Great depiction of post pandemic society..
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Excellent 70s series, hasn't lost anything over time.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Well, what can I say? It’s certainly the best TV series of its kind and for those of you that have never seen it, if you enjoyed The Road, Children of Men, I am Legend, do yourselves a favour and grab a copy, and, while you’re at it, forget the remake. This is the stuff. Filmed in the mid 70s Survivors captures the ethos of an era. Communial living, alternative lifestyle and challenging conventions. Britain is down to a handful of people, a virus having wiped out all but a random few. Over night the survivors of the plague have been plunged back into an essentially iron-age world where technology can no longer be sustained, old skills must be re-learned, existing knowledge preserved. Set in rural England through a bleak winter, the survivors form into factions, take over farm houses, manor houses, scavenge what little they can, guns, clothes and food and fuel. Towns are off limits, disease and dogs pick off the weak. This is no glossy American film, it’s a gritty, muddy, wet, cold world filmed in the muted tones of yesteryear. Survivors is a masterpiece of television, a very real look at what may happen in world where society breaks down; where everything we take for granted is gone, water, power, medicine and law. Structured around a central cast of remarkably well realised characters, the three series that comprise Survivors, deal as much with different ideologies as with the fight for survival itself. The eleven disc DVD set isn’t populated with glossy extras, or outtakes, voice over’s or a set of character postcards, its a no nonsense compact set featuring all thirty eight original BBC episodes; each one a gem to be watched by the glow of firelight and the flicker of a candle. Lock the door, keep the gun close to hand, and enjoy. This is reality TV.Read full review
Produced by the BBC from 1975-78 there were 3 series of TV drama Survivors dealing with a global biological catastrophe that kills 99% of humanity. The opening credits suggest this was a man-made situation aided by the use of modern global air travel. The survivors, after which the series is named, have an innate immunity to the disease. The series was created by Terry Nation, who was responsible for so many of the sci-fi series of the time, and explores the way in which civilization has to re-establish itself. The first episodes deal with quickly establishing the situation and identifying the varying circumstances of each of the survivors. As the series progresses we learn more of the characters and what drives them. Several additional characters are introduced, some transiently, into the various storylines, which deal with the ways individuals cope with the situation and interact with each other. There are investigations into the development of larger communities from disparate groups, establishment of law and order from anarchy, dealing with the immediate situation and long term planning. Overall this was an excellent drama which, 30 years on, is still relevant today. This is especially pertinent with the recent SARS outbreak and threatened flu pandemic. Although there are many excellent location shots, the series does show its age technically in that the studio shots are fairly evident, possibly due to BBC budget constraints of the late 70s. The acting is of high quality although it must be remembered that it dates from a time just before the transition to the more fly-on-the-wall filming techniques employed since for example, Hill Street Blues, giving the impression sometimes of more of the feel of a play. Overall a very much underrated, and often overlooked, series and highly watchable. Several 'survivors' web sites exist for the more dedicated fans and recently a guidebook has been produced.Read full review
As many of the previous reviwers have noted, this series is still incredibly relevant today. I love this series however I have one small gripe is that in the early episodes the passage of time is not made clear as one character states it's been weeks since the previous episode. Overall this is still a relevant, thought provoking & enjoyable slice of post apocalyptic drama
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best-selling in DVDs & Blu-rays
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on DVDs & Blu-rays