The new version of Survivors makes its US debut this weekend on BBC America. The series overview from BBC America is:
“Set in the present day, Survivors focuses on the world in the aftermath of a virulent disease that scoured the planet, wiping out 99% of the human race. Only a lonely few are left to start over in a devastated world where everything that was once safe and familiar is now strange and dangerous. A bewildered but resilient group of survivors is led by Abby Grant, a woman whose strength comes from a burning need to find out if her young son is still alive. Other members of the group include Greg (a good man who hides the pain of his past), Anya (a doctor who has seen too many people die) and Al, a former playboy who becomes surrogate father to streetwise urchin Najid. Then there is Tom, outwardly handsome and charming, but actually a dangerous and ruthless man who, unbeknown to the others, was a high-security prisoner before the virus hit. ”
The first episode begins benignly enough, giving us a look at the lives of several of the main characters and their loved ones with the hit of a nasty flu going around. Obviously, things quickly escalate from there. One by one our soon-to-be survivors experience death up close and personal. Tom is locked in with his sick cellmate who succumbs to the illness, along with most everyone else in the prison. Najid is at prayer and is the only one to leave alive. Al awakens after a one night stand to find his erstwhile date staring lifeless at the ceiling. Anya is a doctor who was unable to save her girlfriend the previous day and has sat with her friend Jenny through the night as the latter also died. Then there is Abby, who caught the mysterious flu and seemingly succumbed to it, only to awaken to find her husband dead instead. As all of the survivors in the city make their way out they eventually cross paths with each other as Greg, who pragmatically has gathered supplies and intends to start his own farm.
By necessity, depicting an event that wipes out 99% of the population is going to be decidedly grim. What the creators of the show skillfully do is manage to depict the right amount of horror and grimness without descending into gruesomeness and depressing narrative. There is a reason the story focuses on these main characters as they find the resolve to carry on and keep living life despite the horror and loss around them. Over the course of the first hour they encounter others who perhaps aren’t mentally and physically equipped to cope with a decimated society. In fact, one of the most interesting aspects of the second half of the show is seeing the varied reactions that the various characters have to the disaster and watching as they steel themselves to keep moving forward. It will be interesting to see how everyone gels as a group in the episodes to follow. Again, be forewarned, there are some very dark moments and emotionally raw performances, but that is mostly in respectful acknowledgment of a very chilling disaster. The episode ends on a determinedly optimistic note as Abby rallies the disparate group into an alliance for survival. One last hook is a few moments with what appears to be a group of scientists that may or may not be responsible for the illness that wiped out society. This first episode does the intended job of hooking you into the story and characters and making Survivors a part of your weekly viewing schedule.
Survivors airs Saturdays on BBC America with the premiere episode at 8:00 PM on February 13th. Next Friday we take a look at episode two so check back with Pop Culture Zoo!
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