25 Reasons Why Blake’s 7 Is Better Than Star Trek

[Whitestar]

1. Star Trek - Characters are flat and one-dimensional.
1. Blake's 7 - Characters are very complex and three-dimensional.

2. Star Trek - The Federation is (supposedly) good.
2. Blake's 7 - The Federation is evil.

3. Star Trek - The dialogue is hokey, cheesy, and corny.
3. Blake's 7 - The dialogue is clever, witty, and humorous.

4. Star Trek - Transporters are commonplace.
4. Blake's 7 - Transporters are amazing.

5. Star Trek - Stand by your friends.
5. Blake's 7 - Stand behind your friends.

6. Star Trek - Characters always use time travel to fix all their mistakes in their lives.
6. Blake's 7 - There is no time travel in the B7 universe, all characters deal with the consequences of their actions, for better or worse.

7. Star Trek - Major characters die and are resurrected, hence, the actors become typecasted.
7. Blake's 7 - Major characters die and the actors move on to bigger and better things.

8. Star Trek - Computers have zero personalities.
8. Blake's 7 - Computers have quirks, perks, and pet-peeves.

9. Star Trek - Characters are fully devoted to the Federation, with an innate desire to help other people from the goodness of their hearts.
9. Blake's 7 - Characters look out for one another for mutual advantage by escaping from the Federation with their hide intact, and make a few bucks on the side.

10. Star Trek - Humanitarianism is applied to practical daily life.
10. Blake's 7 - Wealth is the only reality.

11. Star Trek - High morals make fine Federation officers.
11. Blake's 7 - Greed makes very efficient Federation troopers.

12. Star Trek - Running away is an act of cowardice.
12. Blake's 7 - Strategic withdrawal is running away, but with dignity.

13. Star Trek - Modesty is a sign of maturity and good character.
13. Blake's 7 - Modesty is dishonesty.

14. Star Trek - Civilization has always depended on truth.
14. Blake's 7 - Civlization has always depended on courtesy, rather than truth.

15. Star Trek - Assassination is considered unethical and apalling.
15. Blake's 7 - Assassination has always been a legimate tool of statecraft and is pubicly accepted.

16. Star Trek - Good deeds are always rewarded.
16. Blake's 7 - No good deeds go unpunished.


17. Star Trek - Self-sacrifice is a highly noble trait.
17. Blake's 7 - Self-preservation is highly noble trait.

18. Star Trek - Winning means surviving.
18. Blake's 7 - If winning means dying, choose losing every time.

19. Star Trek - Good is always favored over evil.
19. Blake's 7 - Choosing the lesser evil of the two is the best option.

20. Star Trek - Saving someone's life is viewed as a heroic gesture.
20. Blake's 7 - Saving someone's life is sometimes viewed as a big mistake.

21. Star Trek - Friendship can be as good as a handshake.
21. Blake's 7 - Friendship can be as good as a handshake in one hand, and a hammer in the other.

22. Star Trek - The Enterprise encounters an alien civilization and destroys it in the name of Freedom, Truth, Justice, and the American Way.
22. Blake’s 7 - The Liberator encounters an alien civilization and destroys it in self defense.

23. Star Trek - Stories are solved within an hour.
23. Blake’s 7 - Stories are solved within several episodes, and sometimes leave many unresolved issues.

24. Star Trek - The humor on the show has always been spoon-fed.
24. Blake’s 7 - The humor on the show has always been sharp and subtle.

25. Star Trek - The tone of the show is naive and geeky.
25. Blake’s 7 - The tone of the show is dark and cynical.


Anyone care to add anything here?


Whitestar

 

[Foxbat]

Hmm. Not sure that I agree with your logic here. I don't believe that liking one show means that you automatically dislike the other - or that one is necesarilly better than the other. Each have their pros and cons....and are also completely different in outlook. Blakes 7 looks towards a Dystopian society whilst Star Trek looks to something approaching Utopia. This makes it very difficult to compare like with like.

Personally, I'm just pleased that both these series were made. The world of Sci-Fi would be a less wonderful place if either or both had never seen the light of day

 

[Whitestar]

I don't believe that liking one show means that you automatically dislike the other - or that one is necesarilly better than the other. Each have their pros and cons....and are also completely different in outlook. Blakes 7 looks towards a Dystopian society whilst Star Trek looks to something approaching Utopia. This makes it very difficult to compare like with like.

Don't misunderstand me, I like Star Trek as much as the next casual fan, but let's face it: Trek has the tendency to sugarcoat everything and create characters who are larger-than-life caricutures, clean-cut, perfect, and think their views on all important issues is the only way to go, imposing their opinions on everyone else. Plus, most of the episodes of the original Star Trek were stolen from Greek Mythology. Next Generation is perhaps THE most politcally correct show of them all and I find it quite disgusting. And let's not talk about the constant techno-babble jargon that has plagued the current Trek shows, with Voyager winning hands down in that department.


