Escape - Earth Abides

Escape's "Earth Abides" was adapted from the 1949 novel by George R. Stewart, and it was their only two-part episode. Earth Abides is a novel that is an experience of its own, and you can't fully understand the book from the radio adaptation. Still, Escape deserves credit for attempting to present this complex story. The book is a classic that everyone should read.

The first part of Escape's version doesn't drift too far from the novel, but the second part is quite different. Escape's version shortens the story considerably and leaves out a number of characters. It also omits subjects like sex, bigamy, religion, spirituality, illiteracy, etc. The focus is on the horror of a "man-dead" world.

Most of the book takes place on the east side of San Francisco Bay, but not in Escape's version. The primary location was changed from Oakland to San Francisco. The most important monument in the book is the Bay Bridge, but Escape, changed that to the Golden Gate Bridge.

As the episode opens, Isherwood Williams is in a forest in Northern California. He is an ecologist who has been up in the woods collecting samples. As he is climbing a ridge, he is bitten by a snake.  He treats the wound himself, but falls ill. Two men find him at the cabin, but when they see he is sick, they leave quickly.

When Ish feels well enough, he drives into the nearest town, there he finds...no one. What he does find are old newspapers that tell of a great epidemic virus that has struck and killed millions. Ish drives on in seach of people, but he finds none. The water still runs, the electricity works, but there are no people.

Civilization has been brought down by the virus, but there are other survivors. One by one, they find each other and band together in the lonely world they now inhabit.

"Earth Abides" was adapted for Escape by David Ellis and produced/directed by Norman MacDonnell. John Dehner starred. Also appearing were Lawrence Dobkin, Peggy Webber, Michael Ann Barrett, Parley Baer, Ron Brogan, Paul Frees, and Lou Krugman.

Part one aired on November 5, 1950, and part two aired on November 12th, 1950.

Download Escape_1950-11-05_Earth Abides Part 1

Download Escape_1950-11-12_Earth Abides Part 2

(Image of the 1949 first edition of Earth Abides --Wikipedia)

See also:

The Scarlet Plague

 

Comments

[Mike Hobart]

This is a great episode(s). John Dehner is really good as the survivor; the story is gripping and ends in a moving finale.

Having said that, I'm sure that there's an awful lot of the book that didn't make it to this adaptation. I must get round to reading the original novel real soon now...

[Cmillinsf]

Hi Mike,
I was kind of scared to read Earth Abides because of its powerful reputation, but I'm glad I did. After being devastated by Jack London's "The Scarlet Plague" I just didn't think I could make it through another story of that kind.
(I pointed out Escape's changes of location partly because of "The Scarlet Plague," which is specific to San Francisco.)
Of all of the books that I have had to read in order to write about Escape's adaptations, Earth Abides was a unique experience. Not a fun read, but very thought-provoking.
-- Best, Christine

[David Baker]

I am with Mike. This episode really made me want to read the book. Thanks for posting it.

[J. Soliday]

I was glad to fionally see Earth Abides included on this Escape site. It was actually the first episode that got me into "Escape". It also made me want to read the novel and see what more it brought to the subject. The book is much more dark, complete and thus more satisfying and thought provoking than the two-part Escape episode.
As probably the initial story of its kind, I would highly recommend it to fans of the post-apocalyptic genre (of which there is an abundance of material). Keep up the good work with this website.