Survivors: Complete Seasons One and Two

A contemporary remake inspired by the identically-titled mid-1970s BBC cult show that imagined the survivors of a worldwide lethal virus pandemic trying to rebuild a society out of the ruins, this series focuses less on the reconstruction and more on the dangers of the lawless frontier, where the remaining population divides into functional tribes. British TV stars Julie Graham, Max Beesley, Paterson Joseph, and Zoe Tapper are among the central handful of strangers who can't quite trust each other but band together to overcome a variety of threats, including feral gangs that prey on the weak, and ruthless proto-societies that enslave outsiders. Amid this nightmarish culture of power struggles and roving predators, Survivors adds an additional element: a conspiracy involving an underground shadow government, in which political and corporate interests combine to search for a vaccine, sacrificing anyone and everyone for the cause. An apocalyptic action soap opera with a volatile group of characters (Beesley plays a convicted killer whose loyalties are always in question), this short-lived series (2008-2010) is not terribly deep, but it's reasonably addictive, and it uses the best special effect of all to set the atmosphere: urban locations that are eerily bereft of human activity during the bright light of day. Compiling all 12 episodes, DVD extras include a “making-of” featurette, a look at the special effects, and character profiles. A strong optional purchase. [Note: Survivors: The Complete Original Series is also available for $79.98.] (S. Axmaker)