Blake's 7 was quite possibly the most quotable space opera of all time, and a major influence on shows like Babylon 5. Too bad it won't be coming back to our screens any time soon.


The attempt to revive Blake's 7 has hit yet another setback, the latest in a long line. At one point a decade ago, the show was going to come back with Paul Darrow returning as the cynical computer wizard Avon, training a new generation of freedom fighters. More recently, there's been talk of a reboot or remake, which would have aired on Sky One. But yesterday, this announcement went up on the official Blake's 7 website:

SKY deciding to not proceed with the planned TV revival of BLAKE'S 7 is obviously disappointing, but the development process has resulted in the dynamic reinvention of this ‘branded' series. As SKY were the minority broadcaster, there is a huge opportunity for investment in a TV series that is fully developed, has genuine global appeal and has exciting 360 degree exploitation opportunities. With much praised scripts from lead writers Richard Kurti and Bev Doyle (Going Postal) and 60% of the finance already in place, by anyone's standard we have pulled together a compelling package. We are confident that this reboot of BLAKE'S 7 has the creative and commercial credentials that will enable us to find a partner with the vision to recognise the strength and enduring appeal of the show and the opportunity it represents to produce a bold new drama series with significant international appeal.


In other words, don't hold your breath. It's too bad, although I'm not sure if I could have stood for another Prisoner-style revamp of a classic series.

Blake's 7 is best described as Star Trek turned on its head: the galactic Federation is evil, and only a small crew of political dissidents and ruthless criminals stands to oppose it. The show was brutal, dark and frequently hilarious. [Thanks Andy!]