New 'Survivors' series from the BBC

[Neil]

The cast include (in alphabetical order):
Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who; Torchwood) as Jenny
Nikki Amuka–Bird (No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency; Five Days) as Samantha Willis
Max Beesley (Hotel Babylon) as Tom Price
Shaun Dingwall (Doctor Who) as David
Julie Graham (William And Mary; Bonekickers) as Abby Grant
Paterson Joseph (Jekyll; The Beach; Peep Show) as Greg
Phillip Rhys (24; Nip Tuck; Flatland) as Al
Zoe Tapper (Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky; The Last Van Helsing) as Anya
Chahak Patel as 11-year-old Najid.

Bit concerned about the casting... All looks rather PC with characters being made multi-racial etc... Wonder which character is the handicapped lesbian? :rolleyes:

[Mike70]

i love the original but i don't know about this one. the cast list, like you said, is a bit suspect. though i suppose a virus could conceivably kill everyone else, leaving only survivors with a perfectly balanced racial makeup (so as not to offend or leave out anyone) behind.

[Skippy911sc]

I will wait for the US to copy and re-issue it on American Airwaves.

:D

[Mike70]

I will wait for the US to copy and re-issue it on American Airwaves.

:D

with an even more PC, multi-cultural cast no doubt.

[Skippy911sc]

with an even more PC, multi-cultural cast no doubt.

I don't understand your meaning...what you consider more-PC, multi-cultural cast is just what ever town in America is like. :lol:

[AcesandEights]

Bit concerned about the casting... All looks rather PC with characters being made multi-racial etc... Wonder which character is the handicapped lesbian? :rolleyes:

That is an interesting sort of backlash attitude I see exhibited among a lot of Brits lately. Of course, I see it in the States to a degree, but don't seem to hear the same degree of rumbling about it, as I do from Brits.

[Neil]

i love the original but i don't know about this one. the cast list, like you said, is a bit suspect. though i suppose a virus could conceivably kill everyone else, leaving only survivors with a perfectly balanced racial makeup (so as not to offend or leave out anyone) behind.

I've never really watched the original series... Should I? Has it dated OK?

[Mike70]

I've never really watched the original series... Should I? Has it dated OK?

yes! it is outstanding and i think it has dated pretty well.


I don't understand your meaning...what you consider more-PC, multi-cultural cast is just what ever town in America is like. :lol:

like the township that i grew up that was 98% white? that's what i mean. not every town or every place has a balanced racial makeup

[Neil]

yes! it is outstanding and i think it has dated pretty well.
OK... I'll give it a go... :)

The new Survivors appears on this BBC advert - http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/09_september/01/drama.shtml

More cast info:-

Here are the BBC details about the new cast and characters from the press-release:

Abby Grant (Julie Graham) Abby is a mother and home-maker to her son Peter (11) and husband David (Shaun Dingwall). Before the virus struck Peter had successfully defied a near-terminal illness. Peter is now better and Abby has reluctantly agreed to let him go on an adventure holiday. Abby plans to resume her career and re-ignite her faltering relationship with her loving but exhausted husband. But fate has other plans in store for them...

Al Sadiq (Phillip Rhys) A rich, good-looking playboy, Al has lived a life of privilege. In the aftermath of the virus he finds himself responsible for Najid. Al has never seen himself as the paternal type and he initially proves to be a disaster as a father figure; he would rather find a softer life for himself in the post-disaster world. But strangely this frightening new environment ultimately makes him a better man than he would ever have been if he had continued his old life.

Dr Anya Raczynski (Zoë Tapper) Anya is a young doctor who does her best to save as many people as she can when the virus that wipes out most of humanity hits. But there is no cure and no vaccine and all her skill ultimately proves fruitless. While she struggles with the enormity of it, she is forced to stand by helplessly as her former girlfriend Patricia is among those brought to the hospital in the grip of the illness...

David Grant (Shaun Dingwall) David is a self-employed builder, a loving family man who is competent, brave and determined. Although they have been worn down by the illness of their beloved son Peter, Abby and David's marriage is a solid and loving one. But nothing in David's life has prepared him for the crisis which is about to sweep away everything he ever knew and loved...

