The Way Back

[clocketpatch]

I've decided to use my day off to start watching Blake's 7. I'm not entirely certain what I was expecting but I was not expecting a dystopia this intense. I know that the scriptwriter being Terry Nation probably should have tipped me off but...

Everyone keeps dying! Everyone! I think, "Okay, these will be the main supporting..." BAM DEAD! "Okay, but this nice lawyer and his wife will surely..." BAM DEAD! "But surely Blake is going to escape/take over the prisoner transport/something before the end of the episode...?" BAM! Okay, not dead, but that was not the most hopeful of series premier endings.

And yet... I am wanting to watch more and see what happens.

Also, Vila had best not be BAM!-Deaded anytime soon, because I want him to be regular (he was still alive at the end, so I feel that means he must be, also, I vaguely recall him being on lost_spook's Blake's 7 sum-up sheet). But yes, I like him. He's fun, and that little bit of humour was badly needed right then.

Comments

[thisbluespirit]

♥

Says nothing more for fear of spoiling you - but, yes, keep on watching! I was shocked by how dystopian it was (but if you go and put Terry Nation, Chris Boucher and David Maloney together, it's probably inevitable). That is the very bleakest episode. Probably.

*dances you with B7 excitement*

[clocketpatch]

Now I will understand and squee at all of your Blake's 7 icons!

[thisbluespirit]

My B7 icons are nearly all made by sallymn, who makes the most beautiful icons ever - and a lot of B7 ones. (There is also b7icons, too.)

:-)

[thisbluespirit]

Also: Everyone keeps dying! Everyone! I think, "Okay, these will be the main supporting..." BAM DEAD! "Okay, but this nice lawyer and his wife will surely..." BAM DEAD! "But surely Blake is going to escape/take over the prisoner transport/something before the end of the episode...?" BAM! Okay, not dead, but that was not the most hopeful of series premier endings.

And yet... I am wanting to watch more and see what happens.


This is making me LOL so hard, because. And because B7. And reasons.

[clocketpatch]

Everyone's gonna die not-very-heroically in the last episode, aren't they? I'm only two eppies in and I feel like this is the sort of show that would be fine with pulling something like that. Also, I've heard that inspired Joss Whedon (I think I heard this from you) and he kills everyone

(don't spoil me though! I am doing my best to not accidentally be spoiled!)

[jjpor.livejournal.com]

I think I felt the same when I first watched it - the Federation don't mess around, do they, in enforcing their iron-jackbooted rule over the little people? It's pretty grim stuff all round, but it does establish very well exactly why Blake wants to fight against it, what it is he's fighting against, that I think underpins the more space-opera-like (and at times deeply Doctor Who-like, but not) episodes to come. It's basically Terry Nation in Genesis of the Daleks mode, but perhaps a bit more unrelenting (!), and as you will see if you keep your eyes peeled on the credits is that he's not the only Who alumnus behind the camera (you will very soon be seeing some of the Who alumni in front of the camera...!)

Plus, the opening titles/theme tune are imho ace. ;D

[clocketpatch]

It is very dark and shocking. It feels a lot like Genesis mixed with Caves of Androzani... but since it's not being made by the children's drama department they can get away with accusing the main character of being a pedophile and then torture him onscreen which... I wasn't expecting something that dark. That was dark.

The opening sequence is fun. Is the ship a model, or a cartoon, or a surprisingly good example of early CGI? I like the music. It's very dramatic and reminds me of early computer game music.

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Methinks I need to watch Blake's 7...