Blake's 7 (TV Series) Cygnus Alpha (1978) User Reviews

Only the fit and strong survive Cygnus Alpha.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 21 January 2020]

Half of the crew are sick on Cygnus Alpha, Avon, Blake and Jenna explore the ship. Cygnus Alpha is an inhospitable planet, run by a religious cult.

I am surprised by the relatively low score Cygnus Alpha has on here, it is a direct continuation of Space Fall, and it is a very good one.

It has bags of atmosphere, it is superbly lit, having a darky and murky feel, it fits the feel of the story, which is grim and full of sickness.

Pamela Salem was the Doctor Who guest that should have been an assistant, she is excellent in this, very beautiful, which boosts her role. Brian Blessed..... I have to turn the volume down when he's on, as he's so incredibly loud, he's good in the part, but I find him a little over the top, Shakespeare in Space.

Very enjoyable. 8/10

Night Filming ? We Don't See That Too Often

[Theo Robertson · 7/10 · 23 March 2013]

This is a direct continuation of the previous episode Space Fall and despite being slightly inferior possibly down to a few clichés creeping in it does contain some very impressive production values especially the use of night filming . If the BBC has a science fiction story set on another planet then it'll always resemble the same old quarry set in Surrey but it's surprising how eerie and unearthly a quarry can look if you film it in the dark . When the apprehensive newly arrived prisoners trek through the dark landscape of Cygnus Alpha you feel their fear at what they might find

The episode has a slightly schizophrenic quality as it documents Blake trying to save the rest of the prisoners on Cygnus Alpha while Jenna and Avon explore The Liberator more. Certainly you have to question Blake's judgement since it's obvious that Avon will disappear with the ship first chance he gets but that's the nature of naive heroism

If this episode was produced today you might think it's a statement on the war on terrorism featuring as it does the villain being a theocrat who rules a prison planet then on hearing of The Liberator decides to take the opportunity to spread his brand of religious zealotism throughout the Galaxy . This was broadcast in 1978 which means it's more clichéd than allegorical . Brian Blessed as Vargs gives the type of performance he's famous for - all showey and bellowing. The episode isn't helped by some confusing editing during the climatic fight sequence

This is a slightly uneven episode where when it's good it's very good and when it's bad it's not too bad just a bit generic where sci-fi planets and high priests are concerned . Certainly both the serious tone and the good production values help the episode immensely especially where night filming is concerned . Round about the same time the DOCTOR WHO story Image Of The Fehndahl used night filming but that probably was the last time that particular show used it

Cygnus Alpha

[ametaphysicalshark · 21 May 2008]

One of the more underrated episodes of the series in my opinion features Blake, Avon, and Jenna following the prison transport ship London to Cygnus Alpha in the alien ship from the last episode. Upon arriving on Cygnus Alpha to free the prisoners they discover that Vargas, the supreme leader of the planet, wishes to take over The Liberator as part of a planned conquest of the galaxy.

This underrated episode of Blake's 7 maintains a leisurely but not boring pace and features several interesting locations including the first alien planet on Blake's 7, Cygnus Alpha, which is well-designed considering the budget and has a great, dark atmosphere enhanced by the typically good Dudley Simpson score.

8/10

Alpha quality

[hte-trasme · 9/10 · 18 July 2010]

"Cygnus Alpha" starts off at a slower pace than its two predecessors in the series, but develops to become certainly as fine an episode, encompassing just enough tantalizing revelations about the ship the Blake, Avon, and Stannis have stolen, a picture of religion that shows it in the same unflattering light as previous episodes shone on the state, and develops a very tense subplot that culminates in Blake's only two associates mere seconds from leaving him for dead and taking a cache of money instead.

The religion of Cygnus Alpha is presented as a kind of prototype of religions, and its desire to kill those who don't conform to it, shameless pursuit of pure power, and mass deception as a cynical way to maintain that power become reflective of all religions. The latter element especially, which causes the religion to be accused of using fear to generate belief, is a great allegorical criticism of a lot of elements of real-world religions, such as the threat of Hell if strictures are not followed.

The powerful-voiced, imposing-bodied Brian Blessed is on hand to play Vargas, a role which is, like Blessed's roles in a few other productions such as Doctor Who, Blackadder, Hamlet, Star Wars, Flash Gordon, and King Lear, essentially a king who yells a lot. Blessed always brings a special magnetic quality, though, and brings something slightly different to each performance. Here he tempers the yelling with a sineweyness and self-satisfaction that really get across just how completely used to power Vargas is -- he ends up suiting the role very well.

Paul Darrow is even better than the previous week as Avon, and his and Jenna's characters get some good development as Blake seeks out crew members. The moment when they are about to leave with the money before bringing him back is actually a moment of well-timed high suspense.

Blake's 7 has sometimes been thought of as a kind of anti-Star Trek for its portrayal of the frightening, hegemonic Federation is contrast to Star Trek's blandly benevolent one. Here is subverts a very common science-fiction trope as well by making a Star Trek-style transport device one of the sources of danger and unease rather than purely a plot device to make things easier.

In all, a very compelling episode with a comment to make and a very entertaining guest star which keeps up the high level of quality.