The Face of the Tiger (TV story)

***The Face of the Tiger*** was the the fifth episode of *Series 2*, and the eighteenth overall of *Survivors*.

## Synopsis

A man arrives at Whitecross, but can he be trusted?

## Plot

Greg and Jack are working on building a stockade, with Charles and Arthur bringing them more wood. Hubert complains about them doing this instead of repair work on his house. Greg says it'll keep the sheep in so Hubert won't have to sit up with them all night. Hubert retorts that they could have done it instead of going to London. Greg walks away and Jack reminds Hubert that the London trip wasn't easy.

Greg goes home where Jenny is producing fat. Greg protests that that's Hubert's job. Jenny says Ruth has been upset with soap since coming back from London. She has to go and answer the baby's cry. Greg has already gone to see Pet, who gives him an extra loaf of bread. Greg complains to Ruth about Jenny getting more work while Hubert does nothing.

Meanwhile, a stranger, Alistair, approaches the community. He sees John and Lizzie playing. They freeze up when they see him and he sharply asks what's the matter. He relaxes when they explain strangers might be ill. John and Lizzie lead Alistair to Charles and Greg. He confirms he was ill over a year ago and has been on his own since. Greg says he has to go into quarantine for two days to join them. He leads Alistair to the hut where Jack is waiting. They explain about how the party from London had to use it and about Paul dying. Alistair is impressed by their set-up.

Jack goes to see Hubert in his ramshackle cottage. Hubert complains about his meagre food ration despite Jack insisting he'll repair the roof once the stockade is done. Jack talks to Arthur about Hubert staying with him but Arthur refuses, listing Hubert's faults, mainly his lack of personal hygiene.

Next morning, Charles checks on Alistair who is reading in his hut, a book by Wordsworth about the power of nature. Charles gets him to read some to him. Meanwhile, Hubert is sat with the sheep. Greg and Jack are continuing their work when John calls out to them that their meal's ready. Charles joins Pet at the house and they discuss Alistair. Ruth comes in and, on learning Alistair hasn't been in contact with anyone, says he doesn't need to be in quarantine. John goes looking for Lizzie and finds Jenny, telling her about Ruth letting Alistair out. Jenny tells him to look after baby Paul.

At the house, Arthur takes Alistair's details: His full name is Alistair MacFadden, he worked as a librarian and has no practical skills. He tells Arthur and Ruth about seeing a man on horseback looking for his wife and child. They realise it was Jimmy Garland looking for Abby. Jenny arrives and they tell her about the meeting. She tells Ruth about the fat. Ruth insists it's worth it. Pet joins them and offers carrot tea. Alistair offers advice on herbal remedies. Arthur considers it a practical skill. Jenny continues to make curt remarks about having to make soap. Charles enters with Greg and gives a lecture about how everyone must do what they're best at for the sake of the community. Ruth and Jenny get into another argument. Alistair looks uncomfortable with the dissent.

John and Lizzie come across Hubert. John tells him Jack said to look in the face of a tiger so it won't attack you. Hubert says he's never tried but he'd run if he saw a tiger. Meanwhile, Greg tends to an emotional Jenny. She apologises for her mood and says him disappearing to London left her scared of living without him. Greg suggests Jenny needs a change of scene and accompanies Arthur on the next trip to collect salt. Jenny is very reluctant but agrees to think about it.

Alistair introduces himself to Hubert. He explains he's collecting herbs for medical purposes. Hubert mentions his roof and learns Alistair's staying at the White House with Arthur. Hubert goes to see Charles and complains about Alistair getting better housing than him. Charles says he can't force people to live together. Hubert says he has to stay outside with the sheep, even though Pet's allowed to be inside while looking after the pigs. Charles stresses that Hubert's job is important and he's the best person to do it. He wonders why Alistair didn't share with him.

Alistair listens in on Charles trying to convince Arthur to let Hubert share with him. Arthur still refuses. Charles can see Hubert's point of view over Alistair and comments on the number of arguments there have been recently. Next morning, Alistair tries to help Greg and Jack with the stockade but Jack says they can manage. Hubert watches from the field. Alistair takes his coat off for a short period to help carry wood. When he retrieves it, he checks the pocket and finds something missing. He notices Hubert has gone.

Hubert shows Charles a newspaper clipping, making out Alistair dropped it. Pet approaches and Hubert asks if he can have Alistair's room, then implies he'll keep quiet if treated properly. Alistair appears and says something's been taken from his pocket. Charles shows him the clipping and asks if he's Andrew McAllister. Later, Alistair explains the whole thing to Charles, Greg, Ruth, Jenny, Arthur, Jack and Pet. He was in the prison hospital when the Death struck. He spent time on his own fishing. He was in prison for killing a child, who reacted to him with fear and left him frightened of her. He says he worked out his reasoning himself while he was alone with nature, with everyone else dead.

