Site Menu

September 12th, 2024 155 comments

We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

Blake’s 7 The Collection Series 1 Blu-ray UK/USA

Yes we know it’s not Doctor Who but we know some visitors will be interested in this and are already talking about it.

Available to order in the UK from www.amazon.co.uk

Available to order in the USA from www.amazon.com

Official Press Release With Thanks to BBC Studios

Maximum power! Blake’s 7 fans can rejoin the rebellion as the iconic BBC sci-fi series comes to Blu-ray with a six-disc box set of the first series on 11th November 2024.

Framed for crimes he did not commit, freedom fighter Blake (Gareth Thomas) escapes a prison ship and enlists a crew of rogue heroes to fight back against the tyrannical Federation. With Avon, Vila, Jenna, Cally and Gan, Blake boards fantastical spacecraft the Liberator and begins his quest to free the galaxy.

All 13 episodes have been newly remastered from the best available sources, including the original film where available. These stories have never looked or sounded so good on home media. Plus, fans can experience their favourite show like never before, with brand new optional updated effects on every episode, exclusive to this Blu-ray set.

Blake’s 7 The Collection: Series 1 is also jam-packed with hours of new and exclusive material including:

IN CONVERSATION

Matthew Sweet conducts two new interviews with Sally Knyvette who played Jenna Stannis, and director Michael Briant

LIBERATION

A brand-new feature-length documentary looking back at the making of the first series

ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTARY

The previously unreleased Making Of Blake’s 7, featuring extensive interviews with cast and crew.

STEPHEN GREIF TRIBUTE

A look at the life and career of the first incarnation of Travis

RARE CONVENTION FOOTAGE

Previously unreleased panels with the cast and crew

HD PHOTO GALLERIES

With previously unseen images

PDF WRITTEN ARCHIVE

Production paperwork, scripts, studio floorplans and much more, available for the first time

ARCHIVE TREATS

From the BBC archives.


Categorised under: News, Retail

Adverts/Affiliates

155 comments

  • Gordon

    December 13th, 2024 - 12:10pm

    Sounds like season 2 is a go. Brian Croucher and Jan Chappell said at a recent convention that they are doing commentaries in January

    Reply
  • Snowman

    November 21st, 2024 - 1:13pm

    Been busy, so only just opened my set Yesterday. Was surprised to see the Booklet is rather large and doesnt fit in the actual Plastic Blu- Ray Case. It just slides in the Cardboard sleeve at the side of the Case. Would have preferred the Booklet to be a “Tad” smaller so it was protected more inside the Plastic Case.

    Reply
  • Gordon

    November 17th, 2024 - 10:42pm

    Number 1 on the blu ray charts!!!!!!

    Reply
    • Ricky

      November 18th, 2024 - 1:49pm

      That’s good going for the first season, won’t do any harm to the team being given the go ahead for season 2!

    • SVH

      November 19th, 2024 - 12:31pm

      I’d be interested to know how many units they need to sell before another box set release is considered viable.

  • Gordon

    November 17th, 2024 - 10:42pm

    Number 1 on the blu ray charts!!!!!!

    Reply
    • Craig F

      November 20th, 2024 - 8:48pm

      An excellent set indeed the Michael Briant interview stands out for me, what a carear the man has had.
      Thought the making of documentary would of been complete but I guess we will have to wait for season 2 (a good sign)

      Looking at other classic BBC sci-fi I should think that Terry Nations Survivors must be up & coming in the next year or two.
      With 4 main cast still alive we should get some interesting extras.
      Have you heard any wispers Gordon?

  • Gordon

    November 15th, 2024 - 11:22pm

    Finished this. Absolutely loved this set. Restoration is superb and the new effects will be my go to versions. Liberation making of is great document of the season and the Stephen greif tribute is such a fitting tribute. In conversations and convention footage are very watchable. Same time next year for season 2 eh guys?

