Top 10 Sci-Fi Shows: Number 3 - Blake’s Seven

Blake's 7 was a BBC science fiction series which ran for four seasons from 1978 through to December 1981. The series was probably the closest the BBC every got to attempting a large scale space-opera along the lines of Star Trek or Battlestar Galactica. Of course it was done on a BBC budget, which in pre-CGI days lead to a lot of problems.

Blake's 7 was created by Terry Nation who is best known for his creation of the Daleks for Doctor Who. His pitch for the show was Robin Hood in space, but as the series progressed it turned into something much grittier.

For the first two seasons the show was centered on the character of Roj Blake (played by Gareth Thomas) when the actor moved on to other things though, the character of Avon (Paul Darrow), a character who was much less idealistic than Blake. This just served to further move the show away from the Robin Hood concept.

As I mentioned the special effects on Blake's 7 were a mixed bunch. Many of them were extremely cheap. However the miniature work was top notch and the design of Blake's ship, the Liberator ranks up there as one of the most unique ever to grace the screen.

Perhaps the most lasting impact that Blake's 7 has made on television science fiction is moving us beyond the black and white morality that earlier series tended towards. The crew of the Liberator were largely criminals and frequently looking out for their own interests ahead of others. Sound familiar? It should if you've watched Farscape, Andromeda or Firefly.

Top 10 Sci-Fi Shows