Later, Ruth reminds the others that they decided by majority to keep Alistair around. Greg points out that it was only the majority of those who were there and wonders how the rest of the community will cope it. Charles recalls Hubert trying to blackmail him. Arthur wonders if Alistair will kill again. Ruth insists Alistair is cured by understanding himself. Charles and Pet discuss Hubert's reaction. Greg goes to see Hubert and asks him to keep quiet until Ruth has talked to people. Hubert complains Alistair is a murderer. Greg says he's cured. Hubert still wants a better place in return for his silence and Greg warns him.

Next day, Hubert points Alistair out to John and says some people are dangerous like tigers and he shouldn't be around Alistair. He says not to let anyone know he spoke to him. Meanwhile, Greg checks in on Jenny who says Hubert dropped hints about how Alistair might hurt the baby. Greg says Hubert's behind everything that goes wrong in the settlement. Jenny thinks they should either fix his roof or have someone else take him on.

John and Lizzie check on the half-built stockade. John stays there on his own. Meanwhile, Arthur goes to see Hubert: He isn't willing to have Hubert live with him but does offer to help fix his roof. Hubert complains about how everyone is supposed to have their own jobs and Arthur gives up as Hubert gripes about privilege. Alistair sees John in the woods and jokingly jumps out at him. John looks scared and runs off. Alistair goes after him, annoyed. Lizzie looks for John without success.

Arthur returns home and finds Alistair packing. Alistair thinks he shouldn't have come there and intends to find a house on his own. He says it isn't because of what people think about him but because he thought people would be different now. Arthur reflects on how everyone seems significant now. Alistair says he wasn't expecting people to argue anymore. He thinks he can scavenge to survive despite Arthur's warnings. Meanwhile, Lizzie tells Greg, Charles, Jenny and Jack about John being missing. Jack says Hubert saw Alistair there. Arthur comes in and tells them Alistair's gone. Charles goes after him, while Arthur tries to quell the panic.

Charles, Greg and Ruth have brought Alistair back to the house. Alistair says he didn't go after John but was angry with him, for being frightened of him. He confirms he remembered the child he killed and thought someone had told John. Jack arrives back from searching for John. Alistair understands why they're asking questions. Charles and Jack discuss ways of searching the canal for a body. Greg tells Alistair they need to keep him there.

During the night, Greg and Ruth wonder what to do if John isn't found. Greg says Hubert's convinced Alistair is responsible. Greg intends to set Alistair loose, without telling Charles, and says he's not going through a murder trial again. Ruth doesn't understand the reference. Greg says they're not policemen and should stick to their own jobs. Meanwhile, a drunken Hubert bangs on Arthur's door, having helped himself to Ruth's supplies, and boasts he was right. Arthur says it could be methane alcohol. Hubert wants Arthur to join him in claiming to have seen Alistair kill John and again tries to negotiate for his room. Arthur throws him out.

Arthur goes to see Greg, who is watching over Alistair, and warns him Hubert's threatening to kill Alistair. Greg sends Charles back to bed. He tells Alistair he'll escort him to the reservoir. Next morning, as the two of them are heading out, they find John in the quarantine hut. He says he went there because he left the community, so that's where you have to go when you come back. Later, Greg, Charles, Pet and Arthur go over the matter. They aren't happy about what Hubert did to John and Alistair but can't throw him out.

Jack finds Hubert passed out with a bottle and takes it to Greg, Charles, Pet, Hubert and Ruth. Ruth says it's not methane alcohol but brandy she was keeping for medicinal purposes. Jenny turns up to ask after John and notes Alistair left a book on herbs and a book of poetry around. She laments losing Alistair and keeping Hubert. Charles awkwardly suggests Greg took a chance letting Alistair go without consulting him. Greg asks if it would have made a difference and Charles doesn't answer. He reflects on a poem Alistair marked, about how even the worse shouldn't be kept away from good.

## Cast

* Greg Preston - Ian McCulloch
* Charles Vaughan - Denis Lill
* Jenny Richards - Lucy Fleming
* Pet Simpson - Lorna Lewis
* Ruth Anderson - Celia Gregory
* Hubert Goss - John Abineri
* Arthur Russell - Michael Gover
* John Millon - Stephen Dudley
* Lizzie Willoughby - Tanya Ronder
* Jack Wood - Gordon Salkilld
* Alistair McFadden - John Line

## Crew

* Written by Don Shaw
* Produced by Terence Dudley
* Directed by Terence Williams