Paul Darrow hosts a fond reminiscence of the four-year run of the BBC's late 1970s cult SF classic, Blake's 7. With a panel of fans occasionally offering their opinions on the show, its characters, and how well it has (or hasn't) stood the test of time, Darrow gives his own insights and memories from his perspective as lead character Kerr Avon.

Assembled and aired for the 25th anniversary of Blake's 7 in 2003, Zen And The Art Of Blake's 7 seems at times to be striving for a depth that doesn't seem to have been the intention of the producers. It's very funny in places, including the intro where Darrow, in character as Avon, apparently vaporizes the BBC continuity announcer with the Liberator gun sound effects.

Part of the problem with Zen is how the show uses Darrow. In many cases, he's giving us his first-person memories of making the show, and then suddenly he's an omniscient, third-person narrator, almost "in character" as Avon. It's an amusing enough idea, but sometimes the line gets a little bit blurred. Of the fan commentators, Liberation author James Stevens offers the most insight, though it's interesting to hear how Blake's 7 could possibly be a continuing influence on a comedian and a church official as well.

A solid B for effort, though a radio documentary on Blake's 7 could easily have been much longer and more in-depth (this one clocks out before we're even at the 25-minute mark); the narration quibble is minor, and could have been solved neatly by engaging the services of Peter Tuddenham (also known as the voice of Orac, Zen and Slave). Though Zen And The Art Of Blake's 7 hasn't been released on its own, some of its interview material is included as bonus material on the recent Blake's 7: The Radio Adventures CD box set.

Reviewed by Earl Green
theLogBook.com editor/webmaster

Material from this show is available in theLogBook.com's Blake's 7 Store.