Greg Preston (Paterson Joseph) A former systems analyst for a big multi-national, Greg felt trapped and dreamed of a new life. But his wife, who had grown used to a wealthy and comfortable lifestyle, was appalled by his utopian vision of a new, hard scrabble future. Nursing bitter personal wounds, Greg is now a man who believes he can live without love, friendship or family…

Jenny Collins (Freema Agyeman) Jenny is a bright and lively young teacher in a primary school. Overwhelmed by the chaos she sees all around her, she is determined to save the life of her dying flatmate Patricia. Nothing will stop her taking her friend to the hospital and saving her life. But fate intervenes to confront Jenny with choices beyond anything she could have imagined.

Najid (Chahak Patel) Eleven-year-old Najid is a lively little boy with all the normal interests of kids of his age – football, his gameboy, school. He is also a devout Muslim. On the night of the crisis he and his family go to the local Mosque but in the morning Najid is forced to grow up very fast when the virus causes a violent change in his circumstances and his life is transformed in ways he could never have anticipated. His relationship with Al is at times funny, at times poignant; but in the end Al and Najid need each other, no matter how much they try to deny it.

Samantha Willis (Nikki Amuka–Bird) Samantha is a junior minister delegated to handle the press in the midst of the crisis. Dealing as best she can with an anxious media and her own stunned colleagues, Samantha at first has no idea how serious the crisis is becoming. Forced to put aside her love and concern for her own family, Samantha becomes the last contact between the government and the people it can no longer protect. Her journey from innocence to a full

[Mike70]

Samantha Willis (Nikki Amuka–Bird) Samantha is a junior minister delegated to handle the press in the midst of the crisis. Dealing as best she can with an anxious media and her own stunned colleagues, Samantha at first has no idea how serious the crisis is becoming. Forced to put aside her love and concern for her own family, Samantha becomes the last contact between the government and the people it can no longer protect. Her journey from innocence to a full

ok. i get all the other characters and how most relate to the original but this character seems to be a new idea. the folks playing abby and jenny have some huge shoes to fill. the role of abby in the original was pretty ground breaking at that time. i don't think its impact will be the same today.

i am also interested to see what kind of mortality figure they go for in the new one. in the original i think one of the survivors calculated that there were probably less than 10,000 people left in the entire UK. what was the pop. of the UK in 1975? 40-45 million or so?

[Danny]

im guessing were gonna have another jericho on our hands here.

[Legion2213]

I've never really watched the original series... Should I? Has it dated OK?

Well, it was first aired in the mid 70's so it is dated a bit, but it is still one of the most realistic PA series of all times IMO, I paid around £60 for all three series, money well spent as far as I am concerned, the focus is on the survivors and how they decide to rebuild society (some for a total rebuild of what was lost, others want to go back to more primitive ways) and the problems they face with no power, fuel, food etc.

The new BBC production will spend as much time as possible driving home the PC agenda at the cost of a good story (I will bet my bottom dollar on it).

[Neil]

The new BBC production will spend as much time as possible driving home the PC agenda at the cost of a good story (I will bet my bottom dollar on it).

That's my concern too!

An interview with one of the actresses suggested they've tried to make it not as bleak as the original... Oh dear! That's the whole idea of it :rockbrow:

[Mike70]

An interview with one of the actresses suggested they've tried to make it not as bleak as the original... Oh dear! That's the whole idea of it :rockbrow:


indeed, the bleakness was the point. the human population has been reduced to about 1% (or less) of its pre-plauge level, there are masses of unburied corpses, people like khardis roaming the countryside acting the fool, old diseases no one has immunity to anymore popping up and the struggle to find food.

the food thing was interestingly handled in the original:

(neil since you haven't seen the original, i'll put this in spoiler tags in case you don't want to know.)

you'd think that since most everyone had died, there'd be plenty of stuff just lying around. in the original they took the tack that there were so many dead bodies around that it became increasingly dangerous to go near any sort of population center because of the danger of disease they posed. there is even an episode where one of the members goes into birmingham (legion correct me if i'm not remembering the city right) and ends up dying because of a disease he caught due to all the rotting bodies.

