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PLEASE NOTE: Michael D's is currently in READ ONLY MODE. Anything submitted will simply not be written to the database.
Lots of stuff is still broken, but at least reviews can now be looked up and read.
Blake's 7-Series 2 (1979)

Blake's 7-Series 2 (1979)

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Released 2-Mar-2005

Cover Art

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Details At A Glance

General Extras
Category Science Fiction Main Menu Introduction
Menu Animation & Audio
Audio Commentary-Filmmakers And Cast - Shadow, Trial, Gambit
Featurette-Saturday Superstore
Featurette-Introducing Orac
Featurette-June Hudson's Costume Collection
Featurette-The Mutoids
Featurette-Mat's Models
Featurette-The Ballad Of Travis II
Featurette-Scene Today
Featurette-Multi-Coloured Swap Shop
Synopsis-Episode Synopses
Featurette-Small World: Model Spacecraft
Trailer-Series 3
Trailer-Series 3 widescreen variant
Rating Rated PG
Year Of Production 1979
Running Time 733
RSDL / Flipper Dual Layered
Multi Disc Set (5)
Cast & Crew
Start Up Menu
Region Coding 2,4 Directed By Vere Lorrimer
David Maloney
Derek Martinus
George Spenton-Foster
Studio
Distributor

Roadshow Home Entertainment
Starring Gareth Thomas
Paul Darrow
Michael Keating
Sally Knyvette
Jan Chappell
David Jackson
Peter Tuddenham
Jacqueline Pearce
Brian Croucher
Case Gatefold
RPI $99.95 Music Dudley Simpson


Video Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame Full Frame English Dolby Digital 2.0 (256Kb/s)
English Audio Commentary Dolby Digital 2.0 (192Kb/s)
English Audio Commentary Dolby Digital 2.0 (256Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio 1.29:1
16x9 Enhancement No
Video Format 576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1 Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures No
Subtitles None Smoking No
Annoying Product Placement No
Action In or After Credits No

NOTE: The Profanity Filter is ON. Turn it off here.

Plot Synopsis

    Blakes7 (its correct title, at least according to its logo) was the brainchild of the late Terry Nation, who created the Daleks for Doctor Who as well as a British sci-fi TV series called Survivors which ran for three seasons in the mid-1970s. The story goes that Nation was pitching some ideas for new programs to the BBC, who didn't like them and asked if he had anything else. Off the top of his head Nation said, "Yes - it's called Blakes7", and having invented the title, then had to quickly invent a concept to go with it. This was supposedly "the dirty dozen in space" - a motley band of freedom fighters, mercenaries and criminals flung together as unlikely allies when they gain possession of a highly sophisticated spacecraft which they christen the Liberator, striking blows against the totalitarian "Terran Federation" as personified by its Supreme Commander Servalan (Jacqueline Pearce).

    This second season of Blakes7 was broadcast in 1979 and like the first season was very much in the style of Doctor Who episodes of the time, though apparently pitched at a slightly older audience. Many of the props and costumes were recycled from Doctor Who and the program shared many of the same writers and directors. Producer David Maloney had also directed many episodes of Doctor Who, and the music was written by Dudley Simpson who was concurrently doing the music chores for the Doc. Consequently Blakes7 has a very similar look and feel to late 1970s Doctor Who.

    At this stage of the program's history, the 'seven' of the title comprise lead character Blake (Gareth Thomas) and his 'dirty six': Avon (Paul Darrow), Jenna (Sally Knyvette), Gan (David Jackson), Vila (Michael Keating), Cally (Jan Chappell) and the Liberator's computer Zen (voiced by Peter Tuddenham). In fact, considering there's also Orac, another computer voiced by Tuddenham, it should actually be called Blakes8 - at least until the death of one of the main characters during the season.

    While series creator Terry Nation wrote the first season in its entirety, for season two he contributes far fewer scripts. This is to the program's benefit as it allows some other talented writers to try their hand with the characters, particularly series script editor Chris Boucher, whose specialty tends to be character-driven pieces, often exploring a previously hinted-at personality trait (or flaw) in one of our heroes. Boucher's scripts are among the best of the season, although it has to be admitted he writes the occasional dud.

