Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!

This week we're on the Series B penultimate episode, The Keeper and a strange one to find sitting in that slot. We debate whether it does what a penultimate episode should do, and whether that even matters when there's this much to enjoy.

We get into Bruce Purchase's Gola, Freda Jackson as Tara, the sibling dynamic between those two, the Vila moments that had us both pausing the episode, what Jenna finally gets to do this week, and the behind-the-scenes story of how this script ended up on screen.

We're teleporting out for now! Thanks for listening, and don't forget to follow and subscribe on your preferred podcast app so you never miss an episode.

You can also join the conversation and stay updated by following us on Twitter/X and Bluesky. We'd love to hear your thoughts and theories!

Join us next time as we continue our journey through the universe of Blake’s 7.

Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!

This week we're reviewing Gambit, Series B episode 11, and we open with some sad news: the passing of Michael Keating, the man behind Vila Restal. Adam shares his memories of meeting Michael at conventions over the years, and we talk about what his performances have meant across the series and what still lies ahead for his character.

On the episode itself, we get into what makes Gambit so hard to pin down: a Freedom City setting that turns the camp dial past anything the show has reached before, a Robert Holmes script built almost entirely on double acts, and a Dudley Simpson-shaped hole where the score should be. We cover Avon and Vila's casino subplot, Servalan's convoluted masterplan, and why the Klute's speed chess scene would have been dead on its feet without Elizabeth Parker's last-minute musical rescue.

There's also a conversation about the new effects on the Blu-ray restoration, some unplanned on-set chaos involving a furry jacket that neither actor could get on during filming, and a few Doctor Who comparisons that turn out to have a real costume connection.

P.S. We record in advance, which is why you're only hearing us talk about Michael Keating's passing in this episode.

We're teleporting out for now! Thanks for listening, and don't forget to follow and subscribe on your preferred podcast app so you never miss an episode.

You can also join the conversation and stay updated by following us on Twitter/X and Bluesky. We'd love to hear your thoughts and theories!

Join us next time as we continue our journey through the universe of Blake’s 7.

Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!

This week, we're reviewing Voice from the Past, Series B episode 10, written by Roger Parkes. There's a conspiracy at the heart of this one that reaches back to Blake's trial in The Way Back, and we spend a good amount of time unpacking what the episode is trying to do with that history, how well it does it, and where the logic starts to strain.

We also get into Gareth Thomas's performance, what Avon and Cally bring to the episode when they're working in detective mode, and why Orac's limited screen time in Series B keeps catching Adam off guard on the rewatch.

There's also a wider conversation in here about what makes a Vila scene work, why Avon's closing line is worth the price of admission on its own, and how the Blu-ray restoration team handled an episode that gave them some of their most challenging original footage yet.

We're teleporting out for now! Thanks for listening, and don't forget to follow and subscribe on your preferred podcast app so you never miss an episode.

You can also join the conversation and stay updated by following us on Twitter/X and Bluesky. We'd love to hear your thoughts and theories!

Join us next time as we continue our journey through the universe of Blake’s 7.

Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!

A spoiler straight out the gate from us: Countdown is the best episode we've covered in our entire Blake's 7 journey so far, and we're calling that without hesitation. It's a Terry Nation script with a cold open that throws you straight into a firefight, a ticking clock that builds real tension, and loads of character work packed into 50 minutes.

The Avon and Del Grant thread is where we spend the most time: what's actually driving Avon in those scenes, what Blake quietly stepping up for him reveals, and why a seemingly throwaway scene between Provine and a rebel is one of the most morally loaded things the show has done.

We also talk about Vila getting some brilliant moments, our ongoing frustration with Jenna and Cally being sidelined for what feels like the fourth episode running, and the Blu-ray's new effects, which genuinely impress us more here than anywhere else in Series B so far.

We're teleporting out for now! Thanks for listening, and don't forget to follow and subscribe on your preferred podcast app so you never miss an episode.

You can also join the conversation and stay updated by following us on Twitter/X and Bluesky. We'd love to hear your thoughts and theories!

Join us next time as we continue our journey through the universe of Blake’s 7.

Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!

Right, Blake fans: Hostage, and the verdict is in early: this is a thumping good episode. The script is razor-sharp, the crew actually gets equal footing for once, and the stakes feel real from the opening battle sequence. Later on, Brian Croucher gets a scene that Blake fans have been quoting for decades. You know the one. Ha!

We dig into the Avon twist that neither of us saw coming, the Servalan and Travis scene that somehow makes the episode slow down and speed up at the same time, and the slightly eyebrow-raising farewell between Blake and his cousin. A lot to love in this one, with a few things to poke at too.

