...And I'm not talking about that crappy reality show.
Survivors is a British two season, twelve episode television program by the BBC about the aftermath of a super-flu that wipes out 90% of the worlds population. It's actually a remake of a BBC show from the 1970's of the same name. It's available on NetFlix streaming so add it to your instant cue now, you won't be disappointed!
It's about a group of survivors that have come together to make a life for themselves and all the troubles and trials they run into in a lawless, hungry world.
There are no mutants or CGI aliens or robots, and doesn't carry with it the bombastic militaristic adventurism in most American Sci-Fi (Si-Fi) programs which is quite refreshing. It's a realistic drama about a 'doomed' society trying to hang on.
It's quite a compelling show and the character driven acting is top-notch. The show touches on a number of social issues in a post-apocalypse society, which for me, falls into the true realm of science-fiction themes - the kind that make you ponder the events of the episode.
It's hard to come across great science-fiction and I think this is something worth watching. Check it out!
With the end coming soon (according to some prophets) lets take a look at what the world will look like in the post-apocalypse, shall we?
First up we have TSR's 1st ed. Gamma World map. Brilliant and ready to inspire the imagination of any GM/Mutant Lord! Gamma World had a general campaign world background with factions set up but left things open - wide open, in fact, to really fill in the blanks DIY old-school style. One hex on that map of the future United States was about 80 miles, I believe. The map itself is fantastic with parts of the east coast blown to bits as well as California tumbling into the sea and notice Florida shrinkage. Classic post nuclear world!
Here's hoping that whole east coast - west coast thing is settled....or not! I'll try to get an actual scan of this map in the near future.
Next we move into the realm of comic fantasy with Jack Kirby's world of Kamandi. The creative insanity of Jack's vision of a future world brings us mutant animals controlling their own empires within the former United States. Beyond that we have such lovely vacation spots such as The Kanga-rat Murder Society, Mad-Hole, Island of the God Watchers and The Strange Fire Area among others. So plan your travel packages and Mutant Games now!
Vaughn Bode's future world fantasy of Cobalt 60 (now optioned by Universal Studios and Zach Snyder for a live action movie) brings us again to a grim world of mutants and savagery. The beautiful map below (created by his son Mark, I believe) shows the San Francisco area complete with flooded craters. Poor California!
The distopian future of Judge Dredd brought us the Judge, Jury and Executioner police force along with it's Mega-cities. But the real challenge for any traveler is a journey through the deserts of the Cursed Earth, a land of mutants, gangs and dinosaurs. Land too tough for even a Judge! Finally, Dr. Chet Snow's post earth-change map of the United States. Again, bad news for California but not so bad for Tucson AZ where I may be able to pick up some beach-front property. I believe Dr. Snow's first major earthquake prediction date has come and gone but he still has a year and a half so we'll see. Other prophetic maps of similar ilk can be found here dealing with Nostradamus and pole-shifts.
And last I'd like to mention, if you really want to get a gander of what a post-nuclear world will be like in your home town, head on over to Ground Zero at Carlos Labs and look at the grim reality for yourself.
Mutant Future here we come!
"History shows again and again How nature points out the follies of man"
Ahh, yes. One of my favorite, if not the favorite, genre - the post apocalyptic theme. Always loved this concept as far back as I can remember. The idea of man not being 'King of the World' anymore - to being just a supporting cast member in the ruins of his once might civilization has always thrilled me.
Maybe it was those Kamandi comics I read as a kid? Planet of the Apes infinite loop stories? Soylent Green? Omega Man? These are the images and stories I loved as a kid. Will man burn-out or fade away? Most likely fade away - with a whimper.
One common thread in most of these stories is society breaking down - and quickly at that. Martial law, chaos, riots, mass shootings, mass graves…Grim world indeed but probably true if humanity faced the end of it's civilization. Face it, we're pussies in the scale of the universe.
What's usually left is a scattering of humans roaming the ruined wastelands. Rules? There are no rules. It's survival, man!
So here's a list of some of the movies and stories that really capture the good and bad of this future world. If you haven't yet, go watch the books and read the movies!
Kamandi - Jack Kirby's comic about the last boy on earth. Great inspiration but by this time, Kirby's high-octane writing can leave you breathless. Must read.
Judge Dredd - 2000AD hero of Megacities and the Cursed Earth. One of the best comics (the movie sucked ass). Must read.
Daybreak 2250 A.D. (Andre Norton) 1952 novel full of mutants and a small population of humans. Gamma World inspiration. Good read.
Thundarr the Barbarian - Saturday morning cartoon. Best portrayal of a post 1994 Mutant Future!
Star Barbarian - Great Sci-Fi concept of humanities colonization of the stars only to revert back to barbarism. Great concept but didn't like the book that much.
I Am Legend (1954 Richard Matheson) and it's various film adaptations Omega Man, I Am Legend, Last Man On Earth) Good stories in either form.
Alas Babylon (1959 Pat Frank) Post Apocalyptic radiation = bad. Good read.
The Day After - 1980's American television program about the hopeless doom after a nuclear war. Meh.
The Day After Tomorrow - I haven't seen this post-climatic apocalyptic story. Written by Whitely Strieber
The Stand (Stephen King) The plague and the fall of humanity and the traveling across country is great stuff . Didn't get much into the battle of good and evil. Movies, book, comic - all good.
The Road - This ain't no beatnick journey! I haven't read the book but the movie was quite depressing and horrific. Not the post-apocalyptic world I want to live in. Bleak! Bleak! But watch it anyway.
The Planet of the Apes - The infinite loop concept of the movies is great in an of itself. Very good.
Plant Guy - Comic book written by me! Mutant plants, the Roctopus! A must read!
Soylent Green - Part of Chuck Heston's 1970's gun toting apocalyptic fury. Nuff said.
The Road Warrior Trilogy - "A fella' , a smart fella might have a weapon under there." Must see.
Night of the Living Dead and it's sequels - The classic first film captures the quick descent into savagery better than almost any other story. Oh and don't forget the zombies! Must see many times. The Walking Dead - Speaking of zombies, these series is pretty gruesome and hopeless but the humans fight on. The comic is good too. Must See.
Ever Since The World Ended - Survivors in a post plague world eek out a society in this documentary style film. Very good.
The War Game - A banned documentary from 1965 showing society's breakdown despite best efforts of the government in post nuclear Britain. Depressing but must see.
A Boy And His Dog - Young Don Johnson's foray into the post Apocalypse. Good.
Children Of Men - Sterile humanity - End Of Line. Distopian must see .
Blindness - Blindness messes with humanity in a big way. Heavy and depressing.
Knowing - If you love the ancient astronaut theory this movie's for you! I loved this.
28 Days Later - Romero inspired end of the world zombie flick. Must See
Delicatessen - What's the post apocalypse without cannibalism? Weird
Night of the Comet - Valley girls go shopping at the end of the world. Fair, very 1980's
If anyone has any other suggestions, please let the world know before it's too late.
UPDATED: This just in....To coincide with this blog post was the release of the teaser trailer for Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Sometimes we're our own worst enemy...
Survivors is a British two season, twelve episode television program by the BBC about the aftermath of a super-flu that wipes out 90% of the worlds population. It's actually a remake of a BBC show from the 1970's of the same name. It's available on NetFlix streaming so add it to your instant cue now, you won't be disappointed!
