StuOz Seven escaped criminals, "Blake's 7", steal a spacecraft that escapes the "law".An essential part of my childhood, better acted and scripted than Battlestar Galactica (1978), but not as good as Star Trek (1966).These days it is rather normal for a complete bastard to have the lead in a TV series but back in 1978 we only got that situation in soaps like Dallas (1978). This is partly what made Blake's 7 so special to me back then, in the last two seasons we had the cold blooded "Avon" take command of the ship and having such a creep as the star of the show was a massive draw-card!Blake's 7 is one of my very favourite British TV shows ever but I think the reason it is not included in my Top Ten TV Show list is that cast members keep vanishing as early as season two (we got a new Travis this season after the first/better Travis left). And, frankly, the last two seasons has a couple of really annoying new cast members to fill the gap left by Blake.This series shined best in the first season of 13 episodes. Everything from the cast to the scripts was spot on at the start. But the whole series is still very watchable, even if I sometimes cringe at some of the actors who joined the show after season one.

Mike Boyd I loved Blake's Seven when it was first aired. I'm almost through watching all the series again, but every episode fills me with trepidation because I know I will be not just disappointed, but actually angry at the rubbish acting especially the pathetic "fight" scenes.I ask myself, why did they even bother? How could the producers watch the scenes and not think to themselves "Wow, that was garbage, wasn't it." The reason I liked it all those years ago was that the stories were so imaginative and allowed your imagination take hold of you. Unfortunately, you were quickly brought down to earth by the pathetic acting.Who can say Avon was a good actor? Please, lets be realistic. And Villa. Dear, oh dear. And let's not talk about Gan - at least he was killed off pretty quickly (to save embarrassment, probably).And Blake himself, pretty bad in the first season, realised the series was rubbish and got out of the 2nd and 3rd seasons, until he must've been made an offer he couldn't refuse for the last episode.So what other series were these actors in? I think, none. I don't recall seeing any of the actors in the first two series in any other TV series. That must say something. There were some new faces in the last series that were brought in, eg. Glynis Barber, who were half decent actors. However, if this were shown today, it would be laughed off the screen.But the music was great. Really great.And Avon, couldn't you get your teeth fixed?

Master Cultist The BBC's first (and only?) real attempt at a space opera, this was conceived on the back of the popularity of such things as Battlestar Galactica (original series) in the States on TV, as well as the universal popularity of Star Wars on the big screen.Following the travails of a small group of escaped convicts, wanted by a totalitarian regime for trial and summary execution, this has real scope. Yes, the budget is small, and yes, the effects are ropey to say the least, but there is real ambition here.The interplay between the main characters, particularly Avon and Blake to begin with, but building to include Blake and Travis as well as Travis and Servalan, is first rate. There's complexity and real dynamics.A quality show that suffers today due to the production standards, but if you can see through that you are in for a treat.

jonjon23 Just an fyi, while there are six crew members if you add "zen" that makes seven.At the end of the first season, Blake is talking to Avon and he mentions seven people should be good to run the ship, Avon corrects him and says you mean 6 right, and Blake replies that 6 crew plus zen makes seven. Just thought I'd post this since I know I was wondering that myself once I found this series again ...I used to watch this series on the off season when doctor who wasn't on the air but I only remember watching it for one season...probably since I was born in 75...