59: Terry Nation's Survivors: The Fourth Horseman (1975) – BBC – Writer Terry Nation – Lucy Fleming, Ian McCulloch & Talfryn Thomas

In this episode of General Witchfinders, we revisit one of the most unsettling and prophetic dramas ever broadcast by the BBC – Survivors (1975), created by Terry Nation, the man behind the Daleks and Blake’s 7. Specifically, we’re talking about The Fourth Horseman, the chilling first episode of this 1970s British post-apocalyptic classic. 💀 Trigger warning / content note: this episode contains discussion of global pandemics, mass death, and social collapse. If the subject feels a little too close to home after recent years, we completely understand if you choose to skip this one.

Survivors imagines a world where a man-made virus, accidentally released by a scientist, spreads globally via air travel. Within weeks, nearly the entire population is dead. Society collapses, infrastructure crumbles, and the few who remain must fend for themselves in a near-empty Britain. This isn’t zombie apocalypse stuff or glossy sci-fi. There’s no government bunker, no miracle cure—just grief, loss, and the brutal reality of surviving in a world where almost everyone is gone.

Created by Terry Nation—best known for creating the Daleks in Doctor Who—Survivors taps into the very real fears of the Cold War era: disease, nuclear disaster, the fragility of civilisation. Nation was also behind Blake’s 7, and brought his trademark bleakness to both series. But before that, he was a comedy writer for the likes of Tony Hancock, Spike Milligan, and Peter Sellers—a strange career path that makes the grim tone of Survivors all the more striking.

The pilot episode features a brilliant, if doomed, ensemble cast. Peter Bowles plays David Grant, alongside Peter Copley as Dr Bronson. Bowles was a fixture of 70s telly (The Bounder, To the Manor Born, Only When I Laugh, Lytton’s Diary, and The Sarah Jane Adventures). Copley also had an enviable run, including The Forsyte Saga, The Avengers, Pyramids of Mars, and The Colour of Magic.

We’re also introduced to the show’s core survivors: Carolyn Seymour as Abby Grant – later seen in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Voyager, ER, Quantum Leap, and more. She’s also a prolific voice actor, particularly for Big Finish. Lucy Fleming as Jenny Richards – niece of Ian Fleming and a regular presence in British drama. Talfryn Thomas as Tom Price – the go-to Welsh character actor of his day, best known for Dad’s Army, Steptoe and Son, Hi-de-Hi!, and Doomwatch.

Although Survivors only ran for three series (1975–77), it remains one of the most grounded and frightening depictions of societal breakdown ever broadcast. The lack of music, the naturalistic dialogue, and the eerie emptiness all contribute to its unsettling power.

Whether you remember watching Survivors when it first aired, or you’re coming to it fresh in an age where its central premise no longer feels far-fetched, this is vintage British TV worth revisiting. It’s thoughtful, well-acted, and grim as hell. Just how we like it.

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