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From: ix312@sdcc6.UUCP (ix312)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: Blake's 7
Message-ID: <2484@sdcc6.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 19-Mar-86 18:47:09 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcc6.2484
Posted: Wed Mar 19 18:47:09 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 22-Mar-86 05:06:34 EST
References: <65@utecfc.UUCP> <755@ihwpt.UUCP> <152@sci.UUCP> <326@hsi.UUCP>
Organization: U.C. San Diego, Academic Computer Center
Lines: 56
Summary: Doesn't anyone else out there like the show? And, what is this doing on net.startrek?

First of all, I don't think this is the proper place for a dicussion of
Blake's 7.  But, I, of course, will follow the crowd.  I am trying to
generate interest in starting a net.media.sf/fanatasy to help avoid this
problem.  Such a newsgroup could include Dr. Who as well as other tv
related sf. (I don't include Star Trek in that list.) I hope that you'll
give that a thinkabout.

Back to Blake's 7.  While I agree with everything stated below I still
like the show.

In article <326@hsi.UUCP>, archer@hsi.UUCP (Garry Archer) writes:
> > Recently, one of our PBS stations has been airing a british "sf" (term is
> > a bit dubious--there is less science in the series than in Star Trek (or
> > even Dr. Who).  For instance, they seem to have no idea of what a galaxy is)
> > series called Blakes 7.  They also have a transporter (called, in this case,
> > a teleporter).  People who are supposed to be beamed up or down must wear
> > teleporter bracelets.  It is a bit disappointing to find out that the british
> > can't write any better than the americans--in every other episode (rough
> > statistics) the crew beams down, gets conked over the head, and has their
> > teleport bracelets removed.  I remember wondering when I saw the third or
> > fourth show (when they introduced the teleporter) how they were going to
> > avoid the Star Trek transporter problem.  The answer, of course, is that they
> > weren't--they were going to discover the problem (and the same cheap 
> > solutions for themselves.
> 
> Oh dear.  So "Blake's 7" made it over here after all.  It was a particularly
> poor Sci-Fi offering.  
> 
I admit that I've only seen a few eposides out of the first season.
(perhaps like Star Trek it went downhill in the later seasons)  I will
also admit that it does suffer from less than fantastic plots, bad
special effects (I only worry about special effects on the BIG screen,
on tv they all suffer) and a very low budget.  At least I hope they can
claim a low budget. 

Also its creator and only writer (so far), Terry Nation, must be one
H-LL of a Star Trek fan.  Some shows have been merely MINOR rewrites of
ST episodes and of course there is that teleporter.

But the characters do have their own personalities, (ok a lot of that
too was borrowed from ST). But they are a bit different.

Now that it sounds like I've put the show down I'll tell you that I
really do like it - a lot, perhaps partly because it is such a take off
of Star Trek as well as others.

If you want to watch great Science Fiction go rent a tape of 2001 or
2010.  If you want to watch good science fiction go watch a rerun of
Star Trek for the umpteenth time.  I find that B-7 is a lot of fun, not
great, just amusing.  And at this point not a rerun.
 

                                        ME

(I know I'm entitled to my own opinion; it's my assumption that everyone
else is entitled to it also that keeps getting me into trouble.)