The second episode of Survivors sees the introduction of the third main player in this series, Greg Preston, played by Ian McCulloch. His arrival is fairly low key, like much of this series so far, and pure coincidence unites him with Jenny and eventually, Abby.
This episode spends time examining the nastier side of human nature. Abby meets Arthur Wormley (played by George 'Full Circle' Baker) who has set himself up as judge, jury and executioner. Ostensibly 'protecting' the local area, it is clear he is more interested in gaining power in this desolated land. When a group attack the house he has appropriated, he orders the execution of one of their number. Abby is appalled and flees into the night.
Greg meets Myra and Vic. Vic (Terry 'Seeds of Death' Scully) has been trapped under a tractor and his leg is broken. Myra manages to find Greg who initially helps them but soon realises he is better off by himself. Myra is set on maintaining her privileged position from the old world and sees a future where she will have various people working for her in exchange for food and clothes. When Greg leaves, she abandons Vic to his fate. Greg runs across her and she lies that Vic is dead. He and Jenny leave her behind when they see lights in the distance which turns out to be a fire lit by Abby in an attempt to find other survivors.
This episode sets out the themes of the series even more clearly than in the first. This series is clearly going to be examining human nature and how, in such a devastating situation, we would cope. It won't be 'good vs evil' rather 'moral vs amoral' and I am very interested to see how this develops. Greg in particular looks like he will be a far more complex character than Abby or Jenny.
Andrew East is a primary school teacher and father of two, who finds respite in the worlds of Doctor Who, Disney and general geekiness. Unhealthily obsessed with Lance Parkin’s A History, his Doctor Who viewing marathon is slowly following Earth history from the Dawn of Time to the End of the World. He would live in a Disney theme park if given half the chance.
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