The crew’s last hope is with the mysterious Selene…

And so we really do come to the end of an era, with the last recordings that Paul Darrow did for Blake’s 7, only – as producer/director John Ainsworth reveals in the extras – a few days before he died. Throughout Darrow’s appearances in this set, there have been moments where he’s sounded a little tired – but then the next moment as energised as the character of Avon ever is. It’s great that Trevor Baxendale’s finale plays to all the strengths and weaknesses (although of course he would never see them as that!) of Kerr Avon, and overall is a well put together ensemble piece for the crew.

Evie Dawnay’s Selene is at the heart of this story, although there are some strong moments for Vincenzo Nicoli, whose Sherna is teamed with Cally for a key plotline. Baxendale throws quite a few curveballs with the script, making us reconsider a lot of what we have maybe taken for granted over the whole of this season to date – and without Avon’s direct presence in the finale, I’m very intrigued to see how things are going to play out.

Even if you’re not a regular listener to the extras on Big Finish sets, I would highly recommend the final tracks of this set, in which the cast pay tribute to two of the key actors in the Blake’s 7 world who have passed away in the last few months – Jacqueline Pearce and Paul Darrow. There are some very personal memories shared, and it’s very clear the affection that both inspired.

Verdict: A strong conclusion to the latest set – and a fitting tribute to Paul Darrow. 9/10

Paul Simpson

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