'Survivors' by Terry Nation British TV series 1975-19

[Gwenllian]

Mariana, which of the SAS Survival Handbooks have you got, the first one is good, in the second, Urban Survival Handbook, the author appears to have been 'got at' and everything is couched in 'authoritarian regulations' and doing what the 'authorities' recommend as 'good practice', as opposed to living and surviving by your wits.

Prodigal Son, I have got the SAS Survival Handbook Revised Edition. I only skimmed it, but did see for instance that the list of medicinal plants is not comprehensive. No mention of marigold/calendula for instance, which is a very useful plant.
It is good to know that John Wiseman has been 'got at'.

I also did a First Aid course years and years ago and I have forgotten almost everything. Then I did an alternative and short First Aid course where we learnt how to use plants and food to solve the most common and minor health problems. And you are right, it is practise that counts. So I am practising a bit at home (nothing major) with ointments and such (that I make myself).

Added:
About rabbits: this was mentioned in the thread 'Preparedness'. In the first series you see Abby and her lot eat a lot of rabbit. But rabbits are a no-no, so I thought I would mention it here.

Rabbit Starvation!
Rabbits can provide the easiest of meals but their flesh lacks fat an vitamins essential to man. The Hudson Bay Company recorded cases of trappers dying of starvation although eating well on an easily available diet of rabbit.
The body uses its own vitamins and minerals to digest the rabbit and these are then passed out in the faeces. If they are not replaced weakness and other symptoms of vitamin deficiency appear. If more rabbit is eaten, the condition becomes worse. Trappers literally ate themselves to death when eating vegetation would have ensured their survival. This situation often occurs when vegetation has been buried by snow and survivors rely on rabbits for food.

 

[Hesper]

Prodigal Son, I have got the SAS Survival Handbook Revised Edition. I only skimmed it, but did see for instance that the list of medicinal plants is not comprehensive. No mention of marigold/calendula for instance, which is a very useful plant.
It is good to know that John Wiseman has been 'got at'.

Since the only copy I seem to be able to find is the revised (or the new and updated) edition is it still good to get this one? I was under the impression that the other book, "Urban Survival," was the one to steer away from. Anyways, when this whole getting prepared for a collapse thing isn't absolutely freaky it's kind of exciting. Thanks for the info everyone :)

 

[Ollie]

Prodigal Son, I have got the SAS Survival Handbook Revised Edition. I only skimmed it, but did see for instance that the list of medicinal plants is not comprehensive. No mention of marigold/calendula for instance, which is a very useful plant.
It is good to know that John Wiseman has been 'got at'.

Since the only copy I seem to be able to find is the revised (or the new and updated) edition is it still good to get this one? I was under the impression that the other book, "Urban Survival," was the one to steer away from. Anyways, when this whole getting prepared for a collapse thing isn't absolutely freaky it's kind of exciting. Thanks for the info everyone :)

That is correct in my opinion. It is too 'official (PTB) Health and Safety' oriented.

 

[Rabelais]

I finished watching the 1975 series this weekend. One thing puzzles me. In the last season there is a push to get some of the old hydroelectric power generating stations back online.

Nowhere in the episodes is there mention of the UK's nuclear generating plants. There were about 10 operational power generating nuke facilities in the UK at the time of the creation of this series. Are we left to presume that they were all taken offline at the time of the outbreak? It just seems odd to me that this source of electricity was left from the scripts. For all of the running about the country it would seem that these plants might have warranted at least a visit to see if there were survivors from the plant engineering staff.

A niggling point maybe, but it's omission from the story seems strange to me.

 

[Gimpy]

Finally received the disks for the first series of the old 70's version of this show. Will watch today. Hubby saw a few episodes of the re made version, and said it was terrible. ( a co-worker encouraged him to see the remake, I didn't watch it since I'm going to see the original.)

I grew up during the 70's and have a deep dislike for that time frame. Making myself watch this will be an exercise in discipline, and I have no idea how long I'll be able to stand it. (In general, if I hate it without even seeing it, there's something to wrestle there.)

At least there's a few old dishes to smash in case of 'emergencies'. ;D

 

[Approaching Infinity]

I finished watching the 1975 series this weekend. One thing puzzles me. In the last season there is a push to get some of the old hydroelectric power generating stations back online.

Nowhere in the episodes is there mention of the UK's nuclear generating plants. There were about 10 operational power generating nuke facilities in the UK at the time of the creation of this series. Are we left to presume that they were all taken offline at the time of the outbreak? It just seems odd to me that this source of electricity was left from the scripts. For all of the running about the country it would seem that these plants might have warranted at least a visit to see if there were survivors from the plant engineering staff.

A niggling point maybe, but it's omission from the story seems strange to me.

The nuclear plants were actually mentioned once in episode 4 or 5. I think it was Greg (or the guy who had his 'love commune', speaking to Greg?) who mentioned wanting to look around the country to see if any of the power stations were running and if the nuclear stations were taken offline or not. Guess they never got around to resolving that part...

 

[Gimpy]

Finished the first episode this am.

The main difference between British series and US versions? The writing, especially the dialogue, makes the backbone of the story in British shows, especially older productions like this one.

