Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7
Blake's 7 is one of British television's most compelling sci-fi series. Created by Terry Nation and broadcast on the BBC from 1978 to 1981, it followed a ragtag group of rebels taking on a ruthless authoritarian government that controlled the galaxy. Gritty, morally complex and frequently brilliant. Federation Strike covers it from start to finish. Every episode, every season, every twist. Hosting the show are Garry, watching Blake's 7 for the very first time, and Adam, a lifelong fan who has seen it all many times over. Between them, you get two very different perspectives on the same show, and that gap is where most of the fun happens. New episodes drop weekly throughout each season.
Episodes
Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!
Chris Thompson is back for our second season finale, and if anything, this conversation goes deeper into the craft than the last one. We get into how the production pipeline for Series B differed from the blitz that was Series A, why 120 Liberator shots meant almost none were reused, and what it actually looks like when a special effects director is given c...
Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!
Series B of Federation Strike has come to a close, so we are taking stock of all thirteen episodes together, from how the writers built on what Terry Nation started to the moments that hit differently on a second watch.
The new visual effects and model work on the Blu-ray set continued to win us over as expected, and the extras on those discs changed how we ...
Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!
This is it! Series 2 of Blake's 7 comes to an end with Star One, and neither of us quite got what we were expecting from this finale.
We spend a lot of time this week on the Blake and Avon relationship, which reaches a genuinely interesting moment here, and on what Jacqueline Pearce brings to Servalan when the character is under a very different kind of pres...
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 ha...
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, w...
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 ...
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 an...
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 tha...
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...
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 palp...
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 aroun...
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 sp...
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 t...
Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!
The Terra Nostra await Blake and the crew on Space City, but dark times are afoot.
This is the first "proper" non-Terry Nation script, written by Chris Boucher, script editor at the time. As a result, we have some dark themes with Blake and the others up against a criminal organisation with ties to the Federation.
We're teleporting out for now! Thanks for lis...
Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!
Hello, Blake's 7 fans, and welcome to the first episode of a new season! We're back with new Blu-rays of Series B and ready to talk all things B7. Thank you to all who listened to our first season and for letting us know how much you enjoyed it. Another thank you to those of you who have either not watched Blake's 7 before or haven't in years, and our podca...
Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!
Blake's 7 is (hopefully) making a comeback, and we're here for it! We chat about what it could mean for the series, the casting possibilities, and how it might connect with a new audience while keeping the old school charm alive.
Whether you're here for the sci-fi nostalgia or just curious about what Blake's 7's future might hold, join us for this laid-back ...
Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!
We had a fantastic chat with Paul Vanezis, the genius behind the visual cleanup of the Blake's 7 Blu-ray box set. Right off the bat, we dive into his experiences restoring this classic series, which has been a labour of love with some hefty challenges. Paul shares some behind-the-scenes stories about the challenges he faced, from dealing with old tape glitc...
Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!
For our second bonus episode, we've got a special chat featuring the visual effects wizard, Chris Thompson. Chris shares some behind-the-scenes magic, like how he brought those epic models back to life and the clever tricks he used to update the classic effects while keeping their charm intact.
We also take a peek into Chris' early days of creating art for c...
Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!
We’re wrapping up our ride through Series A of Blake 7, and boy, what a wild ride it’s been! From the dark themes in the first episode to some serious character growth, we’ve been on a journey that’s hooked both newbies and old-school fans alike. We’re very grateful for everyone who’s joined us on this trip, whether you&r...
Teleporting in... welcome to Federation Strike: A Journey Through Blake's 7!
We’re wrapping up Series A of Blake 7 with a bang in this episode, and it’s all about the finale, “Orac.” Can you believe we made it here? It feels like we were getting our feet wet just yesterday in the wild universe of Blake's 7.
This episode had it all: intrigue, suspense, and a touch of emotional depth. As Blake and his crew race ...
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