Archive:The Summer without Roses (TV series)

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The Summer without Roses
Summer wo Roses.png
Also known as
GenreAlternate history
Political drama
Based onThe Summer without Roses by Keun Sobane
StarringSee cast
Country of originLiosol, Lugida, Qonklaks
Original language(s)Broad Tolec, Contemporary Qonklese, Hetan, Lithian
No. of seasons13
No. of episodes149
Production
Executive producer(s)Jon Ghotan
Location(s)Bapadok, Jikring, Lanothi, Natlia
Running time60 minutes
Production company(s)Thadn
Budgetʔ8.541.000.000
Release
Original networkJeba Broadcast
Original releaseOctober 5, 2008
(28 Yemit 1342 AK)
Chronology
Related showsYellow Flowers, The Summer without Roses (film)

The Summer without Roses (Alotol: Saisnaus batanair – literally, "Summer of Roses") is an Alotol alternate history drama television series. The series is set primarily in a post-war Soltenna where the Unity powers have won the Great Ekuosian War and become dominant powers of the world. It is based on the 1989 novel of the same name.

Synopsis

Eul Segan, a soldier of the Alotol navy, wakes up in a hospital in Free Belfan. He learns that he has been in a coma, induced by a surprise attack from Qonklaks and the tratorious Eni forces, for the past three years and that Liosol and the rest of the allies have lost the Great Ekuosian War. Segan must conceal his identity as a former soldier for the Sovereign Kingdom and tries to survive in the Unity-occupied Alotol City. Along the way he befriends name (x) and name (x), supporters of the Rose Front, a pro-Alotol group of rebels. Their goal is to kill the leaders of Qonklaks and Lugida during the annual Freedom Day Celebration, saving Liosol and the rest of Soltenna. However, Segan's quick infatuation with name, a Qonklese woman with ties to the brutal regime, deter him from his plans.

Episodes

Season Episodes Originally released
1 5 2008
2 10 2009
3 12 2010
4 10 2012
5 10 2013
6 15 2014
7 12 2015
8 12 2016
9 12 2017
10 12 2018
11 12 2019
12 12 2020
13 15 2021

Season 1 (2008)

No. Overall No. in season Title Original air date
1 1 "The Awakening" 2008
In 1953 Unity-occupied Alotol City, Eul Segan wakes up in a hospital bed. A nurse wearing a traditional Alotol tricolor, without the royal emblem, armband checks his vitals and tells him he's lucky to be alive. She reveals that he has been in a coma for three years. During this time, Unity forces divided Alotol City and moved the Alotol authority to Granas, depriving them of their former capitals. Segan argues with the nurse and demands to be discharged. She helps him up and tells him that he must wear the same armband as her - a new law from the Alotol authority. Segan tries to leave the hospital but the nurse warns him that he should keep his military past a secret. She reveals that she wiped his record during his stay in the hospital, a very serious crime. Segan thanks her and leaves, discarding the armband the minute he's outside the facility.

Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition party, Lia Masine is on a train en route to Granas. He practices his speech with an aid for the upcoming 1955 election. Passengers swiftly exit his car, so as not to be associated with his movement. One older passenger approaches the pair, excitedly. She tells Lia how proud she is of his movement and asks for him to give her an autograph. Lia begrudgingly accepts and, as he reaches inside his coat for a pen, is stabbed by the passenger. As his bodyguards surround her, she screams "Liosol is dead! You should die with it!"

2 2 "Acceptance or Death" 2008
Premier Reth Janoe, leader of the Alotol authority, makes a speech announcing the attack on the opposition leader. He declares that this is a result of Lia's unpopularity and his failure to adopt the new way of thinking, introduced to the country by the Qonklese Empire.

Segan formally meets the Methas Men, an anti-Unity, pro-Batan resistance group. On his way back home he runs into name, immediately falling in love with her, despite her Qonklese heritage.

