<>@2 *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+ *4@3 BLAKES' 7 SERIES ONE - A LOOK BACK *3]5@4 by Cygnus A/PTK *1]1@2 +*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* @1 Blakes' 7 was remarkably popular considering how crap it must have looked, even then. But no book or other magazine has really talked about this groundbreaking series in the way they should have. So, in the first of a four parter (unless it is complete bollocks, and somebody stops me) here is a guide to the first, and generally crappest, of the four series. @6 -=-=- *3@7 THE UMBRELLA STORY *2@1 A group of criminals escape from a prison ship onto the most powerful ship ever built. Which is just sort of sitting there, with only a token "mind busting" defence system. Criminals nick ship. Should they: ]5 A) Destroy the totalitarian government they oppose so vehemently by attacking earth with their ship, which is faster and more powerful than anything else? B) Gather together the government's enemies and other freedom fighters to form a truly awesome fleet with which they could peacefully bring about a wind of change via intimidation? C) Wander aimlessly around the galaxy, getting into trouble with all those unidentifiable ships and meteors that gather round like carrion to meat, ]5stopping briefly every now and again to get the Federation's new codes, which change very other week anyway, and then running away very, very quickly in case they are shot down by ships a fifth of their size? ]3@3 Well, it IS TV Sci Fi! ]1@6 -=-=- @5 IMPORTANT EPISODES @4]5 1: The Way Back @1]1 Blake, the ape-like supposed hero of the series, is found guilty (via a computer evidently composed only of two flashing lights) of crimes against children he did not commit. He is sent off on a prison ship, where he meets Vila, the comedy coward every series of this era had. There's some other balls about a lawyer who finds out about the injustice dying, but this does not matter. @4]5 2: Space Fall @1]1 Blake and friends find Super Ship and nick it, before returning to the prison planet to get some friends. This show includes the polystyrene caves last seen on Star Trek. It is crap. @4]5 8: Duel @1]1 Some bloke with an eye patch is out to kill our, bodywarmer clad, chum Blake, and after possibly the crappest interspacial battle ever, two women intervene from the planet below. In a story that surely belongs in a Star Trek:TOS script, one of the birds is called The Keeper, and she owns super powers. Blake refuses to kill eyepatch man so bird lets him off. @4]513: ORAC @1]1 Not content in having the best ship ever, the crew decide they need the best, if slightly goldfish bowl shaped, computer in the world, ORAC. They run through caves a lot, and soon they possess it. Strangely for a computer, ORAC has near Mystic Meg like powers of prophecy, and sees the Super Ship's destruction. What a convincing cliffhanger. @6 -=-=- @1 There is no denying it, series 1 of Blakes' 7 was complete shite. Even excusing the special FX, the stories were awful and the characters ill defined, and it's bloody surprising that it got a second series. But then, series 1 of ST:TNG was crap, too, wasn't it?