Special Hyperspace Sub-Beam from the BFI

Episode 46

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!

Recorded on Saturday 5 October 2024 | Duration 0:20:14 | Download MP3

The Series C Retrospective

Episode 45

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.

Recorded on Thursday 4 January 2024 | Duration 2:31:03 | Download MP3

Maximum Discharge

Terminal

Series C, Episode 13. First broadcast on Monday 31 March 1980

Episode 44

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!

Recorded on Sunday 30 July 2023 | Duration 0:56:07 | Download MP3 | Episode Gallery

Space Canapés

Death-Watch

Series C, Episode 12. First broadcast on Monday 24 March 1980

Episode 43

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.

Join us as we watch Death-Watch!

Recorded on Monday 24 June 2024 | Duration 0:48:19 | Download MP3 | Episode Gallery

Horrified. Disgusted. Is This What It's Come To?

Moloch

Series C, Episode 11. First broadcast on Monday 17 March 1980

Episode 42

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.

Can any of us find anything to love in Moloch?

Recorded on Saturday 29 July 2023 | Duration 0:51:34 | Download MP3 | Episode Gallery

A Terrible Sad-Sack Universe

Ultraworld

Series C, Episode 10. First broadcast on Monday 10 March 1980

Episode 41

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.

Recorded on Saturday 17 June 2023 | Duration 0:57:22 | Download MP3 | Episode Gallery

Pulling at the Tinsel

Sarcophagus

Series C, Episode 9. First broadcast on Monday 3 March 1980

Episode 40

This week Hannah’s been possessed by the spirit of a gold-skinned alien intent on resurrecting itself, and for some reason Si is The Warrior, James is The Jester, Pete is The Harpist, and Nathan is a foreboding figure dressed in black.

That can only mean we’re talking about Sarcophagus!

Recorded on Saturday 10 June 2023 | Duration 1:07:18 | Download MP3 | Episode Gallery

Avon Suffering Beautifully

Rumours of Death

Series C, Episode 8. First broadcast on Monday 25 February 1980

Episode 39

This week on Maximum Power, Col’s been in a Federation interrogation cell for five days, he knew if he held out Si would show up eventually, meanwhile Nathan’s crawling across the grounds of Servalan’s Presidential Palace with a yellow box strapped to his back in an attempt to block the building’s surveillance, Una’s plotting to overthrow the government, and James finally finds himself chained to the wall of an underground room, it’s an old wall, it waits.

Join us as we discuss Series C, Episode 8 of Blake’s 7 - Rumours of Death.

Recorded on Saturday 10 June 2023 | Duration 0:55:50 | Download MP3 | Episode Gallery

The Ginka Show

Children of Auron

Series C, Episode 7. First broadcast on Tuesday 19 February 1980

Episode 38

And now on Maximum Power, the Liberator crew find themselves en route to the planet Auron on a mission to save the Children of Auron.

This week, Peter receives a telepathic communication from his twin, Pete: “They’re all dying. Help us. Help Auron!” Supreme Commander Col has infected an Auron pilot with a deadly space pathogen as part of a plot to get access to the Auronar’s cloning technology, wiping out the population in the process. All is not lost howerver, Simon and Brendan manage to escape the planet with the Auron gene stocks, and set course for the planet Khan to restart the Auron race, lucky them.

Recorded on Saturday 24 June 2023 | Duration 1:01:56 | Download MP3 | Episode Gallery

100% Vila

City at the Edge of the World

Series C, Episode 6. First broadcast on Monday 11 February 1980

Episode 37

And now on Maximum Power our intrepid team head to the City at the Edge of the World.

This week Mark hopes all his mistakes have nice legs, Simon realises every silver lining has a cloud, Pete is treating every hour like his last and Si is just the stupid son of a slime ball, but what will they make of this Chris Boucher episode?

Recorded on Saturday 27 May 2023 | Duration 0:44:01 | Download MP3 | Episode Gallery