    Reply
    • MIKK89

      November 16th, 2024 - 2:29am

      @Gordon Same. The entire season is splendidly restored, and the new VFX are stunning (the new CG is incredible and if that is why we have to wait for 1 year between seasons, I don’t have an issue with it…)
      Need to finish the Bonus Features, but my Mum is Hoping for Someone to be able to allow the Team to scan for the PDF Archives the Blake’s 7 Magazine. ALSO, Found that the very first Novel written by Paul Darrow for B7 – Avon: A Terrible Aspect is getting an Audio book reading from Alistair Lock for Big Finish…

      BBC Studios, Bring on Blake’s 7 – The Collection: Series 2

    • Gordon

      November 16th, 2024 - 9:06am

      You might not get them included for licensing and clearance reasons. I know the annuals aren’t going to get included for those reasons

    • Ricky

      November 17th, 2024 - 8:07am

      I relish getting this and after the positive feedback I’m even more excited by this and the prospect of having all 4 seasons in this way ,it’s been at the back of my mind for many years someone treating the series this way and so pleased everyone is enjoying the series all over again.

      Roll on the next announcement. 🙂

    • Lee

      December 13th, 2024 - 4:38am

      A little late, but also just finshed and absolutely love it!
      The new effects are brilliantly done, outstanding work. The new documentary, also brilliant and I really enjoyed the convention footage. You could play a watch party drinking game, where you have to match Gareth Thomas pint for pint!
      For me though, the stand out feature of this box set was the fantastic remastering of the surviving film elements. There was far more of this than I thought there would be. Episodes like “Duel” came to life in a way I would never have dreamed of in 1978.
      If only there were more original film inserts still surviving for Doctor Who, but that’s another story I guess.
      Blakes 7 as I’ve never seen it before, can hardly wait for series 2!

  • SVH

    November 11th, 2024 - 12:22pm

    Currently making my way through the box set (up to Breakdown) and it looks really nice, the team have done a great job – the opening credits in particular look stunning.

    I’ve noticed a couple of things – there’s a strange ‘hole’ in the audio of Cygnus Alpha around 9:20, as Jenna and Avon argue about Zen, just as Blake stops them there’s a split second of silence in the audio.

    Also, the opening shop of the Ortega flying past at the beginning of Mission to Destiny looks a little strange. Maybe it’s just me, but it’s movement is a little unnatural, slightly blurry and jerky. Anyone else notice this?

    I’ve checked on the DVD and they’re not on there. So it doesn’t appear to be a problem with the source.

    Apart from that this is a really beautiful box set.

    Reply
    • SVH

      November 11th, 2024 - 12:35pm

      *opening SHOT of the Ortega

    • SVH

      November 11th, 2024 - 2:18pm

      *Opening shot of the Ortega…

    • Fusion

      November 12th, 2024 - 8:32pm

      It’s a gorgeous set, only watched the first episode so far but some lovely extras. Number 4 at the moment on Amazon’s bluray best seller list. I wonder how many sets these collections need to sell to get the ok to continue. Surely there are enough 7 fans out there to get all 4 seasons done.

    • Rex F

      November 13th, 2024 - 1:48am

      I’ve not seen Mission yet, but the original telecine transfers on B7 were often rubbish with lots of double-imaging and frame blending (think The Three Doctors 1 and 2). It’s possible they’ve tried unpicking/deinterlacing the shot, and that was what they ended up with (more noticeable than the original fault, as with some shots on Three Docs).

    • Lee

      November 13th, 2024 - 2:14am

      I’ve only had time to watch ep1 so far, but the new fx are brilliant – the shots of the prison ship London are fantastic!
      Would I be right in saying Matt Irvine has been involved in working new, practical model shots? (That’s what it looked like was happening in the trailer)
      What an awesome way to update this great show, I’d love to see this approach used in future releases, it looks outstanding.

    • MIKK89

      November 15th, 2024 - 5:50pm

      I Have Been Watching this since yesterday (Currently on ‘Duel’) and have not noticed any issues so far… but the Updated Effects are stunning, and the Liberator ‘Hero Shots’ have never looked so good, watching the Liberator take on three pursuit ships in ‘Duel’, is incredible and I’m hoping not only do we get the rest of the Series, but I can’t wait to see the Updated CGI shots for the ‘Star One’ cliffhanger in Series 2

    • David

      November 20th, 2024 - 7:55am

      Yes, I noticed the audio drop out for a split second also, exactly where you said. Unfortunate glitch on a fantastic release. I haven’t watched past Cygnus Alpha yet, but hopefully there are no more of these.

