Series D, Episode 3. First broadcast on Monday 12 October 1981.
Episode 50
Sunday 5 January 2025
We’re on the planet Helotrix this week, enjoying our successful subjugation of a compliant populace consisting largely of teachers and hairdressers. The occupation is ably enforced by the supremely competent Si and his régime of casually deployed neutron strikes, while Nathan reminisces pompously about past imperial glories, and Pete conducts a surprising clandestine affair with that remarkable new police commissioner Sleer. (And somewhere, in the basement, Simon is devising a galactically effective new kind of roofie.)
Until, of course, our day is ruined by a small band of barely competent outlaws, and then one of us — not sure who, to be honest — turns out to be a traitor.
Series D, Episode 2. First broadcast on Monday 5 October 1981.
Episode 49
Sunday 29 December 2024
This week on Maximum Power, we discuss episode 2 of Series D — Ben Steed’s normal amount of Power.
There’s also a war between the sexes this week, and while Una and Zoë are deploying their wit, tactical skill and powers of telekinesis, Nathan is embroidering a lovely throw rug, while James is rigging up a boxy plastic gaming PC in the basement. Still, there’s enough time for us to get together to ask the big questions: Is this Ben Steed’s worst script or his second worst script? Does Nathan really fancy Jarvik? And is the whole enterprise sexist, chauvinistic or misogynist — or an exciting mixture of all three?
Series D, Episode 1. First broadcast on Monday 28 September 1981.
Episode 48
Saturday 21 December 2024
And we’re back with the first episode of Maximum Power for a whole new decade (of the third century of the second calendar). It’s Rescue.
When a handsome stranger arrives on the planet Terminal and rescues the stranded Nathan, Pete, Peter, Si and Simon, it soon becomes apparent that he’s not the the dishy bleached-blond hero they had all been hoping for — but a depraved old man whose beauty regimen involves botox, red wine and turning twinks into cheap Doctor Who monsters. Will the boys escape his evil grasp, and do they even want to?
This week, Maximum Power’s Interrogation Division (otherwise known as Si and Pete) interview documentarian extraordinaire Chris Chapman and special effects wizard Chris Thompson about their work on the lavish new Blake’s 7: The Collection Series 1 (yes, we know) box set.
This week, in a special report from the British Film Institute’s Blake’s 7 Series 1 (don’t you mean Series A?) screening, Si and Pete are joined by Zoe Baker, Dan Hollingsworth, Mark Dodyk, Tom Newsom, Ben Jolley, and David Gillespie-Pratt to discuss remastered episodes, new special effects, and Blake’s RADA cum face in HD!
And now on Maximum Power, it’s time to look back at Series C of Blake’s 7.
It’s been a wild ride, from the fatal shores of Sarran, to an almost fatal sickbay on the planet Chenga. From a radioactive volcano on Obsidian to an impossible realm on the other side of a black hole. From an alien-harvest on the planet Kairos to an altercation with Bayban the Butcher.
We’ve been on a mission to save the children of Auron, and in search of our long lost love, been taken over by a golden-skinned alien with a fabulous perm, and watched in shock as the grey-skinned Ultras pressured our new shipmates Dayna and Tarrant into performing the human mating ritual.
We’ve suffered the casual misogyny of Moloch, casually death-watched one of the crew’s relatives be murdered, and finally arrived at our Terminal destination. But was it worth it, what was it all for? Join us for the Series C Retrospective.
Series C, Episode 13. First broadcast on Monday 31 March 1980.
Episode 44
Sunday 21 January 2024
This week, Si’s acting secretive and is taking the Liberator who knows where, Col told him not to fly through that ominous looking fluid cloud, but would he listen? No! He has to get to Terminal.
Pete’s getting worried, the ship’s systems have started playing up, James has noticed an upsetting green substance oozing out of the walls and consoles.
Mark’s happy though, he finally has possession of the Liberator… it’s time for Maximum Power!
Series C, Episode 12. First broadcast on Monday 24 March 1980.
Episode 43
Sunday 14 January 2024
This week on Maximum Power, the crew enjoy 2-for-1 cocktails hour on the Liberator flight deck, sampling the finest space canapés and enjoying the latest galactic board game, all while watching one of their relatives (convincingly portrayed by the same actor) fight to the death.
Series C, Episode 11. First broadcast on Monday 17 March 1980.
Episode 42
Sunday 7 January 2024
And now on Maximum Power our intrepid team find themselves on Sardos, an invisible planet in the outer darkness of the galaxy, for a confrontation with Moloch.
In this week’s episode, Zoe is disgusted by the casual misogyny, Pete is horrified by the mutated Muppet, Brendan is shocked by Ben Steed’s sadism and Si, well, that is how he reasoned they would react.
Series C, Episode 10. First broadcast on Monday 10 March 1980.
Episode 41
Sunday 31 December 2023
This week on Maximum Power, Simon, Brendan and Rob Valentine teleport down to a mysterious planet only to discover that it’s just one giant computer. Simon wonders at the elegance of the operating system, Brendan has a hankering for a fancy cocktail, and Rob is just hoping no-one realises what a decent, compassionate man he is. Meanwhile, back aboard the Liberator, Mark is teaching dad jokes to his laptop.
Join us as we discuss the unjustly maligned Ultraworld. Head-shaving optional, apparently.