[Neil]

indeed, the bleakness was the point. the human population has been reduced to about 1% (or less) of its pre-plauge level, there are masses of unburied corpses, people like khardis roaming the countryside acting the fool, old diseases no one has immunity to anymore popping up and the struggle to find food.

the food thing was interestingly handled in the original:

(neil since you haven't seen the original, i'll put this in spoiler tags in case you don't want to know.)

you'd think that since most everyone had died, there'd be plenty of stuff just lying around. in the original they took the tack that there were so many dead bodies around that it became increasingly dangerous to go near any sort of population center because of the danger of disease they posed. there is even an episode where one of the members goes into birmingham (legion correct me if i'm not remembering the city right) and ends up dying because of a disease he caught due to all the rotting bodies.
I watched the first episode last night... I'll try and watch a few a week :)

My GF watched the last half of it and seemed to enjoy it so maybe she'll join me for the ride :)

[Neil]

Three episodes in and enjoying it - Little 'slow' in places by today's standards, but so far so good :)

[Chic Freak]

The new version does sound a tad gash. "Less bleak"?? As has already been said, that's half the charm of the original series. It has that gritty bent-on-survival coldness that make other cheapo TV like Blake's 7 brilliant (imo, I know it's not everyone's cup of tea). I would have thought that zombie fans would be more inclined to like it though because of the civilisation-descending-into-chaos survivalist element.

[Neil]

The new version does sound a tad gash. "Less bleak"?? As has already been said, that's half the charm of the original series. It has that gritty bent-on-survival coldness that make other cheapo TV like Blake's 7 brilliant (imo, I know it's not everyone's cup of tea). I would have thought that zombie fans would be more inclined to like it though because of the civilisation-descending-into-chaos survivalist element.

Blakes 7 (at least the earlier series) was fantastic!

God I want that remade (well)!

[Neil]

Some promising news...


A poster at the Dr Who Forum has seen the first episode....this is what he says...

Saw a screening of the new Survivors tonight. Won't spoil you. It comes out at the end of October and was a really polished bit of television. Shot on 35 mm, so I'm told, it looks amazing. A great concept and doesn't vary too much from the original, just adds a few nice new twists into it. But the shots of long empty stretches of motorway and empty cities were spooky. Some great performances all round... Patterson Joseph for the next Doctor I say.

But its a great bit of telly, as strong as any US counterpart. I can't wait to see the rest.

And another:-


I was at a screening of it last night too!

Sadly, no, it doesn't retain either the theme tune or a similar title sequence. It's a rather generic modern TV sequence of names over a bland drum-beat. It's one of my pet peeves, actually, that nobody ever does a decent theme tune or title sequence for programmes any more. Where's the melody, people??!

Anyway, that's about my only bugbear about the whole show. It's very very good indeed. As Darenthomas said, it looks *gorgeous*. It's shot like a feature film and it's very harrowing indeed. I'd say that it's about 90%-95% identical, plot-wise, to the first two episodes of the 70s series. All the character names are the same, many of the set pieces are identical... and some aren't. But I'm not going to say another word about that!!!

Julie Graham is SO much better in this than Bonekickers, I'm glad to say. Freema is lovely as always, and there's guest appearances from loads of familiar faces. I think my favourite was Nikki Amuka-Bird (the unsuspecting alien Sleeper agent in the Torchwood ep of the same name) as a Ministry of Health official. She's just *great*.

In short, I can't wait for the series to start!

[Neil]

Just finished watching the first series... Good stuff :)

Looking forward to series 2 & 3 now!

[capncnut]

Blakes 7 (at least the earlier series) was fantastic!

God I want that remade (well)!
Yeah, that would be an interesting project. The original series has one of the most shocking finales in the history of science fiction TV. It's a shame Blakes 7 never scaled the same heights as Doctor Who and Star Trek, it was very underrated IMO.