  • SVH

    November 9th, 2024 - 3:38pm

    My copy of Blake’s 7 Series 1 blu-ray box set has just arrived. Looks fantastic, beautifully designed. Looking forward to starting this tonight.

    Reply
    • Lee

      November 10th, 2024 - 2:50am

      That was quick! Mine is marked as dispatched today, I’ll probably see it on Tuesday.

    • Snowman

      November 10th, 2024 - 3:06pm

      Mine says Arriving by 11pm Tomorrow. (These Van Drivers work late don’t they, 24 Hours?)
      The Last Year or so my Amazon Orders were usually Stated as arriving before 9pm and I thought that was late enough.

    • Snowman

      November 10th, 2024 - 5:14pm

      My Copy’s Due Tomorrow anytime up to 11.00pm. (The Delivery Guys Work really late, 24 Hours I wonder?)
      The last Year or so my Orders from them used to be Delivered anytime up until 9.00pm and I used to think that was really late.

    • Snowman

      November 11th, 2024 - 2:38pm

      Just Arrived. Looks Great, lovely packaging. Nipping out now though so I don’t know when it’ll get Opened. Maybe Tonight.

  • SVH

    November 9th, 2024 - 12:30pm

    My copy of Blake’s 7 Series 1 blu-ray box set has just arrived. That tonight’s viewing sorted, then.

    Reply
  • Gordon

    November 7th, 2024 - 3:12am

    You can get the remastered broadcast episodes on YouTube for purchase in the uk for those that are after a digital version. Full season plus 5 extra features for £23.99 or £1.99 each. I think they have jumped the gun and uploaded a few days early. I do expect Amazon prime video, Apple TV, google play etc will follow on Monday. It does include some special features like both the liberation: making of season 1 and the archival making of Blake 7 season 1, the Stephen greif tribute and the 2 in conversations. However it’s listed as being in standard definition, there is no new cgi effects versions, no convention footage, commentaries, photo galleries, Easter eggs, music from the Blake’s 7 album or continuities, June Hudson, blue Peter or swap shop features. No pdfs either.

    The runtime of the extras are listed as such

    The making of Blake’s 7 season 1: 41:52
    Liberation: the making of season 1: 84:34
    In conversation: Michael E Bryant: 88:10
    In conversation: Sally knyvette: 78:15
    Stephen Greif tribute: a glint in the eye: 34:46

    Reply
  • Rory

    November 4th, 2024 - 3:25pm

    Is it Lee Binding on art again?

    I have to say that the Liberator image on the actual box is absolutely stunning.

    Reply
    • Gordon

      November 4th, 2024 - 7:15pm

      It is lee

    • Rory

      November 11th, 2024 - 3:24pm

      It looks even better in real life. Well done, Lee.

  • Gordon

    November 1st, 2024 - 1:42am

    SFX magazine has an article on the blu ray release as well as a disc breakdown.

    Reply
    • Gordon

      November 4th, 2024 - 12:09am

      Full disc breakdown

      Disc 1: the way back/space fall

      2 episodes restored in HD with optional cgi special effects

      Existing special features:

      Commentary on space fall

      June Hudson costume designs

      Character introductions: Blake, Avon, jenna, gen, zen

      Garath Thomas on Blake (Easter egg)

      Michael keating on Villa (Easter egg)

      Sally Knyvette on jenna (Easter egg)

      David Jackson on gan (Easter egg)

      New special features:

      Liberation: season 1 documentary

      Swap shop: bbc 1 7 January 1978. Mat Irvine and Blake 7 models

      Continuities season 1

      Season 1 Model footage rushes

      Photo gallery: the way back space fall

      Disc 2: Cygnus alpha/space fall

      2 episodes restored in HD with optional cgi special effects

      Existing features:

      Character introductions: jan

      Jan Chappell on Cally (Easter egg)

      Pennant Roberts on time squad (Easter egg)

      New special features:

      In conversation: sally Knyvette

      Deliverance 1998 convention: sally Knyvette, David Jackson, Peter tuddenhan

      Photo gallery: Cygnus alpha and space fall

      Disc 3: the web/seek locate destroy

      2 episodes restored in HD with optional cgi special effects

      Existing special features:

      Commentary on seek locate destroy

      Character intorductions: servalan, travis,

      New special features:

      A glint in the eye: Stephen greif tribute

      Deliverance 98 convention: Gareth Thomas, Peter tuddenham, Michael keating, Stephen greif

      Photo gallery: the web, seek locate destroy

      Disc 4: mission to destiny and duel

      2 episodes restored in HD with optional cgi special effects

      Existing special features:

      blue Peter 23 February 1978: make your own teleport bracelet

      New features:

      Deliverance 1998 convention: sheelagh wells, Michael keating, Gareth Thomas, David malony

      Deliverance 1998 convention: David maloney, Stuart fell, Brian clemments

      Photo gallery: mission to destiny and duel

      Blake’s 7 theme 7” A side

      Federation march 7” B side

      Disc 5: project Avalon and breakdown

      2 episodes restored in HD with optional cgi special effects

      Existing special features:

      Commentary on project Avalon

      Model footage from breakdown (Easter egg)

      New special features:

      In conversation: Michael E Bryant

      Blake’s 7 the collection blu ray trailer

      Photo gallery: project Avalon and breakdown

      Disc 6: Bounty, deliverance and orac

      3 episodes restored in HD with optional cgi special effects

      Existing special features:

      Deleted scene from orac (Easter egg)

      PDF

      Radio Times: series one

      BBC Drama early warning synopses

      Blake’s 7 title storyboards

      Series one general production documentation

      lan Scoones’s VFX production designs

      “The Way Back”: postproduction camera script, production documentation

      Liberator deck production drawing

      “Space Fall”: production documentation, rehearsal script, camera script

      “Cygnus Alpha”: transmission camera script

      “Time Squad”: projectile production drawings, rehearsal script, camera script, remount camera script

      • “The Web”: rehearsal script, camera script

      “Seek-Locate-Destroy”:

      transmission camera script

      • “Mission To Destiny”: camera script

      “Duel”: production documentation, rehearsal script, remount camera script

      “Project Avalon”: camera script

      • “Breakdown”: transmission camera script

      “Bounty”: camera script

      “Deliverance”: rehearsal script, camera script

      “Orac”: rehearsal script, transmission camera script

      Series 1 outtakes

      DVD cg opening sequences

      DVD series 2 trailer

      New special features:

      The making of Blake’s 7 season 1:(unreleased on disc)

      In the studio: orac

      Photo gallery: bounty/deliverance/orac

      PDFS

      Radio Times: series one

      BBC Drama early warning synopses

      Blake’s 7 title storyboards

      Series one general production documentation

      lan Scoones’s VFX production designs

      “The Way Back”: postproduction camera script, production documentation

      Liberator deck production drawing

      “Space Fall”: production documentation, rehearsal script, camera script

      “Cygnus Alpha”: transmission camera script

      “Time Squad”: projectile production drawings, rehearsal script, camera script, remount camera script

      • “The Web”: rehearsal script, camera script

      “Seek-Locate-Destroy”:

      transmission camera script

      • “Mission To Destiny”: camera script

      “Duel”: production documentation, rehearsal script, remount camera script

      “Project Avalon”: camera script

      • “Breakdown”: transmission camera script

      “Bounty”: camera script

      “Deliverance”: rehearsal script, camera script

      “Orac”: rehearsal script, transmission camera script

    • Pablo Barracuda

      November 4th, 2024 - 1:55pm

      So,no new commentary tracks then? but everything else looks great,thanks for the details.

    • Gordon

      November 4th, 2024 - 2:33pm

      Think the majority of the budget went on restoration and new fx

    • Auton

      November 4th, 2024 - 4:27pm

      Thank you Gordon for posting this list, do we know if there is going to be production Subtitles on the episodes?

    • Gordon

      November 4th, 2024 - 7:14pm

      There isn’t unfortunately

    • MJS

      November 4th, 2024 - 8:42pm

      It’s great to see the 7″ single tracks there, but shame the disco version isn’t included!!

