'Making of' and Guidebooks

By Rich Cross   Last updated on 23 December 2020, 14:00:19

Details of the two key guides to Survivors


Covers of two unofficial guidebooks to Survivors

 TWO GUIDEBOOKS TO the series have been published to date, the first appearing in 1995 and the second ten years later.

In 1995, Kevin Marshall self-published a 500-copy print run of The Making of Terry Nation's Survivors - the product of an extensive period of self-funded research. Comprising short introductory guides to each of the show's three series, the main component of the book was a set of original interviews with the cast and behind-the-scenes creative team. These were supplemented by a series of descriptive reviews of all 38 episodes of Survivors, and a collection of behind-the-scenes photos. Long out-of-print, this title is highly sought after by fans of the series and now changes hands at prices that reflect its collectability.

In December 2005, The End of the World?: The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Survivors, written by Rich Cross and Andy Priestner, was published by Telos. Fully-illustrated by dozens or rare and never-before-seen behind-the-scenes photos, the book provides detailed production essays on the making of each of Survivors' three series; summaries and reviews of all 38 episodes; guides to the programme's characters and its filming locations; analysis of efforts to revive the programme; discussion of the show's influence on the post-apocalyptic genre on the big and small screen; and much more besides. The book includes a Foreword by series one and two director Pennant Roberts.

After being reprinted twice, the title went out-of-print in early 2012. Work to publish an updated edition of the book was abandoned when Classic TV Press cancelled the project.


Cite this web page
11 September 2025202131 January

 Cross, R. (2021). ''Making of' and Guidebooks,' [online] Survivors: A World Away, 31 January. Available at: https://www.survivors-mad-dog.org.uk/a-world-away/Basics_Guidebooks.php. Accessed on: 11 September 2025.

 
   

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