[Neil]

Early thoughts/review - http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thecultureshow/2008/09/survivors-1975-and-2008.html

[kidgloves]

This starts on Sunday BBC1 9pm I think
Just seen an advert for it and it had a bleak atmosphere

[Mike70]

there is a relatively long write up on scifiwire today about the new series. no airdates for north america yet.:( guess i'll have to find an alternate means of watching it.:shifty:


http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=62245

[Neil]

there is a relatively long write up on scifiwire today about the new series. no airdates for north america yet.:( guess i'll have to find an alternate means of watching it.:shifty:


http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=62245

My Spider senses are tingling! Short of a one armed lesbian in a wheelchair, the cast look a little too PC. They also look mostly young and pretty... Please don't say this is Hollyoaks on a farm :(

[Mike70]

My Spider senses are tingling! Short of a one armed lesbian in a wheelchair, the cast look a little too PC. They also look mostly young and pretty... Please don't say this is Hollyoaks on a farm :(

i don't have much of a warm and fuzzy about it either but i am going to give the new show a fair chance. it will be difficult though. the original is way up on my list of all-time fav tv.

now that you've seen series one of the original, there is one episode that stopped me in my tracks. it caused me to see the characters in a whole new light. i had thought that they were better people than they actually were.

i'll put it in spoilers for anyone who hasn't seen the old show:
the episode where they execute barney. right up until it was actually done, i didn't think that they'd go through with it. interesting turn to the story and something that caused much discussion in my house as we were watching.

[Neil]

i don't have much of a warm and fuzzy about it either but i am going to give the new show a fair chance. it will be difficult though. the original is way up on my list of all-time fav tv.

now that you've seen series one of the original, there is one episode that stopped me in my tracks. it caused me to see the characters in a whole new light. i had thought that they were better people than they actually were.

i'll put it in spoilers for anyone who hasn't seen the old show:
the episode where they execute barney. right up until it was actually done, i didn't think that they'd go through with it. interesting turn to the story and something that caused much discussion in my house as we were watching.

Indeed!

...and then on finding the culprit, in their new little society they basically had to let him carry on as normal to try and make the group work/survive.
I fear 2008 PC BBC will not be able to produce TV like that!

[kidgloves]

This is on BBC HD as well

[Legion2213]

Well, I managed to miss the episode that has just gone out...but I doubt it could have been any better than the originals anyway...I may grab the DVD when it comes out, or maybe DL and episode or two to get a taster.

Anybody UK side watch it? Any good, or just standard BBC PC propaganda?


i don't have much of a warm and fuzzy about it either but i am going to give the new show a fair chance. it will be difficult though. the original is way up on my list of all-time fav tv.

now that you've seen series one of the original, there is one episode that stopped me in my tracks. it caused me to see the characters in a whole new light. i had thought that they were better people than they actually were.

i'll put it in spoilers for anyone who hasn't seen the old show:
the episode where they execute barney. right up until it was actually done, i didn't think that they'd go through with it. interesting turn to the story and something that caused much discussion in my house as we were watching.


That was a genuinely upsetting episode...briliantly done IMO.

[kidgloves]

Having recently watched the originals myself, I would say don't bother. Typical BBC1 Sunday drama. Followed roughly the same storylines but didnt pull it off. I won't be watching the 2nd part

[Mike70]

i just got hold of a copy of the pilot ep. :shifty: we probably won't get around to watching it until tomorrow night or maybe even tues. i did sort of glance through it and it seems rather slick and glossy. oh well, i'll let you dudes know what i think after i catch it in its entirety.

[Neil]

Hmmm... Not a bad first episode... But two problems:-
1) The stupidity of everyone seemingly dying on one night? Come on! It would have be a tidal wave of deaths over a good few days/week or two...
2) In the original series, everyone caught it and suffered from it. Just the 'Survivors' didn't die... In the new series, some did catch it, and others didn't?

From the clips I've seen of the next episode it looks to be a very close remake of one of the original episodes...

