Published today – Survivors: Mad Dog (Silver Archive)

Obverse Books - Silver Imprint - Mad Dog - front cover (complete with title typo, corrected in the final version)

A NEW BOOK, offering an in-depth study of the classic third series Survivors episode Mad Dog, is published by Obverse Books today (17 February 2022).

Written by Survivors: A World Away site editor Rich Cross, this latest entry in Obverse Books’ Silver Archive imprint, turns a critical and analytical spotlight on one of the best remembered episodes from the show’s third and final series.

Silver Archive – Survivors: Mad Dog

“Saliva only has to make contact with the skin. Rabies doesn’t even need a scratch. If it’s in the bloodstream, it’s too late.”

Mad Dog (1977) is a standout instalment of the third and final series of the BBC’s post-apocalyptic series Survivors. A touchstone in the series’ switch to a tougher, bleaker sensibility, the episode is rightly remembered for its portrayal of rabies and its gripping chase sequences. But it’s also a story offering fascinating insights into the wider human predicament, which dramatise the tension between optimism and cynicism and between altruism and self-interest. Above all, it’s a story that foregrounds the complex relationship between humanity and the natural world in a fictional post-pandemic Britain.

Rich Cross has published widely about science fiction and genre TV and retains a singular fascination with post-apocalyptic and dystopian television drama.

In an exclusive interview for this site, Rich Cross explains:

“For long-standing, knowledgeable fans of Survivors, I’m sure that there will still be a great deal of new, and hopefully insightful, analysis about one of the best regarded episodes in the show’s entire run. And I’m confident that there is a wealth of new reflections which situates the story of Survivors and of Mad Dog in the cultural, political and social times in which it was made.”

“Even for those able to recite sections of dialogue from the script, and who know each and every location in which the episode was recorded, I’m hopeful that they’ll enjoy discussions about themes and ideas in the drama of Mad Dog that they may not have considered before. That’s something that should enhance their appreciation of the work of writer Don Shaw, director Tristan de Vere Cole, and their talented cast and crew, the next time they rewatch the episode.”

“There’s certainly no requirement to be a ‘Survivors expert’ to enjoy the book, and there’s a great deal in the book that should intrigue fans of 1970s genre television, as well as cultural and political historians of the UK in the 1970s.”

The Obverse Books’ Silver Archive entry Survivors: Mad Dog is available to buy direct from the Obverse Books site – in both print and electronic formats (and in a p&e combo).

Rich Cross. 2022. Survivors: Mad Dog. Obverse Books (Silver Archive), ISBN: 9781913456221, pp.168. https://obversebooks.co.uk/product/sa07-survivors-mad-dog/

Survivors: New Dawn 2 audio box set released today

Survivors: New Dawn 2

BIG FINISH HAVE today (10 February 2022) released new and original Survivors audio box set New Dawn 2.

The press release announcing the release is reproduced below:

The Survivors are Divided!

The horror continues in the post-apocalyptic audio drama, Survivors: New Dawn 2, released today by Big Finish Productions.

Survivors began as a BBC TV series which ran from 1975-77 and followed a community of people fighting for their lives amid a global pandemic known as the Death. Big Finish has produced the official audio continuation since 2014, with original series actors Carolyn Seymour and Lucy Fleming reprising the roles of Abby Grant and Jenny Richards respectively.

This powerful box set picks up from last year’s New Dawn 1, taking place a generation after the outbreak. Abby and Jenny are reunited and determined to track down Dominic Crayle (Gareth Armstrong), the Governor responsible for enslaving Abby.

A hostile divide has formed between those who lived through the Death and those born into the dystopian world. With the addition of a sibling rivalry among opposing leaders Helen Maxwell (Sheena Bhattessa) and Emma Maxwell (Sheetal Kapoor), tension soars.

Survivors: New Dawn 2 is now available to pre-order as a CD box set + download (for just £19.99) or a digital download only (£16.99), exclusively from the Big Finish website.

The world has ended. The Death crossed continents, sparing only a fraction of the global population. The survivors are now trying to pick up the pieces and rebuild society to create a new future

It’s been twenty years since the Death. Britain has a fledgling government based in Cambridge, and some transport and communications infrastructure has been re-established. International links are being forged, and people are looking to the future with hope. But this new order is more fragile than it appears.