Plus, the people who write for Star Trek aren't as imaginative or creative as the writers of Blake's 7, Babylon 5, Farscape, Alien Nation (tv series), The Outer Limits (both old and new version), and the Original Twlight Zone. The Star Trek saga has been in trouble for quite some time and it's no wonder that it's taking a much deserved break. Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski has approached Paramount about a possible reboot to Trek, and while Paramount is greatly interested in the notion, they have decided to put Trek to rest for the time being. However, they have indicated that after a few years, they will revisit his proposal. But considering how Paramount treated the franchise in the past, I'm not holding my breath.


Trek has monopolized the science fiction television genre for far too long, it's overstayed its welcome for far too long. It's time to allow other science fiction shows to soar and take us to a whole new level of imagination and inspiration.


Whitestar

 

[Brian G Turner]

Plus, the people who write for Star Trek aren't as imaginative or creative as the writers of Blake's 7, Babylon 5, Farscape, Alien Nation (tv series), The Outer Limits (both old and new version), and the Original Twlight Zone.

I'm under the impression that what made the original Star Trek so appealing in the first place, is that it was SF writers writing SF stories for the show - and that its decline came in season 3 when Hollywood writers took over with a lower level of storytelling.

Unfortuntely, though I know many would disagree, I think NextGen struggled with the same problem, and DS9 but especially Voyager exaggerated the problem. The NextGen movies themselves exemplified it.

If Trek is ever going to become anything again, it needs to get back to its SF roots - SF writers creating the content, not Hollywood script-writers who over-shoot the fan-base to write low-denominator storylines.

Trek is a valuable commodity - I'm sure we'll see something again in future, but it'll take a creative and daring team to write it - put the visionaries in charge, instead of the bean-counters.

2c.

 

[Esioul]

There's nothing too wrong with Trek, DS9 especially.

But I must admit that Blakes 7 perhaps explores some issues Star Trek is too pc to address, and seems totake a different viewpoint altogether. True, Star Trek has a big budget, and some of the acting in Blakes 7 is wooly,. but the ideas in B7 are good.

 

[Foxbat]

Personally, I think that what really goes against Star Trek (in all it's manifestations) is that the whole franchise is just too long in the tooth. It had it's moments - the first inter-racial kiss on TV, Methusela's Children, City On The Edge Of Forever (or is it tomorrow..this one I keep getting muddled) Balance Of Terror.....and many more fine stories. In The Next Gen, Measure Of A Man was my favourite episode - and it dealt with 'human rights'.

Blakes 7, on the other hand, only lasted for four seasons and came and went with a bang (a bit like Punk). But I'm convinced that if it had gone on for as long as Star Trek, it would have suffered the same problems of repetitive plot lines and inane technobabble. In the words of Mr Neil young It's better to burn out than fade away

 

[The Wanderer]

1. Star Trek - Characters are flat and one-dimensional.
1. Blake's 7 - Characters are very complex and three-dimensional.

This is partly true, though I would be more diplomatic say that Blake's 7 has mo MORE complex and 3 dimensional characters

ST had Types rather than characters, which can serve a function if the strength of the drama or writing is in other areas eg 2001: A Space Odyssey, but unlike 2001, it didn't have those strenths in other areas

3. Star Trek - The dialogue is hokey, cheesy, and corny.
3. Blake's 7 - The dialogue is clever, witty, and humorous.

I wouldn't entirely agree with this, Blake's 7 had it's crap dialogue, although it's standard was higher

 

[tangaloomababe]

I agree with Whitestar to some extent, that science ficton tv is the better for having Star Trek and Blakes 7............ but really the only redeeming thing about Star Trek is "Patrick Stuart" He made Star Trek almost watchable for me. Blakes 7 stands head and shoulders above Star Trek.
The Liberator was a better looking ship than The USS Enterprise.
Although there were a couple of very sad episodes of Blakes 7, overall the dialogue was great, very witty and humerous.
The cast "You have to love Paul Darrow's overacting" Michael Keating was the perfect Villa and Gareth Thomas will always be my favorite rebel leader.

 

[Dave]

I'm under the impression that what made the original Star Trek so appealing in the first place, is that it was SF writers writing SF stories for the show - and that its decline came in season 3 when Hollywood writers took over with a lower level of storytelling.

Absolutely correct!

I love both shows but you only need compare Villa with Neelix to see how 'Star Trek' lost it's way.

And I don't see 'Blake's 7' as punk, more like 'The Police' which would make TNG a kind of 'Status Quo'.

 

[Galactic Journey]

Which Star Trek?

I love the original series, and I can't stomach much of what comes after. I'm also a big fan of Blake's 7.