SURVIVORS!!! Oh dear, why BBC why? The pre titles stated CREATED AND WRITTEN BY ADRIAN HODGES – Based on the “book” by TERRY NATION – well it is news to me it was a book before it was the original series –can’t you even get that right!!!!!

But I thought – at last a piece of television that will not corrupt established history – unlike the majority of the continued boring BBC OUTPUT of “period” pieces!

The original SURVIVORS series (1975-1977) created by TERRY NATION was all done on very poor OB VT – looked complete washed out, the cast were even more uninteresting then than the current incumbents – there was never any mention of (a la the final moments of this one) of some unknown form of protagonist that has released the virus purely to exterminate 90% of humanity for no good reason rather than perhaps the credit crunch or over priced spuds.

The continued VERY EXPENSIVE aerial travelogue shots of an empty London only seem to prove increasing the congestion charge does work with a large does of flu.

The use of Mr Beluga Eating Crystale Drinking pseudo Kuwaiti good looker suffering from a case of BCSD – or BIG CAR SMALL D**K – was very annoying. The black girl from DOCTOR WHO didn’t last long perhaps that is a sign that they will have guest refugees from all the period and “Who” pieces they have not been able to find other parts for in other productions turning up for a quickie to keep the wolf from the door. MAX BEESLEY seemed to treat his prison like HOTEL BABYLON and having “escaped” will of course become the hero over the next five weeks and find a cure! The actress from BONEKICKERS seems to have had survived from the destruction her career from that load of tosh!

I also notice one of the contenders for the next DOCTOR WHO, Paterson Joseph also appeared – well if his performance in this lamentable production is anything to go by, he will not ensure then continued success of the sainted DR WHO by become the first black guy to play the part. He is too lightweight and does not have the charisma and eccentricity of an actor for this iconic part!

And I see ANDY PRYOR CDG – a member of The Casting Director’s Guild ( WHO ALSO CASTS DR WHO, TORCHWOOD, SARAH JANE, LIFE ON MARS, CUTTING IT, OUR FRIENDS IN THE NORTH – amongst many others oh and TRAINSPOTTING) cast this one as well – shame on you Mr PRIOR why do you make your job so easy when you continue to cast the same people in everything? THE SPOTLIGHT ACTORS DIRECTORY has over 30000 possibilities surely he could manage to use a little bit more imagination?

Lastly the original series lasted for three series of some 38 episodes and that was really pushing it – luckily this only last for 6 episodes unless the BBC have the audacity to really milk this one from the cast of goats that I am sure Mr Pryor will be casting from his own herd for a further two series?

MARC SINCLAIR