Survivors - 2.12 Over The Hills

Having barely referred to gender up to now, Survivors tackles it full-on with this fascinating episode centring around newcomer Sally's getting pregnant. On hearing the news Charles immediately reverts to his old self as seen in ep 1.4. I say reverts, but it becomes clear during the story that he hadn't changed as much as we thought; the reason he and Greg haven't married their partners is because he doesn't want to give moral endorsement to the idea that the women should have children with only one man.

But we're shown that the women have other ideas. Charles - having innocently remarked earlier that it's surprising that more of them haven't got pregnant - is aghast to find out that they've been asking Ruth to come up with a reliable method of contraception. When he objects, she defies him and says she isn't going to assist in putting women back into their historical box.

We also learn that Jenny has stopped having sex with Greg because she doesn't want to have another child. And that Pet's periods are still regular. We learn more about the inner lives of the women survivors, as women, in this ep than we have in all the previous ones put together.

Charles still can't be dissuaded from holding a conception party for Sally. Greg plays the 'Keep on going' song from ep 1.4 again. But the occasion ends just as badly as the last party they had. Sally miscarries, and Charles and Pet have a long sad conversation about their relationship. Charles gets thoroughly schooled in this episode.

The episode ends on a hopeful note though with Greg finally getting the methane-powered engine going.

The 'pockets of civilisation' idea from ep 1.5 and Lights of London is raised again, and dismissed again. I suspect we're being prepared for new developments here.

Greg seen using a slide rule. Handy thing to have post-apocalypse, no batteries.

Christmas mentioned for the first time. I expect they had a Christmas celebration at the series 1 house. Imagine that. Survivors Christmas special.

At the start of the ep Charles is surprised by the idea of a methane-powered tractor. And yet he was talking to Greg about it in the previous ep.

Dating: the party is on Midsummer Day, which might mean June 24 or the summer solstice, which if this is 1977 was June 21. The episode opens a week previously, on a Sunday - either the 12th or the 19th. The haymaking in the previous ep suggested that that must have been in the second half of June, so it can't have been very long ago at all if they were haymaking then.