Blake's 7

[Blencathra]

And there are three full cast audio dramas coming out next year.

Not much detail on these yet.

Fractures

http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/fractures-947



Out in January 2014

Synopsis

TBA

Written By: Justin Richards
Directed By: Ken Bentley
Cast: Gareth Thomas (Roj Blake), Paul Darrow (Kerr Avon), Michael Keating (Vila Restal), Jan Chappell (Cally), Sally Knyvette (Jenna Stannis), Brian Croucher (Travis), Alistair Lock (Zen/Orac)

Prices
Pre-order CD £10.99
Pre-order Digital £8.99


The other two dramas will be released in February and March 2014 but no more details.

[dipsofjazz]

B7 media have tweeted a couple of pics. Liberator design concepts for the now defunct Sky reboot.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7417/9...e72cd5b6_b.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3793/9...992ec0b6_c.jpg

What happened to there being a re-boot?

[Blencathra]

I haven't heard anything more. The rumour about Xbox Live being involved in the remake turned out not to be true - http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/...microsoft.html. But other than that I haven't seen anything else.

[dipsofjazz]

Thanks Blen.

[Blencathra]

You're welcome.

Blake's 7 popped up in a BBC news entertainment article about TVs top 10 endings.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24218898

By 1981, Blake (Gareth Thomas) and his gang of space rebels had been battling the evil Federation, led by the crop-haired siren Servalan (Jacqueline Pearce), for four Earth years.

Blake himself had been absent since the second series - but reappeared, disfigured, for the final episode posing as a bounty hunter.

Spoiler:

He was shot by his arch-rival Avon (Paul Darrow) and then the rest of the crew died (in slow motion) in a bloody shoot-out with Federation troops.

Broadcast on 21 December 1981 the shocking finale earned writer Chris Boucher the title "the man who killed Christmas".

But the climactic scene was only intended to be a cliffhanger.

Had a fifth series gone ahead, Boucher said, Avon would have survived, and become the show's hero.

"Don't forget you never actually saw him die, did you?" he said. "The freeze-frame ending does leave open the possibility that he may have survived after all."

(I've spoilered the ending just in case the reboot goes down the same path. Though I seriously doubt they will. I don't think they would have the courage to be honest)

[Blencathra]

More details on the Big Finish full cast audio dramas

Blake's 7 Full Cast Details Revealed

http://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/blak...tails-revealed



The original TV cast of Terry Nation’s acclaimed series Blake’s 7 will be back together in six brand new audio plays to be released monthly from January 2014 - and we can now announce the details! The series is being released in a licence deal with B7 Media.

Blake’s 7 tells the story of freedom fighter Roj Blake and a band of freed criminals, who take on the might of the corrupt Federation, which rules the galaxy. The series ran on TV from 1978-1981.

Gareth Thomas, Paul Darrow, Michael Keating, Jan Chappell and Sally Knyvette are all back together as the Liberator crew, joined by Alistair Lock as the voices of Zen and Orac. Brian Croucher also reprises his role as Blake’s enemy Travis in four episodes, while Hugh Fraser (Poirot, Edge of Darkness) plays the President of the Terran Federation.

The full season line-up of Blake’s 7: The Classic Audio Adventures – Series 1 is as follows:

1: Fractures by Justin Richards

When problems beset the Liberator, all evidence confirms that one of the crew has turned traitor.

2: Battleground by Andrew Smith

Blake’s new mission leads him into danger – a whole planet that is a training zone for Federation soldiers.

3: Drones by Marc Platt

A new deadly weapon is being tested, and Vila becomes its victim.

4: Mirror by Peter Anghelides

While Jenna vows to settle an old score, Blake attempts to discover the truth behind the Federation’s latest plan.

5: Cold Fury by Mark Wright and Cavan Scott

What is the secret of Horst Minor?

6: Caged by Mark Wright and Cavan Scott

Details to be confirmed.

The series is directed by Ken Bentley and produced by David Richardson. Executive producers are Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs. Executive producers for B7 Media are Andrew Mark Sewell and Lee Thompson.

Big Finish continues to produce novels, enhanced audio books and full-cast audio plays for the Blake’s 7 range.

[mr_kennedy]

You're welcome.

Blake's 7 popped up in a BBC news entertainment article about TVs top 10 endings.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24218898

Spoiler:

(I've spoilered the ending just in case the reboot goes down the same path. Though I seriously doubt they will. I don't think they would have the courage to be honest)

I hope they do go down a similar path but they don't to follow it exactly they could go longer than four seasons i mean if the reboot is a success

[knowles2]

I haven't heard anything more. The rumour about Xbox Live being involved in the remake turned out not to be true - http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/...microsoft.html. But other than that I haven't seen anything else.

I thought that would be the case. In fact the BBC reported on the same day as the financial times, that the UK production studio knew nothing about deal and they were still working with Syfy on casting for the tv series.

The finacial times only said the rights holders have agree a deal with Microsoft, there would have been a massive legal battle if the right holders went behind Syfy and the production studio backs and signed a new contract without informing those two parties first.

[Blencathra]

Official Blake's 7 T-shirts

Alpha Grade - http://www.shotdeadinthehead.com/off...ade-alpha.html

Beta Grade - http://www.shotdeadinthehead.com/off...rade-beta.html

Gamma Grade - http://www.shotdeadinthehead.com/off...ade-gamma.html

Delta Grade - http://www.shotdeadinthehead.com/off...irt-delta.html

[Blencathra]

Still no word on the reboot.


