Maximum Power

Series D, Episode 8. First broadcast on Monday 16 November 1981.

This week, Nathan, Brendan, Simon and James sneak aboard an orbital station somewhere near the planet Mecron 2, where they will encounter a series of increasingly lethal versions of Flappy Bird, in the hope of finding, once and for all, some explanation of whatever the hell happens at the end of the Blake’s 7 episode Games.

And because you will forever regret it if you don’t look it up, here’s a link to the triangular Coleco Telstar Arcade from 1977 with its Mecronian-knife shaped cartridges.

Series D, Episode 7. First broadcast on Monday 9 November 1981.

After Mark, Peter, Brendan and Nathan intercept an ominous message from the very edge of the sixth quadrant, fearing imminent assassination at the hands of an imminent assassin, they head off to the planet Domo for a quick slave auction, followed by a tight twenty minutes of being hunted through TC1 by the man who came top of his class at RADA in Glowering and Other Menacing Facial Expressions. But will it be fun to listen to all their little plans and squabbles? Tune in and find out — as we discuss Assassin.

Series D, Episode 6. First broadcast on Monday 2 November 1981.

The hunt for experts continues in this series of Maximum Power, as this week we try and recruit Jon Helm, the Galaxy’s greatest expert on everything Blake’s 7. But will he lose his head before the episode is out? Will Hannah end up hugged to death? Was it sensible to send Pete and Si on a mission together when it might lead to the subjugation of the entire human race?

But, most urgently, will this episode fulfil your greatest desires? Or doesn’t it know where to start?

It’s Headhunter.

Series D, Episode 5. First broadcast on Monday 26 October 1981.

Pete is ready for a nice sit-down in Servalan’s Comfortable Chair of Maximum Persuasion, Nathan is cleaning out the bilge tanks with half a glass of wine and a comedy oboe, Mark’s trying to spark romance between an insurrectionist shaman and Sweetums the Muppet, and Peter is howling out his rage by saying ‘rarrrrr!’ with perfect diction.

Will there be fierce agreement, or will the fur fly as we discuss Animals?

Series D, Episode 4. First broadcast on Monday 19 October 1981.

Brendan’s Vin Diesel impersonation has knackered Scorpio even more than usual, and James is avoiding repairs by pretending he’s had too much Red Bull. Conrad has found a solution by studying slow motion footage of a biker’s helmet, but it will only work if we can disguise the fact that Mark refuses to go on location. It’s Stardrive.

Series D, Episode 3. First broadcast on Monday 12 October 1981.

We’re on the planet Helotrix this week, enjoying our successful subjugation of a compliant populace consisting largely of teachers and hairdressers. The occupation is ably enforced by the supremely competent Si and his régime of casually deployed neutron strikes, while Nathan reminisces pompously about past imperial glories, and Pete conducts a surprising clandestine affair with that remarkable new police commissioner Sleer. (And somewhere, in the basement, Simon is devising a galactically effective new kind of roofie.)

Until, of course, our day is ruined by a small band of barely competent outlaws, and then one of us — not sure who, to be honest — turns out to be a traitor.

Series D, Episode 2. First broadcast on Monday 5 October 1981.

This week on Maximum Power, we discuss episode 2 of Series D — Ben Steed’s normal amount of Power.

There’s also a war between the sexes this week, and while Una and Zoë are deploying their wit, tactical skill and powers of telekinesis, Nathan is embroidering a lovely throw rug, while James is rigging up a boxy plastic gaming PC in the basement. Still, there’s enough time for us to get together to ask the big questions: Is this Ben Steed’s worst script or his second worst script? Does Nathan really fancy Jarvik? And is the whole enterprise sexist, chauvinistic or misogynist — or an exciting mixture of all three?

Series D, Episode 1. First broadcast on Monday 28 September 1981.

And we’re back with the first episode of Maximum Power for a whole new decade (of the third century of the second calendar). It’s Rescue.

When a handsome stranger arrives on the planet Terminal and rescues the stranded Nathan, Pete, Peter, Si and Simon, it soon becomes apparent that he’s not the dishy bleached-blond hero they had all been hoping for, but a depraved old man whose beauty regimen involves botox, red wine and turning twinks into cheap Doctor Who monsters. Will the boys escape his evil grasp, and do they even want to?

This week, Maximum Power’s Interrogation Division (otherwise known as Si and Pete) interview documentarian extraordinaire Chris Chapman and special effects wizard Chris Thompson about their work on the lavish new Blake’s 7: The Collection Series 1 (yes, we know) box set.

This week, in a special report from the British Film Institute’s Blake’s 7 Series 1 (don’t you mean Series A?) screening, Si and Pete are joined by Zoe Baker, Dan Hollingsworth, Mark Dodyk, Tom Newsom, Ben Jolley, and David Gillespie-Pratt to discuss remastered episodes, new special effects, and Blake’s RADA cum face in HD!