The worst of human nature has survived along with the best. Abby Grant and Jenny Richards have been reunited after fifteen years. They’ve survived tragedy and loss, and now ride north to confront Governor Dominic Crayle with evidence of his crimes.

The three compelling stories in this box set include:

Bad Blood by Lizbeth Myles 

Abby and Jenny are heading north when they’re thrown into the middle of a conflict between two rival factions. Learning someone has tried to assassinate the local Governor, is there anything they can do to prevent further violence and bloodshed? 

When First We Practise to Deceive by Andrew Smith 

Abby and Jenny reach the Zone controlled by Governor Dominic Crayle. He has serious questions to answer, but Crayle will go to any lengths to protect his secrets.

Last Stand by Roland Moore

In the overgrown remains of an abandoned city, a new friend helps Abby and Jenny make a last stand against a determined enemy. 

NOTE: Survivors contains adult material and is not suitable for younger listeners.

The box set also features new characters, including Helen’s ex-fiance and Emma’s right-hand man Sean Douglas (Sam Stafford), Captain of the Rangers Vanessa Walker (Yasmin Mwanza), Crayle’s worker Perry ‘Pyro’ Bennett (Joshua Riley), and grieving widower Akhil Sarkar (Paul Bazely).

Producer Emma Haigh said: “I’ve really enjoyed working on this box set and seeing the resolution between Abby, Jenny and Dominic Crayle come to life. Survivors often tells dark stories but, in this box set we meet some brave and inspiring characters whose actions open up the stories to a new future.”

Lucy Fleming added: “It’s a good old rollicking adventure! [Jenny and Abby] set off to find out what Dominic Crayle is actually doing which proves to be quite difficult. He is a very good and strong character, played brilliantly by Gareth Armstrong. It makes you realise how wicked people can be.”

Carolyn Seymour said: “Being taken as a slave was incredibly traumatic for Abby and she wants [Crayle] brought to justice so she has to find as much proof as she can.”

Gareth Armstrong added: “When we meet DominicCrayle, we think he’s a good guy who’s going to help our heroines but in fact he’s deeply corrupt and as the story goes on you discover he’s also violent, dangerous, and a thoroughly bad guy. “It was a cracking part! It’s always good to play the bad guy, especially as he pretends to be a good guy as you get the chance to be doubly devious. I enjoyed it hugely.”

Survivors: New Dawn 2is now available to pre-order for just £19.99 (as a CD box set + download) or £16.99 (on download only), exclusively from the Big Finish website. Big Finish listeners can save money by pre-ordering the Survivors: New Dawn 1-2 together in a bundle at £38 (CD + download) or £33 (download only).

Praise for Survivors: New Dawn 1:

“Standards of writing, performance and sound design are as high as ever. This is a strong release in a consistently strong series, and very much recommended.” —We Made This Network

“There’s plenty to enjoy here and by the end of the set, a mission established for the second volume too. Roll on February!” —Indie Mac User

“An introduction to the Survivors ‘new dawn’ that is as enticing as it is unexpected.” —Survivors: Mad Dog

All the above prices include the special pre-order discount and are subject to change after general release. Please note that Big Finish is currently operating a digital-first release schedule.

The mail-out of collector’s edition CDs may be delayed due to factors beyond our control, butallpurchases of this release unlock a digital copy that can be immediately downloaded or played on the Big Finish app from the release date.

Big Finish podcast previews Survivors: New Dawn 2

Survivors: New Dawn 2

TODAY’S (6 FEBRUARY 2022) Big Finish podcast previewed the new audio boxset Survivors: New Dawn 2, the concluding part of the New Dawn series due for release later this week.

Sound designer Benji Clifford provides a pithy summary of the premise of Survivors (for those who’ve not encountered the series before now) and, together with co-presenter Nick Briggs, previews some of the behind-the-scenes interviews with cast and crew that accompany the release.

Survivors: New Dawn 2 is available for pre-order right up to its release date. Survivors: New Dawn 1 is still available in both CD and digital download formats. Both releases can also be ordered as part of a Big Finish bundle.