    The cast is strong this season, with Gareth Thomas gradually turning his portrayal of Blake from the hero of the first season into an increasingly fanatical freedom fighter whose actions are crossing the line into terrorism. This new subtlety in his characterisation brings him into open conflict with Avon (Paul Darrow), a cynic whose main mission in life is to stay alive. This conflict reaches a head in the final episode of the season. Because the program has such a large regular cast, there's always the risk that some of the characters will be under-developed, and this is definitely the case with both Gan and Jenna, neither of whom ever develop as well-rounded characters. However, Vila as played by the inventive Michael Keating is often a joy to watch, especially when he's paired as a double-act with Avon, most notably in the episode Gambit. Travis, Blake's nemesis from the first season, has been recast and is now played by Brian Croucher who offers up a more thuggish interpretation of the role than the coldly aloof Stephen Greif, his predecessor.

    There are some strong scripts this season including two episodes written by Robert Holmes who was responsible for some of Doctor Who's finest stories. Also this season we get a continuing storyline with the search for 'Star One', the Federation's control centre. My vote for the best story of the season is Gambit written by Holmes which like many episodes also features some amazing costumes from June Hudson who is interviewed on one of the DVD set's many extras.

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Transfer Quality

Video

    The series is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.29:1. Typical of a BBC production of its time, interiors have been shot in the studio on videotape and exteriors shot on 16mm film. While the episodes have been subjected to some clean-up prior to transfer, the film inserts are very grainy and comparatively poor resolution, and marred by film artefacts and the occasional scratch or hair. Colours for these inserts tend to be rather washed out. In contrast, while the interiors tend to be very flatly lit, the colours are far brighter and the image sharper. Shadow detail is somewhat murky though and there are occasional comet trails typical of BBC video productions of the period, as well as the odd example of microphony (vibrations from firing guns causing horizontal lines to appear across the image).

    Generally speaking, the transfer is very good given the quality of the source material and this is probably the best the series has ever looked. It is certainly better than the original Australian broadcast.

    The English subtitles used throughout the episodes are extremely accurate and easy to read.

Video Ratings Summary
Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

    Audio is English Dolby Digital 2.0 but is in fact (dual) mono as per original broadcast. Dialogue is clear and audio appears to have been de-hissed. There is also a commentary track on three of the episodes. There are no problems with audio sync.

    The music for the series was written by Dudley Simpson and is his standard fare using a small orchestra with an emphasis on percussion. It's very similar to the music he wrote during his long tenure on Doctor Who.

Audio Ratings Summary
Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Extras

Main Menu Introduction

    The menu introduction is a rather over the top piece of animation and a truly horrible synthesized arrangement of the Blakes7 theme music.

Menu Animation & Audio

    The menu itself is animated and fairly attractive although navigation is not particularly intuitive.

Audio Commentary - Chris Boucher (Writer), Jan Chappell (Cally) and David Maloney (Producer) - Shadow

    The main problem with these commentaries is that they have been done so long after the show was made that just about everyone involved has forgotten all but the most amusing anecdotes and therefore has to wrack their brains to think of anything to say. This is especially true, unfortunately, of producer David Maloney. So we are subjected to a lot of trivial banter.

Audio Commentary - Chris Boucher (Writer), Jan Chappell (Cally), Brian Croucher (Travis) and David Maloney (Producer) - Trial

    Same as above, though the inclusion of Brian Croucher makes this one a little more interesting.

Audio Commentary - Brian Croucher (Travis), Michael Keating (Vila), Jacqueline Pearce (Servalan) and David Maloney (Producer) - Gambit

    Sweetheart! Darling! Jackie Pearce is in this commentary, which makes it by far the best one of the three. At least she always sounds like she's enjoying herself.

Featurette - Saturday Superstore 5:01

    The first of several featurettes on this set featuring the ubiquitous Mat Irvine, visual effects supervisor for the show (he's also worked extensively on Doctor Who). This is basically a brief explanation of chromakey (ie bluescreen) or colour separation overlay as the BBC preferred to call it. The link with Blakes7 seems rather tenuous here. Worth watching just to check out the amazing spectacles that the host of Saturday Superstore is wearing.

Featurette - June Hudson's Costume Collection 17:18

    June Hudson, chief costume designer for season 2, is interviewed regarding her work. This would be of most interest to someone actually aspiring to be a costume designer themselves. There is some incredibly inappropriate music played at times during this featurette which intersperses June's comments over clips from the series.

