disappointment media
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About

STATION ELEVEN -- An Eerie, Complex Miniseries

12/15/2021

0 Comments

 
Review by Sean Boelman
Picture
Photograph by Ian Watson/HBO Max.
There are plenty of instances in which the media eerily predicts the future, and Emily St. John Mandel’s acclaimed novel Station Eleven is one such case. And now, seven years later, seeing her vision of post-pandemic dystopia in miniseries form, this story will connect with audiences in a way that few other COVID-adjacent projects have.

The series follows several groups of survivors of a deadly flu pandemic as they attempt to rebuild society and reflect on their lives before the world changed. There has been an argument as to whether it is too soon to create media that so closely imitates what we have been going through for the past two years, but the nuanced approach of this series goes a long way.

One of the most impressive things about this series is the way in which it balances its tone. The first episode is pure horror, filling the viewer with absolute dread, and then the rest of the series becomes a mix of post-apocalyptic thriller, family drama, and road comedy. It’s a lot more compelling and balanced than it probably should have been.

There are obviously the basic themes in the series that are common to the dystopian sci-fi genre, exploring the fundamental meaning of being human, but there are also some more interesting things going on in this. The portion of the show which follows the post-apocalyptic band of Shakespearean actors presents some interesting questions about the importance of art.
Picture
Photograph by Parrish Lewis/HBO Max.
The character development in the series is also exceptional. There are a lot of characters and storylines to follow in the show, and sometimes it even goes a span of a few episodes before we get to see some of the characters billed as the show’s leads, but there are so many characters with whom the audience will form a connection.

The ensemble of the show is full of talented performers. The main lead of the show is Mackenzie Davis, whose performance is quietly powerful. However, it is the supporting cast that often shines. Himesh Patel is charming, having brilliant chemistry with his young co-star Matilda Lawler. Gael Garcia Bernal also has a small but pivotal supporting turn that is great.

For the show, a beautiful vision of post-apocalyptic America was created. There are plenty of the usual visual motifs, like overgrowth and abandoned man-made structures, but this is a surprisingly joyous take on a supposed dystopia. The result is a sci-fi series that feels visually distinctive in an overstuffed genre.

Station Eleven is perhaps one of the best limited series ever made, handling its complex, intelligent story in a way that is equal parts harrowing and hopeful. It’s hard to watch at times, but that is exactly what makes it so impactful.

Station Eleven streams on HBO Max beginning December 16, with new episodes being released in subsequent weeks.

Rating: 5/5
               
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019

    Authors

    All
    Adam Donato
    Alan French
    Allison Brown
    Borja Izuzquiz
    Camden Ferrell
    Cole Groth
    Daniel Lima
    Dan Skip Allen
    Erin M. Brady
    Jonathan Berk
    Joseph Fayed
    Josh Batchelder
    Paris Jade
    Rafael Motamayor
    Sarah Williams
    Sean Boelman
    Tatiana Miranda

disappointment media

Dedicated to unique and diverse perspectives on cinema!
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About