the sincere romance between him and Dayna ridiculous. It's difficult to take the eponymous animals seriously either. On the bright side, there's a bit of light humor with the Scorpio scenes.
#50. "Mission to Destiny" by Terry Nation
A lame attempt at a murder mystery. Stands out for being the earliest episode to focus on Avon, as well as the beginning of his relationship with Cally. Darrow's charisma carries the whole thing. It's interesting to have Avon and Cally on a different ship throughout the episode, but the guest cast are forgettable. I have zero interest in any of it.
#49. "Ultraworld" by Trevor Hoyle
This feels like it came out of the 1950s. For much of the episode's runtime, the focus is squarely on Tarrant and Dayna, and since I'm not a huge fan of either, that drags the story down for me. Vila has never been so shamelessly used for comic relief. However, the direction, special effects and location filming are superb.
#48. "Voice from the Past" by Roger Parkes
An incoherent mess of contradictory plot points, but there's some fun to be had with Shivan and the callbacks to the show's pilot episode. The sequence with Servalan in the cinema theatre is another highlight.
#47. "Power" by Ben Steed
The cringiest example of Steed's sexism. However, I've always maintained that underneath his unpalatable opinions is a creative science fiction writer. His concept of Xenon as a dystopian war zone makes the planet far more interesting than it would've been otherwise as a mere base for the crew to return to. Power also features one of Darrow's hammiest performances, so there's that.
#46. "Horizon" by Allan Prior
The relationship between the Kommissar and Ro provides a good, isolated example of how the Federation abuses its authority. Avon's deliberations on the Liberator give Darrow plenty of good material. The episode still drags a lot, and isn't something I'd rewatch in a hurry.
#45. "Weapon" by Chris Boucher
The machinations of Carnell are a joy, and there's sparkling dialogue throughout. All the Liberator scenes are great. However, the direction is seriously off, resulting in awful clothing and set design, as well as a ghastly first performance from Brian Croucher.
#44. "The Keeper" by Allan Prior
Campy medieval nonsense with Bruce Purchase wildly chewing the scenery. Jenna gets the spotlight for once, although it's not a very flattering role for the tough smuggler. It's one of the most blatant filler episodes, seeing as how it comes directly before the season finale.
#43. "Moloch" by Ben Steed
It's a pointless runaround where Steed seemed to throw everything at the wall to see what stuck. The tone bounces back and forth from lighthearted comedy to grim and uncomfortable. Highlights include Vila's tryst with Servalan and Deep Roy's performance as Moloch.
#42. "Traitor" by Robert Holmes
An unassuming episode with very few of Holmes's usual trademarks. The fight scenes are awkwardly choreographed. There's far too many guest characters, leaving little room for characterisation. Some good wit and war satire does shine through, and I love Darrow's increasingly unhinged acting.
#41. "The Web" by Terry Nation
I kind of have a soft spot for this one, because it's so far removed from the type of episodes the series would do later, yet manages to show off the best aspects of Blake's character by having him face a moral dilemma reminiscent of his situation on Earth. The Decimas' squealing really does get annoying, though.
#40. "Breakdown" by Terry Nation
Basically a series of Blake's 7 vignettes, connected by the thread of Gan's injury. Julian Glover does his best with mediocre material, and the idea of Avon leaving is still interesting given that it's early days. It's solid, but thoroughly unremarkable.
#39. "The Way Back" by Terry Nation
Perhaps the most atypical episode, the pilot adventure is awkward, clunky and thoroughly dark. Its production and even the script are completely dated, but it's still compelling in a way, because it's designed to make you empathise with the hapless Blake. It's also interesting to see Sally Knyvette and Michael Keating portray their characters in a markedly different fashion from how they would later on.
#38. "Time Squad" by Terry Nation
I think the subplot about the cryogenically frozen guardians of a DNA bank is completely disposable. It never leads to anything interesting and just exists to fill up time whilst Blake leads his first attack against a Federation base and meets Cally for the first time. That part of the episode's thoroughly fun.
