clocketpatch: A small, innocent-looking red alarm clock, stuck forever at 10 to 7. (CLOCKETPATCH!)
clocketpatch ([personal profile] clocketpatch) wrote2013-09-30 03:03 pm
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The Way Back

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 [livejournal.com profile] 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.
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[identity profile] jjpor.livejournal.com 2013-09-30 08:10 pm (UTC)(link)
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: A small, innocent-looking red alarm clock, stuck forever at 10 to 7. (Cute hamster goes RAWR)

[personal profile] clocketpatch 2013-10-01 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
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.
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