Blake's 7 (TV Series) Assassin (1981) User Reviews

A very strong episode

[GusF · 8/10 · 8 August 2014]

This had the potential to be an excellent episode but it doesn't quite reach that level. However, it's still a very good one. The Scorpio crew learn that Servalan has hired the assassin Cancer, whom no one alive has ever seen, to kill them and plans to meet him on the rather inhospitable planet Domo. In the hope of killing Servalan before she can do so, Avon allows himself to be captured as a slave. Slavery was established as part of the "Blake's 7" universe in Series One and slaves have made minor appearances on occasion but I think that this is the first time that it plays a major role in an episode. While in captivity, Avon meets and "befriends" (as much as he befriends anyone!) an elderly slave named Nebrox, played by Richard Hurndall whose performance in this episode and (alleged) resemblance to William Hartnell led to him being cast as the First Doctor in the "Doctor Who" story "The Five Doctors". He gives an excellent performance as the sweet natured, downtrodden Nebrox who sadly meets the same fate as the vast majority of sweet natured, downtrodden "Blake's 7" characters. While I don't think that he bears more than a passing resemblance to Hartnell (who was far shorter than he was), his interaction with Piri is reminiscent of the First Doctor's gentler moments with his female companions. I can certainly see why he was cast.

Speaking of Piri, Caroline Holdaway is good at playing the shrieking slave girl but her performance once it is revealed that she is in fact Cancer is horribly over the top. Her poor performance is what kept this from being an excellent episode in my eyes. It would have been nice to have a strong female villain other than Servalan for once. That said, Betty Marsden is very good as the slave trader Verlis and I'd have loved to have seen more of her. John Wynam is also very effective as the faux Cancer. This is really Tarrant's episode and it's nice to see his softer side again. Soolin is once again treated well, given that she is the one that figures out Cancer's true identity. It was also nice to see a major personality clash between Avon and Tarrant for the first time since "Terminal", particularly since their power struggle has gone the way of the dodo.

Focussed episode with a big scenario

[martin-31650 · 9/10 · 29 October 2018]

The cast list in this episode is one of the longest in the series, and we're given a planetary adventure, and the first adventure on a non-Liberator/non-Scorpio starship since Mission to Destiny, if we discount the brief interludes on Sarcophagus and Death Watch. Like Mission to Destiny, it is a mystery-thriller (but not a whodunnit). The big cast, diverse locations and big plot give it a bit more of a filmic quality. Indeed, there's more than enough plot here to fill out a decent length film. This episode is highly resonant with modern themes about human trafficking and gender stereotyping. It turns over the character of Tarrant in a way which is not resolved until Sand, later in the series. This is the third episode of the final series to revolve around Servalan, after her reappearance in Traitor and in Animals.

Sorry to say, but it's another poor episode.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 5/10 · 6 September 2022]

Servalan takes a different course in terms of dealing with The Scorpio crew, she hires a professional assassin, Cancer.

This is the fourth poor episode in a row, I am struggling with most of what this series has had to offer so far, it's marginally better than the last three, but it's still a relatively poor episode. It's a well imagined story, bit there are just too many flaws once again.

Ths best scene by a mile, is the one where Servalan and Verlis are enjoying a drink, bidding for people, it was nice to see Servalan relaxed, and having a bit of fun.

Piri is just the most irritating character ever to appear on the show, her nonsensical bimbo antics are guy wrenching, and her delivery is as wooden and a pirate ship.

The Twist does come as something of a surprise, and I applaud the team for adding a degree of mystery here, it's almost like a whodunnit in space. I quite liked the transformation scene.

That spider prop is horrible, it looks so cheap, but it's fair to say it's in keeping with the rest of the general quality of the episode.

Richard Hurndall is good, Betty Marsden was great in her small role.

Hard work, 5/10.

A Whodunnit Where It's Pretty Obvious Who It Is

[Theo Robertson · 5/10 · 31 March 2013]

Receiving information about an assassin called Cancer the Scorpio crew depart to the Planet Domo in order to eliminate him before he can eliminate them . There is the problem that they have no idea of the real identity of the hired killer

This is in many ways is very similar to the first season episode Mission To Destiny in that it's a whodunnit of sorts in which the viewer tries to second guess who the infallible assassin named Cancer is . The down side is that it's fairly obvious who it probably is . Like all whodunnits the whole function of the scenario only works once and doesn't lend itself to repeated viewings . That said there is some camp amusement in the first half of the episode where Avon finds himself in the clutches of the space pirates who rule Domo