We're teleporting out for now! Thanks for listening, and don't forget to follow and subscribe on your preferred podcast app so you never miss an episode.

You can also join the conversation and stay updated by following us on Twitter/X and Bluesky. We'd love to hear your thoughts and theories!

Join us next time as we continue our journey through the universe of Blake’s 7.

Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!

The first Robert Holmes script for Blake's 7, and Garry and Adam both agree it has a noticeably different tone to what the show has been doing. Robert Holmes's fingerprints are all over it, and that, concerning this episode, is a good thing.

The big talking points: why the Avon and Vila pairing works so well here, what Tynus's betrayal says about the kind of company Avon keeps, and whether Blake's inexplicable calm in enemy territory is great character writing or just a quirk of the production order.

Plus: outfits that not even Paul Darrow can carry off, Gan's ghost in the production timeline, and Garry very nearly ordering the Blake's 7 DVD set after a couple of Guinness.

We're teleporting out for now! Thanks for listening, and don't forget to follow and subscribe on your preferred podcast app so you never miss an episode.

You can also join the conversation and stay updated by following us on Twitter/X and Bluesky. We'd love to hear your thoughts and theories!

Join us next time as we continue our journey through the universe of Blake’s 7.

Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!

Things get spicy as Travis finally faces the music for his past misdeeds. Blake’s grappling with some serious guilt over Gan's death, and it’s clear the crew is feeling the heat of his decisions.

Meanwhile, Servalan is pulling strings like a puppet master, ready to watch Travis dance into the gallows.

The friction between Blake and Avon is as palpable as ever, especially with Avon looking to seize any chance to undermine him.

So, grab your teleport bracelets and settle in as we watch Travis' fate unfold.

We're teleporting out for now! Thanks for listening, and don't forget to follow and subscribe on your preferred podcast app so you never miss an episode.

You can also join the conversation and stay updated by following us on Twitter/X and Bluesky. We'd love to hear your thoughts and theories!

Join us next time as we continue our journey through the universe of Blake’s 7.

Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!

Pressure Point really cranks up the tension as Blake hatches a daring plan to strike at the heart of the Federation. The infighting between Servalan and Travis adds a delicious layer of backstabbing and power struggles that is performed so beautifully.

We chat about the performances, especially Gareth Thomas, bringing some real depth to Blake this time around. It’s a well-crafted story that balances action with emotional weight, showcasing the series’ knack for character-driven storytelling.

So grab your headphones, kick back, and join us as we dissect all the twists and turns in this gripping episode of Blake's 7.

We're teleporting out for now! Thanks for listening, and don't forget to follow and subscribe on your preferred podcast app so you never miss an episode.

You can also join the conversation and stay updated by following us on Twitter/X and Bluesky. We'd love to hear your thoughts and theories!

Join us next time as we continue our journey through the universe of Blake’s 7.

Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!

Hey, Blake's 7 fans, and thank you for tuning in for our latest episode and our review of Horizon.

Everybody's knackered. The Liberator crew are running on fumes, tempers are fraying, and Blake still wants to go and poke his nose into an uncharted planet. Classic Blake.

Written by Allan Prior in his first script for Blake's 7, it's not the show at its most spectacular, but it's got a quiet confidence to it. A nicely paced story about a colonial ruler being freed from Federation control while the crew are forced into hard labour.

All of them except Avon, who has to decide whether to take the Liberator and disappear into space or go back for the rest of them. This scene stopped Garry dead in his tracks. Amazing.

Listen now for our thoughts and review of Blake's 7 Series B, Episode 4 - Horizon.

We're teleporting out for now! Thanks for listening, and don't forget to follow and subscribe on your preferred podcast app so you never miss an episode.

You can also join the conversation and stay updated by following us on Twitter/X and Bluesky. We'd love to hear your thoughts and theories!

Join us next time as we continue our journey through the universe of Blake’s 7.

Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!

It's only the third episode, but things are heating up as Blake and the crew face off against the Federation, who are on the hunt for their now stolen new weapon, IMIPAK.

There's also some changing dynamics with the new Travis and Servalan, as Brian Croucher steps into some hefty shoes left by his predecessor. He's desperate to take out Blake, which leads to some tense moments, the moments we love!

How does this episode stack up to last week's as we move ever forward through Series B?

We're teleporting out for now! Thanks for listening, and don't forget to follow and subscribe on your preferred podcast app so you never miss an episode.

You can also join the conversation and stay updated by following us on Twitter/X and Bluesky. We'd love to hear your thoughts and theories!

Join us next time as we continue our journey through the universe of Blake’s 7.