#37. "Children of Auron" by Roger Parkes
Auron is a disappointment, and the disease plot isn't handled terribly well, but there's some good character development for Servalan and Cally, and I like the rivalry between the Federation lackeys.
#36. "Hostage" by Allan Prior
Croucher's Travis injects some energy into another stolid Prior script. The fact that Blake's family is on the line also gives it much required urgency. There's not much to it, but at least here you get some basic action-adventure. Vila in particular shines.
#35. "Killer" by Robert Holmes
The true birth of the Avon/Vila partnership, and thus highly valuable. Their discussions are gold. It's also cool to get some tidbits of Avon's past. Ronald Lacey and Paul Daneman are great guest stars and add weight to the proceedings. My main criticism is that the actual story isn't very interesting. Also, those costumes lol.
#34. "Powerplay" by Terry Nation
I love the idea more than the execution. Having Avon skulk about the underbelly of the Liberator, taking out Federation troopers is brilliant. Vila trying to survive on his own is also really cool. But neither storyline gets the chance to shine as much as they could given the limited time spent on them.
#33. "Warlord" by Simon Masters
Overly pretentious, and I think it was a serious mistake to abandon the alliance plotline so quickly. However, the claustrophobia of the sealed-in base is very compelling and I enjoy the adventures of Avon and Soolin on Betafarl(those hopping troopers!).
#32. "Sand" by Tanith Lee
Superbly directed and acted. As a fan, I liked getting some closure on the Terminal storyline and hearing about Servalan's past was also interesting. The evil sand is an imaginative concept. I don't think the script is very consistent, however, and the decision to pair Servalan up with Tarrant was just strange.
#31. "Orac" by Terry Nation
Elevated several notches by the gravitas of Stephen Greif and early Jacqueline Pearce. I love the character of Orac himself. Otherwise, it's Nation running on fumes. It's just an extended chase to the prize, at a very slow pace.
#30. "City at the Edge of the World" by Chris Boucher
Comedy hijinks with Vila, who gets to be the hero for once. Colin Baker and Michael Keating are legendary together, and the presence of Valentine Dyall adds extra dignity to the proceedings. The plot itself makes no sense, however, and it's not really clear if the romance between Vila and Kerril is meant to be sincere or a joke in of itself.
#29. "Stardrive" by James Follett
A runaround with a plethora of great character moments, most notably in the final scene which emphasizes the show's darker direction. Lots of visual flair unashamedly stolen from Star Wars. Barbara Shelley is also in it, desperately trying to figure out why.
#28. "Bounty" by Terry Nation
T. P. McKenna is one of my favourite Blake's 7 guest stars. He adds a lot of depth and charm to the character of Sarkoff, and I really enjoy watching him and Gareth Thomas go back and forth. In addition to this, the location filming in beautiful well-maintained parks helps to make it stand out from typical quarry fare. The quality drops drastically in the second half.
#27. "Cygnus Alpha" by Terry Nation
One of the most atmospheric episodes. Cygnus Alpha is one of the few planets in the series to truly feel alien and foreboding. The oppressive use of religion is an interesting alternative to the previous types of totalitarianism seen in the series. Brian Blessed does his shtick.
#26. "Project Avalon" by Terry Nation
A good example of the Robin Hood format in the early years, with Travis as Sir Guy of Gisborne, planting a trap for Blake i.e. Robin as Servalan the Sheriff observes. The plan is inspired and there's a great deal of action-adventure. It's also one of the episodes to include Greif and Pearce, the greatest villain pair of the series.
#25. "Space Fall" by Terry Nation
The introduction of Avon, arguably the greatest character in the entire series, as well as his ideological conflict with Blake. The prison escape attempt is fun and exciting, and a nice way to show off the strengths and weaknesses of each lead character. We also get to see the Liberator for the first time, and enjoy Leslie Schofield's turn as a particularly nasty brute.
#24. "Deliverance" by Terry Nation
I love Avon's storyline with Meegat. It's an early, wonderful example of his complex personality. I'm also quite fond of Ensor Jr. It's rare to have somebody stand up against the Liberator crew for totally understandable, ethical reasons.
