MovieChat Forums > Survivors (2008) Discussion > Too Well Fed

Too Well Fed

posted 14 years ago by P_Cornelius
29 replies | jump to latest

I'm about four or five episodes into this series and can't help but notice that despite all the hardship, the limited access to proper nutrition, and the calorie burning expenditure in energy required to set up a New World, none of these people are losing weight. Abby, in fact, is just as plump as when the series began. It's all a bit like Hurley on LOST, who somehow manages to *gain* weight no matter the limited access to the food pantry.

In this regard, the original series was much, much better. Carolyn Seymour's Abby looked almost emaciated, as did nearly every other character--easily noticed in their skin tight 1970s clothing. Too many people in the current series look soft and fleshy and in need of a trip to a fat farm. Graham's Abby actually has a double chin!

[–] acunn 14 years ago

Even going back to the 1970s, people lived a lot more of food bought as and when it was needed from local shops-whereas now everyone has mountains of unused canned food in their houses,which simply didnt exist then-and there are supermarkets containing mountains of canned and preserved food, that just didnt exist in the 70s when the other series was made.

Given that there was only about 60 000 people left alive, there really wouldnt be much shortage of food.

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] mackay254 14 years ago

Clearly your quick thinking survivor rushes to London and stocks up at Fortnum and Mason's.

Obvious first port of call!

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] P_Cornelius 14 years ago

Europe and America have plumped up considerably since the 1970s. And it shows in the difference b/w the original and new series. Are there fit and thin actors today? Even with food available--and, remember, hoarding and disease is supposed to make supplies difficult to acquire--these people would be using a lot more calories every day just to carry out routine tasks, not to mention all the new things they're now doing which require the use of muscles some of them probably haven't used ever during their adult life.. They would lose weight inevitably. And nobody in the new series has taken up so much as a notch in their belt. I swear that Graham's Abby has actually gained a few pounds.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] The_Toker 14 years ago

The Toker would point out that if you're only 4-5 episodes in then it hasn't actually been that long since the virus outbreak and no one would lose weight that quickly, haven't they also just found a huge warehouse full of food at this point?

Also Hurley stayed his size because he was eating a secret stash of ranch dressing.

What's orange and sounds like a parrot?
A Carrot.

[–] Backlot_Manager 14 years ago

"Perhaps it's just the way they're built, it can't always be helped."

Concentration camp inmates would not agree.

[–] P_Cornelius 14 years ago

I remember Abby in the original series was always wearing jewelry and rings on every finger, including, I think, her thumb. So far, for me, however, the only person who looks like he's going without a meal in the new series is indeed Naj. But that might be because he's always suffering from malnutrition, as he only stuffs his face with junk food.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] Keep_Flying 14 years ago

Is it time to remind everyone that this is a television show? Regardless of what would or would not happen if this were occuring in real life, actors do not "suffer" for their parts and would not be starving themselves just to film a television series only 6 weeks long at a time. What would you have them do, go to slimming clinics just before shooting so they could look emaciated when filming?

As someone said earlier, even on the show it has only been a matter of weeks passing during the first series, (which just ended here in the US), and the characters have been eating pretty well, all things considered.

[–] tracy-johnson-1 14 years ago

Christian Bale would do it! He's mental like that. ;)

[–] princeofnewyork 14 years ago

Seriously its not like they can't get food and its not like the "virus" has been going on for months! They even went grocey shopping and have chickens! Plus think about the abandon houses that have food that isn't spoiled or whatever.

The OP clearly isn't paying attention! Its not like everyone is on a deserted island with limited food and water.

[–] tracy-johnson-1 14 years ago

Yeah, that's why some of the plot and motivation of S2:Ep2 are a bit of a stretch. It's only been a few months for goodness' sake, I've got tins in my kitchen cupboards bought before I moved into my flat 2 years ago - they'll be fine!