3 3 "Happy Birthday, Your Majesty" 2008
Rioting near the capital forces Western Liosol into martial law. Name calls Segan, promising to keep him up to date with the situation. The news cycle about the events in the West ceases and is replaced with images of Alotol cooperation with Unity and documentaries on the horrors of the century-old monarchy that ruled the country. Coincidently, these videos start playing on the late King's birthday. Segan meets with the Methas Men in the Second District to celebrate the Court of Batan and, at least for him, to talk about the new girl that he met. While there, Mej shares a conspiracy that the heir to the Alotol throne is hiding in Asota. Segan is confused and asks the group about Freedom Day. Fox, the self-declared leader of Free Belfan's chapter of the Methas Men, says the whole event is a sham. He claims that every year the Alotol authority is joined by Qonklaks, Lugida, and others to celebrate the end of the Great War, but instead of celebrating they use this event as a means to round up dissidents and punish anyone who opposes the status quo. Mej whispers, saying they think that is why there was a recent attempt on Lia's life - he represents the last of Liosol's resistance.
4 4 "City of Stars" 2008
Name and Segan go on the their first date. Name teaches him about the history of the country since the end of the Great War, through the eyes of a Qonklese citizen.

The Methas Men cut off the power grid of Alotol City the night before Freedom Day.

5 5 "Freedom Day" 2008
The Methas Men begin their siege of Alotol City. The Kar Republic quietly sends its support through the sale of arms to the resistance, careful not to trigger a war with the Unity powers.

Segan leaves the Methas men and goes to name's apartment. He tries to convince her to leave the city with him and find a better life in Asota. She refuses, saying that the resistance is going to fail and that Qonklaks will invade Liosol, finally subjugating it due to the resistance's stupidity. Segan tells name that he is part of the resistance and that is why he is begging her to leave. He knows exactly what they have planned. Disgusted, name requests he leave now, and she won't report him to the Qonklese officers in the city. Reluctantly, Segan goes.

Reth Janoe makes his Freedom Day Speech from Lanothi, claiming the weather kept him and the other leaders from going to Alotol City this year. Fox, having predicted this move, is in attendance. After searching the crowd and seeing only low-ranking members of the government, Fox aims his gun at Reth. The assassination is met with brute force and everyone in attendance is indiscriminately mowed down with machine guns. The episode ends with a close up of Fox's blood-soaked white shirt, revealing a large tattoo of the Alotol royal emblem.

Season 2 (2009)

No. Overall No. in season Title Original air date
6 1 "New Liosol" 2009
One month has passed since the siege of Free Belfan and the establishment of the Republic of New Liosol in the Greater Belfan Region. While the Alotol authority in the west scrambles to form a new government, opposition leader Lia Masine is declared President of the Republic by the Methas Men. Lia gives a speech in front of the vacant royal palace, declaring the Alotol authority an illegitimate regime and vowing to reunite Liosol, restoring its prewar borders.

Eul Segan watches Lia's speech from a detainment facility in the Kar Republic. A guard takes him to a private cell and interrogates him. The guard asks Segan why he fled and what he was prepared to do to defend his country. Segan lies and says he needs to return to his family in Limve. The guard dismisses this excuse, telling Segan he must return to the capital and fulfill the rest of his military service. Before Segan can press the guard about his supposedly deleted military record, the guard tells him that "the Methas Men know everything. They know where one's loyalties lie." Segan realizes his only options are to fulfill the rest of his military service or to spend ten years in prison for desertion, under the laws of the Sovereign Kingdom of Liosol, a defunct state.

While in prison, Segan meets a fellow deserter, Soe Thansa. Thansa tells Segan that all the prisoners are headed to Alotol City to await orders from "Lia's shell of a government." The two quickly bond and agree to watch out for each other during the trip, since they know they will be traveling with convicted murderers and criminals. The prison warden makes a speech before the groups depart, claiming that every prisoner's sentence will be wiped clean if they serve the New Liosol. A man objects, saying he wishes to complete his sentence. Guards take him away and a gun shot can be heard off camera.

7 2 "The War Within" 2009
The Alotol authority considers peace talks with the Methas Men, insisting that no more lives be lost due to their conflict. Interim Premier Jon arranges a call with President Lia. Meanwhile, in New Liosol, every news outlet plays an edited version of Premier Reth's speech, highlighting the 238 people that were killed following it. They conveniently forget to mention who fired the first shot.

