Blakes 7: The Liberator Chronicles

[Nyder]

I'll be sticking with the old (very old :-) cast

[Nyder]

Just finished with Set 3. Part 2 was my fave - Cally & Villa make a great team. It's so refreshing that Cally gets lots to do - other than operate the teleport! The BF writers have an in depth knowledge about the characters, and this shines through in the plots.

[SiHart]

Not quite a BF, but I have very much enjoyed the new novel reading of Project: Avalon by Pearce and Darrow over the last few days. Both read it very well indeed, especially so Jacks, who was really rather good.

[SiHart]

They're going full cast from next year!

The original TV cast of Terry Nation’s acclaimed series Blake’s 7 will be back together in six brand new single disc audio plays to be released monthly from January 2014. The series is being released in a licence deal with B7 Media.

Blake’s 7 tells the story of freedom fighter Roj Blake and a band of freed criminals, who take on the might of the corrupt Federation, which rules the galaxy. The series ran on TV from 1978-1981.

The audio series sees the return of Gareth Thomas as Roj Blake, Paul Darrow as Kerr Avon, Michael Keating as Vila Restal, Sally Knyvette as Jenna Stannis, Jan Chappell as Cally and Brian Croucher as Travis, while Alistair Lock plays the computers Zen and Orac.

Blake's 7: The Classic Audio Adventures will launch in January with the first single-disc adventure Fractures by Justin Richards, in which an escape from a Federation pursuit ship leaves the crew of the Liberator licking their wounds. As the dust settles, realisation gradually dawns that the trust and camaraderie that has built up between them is dissolving... and one of the crew is working against the rest.

Writers for the rest of the season also include Andrew Smith and Marc Platt (both of whom have written for Doctor Who on TV), Peter Anghelides (Blake’s 7: Warship) and Mark Wright and Cavan Scott (Blake’s 7: The Armageddon Storm).

“I was delighted that our first full cast Blake’s 7 audio, Warship, received such glowing reviews and a rapturous reception,” says producer David Richardson. “I’m therefore thrilled that we’re able to continue with more full-cast stories, which are set during the second season of the TV show as a worrying revelation forces Blake to interrupt his search for the Federation control centre Star One.”

"It's great to be working with Big Finish on more full-cast Blake's 7 stories," says Andrew Mark Sewell, Executive Producer of B7 Media, "Given this year marks the 35th Anniversary since the TV series first aired, these epic sounding audio adventures are a great way for fans to celebrate Blake's 7 enduring legacy!"

Blake’s 7: Fractures is released in January 2014, and the stories continue monthly until June. A series of enhanced audiobooks entitled Blake’s 7: The Liberator Chronicles and a range of original Blake’s 7 novels are also available from Big Finish. The first full cast story, Warship, is still available at bigfinish.com.

[Andrew Curnow]

How exciting. What they ought to do now is get Chris Boucher to write for them!

[Rob McCow]

Ha! I've just listened to Volume 4 of The Liberator Chronicles!

Promises by Nigel Fairs
Starring Jan Chappell as Cally and Stephen Greif as Travis
Cally is alone with Travis, Blake's mortal enemy. As they delve into the past, a long hidden secret that links them both is revealed.

It has to be said that the "long secret link from the past" that links Cally to Travis was extremely well hidden throughout the first two series of Blakes 7. I can't even recall the two of them sharing much screen-time. Perhaps the writer thought it was time to rectify that, but Travis and Cally hardly make the most scintillating pairing. If you've got Stephen Greif on board, surely it's the law that he has to have an episode with Blake? The two characters almost defined each other!

It also bugs me that Cally survived her lengthy encounter with Travis. Although Cally is a hardened Space-Mercenary, Travis is a million times more calculating and brutal. So we have to have an oh-so-convenient accident that robs Travis of his built-in gun hand.

There's some interesting moments when it seems that Cally is about to sacrifice the Liberator and throw in her whole lot with Travis, but the overall story was pretty weak. A bit of a missed opportunity.

Epitaph by Scott Harrison
Starring Sally Knyvette as Jenna and Michael Keating as Vila
When Jenna and Vila answer a distress call from a ship, a journey begins that will lead them to the surviving members of Jenna's family.

