Okay, so most of its characters are politically-correct clichés and the situation is unoriginal (not least because it's a remake), but I'm still enjoying Survivors '08 as a post-apocalyptic romp. This week, Greg (Paterson Joseph) and Tom (Max Beesley) bond while out foraging, stumbling upon a farmhouse where an overprotective father called Sean (Neil Dudgeon) is keeping his daughter and son locked up indoors…There was a nice unpredictability to the farmhouse story, as we first think Sean is overreacting to the threat of contamination, and possibily suffering from cabin fever. Frightened of infection, he has his daughter Kate (Sacha Parkinson) scare away crows by flicking pebbles at them from a window, burns dead rats in an oil drum, soaks himself in an outside bath full of disinfectant, and won't let his kids play outside.
Greg and Tom are greeted with molotov cocktails, forcing them to take refuge in a cowshed as their vehicle explodes into flames. Then, in a neat development, Sacha sneaks outside to speak with Greg and Tom, but finds they agree with her controlling father -- if she's uninfected, she's probably caught the killer 'flu from them now, and therefore can't return home!
Meanwhile, Abby (Julie Graham) ventures out alone and finds a high-tech eco-centre, where surviving MP Samantha (Nikki Amuka-Bird) has created a self-sustaining commune with food, water, light and heat. It seems like paradise, and Abby is initially impressed with what Samantha has achieved (they seem to share the same ideals, too), but Abby soon witnesses the cost of this Eden: a zero-tolerance for "raiders" who break their perimeter, who are quickly put on trial in a kangaroo court and sentenced to death.
In a weak supporting story (that nevertheless kept the episode rooted in more plausible, everyday fare), Al (Phillip Rhys) and Anya (Zoe Tapper) help Najid (Chahak Patel) build a chicken run in the garden, watched by distant newcomer Sarah (Robyn Addison). Elsewhere, the mysterious scientists are given a proper storyline, as they're about to test a vaccine for the killer 'flu. A few notable pieces of information are divulged here: a scientist called Sami (Ronny Jhutti) blames himself for the outbreak (possibly meaning the incident wasn't planned), and the death toll is revised from 90% to 99% of the populace. That means there are an estimated 650,000 survivors in the UK, and 60 million worldwide. A more sobering thought.
It's still difficult to care about Abby's search for her son, owing to the fact we've never seen them together and have no sense of their relationship. Peter is just an unseen, almost symbolic name for hope right now. Samantha's idea of survivors video-recording pleas for help finding lost relatives, encouraging people to share stories and spread the word, was a nice idea. Indeed, the more unique looks at how a post-apocalyptic society would cope after such a disaster, is one facet of Survivors that clicks nicely, and deserves further development.
Abby's situation was engaging, if a bit heavy-handed, but it's the farmhouse storyline that works surprisingly well. Teenage actress Sacha Parkinson was especially strong and naturalistic as Kate, bouncing well off screen father Dudgeon, and drawing you into her family's predicament thanks to her understated, delicate performance. Tom's speech to Sean through a locked door, about accepting a prison-like existence or risking death to embrace life, was also very good.
Overall, episode 3 was an enjoyable look at a few scenarios, but the characters haven't yet taken on their own life. The only character with a tangible goal and sense of purpose is Abby, which doesn't help. As a victim of the 'flu who survived its effects, what's the betting Abby's blood holds the key to a vaccination, too?
2 December 2008
BBC1, 9pm
Writer: Gaby Chiappe
Director: Andrew Gunn
Cast: Julie Graham (Abby), Zoe Tapper (Anya), Chahak Patel (Najid), Nikki Amuka Bird (Samantha Willis), Paterson Joseph (Greg Preston), Max Beesley (Tom Price), Phillip Rhys (Al), Robyn Addison (Sarah), Neil Dudgeon (Sean), Nicholas Gleaves (Whitaker), Ronny Jhutti (Sami Masood), Sacha Parkinson (Kate), Dylan Tomkins (Davy), Andrew Tiernan (Gavin), Danny Seward (Robbie), Madlena Nedeva (Janine), James Varley (Billy), Pip Chapman (Sinead), Robert Maxfield (William Arnott), Suraj Dass (Amandeep Singh), Heather Brady (Fiona Murray) & Alice North (Lily)
