What happens
Isherwood Williams, a student of ecology, survives a rattlesnake bite in the northern California wilderness and wakes to find the world nearly empty of people. Driving through abandoned towns and cities, he finds newspapers reporting a deadly epidemic that has overwhelmed governments and medical services, and radio stations falling silent. He travels across the United States, meeting a few scattered survivors, and in San Francisco he begins to build a new life. This is the first part of an adaptation of George Stewart's novel Earth Abides, broadcast on the Escape series on 1950-11-05, with John Dana in the role of Isherwood Williams.
Northern California wilderness, then Hudsonville, San Francisco, and a journey across the United States to New York City, after a worldwide epidemic
Characters: Isherwood Williams, Harry, Viola Barlow, Milt Carson, Mrs. Carson, Emma, Dr. Stanley
Listen for: Isherwood's journey through the empty towns and cities, and the discovery of the newspaper reports describing the epidemic
Written from the episode itself; it never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.