#23. "Assassin" by Rod Beacham
Cheesy, but fun. Cancer is a hoot, and you can see that Darrow and Pearce are having fun with the pulpy material. Richard Hurndall is extremely charming in his brief role. Tons of entertaining macho posturing.
#22. "Countdown" by Terry Nation
Extremely strong performances from Tom Chadbon and Darrow. Paul Shelley is possibly the best standalone Federation thug. The direction is very good, executing Nation's usual cliches with more professionalism and grit than usual. It feels like a mini-action film.
#21. "Shadow" by Chris Boucher
The drug PSA and Cally's possession are both rather eccentric storylines, but they're a breath of fresh air. I really enjoyed Derek Smith's appearance as the hammy, velvet-wearing dealer. Jan Chappell is the star this time around, showing off Cally's badassery in the way she confronts Space City to save the crew, and her moral strength against the possessed Orac.
#20. "The Harvest of Kairos" by Ben Steed
Goofy, colourful nonsense. Kairos is by far the most cheerful of Steed's episodes, and has a zany energy to it that makes it easy to come back to. There's so many off-the-wall ideas, like the sopron rock, the lunar module, the giant insects. Avon is played completely for laughs, one of the very few times this happens. Andrew Burt's Jarvik is outrageously funny. I dare anyone not to laugh at Steed's obvious moral lessons.
#19. "Trial" by Chris Boucher
Brian Croucher finally cements himself as a successor to Stephen Greif. This episode shows the fallout of Pressure Point, and contains a good deal of character development and political interplay, but can be rather slow(especially on the Blake side of things). Still, I like what it's going for, and Travis's final speech to the court is just spectacular.
#18. "Gold" by Colin Davis
A fun, fastmoving heist adventure with twists and turns. The direction(that music!) is great, and the good lines just keep coming. I'm not a huge fan of Roy Kinnear here, but he plays his part well. It's all very Series D with the space piracy theme, in a good way.
#17. "Dawn of the Gods" by James Follett
There's a solid half-hour of nothing but the crew interacting with each other and building up the mysteriousness of Krandor, and I think that's just brilliant writing. Krandor ultimately doesn't live up to all that promise, but I still tremendously enjoy the sense of wonder and strangeness that permeates most of the episode.
#16. "Duel" by Terry Nation
Blake vs Travis, mano a mano. It's an awesome concept, and with Douglas Camfield behind the camera, it's also executed more or less superbly even within the limited 45-minute time frame. Notably, Dudley Simpson is absent. The stock music here gives the episode a completely different vibe than usual. Nation does some commendable experimentation with his usual style by introducing space fantasy elements.
#15. "Rescue" by Chris Boucher
An exciting mystery adventure where our heroes, now bereft of the Liberator, have to be constantly on their toes to try and stay alive. Geoffrey Burridge steals the show as the extravagant Dorian. Love the old Sea Devil in the basement. The change in status quo is somewhat rushed(until they get to Xenon Base, it feels like everything happens very quickly), but that's both a minor quibble and perhaps true to life. You can't always catch a breather in a dangerous situation.
#14. "Pressure Point" by Terry Nation
This is where Blake stops being Robin Hood in space and becomes his own kind of monomaniac character. The utter failure of the mission matures the series, and reintroduces the fatalistic atmosphere not seen since The Way Back. Gareth Thomas and Paul Darrow have some spectacular repartee and the return to Earth carries a ton weight. It really is the end of the show's first chapter, and it's executed perfectly.
#13. "Seek-Locate-Destroy" by Terry Nation
There's a sincerity to the earliest episodes of Blake's 7, and it's at its most noticeable here. Servalan and Travis are not evil stereotypes, but layered characters of different backgrounds and motives, both with their own impact on Federation politics. The antagonism between Blake and Travis has a ton of pathos, and indeed the best scenes of the episode are simply when they're discussing the past. It builds up a good deal of anticipation for their eventual confrontation. The twist of Blake using Travis's own strategy against him is the cherry on the cake.