Its a clearer eyed depiction of the "The Stand", without all the biblical non-sense, and none of the US penchant for gore. (So far.) The disc has three episodes on it. The pattern should pop out by the end of the third episode, if there's going to be one.

 

[Ollie]

I recently watched an episode (5) of Series 3, called Bridgehead. The crux of this episode was based around a railway station and yard full of old steam engine machinery/rolling stock and sheds. What struck me was the fact that over the years the PTB have decimated agriculture and the smallholder, decimated industry and its equipment - mostly anything mechanical has gone (as well as horse 'power'), along with associated skills, and all that's left is the service industry - primarily finance. It's almost as if the strings behind the PTB have engineered this so that when the crunch comes, there is practically little chance of surviving with present knowledge, skills and equipment.

I do recall, as a child, that many of the implements on my Father's farm were converted horse-drawn devices - which true to the series could be converted back to horse use - but now?

 

[loreta]

This is an interesting point, Prodigal Son, how the PTB take out of us all knowledge of anything. The culprit is consumerism: you have anything you want without knowing how everything is made. This is a big mistake.

I think this series, made during the hippy era, is also talking about this: the importance of simplicity. And simplicity is a very important virtue. Simplicity in everything, the return of it is the knowledge of what is important and what is not important. In fact, looking these series made me take conscience of my relation with what I have: food, objects, relations. And I still think that simplicity is what I wanted, what I like in this series: how people live, do their cooking, their relation with nature, no electricity, no tv, no radio, no cars... I like, in a sense, that type of life. A little like the Amish live. It can be a solution if something drastic happens...

 

[Gwenllian]

This is an interesting point, Prodigal Son, how the PTB take out of us all knowledge of anything. The culprit is consumerism: you have anything you want without knowing how everything is made. This is a big mistake.

I think this series, made during the hippy era, is also talking about this: the importance of simplicity. And simplicity is a very important virtue. Simplicity in everything, the return of it is the knowledge of what is important and what is not important. In fact, looking these series made me take conscience of my relation with what I have: food, objects, relations. And I still think that simplicity is what I wanted, what I like in this series: how people live, do their cooking, their relation with nature, no electricity, no tv, no radio, no cars... I like, in a sense, that type of life. A little like the Amish live. It can be a solution if something drastic happens...

I also like the simplicity in the series.

I also think that this is the reason why some people join these LETS networks? Not just because they lack money, but because they can hone their traditional skills.
Someone knitted some woollen socks for us and patched up the trousers of my kids.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_exchange_trading_system

I remember talking to one of the ladies that was active in our LETS network, saying the same things like Prodigal Son.
But at the same time you see some people have started building their own houses again, grow their own crops, learn permaculture, cook their meals from scratch and so on. Think ecovillages and intentional communities for instance.

 

[JonnyRadar]

Just started watching this on youtube, and into ep. 10 of season 1... It's a great show (writing, direction, etc.), worth watching IMO...

 

[melatonin]

Bought the DVD set, and very much enjoying this.

Ive just got to the bit where "Price" is killed. I liked his character until he raped and killed that women.
Was rather gobsmacked that they kept them in their circle, but i understood that they needed as many people as possible to survive.

One thing that hit me instantly was how friendly and open people were back in 1975 compared to how complicated people are now. This shows up alot in this show when comparing it to modern stuff.

 

[Beau]

Ive just got to the bit where "Price" is killed. I liked his character until he raped and killed that women. Was rather gobsmacked that they kept them in their circle, but i understood that they needed as many people as possible to survive.

Actually, considering they had just executed someone without any proof at all that he had murdered the girl, I thought it was totally illogical that they would keep Price around. If they were so hard up for people to do chores, why were they so willing to kill the young man? And if they were willing to do that, why would they all of a sudden allow Price to stay once they realized what he had done? It didn't make any sense.

 

[Laura]

Ive just got to the bit where "Price" is killed. I liked his character until he raped and killed that women. Was rather gobsmacked that they kept them in their circle, but i understood that they needed as many people as possible to survive.

Actually, considering they had just executed someone without any proof at all that he had murdered the girl, I thought it was totally illogical that they would keep Price around. If they were so hard up for people to do chores, why were they so willing to kill the young man? And if they were willing to do that, why would they all of a sudden allow Price to stay once they realized what he had done? It didn't make any sense.

Not only that, it was a serious example of ponerization. Price was always taking credit for the work and skills of the kid. So, they end up stupidly killing the one who was doing more work and keeping Price? That's due to NOT networking and paying attention and doing due diligence!!!

 

[JonnyRadar]

Ive just got to the bit where "Price" is killed. I liked his character until he raped and killed that women. Was rather gobsmacked that they kept them in their circle, but i understood that they needed as many people as possible to survive.

Actually, considering they had just executed someone without any proof at all that he had murdered the girl, I thought it was totally illogical that they would keep Price around. If they were so hard up for people to do chores, why were they so willing to kill the young man? And if they were willing to do that, why would they all of a sudden allow Price to stay once they realized what he had done? It didn't make any sense.

I agree, that didn't make any sense. They also didn't discuss the murder trial for very long, and then decided to carry out the verdict asap. It seems to me like the writers rushed it to cram some drama into that episode.