Italian broadcaster suspends showing of Survivors series one

The Italian TV network RAI-TRE has suspended transmission of series one of Survivors after three episodes.

The network premiered episode one on 3 September, with episode two following on 10 September. After a fortnight gap, episode three was shown on 24 September, but RAI-TRE has yet to schedule transmission of the remaining three installments of series one.

Thanks to Luca for alerting the blog to this news.

Survivors series one on BBC South Africa

Series one of Survivors began transmission on BBC South Africa on Tuesday 15 September at 20:30. The show will transmit in the same slot across a six-week run. The BBC Entertainment site, describes the show as: “A thrilling new interpretation of the classic drama which follows the fortunes of a group of survivors in a world devastated by a mystery virus.”

The BBC Entertainment sites offers a brief episode guide, as well as a ‘key facts’ introduction to the series.

The site also contains an extended trailer for series one (see below):

Survivors series one to be shown in Italy

The first series of Survivors (2008) will be shown on the RAI-TRE station in Italy, beginning with a broadcast of the 90-minute opening episode at 21:10 on Thursday 3 September 2009.

The first and second series of the original Survivors were extremely popular when shown in Italy by RAI (1979-1982) and TMC (1983). Transmission of the new series is certain to encourage renewed interest in the original Survivors – all three series of which have been released on DVD in Italy (as both a series of box-sets and a multi-part serial) for the first time.

Many thanks to Luca and Riccardo for alerting the blog to this news.

BBC HD begins repeat showing of Survivors series one

The opening episode of the first series of Survivors will be broadcast at 23:50 on Monday 20 July 2009 on the BBC HD Channel.

This will be the first installment of a six-part reshowing of the entire of the first series, which continues with episode two the following week.

Many thanks to Adrian H for alerting the blog to this news.

Beesley promotes Survivors series one in Italy

Survivors actor Max Beesley (Tom Price) appeared at the Italian film and TV festival RomaFictionFest being held in Rome between 6-11 July.

Beesley was in attendance to promote series one of Survivors, which is an Official Selection for the Series strand in the International competition. RomaFictionFest is also an opportunity to promote international TV sales, in the European market in particular.

Three promotional shots of Beesley’s appearance can be viewed (in thumbnail format) on the Bruno Press web site. (Deep-linking is not supported, so carry out a search for Max Beesley Fiction Festival to retrieve the relevant images).

The original 1975-1977 series of Survivors was a major TV hit in Italy, and all three series of the show have just been released on DVD in Italy for the first time – in a set of three box-sets and also as a series of ongoing ‘part-works’.

Episode one: 6.5m tune in to Survivors

Broadcast magazine reports that 6.5m viewers tuned in to the first episode of Survivors on BBC One on Sunday 23 November – a good showing, but one that – predictably – could not hold its own against ITV’s I’m a Celebrity.

BBC1’s new apocalyptic drama Survivors got off to a fine start last night at 9pm with a strong 6.5m viewers (25.4%) but the show was no match for ITV1’s I’m a Celebrity. The opening 90-minute episode began with 7.1m (26.5%) but saw its audience steadily decline to 6.3m (27.5%) in the final quarter of an hour.

The drama, featuring Julie Graham and Max Beesley, was up by 35.4% on the channel’s slot average for the year so far of 4.8m (20.5%).

Despite the strong showing for the terrestrial channel it was still below its commercial rival ITV1 at the time by 1.1m.

The latest goings on in the Australian jungle appealed to a sizeable 7.6m (29.7%). The 90-minute edition of reality series I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! was up by 40.7% on the channel’s slot average of 5.4m (22.9%).

Broadcast, 24 November 2008

Early viewing figures are also reported on the Digital Spy web site and Media Guardian.

BBC adds video content to Survivors web site

New video content has been added to the BBC Survivors web site, including:

1. Episode one extract: ‘Abby searches for son Peter in the aftermath of the deadly viral attack’
2. Interview: ‘Actor Chanak Patel tells us why Najid’s faith is important to him
3. Context feature: ‘Ecologist Joaquin Hortal gives us expert advice on how to survive a disaster’

New BBC trailer and teaser promos for Survivors

An alternative version of the main Survivors trailer is now being shown on BBC One, featuring a reworked selection of clips from the first episode.