#12. "Star One" by Chris Boucher
An episode with the content of three. On its own, Star One isn't actually all that much to write home about. There's an alien invasion without much meat to it, an off-screen coup d'etat and an unexplained heel turn. But what makes Star One such a great episode is what comes before and after. It's a cog in a much bigger machine, fulfilling promises set up long ago and setting up even more greatness after. It cannot be understated just how much this episode gets done.
#11. "Death-Watch" by Chris Boucher
A cunning satire of sports television. Despite the dark storyline surrounding Tarrant(who greatly benefitted from being developed), I feel like this is one of the purest and best examples of the show just having fun. The direction is excellent. I love the location of the duel, the lighting, the camerawork. Darrow and Pearce share their best scene ever.
#10. "Headhunter" by Roger Parkes
My comfort food episode. It's basically a zombie invasion parody, with so many memorable goofy scenes and wonderful banter between the crew. I love getting to see more of Xenon, and the crew MacGyvering the abandoned landmarks to defeat their enemy. The sequence of Avon judging the fates of Tarrant and Vila is a particular highlight.
#9. "Aftermath" by Terry Nation
A superb reinvention kick in the balls to the show's formula. Darrow is spectacular in his first full-fledged episode as the lead. I love the use of the tranquil beach setting to contrast with the fallout from the Intergalactic War.
#8. "Sarcophagus" by Tanith Lee
I'm still not quite sure how I feel about this episode, but its splendour, uniqueness, performances and the fact that so much of it is still left open to interpretation guarantees it its position this far up on the list. Sarcophagus is an artistic achievement made by someone who knew the show well, and wanted to push its boundaries, and it deserves respect at the very least.
#7. "Redemption" by Terry Nation
Blake's 7 as a blockbuster. Getting to see the origin of the Liberator is thrilling, and I love the size and scope of the System's space station. As director, Lorrimer is clearly making the most of it, including tense POV shots, wide shots of the crew running from explosions(wearing flashy new outfits). The mystery of Orac's prophecy keeps things on edge. It's a great ride.
#6. "Games" by Bill Lyons
I love the clever plotting and frivolity in this one. Everybody has something to do, and Stratford Johns is a wonderfully ebullient guest star, whose character brings a ton of the charm to the episode. Goes by fast and leaves you wanting more. Endlessly rewatchable.
#5. "Gambit" by Robert Holmes
An exquisite space western pastiche. The wacky(and tacky) production design is great, and adds so much to the atmosphere. Not much actually happens when you think about it, but Gambit is more about simply enjoying the clash of various eccentric personalities in a decadent setting. It's an example of all style, no substance actually being done well.
#4. "Rumours Of Death" by Chris Boucher
Its heartfelt Shakespearean drama can be a little difficult to absorb in what is otherwise a rather cynical and pulpy series, but the conviction of the performers, the direction and the writing hold it together. Rumours humanises Avon more than any other episode, and is extremely gripping to watch.
#3. "Terminal" by Terry Nation
A very simple concept that could've easily been turned into a rather dull episode, were it not for Mary Ridge's direction and Darrow's (in my opinion best) performance. The long, sweeping shots. The iconic heartbeat sound. The austere set design and use of film in Blake's room. Avon's unwavering determination. That, and the way Nation elegantly closes all the loose ends in the series thus far, makes Terminal a spectacular hour of television.
#2. "Blake" by Chris Boucher
Terminal was a cool, dignified exit. Boucher's finale is, quite literally, all guns blazing. Watching Blake is an emotionally draining, but thoroughly satisfying experience. It's a great final adventure for our heroes, on the show's arguably most interesting setting Gauda Prime. Darrow and Thomas's last scene is the stuff of legend.
#1. "Orbit" by Robert Holmes
Everything works. Every line, every acting choice, every plot choice, every behind-the-scenes choice. Everything either hits the nail, or is too entertaining to want to change. Orbit is the show firing on all cylinders, providing simultaneously the lightest and darkest of stories. It's impossible to tear yourself away when it's on. I absolutely adore every minute of it.
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