Featurette - Mat's Models 12:14

    Yes, it's Mat Irvine again, this time in an interview recorded in 1993 where he discusses his interest in spacecraft and spaceflight and how this influenced his designs for the series. He has some interesting things to say, especially regarding the importance of maintaining a logic in spacecraft design - every section of the craft should be identified as serving some function.

Featurette - Introducing Orac 0:20

    Twenty seconds of wasted space - a silly tongue-in-cheek clip of Orac expositing some typically inane dialogue.

Featurette - The Mutoids 1:30

    This bizarre featurette is a collection of stills and clips of the Mutoids (vampire-like creatures in the employ of the Federation) to the accompaniment of a 'heartbeat'. Considering many of the clips come from season 1 (and feature a different actor playing Travis) this really should have gone on the season 1 disc set. The point of it, in any case, remains a mystery.

Featurette - The Ballad of Travis II 3:19

    Where do they get the ideas for these featurettes? Here we have a collection of clips of Travis as played this season by Brian Croucher to the accompaniment of a ballad sung in country twang with folk guitar. Again, this seems nothing more than a piece of padding.

Featurette - Scene Today 10:54

    This is a clip from a BBC series screened in 1991. Gareth Thomas and Jacqueline Pearce are interviewed about their time on the series to tie in with its release on video. The most interesting moment comes when Ms Pearce likens attending fan conventions to a weekend of group therapy. It's a reasonably entertaining extra.

Episode Synopses

    These feature a straightforward text summary of each episode and are a handy guide.

Series 3 Trailer 2:12

    A collection of clips from next season set to a very odd choice of music.

Featurette - Multi-coloured Swap Shop 19:36

    For those fans of The Thin Blue Line who may have wondered who this Noel Edmonds person is that Inspector Fowler and Constable Goody often refer to, here's your chance to find out. He is in fact a British version of Daryl Somers, and be warned, watching the opening segment of this clip from his Multi-Coloured Swap Shop may put you eerily in mind of Hey Hey It's Saturday or at least give you a better idea where some of the conceptual material was pinched from.

    Rather pointlessly, we have an insert clip of Gareth Thomas briefly - and I mean briefly - reflecting back on his appearance on this program, then go into the clip of the program itself. Once again it's Thomas and Jacqueline Pearce interviewed, this time by both Edmonds and a number of kiddie viewers who are phoning in. (Despite the BBC insisting at the time that Blakes7 was aimed at an older audience than Doctor Who, all the archival footage in the extras on this set suggests that little kids were the main viewers!) This extra is worth watching just to hear some of the questions that these kids put to the hapless actors - apparently unable to distinguish them from their characters!

Series 3 Trailer - Widescreen 2:19

    This is a variant of the other series 3 trailer, this time in 1.78:1 16x9 enhanced, and of course the 1.33:1 images from the series have been cropped to the new ratio. This is a pseudo blockbuster movie trailer with appropriate credits. Utterly pointless and facile.

Featurette - Small World - Model Spacecraft 8:53

    My God, it's Mat Irvine AGAIN!!! He's done well, having scored three appearances in this extras on this set. I hope he's getting paid for it! This is a clip from a TV program on models, August 1980. There is some amusingly 'serious' voice-over work from the host Eric Thompson.

R4 vs R1

NOTE: To view non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually also NTSC compatible.

    This is not available in R1. The R2 version appears to be identical to ours.

Summary

    Another collection of some fun episodes of Blakes7, and this series features the memorable 'search for Star One' storyline. While there are a few dud plots, overall this is a well written and performed series, let down only by the low budget and limitations of the BBC TV studio. Once again the BBC has added a whole bunch of silly extras for the apparent purpose of bumping up the price.

Ratings (out of 5)

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

© Alex Paige (read my bio)
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Review Equipment
DVDDenon DVD-2200 (NTSC/PAL Progessive), using Component output
DisplayPanasonic TX-76PW60. This display device has not been calibrated. This display device is 16x9 capable.
Audio DecoderBuilt in to Amplifier.
AmplificationSony STR-DB940
SpeakersFronts: B&W DM309; Rears: B&W DM303; Centre: B&W LCR3; Subwoofer: B&W ASW300.

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