46/39
Based on the novel “Earth Abides” by George R
Story
After months of isolation, Isherwood “Ish” Williams discovers that much of the world has fallen to a mysterious illness. Yet despite his instincts for further isolation, Ish leads the charge to develop a new civilization. Stewart.
Quoted in Korman Productions Deep Dive TV Podcast: Earth Abides on MGM+ Deep Dive Episode 1 “Alone” with Dave and Stacie (2024)
Having read Earth Abides 20 or 25 years ago and remembering the book fondly, I was pleasantly surprised to see a series realized. There’s always a bit of trepidation when this happens, because you hope they stay true to the book and meet your visual expectations, knowing that it’s hard for a movie or TV series to match what you imagined while reading. With that in mind, I’m watching the first episode with a bit of bias, but trying to see it as a “new” story and a welcome reminder of one of my favorite books in the “dystopian/post-apocalyptic” genre.
Post-Covid, there’s room for some good pandemic storytelling
The book was written and set in the 1940s, while the series is a modern retelling, so the technology and overall “feel” of the setting is different than the book. The pacing is naturally fast and is picked up significantly to fit character development and the main plot into the first episode of a miniseries. Episode 1 successfully sets up a compelling story that seems to honor Stewart’s themes.
I can’t wait to see the rest
It invites both fans of the book and new viewers to contemplate humanity’s place in a changed world. The acting so far is good, the production and effects look decent, maybe a bit lackluster (one would expect a bunch of cars, etc. “One Hundred Years of Solitude” is one of those).
The biggest TV and streaming releases this month
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