Mej goes to one of the few open bars in Alotol City. He meets Kunas, an avid supporter of Lia and the opposition party. The two discuss the Alotol authority. Kunas asks Mej what happened to Segan, to which Mej says that he "probably fled to Asota, like every other sane person in Soltenna." Mej casually reveals how betrayed he feels by the Methas Men. He tells Kunas, "Embracing an Alotol Republic is the stupidest idea that could come from a group named for the late king." Kunas informs Mej of all the good the Methas Men and opposition are doing to restore Liosol. He smiles, saying "soon this will be a country for only the Alotols, as it should be."

Segan and Thansa arrive in Alotol City. They are temporarily separated at the processing center before being reunited in a former propaganda building that was converted to barracks. The pair is assigned a tiny office space as a room. The commander of their unit tells all the soldiers that they have one hour of rest before training will begin. While Segan and Thansa are alone, Thansa shares a secret: he helped take down the power grid. Segan is horrified but Thansa clarifies that it was indirect. He worked with the Methas Men as a civilian before being detained during a trip to the Kar Republic. He assumed the group would use what he taught them to attack Jikhein or Natalia, not their own country. Segan reveals his own previous involvement with the Methas Men and describes (the Qonklese girl), who he talked to before the siege of Free Belfan. Segan cries and embraces Thansa. He says, "I wish I had never woken up."

8 3 "Training and Betrayal" 2009
Mej goes to work at the newspaper - a job that Kunas helped him land. On the way to his office Mej passes a butcher's where two men are arguing. The butcher claims the other man is a thief. The man speaks and Mej immediately hears his Kadic accent. Another man passes by the scene and attacks the Kad, yelling xenophobic insults. A police officer walks by, sees Mej's shocked expression, looks at the scene, and leaves without interfering.

Segan and Thansa begin training. The commander instructs them to detain anyone who looks foreign or speaks with an accent. He tells them that they are treasonous and must be imprisoned to prevent insurrection. When asked why, the commander yells that these are the orders and that doing so will help New Liosol prevent war with members of Unity. They will use any foreign detainees as bargaining chips. Segan doubts that they'll keep them alive and quietly tells Thansa that he will not participate in such a practice.

While the Alotol authority is in session, meeting to discuss their upcoming call with President Lia, Emperor Dain Pain and other high-ranking members of the Qonklese Empire intrude on the meeting. One official tells Premier Jon that he is relieved of his duties and that a member of the Huy En government will administrate the Alotol authority. There are a few objections to this announcement but they are quickly silenced by words from the emperor: "I gave you a little freedom and you wasted it. There is no going back now. It is time for a full integration into the Empire." He clarifies that the Alotol authority will continue to exist, but only in name from now on.

Thansa nurses an injured wrist after a brutal training session. Segan tells him that he will get medicinal supplies but Thansa says not to bother. He thinks that an injury will disqualify him from service. The pair laughs a little about the ridiculousness of their situation before talking about each other's family. Segan admits he doesn't know what happened to his family. Thansa says that his family died during the Hetan betrayal. There is a moment of silence, and then the two kiss. Segan pulls back and says goodnight, quickly turning off the lights.

Season 3 (2010)

Season 4 (2012)

Season 5 (2013)

Season 6 (2014)

Season 7 (2015)

Season 8 (2016)

Season 9 (2017)

Season 10 (2018)

Season 11 (2019)

Season 12 (2020)

Season 13 (2021)

Season 13 was announced early in 2021 but no official release date has been made. Qonklese-Alotol actor Wy Batanh, aka "Ci Khâw", told his followers on Ajhi that this would be his last season, leading to rumors of the show's end.

Specials

Cast

Actor Nationality Character First appearance
Yü.jpeg
Alotol Eul Segan Season 1, episode 1
Miun Aklei Aquihian Haiun Taipa Season 1, episode 1
Wy Batanh Alotol Ci Khâw Season 1, episode 5

Controversies

Many critics have complained that the show is too violent in nature. Producer Reth Betani told fans in an interview that "most of the horrors seen on screen are taken from actual real-life accounts of Unity aggression."

Production

Conception

Production history

Reception

Viewer ratings

Critical response

Awards and nominations