While it was definitely before my time, The premise behind the late 70s British sci fi hit Blakes 7 is pretty fascinating. And as the Hollywood Reporter notes, Sky One's plans to bring it back in a new and updated format a la Battlestar Galactica, have understandably already begun exciting fans around the internets. If however, like me you're unfamiliar with the series, here's how wikipedia describes the premise.
"Blake's 7 follows the exploits of revolutionary Roj Blake as he leads his band of rebels against the forces of the totalitarian Terran Federation which rules the Earth and many of the planets of the galaxy. The Federation controls its citizens by means of mass surveillance, brainwashing, and pacification with drugged food, water and air. Sentenced to deportation to a penal colony on a remote planet, Blake escapes with the help of his fellow prisoners and gains control of an advanced alien spacecraft, the Liberator, a spacecraft far in advance of anything the Federation possesses, with superior speed and weaponry as well as a revolutionary teleport system that allows crew members to be transported to the surface of a planet without having to land the ship. Blake and his crew then attempt to disrupt and bring down the Federation."
The show was noted especially for being dark in tone, and having many morally ambiguous characters. Although it didn't have the highest production value, and some of the science fiction adventure elements were cliched, its the sympathetic characterization that made the show such an enduring hit.
Sky One has reportedly commissioned two 60 minute scripts for the project with the intention of spining it out into a series. Hopefully it will be good and the fans stateside will get a chance to see it. We'll see what becomes of this, as Sky One has a rocky history of remakes in the past, when they focused on a thankfully aborted planned Prisoner remake a few years ago. (incidentally that Prisoner remake is now happening at ITV). And for every Doctor Who relaunch, we also get a Bionic Woman. So lets keep our fingers crossed.
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"Blake's 7 follows the exploits of revolutionary Roj Blake as he leads his band of rebels against the forces of the totalitarian Terran Federation which rules the Earth and many of the planets of the galaxy. The Federation controls its citizens by means of mass surveillance, brainwashing, and pacification with drugged food, water and air. Sentenced to deportation to a penal colony on a remote planet, Blake escapes with the help of his fellow prisoners and gains control of an advanced alien spacecraft, the Liberator, a spacecraft far in advance of anything the Federation possesses, with superior speed and weaponry as well as a revolutionary teleport system that allows crew members to be transported to the surface of a planet without having to land the ship. Blake and his crew then attempt to disrupt and bring down the Federation."
The show was noted especially for being dark in tone, and having many morally ambiguous characters. Although it didn't have the highest production value, and some of the science fiction adventure elements were cliched, its the sympathetic characterization that made the show such an enduring hit.
Sky One has reportedly commissioned two 60 minute scripts for the project with the intention of spining it out into a series. Hopefully it will be good and the fans stateside will get a chance to see it. We'll see what becomes of this, as Sky One has a rocky history of remakes in the past, when they focused on a thankfully aborted planned Prisoner remake a few years ago. (incidentally that Prisoner remake is now happening at ITV). And for every Doctor Who relaunch, we also get a Bionic Woman. So lets keep our fingers crossed.
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2 comments:
didn't have high production values!!!! That's an understatment!
BvB
Should be good as Paul darrow (Avon)is meant to be involved
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