The Cult of Blake's 7

[altariel]

Didn't Jackie Pearce look fabulous?

Pity about the sneering at fans. (I mean, who is likely to be watching a programme called The Cult of Blake's 7 at 8.30pm on BBC Four?)

Comments

[matildabj.livejournal.com]

She really, really did. That's the best I've ever seen her, IRL or on the telly. I'd go so far as to say she looks better now than she did as Servalan.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I was thinking the same thing, actually. (Although she's so beautiful in season 1: so elfin and fragile.)

[hafren.livejournal.com]

Um. I thought she looked haggard and strangely orange! MK looked good though and I enjoyed Tuddenham's insights into Zen's and Orac's ideal professions of solicitor and bank clerk.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I thought she was really sparkling and vivacious! Made me think of Audrey Hepburn as she grew older. I loved Peter Tuddenham's insights. And I'd never heard the Edward Heath story before.

[hafren.livejournal.com]

She seemed lively enough, but I couldn't take my eyes off the fake tan (at least I assume it was).

[matildabj.livejournal.com]

I didn't notice her looking especially tanned, but that could easily be my dodgy digital signal :D

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Looked fine on the HDTV!

[redstarrobot.livejournal.com]

Given the number of times she's been talking about going to Africa recently, maybe not...

[snowgrouse.livejournal.com]

She's always going to Africa, so it's *certainly* not a fake tan. She looked really healthy and happy, and I love the fact that she loves her post-chemo hair since it grew back curly!

I'm not a big fan of Servalan, but Jackie herself is always good fun.

[redstarrobot.livejournal.com]

She does, doesn't she? Grey hair and a crew cut suit her.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Also she sparkled.

[oracne.livejournal.com]

I am SO jealous you got to see this.

I shall have to Propitiate the Download Fairies.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I really hope someone gets it online!

[kathyh]

I thought she looked great. Actually I thought all of the actors looked pretty good considering how long it's been now. I was hoping for something a little bit more in depth considering that anybody likely to be watching would be fairly sure to know the story of the series by now! It did make me want to break out the DVDs though...

[paranoidangel]

Same here - I was expecting more than just to be told the plot, and I am so tempted to watch Blake again - it is the right time of year after all.

[kathyh]

Yup, some series have nice sentimental Christmas episodes, but B7 isn't one of them *g*.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yes, I could have done with a bit less synopsis and a bit more chat. I can't remember now if the other shows in the series have done that - they weren't programmes I know half as well, so I might not have noticed as much synopsis.

Always good to see Chris Boucher gleeful about cancelling Christmas!

[kathyh]

I'm sure I read an interview with him once where he said he was sorry he'd done that! Didn't look that way last night *g*.

[six-old-cars.livejournal.com]

What I've seen of the other programs has been quite heavy on the "this was the plot" too. And the whole "they had this great idea, but the budget was too small and the powers that be didn't believe in SF and the cast/crew all fell out with each other" theme. And, of course, the sneering at the fans thing.

[inamac.livejournal.com]

Pretty much every other programme that this series has covered they've also shown an episode of the relevant prog before the 'Cult of' thingy - but not with B7 for some reason.

Oh well, we all have the dvds...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yes, I was wondering about that... They are particularly obtuse about repeating B7.

[inamac.livejournal.com]

Possibly the tape/film has deteriorated too much to be watchable by those used to HiDef. The clips they showed appeared to have been stored at the bottom of a cesspit (possibly the one Michael Grade's executive washroom debouched into). But they can do wonderful things with CGI these days - if they wanted to.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

But they can do wonderful things with CGI these days - if they wanted to.

I suspect only Doctor Who merits that kind of expenditure.

[iainjcoleman.livejournal.com]

I doubt that is the reason: did you see the terrible visual quality of the Adam Adamant Lives! episode they broadcast just before its Cult Of... programme?

[paranoidangel]

She really did. I can't decide whether all these older women looking just as fabulous now as they did 30 years ago (like Elisabeth Sladen and Diana Rigg) is depressing or gives us all hope.

[iainjcoleman.livejournal.com]

A show starring Jaqueline Pearce, Elisabeth Sladen and Diana Rigg would be the BEST THING EVER IN THE WORLD EVER.

[ex-lark-asc.livejournal.com]

Vagina Monologues FTW.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

OH GOD YES!

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

Jacqueline Pearce, Elisabeth Sladen and Diana Rigg in The Vagina Monologues?!!!!!

*dies and goes to heaven*

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Just too much happiness. We must email Russell T Davies and tell him to go into theatre.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

OMFG it would be like some kind of mindfuck version of The Golden Girls!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Like others in this thread, I think a Jackie Pearce, Liz Sladen, Diana Rigg combo can only give us hope.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

What do we have to sacrifice and to whom to make this happen?

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Paul Darrow?

[snowgrouse.livejournal.com]

*splays him on an altar immediately*

Right, who's got the double-bladed knife with serrated edge to complete the summoning of The Best Kickarse Female Performance Ever?

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

*sharpens labrys*

[muninnhuginn]

Well, I think they all looked good bar, maybe, Mr Thomas (but then I never fancied him at all, not even as Orsino at Stratford). But Ms Pearce was the fourth sexiest (after Avon, Zen and Orac).

Also: who is likely to be watching a programme called The Cult of Blake's 7 at 8.30pm on BBC Four?
I think the number of comments answers that: some of us even abandoned an lj post mid-whinge to go and watch it.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Avon still looked as beautiful ever in the bit where he's passing out in the escape capsule *sigh* (Did you ever get hold of his autobiog, btw?)

Also: who is likely to be watching a programme called The Cult of Blake's 7 at 8.30pm on BBC Four?
I think the number of comments answers that: some of us even abandoned an lj post mid-whinge to go and watch it.

Sorry, I was unclear - I meant: snarking about the fans seemed unwise/unkind, given that they are exactly the people who are going to stop whatever they're doing to watch the programme.

[muninnhuginn]

Did you ever get hold of his autobiog, btw?

Ooh, yes. Brilliant.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Glad you enjoyed it! I thought he was a hoot throughout - he seemed to be taking himself a lot less seriously than my impression of him has been in the past.

[ex-lark-asc.livejournal.com]

You didn't record that did you? M's complaining 'cause he missed it...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I have it on the Sky box, but can't record tapes off that any more. It's repeated tomorrow night:

Thu 14 Dec, 22:00-22:30 (BBC Four)

[qatsi.livejournal.com]

How did I miss that? Good to hear it's being repeated.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

There's been a season of SF stuff on BBC Four the past month or so - they're bound to repeat most of it, I'm sure.

[raspberryfool.livejournal.com]

What was that i saying about not having a telly? I shall just go out and slap myself around the face with a wet haddock!

But i'm not too bothered either way - i've hear most of the stories, i have the 'lost in space' and 'i love 1978' bits taped (i must dvd them sometime...).

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Argh!

It was a fairly basic documentary, mostly a synopsis. Jackie Pearce was the best thing by far, just stunning.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

Jackie Pearce absolutely shone out of the screen. She is divine.

Shame Kim Newman couldn't simply admit in his pontificating on the subject of Blake's 7.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I didn't want to stop looking at her, just beautiful.

They didn't have the guy from SFX on this one, and he's said some interesting things in the other programmes.