Out of thirty-eight episodes undoubtedly viewers have their particular favourites, stories that, for whatever reason, give an overall favourable impression over repeated viewings. For me it’s quite a while since I’ve visited the series however just to get the ball rolling and as an idea of what I’m talking about I thought I’d offer up an initial top five selection from me…
1) Greater Love
2) The Fourth Horseman
3) Law and Order
4) Law of the Jungle
5) The Last Laugh
1) Having established the ‘cosy atmosphere’ of the Whitecross settlement the very real continuing threat of ‘the death’ is powerfully re-established in the minds of the survivors in a deeply emotive piece that ends the life of undoubtedly one of the favoured series regulars. His heroic sacrifice to retrieve medical supplies necessary to the health of Jenny is made all the more distressing by the potentially deepening love that the communities Doctor, Ruth has for the likeable young maverick.
2) Undoubtedly the most powerful of stories effectively deals with the initial virulent outbreak radiating out from the centre of London as seen through characters like secretary Jenny. The scale of the epidemic is conveyed well by affluent Abby whose cosy ‘well-to-do’ rural lifestyle is shattered primarily by the death of her husband David causing her to make dramatic adjustments to the new post disease ridden finite survival ratio world into which she now finds herself.
3) A powerful late season one entry which after the good natured exuberance of a May Day party causes the community to evaluate in the cold harsh light of day, their sense of justice regarding how they deal with a murderer in their midst.
4) In the much more grim harsh environment of season three our trio of regulars happen across a patriarchal society where citizens are governed by the overtly oppressive powerful form of the loud spoken former butcher Brod. Although clearly a mental ‘battle of wills’ primarily between single-minded leader and Charles both Jenny and Hubert contribute effectively in the trios resistance to this self appointed community guiding individual.
5) For his final appearance in the series we find the same resolute determination that has typified Greg getting this former regular character resulting in the worst possible outcome in a story that both imperils his life and safeguards the future of the Whitecross community survivors. It is another successfully strong entry that further reinforces the fact that although a great amount of time has passed since the initial outbreak of ‘the death’ our survivors still find that life continues to present them with great challenges to continued existence.
Well maybe not completely the best ‘top five’ that the series offered up and my words supporting my choices aren’t as good as other things I’ve written previously on other subjects but hopefully it will get you guys thinking! It doesn’t have to be a top five, it could be a top three, a top ten or however many particular stories you’d like to praise although a little bit of reasons to support your choice might be nice.
If enough people contribute here maybe we could possibly be able to establish a rolling fans preferential episode chart, lets just see where we can go with this!!!
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