    • Lee

      November 6th, 2024 - 4:12am

      Got my pre order in! I’ve been hoping this would get a blu ray release for many years. So looking forward to it, I can still remember watching in 1978 on our 19″ black and white “fishbowl” TV. (only the posh kids had colour back then!)
      Fantastic show

  • Brett

    September 14th, 2024 - 7:19am

    Could’ve been asked already…any word on the remaining seasons getting this treatment and release timing?

    Reply
    • Gordon

      September 14th, 2024 - 6:15pm

      It all depends on sales of the first one. Nothing has been said about the release timing. I’d guess due to the huge amount of model work it required it will be 1 a year

    • MIKK89

      October 1st, 2024 - 10:50pm

      It would be a shame not to keep these Sets Going, as with only 4 series to release, and the fact that this would be perfect for the current 2 DWC collections a Year, we could get 2 DWC LE, 2 DWC SE and a B7 between 2025-2027

    • SVH

      November 6th, 2024 - 12:53pm

      MIKK89 – yes, it would be a great shame if these sets don’t keep going, so it’s really important that sales for this first set show that they’re wanted by the fans. If they’re not, the BBC just won’t release. It seems ridiculous to just release one and then stop, but if the demand isn’t there…the Network label did exactly the same thing with The Sweeney blu-ray box sets, they released Series 1 which didn’t sell well enough to justify the cost of restoring and remastering the rest of the series. So we’re now left with just one series on blu-ray sitting on out shelves.

    • Gordon

      November 6th, 2024 - 2:09pm

      Season 1 of the sweeny was a great release. The annoying thing is they actually were working on the sweeny again and was about 4 episodes from being completed when network went to the wall. Annoyingly Network had a a few things started or planned. Danger man had a number of episodes completed I believe. Thunderbirds was on the list and was very early in production. Think there was vague plans for the avengers as well. It’s a shame

    • SVH

      November 9th, 2024 - 12:33pm

      There might be a chance that the restorations were acquired by Old Gold Media. The Sweeney was a Thames production, so Old Gold Media own the rights to the series.

  • Gordon

    September 11th, 2024 - 9:27pm

    http://www.amazon.com

    No date set but here is the preorder for those in the US

    Reply
  • Gordon

    September 5th, 2024 - 3:25am

    It was mentioned at the happiness patrol bfi screening that they were hopefull for Sally knyvette to be in attendance for the Blake’s 7 one. Chris chapman has said he will be in attendance which probably means there will be some clips from the season Overview and the Stephen grief tribute shown.

    Got some tidbits that I heard about extras series 1 and potential future sets.

    The convention footage on series 1 will be from the deliverance 98 convention.

    As far as the Radio Times PDF goes for series 1, there’s 14 cast lists (including the Christmas 1978 repeat), a few separate photos, the big three-page launch article and three lots of letters.

    Do not expect any pdfs of the b7 annuals. It’s been looked into. It’s speculation there is some sort of licensing issue with them. The same issue preventing any of the 1970s dalek annuals being included in the doctor who releases.

    Unless they have stuff already recorded it’s unlikely Michael keating will be involved in any of the extras outside of archival material.

    Glynis barber has apparently said she would happily do a Matthew sweet interview if asked

    Josette Simon is a bit of a question mark regarding her involvment. She isn’t fond of talking about Blake’s 7 and she’s a really busy in demand actress. Even if she was interested she might be too busy

    Chris Thompson and Richard Ashton already have made a list of models they would have to make for the 3 remaining seasons

    Reply
    • Ricky

      September 10th, 2024 - 6:18pm

      Thanks Gordon, keep us updated on any further info please
      ,it’s always appreciated 🙂 very excited to hear about the set and the news about the models for the other 3 series , sounds very positive.

    • Gordon

      September 10th, 2024 - 6:49pm

      It will be great if they get the go ahead, They still need to be given the green light to go ahead first. By the sound of things they are just getting things ready so that if they get the call to go ahead they have some of the planning work out of the way.

    • Prowl 1701

      September 10th, 2024 - 11:00pm

      Is Michael keatings health really bad?

    • Gordon

      September 11th, 2024 - 12:25am

      He’s pulled out or turned down a few conventions recently plus I heard a few things regarding his health which I don’t really feel is my place to say at present as it’s not currently public. Once the news breaks you will understand why he wasn’t able to contribute if he wasn’t able. He could still live for a couple of years yet though.

