Product Details

• Actors: Chahak Patel, Julie Graham, Geraldine Somerville, Nicholas Gleaves, Paterson Joseph
• Directors: Andrew Gunn, David Evans, Farren Blackburn, Iain B. MacDonald, Jamie Payne
• Writers: Adrian Hodges, Gaby Chiappe
• Format: Box set, Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 5
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: April 27, 2010
• Run Time: 641 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0038MUZCA
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #46,305 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Survivors: Complete Seasons One & Two" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A plague of global proportions. Anarchy in the streets. The collapse of government and the rule of law--perhaps even the end of civilization itself!--followed by the rise of tyranny and vigilantism. There's heavy stuff happening in Survivors, a British sci-fi drama offered here with all 12 episodes from its first two (and so far only) seasons on five discs. Although it shares a title, original writer (Terry Nation), and several character names with a mid-'70s series, this is apparently not a remake. But the basic idea, detailed in the 90-minute pilot episode, is the same: Present-day Britain has fallen prey to a particularly nasty influenza virus. Within days, it's clear that the disease won't be easily contained; within a couple of weeks, at least 90 percent of the population has died from it, not merely in England but across the planet. As the world as they know it quickly falls apart--no electricity, no communications, no mass transit, no readily available medical care--and those who survived due to immunity start to sort themselves out, the show narrows its focus on one disparate and distinctly multicultural group: Abby (Julie Graham), the de facto leader, who's determined to find the son she's convinced is still alive; Tom (Max Beesley), who was doing time for robbery and murder when the virus struck; Anya (Zoe Tapper), an attractive young doctor; Greg (Peterson Joseph), a would-be loner whose life had already been falling apart; Al (Phillip Rhys), a rich, lazy ne'er do well; and Najid, a devout, 11-year-old Muslim.

The remaining episodes follow this core bunch as they cope with their strange new world--a world in which, as Tom puts it, "we make our own law now." These are people we come to know and, for the most part, care about--especially Abby (one of the very few who contracted and then somehow recovered from the virus) and Tom (whose violent ways make him both an invaluable protector and the object of much mistrust). Other major and minor characters come and go, including various bands of outlaws, thieves, and such, led by religious zealots, power-hungry criminals, greedy entrepreneur types planning to cash in once things return to normal, and so on; there are a few good guys along the way, too. The bigger picture is addressed as well, as a surviving minister (Nikki Amuka-Bird) attempts to put the government back together (using increasingly drastic and outrageous methods) and a sinister band of scientists conduct Mengele-like experiments in their search for a vaccine. It's not all brilliant--some of the hour-long episodes move very slowly (by and large, season 2 is faster paced and more exciting than the first), and there are some mawkish, overly melodramatic scenes. But the central themes (Are people basically good, or evil? How would we cope in a world without civilization?) and characters are enough to make for very compelling viewing. --Sam Graham

Product Description

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.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Cancelled and Incomplete August 22, 2010

By Karl Brown

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought the DVDs because I heard great things about the show. I also bought it because they marketed series 1 and 2 together. I thought they must have done this because there would be a season three in the works. Alas it turned out that this was not to be. The BBC canceled the show after what was a heart stopping cliff-hanger.
So I think that the BBC in essence cheated the consumer. It's like buying a novel only to find out that the last three chapters are missing.
They had a great product and they ruined it---incomprehensible. When you think that a season is only 6 episodes anyway. they should have not left it incomplete. A two hour finale would have been great just to give it a sense of completion.
I also think it is unfair for them to now show the series on BBC America knowing that it is essentially going nowhere--it's been already canceled and it's incomplete. All those viewers will watch the final episode of season two all for nothing, as they will get no answers.
If I had known all this before hand I would not have bought the DVD's.

We can always hope that they will complete the story somehow.

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Show on Television Today April 20, 2010

By Kate Fredericks

Format:DVD

For me to call this series the best show today, is a lot. I watch too much TV and expect a lot out of television shows. Survivors is one of the best shows I've ever seen (barring Firefly). It is smart, the actors are excellent, the story is at once human, horrible, and thrilling. The first few episodes when the virus sweeps through England and everyone is dying were a bit rocky - but you have to start somewhere. Around the middle of the first season, when the group consisting of seven people were forming as a sort of family - even though they were strangers to each other, Survivors begins to shine. The brilliance of this series is how these people are very different from each other, but somehow manage to hold on to civility in the face of incredible inhumanity, which is very real and quite frightening as you watch it unfold. Each character holds his or her own in this series, something one rarely sees on television today. Abby is the matriarch - a very kind, maternal woman before the virus, becomes a very strong, central character who holds this ragtag group together and to a level of humanity others cannot seem to do. Tom is the strong, silent mystery man who holds himself separate, but as the story progresses becomes more and more the other half of Abby. We learn he is a murderer and doesn't have the moral balance that Abby has, but the two are almost a perfect complement to each other regarding this family. Greg starts out kind of wimpy, but under Abby and the family's influence blossoms as a man of great character and intelligence. This "family" is the focus of Survivors as they deal with the aftermath of almost complete annihilation of society as we know it. We see one group trying to establish some sort of government, but the flaws are outstanding. We see another who enslaves people to try to jump start an industrial society again. We see groups of people without hope, food, decent water, shelter, and most of all, direction. In the middle of this chaos is Abby's "family." I really hope this show goes on for a very long time, and I hope people will start watching it to continue its longevity. Too many fantastic shows are canceled before their time and this show is too good to end. I highly recommend this one to all of my friends and family and am buying it to share with them. Not everybody gets BBC America to watch it here in the US. But it is one you won't be disappointed with. Much, much better than anything offered on American television today.

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful series - looking forward to owning it March 8, 2010

By L. Ferguson

Format:DVD

We've just discovered this series on television and are thrilled there's more to enjoy.

The characters are believable, and the interaction interesting. Good writing and plot. There's action to fulfill the needs of the guys in my house and I'm fascinated by the concept of how society would behave in the event of such an apocalyptic disease. Apparently it's a re-imagining of a series from the 1970's.

Two seasons have been filmed (as this DVD set shows) and I really hope they carry on into a third season - We'll watch!