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'Survivors' S01E06 - Part Six
Published Tuesday, Dec 23 2008, 21:58 GMT | By Ben Rawson-Jones | 13 comments
By foregrounding Abby's quest in such a crucial scene, Survivors has relegated a fine ensemble cast into mere suporting players and turned the whole thing into a Julie Graham vehicle. In the penultimate scene, Abby's capture by the scientist swat team - for she is The Special One - was given more focus than the shooting of Greg, or Tom's animalistic urges. The future of humanity is supposedly at stake, yet the last scene suggests that the tedious Find Peter subplot is what we should really be caring about. Madness.
It's a real shame, because 90% of the first season finale is rather good and full of intriguing twists. The return of gun-toting vigilante Dexter raises the tension, with the premise that the remnants of the government are now hiring thugs a fairly plausible one given the circumstances. Similar things have happened in the real world in ravaged countries.
Back for a brief but effective cameo is Sarah's crippled supermarket squeeze Bob, who is trundled out to remind us what a sly little vixen she is. Tom's murder of the suspicious security guard also works as a sturdy pay off to the simmering storyline between the pair.
The visual scope of the episode is also the most expansive since the opening part, as Najid's trip into the city showcases a land in ruins. Like the government scenario, the rise of a probable paedophile amid the desolation, and his preying on orphaned child survivors, is a terrifying concept.
Oddly enough, it's a child that spoils things. The scenario was nicely set for a second season through the largely engaging performances of the cast, but now we're left to wonder whether the pursuit of Peter will drag the entire show down.
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Simply brilliant
I thought the ending was symbolic of Abby's death...her dying dream/image of Peter being free/still alive. Now that would be a perfect ending..im just not sure how they can play the whole continuing story..if she's alive, she'll be after peter, obviously. but now shes known as the one..she can probably not go back to being private with her gang, going around the place, experiencing new difficulties and situations. dnt see how the group element can be restored. still, lovin the show. best drama ive seen in years! lved the ending
I had no idea that the series had ended. The appearance of Peter was a limp cliff hanger - yes, Greg's shooting was the more interesting - there needed to be more. I appreaciate, it following the book, but great TV dramas like Lost reveal or give you something delicious at the end - but also open up whole new questions that make you want to wait by your tv set until the next series. Agree, it was too short, especially when they're just fleshing out the characters. I was mildly gripped by this drama and will miss it now it's gone. Excellent cast - apart from Najid - is it wrong to say he should stick to school?
crackin series but too short.just gettin to know the charactors minds.can't wait for 2nd series
I loved the program, Put the kids to bed and the telly atleast for once aweek was mine. I did'nt realise it finished though. I was gutted. I really hope series 2 comes very soon
So an average of 1% of the population survives, and they are all psychotic criminals!!! We've had serial rapists, murderers, paranoid schizofrenics and they all live in one area!! This show started well, but surely they are running out of criminal stereotypes to add as characters.
just as the world has fallen into chaos,Abbey's world now falls apart,blood and violence,shades of grey, the ending, may be a let down but the images of peter grant are dreamlike, almost fairy-tale suggesting ,perhaps that abbey's quest is impossible. i cant wait for season two!
It was an okay series overall. But not as gripping or 'unmissable' as I had first thought it'd be. The shooting of Greg was a shock, and wish a teensy bit more focus was put on that than Abby being carted off to the lab. The incessant focus on Abby is slightly grating. I haven't watched the original series (bar the first episode), but have found Tom and Anya as more interesting characters. And the way they managed to squeeze Peter into the final shot was just so unnecessary. There was me thinking it'd be a lovely scene of Greg meeting up with his children in some sort of halfway house between life and death, but no. It's the 'I've got to find my son/where is he' scenario again. I hope series 2 has a bit more 'bite'.
Episode started well. but the plot line of the ferral kids came across as more a pastiche to Oliver Twist with Fagan and his child criminials. The final scenes of Peter and his teacher on horse back could have been put in any of the 6 episodes not the final scene to the episode. My whinge of the show is that it is 6 episodes not 22 like a US show. 6 episodes do not allow Adrian to craft an in depth story i.e would an empty city with a few scavengers really be out of food and bottled water in a few weeks? or develop the characters such as the scientists - I appreciate that giving glimpses of them is a plot device in its own right, but some depth to them please are they trying to save humanity even if it kills us or are they righting a wrong they created or are they sinister? Come on Beeb stop being risk averse and give us an adult story of ordinary people in an extraordinary world!
I felt the series started well enough but midway through it lost its way, wooden acting and bemusing plotlines then seemed to litter the day. (i got this weird feeling that it became Highway to Heaven, what with all survivors helping sort other peoples problems by the end of each episode.) How are these bunch of survivors looking so good, despite the lack of food/water/electricity and gas - I know i would look and probably feel terrible. Oh and please for god sakes will someone tell Abby to forget about Peter!! The ending of the last episode was as the review said, terrible If only HBO could make this, i am sure it would be excellent.
I agree with the comments but would add some of my own. The way these characters are easily duped is ridiculous also last night constant camera juggling was overused. I enjoyed the series but it needs more work and more realism on the main characters. The swap attitudes too much and need more stabalisation and less trust after what they've seen so far.
Okay, point taken about the Peter thing tho in the book he did survive so that was obvious and if the makers were unsure they would get a 2nd series, this way have been added to satiate viewers. As for the finale itself, fantastic. The thing I love about this series is you genuinely believe any character could be killed (I thought Al was going to get it at Najid's family's flat), but another factor for my enjoyment is the excellent Max Beesley. I have never liked his other stuff really, but in the 90s version of Tom Price you have a genuine anti-hero for the ages and whatever happens the BBC need him back for series 2. BRILLIANT!
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Anything with Max Beesley in it is a winner for me. He's the only one I watch anyway.. . I love the way he moves, talks with that cute accent. The fight scenes are pure aggression. He's (sorry Max) a hunk. My knees melt when he smiles and I wish there had been more romantic scenes with Zoe(Anya). Trying to see everything he's done.