    • Doug Who

      September 12th, 2024 - 12:24pm

      That’s really sad news about Michael Keating. He was an integral part of the show all the way through. Such a shame he can’t be involved. So many iconic cast members are very sadly not with us anymore. It would have been amazing to have Jackie Pearce do an interview with Matthew…it would have been utterly absorbing!

      If they proceed with the other series, I really hope Josette Simon will be involved and definitely Glynis Barber. They have fantastic stories to tell and not just about ‘Blake’s 7’.

  • Gordon

    August 28th, 2024 - 3:37pm

    Richard Bignell just listed the pdf material:

    He says: For those of you who are interested, here’s a breakdown of the 3260 pages of PDF Archive that will appear on the Blake’s 7 Blu-ray Collection – Series 1. Sadly, unlike Doctor Who, very few production files for Blake’s 7 have survived in the BBC Written Archives. Whilst the BBC have retained paper copies of the scripts for Series 1, they don’t have any for the rest of the series. They do have microfilm copies, but these are inevitably poorer quality and will increase the workload in scanning and cleaning-up considerably. I’ve already had some generous offers of help with scripts for possible future sets, but I’m always on the lookout for more, so if anybody has original hard copy scripts from Series 2, 3 and 4 that you’d be willing to scan (or loan to be scanned), then do let me know.

    Series 1 General Production Documentation – 54 pages
    Series 1 BBC Drama Early Warning Synopses – 13 pages
    Series 1 Radio Times Cuttings – 23 pages lan Scoones’ VFX Production Designs – 5 pages
    Title Sequence Storyboards – 5 pages

    The Way Back – Production Documentation – 232 pages
    The Way Back – Post Production Camera Script – 101 pages

    Space Fall – Production Documentation – 245 pages
    Space Fall – Rehearsal Script – 120 pages
    Space Fall – Camera Script – 127 pages
    Space Fall – Liberator Deck Production Drawing – 1 page

    Cygnus Alpha – Transmission Camera Script – 131 pages

    Time Squad – Rehearsal Script – 121 pages
    Time Squad – Camera Script – 143 pages
    Time Squad – Remount Camera Script – 27 pages
    Time Squad – Projectile Production Drawings – 2 pages

    The Web – Rehearsal Script – 143 pages
    The Web – Camera Script – 146 pages

    Seek-Locate-Destroy – Transmission Camera Script – 152 pages

    Mission to Destiny – Camera Script – 146 pages

    Duel – Production Documentation – 228 pages
    Duel – Rehearsal Script – 156 pages
    Duel – Remount Camera Script – 101 pages

    Project Avalon – Camera Script – 133 pages

    Breakdown – Transmission Camera Script – 140 pages

    Bounty – Camera Script – 116 pages

    Deliverance – Rehearsal Script – 113 pages
    Deliverance – Camera Script – 126 pages

    Orac – Rehearsal Script – 101 pages
    Orac – Transmission Camera Script – 109 pages

    Reply
    • Craig

      August 28th, 2024 - 9:16pm

      Hello, Craig Cohen here.. I’ve collected almost all the scripts, and now with this coming out- will only be missing the Keeper and children of Aaron. If you need any scans i can share them.. Thanks! Cheers

    • Gordon

      August 28th, 2024 - 9:44pm

      Contact Richard bignell on [email protected]

  • Bob James

    August 28th, 2024 - 1:38am

    Does anyone know if there will be a US release for this?

    Reply
    • Gordon

      August 28th, 2024 - 7:37am

      According to Richard bignell there will be at some point.

    • Peter

      August 28th, 2024 - 10:15am

      @Gordon – thanks so much for all that info – fascinating! I’d love to meet Sally Knyvette and Jan Chappell at the BFI screening; fingers crossed they going.

  • Gordon

    August 27th, 2024 - 3:27pm

    The bfi will be screening 2 remastered episodes on the 5th October. I expect it makes a lot of sense for it to be the first 2 episodes

    Reply
    • Peter

      August 27th, 2024 - 6:07pm

      Actually, BFI website says the episodes are Seek Locate Destroy (ep 6) & Orac (ep 13). Do we think any of the actors will be in attendance like for the Dr Who events? I would attend if I could meet some of the cast (watched B7 last year with my mates and we absolutely loved it).

