Product Details

• Actors: Michael Keating, Paul Darrow, Peter Tuddenham, Jan Chappell, Jacqueline Pearce
• Writers: Terry Nation
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Bfs Entertainment
• VHS Release Date: November 11, 1998
• Run Time: 102 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302287731
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #280,312 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Intergalactic adventure with an interplanetary resistance group battling for survival against a totalitarian super-power. Roaming a universe of boundless space and restrictive discipline, freedom-fighter Blake, with the crew of spaceship Liberator, is locked in combat with the all-powerful forces of the Federation.

Episodes:
The Web - When an unexplainable gravitational pull traps the Liberator in an enveloping gossamer fungus near an unexplored planet, the legend of Cally's people - The Lost - becomes a reality. To break free from their 'web', Blake is asked to wipe out an entire species.
Seek, Locate, Destroy - Cally is captured by the Federation when Blake and his crew destroy its communications Centre and steal the cypher system. Old rival, Space Commander Travis, is ordered to seek, locate and destroy Blake, and he plans to use Cally as bait...

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "I'm always grateful for a rough analogy...", February 13, 2001

By 

Brian May (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blake's 7, Vol. 03 - The Web / Seek, Locate, Destroy [VHS] (VHS Tape)

For long-suffering new viewers who have perservered and survived the somewhat slow four episodes that provide an exposition to "Blake's 7", they can take heart that now, finally, the series gets going. However, for those expecting an immediate rush into Blake's crusade against the forces of the Federation, you'll have to hold on a bit longer, for "The Web" diverts the Liberator crew to a planet inhabited by an exile from Cally's home world and a genetically engineered race, the Decimas. The Decimas are the first truly alien species encountered in Blake's 7, and the focus of this episode is on their plight, making for a non-Federation adventure (with the exception of a group of pursuit ships approaching the trapped Liberator, providing some race against time tension). While the episode makes topical points about genocide, as a whole it is rather boring, primarily because it is so slow. The Decimas do engage sympathy, but "The Web" is too ponderous to be really gripping. It is well intentioned but unsuccessful in realisation. The appearance of Saymor is totally unconvincing, also adding to the episode's detriment. However, all is not lost - "The Web" has a few saving graces, all associated with the fleshing out of the crew, be they personal traits or interaction with each other. Cally's possession by the alien force (which would become a cliche in later seasons) reinforces Jenna's suspicion of her; Jenna believes she is the weak link and is slightly jealous of Cally's respect for Blake. Avon's contempt of Gan, and his ominous musings that one day Blake will not be around to thwart his ambitions are, at this early stage, interesting character revelations. The Blake/Avon relationship is also given more strength, especially when Avon gives in to Blake's insistence on assisting the Decimas. The location work is also nice. But, overall, "The Web" is a diversion from the main action that, because it is not fast paced, would only infuriate the new viewer even further. However, this cannot be said of the following episode, "Seek-Locate-Destroy". In this, the action of "Blake's 7" truly begins. Although this is the second attack on a Federation base, it is much more interesting than that of "Time Squad". The location work (this time at the Fulham Gasworks) is again excellent; the tension builds up as time begins to run out, and the sense of humor prevalent in the series is present in Vila's "I've come to blow something up" speech. Although stolen by Terry Nation from his own Doctor Who script "Genesis of the Daleks" (in which Tom Baker walks up to guards and says "I'm a spy"), it is still very funny. When Cally is left behind on Centero, it is infuriating that nobody notices her until it is too late (it should be obvious that she is not aboard the ship), but this is one of the few glaring errors of the episode. The most interesting aspect of the episode is the inside look at Federation politics, and in particular the introduction of Servalan and Travis. Jacqueline Pearce's first portrayal of elegant, sexy and villanous Supreme Commander is an understated one - she is not the central character she would become in the latter half of the show's history. Travis's character is the most interesting; Stephen Greif's performance is exceptional - he makes the character cold, heartless and totally determined. I feel that the introduction of these two characters at this stage, and not in the very first episode, is an excellent move. If they had appeared at the very beginning, there would be no build-up of drama or tension as the series progressed; the main characters needed to be developed before the chief antagonists could be introduced; done the way it has been, the characters that would become recurring individual enemies are given greater justice, able to be explored with more depth as they are brought into the ongoing story.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "Web" is standard sci-fi; "Seek" introduces Travis., October 7, 1998

By 

dialysis biller (Layton, UT, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blake's 7, Vol. 03 - The Web / Seek, Locate, Destroy [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The plot of "Web" is similar to ones used in other science fiction series. Predictable plot, nothing too exciting. "Seek" is a must-see for Blake's 7 fans as it introduces the man who will serve as Blake's major nemesis (besides Avon), Commander Travis. Also introduced is Servalan, who will be the central Federation figure throughout the series. END

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beloved by me!, February 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Blake's 7, Vol. 03 - The Web / Seek, Locate, Destroy [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This tape contains two episodes from my favourite show - Blake's 7. Roj Blake is the main character, one, who fights against the terrorist Galactic Federation, once upon a time in the future... In the episode `The Web' it could be seen how peoples from the future could deal with our up-to-date gene engineering's problems, such as forming sensible creatures. One could share the Blake's opinion on the Decima's `human' rights. My _most_ favourite quote from all the episodes is in `Seek-Locate-Destroy'. A villain, called Bercol, speaks about Blake and his fellows. The quote expresses how peoples in Galaxy feel Blake as their liberator: `My department has done all in its power to suppress information about Blake and his actions - there is a total blackout on all reports concerning him - but still the stories get out. They spread by word of mouth, by whispers, by rumour; each time the story is told it is elaborated upon. Any damage to the Federation is attributed to Blake. The smallest incident is exaggerated out of all proportion until it becomes a major event. Blake is becoming a legend. His name is a rallying call for malcontents of all persuasions. He must be stopped.'