Blake's 7

It was produced in the United Kingdom and aired on the BBC and was similar to other BBC science fiction shows such as Doctor Who.

It stars a group of outlaw revolutionaries, led by a patriot-hero named Roj Blake, who fight the fascistic interstellar Federation in the second century of the third calendar. The show was watched by 10 million viewers at its peak, an enormous number for a space opera.

The show is noted for its strong focus on character; Blake and his band of outlaws were all highly individual and distinctive, as often at each others' throats and in pursuit of their own private agendas as they were facing down their common enemies in the Federation. It also featured a remarkable attrition rate among its main characters, in violation of accepted practice for a drama of its nature.

(Wikipedia contains spoilers)

Blake begins the series being captured by the Federation, convicted of trumped-up charges, and sent to a remote prison planet. It is on the prisoner transport ship that he meets his future crew, whom he convinces to join him in a mutiny to take over the transport. The mutiny fails, but before Blake and his cohorts can be executed the transport comes upon a mysterious unidentified starship apparently derelict from a space battle. After several crewmembers are killed by the ship's automated defences, the transport's captain decides to send Blake's group over to see if they can defuse them or die in the attempt. They take over the mysterious and highly advanced ship, name it the Liberator, and set out to topple the Federation. At least, that is Blake's goal. His other crew members, particularly Kerr Avon, followed him with various degrees of reluctance.

By the end of the second season, Gareth Thomas[?] (Blake) sought an exit from the series. His character was written out, with Blake being lost in an escape pod along with Jenna after the Liberator was damaged in a ferocious battle over the Federation's central computer complex Star One. Tarrant, a revolutionary who had been posing as a Federation trooper, was introduced to replace him, although Avon clashed even more frequently with Tarrant than he had with Blake. Avon eventually rose in dominance until he became the defacto leader of the group. The shadow of Blake remained strong over them, however, and they continued to search for him throughout the remainder of the series.

Liberator was lost at the beginning of the fourth season, and the group soon acquired a new ship named Scorpio. The fight against the Federation continued growing more desperate, for both sides; the Federation had been significantly weakened after the loss of Star One and the galactic war that followed, allowing the Supreme Commander of its military forces (Servalan) to seize power and sweep aside any remaining positive qualities the Federation may have had.

Finally, in a climax that ensured the show a lasting place in the history of television, the crew at last finds Blake working as a bounty hunter on a backwater planet named Gauda Prime. Thinking Blake has betrayed them due to a misunderstanding, Avon kills Blake. Then Federation troops overrun the remainder, killing all except Avon, whom they surround and hold at gunpoint. Avon raises his own weapon, then as the scene cuts to black a flurry of gunfire is heard and the end credits rolled.

The ending is rumoured to have been intended as a cliffhanger, to be somehow resolved in the never-produced fifth season. So-called "post Gauda Prime" stories about possible resolutions are a particularly popular topic in Blake's 7 fan fiction.

Cast:

• Roj Blake - Gareth Thomas[?]
• Kerr Avon - Paul Darrow[?]
• Jenna Stannis - Sally Knyvette[?]
• Villa Restal - Michael Keating[?]
• Gan Olag - David Jackson[?]
• Cally - Jan Chappell[?]
• Zen (Liberator) - Peter Tuddenham[?] (voice)
• Orac - Peter Tuddenham (voice)
• Slave (Scorpio) - Peter Tuddenham (voice)
• Servalan - Jacqueline Pearce[?]
• Travis - Stephen Greif[?]/Bryan Croucher[?]
• Dayna Mellanby - Josette Simon[?]
• Del Tarrant - Steven Pacey[?]
• Soolin - Glynis Barber[?]

Episode List:

1978

1. The Way Back
2. Space Fall
3. Cygnus Alpha
4. Time Squad
5. The Web
6. Seek Locate Destroy
7. Mission to Destiny
8. Duel
9. Project Avalon
10. Breakdown
11. Bounty
12. Deliverance
13. Orac

1979

1. Redemption
2. Shadow
3. Weapon
4. Horizon
5. Pressure Point
6. Trial
7. Killer
8. Hostage
9. Countdown
10. Voice from the Past
11. Gambit
12. The Keeper
13. Star One

1980

1. Aftermath
2. Powerplay
3. Volcano
4. Dawn of the Gods
5. The Harvest of Kairos
6. City at the Edge of the World
7. Children of Auron
8. Rumours of Death
9. Sarcophagus
10. Ultraworld
11. Moloch
12. Death Watch
13. Terminal

1981

1. Rescue
2. Power
3. Traitor
4. Stardrive
5. Animals
6. Headhunter
7. Assassin
8. Games
9. Sand
10. Gold
11. Orbit
12. Warlord
13. Blake