    • The Unlicensed Physician

      August 27th, 2024 - 8:44pm

      Makes sense, as they can show off the new film transfers that way (little if any raw film exists for one and two).

    • Gordon

      August 28th, 2024 - 12:04am

      That actually makes a lot of sense. I imagine Sally Knyvette and Jan Chappell in terms of actors. Maybe mat Irvine and Chris Thompson to discus the new effects. Also Chris chapman if they want to discuss the season overview and Stephen grief tribute. These are all possibilities.

    • The Unlicensed Physician

      August 28th, 2024 - 2:08am

      Thinking about it, doesn’t Orac just use the old film transfer? And it’s got some nasty frame blending? B7 telecine transfers had a disproportionate amount of this, similar to The Three Doctors problem, so I’ll be interested to see how it’s handled and whether they can address the areas that aren’t clean on either field. Hopefully they won’t replace an old analogue glitch with new a digital one, if it can’t be solved cleanly, as a digital quirk on an analogue era programme does tend to stand out more. Possibly it’ll come down to time and money for manual repairs.

    • Gordon

      August 28th, 2024 - 8:33am

      Considering how much of a rushed mess of a production series A was that doesn’t surprise me there was a few production errors.

      Going by what Steve Roberts has said there is a lot of checking against the transmitted versions:

      I had a sneak peek at the first episode and it looks very good, although sadly aside from the titles (which look magnificent properly remastered in HD) there’s no original film for it. However, I then saw some of ‘Seek – Locate – Destroy’ for which the location film does exist and that looked fantastic. From memory there’s film for about half the season one episodes but it’s much more sparse after that.

      The film sequences were put back in where applicable for the DVD release, but errors did creep in as a result of the pressures of time and budget back then. I understand that the new drop-ins have been carefully checked against the TX versions to ensure that those errors are not repeated.

  • Serhio

    August 27th, 2024 - 10:33am

    Do we expect a box set of all Blu Ray seasons at some point?

    Reply
    • Gordon

      August 27th, 2024 - 12:00pm

      Everybody involved seems to be on board with doing the other 3 seasons but it all depends on pre orders and sales figures. If the sales are good for season 1 and going by the Amazon chart it is (number 1 and over 3k orders). I know Richard Ashton who helped out with the model work has said that he and Chris Thompson have already went through the next 3 seasons and written a list of all the models they would need to create the next 3 seasons but they need the ok and the money from bbc studios before they can proceed with it

    • rich

      September 4th, 2024 - 10:18pm

      I doubt it, it’d be at least 24 blu rays. Just buy the four series box sets.

    • Gordon

      September 5th, 2024 - 12:43am

      Even if it does get a full box set release I wouldn’t take it as a guarantee that all the features get ported. A full box set might be just the episodes to save discs and costs to make it more affordable

  • Ice

    August 26th, 2024 - 9:07pm

    2 episodes per disc is stupidly stingy when Star Trek can do 4. And B7 is mostly videotape, so hardly as much space needed per disc.

    Shame this classic & influential series ended in such a godawful way, otherwise this could have been a good box set…

    Reply
    • Gordon

      August 26th, 2024 - 9:58pm

      There is 2 versions of the same episode (1 with new fx and 1 without) so technically there is 4 episodes to a disc. Plus there will be hours of bonus features on each disc unlike Star Trek.

    • MIKK89

      August 26th, 2024 - 11:51pm

      It could be that technically each episode has 2 versions (1 with original effects, 1 with new CGI digital effects) so effectively the equivalent of 26 Episodes rather than 13. So you are technically getting 4 Episodes a Disc… (plus the Doctor Who Collections for Seasons 23-26 Al have lengths of 14 25-minute Episodes sepereated over 4 stories each season… should only be 5 discs yet get 7-8 disc all together

    • Luskentyre

      August 26th, 2024 - 11:53pm

      How can it be “stingy” when you’re getting more discs than you (apparently) require?

