Set Weapons on Sneer

Although the show wasn't named after him, by far the most lasting impression of the British science fiction series Blake's 7 was Paul Darrow's Kerr Avon, and with good reason. Avon's kiloton-level disdain for his fellow freedom fighters constantly warred with selfless and even altruistic actions on their behalf, as he risked his own life and safety to save the people he would in the next instant mock as thick-headed morons. The only way to pull off that kind of character dichotomy succesfully is with powerful acting talent, which Darrow readily brought to his quirky show that often tried to exceed its limitation but didn't always succeed. Darrow died this week at 78.

The "Blake" of the title was the freedom fighter Roj Blake, who wound up commanding a small group of dissidents fighting the authoritarian Federation from their salvaged alien starship Liberator. Blake is an idealist but Avon, who eventually occupies the role of second in command, is a realist and frequently argues against Blake's plans. Darrow's ability to zip a deadpan one-liner combined with a raised eyebrow Leonard Nimoy could only hope to match gave real weight and heft to what were often silly storylines and indifferently-acted scene-chewing. After Jaqueline Pearce's Servalan, the dictatorial president of the Federation, attempts to seduce Avon with the promise of power and her own love, he kisses her, seemingly swayed by her vision. But then he pushes her to the ground, showing her he knows her plans for power don't include sharing it. "I'd be dead in a week," he sneers.

Although he worked steadily in British television and on stage, Darrow was almost always better-known as Avon. He embraced the type-casting that came with his role, helping buy the rights to the series from its creator's widow with hopes of making a mini-series and titling his autobiography You're Him, Aren't You? after the response he often got when out in public.

Blake's 7 ran from 1979 to 1981 and was in many ways the first knock at the science-fiction television door of the cynical anti-hero who nevertheless winds up being more heroic than he or she would like. Ambiguous characters and settings such as Deep Space Nine, the Battlestar Galactica remake and the like are the norm today, reflecting a much more realistic view of humanity than the two-tone palette of Good Guys and Bad Guys facing off over blasters. Kerr Avon helped pave the way -- although he'd be quick to tell you he doesn't know why, because there was nothing it in for him.