Seeing as "Doctor Who" and "Blake's 7" were two of my earliest childhood TV obsessions, I can claim to be somewhat of a Terry Nation completist now having just finished this show as well. I notice a lot of similarities between how this show changed over time with "Blake's 7", which started up not long after this show wrapped. For one, both shows lose their central characters but continue on after a supporting character is given a chance to carry the show. Both shows open on a serious note and routinely go back to a central plot carrying things forward, but often have side episodes that seem to have little to do with the greater story.
Compared to "Blake's", this show feels much cheaper and messier, though I really appreciate it being a pioneer TV show of how human beings will handle a post-apocalyptic scenario long before "Jericho" or "The Walking Dead". A pandemic (originating in China) destroying human society feels eerily realistic these days, and this show nicely deals with a litany of issues from how food production and energy would have to be managed, along with security, communication, religion, and family all having been irreparably altered by events. It's a limitless well of potential that this show could have delved into even deeper.
This show evolves significantly even mid-season, with Season 1 beginning as travel-focused in search for family but settles into a story about managing a small compound. Season 2 loses much of the cast and shifts things over to a small village, preferring to double-down on the domestic issues. Season 3 shakes things up and goes back to wandering around after losing almost all of its central cast. It goes in some interesting directions but unfortunately drops many interesting subplots and never truly feels like things come together. Instead it's almost like their writing staff were continually having to "wing it" after losing a location or an actor and being presented with shooting location opportunities at the last minute. It's missing an overall plan, but generally the writing and acting are of a professional enough level that they help elevate things.
One of my favorite episodes would be the 2-parter called "Lights of London" as it placed an enormous importance on getting society going again and how this particular group may be one of human kind's last hopes. There's a subplot presented about a big move to an island that they need to gear up for, which would have been a very interesting story to return to later on, but no such luck.
I do give credit to the series though for making me sad at every character death, knowing that each human left is so critical to the continuance of mankind as a species. All throughout though, especially in season 3, we get presented with antagonistic characters (brigands and aspiring tyrants) who the world certainly could do without. The show rarely presents the moral quandary of what must be done with characters who drag everyone down but at the same time remain necessary in some way.
There's two characters sort of like this with Tom Price and Hubert who both come off as irredeemably antisocial and annoying but both get a chance to prove themselves somewhat. I particularly enjoyed Price's final episode, as up to that point I was confused why anyone was putting up with him. Come to think of it, malingerers, criminals, and generally lazy people will not just go away after society falls apart, so their shortcomings would be something that he more heroic individuals would realistically need to manage.
I wish I had seen this show earlier as I spent a bit of time back in 2009 with Ian McCulloch, who seemed much fonder of his writing contributions for the show than his acting. His character seems more "the brain" of this show than any other and the glue that holds it together, so with him missing in most of Season 3 it felt like the show loses a lot of cohesion and destined to fall apart. It's sad that all these years later we don't have another, better quality and more thought-out version of this concept using the best of this show as a road map. As it stands, "Survivors" is some quality sci fi from one of TV's greatest minds, exemplifying the limitless potential and serious disappointing shortcomings that would typify most of what Nation produced.
Compared to "Blake's", this show feels much cheaper and messier, though I really appreciate it being a pioneer TV show of how human beings will handle a post-apocalyptic scenario long before "Jericho" or "The Walking Dead". A pandemic (originating in China) destroying human society feels eerily realistic these days, and this show nicely deals with a litany of issues from how food production and energy would have to be managed, along with security, communication, religion, and family all having been irreparably altered by events. It's a limitless well of potential that this show could have delved into even deeper.
This show evolves significantly even mid-season, with Season 1 beginning as travel-focused in search for family but settles into a story about managing a small compound. Season 2 loses much of the cast and shifts things over to a small village, preferring to double-down on the domestic issues. Season 3 shakes things up and goes back to wandering around after losing almost all of its central cast. It goes in some interesting directions but unfortunately drops many interesting subplots and never truly feels like things come together. Instead it's almost like their writing staff were continually having to "wing it" after losing a location or an actor and being presented with shooting location opportunities at the last minute. It's missing an overall plan, but generally the writing and acting are of a professional enough level that they help elevate things.
One of my favorite episodes would be the 2-parter called "Lights of London" as it placed an enormous importance on getting society going again and how this particular group may be one of human kind's last hopes. There's a subplot presented about a big move to an island that they need to gear up for, which would have been a very interesting story to return to later on, but no such luck.
I do give credit to the series though for making me sad at every character death, knowing that each human left is so critical to the continuance of mankind as a species. All throughout though, especially in season 3, we get presented with antagonistic characters (brigands and aspiring tyrants) who the world certainly could do without. The show rarely presents the moral quandary of what must be done with characters who drag everyone down but at the same time remain necessary in some way.
There's two characters sort of like this with Tom Price and Hubert who both come off as irredeemably antisocial and annoying but both get a chance to prove themselves somewhat. I particularly enjoyed Price's final episode, as up to that point I was confused why anyone was putting up with him. Come to think of it, malingerers, criminals, and generally lazy people will not just go away after society falls apart, so their shortcomings would be something that he more heroic individuals would realistically need to manage.
I wish I had seen this show earlier as I spent a bit of time back in 2009 with Ian McCulloch, who seemed much fonder of his writing contributions for the show than his acting. His character seems more "the brain" of this show than any other and the glue that holds it together, so with him missing in most of Season 3 it felt like the show loses a lot of cohesion and destined to fall apart. It's sad that all these years later we don't have another, better quality and more thought-out version of this concept using the best of this show as a road map. As it stands, "Survivors" is some quality sci fi from one of TV's greatest minds, exemplifying the limitless potential and serious disappointing shortcomings that would typify most of what Nation produced.