Big Finish podcast. 2022. 'Annihilated Survivors', 6 February

Big Finish podcast. 2022. ‘Annihilated Survivors’, 6 February. https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/big-finish-podcast-2022-02-06-annihilated-survivors-2630

Big Finish release cover and trailer for New Dawn 2 boxset

Big Finish - Survivors - New Dawn 2 - cover

BIG FINISH HAVE revealed the cover design for the forthcoming Survivors audio boxset New Dawn 2, and released the first audio trailer.

The cover features the characters of Abby Grant (Carolyn Seymour) and Jenny Richards (Lucy Fleming) along with images of new protagonists that will join the second part of the New Dawn series. New Dawn 2 is comprised of three connected stories:

The world has ended. The pandemic crossed continents, sparing only a fraction of the global population. The survivors are now trying to pick up the pieces and rebuild society to create a new future. But with only a handful of towns and cities starting to rise from the ashes, and governance and law-making in a fragile, fledgling state, everyone must start over. And the worst of human nature has survived along with the best.

Abby Grant and Jenny Richards face a renewed fight for survival…

2.1 Bad Blood by Lizbeth Myles

Abby and Jenny are heading north when they’re thrown into the middle of a conflict between two rival factions. Learning someone has tried to assassinate the local Governor, is there anything they can do to prevent further violence and bloodshed?

2.2 When First We Practise to Deceive by Andrew Smith

Abby and Jenny reach the Zone controlled by Governor Dominic Crayle. He has serious questions to answer, but Crayle will go to any lengths to protect his secrets.

2.3 Last Stand by Roland Moore

In the overgrown remains of an abandoned city, a new friend helps Abby and Jenny make a last stand against a determined enemy.

Survivors: New Dawn 2 will be released later in February 2022 and is available for pre-order. Survivors: New Dawn 1 is also available in both CD and digital download formats. Both releases can also be ordered as part of a Big Finish bundle.

Survivors: Ghosts & Demons, a new audiobook set in the timeline of the original 1975 TV series, was released as a digital download in November 2021, and is available to purchase from the Big Finish site.

As Roland Moore, the writer of New Dawn 2‘s concluding episode “Last Stand”, observed today on Twitter in response to the New Dawn 2 teasers: “Fabulous cover – and a trailer hinting at a few shocks!”

Ian McCulloch discusses his career on screen at Uni-Versal festival, Aberdeen

IAN McCULLOCH (GREG Preston) will take part in an ‘in conversation’ session at the upcoming Uni-Versal 22 mini-festival hosted by the University of Aberdeen on 5 March 2022.

With this strand of Uni-Versal focusing on the history of film, McCulloch will be reflecting, in particular, on his post-Survivors work on three Italian cult horror movies. Pre-publicity for the event summarises his screen career as follows:

Ian McCulloch is a Scottish actor best known for his performance as Greg Preston in Survivors (1975). In the 1970s and 80s, McCulloch found himself in classics of Italian horror, playing Peter West, the lead male character in Lucio Fulci’s notorious Zombie Flesh Eaters (1979) and also displaying his thespian skills in Luigi Cozzi’s iconic splatter template Contamination (1980).

UNI-Versal Film: In Conversation with Ian McCulloch (Zombie Flesh Eaters)
Room KCF8, King’s College, Aberdeen AB24 3FX
Saturday 5 March 2022 – 20:00-22:30

Tickets: £5.00-£8.00
Tickets became available to purchase online from 10:00 on 1 February 2022.

The session is part of a programme of events that includes Screenwriting with Sergio Casci, Shaken Not Stirred – Bond: Past, Present & Future and a panel discussion on Driving Diversity in the Arts.

UPDATE – 1 FEBRUARY 2022: Organisers have now confirmed that the event will include a screening of the most well-regarded of McCulloch’s three Italian horror movies Zombie Flesh Eaters. As a result, the runtime of the event has now been extended to 22:30.

Uni-Versal - Dark Nights - Ian McCulloch - Zombie Flesh Eaters screening - 5 March 2022

A Silver Archive study of Survivors third series’ classic Mad Dog

PUBLISHED THIS FEBRUARY, a new entry in the Obverse Books’ Silver Archive series turns the spotlight on the classic third series Survivors episode Mad Dog.

