Zen and the Liberator are dying. Avon is injured. The crew are running out of options rapidly…

You have to wonder if the script for the final episode of the last “season” of Blake’s 7 from Big Finish had a note on the bottom saying, “Now get out of that!” The box set concluded on a major cliffhanger which has to be dealt with before the main business of the new season can begin – and it’s no major spoiler to say that by no means is everything back as it should be by the end of Trevor Baxendale’s opener.

There’s a lot of neat ideas at play here as well as some well observed character moments – at one point, Cally and Tarrant are left on the Liberator facing off against an unexpected arrival with the longer-standing crew member taking actions that seem surprising at first but which fit perfectly when considered. Meanwhile Vila is chivvied into action by an appeal – and Michael Keating’s change of tone and delivery means you can almost see Vila’s backbone materialising in front of you.

Verdict: A solid start to the latest Blake’s 7 adventures. 8/10

Paul Simpson