Blake’s 7: Warship

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Blake's 7: Warship
Written by Peter Anghelides

Published by Big Finish

Following the successful release of two series of the Liberator Chronicles, this new audio drama brings the whole original cast of Blake’s 7 back together, circa Star One at the end of the second TV season.

With an alien fleet approaching Federation space, Liberator is the only ship to defend mankind. An attack with ingenious alien weaponry forces Villa and Jenna to make an unexpected space walk, while Blake and Jenna teleport down to a strange satellite with even more secrets than Star One itself.

Writer Anghelides has constructed a classic piece of space opera that really wouldn’t have felt out of place as a televised episode. You can almost see the cast rocking from side to side as they weather the blasts from alien cannons. With its multi-faceted plot, Warship also gives every character plenty of action, though the most fun is perhaps still Avon and Blake’s verbal sparring.

The cast inhabit their former roles well, all having played separately or in pairs in the Chronicles. Sally Knyvette’s Jenna in particular gets a meaty role that she was too often denied on TV, and the actress clearly revels in this when she boards an alien vessel. Peter Tuddenham’s sad death means Alistair Lock must play soundalike, with limited effect.

Sound design overall is outstanding, and the hour long drama flies by very quickly. Fortunately, a further hour long ‘making of’ audio documentary allows more time to savour this historic cast reunion.

With Paul Darrow’s forthcoming novel set after the final, bloody episode of Season Four, 2013 looks set to be as exciting a year for fans of Blake and his gang as it will be for followers of the Doctor.

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