Written by the author of the Survivors: A World Away site, the book places this exemplarly series three adventure story in the context of its times and within the evolution of Survivors own narrative. It examines the resonance that the spectre of rabies had for TV audiences of the time, and explores the different themes and ideas that find expression in the script for Mad Dog and through its on-screen realisation.

‘Saliva only has to make contact with the skin. Rabies doesn’t even need a scratch. If it’s in the bloodstream, it’s too late.’

Mad Dog (1977) is a standout instalment of the third and final series of the BBC’s post-apocalyptic series Survivors. A touchstone in the series’ switch to a tougher, bleaker sensibility, the episode is rightly remembered for its portrayal of rabies and its gripping chase sequences. But it’s also a story offering fascinating insights into the wider human predicament, which dramatize the tension between optimism and cynicism and between altruism and self-interest. Above all, it’s a story that foregrounds the complex relationship between humanity and the natural world in a fictional post-pandemic Britain.

Published 17 February 2022.
Pages: 168
ISBN: 9781913456221
Author: Rich Cross

In an exclusive interview for the site, the author reveals the inspiration behind the book, describes the research and writing process, and outlines some of the new book’s key themes.

The Obverse Books’ Silver Archive entry Survivors: Mad Dog is available to pre-order ahead of its publication day from the Obverse Books site.

The illustration is a detail from the cover design by Cody Schell @kodiakschell

Rich Cross. 2022. Survivors: Mad Dog. Obverse Books (Silver Archive), ISBN: 9781913456221, pp.168. https://obversebooks.co.uk/product/sa07-survivors-mad-dog/

Reviews of new Survivors audios now available

Survivors: New Dawn 1 - cover

REVIEWS OF THE new Big Finish Survivors audios New Dawn 1 and Ghosts and Demons have now been published on the Survivors: A World Away site.

Individual reviews of each of the three episodes in the first boxset of New Dawn 1, starring Carolyn Seymour, Lucy Fleming and Louise Jameson, are available: Tethered, My Generation and Behind You.

The first series of New Dawn retains the core sense of jeopardy that made the original post-Death context of Survivors so compelling. Yet it does in a way that is original and genuinely exhilarating. Imagining how the country might have moved on more than two decades after the pandemic provides Survivors with a new ‘what if’ premise that crackles with potential

Also published is a review of the new audiobook Ghosts and Demons, written by Ethan Milsea and narrated by Carolyn Seymour.

Survivors: Ghosts and Demons - cover

Ghosts and Demons is a fantastic addition to the audio literature of Survivors. Author Ethan Milsea uses the cautionary tale of the predatory Tommy as a means to explore the different fears and nightmares that haunt those who have experienced the trauma of The Death and survived. This story, which locks itself in to the first TV series’ timeline, delivers admirably on what can often be an elusive ambition: to be both in-keeping with the existing dramatic terrain and to break open new and fertile ground.

Survivors: New Dawn 1 is available to buy, in both CD and digital download formats, from the Big Finish site.

Survivors: Ghosts & Demons is now available to purchase as a digital download .

Survivors: New Dawn 2 will be released in February 2022 and is also available for pre-order. Both releases can be purchased, in both formats, as part of a Big Finish bundle.

Big Finish release details of Survivors: New Dawn 2

Survivors - Big Finish - Esther

BIG FINISH HAVE today (29 December 2021) released more details of the three stories that will make up the second-half of the Survivors: New Dawn audio series.

Due for release in February 2022, Survivors: New Dawn 2 will again feature Carolyn Seymour (Abby Grant) and Lucy Fleming (Jenny Richards) in three episodes set two decades on from the events of the series nine Survivors audio boxset.

This concluding New Dawn boxset will begin with Lizbeth Myles ‘Bad Blood’. This will be followed by Andrew Smith’s ‘When First We Practise to Deceive’ before the story completes with Roland Moore’s ‘Last Stand’.

Big Finish’s press release is reproduced below:

The Survivors are in a race against the clock

Survivors: New Dawn continues some 20 years after the previous Big Finish series ended, with original TV series regulars Carolyn Seymour (as Abby Grant) and Lucy Fleming (as Jenny Richards) in a renewed fight for survival.

