Survivors have been compared to Epidemic. But the series looks more like "Chernobyl"

On August 12, Okko streamed the premiere of the series "Survivors" based on the book "Survivors Want to Sleep" by Ilya Kolosov. In the Russian-language media space, the novelty is compared with Pavel Kostomarov's Epidemic, which Stephen King himself praised. But there really isn't much in common between the two series. First of all, they are distinguished by completely different atmosphere and approach to filming, and this can be seen already in the first two episodes.

But in the plot of "Survivors" it is really easy to find similarities with "Epidemic". So, in both projects, the fate of people unlike each other is intertwined, forced to join forces in order to survive.

The atmosphere of devastation and similarities with the tragedy in Pripyat

Sasha Morozov, a patient of a psychiatric clinic, is leaving after another course of treatment. He often dreams of how living people are buried in mass graves. All in the same dreams, a girl named Nastya constantly appears to him. Meanwhile, special forces soldier Sergei Shadrin is returning from Syria to his native provincial town. He is trying to restore relations with his wife (the same girl from Sasha's visions) and his daughter, but his wife has already found another man.

In parallel with these events, the city is seized by a strange illness similar to the flu. The infected cough up blood and die very quickly. The authorities are trying to restore order and organize quarantine, but the situation is spiraling out of control. Then the military cordon off the area, and the few survivors are trapped, cut off from the world.

Meanwhile, the virus is mutating. The heroes discover that now they cannot sleep longer than two hours a day, otherwise they will fall into a fatal coma. At the same time, it is impossible to wake up on your own, which makes people doubly dependent on each other.

Despite the similarity of events with "Epidemic", the difference in the visual part is immediately evident. Instead of a glossy picture, the audience will see noir in yellow-green tones. In fact, with its atmosphere of devastation and despondency, "The Survivors" are much more reminiscent of a completely different series. This is "Chernobyl"Craig Mazin: an abandoned city where there is no light, water or heating, a general panic from lack of information, human bodies mutilated by illness.

In addition, in the second episode of "Survivors," the heroes watch the fireworks. And in "Chernobyl" there was a very similar scene in which residents, unaware of the danger of radiation, admire the glow over the station.

Feelings of isolation and attention to the lives of ordinary people

Several people worked on the plot at once. The episodic plan was written by Alexander Lungin, and the dialogues were polished by Roman Volobuev and Elena Vanina ("The Last Minister"). The script was written at the very peak of the lockdown, and this greatly influenced the mood of the series. Absolutely everything in him is imbued with a sense of anxiety and alienation. And the great merit of the director Andrei Proshkin in how he manages to convey the necessary sensations of the characters in the frame.

For example, at the very beginning, we are shown the moving bodies of people in a mass grave. And their well-coordinated movements immediately inspire the viewer with anxiety and even fear.

Although the main idea was invented before the pandemic, the plot resonates strongly with modern realities. Indeed, only in the post-like world can an ordinary cough be so frightening. What can we say about overcrowded hospitals and quarantines.

Even in "The Survivors" one can feel the hand of the creative producer Boris Khlebnikov, and fans of his work will immediately notice this. In his social dramas (Arrhythmia, Long Happy Life, Free Swimming), he shows ordinary people. By the way, the intelligent and tactful Sasha from "The Survivors" performed by Alexey Filimonov even outwardly resembles Oleg from "Arrhythmia" - a selfless ambulance doctor.

And such heroes want to empathize more than the well-fed residents of the capital from "Epidemic". Here we have a former military man, a person with a mental disorder, exhausted provincial doctors - in a word, those who had a hard time even before the appearance of the deadly virus.

Well-chosen actors and strong female characters

Another big hit for the show is the excellent cast. In addition to the wonderful Alexei Filimonov, familiar to a wide audience from the film "Oxygen", the incredibly energetic Valentina Lukashchuk stands out. She played a free-thinking elementary school teacher.

In general, in terms of bright women, the "Survivors" outperform the "Epidemic". For example, here the heroines freely dispose of their sexuality and do not compete for men, as was the case in the Kostomarov series. In addition to the very shocking Lukashchuk and the more restrained Daria Savelyeva, imperceptibly reminiscent of the young Jodie Foster, other female characters also play an important role in the plot. But their appearance and development will have to wait until the next series.

It is a pity if Khlebnikov's production project remains in the shadow of the more popular Epidemic. He has potential, nice characters and an interesting plot-forming idea. But still, the whole show can be judged when all the episodes are released. After all, it often happens that the next Russian project begins cheerfully and distinctively, and at the end of the season it subsides and disappointing spectators.