Fighting over food at this point is unnecessary and an example of lazy "how can we get from A-B? Oh I can't be bothered to think about it, let's just....." writing.

[–] P_Cornelius 14 years ago

"Seriously its not like they can't get food and its not like the "virus" has been going on for months!"
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Then, why, on the first episode of season 2 did the scientists describe Abby as suffering from malnutrition? Again, the overall point also remains. These people are now out working to eat every day, instead of lounging around in their former couch potato lifestyles. Their requirement for calories will skyrocket.

[–] sabar-1 14 years ago

And let's not forget that their hairstyles are stunning considering there is no running water, electricity......

Rachel

[–] tracy-johnson-1 14 years ago

My untamable thatch would definitely be in a permanent pony tail by this point although I guess there's still plenty of shampoo & there are plenty of rivers (would have to be nice 'kindly to the environment' Lush shampoo or something).

I do wonder how Tom & Greg's hair doesn't get any longer, it wouldn't be as noticeable with everyone else but Greg must shave his head constantly and Tom's buzz cut should definitely be looking a bit unkempt by now. Maybe Abby was a part time hairdresser in her former life or something? Maybe she's doing wonders with scissors and that's why everyone was so worried when they lost her. Maybe they thought they might have to resort to bowl cuts!!!

[–] P_Cornelius 14 years ago

Shave everybody bald! It'll take care of the lice problem, too.

[–] Demarates 13 years ago

"My untamable thatch would definitely be in a permanent pony tail "

I do hope you are talking about the hair on your head here.

Always ask yourself :"What would Neil Patrick Harris do ?"

[–] andremarshna2003 13 years ago

What should abby and the 500,000 UK post surrviors should really looked like?

[–] There_Is_No_Sayid 14 years ago

I agree with this somewhat where it's supposed to take place over IIRC a year. But wrt Hurley you're dead wrong. First off, Jorge Garcia IS smaller. Check out a season one ep and then a season six ep. He's like a walking mountin in season one and now he's just morbidly obese. Also, the first four seasons of Lost take place over the course of about three months and after the first month, Hurley had access to a large supply of food, a good portion of which he hoarded for himself including high calorie stuff such as salad dressing.

Sorry for the rant, it's just one of those things that annoy me because it's such lazy and superficial viewing.

"Unless Alpert's covered in bacon grease, I don't think Hugo can track anything."

[–] prence 14 years ago

You make a good point.. they are a few months into this whole flu epidemic and Abby is still a fatty. What gives?

-prence

[–] ExcellentBulletproofVest 14 years ago

Abby lost a fair bit of weight between the two series, I thought.

-
They soon realise
They just fúcked with the wrong Mexican

[–] prence 14 years ago

I don't think so. I just watched them both back-to-back (and am thoroughly disappointed to see that there won't be a 3rd season) and she looked pretty much the same. If anything she might have been larger in the second series than in the first because she looked pretty big during that outdoor sex scene by the lake.

-prence

[–] ExcellentBulletproofVest 14 years ago

I noticed the same thing, but the sex scene at the lake was in the first season.

-
They soon realise
They just fúcked with the wrong Mexican

[–] prence 14 years ago

Oh, well in any case.. she was chubs when she was being "looked at" by the scientists in the second season. We watched all 12 episodes in the span of 2 days (amazing concept that I think turned kind of bleh in the 2nd season but I'm still disappointed it was canceled) so they kind of run together.

-prence

[–] stephen-alford1 13 years ago

There's some great points in this thread. Think of how positively stinky you'd be after only a couple of days without running water to cleanse yourself, not to mention how unkempt and dishevelled your clothes would look after a few days roughing it. Your clothes would be falling off you after a couple of weeks due to the weight loss because of the serious lack of regular meals. To be a lot more accurate on this show they'd have had to have shown the characters looking in a terrible state, and that's just never going to happen. The likes of Abbey and Anya were still wearing lipstick for Heaven's sake!