    • The Unlicensed Physician

      August 27th, 2024 - 1:10am

      You don’t really think it’s too much to get up to change discs after two episodes, do you? You probably shouldn’t stay in the chair for 200 minutes anyway, it’s not healthy. #DVT

    • rich

      September 4th, 2024 - 10:19pm

      It means that they’re encoded at a higher bit rate than a disc that contains more episodes. So better quality. The opposite of stingy.

  • demdike@Cult Labs

    August 23rd, 2024 - 11:07pm

    This is currently Amazon’s top seller. Has sold over 2000 copies since yesterday.

    Reply
    • Snowman

      August 24th, 2024 - 1:36pm

      That’s Good, should secure Series 2, 3 and 4 for people that would like all the show on Blu-Ray. I think without Substantial Pre-Orders this thing would have been Dead in the Water.

      I’ve decided to bite. Haven’t seen the show for maybe 20 Years. Used to watch it on Transmission then years later I think it was UK Gold that showed the Repeats, but I haven’t seen it since. Should be Good with better Picture and Sound Quality and improved Effects that were abit ropey originally. (I don’t think I’ll ever watch the Original Versions though). I’ll have to watch them all again as there released.

  • Doug Who

    August 23rd, 2024 - 6:17pm

    Thanks for publicising this release! So glad it’s getting ‘the collection’ treatment.

    There is so much crossover between this and ‘Who’ especially behind the scenes.

    I wonder what the reaction would have been if Tom and Gareth had got their way with the idea of the Fourth Doctor and Blake briefly crossing paths or indeed if the Daleks had made a full appearance in ‘Star One’!

    Reply
    • Anon

      August 23rd, 2024 - 8:31pm

      I’ve just watched the doctor who/Blake’s 7 crossover (sort of) shakedown on DVD. Starring various who and Blake’s 7 actors and written by Terrance dicks himself it’s great fun and looks pretty good considering the budget. Been after it on DVD for 24 years. Eventually had to get a custom version but it’s perfectly watchable. Done using the 1996 VHS version featuring the making of it’s obviously VHS quality meaning it’s subject to faults and fault lines throughout the source material but frankly I’ll take the rough quality just to finally have a copy again until someone pulls their finger out and gets it released officially.

    • ChrisP

      August 28th, 2024 - 10:54am

      Can they please include an alternative ending for Star One which does include Daleks?

    • Doug Who

      August 28th, 2024 - 4:34pm

      It was only an idea and never got anywhere near filming! There was a fan edit at some point which inserted the Daleks (I think from ‘Destiny of the Daleks’) into ‘Star One’.

  • Gerry

    August 23rd, 2024 - 4:50pm

    Holy moly I thought I ‘d never see the day

    Reply
  • Mutant

    August 23rd, 2024 - 12:53pm

    Any thoughts on what the frequency of the future releases might be, given there are 3 more series to follow?

    Reply
    • Dave

      August 23rd, 2024 - 2:50pm

      prob depends on how this sells

    • MJS

      August 23rd, 2024 - 4:57pm

      Absolutely depends on sales (and more importantly: pre-sales) which will determine if there are more

    • Prowl1701

      August 23rd, 2024 - 8:44pm

      I’m currently going through Blake’s 7 for the first time (bar some vague memories of episodes on pbs when I was little) as a subscriber sent me the series on dvd. I went ahead and pre ordered this, as I am enjoying the show thus far, ( six episodes in) and want to support the Blueray releases for it.

    • Gordon

      August 24th, 2024 - 12:15am

      I’m guessing with the amount of model and fx works it will be 1 a year. In series 1 alone there is 429 shots of new fx.

  • Deano

    August 23rd, 2024 - 12:11pm

    Excellent just ordered mine can’t wait long over due for the 21st century clean up with new updated special effects on all 13 episodes so should give it a fresh new viewing experience and some very good interesting extras

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Get your own avatar.
By clicking submit you agree to our terms and conditions (below), we reserve the right to edit or delete inappropriate messages.

Comment rules

The Doctor Who site welcomes constuctive comments related to the news article in question. Links posted in comments may not be displayed. We reserve the right to delete or edit any post entirely at our discretion. If you leave unacceptable comments your IP address will be banned and reported

Click here to read full comments terms and conditions

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Twitter

Facebook