The BBC is also showing different versions of a shorter ‘teaser’ trailer, which begin with the line ‘What if tonight wasn’t the end of the weekend, but the end of civilisation?’ and the image of a broken lightbulb (perhaps better suited to transmission this Sunday), or ‘What if there was no one left to entertain you?’, which features a TV screen reverting to a ‘white dot’, before resolving to the ‘Survivors – new drama’ tag line.

All of these different promotional slots are appearing regularly throughout BBC One prime time.

BBC 'teaser' trailers for Survivors - click on image for larger version

TV guides promote Sunday’s first episode of Survivors

All of the main (and most of the minor) highstreet TV listings magazines (which are published today) feature promotional materials on Survivors ahead of the transmission of the first two episodes of the new series next week.

The features on offer include:

• Radio Times: ‘Fight to Survive’, (pp.20-24)
• Total TV Guide: ‘Grave new world’, (pp.4-5)
• TV & Satellite Week: ‘Survival of the fittest’, (pp.12-13)
• TV Choice: ‘Survival of the Fittest’, (pp.6-7)
• TV Easy: ‘Deadly drama!’, (p.5)
• TV Quick: ‘It’s the end of the world’, (pp.16-17)
• TV Times: ‘Life after death’, (pp.16-17)
• What’s On TV: ‘Killer Virus’, (p.15)

Total TV Guide is the only magazine to feature Survivors as its main cover photo.

Total TV Guide, 22-28 November 2008

Radio Times – Survivors features, but not as the cover shot

The new Radio Times (for week beginning 22 November) includes an illustrated feature on the new Survivors – although the programme has lost out as the main cover feature to the David Tennant-starring Einstein and Eddington drama.

Radio Times, 22 November 2008

BBC confirms: episode 1, Sunday 23 November, 9pm

The BBC Survivors mini site confirms that the first ninety minute episode of Survivors will broadcast at 9pm, on Sunday 23 November 2008 on BBC1.

Survivors trailer shown on BBC1 and BBC4

A 40-second trailer for the new series of Survivors was shown on the BBC on Saturday 8 November – on BBC1, following the National Lottery show; and on BBC4 following on from the documentary Merlin – the Legend. The trailer featured several (though not all) of the main characters, and inticingly brief clips from the first two episodes.

The trailer also revealed the new series’ logo, featured in the first of the screen-captures below.

Survivors trailer on the BBC

The trailer is now available to view online (in the UK) on the BBC Survivors mini site at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/survivors.

Please note: once the series begins transmission, please be aware that this blog will not include links to any unofficial online streaming or downloading service of any episodes or extracts of episodes not endorsed by the BBC. Please do not submit any such links. Any comments containing such links will be deleted before they are approved and will not appear on this site.

Survivors episodes one and two broadcast slots

The latest news from the advanced TV schedules strongly suggests that the first ninety minute episode of Survivors will broadcast at 9pm, on Sunday 23 November 2008 on BBC1.

Episode two would then transmit at 9m, on Tuesday 25 November 2008 on BBC1.

Confirmation is still awaited as to whether the BBC HD transmission slots for Survivors will precede or follow on from the terrestrial TV broadcast on BBC1.

BBC Press Office reveals details of episode three

The BBC Press Office has published plot details of the third episode of Survivors.

***SPOILERS*** Please note that this link reveals significant plot spoilers.

Two first episodes to be shown 22-28 November

The BBC Press Office has confirmed that the first two episodes of the new series of Survivors will be broadcast on BBC1 between 22-28 November 2008.

A fairly detailed plot summary of the second episode is available from the BBC Press Office.

***SPOILERS*** Please note that this link reveals significant plot spoilers.

The BBC has also confirmed that Survivors will be available on the BBC’s HD (High Definition) Channel, and that the official web site accompanying the series will be named ‘Survivors Interactive’. As previously reported on this blog, the press release also indicates that the entire six episodes of the first series will be available through the BBC iPlayer ‘Series Stacker’ service.