Why did millions tune in to Blakes 7 every week at the dawn of the eighties? I can tell you that the answer was not to see Jenna show off her Space Piloting skills. This goes down the 'long-lost relative' route of the Blakes 7 Chronicles, something which is already starting to become a bore. And I can only really think of this story that's done it.

It's nice to hear Sally Knyvette back as Jenna, although Michael Keating gets more fun things to do as Villa impersonating a Federation Official.

The script is appalling though. The list of cliches goes on and on as Jenna and her brother Tomak go on a quest to kill Major Kade, the man responsible for doing some nasty things to Jenna's father. We're supposed not to like Tomak and we can tell because he kills people indiscriminately, even civillians!!! Heavens, we even get the line 'It was the oldest trick in the smuggler's book and I walked straight into it'.

I really hope Jenna gets a more interesting story than this because her character deserves to be fleshed out. There's loads of potential that still remains untapped.

Kerr by Nick Wallace
Starring Jacqueline Pearce as Servalan and Paul Darrow as Kerr
Supreme Commander Servalan believes she has a vital insight into the Liberator crew - a clone of Avon. But can this clone be trusted?

Look, do I have to say anything about this? Servalan clones Avon in an attempt to get an edge on the Liberator crew. After that, the story almost writes itself. There's the standard 'Old Acquaintance' of Avon who serves as a catalyst for the action.

There's the psycho-sexual tension between Servalan and her new pet, yet she never quite gets under his skin. Kerr is quite literally too calculating and emotionally shielded for her to break through. This is what Blakes 7 is all about!

Overall this is a box set with one disappointment, one unforgivable travesty (The BF Specialty) and one must-hear story.



Buy it... for Kerr.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

15% off Big Finish Blake's 7 releases for this weekend only using the code: liberator

BLAKE'S 7 WEEKEND: 15% OFF!

[SiHart]

It's a well known fact that Blake and Jenna are actually pretty dull characters and this comes across in their audios. Sadly, they seem to be the least interesting ones of each set they feature in. There was nothing intricately bad about Risk Management, it just didn't set the world on fire- being more of Hostage than a Star One. There were some good moments for Blake, but there was something about Blake and Jenna playing guards to a jewellery auction from a recently liberated world that just didn't quite feel right to me. Even the outrageous continuity dumps felt tedious, despite being rather obscure.

Fortunately, the rest of the most recent Liberator Chronicles more than made up for that. Logic is a story told from the point of view of a normal citizen on Earth, Pol. The way the story unfolds is really clever, with her story unpeeling in layers that play on the fact that she's had mind alteration. The almost casual way she's accepted this is what makes the story really chilling- as if something you can welcome, that makes life better, rather than the horrific thing it really is. Throughout Louise Jameson gives a typically wonderful performance as an ordinary woman, who turns out to be not quite as ordinary as she initially appears to be.

But is the final story that is really outstanding, and for me ranks as the very best of the Liberator Chronicles stories so far. Three is a Servalan story, with only the briefest mentions of Blake and the Liberator crew, but that's not a problem at all. In fact its a bonus- it's because its so different that makes it stand out.
The play sets out to explore Servalan's character more than ever before, and it certainly achieves that- she's charming, flirtatious, clever, outrageous, but underneath there's a ruthless streak. the interview with her twists and turns throughout, until coming to a truly chilling and utterly ruthless end. Nasty end, but completely in character. My only gripe is that they keep shoe-horning a "Maximum Power" into every Servalan story. It's proving to be very tedious now.

It was gripping, brilliantly played by Jacqueline Pearce, who proves to be an utterly underrated actress- she should have a huge star. We need more than this.

I love these releases. I look forward to each one hugely, and they haven't disappointed. They're easily the best of the Big Finish ranges for me.

[Nyder]

Vol 4 - Promises

I'm glad this is the Stephen G version of Travis. His voice is just perfect for audio. I didn't mind Blake not being there for a Travis encounter - it's always refreshing to have Cally having a major input into the story. At the moment in my end of TV Season 2 she's just a teleport operator!