Based on Terry Nation’s BBC TV series which ran from 1975–77, Survivors is a post-apocalyptic drama concerning the plight of a group of people who have survived a worldwide plague. Since 2014, this audio continuation has been one of Big Finish’s most critically-acclaimed works, having been short-listed in nominations for both the 2015 and 2016 BBC Audio Drama Awards. 

Survivors: New Dawn 2 is now available to pre-order as a collector’s edition CD box set at £19.99 or £16.99 as a download exclusively here.   

The world as we know it has ended. The Death crossed continents, sparing only a fraction of the global population. The survivors are now trying to pick up the pieces and rebuild society to create a new future.

It’s been twenty years since the Death. Britain has a fledgling government based in Cambridge, and some transport and communications infrastructure has been re-established. International links are being forged, and people are looking to the future with hope. Unfortunately, the worst of human nature has survived along with the best.

Survivors: New Dawn 1 was released in November 2021, with this second set picking up from those events, as Abby and Jenny ride north to confront Governor Dominic Crayle with evidence of his crimes. 

The three exciting new episodes are: 

Bad Blood by Lizbeth Myles

Abby and Jenny are heading north when they’re thrown into the middle of a conflict between two rival factions. Learning someone has tried to assassinate the local Governor, is there anything they can do to prevent further violence and bloodshed?

When First We Practise to Deceive by Andrew Smith

Abby and Jenny reach the Zone controlled by Governor Dominic Crayle. He has serious questions to answer, but Crayle will go to any lengths to protect his secrets.

Last Stand by Roland Moore

In the overgrown remains of an abandoned city, a new friend helps Abby and Jenny make a last stand against a determined enemy.

Script editor Andrew Smith said: “This series pays off everything we set up in the first one. For Abby, there’s an element of revenge and she’s seeking justice, and Jenny, the Law Minister is there to see she gets it, but they are up against people trying to hide their wrongdoings. I couldn’t have asked for a better finale to Survivors.”

Writer Roland Moore added: “I figured that even though Survivors exists on the back of a deadly outbreak, listeners don’t really want to dwell on viruses at the moment. So the stories view the Death as a historic event – something that has resulted in loss and bereavement, but which is hopefully in the past.”

And writer Lizbeth Myles said: “It was awesome to write for a series I’d loved for so many years. Honestly, I tried very hard not to think about the current pandemic while writing. Like everyone else, I’ve found it enormously stressful and the current world circumstances made it rather more difficult work than usual.”

Survivors: New Dawn 2 is due for release in February 2022 and is now available to pre-order at £19.99 as a collector’s edition CD box set or £16.99 as a download from the Big Finish website.

Big Finish listeners can save more by ordering both Survivors: New Dawn box sets together as a bundle on CD at £38 and on digital download at £33.

All the above prices include the special pre-order discount and are subject to change after general release. 

Please note that Survivors contains adult material and may not be suitable for younger listeners. 

Big Finish is currently operating a digital-first release schedule. The mail-out of collector’s edition CDs may be delayed due to factors beyond our control, but all purchases of this release unlock a digital copy that can be immediately downloaded or played on the Big Finish app from the release date. 

Released today: Survivors – New Dawn 1 audio boxset

BIG FINISH HAVE today (25 November 2021) release the new original Survivors audio boxset New Dawn 1 and new audiobook Ghosts and Demons.

Survivors: New Dawn 1 is available to buy, in both CD and digital download formats, from the Big Finish site.

New audiobook Survivors: Ghosts & Demons, narrated by Carolyn Seymour, is now available to purchase as a digital download .

Survivors: New Dawn 2 will be released in February 2022 and is also available for pre-order. Both releases can be purchased, in both formats, as part of a Big Finish bundle.

A New Dawn Rises for Survivors

Based on Terry Nation’s BBC TV series which ran from 1975-77, Survivors is a post-apocalyptic drama concerning the plight of a group of people who have survived a worldwide plague.

Survivors: New Dawn 1 picks up a couple of decades after the previous Big Finish series with original TV series regulars Carolyn Seymour (as Abby Grant) and Lucy Fleming (as Jenny Richards) in a renewed fight for survival. This new box sets also features Louise Jameson (as Jackie Burchall), Belinda Lang (as Celia Tate) and Clive Hayward (as John Bedwell).  

