I originally only started watching it from S3, and kept wondering why it was called Blakes 7!.

Although S1 and S2 was more consistent in terms of quality, S3 & S4 contain some of my favourite /most memorable episodes,

Edit: I wonder if any viewers lost because of Gareth leaving were made up by viewers gained when Paul became the lead. Lots of hormonal teenage girls had a crush on him,(based on conversations at B7 conventions, lol)

I met Gareth more than once. A lovely man

The series name Blake's 7 went beyond the character of Blake as it went on. It would have been commercial suicide to change it at that time.

Also, there were always 7!

S1 - Blake, Avon, Jenna, Vila, Gan, Cally and Zen
S2 - Blake, Avon, Jenna, Vila, Cally, Zen and Gan/Orac (mid season change)
S3 - Avon, Vila, Cally, Zen, Orac, Dayna and Tarrant
S4 - Avon, Vila, Orac, Dayna, Tarrant, Soolin and Slave

Yeah I know it would have been mad to have changed the name of the show, but you must admit it was increasingly odd, even if you include the two computers.... By season four there were only 2 main characters who had known Blake and been part of Blake's actual seven. And I don't recall any of my friends including Slave as part of the team, nor Orac for that matter. Certainly among my friends at the time it was seen as a bit silly to continue with such a title, although obviously I understand why this was done.

Also, if the series was called Blake's 7, I would have expected Blake plus his seven, as the title implies seven belonging to Blake, (ignoring the ungrammatical lack of apostrophe in the main titles) and I wouldn't usually include myself when counting in this way....

The name Blakes 7, to me and my peers, simply became the name of the show so didn't find it odd at all.

In series 1 Blake explicitly identifies Zen as one of the 7 which open the gates to any sentient AI, travelling with them would be part of the crew.

I guess it just shows the risks of naming a new show after the lead character when you haven't locked down the actors' contracts for the next several years.

What would the alternative titles have been?

Liberators? (but they changed the ship)
The Liberator 7? (but there wasn't always 7)
Freedom Fighters in Space? (too much like Pigs in Space)
Space Pirates? (just... naff - obviously no-one says "Space..." anything )



Perhaps..

Renegades
Star Fighters

I think it was a smart move not to change the name. Some of the middle-period episodes made the point that the group are significant as figureheads for the resistance - it doesn't really matter whether or not they're led by Blake, or if there's seven of them, the symbol remains the same.

Absolutely.

If they had decided on a change to reflect the shift in emphasis, how about 'Avon's Calling'?

No disrespect to anyone enjoying this thread, but I'm looking at it thinking 'wow, you know there is practically nothing doctor who to talk about when a thread not even about doctor who is not only created, but has reached 2 pages and is staying near the top of the first page of the forum'

This forum really needs some who news.

Its way more than just tenuously related though.

To be fair, apart from s1eps1-3, there was always 7.

Also, Blake was always being mentioned during series 3-4, part of series 3 was given over to searching for him. Only in S4 was he not really mentioned until the end, so his presence has been in all 4 series.

Absolutely. Sticking with the name was the right thing to do. I just think when they were first conceiving and naming the show they didn't anticipate the main character would leave. My (feeble attempts at humourous) suggestions are what they should have named it from the beginning.

Imagine if they'd called Doctor Who "Ian and Barbara's Adventures in Time and Space". Apart from being a crap title, it doesn't anticipate that Ian and Barbara might leave the show. Or if Babylon 5 had been titled "Sinclair, Station Commander".

And, no disrespect to you either DBB, but you could just skip it, you know? Agree that some Who news will be nice though. But an icon of BBC SciFi has gone, and I think personally it's fine to acknowledge that and discuss Terry Nation's 'stablemate' series in the circs.

I loved Blake's 7. I enjoyed the most when Gareth was on as Blake. I am sorry to learn of Gareth's passing. My sympathies to his family and friends.

Season 2 concluded with the Liberator fighting against an "extra-galactic incursion" where an alien race tried to break down the barrier around Federation space and invade. As I recall, it was essentially the one time Blake's team were fighting on the same side as the Federation.

I heard a story once that Terry Nation had suggested the Daleks could appear in Blake's 7 and this resulted in rumours they would be revealed as the aliens attempting the invasion.

Could have been amazing/ruined the show. It never happened anyway.

To be diplomatic, I think it would be an unwelcome shift for the show. The show always worked best when man was the real monster, as the saying goes.

Either the Daleks would have to be pushed back for good (making the exercise feel fairly pointless), or they would dominate the show. I can't see any middle ground working - the Federation needs to be the threat.

And - I must say - Servalan was as terrifying as any Dalek!

I interviewed Jacqueline Pearce once many years ago. An absolute hoot!

I met her many years ago too, she was brilliant and so intelligent. In fact, I think she played Servalan as herself but evil and ruthless.

I too was saddened to hear of Gareth Thomas's death. It's a pity that the Clone Masters were only make-believe.

Firefly?

As I said, no offence intended. Not one to be one of those self appointed forum police who say a thread shouldn't exist or that it should be closed. More I was just observing that if a thread not about doctor who is the most popular on the forum for doctor who then it just goes to show the 'who news' drought has really gotten bad.

There really isn't any Who news at all is there? Absolutely nothing.

Gareth Thomas starred in the Dalek Empire audio series from Big Finish

Blakes Seven was the business. It was definitely 70s Dr Who in style. if you haven't seen the Sunmakers, check it out and compare... apart from Michael Keating (Vila) being in it, the story is all about the oppressed workers fighting back against distant and uncaring rulers... And the rebel leader in this Tom Baker story is even wearing a very close approximation of Blakes outfit... Yep, back in the day Dr Who used to do George Orwell...

Though I understand your point, this thread hasn't exactly been ignoring Doctor Who!

Indeed there has been posts about actors, directors, writers etc who've done both Doctor Who and Blakes 7 and a lot of chat about other similarities between them.

So though the thread isn't directly about Doctor Who, it still being discussed, just in a different way to normal, which is quite refreshing imo.

Baker and Thomas also had the same perm at the time.