Blake's 7 (S1 1-7)

[thisbluespirit]

velvetfascism told me to go watch Blake's 7 and after some experimentation with VHS copies found in charity shops (some which were more cut up than you would believe), I gave in and used my b'day money to buy S1 & 2 on DVD.

I have to say I am loving it so far. The abridged versions felt like a string of Terry Nation cliches, but the full length episodes have much more going on. I suppose that shouldn't be a shock. Being a long-term DW fan, I can't help trying to guess which bits are Terry Nation and which bits might have been added by script editor Chris Boucher. (I've more or less given up that game now, although I do recognise a TN cliche when I see one. And: "You're so scared your brains have curdled!" has to be CB, surely.)

I mean, the only real flaw is special effects and I've moved from DW S15 to this. There's nothing to make me so much as blink. :lol: Well, except for my amusement that Blake will insist on taking his cool box everywhere. It does make some episodes look as though they intend one of those inappropriate picnics (the ones where it's raining and you're lost and someone's forgotten the sandwiches, but you're still going to have the picnic and enjoy it, or else). And a couple silly bits (but literally only 2) one being Blake's inability to count his crew (I'm sorry: how long does it take to spot one of your five crewmates is missing?) and his being so laid back he doesn't think to open boxes containing important items. But to be honest, this only adds to the enjoyment.

And I'm astounded at what was left out of the abridged tape. You'd think the first meeting between Blake, Vila and Jenna would have been worth keeping in, wouldn't you? Well, now that explains how everyone else seemed to know everyone's names, except that Blake had to be introduced to Avon. (Who, btw, is possibly more snarky than any other TV character I've ever seen. It's very entertaining.)

And I know I may have been reading DWM too many years not to have heard some things about B7 (including possibly how it ended), but that does not mean I actually know and I do not, do not want to be spoilered. Spoiler me and I shall have to come after you and virtually kill you. In fan fic.

(Mind you, last time I offered to kill fellow members of a forum in sort of fan fic, they all lined up and gave me methods of dying, so maybe that doesn't work as a threat?)

And, oddly, despite my wish to avoid spoilers, I already want fan fic. I never really want fan fic, not like that. That comes as a sort of side-effect of writing. B7 I am already wanting some. And I can't safely, not for ages. *Sigh* Being a DW fan is so much easier!

Put more briefly, I'm afraid I love it already. Hopefully that won't change. And I'm hoping despite the things I think I know, I won't get my heart totally broken along the way.


There, that's the end of my reviews. You can see I temporarily abandoned the Key to Time. I really can't watch two 1978 BBC sf shows at once.

Comments

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

I tried out Blake's 7 ages ago, but I didn't get interested in it. I've always wondered if I should give it another try, though.

In the meantime, I'm having your fanfic-spoiler problem with Merlin. It's just started to get shown here in the U.S. and I would love to read some fanfic, but I haven't been able to find any that's spoiler-free. In fact, just looking for spoiler-free fic has already given me one spoiler. Frustrating.

[thisbluespirit]

Yep. I know how you feel. I just tentatively tried the same thing and it's so not a good idea!

Merlin... Heh. :-D Should I give in and watch it when it comes back?

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

I was surprised by how much I liked Merlin. I started watching it out of curiosity, partly because of the small DW connection (the teenager from "Midnight" plays Merlin) and partly because it's being shown on one of our major television networks, which is very unusual for a British show. Doctor Who and Torchwood are both shown on more "fringe" channels here, with much smaller average audiences, and a lot of people don't even have access to those channels. But everyone with a TV has access to the channel Merlin is getting shown on.

I don't know enough about your tastes to predict if you'll like it or not, but I can tell you that it's a very character-driven show, with interesting character relationships and fantastic acting. It hooked me pretty much from the start.

I just tentatively tried the same thing and it's so not a good idea!

I know! In fact, it's made me wonder if there's a need for a spoiler-free rec comm for Doctor Who.