Survivors: New Dawn 1 is now available to own as a collector’s edition CD box set at £19.99 or £16.99 as a download exclusively from this website (Big Finish).

The world has ended. The Death crossed continents, sparing only a fraction of the global population. The survivors are now trying to pick up the pieces and rebuild society to create a new future. 

It’s been twenty years since the Death and fifteen years since Abby Grant and Jenny Richards went their separate ways. Britain has a fledgling government based in Cambridge, and some transport and communications infrastructure has been re-established. International links are being forged, and people are looking to the future with hope. But this new order is more fragile than it appears. The worst of human nature has survived along with the best. 

Tethered by Andrew Smith 

Abby Grant is heading home on a tragic mission when she meets an apparent Good Samaritan, who may be nothing of the sort. And in Cambridge, the seat of the New Federal Government, the Prime Minister tasks Law Minister Jenny Richards with a secret assignment. Both women soon find themselves in deadly peril. 

My Generation by Katharine Armitage 

Abby is on the run, and Jenny risks her future to protect her. An old friend, Jackie Burchall, is also eager to help. But when Abby falls in with an activist group called The Veil, it jeopardises everyone. 

Behind You by Roland Moore 

Abby remembers Leonard Cross as the awful children’s entertainer who came to one of her son’s birthday parties before the Death. She doesn’t expect to find herself relying on him as she recovers from injury and tragedy. And he may be even more awful than she knows… 


Carolyn Seymour said: “The challenges facing the survivors in the original TV series were almost insuperable but somehow, every time, there was a little glimmer of hope that came through that good will out and bad will be defeated.  

“Trying to wrench myself back into that part of my life was tough. I’m much less hot-headed than I was in those days. It was hard getting back there but these scripts have been very sensitively written. It’s been a great time.” 

Lucy Fleming added: “I think Abby and Jenny are quite different characters. Abby is quite driven but Jenny has a softer side. But they’ve evolved and come together more. They’ve been getting their heads down and working hard and getting these communities together.  

 “Maybe when we were younger, when we were doing the television series, we were not so sensitive as we are now. Also, the world has changed.” 

Survivors: New Dawn 1 is now available to own as a collector’s edition CD box set at £19.99 or £16.99 as a download here. 

Accompanying the box set is a brand new audiobook, Survivors: Ghosts and Demons, written by Ethan Milsea and read by Carolyn Seymour, which is available as a download only at £9.99. 

Big Finish Survivors audio sale – this week only

Big Finish - Survivors audios - sale runs from 22 November to 28 November 2021

AHEAD OF THE release of the new Survivors audiobook and audio drama boxset later this month, Big Finish are offering large discounts on all previous releases in the company’s Survivors audio range.

Discounts are available on all nine series of full-cast Survivors audios and the audiobook version of Terry Nation’s 1976 Survivors novel, narrated by Carolyn Seymour.

All releases are available in both CD and digital download formats (with the exception of series one, first released back in 2014 and now out-of-print on CD).

Best value of all comes with the range of bundles that are available. As CDs are the mostly heavily discounted items, it’s possible to acquire all nine series and the audiobook on CD for less than £100.

These Survivors offers are available exclusively from the Big Finish site until 23:59, UK time, on 28 November 2021.

Forthcoming releases

New audiobook Survivors: Ghosts & Demons will be released as a digital download, and is available to pre-order now.

New full-cast boxset Survivors: New Dawn 1 is also available for pre-order, in both CD and digital download formats.

Survivors: New Dawn 2 will be released in February 2022 and is also available for pre-order. Both releases can also be pre-ordered, in both formats, as part of a Big Finish bundle.

BIG FINISH PODCAST (2021-11-21 NINTH SURVIVORS)

In the latest Big Finish podcast, hosts Nick Briggs and Benji Clifford preview the release later this week of Survivors: New Dawn 1. The pair discuss their enthusiasm for working on the series; the significance of the time-shift that New Dawn is premised on; consider the approach to music and sound design on the release; and share their evident pleasure at the return to the Survivors fray of Lucy Fleming (Jenny Richards) and Carolyn Seymour (Abby Grant).