The Liberator Chronicles: Volume 7

http://bigfinish.com/releases/v/the-...s-volume-7-891



Synopsis

Spy by Simon Guerrier
Starring Jan Chappell as Cally, Michael Keating as Vila and Gemma Whelan as Arta
Cally and Vila are undercover on the Federation-controlled world Cortol Four. It's a mission with an irresistible prize. And it's a mission that goes horribly wrong…

Disorder by Eddie Robson
Starring Michael Keating as Vila and Paul Darrow as Avon
Division Three. A space station in the process of being decommissioned. Its archives contain key records of the Federation's enemies - and Vila and Avon intend to steal it.

The Hard Road by James Swallow
Starring Gareth Thomas as Blake and Andrew Whipp as Trel Dekkan
Blake decides it is time to fight back against the Federation - and to fight back with allies.

Written By: Simon Guerrier, Eddie Robson and James Swallow
Cast: Gareth Thomas, Paul Darrow, Michael Keating, Jan Chappell, Gemma Whelan, Andrew Whipp

Pre-order CD £25.00
Pre-order Digital £20.00

[ZGoten]

I'm new to this thread and the show, so I don't want to read through your above posts in case of spoilers, but I've just finished the second series and just wanted to share a few impressions.

First of all, I loved that little scene in Gambit, where Vila is under the influence of some drink. He is agreeing to bet everything he and Avon have earned, plus his live, on a match of speed chess. Avon's reaction was just priceless, especially since he's considered to be the genius on the ship, whereas Vila is mostly looked down upon as cowardly and a bit slow. That was just a funny little character moment.

Another great moment happened during the series finale, this time more serious but again involving Avon. I just loved the scene towards the end, where Blake hands over control of the Liberator to Avon and says: "For what it is worth, I have always trusted you. From the very beginning." That line was really impactful coming from Blake. And also, for once, we see Avon react to it without any witty comment. His facial expression is very collected. It probably meant a lot to him, since his way of doing things has usually been rejected in the past, in favor of Roj's.

[Blencathra]

Gambit is a great episode. As you say, Avon's reaction is brilliant. I love how they both got away with it and that even Blake doesn't know what they were up to.

I do wonder exactly how intelligent Vila is. There is a lot more to him than meets the eye. He's certainly clever enough to work out how to open all those locks and later in season 3 he says that (mild spoiler)

Spoiler:

he bought his Delta service grading as he didn't want to be an Alpha & risk getting himself killed.

Perhaps Vila's increasing reliance on alcohol is making him less intelligent than he really is.

I do love the complexity of the relationship between Blake and Avon. As well as that scene in Star One it was very interesting in the episode Countdown that Blake threatened Anna Grant's brother that if anything happened to Avon then he, Blake, would come looking for him.

I also particularly liked that in that episode we get to see some of Avon's back story and that he did have a relationship with someone who was murdered by the Federation. It goes a long way, I think, in explaining Avon's attitude. He's been hurt badly before, so now he looks after No. 1. I also love that you are never sure which way Avon is going to fall, whether he is going to give up everyone to the Federation or if he is going to to hang around in the hope he can get his hands on the Liberator. You just don't know what is going on in his head.

So now one with season 3. There are some great episodes. Personal favourites are Aftermath, Powerplay, City at the Edge of the World, Rumours of Death and Sarcophagus.

BTW a quick question. In the season 1 episode Mission to Destiny, the one with the murder mystery, did you figure out who did it? I seem to remember not knowing who was the murderer, but once it is explained you wonder how you missed it, as it is so obvious. So out of curiosity, did you know who it was?

[ZGoten]

I didn't figure it out myself, but then again, I didn't feel like it was obvious after the reveal. Most of the time, my money was on the guy in charge, simply because suspicion never seemed to fall on him, which is an often utilized method in this type of story. I have to say that so far, I would consider this particular episode to rank among the weaker ones. I didn't enjoy it that much, mostly because it was a murder mystery involving characters we barely know and care about.

But I remember that one Blake line in the ticking bomb episode as well, it stuck out quite a lot, because it's not something we'd expect to hear from him. But in hindsight, it was a pretty neat build up to the little Blake-Avon moment in the series finale.

[Starfist]

I enjoyed this classic series. It was one that I was allowed to stay up and watch.

I do have 3 audio adventures that were produced by B7 productions.

[Blencathra]

I have some of the new audios made by Big Finish. I've got Warship, Fractures and Battleground, they are full cast audio dramas and are excellent. I highly recommend them. Great stories and the cast sound like they are really enjoying themselves. It's just like having a missing TV adventure. Battlefield was left on such a cliff hanger! I have to wait until March to find out what happens next.

I have only one slight gripe about them & that is that Gareth Thomas sounds slightly high pitched as Blake. He should have been asked to lower the tone of his voice somewhat. But I'd rather have a higher pitched Blake than none at all and I can put up with it. However, balanced against that, Michael Keating as Vila sounds exactly the same as he did on TV, and the rest of the cast aren't too far off. I don't have any trouble picturing them in my mind as they used to be.

I've also got a couple of The Liberator Chronicles but I'm seriously behind with those. I'm too busy working my way through the Doctor Who stuff. I need more time, more money and more ears.