[Funky Papa]

This is a bit weird considering they had to can Stargate: Universe (still hurts like a bitch) and that Chrome & Blood has become a bit of a myth, but I need my sci-fi fix...

http://www.deadline.com/2012/08/syfy...rtin-campbell/

Blake’s 7, the Georgeville Television-produced reboot of the cult British adventure/sci-fi series, has landed at Syfy. The cable network will develop the remake, which will be written by Joe Pokaski (Heroes) and directed by feature helmer Martin Campbell (Casino Royale). The project was taken out to US networks last month by Georgeville, the independent TV studio co-founded earlier this year by Leon Clarance of Motion Picture Capital, the financing arm of Reliance Entertainment, and producer Marc Rosen. Blake’s 7 has a script-to-series commitment, meaning that if Syfy likes the script, it will greenlight the project as a 13-episode series. Georgeville employed the same model with its first series, Neil Cross’s Crossbones, which will premiere on NBC in midseason. Originally created by prolific British TV writer Terry Nation (Dr. Who), Blake’s 7 premiered on the BBC in 1978, running for four seasons. Referred to as “The Dirty Dozen in space,” the series centered around hard-core renegades and criminals who escape from a prison planet, battling humans and aliens alike – and becoming heroes.

io9's take

If Syfy's Blake's 7 does succeed, it'll have to follow in BSG's footsteps. The original Blake's 7's fingerprints are all over Moore's BSG reboot, and pretty much the only way to do Terry Nation's concept properly in this day and age is to go as hard-edged as possible. (A show about freedom fighters who use terrorist tactics against an empire that relies on pervasive surveillance and overwhelming military power pretty much has to be dark and intense — you couldn't do that in the more friendly, cheerful mode of recent Syfy shows like Warehouse 13, or even Alphas.) And the truth is, the original Blake's 7 was already much, much more fucked up than the original Battlestar, making it that much harder to do justice to the concept in a modern framework. Besides the already mentioned elements of terrorism and an evil version of Star Trek's Federation, consider the following: A main character who's been brainwashed to betray all his friends, and then falsely convicted of being a pedophile His sidekick is an amoral computer genius who's willing to sacrifice everyone else's life for personal gain The "good guys" kill regularly and without hesitation, and are willing to make deals with drug kingpins and other scumbags for the cause Blake winds up being willing to throw the entire galaxy into starvation and chaos, just to overthrow its government And that's just scratching the surface.

Edit: Oh God, THE CAMP, THE MEMORIES.

[Cameron122]

I'd take anything when it comes to a "new" sci fi show.

[8bit]

Blake's 7 was awesome at the time (and probably not something I should have been watching as a seven year old), but I can't see this working well. The only character that the audience were vaguely sympathetic towards was the thief, Vila. The rest were Space Bastards.

[CMDBob]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooo.................

Oh lordy. Although, might be good. I'll keep my expectations low, but if I start enjoying, then good for me, I guess. At least the effects will be better.

[VOOK]

Haha Syfy can get stuffed.

[mclem]

This has been mumbled about for a while, interested to see they're finally going through with it.

The burning question for me has to be: Who plays Kerr Avon?

[aku:jiki]

It sounded pretty good, and then...

which will be written by Joe Pokaski (Heroes)

Fuck it.

[Busty]

This sounds interesting but Blake's 7 is one of those properties that gets developed by someone every few years with the aim of bringing it back as an 'event series' and this could be the closest we've come yet.

But as others have said without the original's 'charm' I'm not sure what would set this apart from anything else that's come before it. And SyFy has never struck me as the risk taking types.

I'm sure the producers pitched this as being 'Mass Effect esque' but I highly doubt the potential show will be anything near that in tone or scope.

I'd take anything when it comes to a "new" sci fi show.

Eh. I basically feel the same way.

[rCIZZLE]

Can't wait for the inevitable "the original was better" plastered all over every thread and review about this show.

[Stinkles]

Fassbender as Avon in movie instead plz.

[Sir Fragula]

I really need to set aside some time to watch this...

[Stinkles]

I really need to set aside some time to watch this...

episode where they have a fleck of neutron star on board a shuttle that can't escape a planet's gravity is my favorite tv episode of anything ever.

[Exterminieren]

They better not fuck up Blake's 7.

They better fucking not.

[Vagabundo]

Oh god. Blake 7. Soo good.

Next you'll be telling me Sapphire and Steel is getting a remake.

[O.DOGG]

That was so awesome when I was 4 or 5. I doubt they'd do it any justice, however. Just let it rest.

