This is a lighthearted (by Blake's 7 standards) heist episode which comes at a good place in the series, before things start getting very bleak indeed with the final three episodes. There are plenty of thrills and spills on the way, and a lot of care obviously went into the scenario, including exemplary modelling of the Space Princess. Vila gets to play the hard man on this one, which is part of the overall tautening up of characters ready for Orbit, Warlord and Blake.
Blake's 7's sharp-witted verbal duelling, bleak politics and cynical undertone went out of fashion in the post-Cold War 1990s, when the show was frequently derided, but in today's climate it plays very well and often seems prescient. Politics, big business and crime all swirl together in this enjoyable episode which doesn't seem like much of a brain-teaser--until the end, when you realise it's too late, and you should have been paying closer attention.
4 Reviews
A very good, fun, energetic episode.
Sleepin_Dragon12 September 2022
Avon is given a tempting proposition by an old acquaintance, Keiller, a share of a huge consignment of gold, which is the secret cargo on board The Space Princess, his space cruiser.
It's a fun, light toned, enjoyable action heist. Series four has been a real mixed bag, but this is definitely one of the best offerings, after Sand, my expectations have become high once again, generally, this one delivers.
I love that sweet, innocent music, it works so well in the context of the episode, but it's the sense of anticipation that makes this one work so well, you keep waiting for it to kick off, and maybe as I did you wait to see if Servalan is going to pop up or not.
Roy Kinnear is excellent as Keiller, I often associate him as a comedy actor, but he was so much more, he is great here, it's a straight performance, albeit one with a slight tongue in cheek.
Production values are actually really good, both The Plant and Cruiser look fantastic, the model shots here are better than any that have gone before in the show's earlier years.
Very enjoyable, 8/10.
It's a fun, light toned, enjoyable action heist. Series four has been a real mixed bag, but this is definitely one of the best offerings, after Sand, my expectations have become high once again, generally, this one delivers.
I love that sweet, innocent music, it works so well in the context of the episode, but it's the sense of anticipation that makes this one work so well, you keep waiting for it to kick off, and maybe as I did you wait to see if Servalan is going to pop up or not.
Roy Kinnear is excellent as Keiller, I often associate him as a comedy actor, but he was so much more, he is great here, it's a straight performance, albeit one with a slight tongue in cheek.
Production values are actually really good, both The Plant and Cruiser look fantastic, the model shots here are better than any that have gone before in the show's earlier years.
Very enjoyable, 8/10.
Blakes 7 Does A Heist Thriller . A Very Good One Too
Theo Robertson31 March 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Keiller a former associate of Avon contacts him and informs him that a secret transportation of gold to the Federation is taking place from the Planet Zerok . The gold is being carried on the space liner Space Princess and if Avon helps Keiller steal the gold he and his crew can have a share of the profits
Like several other episodes from this season Gold is written by someone whose first contribution to the show is their last one . This is probably down to the fact the programme ended this year and several of the writers would have been invited back . Certainly Colin Davis has written an episode more enjoyable than many of the subpar ones that cluttered up the previous season even though it's a blatant heist thriller that one wouldn't have thought suited to the show but works very well
Quite often BLAKES 7 works best when its written as black comedy especially when guest characters are concerned . This episode sees Roy Kinnear a household name in British television from the 1970s and a renowned comedy actor playing a larger than life villain with a slightly sleazy edge
As stated in previous reviews BLAKES 7 is very much a product of its time with a hard edged cynicism running through the show but in this episode we see something approaching a future nod to rave culture as the tranquilised passengers give the impression they're all loved up on ecstasy and is summed up by Tarrant's line " I'm having such a wonderful time " . Then we get back to the cruel cynicism when during the escape by the Scorpio crew a security finds himself trapped in an airlock about to be sucked in to outer space
Like several other episodes from this season Gold is written by someone whose first contribution to the show is their last one . This is probably down to the fact the programme ended this year and several of the writers would have been invited back . Certainly Colin Davis has written an episode more enjoyable than many of the subpar ones that cluttered up the previous season even though it's a blatant heist thriller that one wouldn't have thought suited to the show but works very well
Quite often BLAKES 7 works best when its written as black comedy especially when guest characters are concerned . This episode sees Roy Kinnear a household name in British television from the 1970s and a renowned comedy actor playing a larger than life villain with a slightly sleazy edge
As stated in previous reviews BLAKES 7 is very much a product of its time with a hard edged cynicism running through the show but in this episode we see something approaching a future nod to rave culture as the tranquilised passengers give the impression they're all loved up on ecstasy and is summed up by Tarrant's line " I'm having such a wonderful time " . Then we get back to the cruel cynicism when during the escape by the Scorpio crew a security finds himself trapped in an airlock about to be sucked in to outer space
It's a very good episode.
Sleepin_Dragon7 September 2022
Avon is given a tempting proposition by an old acquaintance, Keiller, a share of a huge consignment of gold, which is the secret cargo on board Space Cruiser, The Space Princess.
It's a fun, light toned, enjoyable action heist. Series four has been a real mixed bag, but this is definitely one of its best offerings, after Sand, expectations have returned to high, for the most part, this one delivers.
I love that sweet, infantile music, it works so well in the context of the episode, but it's the sense of anticipation that makes this one work so well, you keep waiting for it to kick off, and maybe as I did you wait to see if Servalan is going to pop up or not.
Roy Kinnear is excellent as Keiller, I often associate him as a comedy actor, but he was so much more, he is great here, it's a straight performance, albeit one with a slight tongue in cheek.
Production values are actually really good, both The Plant and Cruiser look fantastic, the model shots here are better than any that have gone before in the show's earlier years.
Very enjoyable, 8/10.
It's a fun, light toned, enjoyable action heist. Series four has been a real mixed bag, but this is definitely one of its best offerings, after Sand, expectations have returned to high, for the most part, this one delivers.
I love that sweet, infantile music, it works so well in the context of the episode, but it's the sense of anticipation that makes this one work so well, you keep waiting for it to kick off, and maybe as I did you wait to see if Servalan is going to pop up or not.
Roy Kinnear is excellent as Keiller, I often associate him as a comedy actor, but he was so much more, he is great here, it's a straight performance, albeit one with a slight tongue in cheek.
Production values are actually really good, both The Plant and Cruiser look fantastic, the model shots here are better than any that have gone before in the show's earlier years.
Very enjoyable, 8/10.
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