[Nyder]

4.2 - Epitaph

Yep I agree with Steve on this one. It's a bog-standard story and very hard to generate any interest in Jenna's adventure. There's too much crawling through shafts and family retributions for me. Thank goodness Vila was there to pep things up a bit!

[SiHart]

Details of next year's full cast audio series

The original TV cast of Terry Nation’s acclaimed series Blake’s 7 will be back together in six brand new audio plays to be released monthly from January 2014 - and we can now announce the details! The series is being released in a licence deal with B7 Media.

Blake’s 7 tells the story of freedom fighter Roj Blake and a band of freed criminals, who take on the might of the corrupt Federation, which rules the galaxy. The series ran on TV from 1978-1981.

Gareth Thomas, Paul Darrow, Michael Keating, Jan Chappell and Sally Knyvette are all back together as the Liberator crew, joined by Alistair Lock as the voices of Zen and Orac. Brian Croucher also reprises his role as Blake’s enemy Travis in four episodes, while Hugh Fraser (Poirot, Edge of Darkness) plays the President of the Terran Federation.

The full season line-up of Blake’s 7: The Classic Audio Adventures – Series 1 is as follows:

1: Fractures by Justin Richards


When problems beset the Liberator, all evidence confirms that one of the crew has turned traitor.

2: Battleground by Andrew Smith


Blake’s new mission leads him into danger – a whole planet that is a training zone for Federation soldiers.

3: Drones by Marc Platt


A new deadly weapon is being tested, and Vila becomes its victim.

4: Mirror by Peter Anghelides


While Jenna vows to settle an old score, Blake attempts to discover the truth behind the Federation’s latest plan.

5: Cold Fury by Mark Wright and Cavan Scott

What is the secret of Horst Minor?

6: Caged by Mark Wright and Cavan Scott

Details to be confirmed.

The series is directed by Ken Bentley and produced by David Richardson. Executive producers are Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs. Executive producers for B7 Media are Andrew Mark Sewell and Lee Thompson.

[Nyder]

Fractures was excellent! A tense tale set aboard The Liberator (still the best name for a starship ever!) where suspicions about who you can trust reach epic proportions! A good use of the full cast, all characters get something to do - even Cally!

[Junkyard]

Fractures was excellent! A tense tale set aboard The Liberator (still the best name for a starship ever!) where suspicions about who you can trust reach epic proportions! A good use of the full cast, all characters get something to do - even Cally!

Up to now I hadn't thought about getting any of these, but after listening to 'Warship' over Christmas I'm re-considering.

[Rob McCow]

A few more covers:

Spy by Simon Guerrier
Starring Jan Chappell as Cally, Michael Keating as Vila and Gemma Whelan as Arta
Cally and Vila are undercover on the Federation-controlled world Cortol Four. It's a mission with an irresistible prize. And it's a mission that goes horribly wrong…

Disorder by Eddie Robson
Starring Michael Keating as Vila and Paul Darrow as Avon
Division Three. A space station in the process of being decommissioned. Its archives contain key records of the Federation's enemies - and Vila and Avon intend to steal it.

The Hard Road by James Swallow
Starring Gareth Thomas as Blake and Andrew Whipp as Trel Dekkan
Blake decides it is time to fight back against the Federation - and to fight back with allies.

Written By: Simon Guerrier, Eddie Robson and James Swallow
Directed By: Ken Bentley and Lisa Bowerman

Blake and the crew of the Liberator have a new mission - and their target is on Straxis, a planet also known as Battleground 9.

Because Straxis is a training ground for thousands of Federation troops, and the Liberator has journeyed directly into their sights.

Has Blake finally picked a battle he cannot possibly win?

Written By: Andrew Smith
Directed By: Ken Bentley

It's all the usual crew - no sign of Pacey, Pearce, Greif or Croucher, but hey I bet it'll still be great.

[Nyder]

Mirror was a great all-cast story. Paul Darrow delivers his lines a lot more measured these days - but it's very effective. He virtually snarls every line. Good to have Brian Croucher on board too! Even Gareth Thomas didn't sound as gravelly us usual on this recording. All the stars were aligned on this day :-)


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[Nyder]

Listened to Cold Fury last night. Brian Croucher in fine form, even Gareth Thomas didn't sound as gruff as usual


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