[Rottedfreak]

I know in TV land photogenic middle class types will survive a lethal virus and meet working class muggers, killers, crazies and so on but this took the pee.
The overnight death was rediculous, in fact this is the worst virus apocalypse I have seen depicted on TV, the aftermath is also dumb, the characters hit Netto and Corner shops for supplies, they have everywhere to go and they go to flipping Netto, sheesh.
Survivors is repetitive and routine. I will watch the rest, the end of episode 2 did have a bright light with a new group of survivors shut in because they are at risk but it really isn't that good.

[Neil]

Ep1 6/10
Ep2 7/10
Ep3 8.5/10 <-- Some slightly clunky bits of writing in places, but generally a damn good episode! More like this please!

[Mike70]

is anyone still watching this? the pilot left me less than impressed and i am wondering if i should even bother with the rest of it.

[krakenslayer]

As a side note, the star of the original series (who played the same character as Paterson Joseph in the remake) was none other than Ian McCulloch from Zombie Flesh Eaters (Zombi 2), Zombie Holocaust (Doctor Butcher, M.D.) and Contamination.

Probably this shot from Zombie Flesh Eaters will ring a bell:
http://movies.infinitecoolness.com/20/zombie03.jpg
(Far left)

Here he is in the original series of Survivors:

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44255000/jpg/_44255222_survivors2_203.jpg

[Neil]

is anyone still watching this? the pilot left me less than impressed and i am wondering if i should even bother with the rest of it.

Ep1 is probably the weakest... With ep3 being the strongest IMHO.

It all seems too rushed/busy though! As if you can feel like they've crammed 12 episodes (& more) into 6...

[kidgloves]

Despite my initial reaction to this, I stuck with this and it turned out to be ok. Still got ep6 to watch but wasn't bad at all.

[Mike70]

Ep1 is probably the weakest... With ep3 being the strongest IMHO.

It all seems too rushed/busy though! As if you can feel like they've crammed 12 episodes (& more) into 6...

ah well then, i'll probably go ahead and check the rest of it out. i've certainly sat through things that are probably far worse.

[Neil]

Despite my initial reaction to this, I stuck with this and it turned out to be ok. Still got ep6 to watch but wasn't bad at all.

ep6 is OK, but it feels ever so busy and rushed!

Generall the series misses the concern/worry that the original does. Within the first episode the group had formed - it took a good number of episodes in the original - and there seems to be no real concern about the future - where as in the original they we talking about the problems they faced all the time.

And for the LOVE OF GOD GET SOME GUNS! Really, this group has no concept of self defense! No matter how many times they're threatened with guns, they never bother arming themselves :rolleyes:

[Mike70]

ep6 is OK, but it feels ever so busy and rushed!

Generall the series misses the concern/worry that the original does. Within the first episode the group had formed - it took a good number of episodes in the original - and there seems to be no real concern about the future - where as in the original they we talking about the problems they faced all the time.

And for the LOVE OF GOD GET SOME GUNS! Really, this group has no concept of self defense! No matter how many times they're threatened with guns, they never bother arming themselves :rolleyes:

we've been working our way through these and i agree with you, it feels rushed. 10 or 12 eps might've been the way to go with a story on this scale.

i also agree about the guns thing - why the hell would tom price leave his in a bag and not have it on him at all times?? they don't seem to understand the reality of their situation very well.

and - why basically remake an ep of the original series? i was kind of bothered by that, it seems to show a lack of creativity. granted it is a remake of an old series but tell your own story for god's sake.

the one thing i do like about the new show compared to the old is that tom price is a whole lot more interesting this time around than he was in the original.

i've only seen up to ep. four, two more to go.

[Neil]

The rushed thing takes away some of concern too... I mean in the original series there were very few people, especially in the beginning where whole episodes would revolve around a handful of survivors.

With the new series, by the end of the first episode, 'the group' was formed, and there's seemingly hundreds of folks all bumping into each other.

I'll watch the next series (if there is one), but I hope they slow it down and make it more intelligent.

[Neil]

The rushed thing takes away some of concern too... I mean in the original series there were very few people, especially in the beginning where whole episodes would revolve around a handful of survivors.

With the new series, by the end of the first episode, 'the group' was formed, and there's seemingly hundreds of folks all bumping into each other.

I'll watch the next series (if there is one), but I hope they slow it down and make it more intelligent.