Comments on: Blake’s 7 – Redemption

By: Joe Dredd

Joe Dredd — Sun, 26 Jan 2020 18:24:13 +0000

Just a quick note to say that the 'industrial facility' they filmed in is actually a nuclear power station. Anecdotes from filming include that setting off the explosions produced the sudden appearance of numerous worried staff and engineers; that the cast and crew had to be checked out with geiger counters - revealing that Jan Chappell had leant up against something and irradiated her bottom; and Jan making it part of her contract that she never had to film in a nuclear power plant again.

My memory is a bit hazy now but this may also have been the episode where Jan was worried about filming running over time as she wanted to get back to her small son, Sam. Gareth Thomas stepped into his Blake mantle and halted filming until something was sorted out to accommodate Jan.

There's a neat fan video on Youtube that has some Redemption footage speeded up with Benny Hill chase music and sound effects. Search for "Benny's 7" by zman953. It's uncanny how well it works.

By: Eve

Eve — Sun, 19 Jan 2020 16:58:47 +0000

Thanks for your reply, however the term "swing (sway) both ways" is almost universally taken to have a certain meaning, therefore the reader could be forgiven for thinking that you were using it in that context. However you have explained that you meant something quite different by that phrase so we can leave it at that!

By: H E Cooper

H E Cooper — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 18:30:58 +0000

I suppose the outfits are somewhat signalling the looming outrageousness of the 1980s where these things were definitely more acceptable. Also: space, the future - you can get away with anything really! Must have been a gift to the designers.

Your 'disappoint' line made me LOL. I will clarify that I do not fall into *that* camp of Avon's fans. Additionally I should explain that I did not mean to imply that Avon was gay/bi, rather that he simply had a fetish!

By: H E Cooper

H E Cooper — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 18:22:11 +0000

'Camp' definitely feels the right word so far! I can't wait to see how much more OTT it can get. Cally definitely needs all the extra layers.

Seeing other little Liberator-like ships was rather exciting! It was a nice way of having that realisation.

By: H E Cooper

H E Cooper — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 18:19:26 +0000

I was surprised to look up Harriet Philpin and see she had such a short career as I would have expected more based on her performances, especially that fantastic Sweeney episode.

Wonderful to hear that about Michael Keating. Vila didn't make much impression on me in the first few episodes of Series A but then quickly grew on me.

By: Eve

Eve — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 14:36:18 +0000

Good to see your blog back, it's always interesting to read others views on the series, even if one doesn't agree with everything said. It was interesting to read your take on the Blake and Avon outfits. The general consensus then (and now?) was that Blake's outfit was slightly ridiculous with the huge puff sleeves. On the other hand Avon's outfit was quite a hit with viewers, especially teenage girls and mums! He certainly wore the leather and studs well. I suppose today when generally people go around in drab mundane clothes, it must seem rather outlandish. I agree he and the others did look far more glam and expensively dressed to viewers at the time in this first episode of the new series than when we left them at the end of series 1.
Apparently Avon's outfit and a few more were made/adapted from outfits bought in a leather shop in Soho!
Sorry to disappoint you (or not as the case may be) but Avon definitely does not "sway both ways" as a character. I don't think I'm revealing any spoilers when I say that future episodes will reveal his character is definitely a "ladies man". I wouldn't want you to waste valuable time misinterpreting every Blake and Avon conversation in the meantime, as some are wont to do...

By: Mrs Underhill

Mrs Underhill — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 20:39:11 +0000

Ah, such a joy to see your B7 reviews back! Glad you're still enjoying it – for me, visually it was a welcome change after somewhat drab Season A, with flamboyancy and camp ratcheted up many notches.

I adore Blake's giant sleeves and Gan's giant cape. As for Avon – I saw his Redemption outfit described as "demented dentist" and it still makes me giggle. But more fabulous outfits of his are coming up, some are my absolute favorites!

But my favorite change in appearance was Cally. Love her new haircut and her quirky dresses. If you look closer you can see her wearing shorts under that dress, see here: http://static.diary.ru/userdir/5/5/1/9/551988/85638222.jpg

Blake and Avon interaction was a joy for me in this episode. Yes, Avon got more brownie points here for saving Blake, he also protected Blake with his body when the ship was thrown about – right after one of his ferocious verbal attacks. The tension between them was so exciting to watch.

It was also exciting for me to realize that it's the Liberator's makers attacking it – those little ships had the same design as the Liberator. But huh – you make a good point that Avon was the most curious to meet Libbie makers and he didn't get to. And they get destroyed anyway, we have to assume.

Overall I felt the same about this episode – the mystery of Liberator creation was underwhelming and it dragged at the end, but it was great to see the gang back, looking fabulous and in a great fighting form.

By: Andrew P

Andrew P — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 10:58:55 +0000

Great to see you progressing to Series B – one of my favourite series of the show!

I remember enjoying the tense atmosphere of the episode as the Liberator hurtled into the unknown when it first went out – I think “Blake’s 7” really had captivated me during its first year and I was so excited to have it back (fuelled by the “Orac” compilation a week or two earlier).

Nice to see Harriet Philpin getting a name-check. She’s brilliant in her episode of “The Sweeney”, “Thou Shalt Not Kill!”, and she had a comparatively short TV career. I remember all the fuss a few years back when there was an appeal to track her down to recreate the 1970s R White’s lemonade commercial which she appeared in with Julian Chagrin.

The location shooting is pretty impressive isn’t it? Works very nicely in this one. And the “look” of the costumes in Series B does hint at a more flamboyant designer and a bigger budget than Series A!

Michael Keating’s performance as Vila is quite amazing – when you see him at events and realise that he is a very different man from the character he plays, you admire even more the body language which he adopted to convey Vila so effectively.

And thanks for flagging up the “spoiler” of which you’re aware/not aware. Very honest and very useful.

All the best

Andrew