I just watched the most amazing television series ever. I have to say god bless the internet or else I never would have known about it. It’s a show called “Survivors” that ran for three seasons in the UK starting in 1975. I later learned it became a cult classic as I also ran into a series from the UK about cult shows and each episode was about a particular show. Thats right, they did one on Survivors. So after watching the whole series I can see why this became a cult hit. Hell today, I'm sure it would be a hugely popular show. Well, after they re-film it as people these days seem to hate anything more then a decade old.
So what’s this show about you ask? Is it like the reality show “Survivor”? Fuck no! This show is actually good and has content and is intended to be scripted.
The basic run down is a virus is spreading. A new plague basically but unlike when other plagues released this is in modern times [the 70’s] when travel is much faster. There for the sickness spreads much faster and much further then any other plague. This is a concept in modern science I have read about that we are due for another plague and that with today’s travel it would spread the world over in no time at all. Anyone remember that guy who traveled around on a plan spreading his disease recently? I forget what he had but at least it wasn’t something that was epidemic really. But it still shows that if we were hit with something serious that came out of no where that it would spread much faster then a plague of the past has spread before.
So with the spread of “The Death” as they call it, most of the world is dead in a matter of days with only few left to live our new world. They are called survivors, hence the name of the show. There are a few key players the show focuses on and you get to see them deal with having to survive in a world where no one is around and the few others who are left all have different ideas on social issues.
They go to a store to pick up food and supplies early on when they are stopped by a group of men claiming that their order or whatever you want to call it owns the shop and that they must register with their order to get a ticket to get what they need. Basically some guys got together and decided to take over a small village and you must do as they say or leave but they rule with an iron fist and if you watch the show you will understand how corrupt these men are.
As they progress they learn to live and survive by working together and learning skills most of us have forgotten. Working together they build and find other communes where everyone works together in order to try and live in this new world. With nearly no one left alive coal, oil, electricity and everything of the modern world is nearly gone. As they meet others they learn and you learn about the different ideas of others. Some decided communism is the way to live in this new world, others believe in restoring a new government but with twists while others believe in starting breeding posts where all they do is breed like rabbits in order to keep the human race going. They also deal with issues of how to deal with crimes within a community and all sorts of other social issues that for the most part, we take for granted.
The series was just one of the best things I have ever seen and it ran just long enough. Not very short but not too long that you grow tired of it. Three seasons and you see them go from normal society to dealing with what has happened to growing and learning how to live in this new world to trying to get others together and turning electricity back on and getting our world back to something resembling what it used to be. By the end a part of you wants to see more and fallow them on their adventures while another part of you knows that they will struggle more but they are well on their way of bringing back the world as we know it.
This is just simply an amazing series that was well written. If you get a chance to watch this I highly recommend it. I looked for it on DVD as I knew this was something I wanted to buy despite I have a good DVDrip downloaded. Its not an American releases but region codes on DVD players dont effect me but the price certainly did. Right now the cheapest I can find is $160 for all three seasons. That to me is just way too much. The most I have ever paid for a series would be Monty Pythons Flying Circus and that was just over $100. Although I guess my M*A*S*H collection would be more as I have paid $20 per season as they releases. Eleven seasons would be $220 but now you can buy the complete series in one package for $170. I guess I should have waited but fuck it.
Oh well, I guess I will get to buying Survivors as soon as I have that much money to blow at once. Not now though as I have other things to buy. And with Christmas starting to creep up I gotta be ready for that. So for now Ill enjoy my downloaded collection.
If you can get your hands on this show you should give it a try. At least watch the first three episodes to get a feel for it.
And now for something completely different:
