Overview: In the chilling setup for this gripping 1975-77 BBC series, a highly contagious plague wipes out most of the world's people. The very few survivors embark upon dangerous quests to make contact with others and re-establish the foundations of society, which are rapidly disintegrating.

DVD: Terry Nation's drama series 'Survivors,' broadcast by the BBC between 1975 to 1977, was one of the most popular series of all time. Set in a post-apocalyptic, present day world ravaged by a devastating plague, Survivors explored how humanity would cope in a world stripped of modern technology and comforts.

The disease struck quickly and with devastating effect - a global plague that, in Britain, spares just a few thousand people. This is the chilling story of some of those who survive -- Jenny, Greg, Abby and others -- determined to construct a new community from the surrounding wasteland where the technology and skills of the old life have become obsolete.

Survivors is a thought-provoking and involving series that explores the aftermath of a man-made biological catastrophe that's even more plausible these days than it was back in the Seventies. Sound and broadcast quality of all the episodes is good and the accompanying booklet is especially informative and well-produced, with very useful background information and essays.

The first series mostly centres around three main characters. Abby Grant, a very middle class mother, who is played - with a cut glass accent which can take some getting used to - by Carolyn Seymour. Ian McCulloch plays Greg Preston, a Civil Engineer and someone who seems to find some sense of purpose in an otherwise unfulfilled life after the coming of the "death". Lucy Fleming's Jenny Richards is written very variably from occasionally being utterly wet to eventually becoming something of an action heroine towards the end of the show.

Denis Lill as Charles Vaughn guest stars in a first series episode and goes on to steal the whole show in the last two series. Two rather annoying adopted children are also thrown into the mix for most of the run, and the main purpose of them seems to be to get everyone else into a great deal of unnecessary peril. [RTK] This is a Full Screen Presentation (1.78:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

BBC documentary: The Cult of Survivors
Photo Galleries