Survivors - Science Fiction Fantasy Chronicles: forums

imported_polymath · 10th April 2003, 03:26 PM

Anyone remember Survivors (bit borderline for a SF forum, but it was by Terry Nation and I don't know what other genre you could put it under!)

Definitely the best near-future post-apocalypse production ever. No special effects, but excellently written and produced stories.

Make Jeremiah look very weak.

Dave · 14th April 2003, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by polymath
Definitely the best near-future post-apocalypse production ever. No special effects, but excellently written and produced stories.

I agree, but I've only ever seen it the once, and that was a very long time ago. I think there were three seasons, but I don't remember there being that many episodes. Has it been repeated and I missed it? Or, is in on UK Gold every day at 04:00 hrs?

From what I remember, it was a very much more realistic drama, and I do think that many elements of 'Jeremiah' are unlikely, finding enough petrol to run that Jeep being one, but 'Survivors' was set immediately after the apocalypse, not 10 years after, so maybe it's harsh to compare them.

imported_polymath · 14th April 2003, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave

I agree, but I've only ever seen it the once, and that was a very long time ago. I think there were three seasons, but I don't remember there being that many episodes. Has it been repeated and I missed it? Or, is in on UK Gold every day at 04:00 hrs?

3 seasons, 38 eps. It was shown on UK gold twice in the 90s (and I forgot to record it both times!).

1st season has been issued on VHS twice, but currently nothing available in any format nor expected to be. Hopefully someday whole thing will come out on DVD.

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave
From what I remember, it was a very much more realistic drama, and I do think that many elements of 'Jeremiah' are unlikely, finding enough petrol to run that Jeep being one, but 'Survivors' was set immediately after the apocalypse, not 10 years after, so maybe it's harsh to compare them.

Yes, I think that anyone who has petrol, whether immediately after or a decade after, would be very cautious with it - something like the beginning of Mad Max 3, where Max has his car pulled by a couple of animals to save the petrol for when he really needs it.

In Survivors just having a store of fuel is almost more throuble than it's worth for all the unwelcome attention it attracts, and towards the end a new economy starts appear based on paper money "representing" petrol as the most valuable commodity just as ours represents gold and silver - making real petrol far too valuable to run a vehicle on (especially something innefficient like a jeep).

Mind you it might be different in US where concievably some oil wells could be kept operational.

Brit Chick · 21st August 2003, 10:29 PM

I watched this as a kid in the 70's and thought it was a fantastic show - scared the bejesus out of me as a teenager to think it might happen and what would go on.

I re-watched it on UK Gold in the mid 90's - it occupied the early Sunday morning slot, can't remember when, but I know I had to make a conscious effort to get up on a Sunday morning for it so it probably started before 10 a.m. !!!!

They had some very believable characters (and maybe a few not so) there was the initial Alpha Male - Greg, but I think got overtaken by Charles (I think that was his name - the one who wanted all the women to have babies, his babies!)

The old welsh guy was exactly the kind of person you would find hanging around in the aftermath, still waiting for other people to sort things out for him and behaving in the most cowardly fashion. The story line that I remember is the one where a young girl was raped and murdered and he let the 'Benny*' character take the rap for it - and poor old Greg had to do what he felt was the only thing and shoot the lad.

*don't think the lads name was Benny, he was just like the Benny character from Crossroads - essentially a harmless simpleton

You also had the military minded outfit who were really not much more than Nazis - fine and accomodating if you did things their way, but if you didn't - off with your head!

And I do remember the petrol / money thing - that was right at the end wasn't it. I thought there were only 2 series but maybe they were short 6 or 8 eps each.

I used to wonder if it would work to make Survivors - the next gen - but as we have Jerimiah now I'm happy with that.

SERVALAN · 19th September 2003, 02:45 PM

Yes, we definitiely remember TERRY'S series "THE SURVIVORS" which was early '70's and only watched it when it aired, on wednesday nights on BBC (8 to 9pm slot).

Had one of the creepiest opening titles/music I can remember from that era or, since!

It, had interesting characters too - Abby Grant (Carolyn Seymour), later Jenny took over lead female (Lucy Flemying).
Greg (Ian McCulouogh) later replaced by Charles Vaughn (Denis Lill). Had two kids as regulars and Talfryn Thomas as the Welsh idiot-style character - whose name at the minute escapes me!)

10th April 2003, 03:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
imported_polymath trust me, I'm a scientist Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: here, where else? Posts: 22	Survivors Anyone remember Survivors (bit borderline for a SF forum, but it was by Terry Nation and I don't know what other genre you could put it under!) Definitely the best near-future post-apocalypse production ever. No special effects, but excellently written and produced stories. Make Jeremiah look very weak.

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21st August 2003, 10:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
Brit Chick Ooh look - shiny things ! Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: London Posts: 276	I watched this as a kid in the 70's and thought it was a fantastic show - scared the bejesus out of me as a teenager to think it might happen and what would go on. I re-watched it on UK Gold in the mid 90's - it occupied the early Sunday morning slot, can't remember when, but I know I had to make a conscious effort to get up on a Sunday morning for it so it probably started before 10 a.m. !!!! They had some very believable characters (and maybe a few not so) there was the initial Alpha Male - Greg, but I think got overtaken by Charles (I think that was his name - the one who wanted all the women to have babies, his babies!) The old welsh guy was exactly the kind of person you would find hanging around in the aftermath, still waiting for other people to sort things out for him and behaving in the most cowardly fashion. The story line that I remember is the one where a young girl was raped and murdered and he let the 'Benny' character take the rap for it - and poor old Greg had to do what he felt was the only thing and shoot the lad. don't think the lads name was Benny, he was just like the Benny character from Crossroads - essentially a harmless simpleton You also had the military minded outfit who were really not much more than Nazis - fine and accomodating if you did things their way, but if you didn't - off with your head! And I do remember the petrol / money thing - that was right at the end wasn't it. I thought there were only 2 series but maybe they were short 6 or 8 eps each. I used to wonder if it would work to make Survivors - the next gen - but as we have Jerimiah now I'm happy with that.

19th September 2003, 02:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
SERVALAN Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Rotherham, S. Yorkshire, United Kingdom. Posts: 61	Yes, we definitiely remember TERRY'S series "THE SURVIVORS" which was early '70's and only watched it when it aired, on wednesday nights on BBC (8 to 9pm slot). Had one of the creepiest opening titles/music I can remember from that era or, since! It, had interesting characters too - Abby Grant (Carolyn Seymour), later Jenny took over lead female (Lucy Flemying). Greg (Ian McCulouogh) later replaced by Charles Vaughn (Denis Lill). Had two kids as regulars and Talfryn Thomas as the Welsh idiot-style character - whose name at the minute escapes me!)