Parents' Guide to

Survivors

By Will Wade, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Thought-provoking post-apocalyptic drama has mature themes.

TV BBC America Drama 2010
Survivors Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

Vicky567
Vicky567 Parent of 13-year-old
September 3, 2012
age 14+

Survivors alright for 14 or up

This show is fantastic when it was airing me and my pals always tuned in to watch, however I would probably not recommend it to anyone who is younger than the age of 12 or 14. This show, although has not got much sexual content, contains quite a bit of sexual threat. There are two main scenes that would concern me. One is where two men drag a woman upstairs with obvious motives. However she quickly escapes and the two men eventually get caught. The other one is when a main character goes up to a powerful man for help who says she will have to pay a prove and since she had nothing to give, he rapes her... The violence isn't too graphic but can be pretty strong at times. But another problem with the show Is the medical scenes at times which can be disturbing and iffy. People are operated on and wounds are stitched back together (all which are incredibly bloody and iffy).
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What's the Story?

After a virus leaves 99 percent of the planet's population dead, the SURVIVORS find themselves in a new world, where law and order have been replaced by the rule of might. Abby (Julie Graham) emerges as a maternal figure and unexpected leader of a small group of people who hope to eventually restore civilization but for now just want to survive. Her new "family" includes Greg (Paterson Joseph), whose self-sufficiency and common sense make him a valuable asset; Tom (Max Beesley), a hardened criminal who understands that the strong will try to take advantage of the weak; and Sarah (Robyn Addison), an attractive but selfish woman with few useful skills who seeks protection by trying to attach herself to strong men. They're surrounded by dangerous gangs who will do whatever is necessary to accumulate food and other necessities, while Abby and her friends struggle to retain their decency in the face of chaos and disorder.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (3 ):

So what happens when civilization breaks down? Abby insists that people are basically good, but the struggle for survival demonstrates what people are really like, and her belief is tested daily by other survivors who are driven by greed and self interest. The last-people-on-Earth drama is an old idea, but it's always interesting when it's done right. Eliminating social conventions, law enforcement, and morality brings out both the best and worst in people and creates high-stakes drama as individuals discover what they're capable of doing to survive.

This thought-provoking British drama is done right. The few survivors are surrounded by what was, until quite recently, a thriving civilization and now have their pick of huge mansions and fancy cars. But the electricity has failed, gasoline is increasingly hard to come by, and few things are as valuable as canned food. Each character is separate and distinct, and they all have very different ideas of how to get by in this strange new world. Some, like Abby, assume that everyone should help each other, while others, like Tom and Sarah, think of themselves first and are very aware that they can't count on anyone else to watch their back.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how this drama taps into cultural and human anxieties. What exactly is so compelling or frightening about the show? How do the directors and producers play up these sensations? How do music, setting, and dialogue contribute to the show's emotional impact?

  • What would you do if you managed to survive a terrible disaster that left most of the world dead? Do you have any special skills that would help you in a survival situation? What would you be willing to do? Is there anything you wouldn't be willing to do?

  • How does this vision of a post-apocalyptic world compare to other movies or TV shows? Why do you think the show opted to use a disease to kill off the population? How would it be different if another kind of disaster had destroyed civilization?

TV Details

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