[Stinkles]

Next you'll be telling me Sapphire and Steel is getting a remake.

faceless man episode. Creepiest ever.

[8bit]

Oh god. Blake 7. Soo good. Next you'll be telling me Sapphire and Steel is getting a remake.

I believe development for that was stalled when an accident trapped the writers in an old photograph.

[Rourkey]

What was the one that I vaguely remember from my childhood where the space craft flew into a mountain and then was turned round on a disc? I remember loving it if that helps?!

[Osiris]

faceless man episode. Creepiest ever.

I just got the chills, I had totally forgotten about that episode.

[Dr Zhivago]

What was the one that I vaguely remember from my childhood where the space craft flew into a mountain and then was turned round on a disc? I remember loving it if that helps?!

Yes, that was the Scorpio from the final series.

A new B7 has the potential to be super-awesome, but the same could have been said about The Prisoner...

Sapphire & Steel though...

"ALL IRREGULARITIES WILL BE HANDLED BY THE FORCES CONTROLLING EACH DIMENSION"

[Vagabundo]

faceless man episode. Creepiest ever.

I believe development for that was stalled when an accident trapped the writers in an old photograph.

Damn creepiest show I've every had the misfortune to watch: the umbrella room!!

EDIT: I always wondered what those heavy metals were like. It was all so mysterious.

"All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned."

[jason10mm]

How is this different from Firefly?

[Divvy]

Syfy To ruin Remake Of Cult U.K. Sci-Fi Series ‘Blake’s 7′ With Martin Campbell

fixed

[Brimstone]

Very interesting news...hopefully it turns out well.

[SquiddyCracker]

How is this different from Firefly?

Maybe they can develop a remake of Firefly next?

Or a sequel (lol).

[akira28]

Hopefully it's a competent production company and not SiFi proper. Then it might not be so bad. Depressing? Yes. Harrowing depiction of futuristic fiction in a Crapsack Universe of suck? Definitely Yes.

[danwarb]

Original had a great theme song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMsvrS2IeXQ

[mclem]

Sapphire & Steel though... "ALL IRREGULARITIES WILL BE HANDLED BY THE FORCES CONTROLLING EACH DIMENSION"

I am given to understand that somewhere in ITV, that's being pitched. How the pitch is doing, I've no idea.

[dalin80]

How is this different from Firefly?

The firefly crew just wanted to get on with there lives but the universe had a twisted sense of humour, it also had western/ film noir influences. B7 was/is much more political in nature with the crew setting out to change the cruel universe and tyrannical regime that either made them criminals or made them suffer.

There was never much humour in B7 and a lot more death.

[Cipherr]

It sounded pretty good, and then... which will be written by Joe Pokaski (Heroes) Fuck it.

Wow.. yeah fuck it.

[Snake]

There was a time when I may have been optimistic about this, if only because of the mention of Martin Campbell.

Sadly now his name is as much of a detractor as Syfy's.

[Delusibeta]

This is one franchise where the only company that should be allowed to reboot it is the BBC themselves, considering their track record with reviving sci-fi franchises.

[Brimstone]

I think Syfy would be more likely to make a harder-edged version of Blakes 7 than the BBC. It'll be intresting to see what direction the re-make takes.

[Dr Zhivago]

There was never much humour in B7 and a lot more death.

There was quite a lot of dark humour, especially between Avon & Vila.

Also on the subject of humour & Firefly:
http://www.fireflyfans.net/blog.aspx?bid=2206

[Sir Fragula]

This is one franchise where the only company that should be allowed to reboot it is the BBC themselves, considering their track record with reviving sci-fi franchises.

Are you kidding? The BBC has been absolutely shit on that front.

[radioheadrule83]

Needs to be treated with the love and care that Battlestar 2003 was, or it shouldn't be revisited at all.

I'm open minded - TV needs more sci-fi.... SyFy need more Sci-fi!!

[Cosmonaut X]

Are you kidding? The BBC has been absolutely shit on that front.

What "sci-fi franchises" has the Beeb rebooted? Doctor Who (depending on your definition of "sci-fi", I suppose)? The one-off live Quatermass thing? Anything else?

[mrklaw]

Oh god. Blake 7. Soo good. Next you'll be telling me Sapphire and Steel is getting a remake.

Space 1999, weird shuffling thing slid over you and left a skeleton behind. Shit me up as a kid.

They'd probably have to rename it Space 2999 or something though.

the '70s are the new '80s

[Dr Zhivago]

Space 1999, weird shuffling thing slid over you and left a skeleton behind. Shit me up as a kid.

They'd probably have to rename it Space 2999 or something though. the '70s are the new '80s